Ridiculously slow speeds

yuki_scorpio · Oct 28, 2008, 23:53:43

My internet has been slow for the past week or so. Went to do a speedtest and the results were:

Your DSL connection rate: 416 kbps(DOWN-STREAM), 448 kbps(UP-STREAM)
IP profile for your line is - 250 kbps
Actual IP throughput achieved during the test was - 177 kbps

I'm a tech-talk idiot. Can someone please explain to me what I should do, in simple language? Thanks for your help.

Dopamine · Oct 29, 2008, 01:28:09

In simple language, your router (or modem if you use one) has connected to the telephone exchange at a very low speed (its "sync"). BT's system then automatically restricts your maximum available download speed to one consistent with your current connection speed, even though your line has achieved higher speeds previously. You can see this by looking at your IP profile: 250kbps means that's the max you'll get, regardless of the speed (sync) you've connected to the exchange at.

If this has only happened recently, and prior to that you've always been happy with your speed, you should reboot your router to force a new connection with the exchange. Hopefully it will connect at a faster speed and, if it does, BT's systems will, in around 3 days, acknowledge that faster speed by increasing your download speed (IP profile) to match. Problem solved.

However, it's most likely that electrical interference (noise) on your line has caused a loss of connection and a subsequent reconnection at a lower speed, in which case you'll need to get a little more technical in an effort to find and reduce/stop/cope with the noise.

If that's the case, post back here where there are plenty of knowledgeable people able to help.

yuki_scorpio · Oct 29, 2008, 07:52:42

Thank you. I'll try the reboot and wait a few days to see what happens, then!

Rik · Oct 29, 2008, 08:31:54

Welcome to the forum, Yuki.

Dopamine's advice is the best you could get, let us know how you get on.

Ann · Oct 29, 2008, 11:06:53

Just to be sure you understand, you don't need to wait after reconnection to see if it's going to work. do another speed test and see if the "DSL connection rate" has gone up. If it has it then takes a few days for the IP profile to catch up.

yuki_scorpio · Oct 29, 2008, 17:51:48

Hello Dopamine, Rik and Ann!

After the reboot this morning, I did another speed test just now and here are the results:

Your DSL connection rate: 1504 kbps(DOWN-STREAM), 448 kbps(UP-STREAM)
IP profile for your line is - 250 kbps
Actual IP throughput achieved during the test was - 179 kbps

My DSL connection rate has gone up, so I guess that's good news?

Rik · Oct 29, 2008, 17:56:44

It is, you just need to wait for the profile to follow, which governs actual throughput. It can take up to five days unfortunately.

Sebby · Oct 29, 2008, 18:13:30

That sync is better, but is potentially low depending on your line. Could you post the statistics from your router?

yuki_scorpio · Oct 29, 2008, 18:23:23

Hello and thanks for the welcome! The following are the stats:

Downstream SNR 7dB Attenuation 56dB Data Rate 1504kbps
Upstream SNR 19dB Attenuation 31dB Data Rate 448kbps

Rik · Oct 29, 2008, 18:26:12

TBH, those figures are pretty bad, Yuki. I have a 57db attenuation with a target margin of 9db to improve stability, but I connect at 3884k. Either your internal wiring is causing problems, or there is something wrong with the line. (Or, just possibly, your router is not working as well as it should.)

How many phone sockets do you have, what's connected to them?

Sebby · Oct 29, 2008, 18:26:32

The sync is a bit low, even for a 56dB line...

yuki_scorpio · Oct 29, 2008, 18:28:17

I just have the one phone socket, with a microfilter, and then the router modem (I have one that does both jobs) and the phone. I don't remember having changed anything recently, so it's all a mystery to me.

Sebby · Oct 29, 2008, 18:30:58

Does the socket have a removable lower half?

Rik · Oct 29, 2008, 18:32:38

In that case, there's little you can do for yourself, unless you can borrow a router to eliminate that? Is the phone DECT? If so, can you move the base unit further away? The other thing you can try is to use a battery-powered AM radio, and de-tune it from any station so that you just have white noise. Move the radio along the path of the phone cable from where it enters the house, and along the socket-to-router cable. Then hover around your computer and monitor. You're looking for any significant increase in noise levels. If you find some, it's likely that something in the house is generating interference. ADSL operates in the same spectrum as AM radio, so what the radio 'hears' is also being heard by the router.

yuki_scorpio · Oct 29, 2008, 18:32:57

No, everything is fixed and screwed tight.

Rik · Oct 29, 2008, 18:36:26

If the radio trick reveals nothing, contact IDNet for help. They will be able to test the line and get a BT engineer out if appropriate.

Sebby · Oct 29, 2008, 18:37:09

Sorry, I should have been more clear. Does the socket look like this?

yuki_scorpio · Oct 29, 2008, 18:40:01

Sebby - Yes, that's what it looks like.

Rik - I don't have a radio to test it with, but after removing the cordless phone, the downstream SNR changed to 11, and upstream to 20.

Sebby · Oct 29, 2008, 18:46:56

Could you remove that lower half (as shown in the picture) and connect your router to the socket behind the panel? Then re-post your router stats?

Rik · Oct 29, 2008, 18:48:31

That's an improvement, but it would only yield another 700k or so of synch speed, still way below what I'd expect for that attenuation. Run a BT speedtest and copy the results into an email to IDNet, and ask if they can suggest anything.

yuki_scorpio · Oct 29, 2008, 18:55:49

The result of opening the panel and connecting the router to the socket inside:

Downstream SNR 12dB Attenuation 56dB Data Rate 1920kbps
Upstream SNR 20dB Attenuation 31dB Data Rate 448kbps

The rate has gone up a bit.

Thank you everyone for all your help. Sorry that this just keeps going...

Oh, the phone socket is rather old and the screws rusted. It still has the very old BT logo on it. Would that affect anything...?

Sebby · Oct 29, 2008, 19:04:37

Hmm, well the sync has improved, but I think you should get 3Mb+. Looking at your downstream SNRM of 12dB, it suggests that there has been some instability, and the exchange has upped your target SNRM from the default figure of 6dB to stabilise the line. The effect this has is to reduce your sync.

Is there any wiring connected to the back of the plate that you removed?

yuki_scorpio · Oct 29, 2008, 19:24:05

I haven't removed the cover completely. This is as far as it would go before it starts to "resist", and I don't dare to pull any further in case I damage something.

Upon closer inspection, there is wiring on the back of the cover.

Ted · Oct 29, 2008, 20:36:35

Quote from: yuki_scorpio on Oct 29, 2008, 19:24:05
I haven't removed the cover completely. This is as far as it would go before it starts to "resist", and I don't dare to pull any further in case I damage something.

Upon closer inspection, there is wiring on the back of the cover.

I'm a bit confused here. If that's as far as the cover will go. how did you connect the router to the master socket??

Edit:
Just had a closer look

Sebby · Oct 30, 2008, 00:32:37

Quote from: yuki_scorpio on Oct 29, 2008, 19:24:05
I haven't removed the cover completely. This is as far as it would go before it starts to "resist", and I don't dare to pull any further in case I damage something.

Upon closer inspection, there is wiring on the back of the cover.

Okay, that means that there is extension wiring. I suspect the plate is just stuck due to the excess wire in there.

As you already connect your router at the master socket, my advice would be to fit a filtered faceplate. My favourite, and probably the most popular choice, is the ADSL Nation XTE-2005. What this does is provide an ADSL and phone connection on the master socket (no microfilter needed), and other extensions in the house are filtered (again, no microfilters required - although you don't use any extensions anyway, wherever they may be!).

This will give you the same stats as you achieved in the test socket. Hopefully, as well, it will mean you achieve stability, and eventually your target SNRM should be reduced, giving you higher sync.