Sloooow speed

HavellN · Feb 06, 2009, 13:39:40

Hi All,

Just wanted to throw this out there, my broadband connection over the last month or so has been getting worse. this is a bt speedtest results i did about 30mins ago:

Quote
Test1 comprises of Best Effort Test: -provides background information.
Your DSL connection rate: 2496 kbps(DOWN-STREAM), 448 kbps(UP-STREAM)
IP profile for your line is - 135 kbps
Actual IP throughput achieved during the test was - 84 kbps

If you wish to discuss these results please contact your ISP.

If you are experiencing problems with specific applications, servers or websites please contact your ISP for assistance.

Your test has completed please close this window to exit the performance tester.

my router seems to reconnect fairly frequently, usually dropping the speed each time. if i turn the router off for 20mins or so then the next connection will show high but actually be around the same as above. the router is connected on a phone line extension but the same is still true if i put it into the master socket. This is the second router i have tried and both give the same results.

looking on the usertools.plus.net site about the exchange information (EABSE), there is a red warning about congestion on the virtual paths, which i presume means the exchange is overly busy but again presumably that does not mean 24/7. 21CN is scheduled for the end of march this year, perhaps that would help

Just wondering if anyone has any great ideas, have been trying to work from home using RDC but that is now just painful at the moment!

thanks,
Nath

Sebby · Feb 06, 2009, 13:59:01

Your problem is that the profile is at 135k owing to the instability that you mention. Unfortunately, without stabilising things, you won't be able to take advantage of your sync speed as the profile will never have a chance to catch up. Incidentally, the profile can take 3 days to increase.

You mention congestion, but this won't be your problem. The problem is a local issue, i.e. either within your property, or along your line somewhere to the exchange. Noise is the most common factor, and there a few things you can do to try and get to the bottom of this.

You mention that you've tried the master socket, but have you tried the test socket (you'll need to take the faceplate off carefully, and just let it dangle as the extension wiring will be connected to it - you'll see a socket behind the plate, which is the test socket).

Before you do this, could you login to your router and post the line statistics. Then try the test socket, and let us see the new stats - that'll help us to see if noise being picked up by extension wiring is to blame.

HavellN · Feb 06, 2009, 14:03:27

Hey Sebby,

sorry when i said master socket i did mean the test socket under the face plate. Also i should mention that i have disconnected the bell wire too but that was a couple of months ago now.

are these the statistics you refer to?

Quote
ADSL Link         Downstream   Upstream
Connection Speed   928 kbps   448 kbps
Line Attenuation      54 db      15.5 db
Noise Margin         12 db         16 db

Sebby · Feb 06, 2009, 14:05:28

They're the ones.

Your current sync speed is significantly lower than it was about 30 minutes ago when you ran the BT test, so something's really not right. Your target margin is 12dB, which suggests that the exchange has tried to stabilise your line (albeit unsuccessfully).

When you say you've tried the test socket, how long did you try it for?

HavellN · Feb 06, 2009, 14:11:21

do you mean 12db for the line attenuation value?

think the router was in the test socket most of yesterday, it seemed to level out at about 460kbps while i was using it.

I shall be away for a fair part of this weekend from this evening so i could reconnect it to the test socket then if that would help?

Sebby · Feb 06, 2009, 14:13:15

The attenuation is 54dB, which suggests you're quite some way from the exchange.

If you're pretty sure the test socket isn't helping, it's got to be a line issue, in which case you need to get in touch with IDNet, and they'll raise it with BT.

HavellN · Feb 06, 2009, 14:27:47

yep, its a good 1-2 miles to the exchange.

what do i need to do with the test socket (just to make sure), connect the router directly to it and leave for a number of days? what results would i be looking for, just a huge consistent speed increase?

Sebby · Feb 06, 2009, 14:30:05

That's exactly right. Really, it's not the speed that you get from a speed test that we're interested in, as that is related to the profile, which itself is related to the sync. We're looking for stability at the test socket, i.e. no or few disconnections, and a sync rate that doesn't fluctuate very much.

HavellN · Feb 06, 2009, 14:33:31

ok, Ill give it a go. in terms of results of this test then if there is still alot of recconects then it is a line issue presumably and if it goes smoothly it is something inside the house causing the interference?

Sebby · Feb 06, 2009, 14:36:31

Exactly.

HavellN · Feb 06, 2009, 14:39:37

thanks for your help

fingers crossed

Sebby · Feb 06, 2009, 14:40:18

NP. Good luck!

Rik · Feb 06, 2009, 14:41:20

It's possible also that using a different router would help, Havell. That looks like a Netgear from your stats, and I have a similar line length to you, but sync stably at >3000k. When I was using the Netgear, it was about 1M lower and much less stable.

HavellN · Feb 06, 2009, 14:49:08

Yes it is a NetGear, good spot

The other router i have is a speedtouch 580.

Have just connected the router (NetGear still) direct to the test socket, these are the current stats...

Quote
ADSL Link         Downstream   Upstream
Connection Speed   2336 kbps   448 kbps
Line Attenuation      57 db   15.5 db
Noise Margin            12 db   17 db

Rik · Feb 06, 2009, 14:53:14

Your attenuation has gone up by 3db (equivalent to about 300 metres of extra line), which suggests something is not right. Are you using a filter to connect through? If so, it might be worth trying another one in case it's not making a good connection in the socket, but be very careful not to disconnect more than about 10 times an hour, otherwise your line will be flagged as unstable by BT's software.

HavellN · Feb 06, 2009, 15:07:10

ok, have put a different filter on now, still says 57db though...

Quote
ADSL Link         Downstream   Upstream
Connection Speed   2432 kbps   448 kbps
Line Attenuation         57 db   15.5 db
Noise Margin            11 db   18 db

Rik · Feb 06, 2009, 15:09:24

Slightly better speed though... It makes me wonder whether the faceplate is making a better connection than the filters. Leave it for now, but when you reconnect the faceplate, check if the attenuation goes down again.

HavellN · Feb 06, 2009, 15:17:08

ok, Ill leave it be fore a while see what happens.

going back to the 10 disconnects causing a the line to be flagged, how is the line un-flagged? do you have to request it? can you tell if it has been flagged?

Rik · Feb 06, 2009, 15:22:47

Time, in a word.

What happens is that the BT software increases the target noise margin in an attempt to stabilise the lines. Initially, with Max, that target is set at 6db. It is incremented in 3db steps if the line shows instability (it appears to have been lifted to 12db for you). Each 3db will cost you around 5-700k of sync speed. The maximum target is 15db.

If you maintain sync for 14+ days, the system will reduce the target by 3db, repeating this until it reaches 6db or you line becomes unstable again. Stability, to BT, means that the line doesn't frequently disconnect, and the threshold seems to be at 10 per hour.

If you do need to disconnect, it's usually a good idea to power the router down. This sends a 'last gasp' signal to the DSLAM, which it takes to mean "there's nothing wrong, I'm just turning off" and so doesn't react to it.

HavellN · Feb 06, 2009, 15:25:08

Coolio, thanks for all your help

Rik · Feb 06, 2009, 15:25:23

NP.

HavellN · Feb 06, 2009, 15:57:53

router has just disconnected/reconnected stats are now:

Quote
ADSL Link   Downstream   Upstream
Connection Speed   1568 kbps   448 kbps
Line Attenuation   56 db   15.5 db
Noise Margin   6 db   16 db

however the noise margin on the downstream is/was cycling between 0 and about 7 then would go all the way up to 250000 odd

HavellN · Feb 06, 2009, 16:00:42

also had this in the logs:

Quote
Fri, 2009-02-06 15:52:43 - LCP down.
Fri, 2009-02-06 15:52:50 - Initialize LCP.
Fri, 2009-02-06 15:52:50 - LCP is allowed to come up.

Rik · Feb 06, 2009, 16:09:44

The high figure is Netgear's way of trying to tell you, very badly, that the noise margin has gone negative, Havell. In practice, that can't actually happen, but it does explain why Netgears apparently can hold a line down to very low margin levels. The change of attenuation is a bit troubling, and it would be worth trying the Speedtouch to see if you can gain more stability. Apparently, your target is still at 6db, so I am not sure quite what is going on, and I think eliminating the router as the possible problem would be wise at this point.

The log entry is just the record of the loss of sync.

Sebby · Feb 06, 2009, 16:46:30

I think the router is potentially to blame in part, as Netgears (in my experience) are not great on long lines. If you're up for changing the router, you might want to try that first - something like a 2Wire 2700HGV or SpeedTouch 585 would be good. Failing that, it'll most likely be an external line issue, in which case you'll have to get BT involved via IDNet.