just moved to max and idnet

[wrtpeeps]

just this morning i entered in the idnet user and password for the first time. I had something to download today (a 350mb file) and it downloaded at about 900kb/s-in about 10 mins (this was about 5 mins after entering my details). However, tonight i am downloading at around 300-400, with speedtests showing me just above 1.5mb.

My line stats are below, the one that caught my eye is Downstream attentuation. If its too high, would this cause the slow speed permanently? I CAN move my router closer to the socket if necessary, but i spent a lot of time wiring it up to where it is at the moment.

   Statistics    Downstream    Upstream    
   Line Rate    6368 Kbps    448 Kbps    
   Noise Margin    6.4 dB    21.0 dB    
   Line Attenuation    52.0 dB    27.0 dB    
   Output Power    19.8 dBm    12.1 dBm

thanks for any help

[Rik]

The attenuation is unlikely to be affected greatly by the distance to the socket, there's a lot more cable between the socket and the exchange. Your noise margin could be affected by interference from electrical appliances etc, but unless your router is re-synching frequently, it's unlikely to be an issue. If it is, let me know and I'll suggest some things to try.

I have 54db attenuation, but can only sync at about 3424, so I think you're doing quite well.

My guess is that your line is still settling, and the speeds will also be affected by congestion at the exchange and how busy the 'net is at a given time. If you feel so inclined, run a speedtest at 5am, preferably on the BT speedtester, that will tell you what your line can achieve.

Also, check the status of your exchange here. If it's red, that will be a large part of your problem.

[wrtpeeps]

the history of my exchange shows that it WAS congested in december, but in january it has been green. I have had an attentuation as low as 37db, before i moved the router to where it is now, so maybe its poor quality extension wiring?

During my 10 day trial, am i likely to experience slow downs? if not, what exactly happens during the 10 days?

Thanks

[Rik]

If your attenuation has gone from 37db to 52db, you definitely have a problems with your wiring which you need to resolve. Do you have an NTE5 master socket, the kind which has a detachable faceplate (bottom 2/3rds)? If so, remove it and plug the router into the test socket behind it. If the figures improve, make a note of them, then put the face plate on, plug the router into the master socket, and note the difference. If the attenuation shoots up again, you have a wiring fault and will need to isolate each extension in turn to find what is causing it. Check also with everything else unplugged, eg phones, faxes, analogue modems, Sky boxes. If unplugging other devices improves things, then it's probably a rogue device or, or more likely, a bad filter. If the latter, the ADSL Nation Xf-1e will probably help.

Remember not to force a re-sync event more than 9 times in any 60 minute period. The DLM software will see 10 or more re-synchs as a sign of line instability and will drop your profile.

The 10 days is a bit of an urban myth, in practice only fault limits are set, your line will be managed as long as you have Max, and your profile will be altered to match conditions. In practice, as far as you're concerned, the most significant thing about the 10 days is that IDNet can't raise a fault with BT during that time.

What you are likely to experience is some drop in speed. Initially, BT will try and run the line as fast as possible. As the software gets a picture of how stable it is, it may change the target noise margin to gain stability, or switch on interleaving (if it isn't already). The key figure is not your sync speed, but your IP (or BRAS) profile, which you can check by doing a speedtest at the BT tester. Regardless of your sync speed, your profile will control your throughput.

[wrtpeeps]

ok i will check that stuff tommorow. Took me so long to get everything wired up tidily, now i got to undo it all again

Thanks for your extremely informative answers rikbean, they are very much appreciated.

[Rik]

Glad to try and help.

[wrtpeeps]

something came into my head. In the attic there is a join of extension rj11 (one cable plugged into the box of another extension). Would this connection need a filter, or would a filter improve the attentuation?

[Rik]

As Andrew has said on TB, if there's nothing connected, it doesn't need filtering. OTOH, if there's nothing connected, get shot of it - it can only add noise to your line.

A filter will never improve attenuation, the ADSL side of the signal is unfiltered. If anything, a filter might cause some insertion loss and increase attenuation.

[wrtpeeps]

Apologies you're probably sick and tired of my ramblings. I just did a test at test.speedtester.bt.com (the one that asks for your isp username). Anyway, it gave the following results:

Test1 comprises of Best Effort Test:  -provides background information.
IP profile for your line is - 5000 kbps
DSL connection rate: 448 kbps(UP-STREAM)  6048 kbps(DOWN-STREAM)
Actual IP throughput achieved during the test was - 1771 kbps

If someone could explain what this means i would really appreciate it, and sorry again for going on, im just extremely curious.

[Rik]

Your profile is OK, but you're not getting the throughput to match it. To give you a comparison, I'm on a 3000 profile, and achieve a throughput of 2800+kbps.

The possibilities are:

1) You are hitting congestion at your exchange
2) You are being affected by server load at the time you are doing the test
3) You are being affected by other 'net traffic at the time
4) Your machine is not optimised for your connection in terms of MTU & RWIN settings. This would be especially true if your router and computer are not using the same value, or the router is set to a smaller value than the computer.

1-3 can only be resolved by trying the test at a quiet time of day, eg very early morning.

For 4, download TCP Optimizer from here, and check your settings (your router MTU should be displayed in its interface somewhere).

The optimum value for MTU I've found with IDNet is 1458, others use 1500. With Wanadoo, I used to use 1430, with Nildram 1500, so it's a matter of tuning your connection to IDNet.

Normally, I'd say your results sounded like a stuck profile, but the BT test clearly indicates it isn't that.

[wrtpeeps]

could it be the congestion at the centrals problem idnet are having. My login is the uk.idnet.dsl4 variety, and searching other forums seems to show a trend of this username.

Also, the day of activation, i entered my user details at 7:30 am and was getting 6mb+. At 8:15am i got speeds of 900kb/s while downloading. Just incase i have the KB/kb thing messed, i downloaded 350mb in 10 mins, i am referring that it was very very fast. I tried at the same time today, and got around 3mb. I tried at 1am last night and got the same.

I had my MTU at 1500 already ont e router and the NIC i believe. I reset it to that again just to be sure. I'd rather it was congestion rather than line problems because at least the congestion may be sorted slightly at the end of the month with the arrival of the new central, right?

Thanks

[Rik]

I'm on the same login as you, apart from the user name that is. I've not seen any speed hits, even with the current capacity issues, but then that may be because I don't have great speeds to start with.

It certainly could be down to the awaited central, but I think you'd need to talk to CS to check that.

Meantime, and particularly during your training period, you can only really look to make sure you have an optimal setup at your end.

[maxping]

I'm also on uk.idnet.dsl4  and have no problems.

If you want a simple way to tweak your RWIN & MTU have a look here -

http://www.dslreports.com/faq/578

I use RWIN (tcp receive window) 200480 & MTU 1500.

Make sure your have your NIC in the Adaptor settings drop down and after you click apply reboot the pc for the settings to be saved.

[Rik]

I still believe the change in the OP's attenuation (post #3) has something to do with this, Max.

[maxping]

I still believe the change in the OP's attenuation (post #3) has something to do with this, Max.

You are probably right mate and to be honest once you start talking centrals,attenuation and all the other tecky terms for me you might as well be typing in another language 

[Rik]

you might as well be typing in another language

I am, Max, I am. 

[Nerval]

I'd suspect congestion, either local or more general, until shown otherwise.

Does the result of the test vary by time of day? - e.g. what do you get at 7 a.m.?

[Rik]

He's also suffered an increase in d/s attenuation, Nerve, from 37->52db, so I have suspicions about his internal wiring. That may be generating a lot of errors, which would be seen as a slowdown.

I know I'd be getting that sorted during the 'training' period, before the fault threshold gets set in stone.

[Nerval]

I'd wondered if the increase in atten coincided with moving on to Max - which would be normal.

If it's suddenly increased which would seem to be the case now I've read it properly, then all the "work" the OP has done on the wiring leaps out as suspicious.
And there's a RJ11 extension too..........

But then I'd have thought it would cut down his sync rate, not actual throughput within the sync rate.

[Rik]

I'd expect 2-3db of extra attenuation with the move to Max, Nerv, but not 15db. That smacks of a wiring issue, which in turns suggests noise will be a factor. If that is true, then the error rate could be going through the roof (close to the extension in the loft ), and could impact on throughput. As I said, I'd be looking to eliminate any issues now, before the fault threshold gets set.

[Nerval]

That's true.

[wrtpeeps]

the increasing attentuation happened before i moved to max, a month or two ago while i was on fixed rate 1mb. The router goes through 2 rj11 extensions, im going to remove 1 and see if that gets rid of the extra attentuation and helps the speed.

As for speedtests, the highest ive got is around 4mb. The only time ive seen speeds higher than this was 45mins after i entered the user and pass when i was downloading at about 900kbps. (i downloaded 350mb in 10 mins)

[Rik]

It doesn't matter too much when the attenuation increased, you need to work out what happened to cause it, then try to fix it if it's an issue with your wiring, while you are still in the training period. Lower attenuation should increase your sync speed and, therefore, your fault threshold - that can be very handy later. Don't get obsessed with speeds just yet, they will always fluctuate as your line settings settle and with traffic on the 'net, time of day etc.

[wrtpeeps]

actually, it has just come to mind. The router used to be in the attic but it was wireless and was having some range problems so i had to move it down. This required an extra extension to get it to where it is. I noticed the increased attenuation but if i remember correctly i didn't take notice because i was still getting the 1mb i was paying for. I will try removing this extension and see what the router syncs at.

[Rik]

It sounds a likely candidate, especially if it's a flat cable.

Have you disconnected the bell wire at all sockets? That will generally lower the noise level, thus increasing sync speed.