I should be an IDNetter later today

vitriol · May 15, 2009, 17:09:25

I migrated to IDNet from Nildram when I heard that Tiscali were buying them out and I've not regretted it a bit. My friend who is still on Nildram always complains of slow speeds and bad latency.

You've made the right choice

Dan · May 15, 2009, 17:19:10

Thanks - I have a WAG54G2 but following instructions for the Linksys WRT 160N produced this. I think I have some reading up to do.

--- System Information ---
Vendor: Linksys
ModelName: WAG54G2
Firmware Version: 1.00.10 , 2008-08-01T20:20:49
Boot Version: 1.03
Hardware Version: 0.01

--- DSL Information ---
DSL Driver Version: E.25.41.39
DSL VPI/VCI: 0/38
DSL Status: Showtime
DSL Mode: G.Dmt
DSL Channel: 64
DSL Upstream Rate: 448000
DSL Downstream Rate: 5088000

Down up
DSL Noise Margin: 31.5 dB 27.0 dB
DSL Attenuation: 13 dB 6.0 dB
DSL Transmit Power: 19.3 dBm 11.7 dBm

--- Wireless Information ---
Wireless Driver Version: 2.1.34
Wireless Status: Enabled
Wireless Standard Channel: 1- 2.412GHZ
Wireless SSID: Biscuits

Rik · May 15, 2009, 17:24:52

I think the router is mis-labelling the NM and attenuation, that looks more likely to be a 31.5db d/s attenuation with a 13db NM. That latter figure suggests there has been some instability on the line and that the dynamic line management software has increase the target NM from 6 to 12 or 15db. That would cost you 1-1.5Mb in sync speed, which looks about right to me for a 31.5 attenuation, iow, with a 6db target margin I would expect you to sync at or near 8128.

Are you using multiple extensions, what other devices are connected to the line, eg phone, Sky box etc?

Dan · May 15, 2009, 17:56:15

This level of information is amazing!

The main line from the telegraph pole actually runs into a junction box, and then a metre or so of (ordinary) cable runs from that junction box to the master socket. A phone is plugged into that. There is one extension line (wired into the master socket box rather than on a plug) which runs for about 5 metres to another socket where the router is plugged in.

Are you able to tell me how far I am sitting from the router?

But I've got to go and do tea now. Thanks for everyone's help and karma.

Dan

Rik · May 15, 2009, 17:58:19

How comfortable are you about playing with phone wiring, Dan. It may help to remove the ring wire, if connected. (Oh, 1.65m

)

Lance · May 15, 2009, 17:59:25

I would also plug the router into the master socket rather than the extension, and then run a longer network cable is possible

Rik · May 15, 2009, 18:00:42

Quote from: Dan on May 15, 2009, 17:56:15
A phone is plugged into that.

Hang on, that phone is filtered, right?

Dan · May 15, 2009, 18:04:57

Last post for now.

yes the phone is filtered (and so's socket plugged into the router). I'm happy to play with wiring as long as I won't lose my internet connection.

Rik · May 15, 2009, 18:12:44

Remove the faceplate of each socket, Dan, and see if you have any wires connected to terminal 3, usually Orange/white, but go by the number. The only wires you need are on terminals 2 & 5, and these are usually blue/white and white/blue. Terminal 3 is the ring wire, not needed by modern phones or phones plugged into a filter. If it's connected, remove it at each socket by grasping it with a small pair of pliers and gently pulling it out of the IDC connection. While you're there, check that you do indeed have a 'pair' on terminals 2/5, ie the wires should be colour/white, white colour.

Sebby · May 15, 2009, 19:30:56

I agree with Rik, a 13dB attenuation seems unlikely. I can't see why you shouldn't actually be able to get full sync. Follow Rik's notes and hopefully it'll improve things as it's likely your extensions are picking up noise at the moment.

Dan · May 15, 2009, 21:10:11

Terminals 3 and 4 were connected (orange/white pair) - for the moment we just disconnected them rather than pulling the cable out.

So it's getting better...

Down up
DSL Noise Margin: 14.0 dB 24.0 dB
DSL Attenuation: 18 dB 8.0 dB
DSL Transmit Power: 19.6 dBm 11.5 dBm

I haven't actually removed the bell wire (just disconnected - I'll try removing the wire completely over the weekend). Terminals 2 and 5 are a pair, although when we took the faceplate off terminal 2 wasn't actually connected (maybe it was terminal 5 - the bottom most one) so we put that one back in. Maybe it was loose. I'll see what can be done with extensions at the weekend too. Going to be difficult for moving the router closer to the master socket though because I work in an office in my garden with a network cable running under underground outside (I'm usually about 14m from the router, Rik)

Den · May 15, 2009, 21:47:30

As long as you disconnect the ringer cable at each telephone point that will be fine you don't have to do anything else as the wire will only pick up noise if it is connected but it must not be connected anyware. I am going to disconnect for my neighbour in the next week (jaybee) as his NM is about 15dB and has much lower speeds than me even though we most likely have the same cable up to the edge of the drives.

Sebby · May 15, 2009, 22:05:20

Quote from: Dan on May 15, 2009, 21:10:11
Terminals 3 and 4 were connected (orange/white pair) - for the moment we just disconnected them rather than pulling the cable out.

So it's getting better...

Down    up
DSL Noise Margin: 14.0 dB 24.0 dB
DSL Attenuation:    18 dB    8.0 dB
DSL Transmit Power: 19.6 dBm    11.5 dBm

I haven't actually removed the bell wire (just disconnected - I'll try removing the wire completely over the weekend). Terminals 2 and 5 are a pair, although when we took the faceplate off terminal 2 wasn't actually connected (maybe it was terminal 5 - the bottom most one) so we put that one back in. Maybe it was loose. I'll see what can be done with extensions at the weekend too. Going to be difficult for moving the router closer to the master socket though because I work in an office in my garden with a network cable running under underground outside (I'm usually about 14m from the router, Rik)

What's the downstream rate like now?

When you say you disconnected instead of pulling the wire out, what do you mean?

Rik · May 16, 2009, 08:57:57

Quote from: Dan on May 15, 2009, 21:10:11
I work in an office in my garden with a network cable running under underground outside (I'm usually about 14m from the router, Rik)

That's cheating.

Like Sebby, I'm curious as to what you mean about disconnecting. It does sound like the wiring is worth a little exploration though. You can pick up disposable IDC tools for about £1 at places like B&Q or Maplin, it would probably be worthwhile to remake all the joints.

uxbod · May 16, 2009, 09:27:23

Quotebecause I work in an office in my garden with a network cable running under underground outside

Hmmm, how well is the cable protected ? Is it fed through some tubing under the ground or just laid straight into the ground ? Is it shielded at all ? Perhaps a little bit of moisture has creeped in ?

Dan · May 16, 2009, 11:41:01

Disconnecting... Rik, when you said "remove it at each socket by grasping it with a small pair of pliers and gently pulling it out of the IDC connection" - I had visions of carefully pulling the wire from out of the entire length of cable...

After I saw Sebby's post you don't mean pull the wire out, just make sure it's disconnected. I only disconnected it at one end though so I'm going to look again at the wiring today now I'm confident what I'm doing.

The underground network cable should be ok, Uxbod. The cable itself is inside cable tubing (not sure if it's shielded), but I also use a laptop in the house (wireless) or sometimes cable it and the speed tests are the same (plus any file transfers between my computers on this line are fine), so I think it's the telephone wiring/connections that have the biggest impact on speed. Hope so. I don't want to dig that cable up!

Lance · May 16, 2009, 11:43:53

Hi Dan,

You just need to make sure the wire is diconnected at every socket. Rik meant pull out of the IDC (the terminal).

HTH

Rik · May 16, 2009, 11:44:14

Ah, right. The IDC connector is the push-in terminal block on the socket.

Dan · May 16, 2009, 11:46:32

Thanks.

Just thought I'd try a speedtest... Download is superb

(haven't disconnected the bellwire at the other end yet either)

Rik · May 16, 2009, 11:49:20

Upload is a tad slow. Can you try a BT test, Dan?

Lance · May 16, 2009, 11:50:17

Link for BT test.

Sebby · May 16, 2009, 12:11:43

Quote from: Dan on May 16, 2009, 11:46:32
Thanks.

Just thought I'd try a speedtest... Download is superb (haven't disconnected the bellwire at the other end yet either)

That's more like it, although upload looks strange.

zappaDPJ · May 16, 2009, 15:03:32

I've found that the 'London' server used by Speedtest.net consistently produces strange results for me and other connections I've tested on it (as below). Low bandwidth on either stream and high pings are often reported by that server. The 'Maidenhead' server seems to give much more consistent results so you might want to try that.

Maverich · May 16, 2009, 15:35:09

Dan!!

I'm confident you'll enjoy your time here!

Dan · May 18, 2009, 14:09:08

I've tried a BT test twice and just left it to run but think it's failing at some point.

It does say "Your configured download throughput speed for this service is 6500 k". Early in the test it displays a Java access denied error on a particular port (not my IP address) but still shows a steadily increasing progress bar up to 100% but the next message just eventually sits on "No of threads are 4!" and never gets past 96%

I disconnected both ends of the bell wire last night

Down up
DSL Noise Margin: 14.0 dB 24.0 dB
DSL Attenuation: 17 dB 8.5 dB
DSL Transmit Power: 19.6 dBm 11.5 dBm

and a speed test this morning was 6.35MB down and 0.22 up (London server) but last night connecting to the Maidenhead server showed 0.38MB upload - so I think zappaDPJ is onto something. (download was only 4.94 but maybe that's because it's Sunday)

I'm very pleased so far. Thanks for all your help.