IP Profile

zappaDPJ · Jun 12, 2009, 12:48:33

A quick update. I have no real idea what occurred to make this happen but I am back online, approximately 24 hours after the engineer switched me to a new pair. I'm reserving judgement if this is an end to my problems as I've observed a few oddities. Initially I appeared to sync to a 4000 kbps service but only had 120 kbps throughput. After playing around with a couple of routers I finally managed to get some bandwidth, 3.89 Mb/s on the last test.

One thing I am a bit worried about is the BT speedtest confirms a 4000 kbps service but reports an unspecified error before completing the test. I'm also unable to connect via wireless on either of the two Netgear routers I have. That has to be a router issue but it has me completely stumped.

I'm now trying to catch up on some work and don't have time to pursue any of these anomalies. It's rather disappointing that I only have half the bandwidth compared with what I had before ADSL2+ but at least I have something now. Thanks to IDNet for all the effort they have put in to get me back online. BT now sit along side Pipex as the worst British companies I've ever come across.

Rik · Jun 12, 2009, 12:58:49

I'm glad you're at least part sorted, Zap. Have you let IDNet know the situation so they can do some more digging?

The wireless does have to be a router/PC issue. Did you do a factory reset at any stage?

zappaDPJ · Jun 12, 2009, 13:09:27

I thought I'd give IDNet a break Rik, I had some bad news work wise yesterday and I wasn't in the best of moods when I rang them.

I have factory reset both modems but both have worked on wireless since then. I think there is a bug in the v5's current firmware (on wireless) and I suspect I can get the v4 working but I really don't want to swap or breathe near either router just in case it causes me to lose connection. I rebooted the v5 this morning to see if it would force a sync change and had a devil of a job reconnecting it so I'm leaving well alone until I've shifted some work.

Sebby · Jun 12, 2009, 13:09:52

120k throughput sounds very much like the profile was disrupted for a while.

zappaDPJ · Jun 12, 2009, 13:12:45

It certainly didn't want to come out and play

Here's my current router stats for reference:

ADSL Link Downstream Upstream
Connection Speed 5491 kbps 888 kbps
Line Attenuation 35.0 db 17.5 db
Noise Margin 13.20 db 16.0 db

One noticable difference overnight is a drop of 2db on the downstream.

Sebby · Jun 12, 2009, 13:14:44

It looks okay, but either you have a 12dB target margin (suggesting instability - past or present), or you last sync'd at a noisy time.

Rik · Jun 12, 2009, 15:58:21

Or it's a 15db target, Seb, and the line's got noisier.

Steve · Jun 12, 2009, 16:05:08

Am I correct in assuming Zappa's now gone back to adsl?

Rik · Jun 12, 2009, 16:06:42

Not with that upstream sync, Steve.

Rik · Jun 12, 2009, 16:14:39

Zap, can you check whether you have interleaving on....

Steve · Jun 12, 2009, 16:16:01

Friday afternoon syndrome

what's max premium upload sync is it 832?

Rik · Jun 12, 2009, 16:17:27

It is, Steve.

Steve · Jun 12, 2009, 16:19:36

Thanks Rik

zappaDPJ · Jun 12, 2009, 16:37:32

Quote from: Rik on Jun 12, 2009, 16:14:39
Zap, can you check whether you have interleaving on....

I would if I could. I've found the the Netgear DG834G v5 has a different chipset to previous versions and I can't find a list of working Telnet commands.

Rik · Jun 12, 2009, 16:41:22

Sorry, I can't help you there.

Brian's suspicious that you've got interleaving on at a highish level, 3 or above, which with ADSL2 directly impacts on sync speed. If things don't improved, it may be that your line is simply not suited to ADSL2, and that you will get a better result from reverting to Max. The problem is, until you do so, no-one can be sure of what will happen.

Kitz only goes up to v4 on the 834, but if you haven't tried it, it might be worth a look:

http://www.kitz.co.uk/routers/netgeardg834_interleaving.htm

zappaDPJ · Jun 12, 2009, 17:09:12

According to most sources they switched chipsets between v4 and v5 and nobody seems to hold a list of commands.

The really annoying thing about my line is I had a 24 Mbs service (14-16 Mbs throughput) on it before switching to IDNet and 8 Mbs thereon. I really don't understand why switching back to ADSL2+ screwed it up so royally. It's also starting to look like the new pair is pretty dire. I'm getting buffering on video content if there is anyone else browsing the net on another PC

Rik · Jun 12, 2009, 17:12:41

That suggests that the pair is not the issue, Zap, but something at the exchange end. We're still pretty much in the dark until the mass of migrations starts next week, when we'll have a better 'feel' overall for the transition process. I'd suggest, though, that you talk to support again and see what else they can think to try.

zappaDPJ · Jun 12, 2009, 17:41:52

I don't think it's a problem with the pair either Rik. It seems highly unlikely that it suddenly developed a problem the minute I was switched given that it worked faultlessly before on ADSL2+. The engineer couldn't find a problem and said it should sync at above 14751 which if I recall correctly is almost exactly what it did sync at before it started to drop. He moved me to a new pair because he said it provided a shorter distance as it didn't route through a street box. He seemed convinced that the tests he ran showed it to be better than what I had before and about as good as it gets. He also said to me the next step should be a lift and shift but then went on to report that he'd demonstrated a working line.

I thought the next step was going to be a shift to another port but apparently not. The problem is I can now work but because of the impact this has had on my income I can't afford to risk losing all connectivity so I'm inclined just to live with it until I have my second line on and a backup connection.

Rik · Jun 12, 2009, 17:54:07

I understand that, Zap, I'm following a similar path myself.

Sebby · Jun 12, 2009, 20:35:45

Quote from: Rik on Jun 12, 2009, 15:58:21
Or it's a 15db target, Seb, and the line's got noisier.

Good point!

zappaDPJ · Jun 14, 2009, 14:07:45

Hmmm, overnight my downstream has dropped while my upstream went up. This is the first shift since I've been put on the new pair and it's not looking particularly good. I'll give it a until the end of this week and then switch back to ADSL if things don't improve substantially.

ADSL Link Downstream Upstream
Connection Speed 5187 kbps 1071 kbps
Line Attenuation 33.0 db 17.5 db
Noise Margin 15.15 db 10.0 db

Rik · Jun 14, 2009, 15:09:53

Your line really does seem to be struggling doesn't it.

Sebby · Jun 14, 2009, 16:59:00

If the noise shifts to a different set of frequencies, that would cause, say, download to fall and upload to improve.

Rik · Jun 14, 2009, 17:17:26

Fwiw, I've just had a re-sync triggered by a bust of what the 2700 calls suspicious impulse noise. Normally, it doesn't cause a re-sync, but I see the same noise blip every Sunday at about this time. I've yet to work out what might be causing it.

zappaDPJ · Jun 16, 2009, 16:07:04

My Upstream has gone up again while my Downstream stays the same. I think that's as high as it's possible to go on the Upstream?

ADSL Link Downstream Upstream
Connection Speed 5115 kbps 1208 kbps
Line Attenuation 35.0 db 17.5 db
Noise Margin 15.15 db 7.5 db

I'll put in a request to switch back to 8 Mbs this week. Although I can Upload at over 1 Mbs, my actual throughput on the the Downstream is just over 2 Mbs which is not enough.