Lower speeds

exxos · Aug 01, 2010, 15:24:11

ADSL Link    Downstream    Upstream
Connection Speed   5920 kbps   448 kbps
Line Attenuation   42.0 db   25.5 db
Noise Margin   15.0 db   22 db

I will check the connections, nothing has changed here for years, everything goes though a filter. In fact theres only 1 phone and the internet connected. Though they are plugged in seperate filters into the socket.

Rik · Aug 01, 2010, 15:27:36

What was your previous sync speed? I'd expect 7.4Mbps to 8M.

exxos · Aug 01, 2010, 15:32:10

I cant really comment as all the ISP's have been " a bit naff" and I was lucky to get 5k/sec, which was why i moved to IDnet

Though the only ISP which was any good was demon net, but thats going back years now, never got above 200k/sec with that. I dont think it ever connected higher than about 5.5mb to 6mb though. All the ISP's have been so slow that I never really took much notice of it as it would never get anywhere near it speed wise anyway. Ive seen IDnet download up to about 750k/sec, though at the moment its down to about 300k/sec, which isn't too bad at the moment considering i just about crossed my allowance for this month anyway

Glenn · Aug 01, 2010, 15:38:18

July or August's?

Rik · Aug 01, 2010, 15:43:55

Quote from: exxos on Aug 01, 2010, 15:32:10
I cant really comment as all the ISP's have been " a bit naff"

BT's target noise margin is usually 6db. You have one of 15db. That suggests your line is particularly noisy. Try doing a quiet line test, dial 17070 and select option 2. Do you hear anything more than a quiet hum or hiss?

Glenn · Aug 01, 2010, 15:47:42

Also try with the router connected to the test socket behind the NTE5 faceplate (if you have one).

exxos · Aug 01, 2010, 15:48:21

Quote from: Glenn on Aug 01, 2010, 15:38:18
July or August's?

July

During the time period 2010-07-01 to 2010-07-31 your bandwidth use was:
42.81 GB Download - (Peak: 30.09 GB | Off-Peak: 12.72 GB)

I keep trying to download overnight instead, though my wireless is a bit naff and keeps cutting out, LAN is fine tho. Probably my iffy old laptop at fault there anyway. My main PC is on LAN, so don't have problems with that anyway. Its really odd actually as on my mobile I can pick up wireless at the bottom of our road, but my laptop can't seem to make its mind up if it has a good connection or not. Will have to install my other USB stick see if that cures it

exxos · Aug 01, 2010, 15:49:53

Quote from: Rik on Aug 01, 2010, 15:43:55
BT's target noise margin is usually 6db. You have one of 15db. That suggests your line is particularly noisy. Try doing a quiet line test, dial 17070 and select option 2. Do you hear anything more than a quiet hum or hiss?

Thanks for that, I will give it a try a little later when the line isn't tied up.

exxos · Aug 01, 2010, 15:59:52

Quote from: Rik on Aug 01, 2010, 15:43:55
BT's target noise margin is usually 6db. You have one of 15db. That suggests your line is particularly noisy. Try doing a quiet line test, dial 17070 and select option 2. Do you hear anything more than a quiet hum or hiss?

I just tried it (router still connected) and can hear a little bit of hum and hiss..

Rik · Aug 01, 2010, 16:03:24

That's usually nothing to worry about, all phone/lines have some noise, but it should be very much background noise. What you're looking for is crackling etc.

Do you have access to a battery-powered MW radio? If so, de-tune it, so you only have white noise, then follow your phone line from the entry point into the house right through to the router. If the noise level increases anywhere, that's part of the problem.

exxos · Aug 01, 2010, 16:14:03

I know when we had a dacs box the line was horried, we used to have 2 lines, but when we went to ADSL it wouldn't work and we had to loose the second line which solved the problem. I think they ran out of hardwired lines at the exhange and split the one we already had. There used to be 2 lines to our house anyway (previous owner) but was disconnected when he moved out. so assume BT used the line for somewhere else.

I don't think we have a AM radio

the router is upstairs and its just a long phone extension cable down to the master socket. I could try another extension cable but not sure it would help matters.

Rik · Aug 01, 2010, 16:15:53

Quote from: exxos on Aug 01, 2010, 16:14:03
the router is upstairs and its just a long phone extension cable down to the master socket. I could try another extension cable but not sure it would help matters.

That's very bad practice. Can you move the router to the socket and run some long ethernet cables? Is the extension round or flat?

exxos · Aug 01, 2010, 16:50:30

The problem is the cable has to find its way up the stairs and across the landing into the bedroom. Its a flat cable which is under the carpet. I could plug the router in next to the socket and usewireless, but I hate wireless it never seems stable like LAN, plus the printer is plugged into the router so id have to route 2 LAN cables downstairs, just can't really do it anyother way other than the long phone extension cable :-( To actually put LAN cables in would be a epic of pulling up all the carpets and floorboards. The phone cable actually just fits in gabs in the boards so it wasn't much of a problem really. Its not trapped anywhere and not getting walked on. Its the best it could be done really

Glenn · Aug 01, 2010, 16:53:08

The problem with the flat cable is, it is not shielded from picking up external electrical noise.

Rik · Aug 01, 2010, 16:54:13

A flat extension cable picks up noise and will be hitting your speed. At the very least, use a round cable.

exxos · Aug 01, 2010, 17:00:08

round cable wouldn't fit in the gaps in the floorboards from what I remember, the cable has been down for some years but i know it was a epic to route it under the carpets. I think the other extension we had was a round cable so it might be a good idea to prove it is the cable at fault or not before considering drastic action.

Rik · Aug 01, 2010, 17:01:05

The only way to do that is to use a round cable...

exxos · Aug 01, 2010, 17:09:25

ADSL Link    Downstream    Upstream
Connection Speed   5792 kbps   448 kbps
Line Attenuation   42.5 db   26.0 db
Noise Margin   15.0 db   23 db

Thats with another cable, so its only changed 0.5 -1db.

exxos · Aug 01, 2010, 17:11:36

Quote from: Rik on Aug 01, 2010, 17:01:05
The only way to do that is to use a round cable...

I have got a really long LAN cable *somewhere* I could plug the router in downstairs and try it direct they way you suggest.. Will try and do it tonight to see if it changes anything. Im out all day monday, So will try and reply back later...

Rik · Aug 01, 2010, 17:19:19

One solution might be to run an ethernet lead from the router to a switch. That gives you the single cable solution with the multiple cables at the business end. Bear in mind, though, that the test will need to last for a couple of weeks to see if it has any effect.

exxos · Aug 01, 2010, 19:04:06

Quote from: Rik on Aug 01, 2010, 17:19:19
One solution might be to run an ethernet lead from the router to a switch. That gives you the single cable solution with the multiple cables at the business end. Bear in mind, though, that the test will need to last for a couple of weeks to see if it has any effect.

Don't think I can do it then, as I cant leave cables running all over place either. would a screen phone cable work just as well as a LAN cable ? might be easier to just rip up the cable and put a new one in rather than trying to route LAN cables. I guess LAN would be better but will have to have a big think on how to do that one.

Rik · Aug 01, 2010, 19:09:25

A proper, twisted pair, phone lead would be a big improvement over the flat extension. The other thing you could consider is fitting a filtered face-plate then running an ADSL Nation Pro RJ11 cable:

http://www.adslnation.com/phpapps/catalog/index.php?cPath=21&osCsid=l4v9adjo64hur7vep96dv51406

(faceplates on the same site).

exxos · Aug 01, 2010, 19:25:17

I could change the cable without too much devistation to the house. It would have to be the raw cable, its not the modem type cables, think thats the RJ11 stuff, its the larger white connections. Though the one upstairs is actually wired into a socket. Was a bit lazy downstairs in the master socket and its just got a 3way adapter plugged in. Not totally sure we are supposed to be messing with the master socket, but probably would be better to just wire the cable direct into the socket connections itself. There used to be miles of phone cables looped around the house when we moved in, we took them all out so theres room on the master socket to put the cables in.

All we have is the master socket to a 3way adapter, one slot not used, one goes to the phone via a filter, then the extension cable in the other adapter slot, which connects to the router via another filter. Sometimes use a phone upstairs so didn't want to just wire in a modem cable.

Rik · Aug 02, 2010, 09:59:32

You're allowed to connect to the front plate of the NTE5, so that would be the tidiest route to take.

exxos · Aug 23, 2010, 12:43:46

I found some cable, its round, individual screened and overall. Plan to replace the house cable with that when I have chance. been in hospital all past week so lost track with a lot of things. Just letting you guys know I will get back with the results when I have changed the cable. Was looking at the writing diagrams for the socket and little confused which one is actually ground to connect the screen too ? It will be used for the phone aswell so presume 4 connections will be needed. Though it was a few years since I wired it up last time so one tends to forget