Fastpath / Interleaved

[.Griff.]

Is it possible my connection has been switched from Fastpath to Interleaved and if so could I call support to swap it back for me?

Pings yesterday -

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Pinging www.bbc.net.uk [212.58.244.68] with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 212.58.244.68: bytes=32 time=13ms TTL=57
Reply from 212.58.244.68: bytes=32 time=13ms TTL=57
Reply from 212.58.244.68: bytes=32 time=13ms TTL=57
Reply from 212.58.244.68: bytes=32 time=13ms TTL=57

Ping statistics for 212.58.244.68:
    Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
    Minimum = 13ms, Maximum = 13ms, Average = 13ms

Pinging www.idnetters.co.uk [212.69.36.28] with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 212.69.36.28: bytes=32 time=13ms TTL=59
Reply from 212.69.36.28: bytes=32 time=13ms TTL=59
Reply from 212.69.36.28: bytes=32 time=14ms TTL=59
Reply from 212.69.36.28: bytes=32 time=13ms TTL=59

Ping statistics for 212.69.36.28:
    Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
    Minimum = 13ms, Maximum = 14ms, Average = 13ms

Pinging 85.236.101.22 with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 85.236.101.22: bytes=32 time=14ms TTL=123
Reply from 85.236.101.22: bytes=32 time=14ms TTL=123
Reply from 85.236.101.22: bytes=32 time=14ms TTL=123
Reply from 85.236.101.22: bytes=32 time=13ms TTL=123

Ping statistics for 85.236.101.22: (Multiplay COD4 server)
    Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
    Minimum = 13ms, Maximum = 14ms, Average = 13ms

Pings today -

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Pinging www.bbc.net.uk [212.58.246.90] with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 212.58.246.90: bytes=32 time=29ms TTL=56
Reply from 212.58.246.90: bytes=32 time=29ms TTL=56
Reply from 212.58.246.90: bytes=32 time=29ms TTL=56
Reply from 212.58.246.90: bytes=32 time=29ms TTL=56

Ping statistics for 212.58.246.90:
    Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
    Minimum = 29ms, Maximum = 29ms, Average = 29ms

Pinging www.idnetters.co.uk [212.69.36.28] with 32 bytes of data
Reply from 212.69.36.28: bytes=32 time=29ms TTL=59
Reply from 212.69.36.28: bytes=32 time=29ms TTL=59
Reply from 212.69.36.28: bytes=32 time=29ms TTL=59
Reply from 212.69.36.28: bytes=32 time=29ms TTL=59

Ping statistics for 212.69.36.28:
    Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
    Minimum = 29ms, Maximum = 29ms, Average = 29ms

Pinging 85.236.101.22 with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 85.236.101.22: bytes=32 time=29ms TTL=123
Reply from 85.236.101.22: bytes=32 time=29ms TTL=123
Reply from 85.236.101.22: bytes=32 time=28ms TTL=123
Reply from 85.236.101.22: bytes=32 time=28ms TTL=123

Ping statistics for 85.236.101.22:
    Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
    Minimum = 28ms, Maximum = 29ms, Average = 28ms

[Rik]

It's possible, talk to support, they may be able to tell you why.

[sof2er]

I got told there's no interleaving on FTTC, weird though that your pings rised....

[.Griff.]

Support can't tell if Interleaving has beeen enabled and it's now a case of monitoring the connection and forwarding any requests to BTW via IDNet.

I guess this is part of getting used to a BTW product after spending the last 8 years with LLU providers where I could change between Fastpath and Interleaved manually myself as well as altering SNR profiles manually.

[kev445]

It looks like the DLM (Dynamic Line Management) has deemed it necessary to enable interleaving in order to ensure stability of your line. This shouldn't slow down your line, even in gaming you wouldn't notice the difference... If anything data transmissions should become more reliable, giving you more consistent speeds.

Unfortunately operators don't have the ability to switch off interleaving.

They do however have access to set the stability options from Standard, Stable and Super-stable. However you are likely already be on Standard, as this is the default set by BT (some providers may choose to air on the side of caution and change the default, so it may still be worth asking if your stability option is set to standard).

[.Griff.]

I got told there's no interleaving on FTTC, weird though that your pings rised....

It's a coincidence my connection dropped and when it came back my pings were double what they were before. In my experience that points towards Interleaving.

I'd setup a Thinkbroadband "quality monitor" (ping/pl monitor) which demonstrated this perfectly but like an idiot I accidentally deleted and had to set it up again.

[kev445]

I got told there's no interleaving on FTTC, weird though that your pings rised....

FTTC definitely has interleaving available, however unlike BT's ADSL2+ product, operators aren't able to set it manually, it is solely decided by BT's DLM (dynamic line management).

[.Griff.]

It looks like the DLM (Dynamic Line Management) has deemed it necessary to enable interleaving in order to ensure stability of your line.

I suspected that might be the case. I had to move the modem yesterday which involved turning it off a couple of times. Unfortunately I guess the DLM will interpret that as the line dropping twice which isn't actually what happened  

[Bill]

It's a coincidence my connection dropped and when it came back my pings were double what they were before. In my experience that points towards Interleaving.

If kev is right and it's the DLM then it might explain your wide variation in speed tests- a lot of errors resulting in a lot of re-sends hence inconsistent speed. It'll be interesting to see if those tests settle down at all.

Not least because, if it is the case, it'll probably happen to me tomorrow

[kev445]

I suspected that might be the case. I had to move the modem yesterday which involved turning it off a couple of times. Unfortunately I guess the DLM will interpret that as the line dropping twice which isn't actually what happened  

It shouldn't be that sensitive, it can deal with several disconnections without issues...

It also measures the errored seconds, as well as disconnects. Errors cause re-transmits which result in a slower broadband connection... Interleaving will help immensely with this and give you a better all round experience.

[klipp]

I'm not sure about fibre, but certainly I have requested Interleave on my ADSL line and IDNet support have been able to switch it for me without any fuss.

[sof2er]

FTTC definitely has interleaving available, however unlike BT's ADSL2+ product, operators aren't able to set it manually, it is solely decided by BT's DLM (dynamic line management).

Ah ok, thanks for clearing up the misconfusion.

A different related question, did you really get 16 mbps upload on fttc ? :O (if so what's your upload IP Profile)

[kev445]

Ah ok, thanks for clearing up the misconfusion.

A different related question, did you really get 16 mbps upload on fttc ? :O (if so what's your upload IP Profile)

Sorry for the confusion, this is my work connection, which uses a 40Mbit leased line, which is more than 12 times the price of IDNets most expensive business FTTC package.

If it makes .Griff. feel any better, when we upgraded from a 10Mbit to a 40Mbit leased line, our ping times to bbc.co.uk increased from 8ms to 17ms... This was due to our leased line terminating in Birmingham, whereas before it was Islington (London). We were a little concerned to begin with, but it hasn't made any difference to our connection, apart from of course the better speeds, so we're happy.

[sof2er]

Aha I see