iPlayer says no

Rik · May 27, 2011, 18:26:20

OK, so are you at the master socket, do you have any extensions? Do you have a MW radio?

peasblossom · May 27, 2011, 18:30:01

I've got an FM/MW radio. It's about a metre away and it's been switched off while I've tested the speed.

Rik · May 27, 2011, 18:32:39

Is it battery powered? If so, follow the procedure I've given above, see if anything is generating noise. Apart from things like central heating, washing machines etc, computer power supplies, and those of their peripherals, are often guilty of the problem.

peasblossom · May 27, 2011, 18:34:17

Nope, not battery powered.

Rik · May 27, 2011, 18:37:16

Could you borrow one? Do you have any extensions?

peasblossom · May 27, 2011, 18:41:03

Would microwaves or fridges affect it? I can turn my radio into a battery powered one but I hope I'd not have to leave it that way. Would I?

Rik · May 27, 2011, 18:42:12

No, it's so you can do the test without the radio's own power supply being an issue. Any electrical equipment can generate noise, the microwaves themselves won't, but there may be harmonics.

peasblossom · May 27, 2011, 18:43:42

I'll do that then, but tomorrow I think.

Rik · May 27, 2011, 18:44:02

We'll be here.

peasblossom · May 28, 2011, 10:48:10

I've tested it with both radio and phone unplugged. (Phone will not work with any other cable than the one BT supply. I have tried and they were right.)

Made not a scrap of difference to the noise or attenuation results. Upload speed 932 kpbs though. Download speed 238kbps.

Rik · May 28, 2011, 10:59:29

Turning off the radio was not the intent, the idea was to use it in battery-powered mode to see if you can detect any local RF noise sources.

peasblossom · May 28, 2011, 11:16:38

It turns out I've nowhere near enough batteries for that radio but I can get radio on my mobile. Is that OK? Upstream noise briefly rose to 7.

Rik · May 28, 2011, 11:22:10

The phone is not ideal as it's emitting it's own noise, however, it's better than nothing. What was the NM before you checked with the phone?

peasblossom · May 28, 2011, 11:25:21

I checked it a couple of times while I had the phone in that mode and that noise margin figure went up to 7 once. That's what I should've said.

Rik · May 28, 2011, 11:30:09

But what was the NM before?

peasblossom · May 28, 2011, 11:31:20

6.

Rik · May 28, 2011, 11:34:33

So probably just a mild fluctuation. I assume nothing showed on the d/s side, no noise on the radio, no changes in NM? If you're satisfied it's not your equipment, all you can do is ask support to test the line, but the chances are you face a BT engineering visit with the risk of an up to £200 charge.

peasblossom · May 28, 2011, 11:38:43

Well, if that' the only way of fixing it... But yeah, £200 sobs. Ouch.

peasblossom · Jun 02, 2011, 09:25:59

Next up on the testing list is try another router. Now, this is probably a silly question, but even if I got the same make and model, would I need to register it?

Rik · Jun 02, 2011, 09:26:43

With whom?

peasblossom · Jun 02, 2011, 09:36:38

IDNet/the company who make the thing.

Rik · Jun 02, 2011, 09:40:46

No to both.

peasblossom · Jun 02, 2011, 09:47:51

Ta.

peasblossom · Jun 21, 2011, 17:56:58

Right. To add to the collective wisdom (kind of... OK you already knew this stuff) my broadband has recovered. Noise margin in single figures, download and upload speeds up. 'How' I hear you ask. Well, erm, I used to switch the router off* so BT thought it had an unstable connection. So...

(*There are those who reckon it shouldn't matter whether you do this but it seems to have done in this case so on it stays.)

Rik · Jun 21, 2011, 17:58:11

It's definitely better never to give BT's DLM the chance to misinterpret.