FTTC wild speed fluctuations

[mervl]

It's not a practical problem but I've noticed from the TBB monitor that, compared to my old fixed wireless service, the FTTC shows consistent wild fluctuations in speeds up to the excellent mid-high 20s Mbps then down to below 2Mpbs, the fixed wireless varies in the 10-13Mpbs range by contrast (e.g. on a 1GB+ download). It's the same from various sources. I don't recall such wide variations on ADSL, and interestingly it puts the average FTTC speed below that of the fixed wireless!

This is noticeable in the mornings (7am-ish) during my heavest use, but at all times of the day, and I assume is the classic sign of exchange/network congestion and is here to stay as more people sign up to faster services. As I say its just a query out of interest, I can live with it (apart from the obvious economics of the sense of paying for FTTC when I have the (free) fixed wireless service - where Easynet's backhaul is incidentally hugely more reliable than BTw! Answer: 'cause I'm barmy). No problems reported on the usual exchange checkers.

[Rik]

What speed tester are you using and are you running the test from a wired connection?

[.Griff.]

Hi Mervl,

I had exactly the same issue last year when I had FTTC/VDSL2 installed. If you've got a spare five minutes take a read - http://www.idnetters.co.uk/forums/index.php/topic,22424.msg538364.html

I'd also try this to see if you see an improvement - http://www.idnetters.co.uk/forums/index.php/topic,1904.msg621335.html#msg621335

[mervl]

Thanks for the replies! I naively assumed IDNet had now sorted their standard FTTC router: they supplied me with a Netgear WNR100, which has an ethernet connection to each PC, though only one is connected when the problem occurs. Mine is a constantly varying up/down TBB monitor graph though.

I've both a Linskys WKUSB120N which I got cheaply as a spare cable router for the FW service, and a Fritzbox 7390 so I'll try the latter as the later model (of course just as a router first rather than set up as a VDSL modem).

[mervl]

  Well .Griff it looks like IDNet updating their supplied Netgear Routers to the WNR1000 wasn't much of an improvement in my case. Finally after several hours I've set the Fritzbox up as both modem/router: speeds look more consistent and effect on the TBB speedtester has been miraculous with its reported average near doubling from the old 14Mbps odd to 27 on the download, even during peak evening.

[.Griff.]

Sorry for the late reply mervl. Your problem sounds identical to the one I had and it's amazing the difference a better router can make on FTTC.

Glad it seems to be resolved!