ADSL issues/advise

Fizzy · Dec 13, 2011, 17:27:07

Hi all,

I'm having a few issues with my broadband which I'm having problems pinpointing.. $:-\$

Basically, last few (nearer several now) months my broadband throughput has been poor, but not "bad enough" apparently.

I'm on Max ADSL (no ADSL2 here yet) and have been connecting at very good speeds - around 7Mbps. I even connected at 8Mbps earlier today. However throughput is struggling to get above 2Mbps at all and is often a lot less, even on BT's speed tester page.

I've tried 2 different routers, using master socket, different filter etc. I did raise an issue with IDNet about it but they couldn't really do anything since it's "ok" by BTs standards. It did drop below 800kpbs on one occasion so they were able to raise a call with BT - who reported back that there was no fault or congestion (speeds had recovered a bit by then), and a site visit would be required.

Both routers are not reporting any major errors (very occasional checksums etc) and my bt profile is on 6500K. Connecting at ~7Mbps with no noise on line etc - so didn't see the point in an engineer visit if they can't find a fault on the line?

I've no idea what the bottleneck is - I used to get 650 - 750K downloads from IE, but now struggle to get 300K. Video streaming seems jumpy and often spooling - and when I tried BT's beta speed tester it actually shows realtime speed during the test at 0 bytes pretty often, with jumps up to 7Mb+ so seems to me something holding things back rather than an actual line restriction?

I'm on the high priority service supposedly (800Kb upload etc) and there's no mention of any contention on the exchange checkers and the like. I use wired connections in the house and the routers don't have wireless either. It's also the same on more than one pc I've tried so it's not a pc issue either.

Any ideas what this may be? I may be able to switch to fiber in the new year (looks like they have just installed a cabinet at the end of the street) but wondering if this will be any better if there's contention in the exchange? Certainly seems a waste of money at the moment for the amount I'm paying for my BB - I use it for home working fairly regularly hence why I went for the 800K upload option package..

Rik · Dec 13, 2011, 17:45:13

Can you run a BT speed test and tell us what your profile is please? (If you haven't noticed it previously.) Are you losing sync frequently?

.Griff. · Dec 13, 2011, 17:59:23

Quote from: Fizzy on Dec 13, 2011, 17:27:07
my bt profile is on 6500K.

I've made an appointment at Specsavers next Thursday for you Rik

Rik · Dec 13, 2011, 18:10:59

Thanks, the eyes are often slower than the brain.

BT reported no fault or congestion last month, so the only suggestion I can make is to perform repeated BT tests at different times of day, to see if it is likely to be congestion.

.Griff. · Dec 13, 2011, 18:12:58

A TBBQM will also help identify potential congestion - http://www.idnetters.co.uk/forums/index.php/topic,27354.0.html

Fizzy · Dec 13, 2011, 18:27:01

Thanks for the replies guys. I've been doing bt speetests on and off for the last couple of months, and at various times - and strangely it doesn't seem to differ much in the early hours either. If it was exchange congestion I would have thought it would have improved when everybody is asleep - although probably a load of high volume downloaders in the estate or something I guess? Seems to be a lot of sky boxes within range when I've done a wireless scan in the house.... video on demand eating bandwidth?

It's just a bit frustrating that I'm connecting at decent speeds (which actually seem to be a bit better as well after all the fault investigating) but it's all redundant since throughput is pretty poor anyway.

Line has been fine - no disconnections etc.

Glenn · Dec 13, 2011, 18:31:03

Could it be a stuck profile?

Rik · Dec 13, 2011, 18:36:14

It could if it's stuck on RAMBO, but not DLM. The speed test report comes from the latter, but the former controls throughput.

You're not doing the speedtests over a wireless connection are you, Fizzy.

If not, then IDNet could try re-setting your noise margin, initiating a new training period, which might kick RAMBO into line. Otherwise, this is the kind of case where BT will say the line is in spec.

Lance · Dec 13, 2011, 18:37:28

Are you using a wireless connection yourself? If so changing channel might help. Maybe try running a speedtest with the antivirus temporarily disabled.

.Griff. · Dec 13, 2011, 18:38:16

Quote from: Fizzy on Dec 13, 2011, 17:27:07
I use wired connections in the house and the routers don't have wireless either.

I think you pair should go together next Thursday

Fizzy · Dec 13, 2011, 18:38:41

Quote from: Glenn on Dec 13, 2011, 18:31:03
Could it be a stuck profile?

Hmm... well it is being reported as 6500 currently, and did drop to 5500 after a went a bit router reset happy early on in my investigations. Has since gone back up to 6500 as I've been getting regular 7Mb+ connections.

It does vary too - for instance lately I've had 1.0 - 2.3Mbps throughput on the few tests I've tried so doesn't look like it's stuck. As I mentioned the bt beta speed test seems to show 0 bytes on realtime transfer rate to varying degrees. When it shows it a lot is when the figure is really low (since I guess the result is an average?) - seems that I'm getting the data in bursts rather than a constant flow?

....and just to tease me a quick bt speed test just now (normal test not beta) and result is 2786Kbps....

Hopefully it's an upward trend.

Rik · Dec 13, 2011, 18:47:54

Quote from: .Griff. on Dec 13, 2011, 18:38:16
I think you pair should go together next Thursday

If only you knew.

Lance · Dec 13, 2011, 18:49:03

Don't tell him, Rik!

Rik · Dec 13, 2011, 18:49:53

Quote from: Fizzy on Dec 13, 2011, 18:38:41
....and just to tease me a quick bt speed test just now (normal test not beta) and result is 2786Kbps.... Hopefully it's an upward trend.

It certainly has all the hallmarks of contention/congestion, Fizzy, but unfortunately your line is within BT 'acceptable range', the bottom limit for which is always ludicrously low.

Rik · Dec 13, 2011, 18:50:26

Quote from: Lance on Dec 13, 2011, 18:49:03
Don't tell him, Rik!

He wouldn't be able to take it, Lance, it wouldn't be humane.

mervl · Dec 13, 2011, 23:26:06

Did anyone deal with the OP's point about a potential move to FTTC? That should cure it shouldn't it - especially with the cab within a few hundred metres. It's an engineer-install service in your premises - who will as part of that process check your speed is right. Many more people on FTTC get throughput speeds closer to their profile; my average is about 65%, and it goes up close to the full 88%.

Are the rest of us celebrating an early Xmas?

Rik · Dec 14, 2011, 09:18:40

I did spot it, but it's not available yet, so I focussed on the present.

Fizzy · Dec 17, 2011, 04:06:38

I've received a letter from BT today stating that BT infinity is available in my area. I guess they are almost good to go then.

Prices seem pretty good too especially for phone bundle deals as well, and they offer "unrestricted" usage. They throw in a wireless router too - although I'm after an ethernet connection anyway.

Will have to check idnet prices and compare - do they supply a free router as well or do we have to get our own with them?

Steve · Dec 17, 2011, 07:34:51

Idnet will be more expensive than BT and you'll need to provide your own router as well. You have to balance what you can afford to pay against the fact that BT will eventually over sell the product if past history is maintained, contention will rise and performance will drop. The contract is 18 months with BT I believe vs one year with a BTw reseller.

Fizzy · Dec 17, 2011, 14:13:36

Hmm.. to be honest cost is not too much of an issue so long as I get what I pay for.

The problem this time seems to be that I'm at the mercy of the ADSL connection which is BT equipment anyway - would that differ with fibre if the exchange is contended again? Only possible way out of that would be a LLU provider on the exchange if I understand correctly, but that means sky or talk talk.. not the best of options.

Steve · Dec 17, 2011, 15:14:38

I was thinking more of BT retail's own network being contended, that's the part after it leaves the BTw network.

Rik · Dec 17, 2011, 16:58:08

Is Be or O2 available at your exchange, Fizzy?

Fizzy · Dec 17, 2011, 18:27:36

Quote from: Rik on Dec 17, 2011, 16:58:08
Is Be or O2 available at your exchange, Fizzy?

Nope - "sam knows" availability checker just gives AOL, Talk Talk & Sky/easynet as LLU providers unfortunately. This is were I'm getting a little confused regarding the whole routing thing. I'm paying for a "lower contention" connection supposedly but still having these transfer rate issues - with standard ADSL it was something like 1:4 connections rather than 1:10 or 1:20 at the exchange (at least that's what was mentioned) but think that's all changed now and probably more electronic bandwidth management? I think it's actually sold as a "higher priority" service these days, but still gets effected by contention pretty badly it seems.

At which point does my BT connection leave their network and connect into IDNets one? If the local BT network is contended a lot I'm going to be effected whichever I choose....

I remember the "good old days" when I had an ISDN connection at home - not fast by todays standard, but you got the full 64K/128K bandwidth.

None of this connection speed is mostly irrelevant these days traffic managed/contended nonsense.

I can see why ofcom have been so busy.

Rik · Dec 17, 2011, 18:34:09

Your connection is made via a 'virtual path' from the exchange, through the BT Wholesale network down to London, where it's handed off to the IDNet network. Most of the congestion we see is from the VP at the exchange, and it's often fixed after a while by BT installing extra capacity. Sometimes, it's possible for IDNet to get your VP changed, but not always.

Unfortunately, BT no longer give figures for contention, it used to be something like 1:50 and 1:20 for the premium service, but those numbers are never given now, it's all a 'best effort' service.

You get priority at the exchange, but it's no longer quantified.