Line damage?

[woppy101]

Can the high winds bugger up your sync rate? I have been stable @3777 for a while now and in the last two hours it has dropped to 1850,I really don't want to be stuck at this speed till the 3rd of jan

[pctech]

If you have an overhead line that is being buffeted by the wind then it can generate interference which will lower the sync rate, nothing that can be done about it.

[woppy101]

The only overhead is from my house to the pole everything else is underground

[Lona]

My sky picture is breaking up and unwatchable.  Just had a new dish fitted after the last storm.

[pctech]

The only overhead is from my house to the pole everything else is underground

That might well be the issue.

[pctech]

My sky picture is breaking up and unwatchable.  Just had a new dish fitted after the last storm.

Yep have that problem on some of the freesat channels myself, will get a zone 2 dish fitted at some point next year (as you are north of the border I expect you are already using one Lona)

Have you now gone for an 80 or 90 cm dish?

[Lona]

Dunno what size it is but looks like all the others in the same street.  The difference with mine is that it's on a pole and I don't think the guy fitted a heavy enough pole.  My previous dish didn't cause picture breakup last year and we had really bad gales then as well as now.

[woppy101]

This is the first time I have had a drop out ( or number of drop outs ) because of the the wind,I must have had 10-20 drops in the last 2-3 hours Maybe even more

[pctech]

Is the line to your house moving about violently in the wind?

[pctech]

Dunno what size it is but looks like all the others in the same street.  The difference with mine is that it's on a pole and I don't think the guy fitted a heavy enough pole.  My previous dish didn't cause picture breakup last year and we had really bad gales then as well as now.

Provided it retains a good 'line of sight' to the Astra satellite constellation you wouldn't have had an issue.

I think they only fit them on a pole as a last resort as it can be bent in strong enough winds.

[pctech]

This is the first time I have had a drop out ( or number of drop outs ) because of the the wind,I must have had 10-20 drops in the last 2-3 hours Maybe even more

Will just have to wait to get your line checked when the winds have died down as I doubt you'll get BT out before the New Year now.

[woppy101]

I have just emailed idnet asking for an snr reset hopefully when they get back to work the winds will have died down

[woppy101]

My snr reset started this morning(way sooner than I thought it would)when I have reset in the past it has started @4100-4200kbps fastpath  this morning it has started @3002kbps fastpath .I know it has 10days to settle but I thought it started as high as it could go and then came down from there,does anyone think I could have a possible line fault?

[Steve]

Is this just not a continuation of the high winds issue/thread? You've had multiple resyncs and my guess is that the DLM has raised your noise margin and turned on interleave in order to gain some stability? I think it unlikely IDNet have done anything or made any requests to BTw. Obviously if you continue to resync something's not right whether that's a line fault or local equipment noise,time will tell. BTW what is your current noise margin?

[woppy101]

Sorry I have not explained myself very well my 10 day training period started again this morning(after putting a request through to id net)and I ment fast path not interleaved,I normally start @4100-4200 fast path but have started @3002 fast path,does anyone think the line could be damaged
Current stats
2912 Kbps
Att 56
snr 6

[Steve]

What's the margin on that sync and does it compare with your usual?

[woppy101]

What's the margin on that sync and does it compare with your usual?

For the last 20 days it has been 3777kbps 6db snr interleaved

[Steve]

If I understand correctly,that now you've got the same margin i.e. 6 but with a lower sync this implies to me that the line's degraded whether that's due to line noise or a line fault I suppose either is possible.

[woppy101]

If I understand correctly,that now you've got the same margin i.e. 6 but with a lower sync this implies to me that the line's degraded whether that's due to line noise or a line fault I suppose either is possible.

I'm expecting it to drop even more once interleaving has been switched on(my line has never been able to handle fastpath)don't think I can report a line fault until these 10 days are over

[Steve]

Not if your in a new training period is my understanding.

[mervl]

Have you tried the quiet line test, dial 17070 and listen to options (I think its option 2)? Use a corded phone into the socket rather than a cordless one which tends to filter out noise. If there's any noise you can report it to your phone service provider as a line fault, but don't mention broadband.

Or what does the BT speedtester say? When I was on ADSL my syncs used to be anything between 2 and 5 Meg. Generally if you've an overhead line I think syncs are likely to be better in daylight, which at this time of year means around the middle of the day because of spectrum interference (like affects medium wave radio in dusk). No-one guarantees your "top" broadband speed - it's the nature of the beast.

[woppy101]

Have you tried the quiet line test, dial 17070 and listen to options (I think its option 2)? Use a corded phone into the socket rather than a cordless one which tends to filter out noise. If there's any noise you can report it to your phone service provider as a line fault, but don't mention broadband.

Or what does the BT speedtester say? When I was on ADSL my syncs used to be anything between 2 and 5 Meg. Generally if you've an overhead line I think syncs are likely to be better in daylight, which at this time of year means around the middle of the day because of spectrum interference (like affects medium wave radio in dusk). No-one guarantees your "top" broadband speed - it's the nature of the beast.

I have had 4 resyncs since 8am
My line has been around 3700-3800 for the last 2 months,the problems started during the high winds last night

[Simon]

I've merged this topic with your other one, as they seem to be one and the same issue.

[woppy101]

Thank you
Now down to 2774kbps

[woppy101]

Down to 1824kbps 10db snr now still on fast path though do you think I have a line fault

[pctech]

Could be, what's the weather like round you now?

[Steve]

Somethings wrong somewhere I know you feel this maybe  a line fault however I feel it's worth going through the home wiring diagnostic routines just in case it saves you being stung with a BT 'no fault found' charge. Suggest try the test socket if you've not done so and note the snr on connection and a spare router if you've got one.

[woppy101]

Could be, what's the weather like round you now?

Not too bad(nowhere near as bad as last night)but the speed keeps dropping!(it's a good thing I have my new projector to keep me occupied of I would be very p****d off lol)

[woppy101]

Somethings wrong somewhere I know you feel this maybe  a line fault however I feel it's worth going through the home wiring diagnostic routines just in case it saves you being stung with a BT 'no fault found' charge. Suggest try the test socket if you've not done so and note the snr on connection and a spare router if you've got one.

I have been though all of that mate while I was typing this it dropped to 1632kbps 11db snr ( i thought interleaving might of kicked in by now)

[davej99]

Is the same problem as before? http://www.idnetters.co.uk/forums/index.php/topic,27046.0.html

[woppy101]

It was the line card which failed last time,I think/ hope it's the cable that's been damaged this time.is it strange that interleaving hasn't been switched on yet

[woppy101]

Interleaving switched on this morning and it has dropped to 1876kbps 10db snr(previous times when interleaving has switched on it started at 4000kbps and then stabilised at 3700-3800kbps this time it started at 2300kbps)

[Steve]

Are support able to ask for a line test? In theory you should get a response from email or the help line.

[woppy101]

I didn't think idnet were open until the 3rd,i will try phoning up after 9am

[Steve]

According to the newsletter some level of support is being offered over the Xmas shutdown

http://www.idnetters.co.uk/forums/index.php/topic,27988.0.html

[woppy101]

According to the newsletter some level of support is being offered over the Xmas shutdown

http://www.idnetters.co.uk/forums/index.php/topic,27988.0.html

Just phoned up and its only for business customers so I have sent an email

[Rik]

BT are closed till Tuesday, IDNet can do nothing for customers without enhanced care until then.

[woppy101]

How unhelpful can idnet be,I have phoned up and they see no problem what so ever because my line is performing above the 1.5mb bt says all it can take,even though for the past three months since my line was fixed last time I have been syncing @3700-3800.

[Rik]

BT set the rules, Woppy, ISPs can do little about it. When you run the BT speed tester, you are given an acceptable speed range. If you line is performing at or above that, BT will just shrug.

[Steve]

Doesn't seem fair i.e. a car running minus a cylinder firing has acceptable speeds but needs fixing,

[woppy101]

BT set the rules, Woppy, ISPs can do little about it. When you run the BT speed tester, you are given an acceptable speed range. If you line is performing at or above that, BT will just shrug.

Yes I understand that mate and could understand if my sync speed dropped over the period of a few months,but to be synced @3770 one day then have a huge storm and then sync @1800 and not hold a connection above that for more than a few hours.someone must be able to see that is not a normal line degrade problem and could possibly indicate a line fault,not just sit there and say its within bt spec so no problem.

[woppy101]

Doesn't seem fair i.e. a car running minus a cylinder firing has acceptable speeds but needs fixing,

Exactly,im not going through this again I will be off to zen or aaisp.idnets service is excellent until something goes wrong then they seem to slope their shoulders and say nothing we can do its running within spec

[Rik]

I gather you had the same problem with your previous ISP. BT expects your line to perform at 1500 that it has been working faster is a bonus but not guaranteed, an engineer visit isn't going to change that, as BT are highly unlikely to be willing to spend the money to provide new cabling for you. You could get lucky and they come across a faulty joint, but it isn't showing on the tests.

You will, once again, move the problem with you if you change ISP. My suggestion would be to check if AAISP are still offering "we'll fix your fault or not charge you" deal.

[woppy101]

I gather you had the same problem with your previous ISP. BT expects your line to perform at 1500 that it has been working faster is a bonus but not guaranteed, an engineer visit isn't going to change that, as BT are highly unlikely to be willing to spend the money to provide new cabling for you. You could get lucky and they come across a faulty joint, but it isn't showing on the tests.

You will, once again, move the problem with you if you change ISP. My suggestion would be to check if AAISP are still offering "we'll fix your fault or not charge you" deal.

No same problem with idnet turned out line had degraded also line card failed

[woppy101]

Touch wood with any luck I will get an ok engineer and he will put it right AGAIN!!!

[woppy101]

I think there was some line damage(but no one will admit to it).had a restart this morning and I'm back to my original speed, snr and attinuation.i will give it to tomorrow morning before I cancel the engineer

[Rik]

Sounds like a classic degrading line...

[woppy101]

Sounds like a classic degrading line...

What to not hold a sync of over 2mb for more than 2hours for over a week then shoots back up to 3.9mb the day after everyone goes back to work

[Steve]

I wonder who turned their Xmas lights off?

[woppy101]

I wonder who turned their Xmas lights off?

House next door is empty and mine came down the day after boxing day,but if that's the case why did it not start going nuts at the start of December?

[Steve]

Any possible sources of interference on your line's route to the exchange that's possibly changed? I mentioned Xmas as we are surrounded by them from early Xmas.

[pctech]

12th night of Christmas is tomorrow night.

[woppy101]

Any possible sources of interference on your line's route to the exchange that's possibly changed? I mentioned Xmas as we are surrounded by them from early Xmas.

Yes and if this had happend before Xmas that's what I would have put it down too,otherwise who puts there decs up on the 28th of December LOL

[Rik]

What to not hold a sync of over 2mb for more than 2hours for over a week then shoots back up to 3.9mb the day after everyone goes back to work

Yup. I had my line degrade dramatically once. It was working one evening, but not the next (cold) morning. Something had caused the line to go out of tolerance and so it simply stopped, and this was way before Max, when the d/s margin was about 22db.

A phone line is essentially the same now as it was in Victorian times. It's miles long and has dozens (or more) or joints, each of which represent a weak point. In addition, it's subject to outside interference (including crosstalk from other ADSL lines), I know of one case where a faulty Sky box took a street out, another where a neighbour's treadmill caused so much interference that the line constantly resynced. We take for granted that an antiquated system can handle high data speeds, but sometimes it can't. I get 4Mb on one line, 3.5Mb on the other. My neighbours range from 512k to 4Mb, yet all the lines are fed from the same distribution point. The average speed here is 2Mb, and we live in a city. My line will run stably for a month or two, then have a 'turn' and drop the speed by a meg or more for a few days before recovering.

There are two cures, in my experience, move house or move to fibre - the latter being preferable if available as we are then using a system designed for data transfer. There is a third option, install a new line, make it clear that it's for ADSL use, and hope that BT will act accordingly.

[woppy101]

. There is a third option, install a new line, make it clear that it's for ADSL use, and hope that BT will act accordingly.

How much will that cost and what should they do if I make it clear it's for adsl use,will they make sure its better quality?

[Lance]

I think a new line with broadband activation fee is around £150. There is no certainty BT would do anything but hopefully a good engineer would try and pick out the best pairs.

[woppy101]

I think a new line with broadband activation fee is around £150. There is no certainty BT would do anything but hopefully a good engineer would try and pick out the best pairs.

Sod that then I'm probably as fast as I can go 3700-3800,56db att and 6db snr

[Rik]

For that attenuation, you're probably not going to get more speed, I only got 2.5M on Max, 21CN gave me the extra.

[pctech]

you mean ADSL 2+ surely Rik?

[Lance]

ADSL 2+ is a 21cn product.

[Rik]

Exactly.

[pctech]

It is but ADSL can also be delivered over 21cn.

[Rik]

It can.