Migration complete!

[Simon]

Gary, I use F-Secure Internet Security, and have no P2P applications running at this time.  I already have an ADSL faceplace in the lounge, where the PC is connected, and there is one other phone connected via a microfilter in the bedroom.  Not sure about this ring wire thing - would it really make that much of a noticeable difference?  Can't say I'm very keen on tinkering with the phone wires.

[Rik]

Dumping the ringwire can add a few db to your noise margin, Simon, which translates as a higher sync speed. I'm curious, thought, if you've got a filtered face plate, why do you need to use additional filters, or is that socket not the master?

Getting rid of the wire is as simple as removing two screws from the socket, then gently pulling out the wire from terminal three (often orange/white). It's almost impossible to do any harm in the process.

[Simon]

OK, I think I may have another issue now.  I have just received a bandwidth notification email from IDNet, stating that, "Over the time period 20/9/2007 to 21/9/2007 (1 day) you have downloaded 1.05 GB of data."  Unless it's all the speed tests I've been doing, I can't see how this could be possible, as I have only been surfing (mainly here) in the evenings.  I'm wondering if someone could be tapping into my wireless connection, although, as far as I know, I have set it up securely, or am I just being paranoid?

Dumping the ringwire can add a few db to your noise margin, Simon, which translates as a higher sync speed. I'm curious, thought, if you've got a filtered face plate, why do you need to use additional filters, or is that socket not the master?

Getting rid of the wire is as simple as removing two screws from the socket, then gently pulling out the wire from terminal three (often orange/white). It's almost impossible to do any harm in the process.

Umm... so if I have a faceplate where the PC is connected, are you saying I don't need filters on other phones in the property, where there are no faceplates?  Hell, this is turning into a steep learning curve!

[Rik]

Hi Simon

There's several possibilities on the bandwidth. One is that it's simply extrapolating from a small sample - but that usually only applies to the predicted bandwidth. Another is that there is an error, which can often be cured by logging out and back in (no need to drop the sync, just the PPP session) - this forces the radius servers to update. About half an hour, but up to two hours, after doing this, check your bandwidth again on your accounts page. There may be an error, have a word with support on Monday and they can see what has been going on. Finally, it is possible that your connection has been piggy-backed - do you use WPA with a strong key, 63 characters+?

Filtered face plates are normally fitted in place of the normal NTE5 master socket. If yours is wired in that way, then all extensions running from it are pre-filtered. You should be able to see if you remove the face plate, it will have the connections for any extensions attached to the detachable part.

[Simon]

Hi Rik,

If by logging out and back in, you mean just disconnecting and reconnecting, or rebooting the router, I have done that several times tonight, after tweaking the MTU / RWIN settings.  I'll check it again in the morning.  As far as being piggy-backed, I am using WPA, but with only about a 20 character key.  Perhaps I should increase this?  I do find this theory difficult to believe though, especially as the router was powered off all of last night.

Re the faceplate, I don't think it's fitted on the master socket, as that isn't accessible to the PC.

[Rik]

Hi Simon

I don't mean re-booting, and re-booting frequently is likely to depress your profile as the BT software will see it as a sign of instability, which could explain the drop you have seen. Leave the router at 1500 MTU and make all your adjustments in Windows, then you only need to re-boot the computer.

I would recommend increasing your key length, but you're probably not being hijacked - talk to support on Monday if it hasn't settled.

If the faceplate is not at the master socket, then you need to keep the filters on other sockets, and you will benefit from disconnecting the ring wire.

[Simon]

Still no better this morning - worse, in fact. 

IP profile for your line is - 3500 kbps
DSL connection rate: 448 kbps(UP-STREAM)  4608 kbps(DOWN-STREAM)
Actual IP throughput achieved during the test was - 878 kbps

I would be happy now, just to get back to where I was yesterday.

[Rik]

Your should have a 4000 profile for that sync, Simon, so I'd suggest leaving well alone for the moment, and let your line recover. Remember that frequent re-syncs will always push your profile down, so don't re-boot the router unless you need to.

Your thoughput, though, is way lower than your profile. That could be exchange congestion or server load. Try using:

http://www.speedtest.bbmax.co.uk/

and see what results you get there.

What MTU/RWIN are you currently using?

[Simon]

Currently using 1500 MTU and 256960 RWIN, Rik, but am thinking of reverting to what it was before.

I'll try the bbmax speed test.

Also, as to the bandwidth issue, I have Net Meter, and this shows a huge surge after I have used the BT Speedtester, which only stops when I close my browser.  I think that's where the extra usage came from yesterday, but not sure why this is.

I also noticed that on 4th Sept (before I migrated), my Uploads were over 6Gb, and this is also inexplicable, and slightly worrying, as that was very much higher than normal.

[Simon]

Here's the bbmax test results:


Date of Speed Test:    2007-09-22 12:20:34
Download Speed:    16843 kbps (2105.4 KB/sec transfer rate)
Upload Speed:    350 kbps (43.8 KB/sec transfer rate)

http://www.speedtest.bbmax.co.uk/results.php?t=1190460034&v=2338005

[Rik]

Currently using 1500 MTU and 256960 RWIN, Rik, but am thinking of reverting to what it was before.

That works well for me. Go here:

http://www.speedguide.net/

and try the TCP Analyzer, see what that suggests. Some people get their best results with an MTU of 1458, and RWIN adjusted accordingly.

Also, as to the bandwidth issue, I have Net Meter, and this shows a huge surge after I have used the BT Speedtester, which only stops when I close my browser.  I think that's where the extra usage came from yesterday, but not sure why this is.

I also noticed that on 4th Sept (before I migrated), my Uploads were over 6Gb, and this is also inexplicable, and slightly worrying, as that was very much higher than normal.

6GB upload is worrying - it would take a long time, for a start, so you should have noticed it going on. Have you run a full virus and malware scan?

[Rik]

Here's the bbmax test results:

http://www.speedtest.bbmax.co.uk/results.php?t=1190460034&v=2338005

Something very odd there, you can't get that speed on your profile. What else is running on your machine?

Here's my test:

http://www.speedtest.bbmax.co.uk/results.php?t=1190460430&v=2338054

That's on a 2500 profile, so it's pretty much spot on.

[Simon]

Rik, it's the RWIN adjusted accordingly bit I don't get.  What is 'adjusting accordingly'?

6GB upload is worrying - it would take a long time, for a start, so you should have noticed it going on. Have you run a full virus and malware scan?

Yes, I ran a full virus and malware scan just last week.  Nothing reported, but will try a separate spyware scanner, just in case.

[Rik]

Rik, it's the RWIN adjusted accordingly bit I don't get.  What is 'adjusting accordingly'?

RWIN should be a multiple of MSS, which is MTU-40, powers of 2 work best - the Speedguide.net site I linked to will recommend a figure for you.

Yes, I ran a full virus and malware scan just last week.  Nothing reported, but will try a separate spyware scanner, just in case.

Have you noticed any upload activity when you've not been active?

[Simon]

Something very odd there, you can't get that speed on your profile.

The bbmax test has always been astonishingly inaccurate when I run it, on Pipex as well.

What else is running on your machine?

Like what?  There's no P2P running, all I have on at the moment is the F-Secure suite, and Sea Monkey.

[Simon]

RWIN should be a multiple of MSS, which is MTU-40, powers of 2 work best - the Speedguide.net site I linked to will recommend a figure for you.

It's all double-dutch to me, but I'll try it.

Have you noticed any upload activity when you've not been active?

Not that I can recall.

[Rik]

The bbmax test has always been astonishingly inaccurate when I run it, on Pipex as well.

It's always been pretty good for me - just goes to show how speed tests are not worth too much effort. Can you find a decent-size file to download, eg a Linux distro. That will give you a true reflection. (Or download the trial of Thumbs Plus from www.cerious.com, their server is generally pretty fast.)

Like what?  There's no P2P running, all I have on at the moment is the F-Secure suite, and Sea Monkey.

Like anything which might be doing background work on the net - any video players, eg the BBC one? Have a look in task manager for anything which you don't recognise or which is using processor cycles.

[Simon]

Oh, hang on a minute, the 4th Sept was the day I got my laptop, and I was transferring lots of files and stuff.  Would that have counted as 'uploads'?

[Rik]

Probably, most monitors just look at the LAN connection, so count both local and WAN traffic.

[Gary]

Simon what do you use for antispyware? is it just the F-secure suite, if so what version, just wondering if that could cause a throughput issue

[Simon]

Probably, most monitors just look at the LAN connection, so count both local and WAN traffic.

That would explain it then - phew! 

Simon what do you use for antispyware? is it just the F-secure suite, if so what version, just wondering if that could cause a throughput issue

Hi Gary,

I also have Spyware Blaster running, but other than that, just FSIS, but I do have other spyware scanners on board for on-demand scans, such as AVG and Super AntiSpyware.

There's nothing suspicious in the Task Manager Processes list, and nothing unidentified in my start up programs either, so I don't think this is a spyware / malware issue.

[Gary]

Does your version of F-secure have the blacklight rootkit scanner? also is your superantispyware the free version or the paid for which has active protection?

[Gary]

I know you said on demand but just checking thats all Simon

[Rik]

That would explain it then - phew! 

But not the message from IDNet. Have you had a look at your accounts page > BB usage there?

There's nothing suspicious in the Task Manager Processes list, and nothing unidentified in my start up programs either, so I don't think this is a spyware / malware issue.

Is there anything eating processor cycles or do you see network activity when the machine is just idling?

[Gary]

But not the message from IDNet. Have you had a look at your accounts page > BB usage there?

That would also worry me a little my usage varies but I migrated 21 days ago and have not receaved a message like that from IDNet, if someone were to be piggy backing your wifi also that would explain that message and throughput maybe, what do you think Rik? I have a complex network name use wpa2 with a complex password hide my network name and use mac filtering, some of these can be over come but it makes it a lot harder to use your wifi.