New arrival - line stats

[Endgame]

I've just had a little poke around and the bundle of wires that you can see in my pic aren't connected so i have pulled them through and i now have 1 green wire with white banding, one white wire with green banding, one orange wire with white banding and one white wire with orange banding.....................i hope that makes sense 

[Rik]

That sounds like the conventional coding of the blue/white, white/blue pair being used for the connection then. If you feel like taking the socket off the wall (strictly illegal but...), see what wires are connected to the screw terminals on the rear.

[Endgame]

Then you can ignore the test socket as a diagnostic, I'm afraid. I'd suggest you have a word with support, and see if they think they can get BT to regularise the socket for you without charge.

Failing which, there is supposed to be a fixed fee of £30 to do so, though I've never managed to find it in a price list.

Oh so its not just a case of me connecting these loose wires to the faceplate then?

[Endgame]

That sounds like the conventional coding of the blue/white, white/blue pair being used for the connection then. If you feel like taking the socket off the wall (strictly illegal but...), see what wires are connected to the screw terminals on the rear.

I'm going in.......................................    

Breaking the law, breaking the law.....................

[Lance]

Is that sirens I hear???!!! 

[Endgame]

Ok after *ahem* guessing what was behind the faceplate i think it could be a blue wire with white banding and a white wire with blue banding.......................of course i could be completely wrong as this is just a guess as i would never ever break the law 

[Rik]

Are you sure that's where your line enters the house. The external exchange pair are normally (but not always) a solid colour. I'm wondering if you have star topology wiring, with the wires radiating out from a connection point somewhere else. How many sockets do you have?

[Endgame]

Are you sure that's where your line enters the house. The external exchange pair are normally (but not always) a solid colour. I'm wondering if you have star topology wiring, with the wires radiating out from a connection point somewhere else. How many sockets do you have?

I'm just on my way out, but as far as i know this is the only socket in the house!

I'll have a good check when i get back!

[Rik]

I'm just on my way out, but as far as i know this is the only socket in the house!

I'll have a good check when i get back!

If that's the case, you wouldn't have any wires on the face plate, so ignore my comments, sorry. 

(Equally, the test socket and the ordinary socket should give identical results.)

[Endgame]

Yep i'm pretty sure that that is the only socket in the house, unless there is one under the floorboards!

So is it pretty useless testing the socket behind the faceplate then as i'm directly wired to it anyway?

[Lance]

Normally if you have extensions in the house, these would be wired to the faceplate. This is why removing the faceplate and using the test socket is normally a good way of making sure that the extensions and associated wiring isn't causing the problem.

In your case, with no extensions it is effectively the same as using the test socket.

This also indicates that the problem is outside of your control. From what you report with the fluctuating speeds, to me it suggests that there is congestion at the exchange. Unfortunately, BT don't release the exchange status information as regularly as people would like, so the data is often a couple of weeks at least out of date

[Endgame]

Normally if you have extensions in the house, these would be wired to the faceplate. This is why removing the faceplate and using the test socket is normally a good way of making sure that the extensions and associated wiring isn't causing the problem.

In your case, with no extensions it is effectively the same as using the test socket.

This also indicates that the problem is outside of your control. From what you report with the fluctuating speeds, to me it suggests that there is congestion at the exchange. Unfortunately, BT don't release the exchange status information as regularly as people would like, so the data is often a couple of weeks at least out of date

This is what Miriam reported back from BT (congestion at the exchange) but i just cannot see why/how my line is affected so badly compared to all of my friends who use the same exchange, in fact i live closer than anybody to the exchange, i can practically see it out of my bedroom window!

[Lance]

It could be that you are on a different virtual path at and from the exchange and it could be that the virtual paths that your friends are on are not as congested.

Unfortunately, it doesn't matter how close you live to the exchange if it is congested.

[Endgame]

It could be that you are on a different virtual path at and from the exchange and it could be that the virtual paths that your friends are on are not as congested.

Unfortunately, it doesn't matter how close you live to the exchange if it is congested.

What would happen Lance if the engineer called at my house and found no faults, and also found no faults on the line and just put it down to congestion at the exchange, would i still have to pay BT the ridiculous £144?

[Lance]

I can't answer that one - support may be able to give some guidance. It's a tough one to call. One part of me is saying that if BT come out and find only the exchange congestion they will charge because they have already informed you of the problem. However, another part of me is saying that they shouldn't charge because the problem is on their side of the master socket.

Definitely one for support to give guidance on I'm afraid.

[Endgame]

Yeah thats what i'm bothered about as they could pull the "exchange congestion" line as i cannot prove otherwise, catch 22 methinks, no matter what i do i'm on a loser. If i report the problem i pay £144 if i don't i have to put up with these slow speeds 

[Lance]

I guess you will just have to wait until BT have upgraded the number of Virtual paths at the exchange. Sometimes this can happen quickly, sometimes it will go on a month or two

If it's any consolation, I think my exchange may be congested too

[Endgame]

   

Test1 comprises of Best Effort Test:  -provides background information.
    IP profile for your line is - 7150 kbps
    DSL connection rate: 448 kbps(UP-STREAM)  8128 kbps(DOWN-STREAM)
    Actual IP throughput achieved during the test was - 5935 kbps

If you wish to discuss these results please contact your ISP.

If you are experiencing problems with specific applications, servers or websites please contact your ISP for assistance.

Your test has completed please close this window to exit the performance tester.






Just ignore these tests, its for my own personal reference

[Rik]

Who said that? 

[Endgame]

Said what? 



Test1 comprises of Best Effort Test:  -provides background information.
    IP profile for your line is - 7150 kbps
    DSL connection rate: 448 kbps(UP-STREAM)  8128 kbps(DOWN-STREAM)
    Actual IP throughput achieved during the test was - 6036 kbps

If you wish to discuss these results please contact your ISP.

If you are experiencing problems with specific applications, servers or websites please contact your ISP for assistance.

Your test has completed please close this window to exit the performance tester.

[Endgame]

     

Test1 comprises of Best Effort Test:  -provides background information.
    IP profile for your line is - 7150 kbps
    DSL connection rate: 448 kbps(UP-STREAM)  8128 kbps(DOWN-STREAM)
    Actual IP throughput achieved during the test was - 3660 kbps

If you wish to discuss these results please contact your ISP.

If you are experiencing problems with specific applications, servers or websites please contact your ISP for assistance.

Your test has completed please close this window to exit the performance tester.

[Rik]

You're certainly displaying all the classic signs of exchange congestion (assuming you post shortly after each test).