Download & streaming video very slow

[hemzy]

First of all I must explain I am not a techie. I have trawled through the FAQs and most of it is a foreign language to me. Before I go down the road of looking for a local engineer I thought I'd see if I was missing something obvious and ask the IDNetters.

MY PC has a Pentium 4 3.2 processor, 1Gb RAM, 200Gb hard drive (only 47% full).
I am running Windows XP SP2 with all critical updates installed. MY security is PC Security Shield 2008 which regularly updates itself. I connect via a D-Link Air Plus G DWL-G122 Wireless router which is plugged into my main BT socket. My connection between PC and router is showing as excellent with a connection speed of 54Mbps. I have completed several tests through BT Speedtester and although my profile, my upstream and downstream speeds seem fair to my untrained eye, my throughput is appalling.

I simply cannot download large files and trying to watch streaming video is hopeless, even from the BBC website.  I went onto Stage6DIVX and tried to download a video clip which was shown on BBC and was approximately 132 MB in size. After an hour I gave up. I was getting a download speed of around 29kbs.

I am feeling quite frustrated both by the problem and by my lack of understanding. What makes it worse is that my friend on the other side of the street has an older, lower spec machine; he is on the same exchange and is able to download stuff so quickly that it makes my machine seem like it's on dial up. To add insult to injury, he is with Orange!

I have attached my BT Speedtest files as a word document. I would be grateful for any advice but please be gentle with me. I promise I will not be offended or insulted if you assume I know nothing....although I am not quite as bad as that.
Thanks
Hemzy

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[Rik]

Your throughput is nowhere near your profile and is variable. That suggests that your exchange may be congested, check here:

http://usertools.plus.net/exchanges/

If the exchange is not congested, your problems may stem from MTU & RWIN settings - take a look at the sticky here and see if tweaking will help.

Could you borrow your friend's router and try with that, or is it a Livebox? You say you are plugged into the master socket, but do you have any extensions? If so, have you removed the ring wire at all sockets?

Failing that, you need to talk to IDNet and have them test the line.

Where are my manners? Welcome to the forum, have a karma.  

[hemzy]

Hi Rik, thanks for the reply and the welcome.
I downloaded TCP Optimizer and following it's help site ran the auto test facility which set my MTU to 1492. Am I correct in assuming it automatically sets up the RWin value also, it looks set at 522720.
I visited NetMonitor and ran a test, the results of which I've posted here.

Tweakable settings:
RWIN: -1
Window scaling:
PMTUD: NO
Time stamping:
SACKS:
MSS requested: -1
TTL remaining:

Results of download test:
Data bytes we sent: -1 bytes
Data packets we sent: -1
Retransmitted data packets: -1
Transfer efficiency: 0%
Max packet size you sent (MTU): 39
Max packet size you received (MTU): 39
Data transmit time: -1 seconds
Maximum idle time: -1 milliseconds
Transfer rate: -1 bytes/sec (-0.0 kilobytes/sec)

Ping test:
91.135.2.113 : xmt/rcv/%loss = 10/0/100%


NEW! Suggestions based on these results

This bit is under development, please ignore all the suggestions below for the time being :-)

tick Your RWIN is a multiple of your MSS
tick Few retransmits, looks OK
cross Path MTU discovery is disabled

Your chosen RWIN value will limit your throughput to:
25094 kb/s (3136.7 kB/s) to UK sites (assuming 20ms RTT)
5576 kb/s (697.0 kB/s) to US (East Coast) sites (assuming 90ms RTT)
3346 kb/s (418.2 kB/s) to US (West Coast) sites (assuming 150ms RTT)
2281 kb/s (285.2 kB/s) to Japanese sites (assuming 220ms RTT)

To be honest Rik, it means little to me but it may shout something obvious to you.
I went to the link where it checks the exchange and it gave it a green rating....I'm assuming that means it's good.

Cheers
Hemzy

[Rik]

Hi Hemzy

If the exchange is green, that rules out one of the most common issues.

Try pinging the BBC. Hit Start > Run > type CMD and hit enter.

Then type ping www.bbc.co.uk -l 1464 -f and hit enter.

Right-click the title bar of the window, select Edit > Select All, then hit enter.

Paste the results back here will you. Also, could you open TCP Optimizer and capture the screen (Alt-PrtScrn). Open something like Paint, and paste that in, then save it as a file and add it to your post, using the Additional Options button.

Don't worry about the results from Net Monitor, it's a bit flakey at the moment. Try http://www.speedguide.net/ and select the TCP analyzer at the left.

Thanks.

[hemzy]

Hi again, thanks again for swift reply.
I've attached a Word doc with the info you requested.

Cheers
Hemzy

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[Rik]

Curious. The ping to the BBC shows that MTU is set as we think (you can check by increasing the 1464 to 1465, the packets should then fragment).

However, tests to the US site are showing an MTU of 1400, which suggests there's a choke-point on the network somewhere in its routing to the States.

Where do you generally stream from, ie site URL? Can you do a tracert to that (same process as the ping, but substitute tracert for ping and don't add the -l and -f switches.

[hemzy]

Hi Rik,
I think idNet should pay you a retainer, I really do.

Anyway, I have carried out a tracert check on www.bbc.co.uk  also on www.wwitv.com and www.stage6.com.

The results are on the attached document.......meaningless to me but hopefully not to you.

Cheers
Hemzy

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[Rik]

They don't look bad, I suspect that you have interleaving turned on though.

Was the third one in the States or mainland Europe?

I'm off for now - if no-one else picks up the thread, I'll catch up later...

Can you get line stats from your router? Check here for instructions. If so, please post the downstream sync speed, attenuation and noise margin.

[cavillas]

Hi Rik,
I think idNet should pay you a retainer, I really do.

Don't encourage him.

[hemzy]

Hi Cavillas,
I think he's a star turn.
Anyone prepared to put up with my ignorance is ok in my books.

I'm just compiling the info he's asking for.....at least I hope I am.
Cheers
Hemzy

[hemzy]

OK Rik,

Thanks for the help today. I'll forewarn you  (and anyone else who is following this) that I work shifts so if I don't always appear here regularly, it's nothing personal...honest.

I have followed the link and I think I have got the info you asked for.
I've attached a couple of screen shots on a Word doc. If it isn't what you need, please point me in the right direction.

Cheers
Hemzy

Edit - I've modified the attachment because the original contained your IP address. Lance

[attachment deleted by admin]

[cavillas]

He's not bad for an old'un. Always willing to help and advise, in some cases even cajole people.  But I'm sure there's something going on between him and Jill (perhaps another topic to start).  He also has a great sense of humour, with some of the people on here he needs it.

[Malc]

Hi Rik,
I think idNet should pay you a retainer, I really do.


Cheers
Hemzy

Feed him and he will be happy, or, just talk about food.

[Lance]

Hi Hemzy, welcome to the forum!

From looking at the stats you have given, it would appear that you have had some instability on your line. This is because the downstream SNR margin, for which the default target is 6db, looks like it has been increased to 12db. BT's equipment will automatically increase the margin in 3db steps to try and increase stability on the line.

I'm not too sure how this will translate to slow streaming, but presume that Rik has a line of thought! He is normally back in the small hours.

[hemzy]

Hi Lance,
Thanks for taking the trouble to have a look at the thread, most kind of you.

I'm now off to work so I'll be back tomorrow pm sometime and I'll drop by to see what's new.

Thanks to all for the help.

Cheers
Hemzy

[Rik]

Thanks for the help today. I'll forewarn you  (and anyone else who is following this) that I work shifts so if I don't always appear here regularly, it's nothing personal...honest.

We believe you. 

I have followed the link and I think I have got the info you asked for.
I've attached a couple of screen shots on a Word doc. If it isn't what you need, please point me in the right direction.

That's what I needed. For an attenuation of 28db, I'd expect you to sync at the full 8128, or very close to it. Part of the reason you're not is that you have a noise margin of 11db, which probably means your target noise margin has been increased to 12db by BT's line management software. Have you ever noticed frequent disconnections?

Have a good look at your internal phone wiring. Check through the sticky here, and try removing the ring wire in particular. If you can check the connection at the test socket, so much the better.

Once you have done that, if you can let me know what, if any, changes you get in your line stats, we can decide how to proceed, eg get IDNet to run some tests etc.

@Lance - thanks for the pickup on the IP address. 

[Rik]

He's not bad for an old'un.

[hemzy]

Hi, I'm back in body if not in spirit.....night shifts usually leave me in zombie mode in the afternoon.

Right, back to business....

I've taken the cover plate off my BT socket and plugged directly into the test socket.
The results are on the attached document.

I had a look at your sticky thread about wiring. I couldn't find the photos mentioned but my wiring is as follows...

Terminal 2 is a blue wire with a white patch
Terminal 3 is a green wire with a white patch
Terminal 4 is a white wire with a green patch
Terminal 5 is a white wire with a blue patch.

Is it still safe to remove the wire from terminal 3? I know the sticky thread said that the ring wire is usually, but not always orange. I don't want to do something stupid.
Cheers
Hemzy

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[Rik]

Are those wires attached to the faceplate, ie they are not connected to the back of the master socket on the screw terminals, but are on the faceplate using the numbered IDC terminals? If so, then disconnect both 3 and 4 at every socket. (Unless you have something unusual, like a second line?)

Clearly, the test socket produce an improvement, your sync speed went up to 7104 from 6912 for the same attenuation and noise margin, so getting rid of the extra two wires should help.

Going back to your MTU setting, have you checked what the router is set to? Judging by your ping tests, it should be 1500, but the 1460 result to the TCP Analyzer raises the possibility that it's set lower.

[hemzy]

Hi Rik,

Thanks for the swift answer again.
The wires are on the back of the faceplate; I'll go disconnect 3 and 4, then I'll check that the router MTU is set up correctly (I think PCOptimizer may have changed the router as well as my PC settings).

I'll do another set of readings once the wires are dealt with.
Cheers
Hemzy

[Rik]

Hi Hemzy

If the wires are on the detachable face plate, they are part of your extension wiring and perfectly safe to disconnect, only the white/blue, blue/white pair on terminals 2 & 5 are needed.

TCP Optimizer only dabbles with the Windows settings, you would need to set the router MTU through its interface - hopefully it is at 1500.

[hemzy]

Hi Rik,

Checked and reset router MTU to 1500.

Disconnected wires 3 and 4 and copied results to attached document.
Cheers
Hemzy

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[Rik]

Is that connection back at your normal socket, Hemzy? In which case, job done - you're getting the same sync speed as at the test socket.

Try changing the router's MRU to 1500 as well, see if that improves speeds.

[hemzy]

The SNR margin and the line attenuation figures remained the same when I replaced the plate and plugged into the normal socket.  The data rate dropped a little from 7104 to 6688 kbps.

I'm trying to get my head around the information provided and I've been reading the FAQs and links to other sites to try and increase my understanding. I think a little has sunk in but in your opinion would you say that my system is now working at an acceptable level?

Cheers
Hemzy

[Rik]

Hi Hemzy

The sync speed shown in your last post was the same, 7104, as the one at the test socket - have I missed something somewhere? The previous figure I noted for you, before you made any changes, was 6912, so if your speed has dropped to 6688, something has gone wrong - especially as that speed will also drop your profile from 6000 to 5500.

The earlier tests you posted:

Test1 comprises of Best Effort Test:  -provides background information.
    IP profile for your line is - 4500 kbps
    DSL connection rate: 448 kbps(UP-STREAM)  5248 kbps(DOWN-STREAM)
    Actual IP throughput achieved during the test was - 1429 kbps


Sunday 18th Nov 2332
Test1 comprises of Best Effort Test:  -provides background information.
    IP profile for your line is - 6000 kbps
    DSL connection rate: 448 kbps(UP-STREAM)  6912 kbps(DOWN-STREAM)
    Actual IP throughput achieved during the test was - 850 kbps

Monday 19th Nov 1430
Test1 comprises of Best Effort Test:  -provides background information.
    IP profile for your line is - 6000 kbps
    DSL connection rate: 448 kbps(UP-STREAM)  6816 kbps(DOWN-STREAM)
    Actual IP throughput achieved during the test was - 784 kbps

Tuesday 20th Nov 1446

Test1 comprises of Best Effort Test:  -provides background information.
    IP profile for your line is - 6000 kbps
    DSL connection rate: 448 kbps(UP-STREAM)  6912 kbps(DOWN-STREAM)
    Actual IP throughput achieved during the test was - 360 kbps

showed both a variation in sync speed and profile but a throughput that was nowhere near the profile in each case. Are you aware of your router losing sync frequently?

With MTU eliminated as a possible cause, I would suggest you talk to support and ask them to test your line - point them at this thread so they can see what you've already tried.