Do you have problems with the BT speed tester - or not?

[Rik]

Some people struggle to ever get a successful test, others of us may have to try more than once, others never have a problem.

I'm forming a theory that there may be an underlying geographical issue here, so I'd be grateful if you could post indicating your rough location, and how successful you are in performing a test. (Remember that it seems to work best with variants of IE, rather than Firefox).

I'm on the Wolverton exchange in Milton Keynes and fall into the 'usually can get a test, but may have to try more than once' camp.

[Simon]

West Sussex.  Works intermittently with any browser, dependant on Java plug in being installed.

[Noreen]

I have never had a problem with it. I'm on the Bermondsey (CLBER) exchange in London and am about 600m, in a straight line, from the exchange.

[Rik]

Show off.  

[Noreen]

 

[Malc]

North west Manchester, tried many times, only ever worked once, at about 12 midnight, all other times it hangs when I enter the telephone no, (never get to the next stage) then I get a time out error.

Using IE7

[shazzy]

Still not able to get a successful test.  I'm in Mid-Wales on the Newtown, Powys exchange.

[Inactive]

I have never had a problem with it. I'm on the Bermondsey (CLBER) exchange in London and am about 600m, in a straight line, from the exchange.

That far Noreen, mine is about 100 yards straight line.. I am north of Watford and south of York.. 

[kinmel]

On north Wales coast, tester worked perfectly and with no delays, using IE7 at noon.

Test1 comprises of Best Effort Test:  -provides background information.
    IP profile for your line is - 4000 kbps
    DSL connection rate: 448 kbps(UP-STREAM)  4672 kbps(DOWN-STREAM)
    Actual IP throughput achieved during the test was - 3756 kbps

[Noreen]

But do you have any problems with the speed tester, In?

[Si]

I'm in South Oxfordshire, 900m direct to the exchange. Never been able to get it to work with Firefox, does work with IE but generally only during the day or after 11pm.

[Inactive]

But do you have any problems with the speed tester, In?

oops, no.. no problems.

[Ted]

North Wales, Old Colwyn exchange. Just completed a test no problems 12:49
Firefox on Linux

[Rik]

Thanks, Ted.

[dudwell]

Works well with IE virtually every time even at supposedly busy times, doesn't seem to like Opera.

Location: East Sussex (my name is a clue).

Tested a moment ago:-

Test1 comprises of Best Effort Test:  -provides background information.
    IP profile for your line is - 6500 kbps
    DSL connection rate: 448 kbps(UP-STREAM)  7616 kbps(DOWN-STREAM)
    Actual IP throughput achieved during the test was - 6063 kbps

[Rik]

Stop trying to make me jealous. 

[RA-1972]

works for me everytime firefox or ie . exchange newton abbot devon .6 of miles away

[Baz]

very slow for me. havent tried on FF but IE works. I am in East Durham about 1.2kilometres from the exchange if I was a crow

[Ann]

It works for me in Canterbury, Kent... not here but at home.

The little penguin above tells me my ISP is the University of Kent.. so I work for an ISP.. I will add that to my CV then 

Edit: Blimey it changed from a cute little penguin to a horrible monster. 

[Rik]

It changes every time the page refreshes, Ann. Have you checked at home that you're seeing the right IP address?

[Inactive]

Gone altogether now....

Somebody been eating a penguin?

[Rik]

I'm still seeing a graphic, just not a Happy Feet at the moment...

[Inactive]

Same here now.

[Ray]

South West Leicestershire Leire exchange, Rik, I usually manage to get a successful test except for the occasional busy message and the odd hang. I've used Firefox 2 and IE 7 to carry out the test doesn't seem to be any difference between them though.

[drummer]

No problems with Firefox apart from the occasional "busy" message and I gave up trying with Opera because it just used to freeze.

About 750 meters from exchange in North London.

    IP profile for your line is - 6500 kbps
    DSL connection rate: 448 kbps(UP-STREAM)  7616 kbps(DOWN-STREAM)
    Actual IP throughput achieved during the test was - 6045 kbps

[Rik]

Thanks, Drummer. It seems like Londoners are doing best.

[colirv]

Well I've just posted this and it appears to have vanished in the ether, so here goes again. I'm in Washington, Tyne & Wear, and the BT speed tester usually works fine in IE7, never in Firefox 2.0.

[MoHux]

I am in Brixham, Torbay, S.Devon.  Using IE7 - 570 mtrs from the exchange - No Problems (but with all you others trying, it says "busy, try later", at the moment!). 

[Rik]

Well I've just posted this and it appears to have vanished in the ether, so here goes again. I'm in Washington, Tyne & Wear, and the BT speed tester usually works fine in IE7, never in Firefox 2.0.

Were you using the QR box or the normal reply, Colin?

[colirv]

QR I think.

[Rik]

Er, silly question, I know, but you did hit Post, didn't you. I know that I haven't a few times, as I can see the messages and think I must have posted (from using the normal reply screen in the past).

[RA-1972]

Mohux you live just down the road from me really m8 well about 10 miles . (newton abbot)

[Dopamine]

I'm in Horsham, West Sussex. Migrated from Pipex to IDNet 7 days ago.

With Pipex I could nearly always get a successful test, with IDNet I can only get successful tests during the early hours of the morning, except for two successes at around 8pm.



Have also noticed that my peak time speeds with IDNet are a lot lower than they were with Pipex, which is a bit of a shock, although IDNet's absence of traffic shaping has improved my browsing experience.

[Rik]

What was your profile for IDNet, compared to Pipex?

It could be you are on a congested VP, of course, or possibly you need to tweak MTU?

[Dopamine]

What was your profile for IDNet, compared to Pipex?

It could be you are on a congested VP, of course, or possibly you need to tweak MTU?

Stable line, profile 7150 on both Pipex and IDNet, noise margin 8db down, 24db up, attenuation 28db down, 16db up.

[Rik]

What's your throughput like?

[Dopamine]

Pipex was around 6mb, IDNet at peak times is between 1.8mb - 4mb.

[Rik]

That's bad - and unusual in my experience. Do a few BT tests and let support have the results. I'm sure they'd want to find out why that's happening (my immediate thought, though, is congested VP at the exchange).

[kerrso05]

I had no problem with BT Speed tester yesterday............I was able to complete two speed tests but not today.................none.............I tried twice and both failed 
Probably too many people using it

[Mr Booh]

Hi, North Essex........... Tester works eventually............... IE7

[colirv]

Er, silly question, I know, but you did hit Post, didn't you. I know that I haven't a few times, as I can see the messages and think I must have posted (from using the normal reply screen in the past).

Possibly not! Anyway, no matter.

[Philip]

never got the thing to work, I'm in Penzance.

[Lance]

Hi, North Essex........... Tester works eventually............... IE7

I'm North Essex too!

[pup]

have  only had 2 successful tests 1st after about 3hrs of trying on tuesday, second attempt on wednesday, no luck to day (just wanted to confirm that my profile is still stuck at 2000k)

Im on the camborne exchange in cornwall

[DeViTTo]

Having problems myself and i'm in Bodmin. There seems to be a lot of cornish on here. 

[Malc]

I like pasties

[MoHux]

Mohux you live just down the road from me really m8 well about 10 miles . (newton abbot)

Hi! Small world as they say.
We had another, very popular member, living in NAbbot.  His forum name was Kheldar, but he hasn't posted for a couple of months.  Probably too busy with the new addition to the family.

 

[Rik]

Devon is making a play for world dominance I reckon, Mo.

[DeViTTo]

Devon is making a play for world dominance I reckon, Mo.

I come from Devon though. 

[MoHux]

Devon is making a play for world dominance I reckon, Mo.

Not pygmalion likely, I remember what happened to the last bloke! 

[Rik]

 

You're safe Mo, don't worry.

[pup]

I like pasties

someone had to mention food

[Malc]

 

[Rik]

It's our duty.

[pup]

 

[Lance]

I had a lovely rib-eye steak for dinner tonight!

Just run a speedtest with no problem

[Malc]

I've run 2 today, I bet it's something ID have done for us.

I saw Simon , no not that one, the other ID one, here earlier.

I'm not giving BT the praise.

[pup]

I had a lovely rib-eye steak for dinner tonight!

Just run a speedtest with no problem

i had steak and chips tonight as well

[Rik]

Veal saltimbocca for me.

[Malc]

Chicken marinaded with Tabasco Sauce with minted new potatoes.

(Had chips for dinner)

[tfw7]

another poster from Cornwall

I have NEVER  managed a bt speedtest since joining IDNET in November. Use IE7.
Did manage to do them with virgin.never, but it was hit and miss.

T

[Rik]

We don't seem to be getting a very clear picture of what's happening here. Have you tried with a different browser?

[pup]

We don't seem to be getting a very clear picture of what's happening here. Have you tried with a different browser?

could you do a poll that lets you select area, browser, time, etc, straight on tester, several attemps, or cann use it

[MoHux]

I had a lovely rib-eye steak for dinner tonight!

Just run a speedtest with no problem

[Rik]

could you do a poll that lets you select area, browser, time, etc, straight on tester, several attemps, or cann use it

Sadly, not really. Polls are very blunt instruments, single choice, effectively.

[pup]

Sadly, not really. Polls are very blunt instruments, single choice, effectively.

just a thought 

[krysia]

Not about food, but just to say I finally managed a successful BT test mid-morning last week using Mozilla, but since then the test only completes 96%, saying 'exception:  access denied (java.net.Socket Permission 217.35.209.142:50301 connect, reso' and the rest is unreadable off the screen.  I've tried IE7, but the test won't even load at all with IE - I tried tunring off the phishing filter, but that made no difference. 

[Rik]

Odd. Most people are OK using IE7, Krysia. Have you checked your Java is up to date?

[Simon]

I've been trying for days now, and I keep getting the same error:

The login name entered on this tool doesnt match that discovered by querying the network for your domain name. Please check your telephone number (or user name) and try again. If problem persists please contact your CP.

No success with IE either, although it has worked previously with SeaMonkey (Mozilla).

[Rik]

The problem is, it often gives that error rather than admit it's busy. Of course, it may be planned, BT want a test from the ISP before they do anything... 

[krysia]

Yes, I wondered about that too - it really lets BT off the hook.  (And yes, my java is up-to-date.)

[Rik]

All I can say then, Krysia, is keep trying. Early mornings are reputed to be the best time.

[Inactive]

Just tried using IE6, it went through straight away, no problem.

It always does for me, any time of day or night.

Strange.

[Rik]

I'm still convinced it's a geographical thing, In, but I can't get enough information to prove it.

[Lance]

I think the problem is that there is a lack of resources in so many geographical areas!

[Rik]

Me too, Lance. Defining the areas and what exactly is the missing resource is the problem.