slowdown

Dopamine · Feb 22, 2008, 15:03:17

I'm not sure how to read error count, or what it is, but here's my router statistics. The last reconnection was when IDNet/BT had their blip a couple of days ago:

Port Status TxPkts RxPkts Collisions Tx B/s Rx B/s Up Time
WAN PPPoA 776419 1150281 0 526 5029 65:13:46
LAN 10M/100M 5293982 3617332 0 1290 652 317:55:22
WLAN 11M/54M 220917 395637 0 49 151 317:55:19

ADSL Link Downstream Upstream
Connection Speed 8128 kbps 448 kbps
Line Attenuation 28.0 db 16.0 db
Noise Margin 8.9 db 24.0 db

Rik · Feb 22, 2008, 15:09:53

Full sync with some headroom on the noise margin, so no obvious reason for slow throughput.

To get the error stats from the Netgear, do the following:

Enter this in the browser address bar:

http://192.168.0.1/setup.cgi?todo=debug

which should result in a screen which just says 'Debug enable'.
(That's assuming that you haven't changed the router's IP address from the default).

Then exit from the web interface and open a command-line window. Type:

telnet 192.168.0.1

You should get a BusyBox welcome message to confirm that your telnet connection is established.

Now type:

cat proc/avalanche/avsar_modem_stats

The only thing I can think of, immediately, is that there's a high error count lowering your throughput. Other than that, what MTU/RWIN settings are you using?

Dopamine · Feb 22, 2008, 15:20:35

Umm, not sure.

From a c prompt? I typed the telnet address and got a "busybox v1.00.." but the the cat proc/avalanche stuff just said directory doesn't exist, so I presume I'm not doing it right.

As for MTU/RWIN settings, no idea what or where they are.

I was previously with Pipex, and until the debacle with Tiscali and corresponding drop in speeds, which is why I moved to IDNet, my BT speedtests were always 6mbps plus, at any time of day or night. No hardware changes since then.

Rik · Feb 22, 2008, 15:26:09

Mmm. Possibly I've got wrong instructions on file, let me check and get back to you. I don't have a Netgear connected any more to test on.

MTU= Maximum Transmission Unit, it determines the packet size you send. If it's sub-optimal, it can slow throughput.

RWIN= Receive Window, again, if it's sub-optimal, it can slow things.

Unless you're using Vista, take a look at:

http://www.idnetters.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=1904.msg31673#msg31673

Rik · Feb 22, 2008, 15:38:43

Apologies, I missed a /...

cat /proc/avalanche/avsar_modem_stats

This will give you a stream of information about the ADSL connection. Scroll up and find a section something like this:

[Upstream (TX) Interleave path]
CRC: 0 FEC: 0 NCD: 1
LCD: 0 HEC: 0

[Downstream (RX) Interleave path]
CRC: 0 FEC: 0 NCD: 0
LCD: 0 HEC: 0

[Upstream (TX) Fast path]
CRC: 1 FEC: 68 NCD: 0
LCD: 0 HEC: 0

[Downstream (RX) Fast path]
CRC: 49 FEC: 0 NCD: 0
LCD: 0 HEC: 0

In this example the interleave figures are all zero, apart from the first NCD value, which always seems to be 1, so this router is in fast mode. If you see zeros in the fast path sections and other figures in the interleave sections, then interleave is on.

Niall · Feb 22, 2008, 18:21:31

ADSL Link      Downstream     Upstream
Connection Speed     7424 kbps      832 kbps
Line Attenuation      29.0 db      18.0 db
Noise Margin      8.3 db      11.0 db

Ah well, everything seems normal. That being said, it has for the last few days when things have been wonky too.

Rik · Feb 22, 2008, 18:23:23

Quote from: Niall on Feb 22, 2008, 02:40:52
Just to randomly chuck something into an irrelevant thread, I thought I'd mention that my line dropped once tonight, about an hour or so, ago.

Just spotted this - it might the the announced BT engineering works if it was down for a while, up to 20 minutes.

Rik · Feb 22, 2008, 18:24:26

Quote from: Niall on Feb 22, 2008, 18:21:31
Ah well, everything seems normal. That being said, it has for the last few days when things have been wonky too.

What realm are you on, Niall (the last few letters of your login, eg GW5 or DSL4 etc).

Niall · Feb 22, 2008, 18:25:09

I wouldn't be surprised. My connection has only ever done that when BT are doing things. It's all been fine today, while I've been slumped in front of my PC.

I don't know the login, I'll go check now.

Ah ha, unsurprisingly, it's GW5

outlaw · Feb 22, 2008, 22:43:22

Most of the evening my connection has been very slow, websites are very slow to respond. Checked bt speed tester and it gave the following output:

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 - 6082 kbps

That above looks rather ok to me, I get some slowdown at peak times but not experienced anything like this before.

I'm on GW5 if that means anything.

Thanks muchly

Dave

Lance · Feb 22, 2008, 22:54:02

Welcome to the forum, Dave! Have a welcome karma.

Your speedtest shows that your throughput is a little low, but this could just be due to exchange congestion. However, it is still a 6mb connection you have there and so no reason as to why web pages would be slow loading. To be honest, I dont really know what to suggest. Are your pings ok?

Simon · Feb 23, 2008, 00:27:05

Dave! I was having a similar problem with slow loading web pages last night and this morning, but everything seems to be flying along now.

outlaw · Feb 23, 2008, 00:29:10

Thanks for the welcome Lance and a quick Hi to all the other forum users.

My pings are averaging about 25ms to bbc.co.uk which seems about usual for my connection.
Some sites still seem to be slow to respond, others need 2 or 3 clicks to get them to load completely.
It 'feels' in my rather un-professional opinion like a dns problem.
Looked at my router (cisco 877w) and it's ok, tried without AV and Firewall software running but still same performance. Also tried different browsers, but still the same.
Also just had probs trying to load the forum.

Dave

Rik · Feb 23, 2008, 04:47:18

Hi Dave

Could you try using OpenDNS, that would eliminate DNS as an issue (which I'd expect to hear more reports on as it would affect all users.)

OpenDNS servers are at: 208.67.222.222, 208.67.220.220

Your throughput is a little slow for your profile, have you optimised MTU/RWIN?

outlaw · Feb 24, 2008, 00:24:51

Thanks for the reply Rik.

The problem seems to have gone away now and eveything seems as fast and responsive as it was. I didn't really touch anything so I think I'll put it down to local exchange congestion for now!
Thanks for your input guys.

Dave

Rik · Feb 24, 2008, 00:25:38

NP, Dave. I hope it stays that way for you.

If not, you know where we are...