Dropping line speeds????

[spacecat]

Hi everyone

I have been with IDnet since around last November. Everything has been fine until recently, my speed test results were consistently in the 6500kps region.

Over the last few weeks however they have dropped into the 100's.

My line stats, which I don't think have changed, are as follows:

Type Interleave 
Status No Defect 
Downstream     Upstream  
Data rate (Kbps) 8096  832 
Noise margin (dB) 10.9  9.0 
   
Output power (dBm) 19.8  12.4 
   
Attenuation (dB) 31.0  18.0 

Any ideas what may have happened?

Thanks

Alan
   

[Lance]

Welcome to the forum, Alan. 

Would it be possible for you to run a BT speedtest and copy/paste the results here. We are specifically interesting in the profile. Unfortunately, the tester often needs some patience and the best chance of success is with IE rather than FireFox.

From your stats I can see no reason why your throughpt would be low.

[Simon]

  Alan! 

What Lance said, and have you spoken to IDNet at all?  They can do various tests on your line, which might be useful.

[Lance]

That was going to be my next suggestion, Simon!

[Sebby]

As mentioned, a BT test will be good to confirm it's not the profile. Otherwise, it's one for IDNet as there's nothing clearly wrong.

[Rik]

Hi Alan

Welcome to the forum. We're seeing a number of reports like yours at the moment. So far, they all seem to be down to BT doing engineering work in connection with 21CN.

[MoHux]

......................So far, they all seem to be down to BT doing engineering work in connection with 21CN.

Do you know that Rik, or is it just an assumption?? 

My speed today, which is normally around 5.9 - 6.3 (lucky me!), dropped from 4.8 at switch-on at midday, to 1.5 about 1600hrs.
It's gone back up to 6.1 at 2000hrs.

My exchange has been green for a long time, and doesn't usually have a contention problem.

 

[Inactive]

My line has also been fluctuating over the last few days, not to that degree Mo, but up and down, it kind of reminds me of my time with Plusnet, with their load balancing stuff.


So I would be also interested to know for certain if this is down to BT, or other factors?

[Dopamine]

Hi Alan

Welcome to the forum. We're seeing a number of reports like yours at the moment. So far, they all seem to be down to BT doing engineering work in connection with 21CN.

Is this definitely the case, or just an ardent IDNet supporter speaking? If you know for sure it's BT's fault, I'd love to see the evidence, because at the moment I still have support dealing with my speed issues, and they've not told me anything of the sort.

[Sebby]

None of us can say for sure, but as it only seems to be affecting certain people (a lot of which are on the same pipe) it seems unlikely to be IDNet.

[MoHux]

None of us can say for sure, but as it only seems to be affecting certain people (a lot of which are on the same pipe) it seems unlikely to be IDNet.

Unlikely? Perhaps, but not impossible.

Could be they are doing some load-balancing of their own, like In' mentioned.

Mo

[Sebby]

Not impossible, no... Just unlikely.

[wrtpeeps]

Is it just me, or in the past few days has there been quite a number of threads showing dropping speeds? Coincidence? 

[Inactive]

None of us can say for sure, but as it only seems to be affecting certain people (a lot of which are on the same pipe) it seems unlikely to be IDNet.

I am on DSL4 Seb, I have never experienced any erratic speeds before, just this past week they have started, nothing too serious, but still of concern.

[MoHux]

Ditto

[Sebby]

Is it just me, or in the past few days has there been quite a number of threads showing dropping speeds? Coincidence? 

I'm not saying this is definitely not an IDNet issue; there's no way I could possibly know. You have to remember this is an ISP forum, so if there are speed issues, they'll be discussed here, whether it's caused by BT or IDNet.

My belief at this time is that if it were IDNet, we'd all (or all of us on the same pipe at least) be having issues, which isn't the case.

I'd say that those with speed issues should get in contact with IDNet. Perhaps this will help them to see a pattern.

[spacecat]

Hi everyone

BT speedtest at ten to one in the morning??!!!!!!



Test1 comprises of Best Effort Test:  -provides background information.
    IP profile for your line is - 7000 kbps
    DSL connection rate: 832 kbps(UP-STREAM)  8096 kbps(DOWN-STREAM)
    Actual IP throughput achieved during the test was - 161 kbps

This test was not conclusive and further testing is required.

Please wait whilst you are redirected to undertake a second test.

I think I need to call support

Alan

[Sebby]

Let support know. At the end of the day, this is just an unofficial forum. If we don't make them aware, they can't investigate.

[Inactive]

I'd say that those with speed issues should get in contact with IDNet. Perhaps this will help them to see a pattern.

Or perhaps it may be less of a drain on IDNet Support if they were pointed to this thread Seb.

[Sebby]

Feel free, In.

[wrtpeeps]

I am going to run another test now.

[spacecat]

Thanks for your views everyone. Just wanted confirmation that there wasn't anything dodgy going on at my end.

Alan

[wrtpeeps]

Test1 comprises of Best Effort Test:  -provides background information.
    IP profile for your line is - 4000 kbps
    DSL connection rate: 448 kbps(UP-STREAM)  5056 kbps(DOWN-STREAM)
    Actual IP throughput achieved during the test was - 738 kbps

There we go, at 1:10am. 

[Sebby]

Not good, let support know about this.

[Inactive]

Mine at 01.13 am today.



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 - 5788 kbps

OK, much higher than most, but slower than usual.

[wrtpeeps]

Sent them an email earlier. It appears theres no support on weekends, which would be ok, except that I'm moving back to my other place tommorow for the next 4 weeks and my parents will be the only ones here. They wouldn't really know about this sort of stuff, and no doubt I'll get plenty of "the internet is so bloody slow" phonecalls. 

[Sebby]

That's what makes me think it's BT. Okay, you're both seeing slower than normal speeds, but why would one be so much better (sync aside) than the other?

[Sebby]

Don't worry, wrtpeeps. I'm sure this is something outside of your property, so I don't think your parents will need to be involved.

[wrtpeeps]

Just as well I don't rely on the internet for work. Just for all my leisure! 

[Inactive]

Feel free, In.

To be honest Seb, my speed drop is not really that important, I was only really adding to the thread to give a wider picture of the problem, I am still very happy with my speed, I realise that I am very lucky.

[Sebby]

All I meant is that we're here to help as much as we can, because we enjoy doing so. Obviously we're seeing problems recently that aren't to do with users' setups. Therefore, IDNet need to be made aware in order for the problems to be diagnosed and resolved, so please feel free to point them towards this thread.

[Gary]

I think its good for IDNet to see this thread, as something "seems" to be up, my throughput dropped to 600kbs the other day and my line was syncing at 5424 or there abouts, now today it started life at with a sync of 4224 with no reported loss of sync or PPP and my SNR turned up to 9db when it was working fine at 6db till BT mucked about with it last week no idea what's going on as nothing has changed at my end, and the fact BT seem to be doing no work at my exchange confuses me even more, life was simple on fixed lines 

[Rik]

To answer the earlier question, I don't know for sure that it's BT, but the sporadic nature of the issues, affecting a relatively small group of people across a number of locations, suggests to me it's more likely to be happening on the BT network than on IDNet's. I have asked about capacity issues with IDNet, and I am told that they are not running the system at anything like full load.

A lot of speed issues I have spotted on my travels around the forums have involved the Edinburgh RAS (see this piece by Kitz), but clearly that can't be the case for everyone.

As Sebby has said, the best way forward is for those affected to let support know.

[Inactive]

Well good news on my line, it has now gone back to it's former self;



I know that the speedtest results are not the best, but it is reflected elsewhere.

[Rik]

I've had a response from Tim on the speed issues. They have nothing showing on their systems to explain them, ie it's happening in the BT network before affected users reach IDNet. The only logical conclusion, given that the problems often disappear without intervention, is that the BT 21CN, or other engineering work, is behind it.

[Inactive]

Thanks for the update Rik, it is all a mystery.

[Gary]

Thanks for the update Rik, it is all a mystery.

Its making my line a mess, I had a sync last night in the region of 4323 and a profile of 2500 if it continues ill have to look elsewhere for a more solid connection and thats the last thing I want to do, but going with O2/BE would get my speed back and i would not be spending over £20 a month for a 2500 profile which really does not equate into value even with IDNets excellent service.  lets see what happens this week though 

[Inactive]

02 must be good Gary, they have just passed IDNet at DSL Zone ratings.. 

( Oh just remembered DSL Zone is sponsored by BE ).. 

[Rik]

Where's ADSL24 now, then, In?

[Cookiemonster]

3rd!

[Rik]

 

Why am I not surprised?

[Cookiemonster]

I just wonder how long there bubble will last! There getting an awful lot of irate customers now, due to there ALT system slowing the speeds right down during off-peak hours. I think they may be over subscribed.

[Inactive]

Indeed jester, but how long before it is reflected properly in the ratings?

[Rik]

Enta certainly attracts anyone wanting to download the net.

[Cookiemonster]

Yeah thats very true Rik! Some quiet preposterous bandwith limits!

[Rik]

At least it keeps them out of here. 

[Inactive]

True Rik, I don't think it is sustainable in the longer term, but what do I know.. 

[Cookiemonster]

Thats what originally attracted me to them before i joined here. But i was using no where near my limit and didn't like my speed dropping everytime someone and there dog started all there p2p bang on 10pm!

[Rik]

I suspect the business model was predicated on the belief that people wouldn't actually use their full allowance. With the advent of the iPlayer etc, that thinking may now be seriously flawed. It wouldn't surprise me if ISPs had to re-think their packages this year.

[Sebby]

Thats what originally attracted me to them before i joined here. But i was using no where near my limit and didn't like my speed dropping everytime someone and there dog started all there p2p bang on 10pm!

Exactly the same situation for me.

[Danni]

Even though I use p2p I'd rather pay a lot more and get a decent service than go with anyone who have stupidly high bandwidth limits for very little cost... I just think something's going to have to break.

[Rik]

It will Danni, and I suspect this year will be the year when the cracks start to show.