Profiles After Migration

Hi-con · Apr 10, 2008, 14:15:45

Sorry to jump in on the conversation, but I am switching to IDNet in 3 days time. Will my profile from my old cr*ppy internet service transfer, or will I be given a clean slate with IDNet?

Inactive · Apr 10, 2008, 14:21:12

Quote from: Hi-con on Apr 10, 2008, 14:15:45
Sorry to jump in on the conversation, but I am switching to IDNet in 3 days time. Will my profile from my old cr*ppy internet service transfer, or will I be given a clean slate with IDNet?

Sorry cannot answer, but have a warm welcome, someone will answer shortly.

Rik · Apr 10, 2008, 14:23:47

Hi, Hi-con, welcome to the forum.

Unless you're with an LLU provider, your profile will transfer.

Hi-con · Apr 10, 2008, 14:48:28

Thanks all for welcoming me. At the moment I am as giddy as a kid waiting for Christmas.....can't wait for my connection to be up and running.

I have bought some ADSL Nation Xfe filters and will be rewiring my extensions and master socket on the weekend to prepare for my new connection. Is there anything I can do to improve my profile when I am on IDNet?

Best regards,

Hi-con

Rik · Apr 10, 2008, 14:52:56

Do you have an NTE5 master socket, the kind where the bottom part of the face plate can be removed? If so, you might be able to improve things by using a filtered face plate there, and either siting the router at the master, with Cat5 runs to the computer(s) or running a Cat5 cable terminated in RJ11 plugs between master and router.

One thing that usually has a magical effect is to disconnect the ring wire at terminal three of all sockets.

If you post your current line stats, we'll get a better idea on what might help you.

Hi-con · Apr 10, 2008, 16:05:31

Thanks Rik,

I will do the ring wire on all my extensions and master socket on the weekend. Below are my stats on my current connection with Eclipse:

RF status
Local Remote
Tx Power 11.9 dB 18.6 dB
SNR Margin 10.0 dB 21.0 dB
Line Attenuation 44.5 dB 25.0 dB

Rik · Apr 10, 2008, 16:08:16

It looks like you may have had your target noise margin raised to stabilise the line. Removing the ring wire should definitely help in that situation. I would have expected you to be able to achieve a 5-6000k sync, but it depends on the quality of the line as well as the length.

Hi-con · Apr 10, 2008, 16:22:05

The stats come from a SofaWare SBox 200 ADSL. When I hook up my Netgear D834G V3 I get a SNR Margin of 6 dB. Should I replace my router? If so which do you recommend.

So sorry for all the questions and being such a noob.

Rik · Apr 10, 2008, 16:31:12

Questions we thrive on.

The Netgear should be telling the truth, however... You often only see the true target noise margin immediately after a re-sync. Netgear, for example, are notorious for the figure falling away over time, otoh, they will hang on to sync down to -2db (theoretically impossible), so it's more to do with the reporting than the real noise.

What does happen, though, is if you re-sync in the morning, you will get a higher speed, but your margin will drop away after dark, while if you re-sync after dark, you'll get a lower speed, but your noise margin will improve in the morning. The SofaWare may be showing that characteristic with its higher NM. Do you know when you last re-synched with that?

We're good at spending other people's money here, but in your case I'd wait until you've migrated and see how your line performs. A router we are keen on is the 2-wire 2700, which for many people has produced a significant improvement in performance, in my case a gain in sync speed and profile of around 1000k.

Sebby · Apr 10, 2008, 16:39:07

I've split this off into a new topic so the posts don't get muddled up.

Firstly...

Rik's said most of it already. As you're migrating but staying on the same product, there won't be a new training period. Thus, to get sync and the profile improved, we need to look at your setup.

It looks like your Netgear is telling the truth here, and in fact your target SNRM is at the default setting of 6dB. What kind of sync do you get with the Netgear? Is it better than the SBox?

Hi-con · Apr 10, 2008, 16:43:03

I have run speed test on speedtest.net and I am currently getting 1434Kbps Down and 334Kbps Up, however my Downstream sync is 5323. Does this mean that my profile is stuck?

I like my SofaWare as it does more than just provide internet. I think I will wait for my connection with IDNet and then do the tests and post them here for comments and suggestions.

Thanks for all the help.

Best regards,

Hi-con

Rik · Apr 10, 2008, 16:43:29

It sounds like you might have a stuck profile or an ISP-imposed profile. Can you do a BT test, that will tell us for sure?

Sebby · Apr 10, 2008, 16:45:19

It does sound like a stuck profile, though, depending on how bad the current ISP is, it could just be poor throughput. As Rik says, a BT speed test is the way to know for sure.

Hi-con · Apr 14, 2008, 06:22:17

OK I am now officially an IDNetter! Did a BT SpeedTest and here are the results:

Test1 comprises of Best Effort Test: -provides background information.
IP profile for your line is - 4500 kbps
DSL connection rate: 832 kbps(UP-STREAM) 6432 kbps(DOWN-STREAM)
Actual IP throughput achieved during the test was - 3944 kbps

Here are my line stats from my Netgear DG834G V3:

ADSL Link Downstream Upstream
Connection Speed 6432 kbps 832 kbps
Line Attenuation 44 db 13.5 db
Noise Margin 6 db 14 db

What do you think, are they in line? Do I have a stuck profile? Could I get more IP throughput or am I just hoping an impossible dream? According to my read up on IP Profiles I should be getting 4.5 - 5Mbps shouldn't I? Will say that IDNet is much smoother and ping times are much better.

Best regards,

Hi-con

Tacitus · Apr 14, 2008, 07:31:35

Quote from: Rik on Apr 10, 2008, 14:52:56
Do you have an NTE5 master socket, the kind where the bottom part of the face plate can be removed? If so, you might be able to improve things by using a filtered face plate there, and either siting the router at the master, with Cat5 runs to the computer(s) or running a Cat5 cable terminated in RJ11 plugs between master and router.

One thing that usually has a magical effect is to disconnect the ring wire at terminal three of all sockets.

If I could stick my two penn'orth in here

Agree with everything Rik says. Using a filtered faceplate on the NTE5 with a run of Cat5 cable to the router socket made a huge difference to my signal quality. YMMV of course, but I live in a rural area where ADSL Max, would simply not be usable without these modifications. To add to it I purchased a 4 outlet mains power block with a built in smoothing circuit, to help eliminate potential power fluctuations to the router power supply. These are intended for high end HiFi kit and may be overkill for you - they cost £38 from Maplin.

I live in a bungalow with the NTE5 in the roof space, so the wiring is not so difficult as it may be for a house. What I'm suggesting may be a counsel of perfection, but in my situation, every little helps as they say. Doing it this way is unlikely to do any harm and could lead to a big improvement.

PS The mains smoothing circuit is not the same as surge protection.

Sebby · Apr 14, 2008, 08:23:35

The only problem at this stage is that the profile isn't correct for the sync, which is why throughput is on the low side. This should update in a few days.

Hi-con · Apr 14, 2008, 08:55:01

Well before I was on IDNet, I was only getting 1.9 - 2.4 Mbps so this is still a great improvement. Just wish I could get to my optimum bandwidth. I will give it a few days.

QuoteIf I could stick my two penn'orth in here

Agree with everything Rik says. Using a filtered faceplate on the NTE5 with a run of Cat5 cable to the router socket made a huge difference to my signal quality. YMMV of course, but I live in a rural area where ADSL Max, would simply not be usable without these modifications. To add to it I purchased a 4 outlet mains power block with a built in smoothing circuit, to help eliminate potential power fluctuations to the router power supply. These are intended for high end HiFi kit and may be overkill for you - they cost £38 from Maplin.

I live in a bungalow with the NTE5 in the roof space, so the wiring is not so difficult as it may be for a house. What I'm suggesting may be a counsel of perfection, but in my situation, every little helps as they say. Doing it this way is unlikely to do any harm and could lead to a big improvement.

PS The mains smoothing circuit is not the same as surge protection.

Thanks for the info Tactius, I may do that, however as you said running cable in a brick house is not that easy, as the master socket is in my living room and my office is up stairs. I have a pre-patched CAT 5 cable with RJ11 plugs connected to my router through to a ADSL Nation filter and then to my extension upstairs. I have also disconnected all of our SKY boxes and removed the ring wires on all extensions and the master socket. I think if I went for the NTE5 replacement plate, I would have to keep the router downstairs in the living room and use Mains Networking to my firewall.

However let me wait a few days to see if my profile improves. Thanks again for all your help.

Best regards,

Hi-con

Sebby · Apr 14, 2008, 13:05:35

What Tacitus mentions only applies if you're having trouble with sync, which you're most definitely not - everything looks good. At this stage, the issue is that the profile doesn't match the sync. In a few days, this should update by itself.

Hi-con · Apr 19, 2008, 08:20:39

Ok I have happily been on IDNET for a few days now. Did another BT speed test and here are the results:

Test1 comprises of Best Effort Test: -provides background information.
IP profile for your line is - 4500 kbps
DSL connection rate: 832 kbps(UP-STREAM) 6624 kbps(DOWN-STREAM)
Actual IP throughput achieved during the test was - 4205 kbps

Netgear Router DG834G V3 Stats:

ADSL Link Downstream Upstream
Connection Speed 6624 kbps 832 kbps
Line Attenuation 44 db 13.5 db
Noise Margin 6 db 11 db

Do you think I am getting the throughput my IP Profile states I should be getting? Still 100% better than my old ISP.

Best regards,

Hi-con

Rik · Apr 19, 2008, 08:46:15

Your throughput is right for your profile, but your profile is low for your sync speed, you should be on 5500k. Is the router log showing many loss of sync entries?

Sebby · Apr 19, 2008, 09:14:13

How long have you been sync'd at 6624k?

Hi-con · Apr 19, 2008, 13:31:51

Hi Rik and Sebby,

The router has only been off sync once, and that was due to power outage here on Thursday. Otherwise it has been sync'd at 6624k since we moved to IDNet which was last week Monday.

The throughput is much better than when I was on Eclispe. So IDnet are doing something right. However a little more speed would be nice

Best regards,

Hi-con

Rik · Apr 19, 2008, 14:35:20

If that re-sync on Thursday dropped the speed significantly, your profile will have followed. It should recover in another 1-3 days.

It's possible, for that attenuation, that you might benefit from using an alternative router, I'm thinking particularly of the 2-Wire 2700.

Sebby · Apr 19, 2008, 14:38:18

Quote from: Hi-con on Apr 19, 2008, 13:31:51
The router has only been off sync once, and that was due to power outage here on Thursday. Otherwise it has been sync'd at 6624k since we moved to IDNet which was last week Monday.

The throughput is much better than when I was on Eclispe. So IDnet are doing something right. However a little more speed would be nice

Well, your speed is as good as it can get for that profile; the issue is that the profile is wrong, which would have been caused by a low re-sync. If you hold sync at the current level for about 3 days and the profile doesn't increase, let IDNet know.

Hi-con · Apr 20, 2008, 12:16:46

Thanks Rik and Sebby for your help. If I decided to use a 2-wire 2700 where can I pick one up?

Just to let you know, my ping times for CS have halved...from 60ms pings down to 30ms pings now that I am on IDnet

Best regards,

Hi-con