Anyone had any success using a Buffalo wbmr-g54 router for ADSL2+

[rickus]

I've had this router for over 3 years.  The model still seems to be on sale and my set-up guide for it says it is a Wireless ADLS2+ (sic!) Modem Router.

I am thinking of moving over to ADSL2+ with Idnet. Has anyone done so successfully with this router?

A couple of quick bonus questions:

- A few months ago I lost my internet connection but managed to restore by putting the connection into a different LAN port on the router - there are 4 altogether. I am bit reluctant to retry the first 2 ports in case I damage something. Any ideas on what the problem might have been?

- I live just over a mile from my exchange. What sort of speeds would it be reasonable to expect?

- If I cannot get ADSL2+ working with decent speeds can I revert back to ordinary ADSL?

Thanks
Rick

[Rik]

Hi Rick

I don't know the Buffalo, sorry. Support may be able to give you a definitive answer.

On the LAN ports, it sounds like the router may be on its way out, or it could just have been a poor cable connection.

If you can post your current downstream sync speed, noise margin and attenuation, we'll be able to give you a fairly accurate idea of what speed you might achieve, but note that ADSL2+ is far more 'line sensitive' so no-one will know for sure until you are connected. If it doesn't work, you can get the line modulated with ADSL1.

[rickus]

Thanks Rik

I got this from thinkbroadband:
1876.56 Kbps ( 1.8 Mbps )
371.43 Kbps ( 0.4 Mbps )

and this from BT Speedtester:

Download speedachieved during the test was - 1828 Kbps
For your connection, the acceptable range of speeds is 400-2000 Kbps.
Additional Information:
Your DSL Connection Rate :3168 Kbps(DOWN-STREAM), 448 Kbps(UP-STREAM)
IP Profile for your line is - 2000 Kbps


I have googled and not been able to establish how to get my noise margin and attenuation figures. Any easy way of doing this?

Cheers
Rick

[Steve]

If I've got the right one http://www.ccsleeds.co.uk/KB/Routers/Wireless_ADSL_Router_WBMR-G54_Manual.pdf

pages 97 and 98

[Rik]

My usual source, Rick, Kitz, has nothing on Buffalos at all.

However, your profile is 500k low for your sync speed, so my hunch is that your line is a bit unstable. I'd guess that, at most you'll see 500k more speed, but you might gain nothing but bandwidth allowance.

[Rik]

Thanks, Steve. 

[rickus]

You guys are certainly on the ball. Some more results:

ADSL status shows the ADSL physical layer status.

ADSL Firmware Version:    6.00.01.00 - 6.00.01.00 - 6.00.04.00 Annex A - 01.07.2b - 0.54
ADSL Software Version:    V3.00B01T01.20060721
Line State    Connected
Modulation    ADSL_G.dmt
Annex Mode    Annex A
Max Tx Power    -38 dBm/Hz

Item                 Downstream     Upstream     Unit
SNR Margin        7                    14              dB
Line Attenuation 39                  27              dB
Data Rate          3136              448             kbps

[Rik]

The calculator suggests up to 11M for those figures. What we now need to establish is why you're syncing so low on a relatively short line. What else is attached to the line?

[MisterW]

I'd be a little suspicious of those attenuation figures.

Item          Downstream     Upstream     Unit
SNR Margin        7                    14              dB
Line Attenuation 39                  27              dB

Normally you would expect something closer to a 2:1 downstream to upstream ratio. I suspect its possible that the router is misreporting the downstream attenuation and in reality its closer to 54db which would be consistent with the 3136 synch speed. The stats are also giving a 7db noise margin which tends to indicate the line doesn't have serious issues, if the line really had 39 db attenuation and had interference problems causing the low synch then the noise margin would be much higher. I'd be tempted to try another router if possible to see if it reports different attenuation figures.

[Rik]

Thanks for that. 

[rickus]

Working from the router:

Its lead of about 2m goes to a microfilter.
That microfilter also has a telephone handset from about 3m of cable. That handset also has an electric connection and wirelessly serves a second handset.
The microfilter is attached to a BT white socket.
The cable from that socket is that socket runs for 10-15m to an old rectangular (bakelite) junction box.
The wiring connections in there may leave something to be desired.

Coming off the junction box is:
- The grey main cable. I cannot trace the full route of this for further junctions but I guess it is about a 30m run to the telephone pole in the street which also serves some other houses.  
- A line to upstairs. this probably has a 15m run to the socket. There is a microfilter attached but nothing connected to it.


- A further downstairs socket, about a 5m run from the junction box. The microfilter from this socket has a splitter for the telephone socket. This goes to another handset about 2m away and to our Sky+ box about 20m away    
NB We only have one telephone number.

Do you suggest I run some further tests with different items disconnected - if so which tests, just the thinkbroadband one?

[Rik]

I'd test at www.speedtest.net, Rick, selecting the Maidenhead server - which I've found gives the closest results to the BT one.

Start by disconnecting the Sky box, they can be very noisy.

[rickus]

Have done a number of tests using speedtest's Maidenhead server.

These have involved removing each phone line, the Sky connection, the microfilters and swapping a spare microfilter for the one that the router connects. Very little difference between the various results:

Download speed nearly always 1.97-2.19 (with one of only 1.83 when I had something else running)
Upload all 0.35-0.38
Ping all 47-49

No obvious pattern in the results.
I have not got another router to try.

Given the results, and the various replies:
- is there anything else worth trying?
- might I still get better speeds with ADSL2+ ?
- might there be any downside with ADSL2+ ?

[Steve]

I think the concern is that the router may be reporting the downstream attenuation wrongly,if this is the case and its nearer to the 54db suggested you probably wont see any improvement with adsl2+ however you will get an increased data allowance for the same monthly price.

[rickus]

Thank you everyone for your help.
Overall there seems to be no reason not to go for ADSL2+ but don't expect any significant improvement.
Cheers
Rick

PS
Have just checked out the router again, the readings are slightly different from yesterday.

Item                 Downstream     Upstream     Unit
SNR Margin        15                  16              dB
Line Attenuation 40                  27              dB
Data Rate          3776              448             kbps

Have also found these traffic statistics, no idea if they are relevant: 
Transmit
Good Tx Frames    21113
Good Tx Broadcast Frames    129
Good Tx Multicast Frames    34
Tx Total Bytes    21112462
Collisions    0
Error Frames    0
Carrier Sense Errors    0
   
Receive
Good Rx Frames    15325
Good Rx Broadcast Frames    197
Good Tx Multicast Frames    9
Rx Total Bytes    3556574
CRC Errors    0
Undersized Frames    0
Overruns    0

Have just run the Speedtest again:
First result had download speeds lower than yesterday's, the second in the same range as yesterday - but my daughter is listening to some music on the internet on her laptop! She was not connected during yesterday's tests.

[Rik]

You need to have nothing and no-one active during tests, Rick.

[Steve]

I see the downstream margin is 15 today, which fits better with the current sync and the attenuation I believe,you could get a lot higher sync if you've eliminated a source of noise with your investigations i.e Sky box

[B52]

I have this Buffalo router and it does work with ADSL2+.  I changed over to 2+ in November which proved a big mistake. My speeds were less than half what I was getting on bog standard BB.  Sometimes less that 400k on 2+.  Support suggested that maybe the Buffalo router may not be compatible and thought a Netgear router may improve things. So on their suggestion I got a Netgear.  No improvement at all.
So eventually Ive moved back from 2+.  Still using the Netgear for BB.  Since the change back my speeds have gone way past anything I ever had previously.
My problem was not the router it was ADSL2+.  Im 2k from the exchange.


Ian

[Rik]

That's the problem with recommending ADSL2+, Ian. For some it works, for others it doesn't and there seems to be no rhyme or reason as to why. Before Xmas, my WBC line was syncing around 4M, giving me a 1M profile increase over Max. The line card failed on December 26, and when it was replaced, I lost a full Mb. The line is the same, the router is the same (though I did try a second unit) so what changed?

[MisterW]

The cable from that socket is that socket runs for 10-15m to an old rectangular (bakelite) junction box.
The wiring connections in there may leave something to be desired.

Coming off the junction box is:
- The grey main cable. I cannot trace the full route of this for further junctions but I guess it is about a 30m run to the telephone pole in the street which also serves some other houses. 
- A line to upstairs. this probably has a 15m run to the socket. There is a microfilter attached but nothing connected to it.


- A further downstairs socket, about a 5m run from the junction box. The microfilter from this socket has a splitter for the telephone socket. This goes to another handset about 2m away and to our Sky+ box about 20m away   
NB We only have one telephone number.

That sounds like you have a pretty old installation and, more importantly, no NTE5 master socket. That's going to make elimination of internal wiring problems difficult as it's not possible to disconnect it. One thing you could check though, how many wires are connected in the connections from the junction box to each socket ? is it 2, 3 or 4 ( a photo of the junction box internals would be useful ). That should tell us if the bell wire is connected or not, as that can be a major cause of noise. I'd still like a set of stats from a different router to confirm that downstream atten, any chance of borrowing one from a friend ?

[rickus]

The cables coming at the top from left to right are:
- to upstairs extension
- (you can't actually see the cable for this one, just a load of wires) to downstairs point, which has a telephone and Sky+ coming off it
- line in
- to downstairs point, which has the router and a telephone coming off it

Have tried to upload a picture (136kb) but am getting a message saying that the uploader file is full.

[Rik]

Give me a sec...

[Rik]

You should be OK now.

[rickus]

Thanks Rik

The cables coming at the top from left to right are:
- to upstairs extension
- (you can't actually see the cable for this one, just a load of wires) to downstairs point, which has a telephone and Sky+ coming off it
- line in
- to downstairs point, which has the router and a telephone coming off it

[attachment deleted by admin]

[Rik]

I really can't 'translate' that to modern wiring, Rick, it's such a jumble. I would observe, though, that the wiring is not well done, look at the amount of uninsulated wire hanging out from the second terminal from the bottom.