No Broadband Internet

[Andy1967]

Going to try and call support now.. My mobile reception isn't fantastic so i'm struggling to check their number.

Can't run speedtester.bt.com  It's that slow i can't even start the test!   Sits on 'checking user details' for ages.

Router stats are..

ADSL Statistics

Mode:    G.DMT
Type:    Interleave
Line Coding:    Trellis Off
Status:    No defect

     Downstream    Upstream
Rate (Kbps):    1312     448

SNR Margin (dB):    6.4     16.0
Attenuation (dB):    59.0     31.5
Output Power (dBm):    11.9     16.1

Super Frames:    84546     84545
Super Frame Errors:    13     9
RS Words:    1437290     717629
RS Correctable Errors:    41568     18
RS Uncorrectable Errors:    39     N/A

HEC Errors:    11     5
OCD Errors:    0     0
LCD Errors:    0     0
Total Cells:    4447513     0
Data Cells:    75528     0
Bit Errors:    0     0

Total ES:    8     0
Total SES:    0     0
Total UAS:    16     0

[Wingnutz]

Still on dial up here - last spoke to Brian in support around 4pm. He was still chasing / awaiting update on the Milton Keynes issue with BT.

Can ping sites whilst connected on broadband but getting 50/75% packet loss. Sync is 9000+ and noise margin steady at 6db.

No websites loading at all...

Trying modem reboots hourly as suggested by Brian.

[Andy1967]

Managed to get a BTspeed test run....  172KB!!! 

I'm not in Milton Keynes either.

[Wingnutz]

Andy,

i'm in Witney, Oxfordshire around 50 miles from Milton Keynes but Brian is sure this is what is causing my problem.....

[DorsetBoy]

Managed to get a BTspeed test run....  172KB!!! 

I'm not in Milton Keynes either.

What was the line profile shown?

[Andy1967]

Line profile is 1000..

Norml connection speed about 1.2mb, Router is sync at 1.3mb as per previous stats.

IDNet support only online until 6pm... That's handy 'cos i only use the internet until 6pm in the evening.

Any ideas?

[DorsetBoy]

I would have expected to see the profile much lower to produce a speed as bad as that. Can only suggest you shut the router off for 30 minutes and see if it clears on restart.

[Andy1967]

I agree... I'd have accepted a lower profile or sync speed for the speed i was getting.  Don't believe the issue is line based, and more an issue at IDNET.  Annoying that their support offering shuts down at 6pm though.  Left a message, but not expecting a call back.

Will leave the router off for half an hour or so, and see what happens.

[DorsetBoy]

It could well be the line card at the exchange, I used to get sudden speed drops like that(though profile remained high) and clearing the session at the exchange cured it every time, so a 30 minute shut down will tell all.

[Steve]

Andy,

i'm in Witney, Oxfordshire around 50 miles from Milton Keynes but Brian is sure this is what is causing my problem.....

The root shaped structure of BT's network makes it very difficult to predict geographically which is the next step up for any given area. For instance my 21 CN connection if activated will go via Peterborough(9miles away) but 6 miles further north is routed via Nottingham some 40 miles away.

[Steve]

It could well be the line card at the exchange, I used to get sudden speed drops like that(though profile remained high) and clearing the session at the exchange cured it every time, so a 30 minute shut down will tell all.

Its either that or BT local exchange congestion. I've not seen any evidence of IDNet based congestion, myself or on here since the 21CN hostlink went live last year.

[Wingnutz]

The root shaped structure of BT's network makes it very difficult to predict geographically which is the next step up for any given area. For instance my 21 CN connection if activated will go via Peterborough(9miles away) but 6 miles further north is routed via Nottingham some 40 miles away.

Steve,

comments were not meant to be a critism of Brian / Idnet - he's been extremly helpful. Was just trying to show problem could be anywhere in the system.

Do you know of anysites that keep upto date details of BT work / now outages / problems...

Cheers

[Glenn]

http://usertools.plus.net/exchanges/mso.php

http://aaisp-btmso.blogspot.com/

[Andy1967]

Hi guys,

Just left the router switched off for over an hour.. 

Just reconnected and ran another speed test.....Even worse now at 163kb 
Line profile is 1000, sync speed is 1400kbs.

This is pathetic...  Incredible that i can get a faster connection via a wireless 3g dongle, than I can via good old fashioned copper.

Very poor support from IDNet.  No support after 6pm and told to leave message.  No one rang me back.

[Simon]

I know this is no help, Andy, but IDNet will only usually respond out of hours to emergencies, where there is no connection at all.  I sympathise, but a 'slow' connection wouldn't be classed as an emergency, so you probably won't get a call back until the morning.

[Andy1967]

Simon - thanks for the info.  It will be a little pointless them ringing me tomorrow, as like most people, i work between 9am and 6pm so won't be around to undertake any test.  So I'll get home and they'll all leave.  Proves my point that support up until 6pm is as good as no support at all.

As far as i'm concerned i have no internet.  With all the media rich info on websites these days, 160kbs is not enough to download it all. I've load of web related stuff i needed to get done tonight, but have not been able, so i was expecting this as an emergency.

Sorry to rant at you.  I know it's not your fault.  Generally i've not been impressed with IDNet, and have already served notice.  The consipiricy theorist in me suspect i'm purposely being throttled!

We'll see what tomorrow bring.

[Simon_idnet]

Andy,

We will report your fault to BT when their HelpDesk opens in the morning. We are only able to report faults to BT outside of office hours if the Enhanced Care option has been subscribed to.

Regards
Simon

[Wingnutz]

Now up to 36 hours and counting with no broadband web access.

Modem left off over night and re-booted this morning.

Sync again at over 9000 and 6db margin.

50% packet loss whilst pinging www.google.com.

Unable to browse web via Explorer or FireFox.

Would an exchange error - Milton Keynes ? - take this long to clear ?

[Steve]

The was a 21CN issue with Peterborough that took BT several days to clear last year,hopefully support will have an update today.

[Lance]

Can't sleep again Simon  

I don't think anybody is in the position to complain about the support hours - we all sign up knowing what the hours are. Obviously, it doesn't help much when our lines develop problems outside of the opening hours but even then IDNet do their best to help.

[Wingnutz]

Cheers Steve - posting from work at the moment - will give support a ring later to see what they know.

[Rik]

It's not an exchange issue, Wingnutz, but a node, one of the 20 in the country. They act as concentrators, taking line from a wide geographical area and feeding them into the BT backbone. Despite living in MK, I'm not affected. As Steve says, we've seen this happen elsewhere, Peterborough being the most recent. BT don't seem to build any redundancy into the system, unfortunately.

[miriam_idnet]

Andy1967:  I have investigated this issue for you and can confirm your VP is heavily congested, unfortunately there is no available capacity to upgrade the VP. BT will lock the VP to stop new circuits being added, eventually as circuits are migrated away or ceased the congestion will ease, as you can imagine this will not be a quick resolution i'm afraid. I have provided more detail in a reply to your email to support when you get a chance to read it.


Wingnutz: I am getting an update for you on this as we speak, when I spoke with BT briefly this morning they mentioned the situation is worse than they first anticipated. I will post an update as soon as I have it.

Kind regards,

Miriam
IDNet Support

[Rik]

Thanks, Miriam - just keep the MK problem away from me, would you.

[Tacitus]

Generally i've not been impressed with IDNet, and have already served notice.  The consipiricy theorist in me suspect i'm purposely being throttled!

Do you know if there are any LLU operators on your exchange as moving to another BT based supplier is unlikely to result in a significant improvement?  

FWIW, iDNet don't throttle connections.  They never have and, I doubt they ever will.