That syncing feeling

[ou7shined]

From day one with IDNet (and right through my 10 day run in) my connection was syncing at a steady 8.1 but lately (16+ days) it's dropped to 7.5-7.7. Is that what I'm stuck with from now on or is it likely to pop back up to 8?

It's not really effecting my speedtest results, they're about the same as usual.

[Nerval]

I wonder what has happened to make it go down.  Anything you might have done to coincide with it?

Anyway, it can go back up if whatever caused it to go down corrects itself.
The important thing is the speed that BT rate your line at - that is the limiting factor - and you can check that by running the BT Speedtest.

Mine syncs at anywhere from 6.1 to 5, depending on the phases of the moon (or some such thing that I know not of).  But after a spell of synching at 6, my BT rate goes back up to 5.5, so yours should too.
They say you need to keep the higher sync rate for 3 days for it to affect your BT rated speed.

[ou7shined]

I've not done owt.
I'll keep tyring and if I sync at 8+ I'll hold on to it for as long as poss.
I can't get any joy out of the BT test the noo, either with the new link (which has never worked for me yet) or by connecting to speedtest@speedtest_domain, but I'll keep plugging away at it.
Cheers.

btw my exchange (NSKNC) is on red (Next upgrade 30/11/2006  ) but it's been like that for weeks so I'm not counting that.

[ou7shined]

The BT test came through at last. (linked version )

Test1 comprises of Best Effort Test:  -provides background information.
    IP profile for your line is - 6500 kbps
    DSL connection rate: 448 kbps(UP-STREAM)  7488 kbps(DOWN-STREAM)
    Actual IP throughput achieved during the test was - 6119 kbps

7488 kbps & 448 kbps is exactly what my router is quoting this time round too. This is the part that fluctuates each connection cycle. So my guess is that if I reboot my router and it comes back with a connection at 7.7 (or god willing 8+) the BT test will reflect this also.

So is the IP profile a static figure?

[Nerval]

No the IP profile is the speed that BT currently rate your line at and goes down or up depending on your stability and sync rate. So if you successfully sync a lot faster, it will go up a bit (usually after 3 days), or if you sync at a lower rate it will go down (usually within a few hours).

This is the limiting factor in your download speed, not your sync rate. So as long as it is 6,500, you won't get a speed test much faster than you've got.

But the idea behind Max is that it is constantly adjusting this IP profile up and down from now till the end of time, to give you the best performance possible on your line depending on all the various conditions that affect it.

And remember there are so many other variables (e.g. the clogged up BT network, activity of sites you're visiting etc) that in practice you probably wouldn't notice much difference between your current speed and what you would get if you synced at over 8Mb and it put your profile up a bit.

[ou7shined]

Thanks Nerval, you're really good at explaining this. :thumbs:

Check out what happened this morning......

Test1 comprises of Best Effort Test:  -provides background information.
    IP profile for your line is - 6500 kbps
    DSL connection rate: 448 kbps(UP-STREAM)  8128 kbps(DOWN-STREAM)
    Actual IP throughput achieved during the test was - 6146 kbps

I'll hold on to this connection and I'll post back the BT test results over the next few days.

[Nerval]

If it holds that sync for 3 days , it may shove your IP profile up a bit - say 7000 - but it will always keep a safety margin below your actual sync rate.  I think I saw somewhere that 7500 is the best one you get. (Wish my line was good enough for me to bother about that!!)

And remember it may resync down and back up for some reason without you noticing!!

[Rik]

Here's a list of sync speeds, throughput and the BRAS profiles which I 'borrowed' from the forum formerly known as ADSLguide.

BRAS profiles

Colum A = Sync Speed
Colum B = Theoretical max kbps removing all overheads while working from BRAS profile size

A.........B

8128 6919 Only sync at 8128 will give a Bras Profile of 7150

8096 6774
8064 6774
8032 6774
8000 6774
7968 6774 Sync between 7968 & 8127 = Bras Profile of 7000

7936 6290
7904 6290
7872 6290
7840 6290
7808 6290
7776 6290
7744 6290
7712 6290
7680 6290
7648 6290
7616 6290
7584 6290
7552 6290
7520 6290
7488 6290
7456 6290
7424 6290
7392 6290 Sync between 7392 & 7967 = Bras Profile of 6500

7360 5806
7328 5806
7296 5806
7264 5806
7232 5806
7200 5806
7168 5806
7136 5806
7104 5806
7072 5806
7040 5806
7008 5806
6976 5806
6944 5806
6912 5806
6880 5806
6848 5806
6816 5806 Sync between 6816 & 7391 = Bras Profile of 6000

6784 5323
6752 5323
6720 5323
6688 5323
6656 5323
6624 5323
6592 5323
6560 5323
6528 5323
6496 5323
6464 5323
6432 5323
6400 5323
6368 5323
6336 5323
6304 5323
6272 5323
6240 5323 Sync between 6240 & 6815 = Bras Profile of 5500

6208 4839
6176 4839
6144 4839
6112 4839
6080 4839
6048 4839
6016 4839
5984 4839
5952 4839
5920 4839
5888 4839
5856 4839
5824 4839
5792 4839
5760 4839
5728 4839
5696 4839 Sync between 5696 & 6239 = Bras Profile of 5000

5664 4355
5632 4355
5600 4355
5568 4355
5536 4355
5504 4355
5472 4355
5440 4355
5408 4355
5376 4355
5344 4355
5312 4355
5280 4355
5248 4355
5216 4355
5184 4355
5152 4355
5120 4355 Sync between 5120 & 5695 = Bras Profile of 4500

5088 3871
5056 3871
5024 3871
4992 3871
4960 3871
4928 3871
4896 3871
4864 3871
4832 3871
4800 3871
4768 3871
4736 3871
4704 3871
4672 3871
4640 3871
4608 3871
4576 3871
4544 3871 Sync between 4544 & 5219 = Bras Profile of 4000

4512 3387
4480 3387
4448 3387
4416 3387
4384 3387
4352 3387
4320 3387
4288 3387
4256 3387
4224 3387
4192 3387
4160 3387
4128 3387
4096 3387
4064 3387
4032 3387
4000 3387 Sync between 4000 & 4543 = Bras Profile of 3500

3968 2903
3936 2903
3904 2903
3872 2903
3840 2903
3808 2903
3776 2903
3744 2903
3712 2903
3680 2903
3648 2903
3616 2903
3584 2903
3552 2903
3520 2903
3488 2903
3456 2903
3424 2903 Sync between 3424 & 3999 = Bras Profile of 3000

3392 2419
3360 2419
3328 2419
3296 2419
3264 2419
3232 2419
3200 2419
3168 2419
3136 2419
3104 2419
3072 2419
3040 2419
3008 2419
2976 2419
2944 2419
2912 2419
2880 2419
2848 2419 Sync between 2848 & 3423 = Bras Profile of 2500

2816 1935
2784 1935
2752 1935
2720 1935
2688 1935
2656 1935
2624 1935
2592 1935
2560 1935
2528 1935
2496 1935
2464 1935
2432 1935
2400 1935
2368 1935
2336 1935
2304 1935
2272 1935 Sync between 2272 & 2847 = Bras Profile of 2000

2240 1452
2208 1452
2176 1452
2144 1452
2112 1452
2080 1452
2048 1452
2016 1452
1984 1452
1952 1452
1920 1452
1888 1452
1856 1452
1824 1452
1792 1452
1760 1452
1728 1452 Sync between 1728 & 2271 = Bras Profile of 1500

1696 968
1664 968
1632 968
1600 968
1568 968
1536 968
1504 968
1472 968
1440 968
1408 968
1376 968
1344 968
1312 968
1280 968
1248 968
1216 968
1184 968
1152 968 Sync between 1152 & 1727 = Bras Profile of 1000

1120 484
1088 484
1056 484
1024 484
992 484
960 484
928 484
896 484
864 484
832 484
800 484
768 484
736 484
704 484
672 484
640 484
608 484
576 484 Sync between 576 & 1151 = Bras Profile of 500

544 279
512 279
480 279
448 279
416 279
384 279
352 279
320 279

[Nerval]

Good list Rik (if a little long  )
So that says the best ou7shined will get is a profile of 7150, even worse than I thought.

In essence then, there's sod all difference between where he is and the best he could get.

Makes me feel better though with my profile of 4500 (schadenfreude  )

slanty

[Rik]

I was thinking about cutting out all the sync steps and just giving the ranges, but I thought people might like to see the steps (and how a 32k change can make a big difference!).

As I have a profile of 2500, imagine how I feel!!

[Nerval]

You poor devil.
What router is that with?
What other routers have you tried, and is your rate better of worse with them?

I ask purely out of self-interest, in that though I find the Netgear a consistent  1.5Mps better than Safecom or Solwise, I was wondering if other makes might improve it still further.

[Scott]

..."forum formerly known as ADSLguide"

nice...

"FFKAA" - I like that ! 

[Rik]

You poor devil.
What router is that with?
What other routers have you tried, and is your rate better of worse with them?

I ask purely out of self-interest, in that though I find the Netgear a consistent  1.5Mps better than Safecom or Solwise, I was wondering if other makes might improve it still further.

Netgear DG834Gv3, also DG834v2. I was using a Draytek 2600+, but I found that it didn't cope so well with Max, though it was really good on 'vanilla' ADSL. The issue in Milton Keynes is aluminium, we have a very poor telecomms infrastructure, so much so that the Council is working with Pipex (yuk!) to bring wifi to the entire area.

[Rik]

..."forum formerly known as ADSLguide"

nice...

"FFKAA" - I like that ! 

Well, ThinkBroadband just doesn't have the same feel...

I've just noticed, I've become addicted. Obviously, the forum knows me too well.

[Nerval]

Milton Keynes ....................Pipex

Oh no!!! It gets worse.
goes to look for condolences card 

So the Netgear is the best you've found then.
Good to know.

[Rik]

Oh no!!! It gets worse.
goes to look for condolences card 

Thank you, we need all the sympathy we can get.

So the Netgear is the best you've found then.
Good to know.

On my line, yes. The problem with routers is that for every good report you read, you'll find a bad one. Ideally, the chipsets should match the DSLAM for best results, or so I've been told, but I haven't noticed any significant difference between the TI chipset in the 834v2 and the Broadcom one in the 834Gv3.

Also, of course, Netgear sponsor Saints (rugby, not football), so I might be biased.

[Inactive]

Apparently, " aluminium " isn't peculiar to Milton Keynes, according to a BT engineer that fixed my line last year, the country is riddled with the stuff....mine included.. 

[Rik]

Apparently, " aluminium " isn't peculiar to Milton Keynes, according to a BT engineer that fixed my line last year, the country is riddled with the stuff....mine included.. 

My sympathies. No, we're not alone. What's peculiar (at least in respect of the telecomms infrastructure) about Milton Keynes is that it had the bulk of the trunking laid at the time the city was started, and at that time, BT were using aluminium exclusively, so the whole town is affected. Of course, to be fair to BT, aluminium was fine for voice and at the time, no-one had thought of much else to do with a phone line.

[Nerval]

  aluminium mine   

The major employer in MIlton Keynes, then? And bauxite to you!

[Rik]

We also have a tunneling enterprise, it goes under the name Xscape! 

[wolverene]

All you people going on about your disappointing speeds (in excess of 2mb) is really making me feel p*****d off. I tried MAX for 11 days and even CS couldnt get me running at more than 1-3 kbps - yeah 1/56 of dial up speed, so I`ve had to go back to IPStream 1000. So in the spirit of Xmas--- Bah Humbug Buy your own bloody Turkey etc, etc

[Rik]

All you people going on about your disappointing speeds (in excess of 2mb) is really making me feel p*****d off. I tried MAX for 11 days and even CS couldnt get me running at more than 1-3 kbps - yeah 1/56 of dial up speed, so I`ve had to go back to IPStream 1000. So in the spirit of Xmas--- Bah Humbug Buy your own bloody Turkey etc, etc

I do sympathise, I feel the same about people quoting their 6Mbps+ connections. One thing is for sure, before I move next, I'll be checking the broadband in the area! I would love to see a universal service obligation for ADSL, but it's never going to happen.

[Inactive]

Even with my " aluminium " line, I still get over 6Mbps, mind you, I live almost next door to the BT Exchange.. 

[Rik]

Even with my " aluminium " line, I still get over 6Mbps, mind you, I live almost next door to the BT Exchange.. 

Ah shaddup.

[Inactive]

I reckon it is all of these fancy Avatars eating in to your bandwidth...