Slow Speeds since I got the 8meg Max service

[Inactive]

  Hairyman.

[Rik]

That does sound like a lift and shift, Hairy. At least they are trying to do something - I suspect IDNet are better at pushing for action than many...

[Sebby]

Let's hope it continues.

[vitriol]

Hope this works for you Hairy, you've really been through the mill with BT.

[hairyman]

Thanks for all yr support and advice , karma gladly sent.

My snr is all over the place this weekend from 5 to 11db recently it was more like 7 to 9db. Also doing a signal trace shows some anonymous monitoring is maybe present so hopefully bb checks are being done.

I have not had much time to use the net this weekend, as pre Xmas family stuff and planning for a climbing trip or two to the French Alps in 2009 have taken a higher priority. Must sharpen (first trick will be to find them) my crampons and ice axe?

Many thanks to Idnet as well , I have no doubt they are the best no matter what happens after the next step. Maybe BT are not all bad not sure if staff being laid of by them would agree though?

[Rik]

If you can engage the right people at BT, they are good. The problem is getting past all the jobsworths.

[hairyman]

              

Hi Again

Had one disconnect today presumably when they did a switch over.

Checked my router stats Downstream figures SNR varies 7 to 12db Line Attn 36.4dB Data rate 7616k

                                  Upstream figures SNR 18 line attn 23dB  Upstream rate 448k


Last night stats before the lift and shift were Downstream figures SNR 5 to 11db      Line attn 38.5db Data rate 7616k

                             Upstream figures  SNR  25dB   Line attn 25dB   downstream rate 448k



I have still to do a a BT speedtest but previously it wouldn't let me authenticate.

Thinkbroadband showed about 2meg throughput.

On my router stats I seem to have gained 2dB of downstream line attenuation ( ie less attn) and improved 2dB on average SNR. Upstream interestingly I have a lower SNR at 18 vs 25 previously and again improved the upstream attenuation.

The loss of upsteam SNR seems weird but the gain factor of 2dB less line attn both on both up  and down can only help a bit.

Lets see if things change over time , does anyone know if my line will need retraining?

My connection usually suffers intermittant but persistant disconnects these are always during short dry spells!! These we have not seen for a while !! It again will be interesting if these return if we are blessed with good weather again . I assume all they have done by switching line cards is reconnecting in the exchange to a new in out port ? Quite why this has reduced the line attn and altered the SNRs I cannot imagine.

Any ideas , so far no better no worse but things are heading the right way , the exchange is obviously heavily congested tonight or is it London and the SE all messing about.

Regards

Hairy

[Sebby]

Thinkbroadband showed about 2meg throughput.

I could be a stuck profile. A BT speed test will confirm.

[Rik]

That would be my thought, Seb, they're treating it as a new connection. The 2db change in u/s noise margin is probably just down to it using some higher frequencies. It's still very healthy.

[hairyman]

Test1 comprises of Best Effort Test: -provides background information.
    Your DSL connection rate: 7616 kbps(DOWN-STREAM),  448 kbps(UP-STREAM)
    IP profile for your line is - 6000 kbps
    Actual IP throughput achieved during the test was - 3873 kbps

If you wish to discuss these results please contact your ISP.


         

Got a BT test, not bad, it might improve on the throughput as it is 1930hrs and evening pirate software and or porn downloads are no doubt in full swing by my fellow exchange users.

On this subject I am always being asked to diagnose PC problems by friends and those at work as I do know a bit having built and serviced industrial and my own PCs , all men absolutely refuse my usual offer to sort it out either at work on the bench or at home they just want advice , women all bring it in to be sorted. I always wonder if its the Gary Glitter PC world syndrome?

I will try another BT speedtest and a few others later. I think I am probably back onto the old VP/circuit as it seemed impossible to authenticate on the BT speedtest using the VP they transferred me to initially. 

At least my tp seems more commensurate with my 400 mtrs distance from the exchange.

Hairy

[Sebby]

That's not bad - certainly a lot better than you've had in the past - but it could be better.

[hairyman]

Hi Sebby

Yes its not bad ,if it stays stable that will be fine.

The national average for BT line based ISPs seems to be around 3.5meg actual tp and for my county somewhat lower due to line lengths so a 3.8meg from BT speedtest here looks fairly typical.

I will do a BT test again and report back.

I still wonder why my upstream SNR has dropped to 18dB from 25dB. Maybe that is that set by my router based as it is the item doing the transmitting back to the exchange??

Hairy

[Rik]

The noise margins are a function of what was happening when you connected, and what frequencies the router and DSLAM negotiate. I've seen mine drop from 21db to 7db when there was some bad noise around.

[Sebby]

What were you listening to that was so bad, Rik?

[Rik]

Heavy Metal. 

[hairyman]

The "X factor" or "Im a talentless hasbeen get me out of here ( hear!!)" are both quite bad by way of noise.

       But as we all know Michael Jackson was "Bad".

[Inactive]

 

[hairyman]

Speedtest Results
  Date                 Downstream Upstream   
22/12/08 21:25  3563.69 Kbps 373.15 Kbps   
21/12/08 22:42  4215.40 Kbps 373.90 Kbps 
21/12/08 19:14  2621.52 Kbps 372.32 Kbps   
19/12/08 16:51  4096.74 Kbps 374.08 Kbps 
18/12/08 22:12  4024.14 Kbps 372.03 Kbps 
18/12/08 22:08  3813.76 Kbps 370.20 Kbps   
18/12/08 17:24  2349.57 Kbps 371.34 Kbps 
17/12/08 23:13  3370.27 Kbps 373.89 Kbps 
16/12/08 23:58  4741.24 Kbps 373.78 Kbps 
15/12/08 23:18  4613.81 Kbps 373.70 Kbps 
10/12/08 23:53  4401.06 Kbps 370.10 Kbps
09/12/08 23:49  4367.65 Kbps 371.57 Kbps
08/12/08 23:03  3968.19 Kbps 373.93 Kbps
08/12/08 20:47  2339.71 Kbps 374.10 Kbps


Hi All

Seasons greetings I trust you are all well   

Above are my recent speedtests as reported using thinkbroadband.

Much better than the sub 1meg speeds I was getting in the evening now I get 2 to 3 meg at the same time and up to 4 or sometimes 5meg after 2230hrs.

So if you have a problem stick with it and keep at your ISP and if needed approach BT direct, there is a high level escalation team at BT which tag yr line and monitor for problems, I don't know who pays ( us indirectly I guess, IDnet seemed reluctant to initiate this process or were not sure how to do it but whatever the process IDnet have been great and I doubt other providers would have done what they have.

Currently I sync at 7616k with an SNR of 7 to 11 db with downstream attn of 35db. So I now tput at best 50% of sync before it was about 10% the BT speedtest reports 6500k IPprofile now and before it was 6000k or occasionally 6500k. So somehow the congestion has been reduced.

What I do still get is--- as seen on graphs or tps vs time -- is tps below one meg for about one second these rate drops occur every 3 to 4 seconds on average. the graph is very spiky. I assume this is contention/congestion with BT traffic managing tps with rapid rate slowing as the contention is coped with?

I will do some more tests and see how it all stands up over the next month or so.

Has anyone seem the price of fresh Turkeys in the shops this year!!! We are sticking with Best Scottish Beef its cheeper ( or moooier ??).


HAIRYMAN

             

[David]

Your right hairyman............The price of Turkeys has gone up     

[Inactive]

Stuff the turkey.

[Rik]

And goose the cook?

[gingerjedi]

Just read hairyman's thread all the way through and the similarities to the problems I've had over the past few years are uncanny, all but the fact I got IDNET to put me on a fixed 2meg connection which isn't perfect but is much more stable.

Over recent weeks I've managed to remain connected for 100's of hours at a time and I've not noticed any SNR fluctuations at all which is a lot better than the past few years, I don't know what's happened but it seems to have fixed itself?

Downstream attenuation still shows at an alarming 47db but SNR sticks around 14-16db. IDNET line checker says I should get 4meg and I'm 2km from my exchange.

Now the big question... should I risk trying ADSLMAX again or stick with my lowly fixed 2 meg? I haven't been that bothered up until now but I feel like I'm missing out on new 'media rich' content as it takes an age to download, it's reminding me more and more of the old dial up days.

[Rik]

It's worth talking to support about trying Max again after the holidays, Ginger, as it would entail a physical change of connection at the exchange and that might overcome the previous issues. 47db isn't that high, btw, I'm on a 57db line.

[gingerjedi]

I don't mind trying ADSLMAX if thery're willing to switch me straight back if I get problems... and as long as it doesn't cost me anything!

Merry Christmas Rik, have some Karma.

[Rik]

And to you, Ginger, thanks.