topic Re: DSL Broadband speeds limited to half, possible noise on line. in Broadband

DSL Broadband speeds limited to half, possible noise on line.

alexrpm — Thu, 24 Apr 2025 21:48:05 GMT

Probably unrelated but my internet was fine for a long time until some work was done by the building owners installing a new fire alarm.

Started to get a lot of drops of the connection, and then presumably automated speed downgrades to compensate.

I turn my router off for several hours during the day when I'm not using internet. I don't know if that's also going to make it seem like my connection is having problems to whatever system monitors interruptions, but since it was fine for many months I'm guessing not.

The connection drops have mostly stopped, but performance is less than what I need.

I don't have a handset to plug into the line for crackles.

Most recent connection:

DSL Link Up: Down Rate=32400kbps, Up Rate=3812kbps; SNR Margin Down=13.3dB, Up=5.6dB

Product code: Plusnet Hub Two
Data rate: 3.812 Mbps / 32.4 Mbps
Maximum data rate: 4.186 Mbps / 82.358 Mbps
Noise margin: 7.9 / 20.3
Line attenuation: 7.9 / 14.2
Signal attenuation: 7.1 / 11.8

Had issues some time ago, that seemingly cleared up on their own.

I have a feeling the only reason it's stable now is the lower speeds, but unsure.

Re: DSL Broadband speeds limited to half, possible noise on line.

Tina11192 — Fri, 25 Apr 2025 08:25:32 GMT

Hi @alexrpm thank you for taking the time to contact us through our Community Forum, I hope you are well.

I tried calling you to discuss the issue reported, noting there was no answer and only the option to leave a voicemail.

At your earliest convenience, please reply advising me a window of time we can call you back to do a line test and further troubleshooting without disrupting anyone that may be using the broadband.

I look forward to hearing from you soon

Re: DSL Broadband speeds limited to half, possible noise on line.

RealAleMadrid — Fri, 25 Apr 2025 09:32:59 GMT

@Tina11192 The increased downstream SNRM and the 32400Kbps sync speed suggest that the line is banded, so a DLM reset would seem to be the obvious first thing to try. Then monitor the performance to see if the line is stable at the higher speed.

@alexrpm You should be getting full 80Mbps sync speed with your line, it must be quite near the FTTC cabinet. Turning your router on and off is not considered the best thing to do, it may confuse the DLM system.

Re: DSL Broadband speeds limited to half, possible noise on line.

alexrpm — Sun, 27 Apr 2025 01:36:03 GMT

Well they didn't try that.

Re: DSL Broadband speeds limited to half, possible noise on line.

Windings — Tue, 29 Apr 2025 15:37:42 GMT

@alexrpm Hi Alex, thankyou for answering my call today.

As discussed our testing has detected a fault on your line and we've booked for an Openreach engineer to visit to resolve this issue for you.

If you have any other issues or queries, please dont hesitate to give me a private message!

All the best

Re: DSL Broadband speeds limited to half, possible noise on line.

alexrpm — Fri, 02 May 2025 13:44:48 GMT

Yeah, thanks. Had an engineer around, he said the socket was an old one (required little adaptor before) and replaced it. He ran a brief test and said it was fine, but it's dropping randomly again, pretty regularly, shortly after he left.

He suggested buying another phone cable if there were any more problems just in case there was some corrosion on the contacts. I'll order one of those before any more call outs. The phoneline cable itself doesn't "click" into the router and has come out a couple of times in the past, but fully in with nothing pulling on it, still seeing internet drops.

Previous time an engineer came round a year or something ago, he didn't even come in the premises and it was fixed, I thought he said he'd looked at the box outside, but the one immediately outside is a virgin media box so unless there's a cabinet nearby I don't know what the fluff is up.

Re: DSL Broadband speeds limited to half, possible noise on line.

Windings — Sat, 03 May 2025 16:55:00 GMT

@alexrpm Hi Alex, I'll keep the fault open for now as i can definitely see the drops.

Although i do see a stable active connection for the past 21 hours so I'm unsure whether it is fixed or not.

I'll continue to monitor this for you until Monday and ill have another check to see if everything is as it should be.

All the best

Re: DSL Broadband speeds limited to half, possible noise on line.

alexrpm — Sun, 04 May 2025 14:38:55 GMT

Yes, I haven't tried switching the cable yet, but it has remained up for the longest period in a while.

When the fella changed the box he briefly said "S***" like he'd made a mistake.
Fumbled a but and did more drilling.
And kinda rushed out after finishing, even leaving a drill attachment, I had to call him to hand him back, which is when I realised a bit of plaster around the replacement box was missing, it's not that
Can't say if that was an accident or just weak plaster to begin with. It's not that big, maybe a couple of cm long and 8mm wide, and similarly deep, though I've no experience with plastering minor holes so maybe it's time I learned.
He seemed like a really smart and observant guy otherwise.

Really impressed with response of plusnet staff here overall though.
No offence but amazed even.

I'm generally quicker to complain than I am to accept help.

Re: DSL Broadband speeds limited to half, possible noise on line.

alexrpm — Fri, 16 May 2025 20:54:47 GMT

10 or so drops today, and counting.
Restarted router, checked power and cables all properly attached, still happening.
Maybe issues in the area I don't know.
Was great before today after hiccups posted earlier in thread, a handful of drops but like 3 or 4 an entire day.
Constant today, lol.
At least 6 drops trying to watch one YouTube video.

Re: DSL Broadband speeds limited to half, possible noise on line.

alexrpm — Sat, 17 May 2025 00:29:32 GMT

Thing is, soon as I stopped watching Youtube (it was dropping before then though, when I was away from home computer (but still off and on phone during exercise)) and switched to a game, it was solid for a good few hours with no interruption. Streaming related? Could just be prime time hours stressing services.

Re: DSL Broadband speeds limited to half, possible noise on line.

Marsh — Sat, 17 May 2025 12:47:59 GMT

Hey @alexrpm, I am sorry to hear that this fault has come back.

I have re-run a line test and it still indicates that there is a fault affecting your service. This issue requires another appointment with Openreach to resolve it. I attempted to call you to discuss this, but I wasn't able to reach you.I have booked an appointment and sent you a ticket with the appointment information. If the appointment date does not work for you, please reply to the ticket so we can arrange a different date.

Re: DSL Broadband speeds limited to half, possible noise on line.

alexrpm — Sat, 17 May 2025 13:50:41 GMT

Alrighty, much appreciated. Yeah appointment time should be fine.

Re: DSL Broadband speeds limited to half, possible noise on line.

alexrpm — Tue, 20 May 2025 13:20:37 GMT

Well the Openreach fella said he found no faults, said the socket was fine, and did a DLM reset.

He said the problem was probably at the cabinet so he'll look there and the internet will probably drop a few times while he works on it.

The internet didn't drop *once* according to the router log after he went, so should I assume that he thought there was no need to and just didn't bother? Got a text saying "the engineer has completed his work".

Lol. *to be continued...*.

Re: DSL Broadband speeds limited to half, possible noise on line.

alexrpm — Tue, 20 May 2025 13:28:28 GMT

Right on cue another drop.
Maybe it's a one off. 2 or 3 a day I can survive.

Re: DSL Broadband speeds limited to half, possible noise on line.

Shep41 — Tue, 20 May 2025 13:40:13 GMT

Maybe this is a faulty card in the cabinet that your connected to

Re: DSL Broadband speeds limited to half, possible noise on line.

alexrpm — Tue, 20 May 2025 13:41:49 GMT

Three more drops..

They wouldn't send a text saying "work completed" before looking at it would they? Text was 20 minutes or so after he left, and he said the thing was 300 metres away. It does say "the work was completed, if you have any more issues, contact your provider".

Will check later.

It'll probably end up just being the router.

Re: DSL Broadband speeds limited to half, possible noise on line.

alexrpm — Tue, 20 May 2025 14:01:48 GMT

Was weird because he called before showing up to ask me if my Internet was OK. I asked him what he meant and he said an engineer had been (the previous one) and "was the problem fixed now?" I said "no, which is why I need another one". Eh..

He seemed convinced there was no issue.

Re: DSL Broadband speeds limited to half, possible noise on line.

alexrpm — Wed, 21 May 2025 13:18:41 GMT

Tried a factory reset on router last night and it was up for a bit without issue.
First thing I see today is the router flashing orange twice within 5 minutes.

Given that the Internet didn't drop between the time the engineer left to "fix the problem at the cabinet" and the time I got a text saying the problem was fixed, I don't see how he could have fixed anything there. I don't believe he even looked at it.

Re: DSL Broadband speeds limited to half, possible noise on line.

alexrpm — Wed, 21 May 2025 22:22:22 GMT

Yeah. Still not fixed.
Such a weird thing.
Light was blue, then I turned on laptop, and every time after a minute or two browsing after start up, the router flashes orange and connects again and some lower speed. As if simply using the Internet kills the connection.

I think I was better off turning off the router while at work, fewer disconnects, fewer speed downgrades.

Nothing was fixed.

Multiple disconnects.

I don't think it's the router, but if I were to pretend to believe that the openreach engineer (company name was Kelly's rather than OR branded) actually looked at the cabinet, what other options are there?

The router? Some part of the copper wiring or connectors being damaged, or (far less likely) malware or other hostile shenanigans. I've tried different power sockets for router too, though I had sockets OK'd by my power company when I recently had smart meter installed.

Re: DSL Broadband speeds limited to half, possible noise on line.

alexrpm — Wed, 21 May 2025 22:31:31 GMT

99% of the time the problem is between the chair and the keyboard.

It'll probably end up being my fault somehow.