topic Re: Line speed continually dropping in Full Fibre

Line speed continually dropping

AMC1973 — Fri, 04 Feb 2022 10:16:37 GMT

Hi there,

Would someone be kind enough to take a look at my line? Gandalf? My line speed has continued to drop over the last couple of months. Speed tests are pretty much what I would expect from my router stats. Just annoying that the DLM is revising my line speed downwards every 4 or so days. Currently at 26mbps from 39. Done all the usual checks, been in the test socket for years as internal wiring is awful!

Thanks in advance

AMC

Re: Line speed continually dropping

jab1 — Fri, 04 Feb 2022 10:23:38 GMT

@AMC1973 Are you saying that your actual observed speeds are dropping, or that your connection speed is dropping - I can't quite understand your question?

Re: Line speed continually dropping

AMC1973 — Fri, 04 Feb 2022 11:47:12 GMT

Sorry John, and thanks for your reply. My upload speed is fine, about 7mbps, my download speed should be between 36 and 39, it's fallen to 26. My observed speeds are just below my router stats - as you'd expect. My router stats posted below will clear up any confusion.

1. Product name:	Plusnet Hub
2. Serial number:
3. Firmware version:	Software version 4.7.5.1.83.8.289.1.3 Last updated 06/12/21
4. Board version:	Plusnet Hub One
5. DSL uptime:	0 days, 09:13:52
6. Data rate:	7748 / 26156
7. Maximum data rate:	7748 / 40812
8. Noise margin:	6.0 / 12.7
9. Line attenuation:	31.1 / 21.8
10. Signal attenuation:	30.6 / 19.6
11. Data sent/received:	3.7 GB / 70.8 GB
12. Broadband username:
13. 2.4 GHz Wireless network/SSID:
14. 2.4 GHz Wireless connections:	Enabled (802.11 b/g/n (up to 144 Mb/s))
15. 2.4 GHz Wireless security:	WPA2
16. 2.4 GHz Wireless channel:	Automatic (Smart Wireless)
17. 5 GHz Wireless network/SSID:
18. 5 GHz Wireless connections:	Enabled (802.11 a/n/ac (up to 1300 Mb/s))
19. 5 GHz Wireless security:	WPA2
20. 5 GHz Wireless channel:	Automatic (Smart Wireless)
21. Firewall:	Default
22. MAC Address:	10:d7:b0:06:02:44
23. Modulation:	G.993.2 Annex B
24. Software variant:	AA
25. Boot loader:	1.0.0

Re: Line speed continually dropping

jab1 — Fri, 04 Feb 2022 11:53:44 GMT

@AMC1973 No problem, and thanks for that Help Desk page. Looking at it, unless it was something you did, you have only had your current connection for around 9 hours, which if it wasn't you, suggests there is an issue somewhere - most likely the BT/OR network. Your D/S noise margin is also rather high, again suggesting an issue.

If you have a landline phone:dial 17070 option 2 from a (preferably corded) phone. After the confirmation of your phone number, there should be total silence apart from the regular 'Quiet Line Test' announcement. Any other noise - report a PHONE fault first.

Re: Line speed continually dropping

AMC1973 — Fri, 04 Feb 2022 12:07:40 GMT

Thanks John, doing a quiet line test completely slipped my mind, and yes, crackling on the line.

Thanks again, and have a good Weekend.

Re: Line speed continually dropping

jab1 — Fri, 04 Feb 2022 12:13:56 GMT

Let us know how it goes.

Re: Line speed continually dropping

adam945 — Fri, 04 Feb 2022 16:19:51 GMT

Thanks for getting in touch @AMC1973 and I'm really sorry for the issues that you're having on your line at the moment. The RRT clearly shows that the line has become banded, which I believe is a symptom of an underlying issue here, particularly with the crackly line.

Looks like and engineer visit has been arranged for the 11th though so hopefully the source of the issue can be identified, and the DLM profile can be reset.

Re: Line speed continually dropping

AMC1973 — Sat, 05 Feb 2022 10:08:15 GMT

Thanks for the reply Adam, It's a strange one, I unplugged the phone, plugged it back in, no crackling, completely clean. Did a quiet line test again this morning, again, absolutely silent. The lady I spoke to on the phone yesterday informed me that from your end, no problems could be detected - she also said the line wasn't banded, but I thought it must be, and you've conformed that. I'm beginning to think this cheap Argos phone I bought - specifically for the purpose of conducting the "Quiet Line Test", if I have speed issues (which I did a while ago, due to a fault at the cabinet) - is actually causing the speed issues in the first place! Ironic indeed. Yep, engineer booked in for the 11th, so be interesting to see what he finds.

Thanks again Adam for the reply, and have a great Weekend.

Re: Line speed continually dropping

adam945 — Sat, 05 Feb 2022 12:43:10 GMT

No problem at all @AMC1973

Let us know if you're still having issues after the visit and we'll follow up.

Re: Line speed continually dropping

AMC1973 — Sun, 20 Feb 2022 10:28:12 GMT

Hi Adam,

So the engineer came out, checked my line, confirmed that It was of excellent quality, reset the line, and was kind enough to cover over my messy test socket with a new 5C MK4 master socket. Unfortunately, two days later, the DLM decided to drop my download to 33 from 38 and the noise margin is back up to 9. I've posted my router stats below. As you can see, my data rate is nearly 10mbps short of the max. If I have a high quality line, (quiet line test is silent) these stats don't seem to make sense - unless I have an unresolved fault, or my line is banded again. There is one possible explanation that occurred to me; having reset my line, the engineer then went out onto the road to do some work, which caused a couple of disconnections - after the reset. I voiced my concern that those disconnections may cause my line to become banded again (I know from previous experience how few disconnections it takes for a line to be banded) but he assured me it shouldn't make any difference. Hmmm.

Would you be kind enough to check if my line is banded again. and if so, push another reset through?

Thank you kindly in advance

1. Product name:	Plusnet Hub
2. Serial number:	+081441+NQ04412654
3. Firmware version:	Software version 4.7.5.1.83.8.289.1.3 Last updated 06/12/21
4. Board version:	Plusnet Hub One
5. DSL uptime:	0 days, 05:42:35
6. Data rate:	7867 / 33478
7. Maximum data rate:	7867 / 42149
8. Noise margin:	6.1 / 9.3
9. Line attenuation:	31.3 / 22.2
10. Signal attenuation:	30.7 / 20.5
11. Data sent/received:	2.3 GB / 79.9 GB
12. Broadband username:
13. 2.4 GHz Wireless network/SSID:	PLUSNET-95WT
14. 2.4 GHz Wireless connections:	Enabled (802.11 b/g/n (up to 144 Mb/s))
15. 2.4 GHz Wireless security:	WPA2
16. 2.4 GHz Wireless channel:	Automatic (Smart Wireless)
17. 5 GHz Wireless network/SSID:	PLUSNET-95WT
18. 5 GHz Wireless connections:	Enabled (802.11 a/n/ac (up to 1300 Mb/s))
19. 5 GHz Wireless security:	WPA2
20. 5 GHz Wireless channel:	Automatic (Smart Wireless)
21. Firewall:	Default
22. MAC Address:	10:d7:b0:06:02:44
23. Modulation:	G.993.2 Annex B
24. Software variant:	AA
25. Boot loader:	1.0.0

Re: Line speed continually dropping

adamwalker — Sun, 20 Feb 2022 14:45:59 GMT

Hi there, I've just checked on this for you and line tests aren't showing any banding or other issues in place at the moment, are the speeds you're seeing over a wired or a wireless connection? - Adam

Re: Line speed continually dropping

AMC1973 — Sun, 20 Feb 2022 17:20:55 GMT

Hi Adam, thanks for the quick reply,

My speeds are pretty much identical over wired and wireless - 31mbps. As you can see from my router stats, I'm synching at 33, so a download of 31mbps is excellent. The problem is I'm synching lower than I should be, and as a consequence, my speed is also lower than it should be. I used to sync at around 38/39, and appropriately my download would be 36/37mbps. The noise margin is also predictable higher than it should be - 9 on a dead silent line? I'm no expert, but I'm pretty sure it should be around 6. I've checked BT's Broadband Availability Checker, and it confirms my line is more than capable of delivering the speeds quoted above. Something is causing the DLM to drop my speed, and raise my noise margin, but what? I'll wait for the DLM to intervene on my line again, it usually does every 4/5 days, and as you've confirmed I'm not banded, maybe my speeds will return to normal. If not, I'll apologise in advance for moaning on here again in a few days time!

Thanks again Adam

Re: Line speed continually dropping

Gandalf — Sun, 20 Feb 2022 20:30:44 GMT

Hi @AMC1973 cheers for getting back to us.

I'm really sorry to see you're having on-going speed issues.

Upon further investigation looking at the latest data (Friday the 18th) I can see from a different diagnostics tool, it's showing your line is banded at "Downstream: 0.128M-35M with Retransmission (Low). Upstream: 0.128M-10M with no error protection" and your sync speed then was hitting the banding at 34998 kbps.

Today looking at your router's stats, your speed seems to have dropped slightly so doesn't appear to be banded anymore, however I've arranged for a caution counter reset, which should lift the banding within 3 working days.

Based on what you've said though, I suspect your speed may drop again and we'll likely need to arrange another engineer visit to investigate further and see if we can get to the bottom of the issue, and if it comes to that, I think it'd be best if we book a broadband engineer next, but let me know how it goes over the next few days.

Re: Line speed continually dropping

AMC1973 — Mon, 21 Feb 2022 10:58:54 GMT

Hi Gandalf,

Thanks for your speedy and helpful reply, and I really appreciate the caution counter reset - although, as you say, it seems likely my speed will drop again. Having said that, I'm grateful for your input - you've always been very helpful, and I'm glad you're on the case. I shall keep an eye out for the reset, see how the DLM responds in the following days, and report back with the results.

Thanks again, and have a great week

AMC

Re: Line speed continually dropping

Gandalf — Mon, 21 Feb 2022 14:03:57 GMT

No problem at all, sounds like a plan.

Have a good week as well.

Re: Line speed continually dropping

AMC1973 — Wed, 23 Feb 2022 10:21:13 GMT

Hi Gandalf,

Although the reset hasn't come through yet (I expect it'll probably come through today), as you can see from my latest router stats, last night, the DLM has further reduced my speeds, and pushed up the noise margin. At least we can now be sure there is an unresolved fault somewhere. Probably time to arrange that engineer?

1. Product name:	Plusnet Hub
2. Serial number:	+081441+NQ04412654
3. Firmware version:	Software version 4.7.5.1.83.8.289.1.3 Last updated 06/12/21
4. Board version:	Plusnet Hub One
5. DSL uptime:	0 days, 09:20:21
6. Data rate:	7917 / 31008
7. Maximum data rate:	7920 / 42726
8. Noise margin:	6.2 / 10.4
9. Line attenuation:	31.3 / 21.8
10. Signal attenuation:	30.5 / 20.0
11. Data sent/received:	4.1 GB / 145.3 GB
12. Broadband username:
13. 2.4 GHz Wireless network/SSID:	PLUSNET-95WT
14. 2.4 GHz Wireless connections:	Enabled (802.11 b/g/n (up to 144 Mb/s))
15. 2.4 GHz Wireless security:	WPA2
16. 2.4 GHz Wireless channel:	Automatic (Smart Wireless)
17. 5 GHz Wireless network/SSID:	PLUSNET-95WT
18. 5 GHz Wireless connections:	Enabled (802.11 a/n/ac (up to 1300 Mb/s))
19. 5 GHz Wireless security:	WPA2
20. 5 GHz Wireless channel:	Automatic (Smart Wireless)
21. Firewall:	Default
22. MAC Address:	10:d7:b0:06:02:44
23. Modulation:	G.993.2 Annex B
24. Software variant:	AA
25. Boot loader:	1.0.0

Re: Line speed continually dropping

AMC1973 — Wed, 23 Feb 2022 14:40:01 GMT

Since this all seemed to start with a noisy line, I wonder if the problem is intermittent line noise. I shall now regularly check for noise. I'm as certain as I can be that the issue is external to my property. If it is line noise, it must be pretty infrequent, but obviously frequent enough to cause the sync drop.

Re: Line speed continually dropping

Gandalf — Wed, 23 Feb 2022 17:31:38 GMT

Hi @AMC1973

I'm sorry to see your speed's dropping. I agree with you, there could potentially be line noise. I'd like to arrange a broadband engineer visit to investigate further. Could you reply to the ticket logged Here with when you'll be available for a visit?

If you can post back once you've responded, I'll make sure we book the engineer as soon as we can.

Re: Line speed continually dropping

AMC1973 — Wed, 23 Feb 2022 19:24:54 GMT

Hi Gandalf,

Ticket has been responded to.

Cheers

Re: Line speed continually dropping

SammyM — Thu, 24 Feb 2022 12:20:10 GMT

Awesome @AMC1973, I have checked the account and I can see our faults team have picked this up, booking the appointment here.

They will get back in touch once the appointment has concluded with the next step, however feel free to nudge me here after the visit and I will get the update for you.