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Am I being throttled? Speed down from 6+ to 1.5. Big jump in usage.

Original_Design
Grafter
Posts: 81
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Am I being throttled? Speed down from 6+ to 1.5. Big jump in usage.

Hmm - after about 8 years of  rock solid 6mb service, my downstream speed has dropped to 1.5mb, consistent over the last 4 days. BT tester shows IP profile of 8.18 and router shows 9.327. Tried re-booting the router etc, but no change.
However this month's usage (billing date 25th) has jumped to 104GB, normally 20 - 30GB (on unlimited) and I can't account for this - nothing's changed in terms of usage pattern.
Any suggestions?
BT results:-
1. Best Effort Test: -provides background information.
Download  Speed - 1.43 Mbps

0 Mbps 21 Mbps
Max Achievable Speed
Download speedachieved during the test was - 1.43 Mbps
For your connection, the acceptable range of speeds is 4 Mbps-21 Mbps.
IP Profile for your line is - 8.18 Mbps
2. Upstream Test: -provides background information.
Upload Speed  - 0.31 Mbps

0 Mbps 0.45 Mbps
Max Achievable Speed
Upload speed achieved during the test was - 0.31Mbps
Additional Information:
Upstream Rate IP profile on your line is - 0.45 Mbps
Router Stats:-
DSL Status:  Up  
      DSL Modulation Mode:  ADSL2+  
      DSL Path Mode:  INTERLEAVED  
      Downstream Rate:  9357 Kbps  
      Upstream Rate:  439 Kbps  
      Downstream Margin:  12 db  
      Upstream Margin:  28 db  
      Downstream Line Attenuation:  24  
      Upstream Line Attenuation:  14  
      Downstream Transmit Power:  0  
      Upstream Transmit Power:  0
TIA - Alastair
15 REPLIES 15
Oldjim
Resting Legend
Posts: 38,460
Thanks: 787
Fixes: 63
Registered: ‎15-06-2007

Re: Am I being throttled? Speed down from 6+ to 1.5. Big jump in usage.

Assuming that Current Line speed is correct https://portal.plus.net/my.html?action=data_transfer_speed and from your comment about usage then somebody has piggybacked onto your connection or you have a P2P running
Original_Design
Grafter
Posts: 81
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: Am I being throttled? Speed down from 6+ to 1.5. Big jump in usage.

Thanks for the quick reply Jim.
Portal test shows:-
Telephone number:
    xxxxxxxxxxx
Phone exchange:
    CHESTERFIELD
Estimated line speed:
    11Mb (This may vary between 8Mb and 13.5Mb) - Checked on 2014-04-03 11:56:54
Current line speed:
    1.6 Mb
I had wondered about piggybacking, but I've checked the wireless client list and there's no 'unusual' activity, and we never use P2P . . .
A
jelv
Seasoned Hero
Posts: 26,785
Thanks: 971
Fixes: 10
Registered: ‎10-04-2007

Re: Am I being throttled? Speed down from 6+ to 1.5. Big jump in usage.

For windows PCs I suggest you install NetWorX to monitor the usage.
jelv (a.k.a Spoon Whittler)
   Why I have left Plusnet (warning: long post!)   
Broadband: Andrews & Arnold Home::1 (FTTC 80/20)
Line rental: Pulse 8 Home Line Rental (£14.40/month)
Mobile: iD mobile (£4/month)
davidj66
Aspiring Pro
Posts: 746
Thanks: 56
Fixes: 4
Registered: ‎04-09-2008

Re: Am I being throttled? Speed down from 6+ to 1.5. Big jump in usage.

You have a mismatch on profiles -BT shows 8.18Mb but Plusnet showing 1.6Mb Huh
Pettitto
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Posts: 6,346
Fixes: 5
Registered: ‎26-11-2011

Re: Am I being throttled? Speed down from 6+ to 1.5. Big jump in usage.

Hi Original Design,
I've just checked over your line and it's a bit all over the place! Your sync rate has been a bit up and down which is the reason for the BT IP Profile being lower than we'd expect. It will catch up, but it should be pretty stable anyway. If you could please complete the Broadband Fault Checker, our Faults Team should be able to get that sorted out for you.
Original_Design
Grafter
Posts: 81
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: Am I being throttled? Speed down from 6+ to 1.5. Big jump in usage.

Thanks Jelv - installed & running.
But the plot thickens - just done an Ookla speed test and the ping is usually 15 - 17ms (even this morning when the down speed was 1.6mb) ping is now  1271ms and speed is down to 0.41mb.
Are there network problems ATM?
New BTW test results:
Best Effort Test: -provides background information.
Download  Speed
0.84 Mbps

0 Mbps 21 Mbps
Max Achievable Speed
Download speedachieved during the test was - 0.84 Mbps
For your connection, the acceptable range of speeds is 4 Mbps-21 Mbps.
IP Profile for your line is - 8.18 Mbps
2. Upstream Test: -provides background information.
Upload Speed
0.31 Mbps
0 Mbps 0.45 Mbps
Max Achievable Speed
Upload speed achieved during the test was - 0.31Mbps
Additional Information:
Upstream Rate IP profile on your line is - 0.45 Mbps
Results from refesh on router:-
DSL Status:  Up  
      DSL Modulation Mode:  GDMT  
      DSL Path Mode:  FAST  
      Downstream Rate:  7072 Kbps  
      Upstream Rate:  448 Kbps  
      Downstream Margin:  11 db  
      Upstream Margin:  27 db  
      Downstream Line Attenuation:  24  
      Upstream Line Attenuation:  15  
      Downstream Transmit Power:  0  
      Upstream Transmit Power:  0
It's getting slower . . . . Sad
@ Dave - What could cause the profile mismatch?
A
Original_Design
Grafter
Posts: 81
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: Am I being throttled? Speed down from 6+ to 1.5. Big jump in usage.

Chris - OK  thankyou - will do the fault check.
A
davidj66
Aspiring Pro
Posts: 746
Thanks: 56
Fixes: 4
Registered: ‎04-09-2008

Re: Am I being throttled? Speed down from 6+ to 1.5. Big jump in usage.

If your line has been "up and down" at some point the BT Profile has been reduced as a result of a slow synch; the PN profile has been reset to follow it; then the synch has recovered with the result that the BT Profile has returned to 88.2% of your new synch speed but the PN side has not caught up.
HOWEVER, those latest results from your router show a synch speed of 7072 on G-DMT which as far as I'm aware means that you are back on plain ADSL - God knows whats happening to your line!!
Original_Design
Grafter
Posts: 81
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: Am I being throttled? Speed down from 6+ to 1.5. Big jump in usage.

Thanks Dave for the explanation, no response yet from the faults team, but current router stats seem to indicate that I'm back on ADSL2+ . . .
DSL Status:  Up  
      DSL Modulation Mode:  ADSL2+  
      DSL Path Mode:  INTERLEAVED  
      Downstream Rate:  9333 Kbps  
      Upstream Rate:  439 Kbps  
      Downstream Margin:  12 db  
      Upstream Margin:  27 db  
      Downstream Line Attenuation:  24  
      Upstream Line Attenuation:  14  
      Downstream Transmit Power:  0  
      Upstream Transmit Power:  0
But speed is still only about 1.6 and ping seems pretty consistently mid forties . . .
http://www.speedtest.net/my-result/3463622378
Telephone number:
    xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Phone exchange:
    CHESTERFIELD
Estimated line speed:
    11Mb (This may vary between 8Mb and 13.5Mb) - Checked on 2014-04-03 11:56:54
Current line speed:
    1.6 Mb
Original_Design
Grafter
Posts: 81
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: Am I being throttled? Speed down from 6+ to 1.5. Big jump in usage.

Now I'm getting more confused - this morning a new BTW test produces:-

1. Best Effort Test: -provides background information.
Download  Speed
1.71 Mbps

0 Mbps 21 Mbps
Max Achievable Speed
Download speed achieved during the test was - 1.71 Mbps
For your connection, the acceptable range of speeds is 4 Mbps-21 Mbps.
IP Profile for your line is - 8.23 Mbps
PN portal test produces:-
Telephone number:
    xxxxxxxxxxxx
Phone exchange:
    CHESTERFIELD
Estimated line speed:
    11Mb (This may vary between 8Mb and 13.5Mb) - Checked on 2014-04-03 11:56:54
Current line speed:
    8.2 Mb
Router stats:-
DSL Status:  Up  
      DSL Modulation Mode:  ADSL2+  
      DSL Path Mode:  INTERLEAVED  
      Downstream Rate:  9333 Kbps  
      Upstream Rate:  439 Kbps  
      Downstream Margin:  12 db  
      Upstream Margin:  27 db  
      Downstream Line Attenuation:  24  
      Upstream Line Attenuation:  14  
      Downstream Transmit Power:  0  
      Upstream Transmit Power:  0
BUT  TBB test - http://www.thinkbroadband.com/speedtest/results.html?id=139859302088496673389
still showing 1.5mb.
Will this improve or is something else wrong? Huh
Thanks again for your thoughts.
A
Oldjim
Resting Legend
Posts: 38,460
Thanks: 787
Fixes: 63
Registered: ‎15-06-2007

Re: Am I being throttled? Speed down from 6+ to 1.5. Big jump in usage.

Have you found what was using the extra usage as that looks like it just might be the cause
Can you post the full router stats including the errors
Have you completed the fault checker as suggested by Chris
Original_Design
Grafter
Posts: 81
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: Am I being throttled? Speed down from 6+ to 1.5. Big jump in usage.

@ Oldjim Have you found what was using the extra usage as that looks like it just might be the cause
Not really - the monthly breakdown has gone, as my billing date is the 25th. The usage when I checked it seems spread pretty consistently over the month with the vast proportion of it web traffic, virtually no streaming and mostly during peak time. The only significant download was 166 XP security updates that took all night, but even that wasn't more than about 4GB.
I've attached a screen grab of the usage, it doesn't show the breakdown but illustrates the increase.  Shocked
Can you post the full router stats including the errors
These are the fullest stats I can find on the router (Linksys WAG354G)
Item Value
ADSL Line Type ADSL2+
ADSL Line CodingADSL Line Coding INTERLEAVED
Line Attenuation (Down):24  (Up):14
Noise Margin (Down):12  (Up):27
Total Output Power (Down):0  (Up):0
Current State DownStr: 9333(K)  UpStr: 439(K)
undefined UP
FEC(FAST) (Near):0  (Far):0
FEC(INTERL) (Near):0  (Far):0
CRC(FAST) (Near):0  (Far):69493
undefined (Near):0  (Far):0
HEC(FAST) (Near):0  (Far):0
HEC(FAST) (Near):0  (Far):0
Showtime last(sec) 195110
ADSL FW Version 0.54
ADSL Board Type Annex A
Have you completed the fault checker as suggested by Chris

Yes, on Friday afternoon.

Wireless is SSID WPA encrypted and as far as I can tell there has been no piggybacking - although I don't often look at the DHCP client table, there are only ever the 4 or 5 listed that I expect and have given access to.
Ping is now back to a consistent 15ms but speed is only creeping up - now 1.7gb.
At a loss now as to why the line speed profiles are matching, but we're still not getting the speed, could it be contention? Maybe when the PN staff get back tomorrow things will happen  Smiley
Thanks again for your interest.
Alastair
Original_Design
Grafter
Posts: 81
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: Am I being throttled? Speed down from 6+ to 1.5. Big jump in usage.

Is it worth rebooting the router?
A
Chris
Legend
Posts: 17,724
Thanks: 600
Fixes: 169
Registered: ‎05-04-2007

Re: Am I being throttled? Speed down from 6+ to 1.5. Big jump in usage.

Try logging in to the router and disconnect/reconnect rather than a reboot. The profile on our side matches, so once you've reconnected the speeds should be back up.
Former Plusnet Staff member. Posts after 31st Jan 2020 are not on behalf of Plusnet.