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Skype call delay

corfizz
Dabbler
Posts: 17
Registered: ‎16-01-2008

Skype call delay

Lately, every time I have a voice call over Skype, there is a time delay of around 10 seconds before we hear each other's voices. This happened with two different recipients, so I concluded it must be a problem at my end. These were purely computer-to-computer calls. I'm using a USB microphone and a Mac with OS X 10.4.11 and the latest version of Skype. The recipients were both using some species of Windows.
I searched the forum and found the idea of tweaking the MTU or RWIN settings, but when I try to use the Tweak Tester, I get this: "Server busy - read phase timeout." And I don't know whether I can do the tweaks with a Mac or not, since the software that's recommended is Win-only.
I have the up-to-8mbps service and my modem-router declares the following tidbits:
Downstream:	4544   Kbps
Upstream: 448  Kbps
Mode: ADSL2PlusAuto
Transmit Power: 11.9 dB
ADSL Link UP Time: 0 day 6 hour 7 min 1 sec
Operational Mode: G.Dmt
Item Downstream Upstream
SNR Margin 7.0 dB 24 dB
Line Attenuation 38.0 dB 24.0 dB
CRC Errors 49740 131
FEC Errors 36009 119
HEC Errors 37053 116

11 REPLIES 11
prichardson
Grafter
Posts: 1,503
Thanks: 1
Registered: ‎05-04-2007

Re: Skype call delay

Needless to say this is not computer specific, the errors are very high for a 6 hour uptime. Though that is only 6 hours of ADSL link, and doesn't really highlight if the errors are for that time, or cumulative over all sessions.
How long has the modem been powered on for?
Well, as much as the "have you rebooted" statement is true and so cliché, it's a valid one. But in this case, it's more a how long was it since the last reboot of the modem to see what sort of period the errors can cover.
The following support article wouldn't go amiss to help ensure it's nothing local.
http://www.plus.net/support/broadband/troubleshooting/connection_faults.shtml
corfizz
Dabbler
Posts: 17
Registered: ‎16-01-2008

Re: Skype call delay

I'm pretty sure the errors are only those during the ADSL uptime, and the modem connects automatically, which means the uptime is roughly the same as the time that the modem is switched on. I turn the modem off every night and turn it on in the morning. I also turn my computer off every night... which means there have been plenty of reboots.
I do get occasional disconnections, and they were quite frequent yesterday, and I had one just now too, but they're usually just occasional. I used to get them even before the upgrade to Max. Resetting the modem always fixes it. Before upgrading to Max, I tried changing microfilters, connecting the modem to different telephone sockets, and I also replaced the modem completely, so after that I just assumed that the occasional disconnections were normal. Maybe not.
Thanks for the reply.
[Moderator's note by Daniel (Assos): Removed Full Quote of Previous Post, as per link:rules]
prichardson
Grafter
Posts: 1,503
Thanks: 1
Registered: ‎05-04-2007

Re: Skype call delay

In which case, raise a broadband fault with us @ http://faults.plus.net/
Ensure you say your link/sync light is on and that you can connect. Dropping connection related questions are then asked. Ensure you state in the notes the checks you have told us here, as it's all stuff we will only end up asking you later otherwise.
scootie
Grafter
Posts: 4,799
Thanks: 1
Registered: ‎03-11-2007

Re: Skype call delay

your problem seems to be the high errors on your line.
But to see more tech info on the skype call your currently making go to the options menu of skype in my capture and tick the tech info option then when in a call hover your mouse over skype and a box will pop up with info like round trip ping and amount of hops.
corfizz
Dabbler
Posts: 17
Registered: ‎16-01-2008

Re: Skype call delay

Quote from: P
In which case, raise a broadband fault with us @ http://faults.plus.net/
Ensure you say your link/sync light is on and that you can connect. Dropping connection related questions are then asked. Ensure you state in the notes the checks you have told us here, as it's all stuff we will only end up asking you later otherwise.

OK, I'm doing this. It asks "When you lose connection, does the sync light flash / go off?" I'm not sure. The modem has a DSL light and an Internet light. I know that the Internet light goes red when I get a disconnection, but I'm not sure about the DSL one. Which one is the sync light?
spraxyt
Resting Legend
Posts: 10,063
Thanks: 674
Fixes: 75
Registered: ‎06-04-2007

Re: Skype call delay

The DSL light should be the sync light (connection to the exchange), the Internet one relates to your connection all the way to PN which can't happen without sync being achieved first.
David
corfizz
Dabbler
Posts: 17
Registered: ‎16-01-2008

Re: Skype call delay

Sorry to raise this again, but the problem has come back. I raised a fault and PlusNet enabled interleaving on the line, and this seemed to help. The errors certainly went right down:
ADSL Line State:	Showtime
Downstream: 4800  Kbps
Upstream: 448  Kbps
Mode: ADSL2PlusAuto
Transmit Power: 11.9 dB
ADSL Link UP Time: 0 day 15 hour 18 min 49 sec
Operational Mode: G.Dmt
Item Downstream Upstream
SNR Margin 9.0 dB 24 dB
Line Attenuation 38.5 dB 24.0 dB
CRC Errors 531 11
FEC Errors 32173 32
HEC Errors 440 10

Skype was working fine for a while, but then yesterday I had the delays again! Maybe 15 second delays. And sometimes I hear the other person's voice in high speed, as though there was a hold-up that suddenly cleared so that it sends the data too quickly to try and catch up with real-time. If anyone has any other suggestions, that would be great. That's the trouble with these internet problems... I contact PN about them, the problem seems to go away, and then it comes back again, and then I feel silly for having to mention it again.
Anotherone
Champion
Posts: 19,107
Thanks: 457
Fixes: 21
Registered: ‎31-08-2007

Re: Skype call delay

That sync speed of 4800 is very low for a line attenuation of 38.5dB even with a Target SNRM of 9dB, and with all those errors I'm suspecting maybe the modem/router is playing up.
Do you have another one you can beg or borrow to try? If not, someone from PN on here should be able to arrange a loan one F.O.C.
Alternatively you may have a lot of noise on your line, can you hear any intermittent crackling or other noises when using your landline?
Stevej
Grafter
Posts: 28
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: Skype call delay

Hi
I am also having Skype call problems in the last few days.
I had problems a few months ago and after about 2 months of not getting much apparent action action I raised it on this forum and within a few days the issue was resolved!
I have provided a new wireshark traces and details of the previous tickets and I am waiting for a response from networks.
The previous issue seemed to be that for some reason the traffic management system was not correctly identifying the Skype traffic as VOIP and thus as titanium traffic so it was being dropped.
It appears that the traffic management system has difficulty identifying Skype traffic  Cry
It is rather annoying as we as end user have no control over the traffic management, but we are subject to its whims and vagaries!
@ corfizz I don't think any tweaking you do at your end will make any difference!
Hopefully networks will have some feedback shortly and perhaps the problem I have seeing is the same as your Skype issue, the symptoms sound similar  with dealys at start of call and long rount trip times.
I provided  the wireshark trace on Tuesday around 3 pm, it took almost 24 hours for CSC to respond and pass to networks, I guess the recent poor weather has not been helping  Embarrassed
Hopefully networks will be able to diagnose the issue soon?

Anotherone
Champion
Posts: 19,107
Thanks: 457
Fixes: 21
Registered: ‎31-08-2007

Re: Skype call delay

OP has high errors on his ADSL connection.This will affect everything but especially time sensitive things like Skype.
corfizz
Dabbler
Posts: 17
Registered: ‎16-01-2008

Re: Skype call delay

Quote from: Anotherone
That sync speed of 4800 is very low for a line attenuation of 38.5dB even with a Target SNRM of 9dB, and with all those errors I'm suspecting maybe the modem/router is playing up.
Do you have another one you can beg or borrow to try? If not, someone from PN on here should be able to arrange a loan one F.O.C.
Alternatively you may have a lot of noise on your line, can you hear any intermittent crackling or other noises when using your landline?

No, I don't have any crackling or other noises on the line.
Yes, I do have another modem I can try, but I can't use it permanently. And I need to be able to test its effect on Skype, but I can only do that when I have contacts who are available to call and who don't mind being used for testing purposes!
@Stevej - For me, the problem has been occurring and not occurring for quite some time now, so I'm not sure if it's related to that or not.
So I'll do a test with the other modem when I can, but I really don't want to believe that my current modem is the problem, because I bought it to replace a faulty modem! The previous faulty modem was causing issues with the speed of my connection, and that aspect was resolved with the new modem. Oh, in case that's confusing, I have three modems: a USB BT Voyager (which I can't use permanently because it's USB rather than Ethernet), a Zoom X4 which is definitely faulty and my current Zoom X6.
Thanks for all your replies, by the way.
Is there anything it could be other than my modem?!