Slow has just got even sloower. Down=4.6, Up=0.8. Is that ok?

[#1]

When you say btw, is this the "BT Wholesale Broadband Performance Test", if so, yes on many different times of the day. Switched the wifi off, even though kids were out & nowt else uses the wifi, Plugged directly into the BT side of the socket, using a cable, directly to plusnet router, average speed 3mb, occasionally 4mb

The one i have just done 2 more now 1st 2.56 dl, 0.53 dl, ping latency 43.63

2nd 4.04 dl, 0.58 ul, ping latency 43.0

I have used a new microilter, only thing I havent swapped out is the PLUSNET router.

Maybe I should do as plusnet say, pay the £30 termination charge (which im aggrieved at due to us only switching due to poor speeds, not really our fault) & switch to fibre.

[#2]

If you stay with PlusNet and upgrade to fibre there would not be a termination charge. This charge only applies if you cancel the broadband completely or in some cases when you change to a supplier with their own exchange equipment (LLU)

[#3]

Hi Ian.

I'm sorry that you're experiencing speed problems.

@Gandalf

Could you please cast an eye over this for anything else - possibly VLAN loading - BRAS IP profile stuck?

Everything checks out this side. Router is in sync at 10788kbps, the speed profile is at 9500kbps.

Estimates are between 9mbps to 12.5mbps.

There's no signs of congestion on the SVLAN (the part of our suppliers virtual network that your service is connected through).

Can you run a BT Wholesale speed test at www.speedtest.btwholesale.com completing the further diagnostics?

[#4]

Have different speed test websites been tried?

What about looking at the speed while downloading a large file?

[#5]

Hi Gandalf, thanks for helping. Many many speed tests done now via the bt wholesale speed tester.

Latest one dl=5.37, ul=0.62, ping latency 35.50. (average dl=3mb, over the 40 tests done via the bt wholesale speed checker, slowest about 2, fastest the one above).

Apologies as i'm not that technical, internet speed test wise so I will have to go away & research what "VLAN loading - BRAS IP profile stuck?" & how to test & fix such issues.

Still no response from plusnet other than the one posted in this thread, where they say they are happy with the speeds I am getting.

[#6]

Hi Ian,

I'll try to cover my own tech speak to the tech guys... you can not fix any of those if they are problems with them.

When the Plusnet guys say they are "happy" with your speed, they mean the SYNC speed (how fast raw bits are transmitted) between your router and the exchange.  Looking at all the data provided, I'm inclined to agree with them - there might be room for some improvement, but not of the ilk of what we are looking at.

DATA speed tests measure how fast CLEAN bits of data can be moved between your device, across you home network, to the router, to the exchange, across the internet to the speed test service.  The things which can impact that are...

• The processing power of your PC
• The other concurrent activity on your PC
• The speed and reliability of your home network (this is why an Ethernet connection with Wi-Fi switched off is recommended for DATA speed measurement) - see https://www.thinkbroadband.com/news/7899-why-its-important-to-use-an-ethernet-connection-when-speed-...
• Other concurrent activity on your home network - including internet use and peer to peer networking within the home
• The through put capacity of the router
• The up-link synch speed (this is the bit which looks OK) and its error rate
• The BRAS profile in BTw exchange equipment (determines max DATA transmission rate) - these have been known to get stuck at the wrong value - this is reported on the BTw speed test further diagnostic report ... not sure that we've seen that
• The capacity of the BTw back-haul from the exchange into the core of the internet - the SVLAN
• Depending on detailed network management of your service, the Plusnet IP Profile (Current speed setting)

Nine times out of 10 slow internet data transfer is caused by the one bit in blue.  When that is not the cause - as appears to be the case here - then there a multitude of other obscure things to be explored.  @Gandalf reports the items I asked about to be clean ... so I'm not sure where this now goes ... things I know nothing about ...

One thing to consider; do you have another router you could try?

It is very evident that the synch speed is within expectations, the DATA speed very much is not.  What I do not know enough about is where speed estimates / assurances are provided, do those relate to SYNCH speed or DATA through put speed?

If the router you use will respond to pings, or you are prepared to set a device which will respond to them to be in the DMZ you could set up a Think Broadband quality monitor which will show how your line is responding.  Here's one of mine... https://www.thinkbroadband.com/broadband/monitoring/quality/share/9fecd7eb7272340e3e89fdadb3704e5eee...

@Gandalf do the bandwidth utilisation reports hint at heavy usage of the link?

[#7]

I am really sorry Towman, but I only have the router that plusnet sent me (sagemcom model 2704n).

I have tried 3 different micro filters, 2 different ethernet cables, for speed tests I am attached to the bt side of the socket, so faceplate removed, with wifi switched off).

Last night we tried a proper speed test, so all wifi devices except the tv were powered off & we tried to watch a tv show on catchup, after 2 mins the buffering & pixelation of the show was unbearable, so we packed it in.

So would i be right in thinking that its looking like a plusnet router fault?

I will have a look at your dmz suggestion & try this evening.

[#8]

Ian,

I am not in a position to say that it is a router fault - it is though a possibility.  I have used a 2704n - it is not w work horse, it does the job, some have reported WiFi through put issues under load.  I am NOT saying that is YOUR problem.

The 2704n will not respond to pings so a PC (left switched on) in the DMZ is the only way forward.  It is essential that the PC has a good software firewall installed.

[#9]

Ahh, sounds far too complicated to faff about with (but thanks for your help), especially since talk talk have guaranteed me 35mb minimum dl, for not very much more that im paying pn today for my 3mb dl !

PN support have just asked me to do a bt wholesale speed test!!!  (so that will now be 48 bt wholesale speed tests I've sent them now.  The response I have had from them directly is rubbish, they keep sending me the exact same test to do, the one you got me to do 4 days ago, 🙂

So much for award winning customer service, god know who voted & put them forward for that award.

Seems very strange looking at the forums that lots of people are now reporting speed issued whilst on pn.

we arnt doing anything different at our end, no new kit, no extra devices, yet our speed is useless.

[#10]

Hi Ian.

From what I can see you haven't completed the further diagnostics of the speed test?

[#11]

which test do you think I have missed gandalf?

[#12]

When you run a test at www.speedtest.btwholesale.com you will be presented with an option to complete the "further diagnostics".

[#13]

1. Best Effort Test:

Download Speed : 2.4 Mbps

2. Upstream Test:

Upload Speed : 0.65 Mbps



Your speed test has completed and the results are shown above, however during the test an error occurred while trying to retrieve additional details regarding your service. As a result we are unable to determine if the speed you received during the test is acceptable for your service. Please re-run the test if you require this additional information.

[#14]

Yes, gandalf, weve done that many many times now, when we enter your phone number, post code, house number,

It represents the speed info along with the msg below.

"Your speed test has completed and the results are shown above, however during the test an error occurred while trying to retrieve additional details regarding your service. As a result we are unable to determine if the speed you received during the test is acceptable for your service. Please re-run the test if you require this additional information."

[#15]

one other addendum i have, i have been using firefox to run these bt wholesale speed tests, i just tried IE, which gave a faster result, but again once clicking the "further diagnostics" button, other than presenting us with the results, no other testing options are given.