Speed goes from 6.5Mbps to 2.5Mbps - Help

[#1]

Latest BT test & router stats, Bt test looks like it's showing 4000 as max.

Download Speed
3677 Kbps
 
0 Kbps 4000 Kbps
Max Achievable Speed
Download speedachieved during the test was - 3677 Kbps
For your connection, the acceptable range of speeds is 600-4000 Kbps.
Additional Information:
Assured Rate IP profile on your line is - 4000 Kbps
Actual Data Rate

Up Stream
448 (Kbps.)

Down Stream
7488 (Kbps.)


 
       
  Operation Data
Upstream
Downstream

Noise Margin
28 dB
15 dB

Attenuation
23 dB
24 dB

[#2]

Quote from: spraxyt

Does the router have a button to disconnect from Plusnet without re-syncing, then reconnect? That can be useful to pick up the new service profile when the Member Centre Current line speed increases.

Yes... just found disconnect and connect buttons on the main screen that appears to disconnect from the web without rebooting      

[#3]

I think when the BT speedtester gives you an 'assured rate' response the result means nothing - it's got confused by something or other. Repeating the test often gives a valid result (I'm not sure whether it will make you wait an hour before you can do that).
Your sync speeds seem to be changing but it isn't clear whether the change results from the connection dropping, or a forced restart. In your opening post you mentioned the connection starting at a reasonable speed, then falling over time. Does that still happen with the Belkin router you are now using? I think the best way to check that would be to leave it on 24x7 for a few days and record sync speeds, attenuations and noise margins at similar times each day - plot them manually against date/time using a spreadsheet and post the result. (Attenuations should remain (almost) constant.) That would present the information in a more easily assimilated format.
If the sync speed changes try to work out when this happened (from up-time), but don't restart the router unless the new sync speed is excessively low. In this case it will be necessary to restart the router to increase the sync speed again.

[#4]

The "starting fast occasions" happened with the old router, either by forcing a restart or by Plusnet re-setting something.. I've had to unplug and move sockets that many times now and plusnet have also dabbled!
I agree, I'll keep a track manually and leave it alone for a while.  Routerstats software sort of works but keeps putting the wrong data in the wrong fields in the graphs even when I manually configure it.
I had to turn it off last night briefly as I needed  to move the snakes nest of cables from the old router wires etc but it's been up since.
I'm taking screen grabs to build up a spreadsheet. Here is this mornings.... BT SPEEDTEST followed by ROUTER stats. Downstream Noise and attenuation seems to be stable at around 15 and 24 respectively.
Does the Interleaved Path FEC Correction of 2329 have any significance?
Download speedachieved during the test was - 1758 Kbps
For your connection, the acceptable range of speeds is 600-7150 Kbps.
Additional Information:
Your DSL Connection Rate :7296 Kbps(DOWN-STREAM), 448 Kbps(UP-STREAM)
IP Profile for your line is - 6000 Kbps

Status
Configured Current
Line Status --- SHOWTIME
Link Type --- Interleaved Path

Date Rate: Data Rate
Stream Type Actual Data Rate
Up Stream 448 (Kbps.)
Down Stream 7296 (Kbps.)

Operation Data / Defect Indication: Operation Data
Operation Data Upstream Downstream
Noise Margin 28 dB 15 dB
Attenuation 23 dB 24 dB
Defect Indication
Indicator Name Near End Indicator Far End Indicator
Fast Path FEC Correction 0 0
Interleaved Path FEC Correction 0 2329
Fast Path CRC Error 0 0
Interleaved Path CRC Error 0 3
Loss of Signal Defect 0 ---
Fast Path HEC Error 0 0
Interleaved Path HEC Error 0 0

Statistics: Statistics
Received Cells 1082896
Transmitted Cells 100186

[#5]

In principle FEC errors don't matter too much. They represent corrections that the protocol has been able to make to packet contents using redundancy information supplied by the interleaving process. Packets corrected in this way don't need to be retransmitted so the actual data rate is increased. An 'excessive' FEC error rate is undesirable since uncorrectable errors which require retransmission are likely to result (reducing actual data rate).  However I suspect the definition of 'excessive' is subjective, quantifiable only as 'works for me' or not.
On my own line if the sync speed is higher than its 'comfort' value the rate at which FEC errors builds up increases, and the router eventually tends to re-sync on its own, usually in the small hours so the sync speed reduces.
Self-configured Routerstats can be troublesome when the format of numbers changes through the addition of an extra digit. It's possible John (the author of Routerstats) might be able to create a more robust router-specific .ini file for the router if you contact him with the information set out on his betatesters page.

[#6]

Thanks for that... Routerstats software is having trouble with 4 digit down sync and it seems to be getting noise and attenuation figures mixed up on the graphs even though the test page figures are correct,
Nothing much happening with my router,,, sync speeds unchanged since previos post and downstream SNR varying between 13 and 15 and attenuation @ 24, speed test showing c 1.7Mbps.
I've lived with this kind of speed for years, probably due to turning the router off daily and it dropping connections 'cos it was knackered. Now BBC i-player is active on my Humax Freesat I need 2 minimum and ideally 4Mbps and seeing 6.5..... albeit only for a few days, seemed like heaven!! (and what I'm paying for. )

[#7]

If you can show that your line is stable (no disconnections) when the router is left to its own devices, Plusnet might agree to restart the 10-day training period on your line. That would reset the target noise margin to 6dB, increasing sync speed substantially (hopefully to the maximum possible (7616kbps or higher depending on how the router operates with interleaving on)). Subject to higher sync speeds not leading to excessive line error rates or disconnections those sync speeds should be sustained.
My suggestions were aimed at justifying a training reset - it is a waste of time if problems with the line (or your equipment) take you back to square one within a few days. So patience is called for, see if you can justify a reset.

[#8]

I assume there is no way of getting the 10 day training period started without Plusnets intervention?
I'm going to have to reboot the router as I need to set up security. When I set it up a day or so ago I left it unsecured for quickness... mind you I live 200 yards from the nearest country road so freeloaders shouldn't be a problem.
Coincidentaly I helped my neighbour tonight set up his new netbook and his virgin connection was only giving him 0.5MBps tonight and he's sharing ther same telegraph poles and copper down to the cottages. 

[#9]

Unfortunately Plusnet have to action retraining; it requires an order to be placed with BT Wholesale.
Restarting the router once to set-up security is OK, it is one you can explain. I suggest doing it during daylight hours to get the highest sync possible.
Interesting information about your neighbour's connection. Hopefully you'll be recommending Plusnet to him soon.

[#10]

My neighbour has only been there a few weeks and says he normally gets around 4Mbps. He has been away for the weekend and only just switched his router back on so maybe it might speed up.
I'll get onto Plusnet to restart the training period in a couple of days when it's hopefully been stable for 3+ days.

[#11]

Plusnet got BT to come out a couple of days as speeds and Profile have dropped to 1.5-1.8Mbps with max and profile only 2000.
The engineer was here all of 5 minutes and plugged his router/laptop into my master socket , ran a quick test and said the line was Ok and no faults. Spoke to Plusnet who now say, yet again, wait 72 hours, reboot the router and see if there is an improvenmet.... been ther, done that, worn the t-shirt for the last 3 months!
Router Stats, as below, have been consistant for days bow with downstream Snr 15DB and attenuation 24DB..... and downstream 2592.
My 72 hours takes me into Saturday.... but I'm not holding my breath!
ADSL Status Information
1. Status: Status
Configured Current
Line Status --- SHOWTIME
Link Type --- Interleaved Path
Date Rate: Data Rate
Stream Type Actual Data Rate
Up Stream 448 (Kbps.)
Down Stream 2592 (Kbps.)
Operation Data / Defect Indication: Operation Data
Operation Data Upstream Downstream
Noise Margin 20 dB 15 dB
Attenuation 23 dB 24 dB
Defect Indication
Indicator Name Near End Indicator Far End Indicator
Fast Path FEC Correction 0 0
Interleaved Path FEC Correction 1632 1036
Fast Path CRC Error 0 0
Interleaved Path CRC Error 1 0
Loss of Signal Defect 0 ---
Fast Path HEC Error 0 0
Interleaved Path HEC Error 0 0
Statistics: Statistics
Received Cells 6209907
Transmitted Cells 636115

[#12]

Sorry to hear this sorry saga continues. And I'm not impressed with the advice you were given by the CSC, in my opinion it takes no account of the ongoing history of the problem which an account check should have revealed.

[#13]

Have been told to reboot in test socket when my 72 hours are up later today. 
I have that deja vu feeling.

[#14]

Now getting some weird downstream stats in the test socket.,,, when I googled the number  2147483647 dB it comes up loads of times and indicates dropped connection... maybe now we might be able to persuade someone... Plusnet or BT that something is wrong!
ADSL Status Information
1. Status: Status
Configured Current
Line Status --- SHOWTIME
Link Type --- Interleaved Path

Date Rate: Data Rate
Stream Type Actual Data Rate
Up Stream 448 (Kbps.)
Down Stream 6272 (Kbps.)


Operation Data / Defect Indication: Operation Data
Operation Data Upstream Downstream
Noise Margin 28 dB 2147483647 dB
Attenuation 23 dB 23 dB
Defect Indication
Indicator Name Near End Indicator Far End Indicator
Fast Path FEC Correction 0 0
Interleaved Path FEC Correction 55488 22484028
Fast Path CRC Error 0 0
Interleaved Path CRC Error 1128 19938
Loss of Signal Defect 10 ---
Fast Path HEC Error 0 0
Interleaved Path HEC Error 204 0

Statistics: Statistics
Received Cells 4508350
Transmitted Cells 518494

[#15]

2147483647 is actually -1 treated as an unsigned number. But the router hanging onto the connection with such a low noise margin is surprising. Probably, as you suggest it just means that all is not well.