cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Stuck at 128kbps

Denzil
Grafter
Posts: 1,733
Registered: ‎31-07-2007

Stuck at 128kbps

Can somebody give my connection a kick, please? I have been stuck at 128Kbps or less downstream for the last few days.
<a href="http://www.thinkbroadband.com/speedtest/results/id/12081055977275634.html">TBB test result </a>
My DG834G currently shows downstream
Connection speed (presumably it means sync rate): 1184Kbps
Attenuation:62dB
Noise Margin: 11dB
33 REPLIES 33
orbrey
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Posts: 10,540
Registered: ‎18-07-2007

Re: Stuck at 128kbps

Hi,
Unfortunately we'd need to see the results of a BT speed test to advise further, please can you run one at http://www.speedtester.bt.com and paste the results into this thread in order that we can advise further?
orbrey
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Posts: 10,540
Registered: ‎18-07-2007

Re: Stuck at 128kbps

Thanks for the heads up there PJ - I've just had a look and he's on legacy PAYG and just tipped half a gig download so that shouldn't be any problem.
@Denzil - According to your account your line profile is set to 500kb/s, I'm wondering if there's been a couple of disconnections recently that might have caused this profile drop. If you run the BT speedtest we'll get confirmation of the line profile that BT have set for you and will be able to look into this further.
Denzil
Grafter
Posts: 1,733
Registered: ‎31-07-2007

Re: Stuck at 128kbps

I have never been able to get the BT test to work, possibly because I run Linux, possibly because it just doesn't work anyway 8). I enter my telephone number and it then returns an error, usually after entering the username, when it tells me it doesn't match their records. Before you ask I have entered the username correctly, and even copied and pasted it from the details on the portal! This time I entered the telephone number, to be told straight away that the IP address didn't match.
I have previously been told a TBB test was an acceptable alternative, I guess because it records the result. I am not aware of any disconnections, apart from occasional router restarts. I know I'm on the end of a long piece of wet string, and an occasional glitch could send the speed right down, but I would expect it to come back up in a couple of days. Besides, the router usually shows a sync rate well in excess of 1Mbps. The same thing happened a few weeks ago, and a test seemed to kick it into life, like it goes down and gets stuck there until prodded.
orbrey
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Posts: 10,540
Registered: ‎18-07-2007

Re: Stuck at 128kbps

Hi Denzil,
I've had a look at your profiles on BTs tool and it's been up and down for a week or so - I've attached a screenshot. I'd say there's something there causing intermittent connectivity or at least noise spikes, would you be able to confirm this and hopefully also test the connection with the router plugged into the master socket?
paulby
Grafter
Posts: 1,619
Thanks: 1
Registered: ‎26-07-2007

Re: Stuck at 128kbps

@denzil
If you've got a DG834G v3 (check the label on the bottom) then it may be worth upgrading the firmware to the latest version, available here.
It fixes a problem with the modem code which caused resyncs if your SNR wandered a bit - see here.
I've recently flashed a DG834 to the latest version and that cured a similar problem with resyncs (sometimes none for days and then five or six at once which would send the IP profile downwards). 
It's worth a try anyway - one more thing ruled out!
Denzil
Grafter
Posts: 1,733
Registered: ‎31-07-2007

Re: Stuck at 128kbps

@orbrey
That could be useful. I'll have a thinkto see if there is any pattern there. I don't check the speed every day, but it looks about right. The router is plugged in to a good quality filtered faceplate, with only a single telephone. It hasn't made a difference before, but I'll try it in into the test socket later. It is a DECT phone, so maybe I'll try Oldjim's double filter trick...
@paul03
It is a V3. I'll try that as well when I get home. Thanks for the tip.
Denzil
Grafter
Posts: 1,733
Registered: ‎31-07-2007

Re: Stuck at 128kbps

Firmware updated with no immediate effect. What I could do with here is a linux application that will record router stats, disconnections etc every few minutes, say. Anybody know of something? If noise spikes are the problem it is goiing to be very difficult to find out where they are coming from unless I can see detailed information. Checking every day or two isn't enough to see what is going on.
rsnooks
Grafter
Posts: 37
Registered: ‎11-11-2007

Re: Stuck at 128kbps

I am having the exact same problem.
I normally run at 6MB on my "Up to 8MB" Service.
Websites were running SILLY slow so i did a speedtest on speedtest.net and it reported back as 128KBs just as you have said.
I then did a BT Test and it says my line throughput is capped at 500KBS...
Just contacted Plus.net with this problem (as i get the same issue every 3 months) and once again they have fobbed me off saying its a contention issue.
How the heck is it a contention issue if it works fine solidly for 3 months before i have 2 days of a sucky internet connection?
I am starting to think ill have to change ISP as Plus.net clearly do not want to try and resolve my (or yours, by the looks of it) issue.
paulby
Grafter
Posts: 1,619
Thanks: 1
Registered: ‎26-07-2007

Re: Stuck at 128kbps

@Denzil
There won't be an "immediate" effect when you upgrade the firmware - you should just (hopefully) see fewer resyncs which means your line should be more stable.  What sync speed is the router reporting just now?
You should be able to tell from the router logs when the disconnections occur.  There will be entries along the lines of:
LCP down
LCP allowed to come up
CHAP authorisation success
with a time stamp against them.  Unfortunately, it'll not record your stats at the time but it may give you an idea of the times things are happening at.
As for your phone - moving the phone base station *well* away from the router may also help (if they're next to each other at the moment that is).
@rsnooks
What product are you on and what is your usage this month?
What does it say your speed is here (login required)?
jelv
Seasoned Hero
Posts: 26,785
Thanks: 971
Fixes: 10
Registered: ‎10-04-2007

Re: Stuck at 128kbps

@rsnooks
I suspect Paul03 has identified the reason for what you are seeing. 128KBs is a very significant figure in that it is the speed Plusnet limit your speed to when you have gone over the allowance for the product you are on. If you are on BBYW you can either pay for more usage, or wait until you pass your billing date when normal service will be resumed.
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)
James
Grafter
Posts: 21,036
Thanks: 5
Registered: ‎04-04-2007

Re: Stuck at 128kbps

http://community.plus.net/blog/2007/07/02/broadband-speed-faults-how-to-diagnose/
The above link may help to identify why you suffer from speed fluctuations periodically.  Basically, you have suffered what is commonly referred to as a sync blip.  What this means is that your modem or router has lost the synchronisation or signal that it holds with the exchange and has then reconnected.  When it has reconnected, it has done this at a massively lower speed, which causes the BT profile to drop within 75 minutes.  This profile dropped to 135Kbps.
Unfortunately, whilst profile drops will happen within 75 minutes, it will generally take about 3 days for it to pick up again.  Looking at your line, you're now seeing a synchronisation speed of 5792Kbps, which should result in your profile picking up to 5000Kbps, but this will probably not happen until the 17th.  It is of course possible that this will happen before then, but generally it will take 3 days.
This is a downfall in the design of BT Wholesale's IPStream Max & IPStream Max Premiem services which the majority of UK ISPs resell to their customers.
Denzil
Grafter
Posts: 1,733
Registered: ‎31-07-2007

Re: Stuck at 128kbps

@rsnooks
You seem to be assuming from the start that Plusnet don't care about solving problems. In the experience of most people here Plusnet's service is excellent. This kind of problem can be difficult to solve, and very often turn out to be with the customer's or BT equipment, so it is not necessarily Plusnet's fault if they don't fix it instantly, and changing ISP won't make a difference. Please give them a chance.
@paul03
I did have a poke around the router logs, but couldn't find very much that was useful. I'll have another look later, now that you have given me some more detail.
jelv
Seasoned Hero
Posts: 26,785
Thanks: 971
Fixes: 10
Registered: ‎10-04-2007

Re: Stuck at 128kbps

Quote from: Denzil
@rsnooks
You seem to be assuming from the start that Plusnet don't care about solving problems. In the experience of most people here Plusnet's service is excellent. This kind of problem can be difficult to solve, and very often turn out to be with the customer's or BT equipment, so it is not necessarily Plusnet's fault if they don't fix it instantly, and changing ISP won't make a difference.

Changing ISP could easily make a difference - it could be a whole lot worse!
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)
Denzil
Grafter
Posts: 1,733
Registered: ‎31-07-2007

Re: Stuck at 128kbps

It seems to have cleared the logs when the firmware was upgraded. Nothing useful there then for the moment. TBB still reports 126kbps down, 374 up. Let's see what it's like in a day or so.