30+ mbps and terrible connection

[#1]

Despite the numbers that are shown, I can have over 30mbps with the cable in and it's still freezing and very slow.

It's Google meeting calls that I use for work and are the biggest problem.

What I can't get is how it can be that bad with the cable in.

The cable is 15m and the distance is probably 10m as there's loads of slack.

Both WiFi and ethernet cable will give terrible, lagging calls that are almost unusable, for long periods of time. It's a mystery.

[#2]

Thanks for those graphs, they give useful details!

Certainly, without any other traffic, the speeds match the router's connection speed (they will always be something like 10 to 15% lower  due to the connections "overheads").

The latency is an indication of "hoe long does it take to get there and back again: when there's no other traffic, your latency is low. It's also low when there's another upload going on, but it is TERRIBLE when there is other traffic is uploading (9.9ms vs 19.5ms vs 347 ms!!!) For comparison, my line gives me 62 meg up, 15.9meg down, with the latency as 12.3 / 26.0 / 117 ms, but my video conferencing is just fine! 

Jitter is a measure of how much the latency varies: think of the latency as "how long to go to the shops and back"... of course, it's never a smooth 26mph all the way, is it, it's 20mph up to 30 mph...that variation is effectively your jitter. Foe web browsing, jitter doesn't really matter, but for LIVE voice and video, large jitter can cause issues. Again, with a download in progress, your jitter is TERRIBLE! (and weirdly, apparently worse when on a cabled connection!!)

"But I'm not downloading anything..." Yes you are, you are downloading the videos of the other participants!

Unsurprisingly, the "close-by wifi" and "wired" connections give similar figures, so close to your router, your wifi isn't an issue!

So, what can you do to improve things? The first thing I would do is look for a "video quality" setting in your app, and reduce it, both for your own camera and for what you see: with luck, that might improve things. If it does, then play with the settings. If not, come back and tell us! 

And an obvious question we've never asked: who else uses your broadband, and do they do it when you are video conferencing?

[#3]

Thanks for the data, @AndyD2 . As @paul_blitz  says, your 'jitter is bad, but what he hasn't spotted (or commented on) is your D/S noise margin - although looking at your attenuation figures, I would expect it to be a bit 'high' , but 21.9 looks a little excessive to me.

As Paul says, adjust your video quality settings and see if that improves things - if it does, you are probably sorted, if it doesn't, then we need to look a bit deeper.

@RealAleMadrid  - any comments?

[#4]

although looking at your attenuation figures, I would expect it to be a bit 'high' , but 21.9 looks a little excessive to me.

That's to be expected because the line is provisioned on a 40/10 profile and is actually capable of much more.

[#5]

OK, thanks @MisterW .

[#6]

@AndyD2 

Looking a the Hub two Technical Page, the important figures

Looking at the Line attenuation you appear to have a short copper last mile from the Green Cabinet

What is your current product, from the Data rate to me it looks like your are on Unlimited Fibre.

@jab1 @paul_blitz 

The Hub Two is not the best product for buffer bloat, cli speedtest

Server: Box Broadband Ltd - London (id: 32950)
         ISP: Plusnet
Idle Latency:    11.28 ms   (jitter: 0.36ms, low: 11.11ms, high: 11.92ms)
    Download:    73.73 Mbps (data used: 55.3 MB)
                 65.83 ms   (jitter: 5.00ms, low: 15.88ms, high: 117.08ms)
      Upload:    15.85 Mbps (data used: 8.9 MB)
                306.39 ms   (jitter: 75.80ms, low: 32.70ms, high: 486.57ms)
 Packet Loss:     0.0%

[#7]

Cheers, @Dan_the_Van Never used the Hub2, so I'm going to be quiet. 😉

[#8]

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@AndyD2 wrote:

Despite the numbers that are shown, I can have over 30mbps with the cable in and it's still freezing and very slow.

It's Google meeting calls that I use for work and are the biggest problem.

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Does your work connection go via a VPN?

[#9]

Thanks!

So if I rang them and told them this, they should (in theory) come round and replace it with fibre?

[#10]

Don't think there's a VPN... Can I check somehow?

We have Zscaler, but it's turned off.

[#11]

No, @AndyD2 If Full Fibre (FTTP) is available to you, you would have to order it and enter into a new contract.

[#12]

Just to add, the set up I have from the router is:

Ethernet cables to:

• Sat Box
• Eufy CCTV box
• Hive hub

Then an ethernet splitter to:

• TV
• LAN cable for laptop when needed

There is a noticable dip when the kids get in from school and he goes on Fortnite and she streams videos of absolute rubbish on TikTok.

[#13]

There is a noticable dip when the kids get in from school and he goes on Fortnite and she streams videos of absolute rubbish on TikTok.

There will be.

[#14]

@AndyD2  You are going to struggle with all the devices on your network with your 40/10 FTTC service, Your router stats show you are on a short line to the FTTC cabinet so in the past it would have been possible to upgrade to the 80/20 product known as Fibre Extra. However because of Openreach rules on removal of the PSTN phone service the old FTTC products are no longer available and have been replaced by SOGEA broadband only products.

This means if you upgrade you will lose the landline phone service which may or may not be a problem for you, some people never use the landline phone. If you need a phone service you have to use a 3rd party VOIP provider. (Plenty of info about that on the forum)

This link will tell you what's available, you can use your phone number or the address option, with your postcode and select your address from the drop down list.

Broadband Checker 

Another question, what do you actually mean by an Ethernet Splitter, is it just a connector or a powered unit (Ethernet Switch)?

[#15]

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@jab1 wrote:

Thanks for the data, @AndyD2 . As @paul_blitz  says, your 'jitter is bad, but what he hasn't spotted (or commented on) is your D/S noise margin - although looking at your attenuation figures, I would expect it to be a bit 'high' , but 21.9 looks a little excessive to me.

But surely that's 'good', not bad? Is it not a simple consequence of a limited fibre connection (40/10) on a line that can, in principle handle up to 90Mbps - going on the router information? I am the same, my "Max line rate" is around +70Mbps and on a 40/10 connection I have a download SNR of around 15dB.

PS. See this has already been pointed out, above.