Amusingly optimistic line speed estimate

[#1]

I've just joined Plusnet, I live in the sticks over 2 miles from my local exchange and my BB speed with my previous ISP was around 1-2 Mbps depending on the time of day and the weather. The initial estimate from Plusnet was as expected at around 1.5Mbps and the service is performing just the same as before. However, I've just received an email letting me know that my speed is now 7Mbps. If only! It may be 7 at the exchange but by the time it's plodded it's weary way to the literal end of the line it's back to my normal 1-2 Mbps. So it may be an idea to look at how the line speeds are estimated. No complaints from me, I'm getting what I expected and the best that is probably technically possible at the moment, but you might raise the expectations of other customers too much.
Otherwise, no complaints at all. The transfer to Plusnet has been seamless and painless and I was pleased with the way I was kept up to date with what was happening.

[#2]

I think 7 may be a bit over the top. I do think we could get more than you're currently getting though, If you plug into the test socket we could reset the SNR and see how much it brings it up by

[#3]

I'm straight into the master socket, no filters needed. Would using the test socket make any difference?

[#4]

Do you mean you have an ADSL Faceplate as on the RHS, and the answer to your question is possibly yes if you have any fixed extension sockets and wiring? Do you have any phones, faxes, skyboxes etc plugged into the line?

[#5]

Yes I have an ADSL faceplate and the router is plugged into it. There is a telephone plugged into a slave socket elsewhere in the house, the telephone socket on the faceplate isn't used. The speed I'm getting now hasn't changed since I changed ISP so there are no issues with the service Plusnet is providing but if there is any tweak I can do to speed things up a bit I'm happy to try. I'm over 2 miles from the exchange via overhead line and right next to the coast so I suspect the quality of the connections between me and the exchange aren't the best. The cable between the router and the faceplate is the flat type, would there be any advantage to replacing that with a round 'ADSL-compatible' one?

[#6]

Hi rovermorris999,
Going by what you said it could be interference that's generated by either the extension or the faceplate. The only thing about plugging into the test socket is that you'd lose the connection to the extension. I just think that if I were to reset it then it would end up going back up again.
Jojo

[#7]

If you can post a copy of the full ADSL line stats, then power down and connect to the Test socket with a normal filter using the procedure below and when powered up post a copy of the new ADSL stats. Also check that whilst you are connected to the Test socket, that any extension sockets elsewhere in the house are dead by checking with a phone connected via a filter.
Use this Disconnect method -
Do a Disconnect of your PPP Internet session with the ISP - you need to login to the modem/router interface and look for the Disconnect button to click on. On the Thomson modem/routers you will typically find it in the box marked Internet as shown here. Now wait a few minutes, power down. Then wait 10 minutes (during this time swap any filters, modem/router, connect to test socket, etc. - it doesn't matter if you take longer than 10 minutes) and then power up again (You may need to login to the modem/router and click on Connect to re-establish the PPP Internet session). Check the stats immediately (The Noise Margin [SNRM] shown is usually the current Target Noise Margin).
I usually recommend you do this no more than 5 times in an hour, and then leave it alone for the rest of the day.  Remember the reason for this procedure is to help prevent the exchange DLM from thinking you have a dropping connection.
You can user the Disconnect/Connect (without a power down) to Gateway hop.
As for changing the cable, that depends on whether you are picking up lots of locally generated and radiated interference, but lets look at the stats first.