Another user with atrocious speeds since yesterday.

[#1]

Don’t know if anyone can help but since yesterday our broadband speed has dropped to almost nothing and become very unstable.
I have rung the fault line but all I get told is a list of things to do;
Plug in to the master socket:
We have the old type square socket so no test socket. The router is (and has been for the last few years) plugged in to this socket via a filter as normal.
Change the filter; this was changed to a brand new one 6 months ago when I changed to a Linksys 160N router, no problems until yesterday. Tried changing the filter as advised and was unable to connect to Plusnet at all, however it did synch with the local exchange. Changed back to the original filter and was able to both synch and connect.
Did a BT speed test and received the following;
Download speed achieved during the test was - 117 Kbps
For your connection, the acceptable range of speeds is 50-250 Kbps.
Additional Information:
Your DSL Connection Rate :3968 Kbps(DOWN-STREAM), 448 Kbps(UP-STREAM)
IP Profile for your line is - 135 Kbps
Our normal speed for this line is 4800 to 5120 (depending on the weather).
These are the line stats for the router;
--- System Information ---
Vendor: Linksys
ModelName: WAG160N
Firmware Version: A1.00.15 , 2009-05-31T16:58:02
GUI Version: A1.00.15_007
Boot Version: 1.0.37-5.4
Hardware Version: 0.01
--- DSL Information ---
DSL Driver Version:  AnnexA version - A2pB022g.d20e
DSL VPI/VCI:        0/38
DSL Status:          ShowtimeRetrain Reason: 1
DSL Mode:            G.DMT
DSL Channel:        INTR
DSL Upstream Rate:  448 Kbps
DSL Downstream Rate: 3968 Kbps
                      Down        up   
DSL Noise Margin:    7.1 dB      21.0 dB
DSL Attenuation:    48.0 dB      23.0 dB
DSL Transmit Power:  19.8 dBm    12.1 dBm
Also did a quiet line test and the line seemed pretty clear so don’t think it’s a voice fault.
The last results from the router just before I rang in the fault, was 330 down and 448 up.
That is even worse than a few years ago when BT dug up the streets and cut my phone cable.
I am not stupid and have been through testing like this in the past so I know what to do and had already done it long before I contacted your fault line, I don’t contact anyone unless I really do have a problem.

[#2]

Hi there,
There's been a fair few drops on the line since Saturday (before that it was very stable), which is likely why you're seeing poor speeds now.
Can you run through the checks here for me please?

[#3]

Hi Mand,
OK I’ve followed your link and answered the questions there but I don’t think it will get us very far, however like a good user I’ve done my bit.
What I would like you to explain is this;
A BT speed test done at 11:10 this evening.
Download speed achieved during the test was - 2642 Kbps
For your connection, the acceptable range of speeds is 600-7150 Kbps.
Additional Information:
Your DSL Connection Rate :3968 Kbps(DOWN-STREAM), 448 Kbps(UP-STREAM)
IP Profile for your line is - 3000 Kbps
How in hell can my profile go from 135 Kbps to 3000 Kbps in just about 5 hours.
The only thing that’s changed is the downstream noise margin which slowly dropped from about 5.9 down to 4.9 then went back up to 5.8 as of now 11:17PM.
We have changed nothing, the router is the same, the filter is the same, everything.
I expect it’s heat related as the daytime sun shines right on to the wall our BT green cabinet is mounted against, and we have had connection problems in that box in the past due to corrosion. Notice the speed has returned now the evening has cooled, if the weather cools down this week as expected the problem may well go away until the next hot spell.
I am running Routerstats overnight on my PC to see if that flags up anything, will let you know in the morning.

[#4]

The DLM changes the IP profile and the bRAS profile using a patented algorithm. the more difference you have in the sync rate the less it will take to update your IP profile. I'm sorry that I can't post the formulas as they are considered as business confidentiality statement with BTwholesale. But you can get some details about it on kitz.co.uk
BTw Logs suggest that your sync rate dropped to 576 at 24-05-2010 16:48:43 and 160 at 24-05-2010 15:54:53 which cause the DLM to panic and put change your IP profile to 135. I'm glad it is sorted now, but please keep an eye on it as it might not be very stable.

[#5]

Morning, Mand or RamiDoodle,
Sorry to say my overnight test using Routerstats ended at 01:43 this morning when Windows 7 got fed up waiting for me to do something and put my computer into sleep mode (user error, I forgot to tell it not to shut down  :-[).
So restart this morning and BT line test give the following;
Download speed achieved during the test was - 2623 Kbps
For your connection, the acceptable range of speeds is 600-7150 Kbps.
Additional Information:
Your DSL Connection Rate :3968 Kbps(DOWN-STREAM), 448 Kbps(UP-STREAM)
IP Profile for your line is - 3000 Kbps
But the Receive noise margin has already risen to 8.6 this could be due to the DLM or the sun shining on the box. Will keep checking during the day and see if I can detect any speed drop.
At the moment we are about 1000 Kbps down on speed but if it remains stable (fingers crossed), I’ll do a reboot in a day or so and see if speed returns to normal.
I’ll keep any tickets open for now pending investigation.
Regards, P.

[#6]

A profile of 3000 is much better than 135.
Keep an eye on it over the next day or two though and see what the stability is like.

[#7]

Just like to report either a dropout or re-synch event that just happened.
Tue 25 May 2010  10:03:55 Rx-Noise=8.9 Tx-Noise=8.9 Rx-Sync=3968 Tx-Sync=448 AttenDown=48.0 AttenUp=23.0
Tue 25 May 2010  10:04:15 Rx-Noise=8.9 Tx-Noise=8.9 Rx-Sync=3968 Tx-Sync=448 AttenDown=48.0 AttenUp=23.0
Tue 25 May 2010  10:04:35 Rx-Noise=8.9 Tx-Noise=8.9 Rx-Sync=3968 Tx-Sync=448 AttenDown=48.0 AttenUp=23.0

Tue 25 May 2010  10:04:55 Rx-Noise=8.9 Tx-Noise=8.9 Rx-Sync=3968 Tx-Sync=448 AttenDown=48.0 AttenUp=23.0

Tue 25 May 2010  10:05:15 Rx-Noise=8.9 Tx-Noise=8.9 Rx-Sync=3968 Tx-Sync=448 AttenDown=48.0 AttenUp=23.0
Tue 25 May 2010  10:05:35 Rx-Noise=0.0 Tx-Noise=0.0 Rx-Sync= Tx-Sync= AttenDown= AttenUp=

Tue 25 May 2010  10:05:55 Rx-Noise=0.0 Tx-Noise=0.0 Rx-Sync= Tx-Sync= AttenDown= AttenUp=

Tue 25 May 2010  10:06:15 Rx-Noise=6.1 Tx-Noise=6.1 Rx-Sync=4832 Tx-Sync=448 AttenDown=48.0 AttenUp=23.0
Tue 25 May 2010  10:06:35 Rx-Noise=5.9 Tx-Noise=5.9 Rx-Sync=4832 Tx-Sync=448 AttenDown=48.0 AttenUp=23.0
Tue 25 May 2010  10:06:55 Rx-Noise=5.9 Tx-Noise=5.9 Rx-Sync=4832 Tx-Sync=448 AttenDown=48.0 AttenUp=23.0
Tue 25 May 2010  10:07:15 Rx-Noise=5.9 Tx-Noise=5.9 Rx-Sync=4832 Tx-Sync=448 AttenDown=48.0 AttenUp=23.0
Tue 25 May 2010  10:07:35 Rx-Noise=5.9 Tx-Noise=5.9 Rx-Sync=4832 Tx-Sync=448 AttenDown=48.0 AttenUp=23.0
Tue 25 May 2010  10:07:55 Rx-Noise=5.9 Tx-Noise=5.9 Rx-Sync=4832 Tx-Sync=448 AttenDown=48.0 AttenUp=23.0
Tue 25 May 2010  10:08:15 Rx-Noise=6.0 Tx-Noise=6.0 Rx-Sync=4832 Tx-Sync=448 AttenDown=48.0 AttenUp=23.0
Note the increase in speed from 3968 to 4832 Kbps after the event, this is back to our more normal speed. Please ignore the Tx-Noise Routerstats can't seem to read the correct value.
I have had a telephone call from faults and I understand you are asking BT to look in to the problem. I will await the outcome of their ‘investigations’.
Regards, P.

[#8]

This also has an open question ID: 33500491
Just an update for you;
The line is still unstable; according to the router logs we had a dropout at 10:05 yesterday morning the 25th and another at 05:44 this morning the 26th.
Speed had dropped slightly this morning back down to 3840 Kbps from yesterday and SNR has risen to 8.3, but browsing is really slow again.
I have also tried to do a BT speed test however it stalled at ‘Sending Results to the server…’, but I did notice the message said ‘Your configured download speed for this service is 135 k’, so it looks like the Dslam panicked during the night and shut my connection down again.
Regards, P.

[#9]

Hi pendragon,
Just running a quick line test now so I can pass this back, it's likely that the next stage will be to arrange an engineer visit. We'll update you as soon as we get that request (or there's anything to update otherwise).

[#10]

Morning Matt (this reply also posted in My Questions).
Another update for you;
When I checked the Linksys router this morning there were no lights showing at all only the power light. The ADLS and Internet lights were both out so there was no connection to the exchange or yourselves at all.
Just in case out telephone line had also failed I picked up the handset and dialled 0 for a silent call, the line was fizzing and crackling like bacon frying so it does look like we have a voice fault as well. It’s most likely a dry or corroded joint in the green cabinet at the end of our road (it’s always been there in the past).
I have also changed the router as you requested, we are now running on a Netgear DG834G and it was changed at 09:05 this morning so any faults after this time would be on the backup router.
The Netgear stats are as follows;
Modem Status connected
DownStream Connection Speed 256 kbps
UpStream Connection Speed 448 kbps
VPI 0
VCI 38
Regards, P.

[#11]

Unless you also have your phone from Plusnet you'd be better off having Plusnet close the broadband fault and reporting this as a voice fault.

[#12]

Hi there,
As jelv has said, you're better off raising this as a voice fault (without mentioning broadband ;)).

[#13]

Thanks to everyone who replied, sorry for the delay but I've been busy all day  :'(.
Will leave things as they are over the weekend and if the phone line is still hissing, will drop the broadband fault and report a voice fault on Tuesday. No point in calling BT on a bank holiday weekend, getting service during a working week is bad enough  ::).
The Netgear can only hold the line at 1216 Kbps with 6.5 dB so I may change back to the Linksys tomorrow at least we could get some sort of connection with that.
Everyone have a good weekend, we won't, no EvE On-Line Tyrannis for me and my son, oh dear hope the sun keeps shining.
Regards, P.

[#14]

Nooooooo!
Now is the time to report the fault. Even if the hissing disappears it still indicates something isn't right with your line and you'll never get optimal broadband speed until it is sorted. Can the person at the other end of the phone hear the noise? If so report it now, make sure you speak to an operator and don't just use the automatic system and make sure they add a note that they could hear the noise.

[#15]

The noise has become so bad I've had to report it as a voice fault.
Had a really nice guy from BT faults (unusal but good  8)) he took all the details, tested the line and could find no fault. Even while he was talking to me the hissing was so bad I could hardly hear him but it seems I was fine to him.
However we went through the usual tests, all of which I had done already, and he has booked an engineer for next Tuesday afternoon (no one in the West Country works over the weekend). He gave me the usual speil about I would be charged £128 +VAT on my next bill if the engineer could find no fault or it was a wasted journey etc. But it's their line so what choice do we have.
Please some-one put the broadband fault on hold until the engineer has been on Tuesday.
Will update you all next week, have a good one, regards, P.