'Balancing' issues

[#1]

Nope. No other programmes running, and checked MAC addresses so I know there's nothing else hooked into the router.
Odd, innit?

[#2]

Have you tried from the test socket behind Master socket and see what stats and results you get?

[#3]

I had  a problem like this recently, didnt get it all correct, but what I did find
a)My profile is 13000
b) a netbook running linux and a desk top running Win7 and M$S anti virus both download at about 12000 plus
c)a net book and laptop on Win XP and Avast antivirus were only getting 7000 download
I investigated the Avast and it was checking all downloads and slowing it well down, I selectively switched off some of the checks, one at a time and each one was slowing the process, all of these checks removed and downloads went up to 9500. still dont know where the other bits have escaped to

[#4]

My Avira antivir premium does this also, I have to switch It off when doing speed tests.
Edit.. What about doing a speedtest whilst running In safe mode? Would that eliminate the programme theory?

[#5]

HI vindice,
We did have an unbalanced network which we posted a service status about but his now seems to have been stabilised and a service status update soon to be posted will confirm this, but the difference in speeds you suggest would not be consistent with that,  so if you are continuing to see this kind of fluctuation I would go to the broadband speed troubleshooter for further guidance.
Jojo

[#6]

Hi,
Just to update, it's happening as we speak, so I've run a couple of tracert and pings:

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.
C:\Documents and Settings\STWilliS.GRNET>tracert www.bbc.co.uk
Tracing route to www.bbc.net.uk [212.58.246.93]
over a maximum of 30 hops:
 1     4 ms     1 ms     1 ms  dsldevice.domain.name [192.168.1.1]
 2  1021 ms   682 ms   615 ms  lo0-central3.thn-ag1.plus.net [195.166.128.228]
 3  1074 ms     *        *     gi1-5-131.thn-gw1.plus.net [84.92.6.112]
 4  1057 ms     *        *     te2-3.thn-gw2.plus.net [212.159.1.58]
 5   541 ms     *     1092 ms  rt0.thdo.bbc.co.uk [212.58.239.25]
 6   783 ms   571 ms   526 ms  212.58.238.149
 7     *        *     1031 ms  te12-1.hsw1.cwwtf.bbc.co.uk [212.58.239.234]
 8   639 ms     *        *     212.58.255.12
 9     *        *      801 ms  bbc-vip014.cwwtf.bbc.co.uk [212.58.246.93]
Trace complete.
C:\Documents and Settings>tracert www.plus.net
Tracing route to portal.plus.net [212.159.8.2]
over a maximum of 30 hops:
 1     1 ms     1 ms     3 ms  dsldevice.domain.name [192.168.1.1]
 2   971 ms   734 ms   601 ms  lo0-central3.thn-ag1.plus.net [195.166.128.228]
 3  1045 ms     *        *     gi1-5-131.thn-gw1.plus.net [84.92.6.112]
 4     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 5   541 ms     *      438 ms  gi3-0.pih-cr1.plus.net [212.159.1.177]
 6   919 ms   863 ms   952 ms  if25.pih-lb03.plus.net [212.159.0.17]
 7     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 8     *      747 ms     *     portal.plus.net [212.159.8.2]
 9     *        *        *     Request timed out.
10     *        *      919 ms  portal.plus.net [212.159.8.2]
Trace complete.
C:\Documents and Settings\>ping www.bbc.co.uk
Pinging www.bbc.net.uk [212.58.246.92] with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 212.58.246.92: bytes=32 time=687ms TTL=56
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Ping statistics for 212.58.246.92:
   Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 1, Lost = 3 (75% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
   Minimum = 687ms, Maximum = 687ms, Average = 687ms
Pretty much unusable when this is happening, and it only seems to be happening at peak times. I've checked all cabling and filters.
And now, twominutes later, I get this:

C:\Documents and Settings\STWilliS.GRNET>tracert www.bbc.co.uk
Tracing route to www.bbc.net.uk [212.58.244.69]
over a maximum of 30 hops:
 1     5 ms     5 ms     2 ms  dsldevice.domain.name [192.168.1.1]
 2    40 ms    37 ms    37 ms  lo0-central3.thn-ag1.plus.net [195.166.128.228]
 3    37 ms    38 ms    38 ms  gi1-5-131.thn-gw1.plus.net [84.92.6.112]
 4    42 ms    37 ms    39 ms  te2-3.thn-gw2.plus.net [212.159.1.58]
 5    40 ms    38 ms    39 ms  rt0.thdo.bbc.co.uk [212.58.239.25]
 6    40 ms    38 ms    41 ms  212.58.238.133
 7    38 ms    42 ms    37 ms  212.58.239.58
 8    37 ms    41 ms    36 ms  212.58.251.44
 9    38 ms    39 ms    41 ms  bbc-vip114.telhc.bbc.co.uk [212.58.244.69]
Trace complete.

And I can browse fine. Nothing at all has changed or been moved in the house or with the equipment while I've been typing this post.
I'm opening a ticket, but does this look like anything anyone's seen before?