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Downloading slower than connection speed?

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DCI
Grafter
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Registered: ‎06-12-2017

Downloading slower than connection speed?

Hi all Smiley

 I joined Plusnet unlimited broadband on the 8th of December, I kept my phone line with BT. With BT broadband which I had for several years, I was able to download at 4.3Mbps. I maintained this speed for several weeks after joining Plusnet. 

 Over the past few weeks with Plusnet, I have noticed the speed I can download at dropping to approx 3.4 Mbps.

 I checked on my Homehub 3 to see what speed I am connected at. The Homehub tells me I am connected at 4,384Kbps. 

 I know that 3.4Mbps is not a huge drop from 4.3Mbps and is more than my guaranteed speed Plusnet promised. However, when the speed is relatively slow, every little helps.

 Is there anything that can be done to get me back up to 4.3Mbps download speed?

 Thank you.

18 REPLIES 18
Townman
Superuser
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Re: Downloading slower than connection speed?

Hi,

The figures you've given are not too far a drift.  A SYNCH speed of 4.384mbps delivers a line profile of 3.8mbps ... give some allowance for flow control and transmission packet over head, a DATA transmission speed of 3.4mbps is not too far off the mark.

Your data transfer speed is never going to be the same as the line synch speed.  If you saw better with BT, then is it possible that they had the DLM set differently.  Also with this bad there is some possibility that there is some noise on the line.

Broadband is not going to work well if the "phone" line is not working properly.

Please perform a quiet line test - dial 17070 select option 2 using a corded phone plugged into the test socket behind the face plate of the master socket. It should be silent. A noisy phone line (or no dial tone) will have a marked adverse impact on the performance of broadband.

If the line is noisy or there is no dial tone, then a PHONE LINE fault needs to be raised with your phone provider. If this is PlusNet, you can report a fault on line using the button below.  From the Q&A list, choose the one which matches the problem, 'open' the 'section' and click the trouble-shooter link.  NB: If you receive a failure message (rather than a log-in prompt) then log-in to the user portal in a different browser tab and attempt to use the trouble-shooter again.


 

What are the expectations for your line?

Please use the following links to check the services available and their estimated speeds. From the first link, please record and report back the distance from the exchange. The second link advises of which fibre services (if any) are available on your line and their anticipated speed.


 

How is your line performing?

Please post your router stats; for PN TG582n and 2704n routers use the buttons below, for other routers look at the Kitz link.

Also run a BT Wholesale speed test (ideally using an Ethernet wired PC with the WiFi turned off) then run the further diagnostics and post the results here. DO NOT REBOOT the router!

Also find your CURRENT SPEED (PlusNet line profile) from the PlusNet user portal - you will need to log in.


 

 

Superusers are not staff, but they do have a direct line of communication into the business in order to raise issues, concerns and feedback from the community.

DCI
Grafter
Posts: 35
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Registered: ‎06-12-2017

Re: Downloading slower than connection speed?

Hi Townman, thanks for the reply.

 

I did a quiet line test this evening as you said. I took the face plate off and plugged my corded phone directly into the test socket. The line seemed quiet to me. Nothing I could describe as "noise".  Then, out of curiosity I plugged my Plusnet router in, just out of curiosity. Same d/l speed approx 3.4Mbps.

 

The stats are this:

1 - Product name: Plusnet Router
2 - Serial number: ********
3 - Firmware version: 7.275.6_F2704N_Plusnet
4 - Board version: F@ST2704N
5 - Mode ADSL
6 - Uptime: 0 days 01:56:06
7 - Data rate: 448/4576
8 - Maximum data rate: 1212/4956
9 - Noise margin: 24.0/12.7
10 - Line attenuation: 28.0/46.5
12 - Data sent/received: 22.9M/719.7M
20 - Broadband username: ********@plusdsl.net
21 - Wi-Fi network/SSID: ********
22 - Wi-Fi connections: Enable(802.11 b/g/n(up to 144 Mb/s))20 MHz WPS enabled
23 - Wi-Fi security: WPA2
24 - Wi-Fi channel: 6
25 - Firewall: Default
26 - MAC Address: ********
27 - Software variant Version 1.0
28 - Boot loader: 7.275.6

 

I am going to keep my Plusnet router plugged in & use it from now on. I just found it weird that I had 4.3Mbps with BT for years, even up to 2 weeks after I moved to Plusnet. Then it just dropped.

 

Is this something that BT can rectify, as I'm assuming they are the ones that have adjusted something?

 

Thanks again.

DCI
Grafter
Posts: 35
Thanks: 4
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Registered: ‎06-12-2017

Re: Downloading slower than connection speed?

 

Results Image not loaded

 

 

 



1. Best Effort Test: -provides background information.

  Download  Speed
  2.16 Mbps
   
0 Mbps 7.15 Mbps
Max Achievable Speed

 

 Download speedachieved during the test was - 2.16 Mbps
 For your connection, the acceptable range of speeds is 0.6 Mbps-7.15 Mbps.
 Additional Information:
 Your DSL Connection Rate :4.58 Mbps(DOWN-STREAM), 0.45 Mbps(UP-STREAM)
 IP Profile for your line is - 3.5 Mbps



If you wish to discuss these results please contact your Broadband Service Provider.

If you are experiencing problems with specific applications, servers or websites please contact your Broadband Service Provider for assistance.

Your test has completed please close this window to exit the performance tester.

DCI
Grafter
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Registered: ‎06-12-2017

Re: Downloading slower than connection speed?

The above BT speed test is with the Plusnet router which I have only set up.

Townman
Superuser
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Re: Downloading slower than connection speed?

Thank you for all of the information.

The reported attenuation suggests that the line should synch at circa 6mbps, which would deliver a profile of 5.2mbps and as you suggest 4.5mbps+ data transfer.

The figure which jumps out is the 12dB SNRM, which is twice normal and is a contributor to the slower synch speed.  The big question is WHY is the DLM so aggressively managing the line?

@Gandalf - can you assist please?  What does the CLT and VR plot look like please?  Is this line banded?

Superusers are not staff, but they do have a direct line of communication into the business in order to raise issues, concerns and feedback from the community.

DCI
Grafter
Posts: 35
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Registered: ‎06-12-2017

Re: Downloading slower than connection speed?

Thanks again Townman.

 Just a reminder that I have only plugged that router in, I wonder if it is finding its feet?

 I'm also wondering should we leave any more work on this issue until BT sort my other mess out, or will that matter?

 Thanks for the help.

Townman
Superuser
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Re: Downloading slower than connection speed?

What mess?

There’s a reason for the SNRM being elevated at 12dB ... the cause of which requires PN input,

Superusers are not staff, but they do have a direct line of communication into the business in order to raise issues, concerns and feedback from the community.

DCI
Grafter
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Registered: ‎06-12-2017

Re: Downloading slower than connection speed?

BT have a mess on their hands regarding my phone line/billing. I'm not sure what is specifically wrong:

https://community.plus.net/t5/My-Order/December-8th-Activation/td-p/1497430

 

This morning the router reports a slightly higher noise margin than yesterday evening -

6 - Uptime: 0 days 13:16:50
7 - Data rate: 448/4576
8 - Maximum data rate: 1212/5132
9 - Noise margin: 24.0/13.4
10 - Line attenuation: 28.0/46.5
Townman
Superuser
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Re: Downloading slower than connection speed?

Thank you for the linky - what a mess - I hope that BT get that all sorted soon and you do not get 'caught out' on the BT Basic rules as detailed here - http://btplc.com/inclusion/ProductsAndServices/BTBasic/Overview/index.htm - however the link to the conditions of BB with BT Basic is broken.

I very much doubt that the issue with the phone line has any bearing on the SNRM setting.

Superusers are not staff, but they do have a direct line of communication into the business in order to raise issues, concerns and feedback from the community.

Gandalf
Community Gaffer
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Re: Downloading slower than connection speed?

What does the CLT and VR plot look like please?

Status: pass MFL: OK OR Test ID: #########################
Test Outcome: Line Test OK - End User Equipment detected
Copper Test Details
  A to E B to E
Capacitance: 280 NanoFarad 256 NanoFarad
DP Line Length Estimate: 3821 Metres DN Line Length Estimate: 3907 Metres
Fault Report Advised: N

 

Is this line banded?

No banding.

 

It looks like the speed profile on your account is set at 3.5mbps.

This matches the IP profile of the connection, which would be capping your throughput. 

 

As Townman has indicated/advised, it's set correctly for the current sync rate I'm afraid, but I've performed a full SNR reset of your line in the hope the SNR target is lowered to push more speed down your line.

Can you switch off your router for 10 seconds in about 4 hours time please?

Within 24 hours you may see an increase in the sync. If so let me know so I can adjust the speed profile on your account as it generally takes a few days to adjust automatically.

From 31st October 2022, I no longer have a regular presence here as I’ve moved on to a new role.
Anoush Mortazavi
Plusnet
Townman
Superuser
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Re: Downloading slower than connection speed?

@Gandalf,

Are those AE / BE capacitance variations (over 9%) and the leg length (80m) difference of any significance?

Is there any error history which gives insight as to why the SNRM is so high ... or is it a legacy of BT's ownership / management of this circuit?  I noted that one of the business lines I recently migrated from BT to PN retained its previous highly elevated Target SNRM.  I had expected that on migration these values would be reset - this is possibly not true!

Superusers are not staff, but they do have a direct line of communication into the business in order to raise issues, concerns and feedback from the community.

DCI
Grafter
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Registered: ‎06-12-2017

Re: Downloading slower than connection speed?

Thank you Gandalf. I will switch off my router shortly after 4pm for 10 seconds.
Gandalf
Community Gaffer
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Re: Downloading slower than connection speed?

Are those AE / BE capacitance variations (over 9%) and the leg length (80m) difference of any significance?

Shouldn't be.

 

Is there any error history which gives insight as to why the SNRM is so high

No errored seconds or HEC errors.

From 31st October 2022, I no longer have a regular presence here as I’ve moved on to a new role.
Anoush Mortazavi
Plusnet
DCI
Grafter
Posts: 35
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Registered: ‎06-12-2017

Re: Downloading slower than connection speed?

Router has now been turned off for 10 seconds and back on again. Thanks.

 

Router stats after reboot:

 

7 - Data rate: 448/6112
8 - Maximum data rate: 1176/5940
9 - Noise margin: 25.0/6.5
10 - Line attenuation: 28.0/46.5