False hope and broken promises? - line speed low

[#1]

I couldn't get RouterStats-lite to connect to the Netgear router when I tried, though it may have required a system reboot. I'll give it another go tomorrow night. I'm also going to see if I can get hold of a Home Hub.
The Netgear is an Orange branded DGN1000 - I bought it for £15 through Gumtree, so no chance of getting my money back, really. From the reviews I've read, I don't think it's a faulty unit - it's just a bad design! I might try selling it on though - it may be usable for someone with a cleaner line!
I've already swapped over the filter btw - it seems to have made zero difference. Thanks for raising the installation issue.

[#2]

The important thing with RSL (and the full version come to that) when changing modem/routers, is to rename the .ini file (so you've got a copy you can go back to) and then you start with a new one for the different modem/router. The way it has to access the modem/router is often quite different for different ones and it can get it's knickers in a twist using an .ini from another. It does mean you've got to tediously go through the setup again.

[#3]

Okay, I have a Home Hub now. I set it up last night, and I think it lost sync some time in the morning because it reported an uptime of roughly 2:30 hours when I got up.
I've reconnected as you described above, in an attempt to bring the sync speed up, but it's not worked (in fact, I think it's gone down!). Here are the stats from the HH:
[quote=BT Home Hub v2.0A]Connection information
Connection time  0 days, 0:05:30
Downstream  5,395 Kbps
Upstream  920 Kbps
ADSL settings
VPI/VCI  0/38
Type  PPPoA
Modulation  ITU-T G.992.5
Latency type  Interleave
Noise margin (Down/Up)  3.9 dB / 5.8 dB
Line attenuation (Down/Up)  39.5 dB / 25.5 dB
Output power (Down/Up)  0.0 dBm / 12.8 dBm
Loss of Framing (Local)  13
Loss of Signal (Local)  3
Loss of Power (Local)  0
FEC Errors (Down/Up)  20394 / 0
CRC Errors (Down/Up)  853 / 2147480001
HEC Errors (Down/Up)  225 / 0
Error Seconds (Local)  5
The line attenuation is less than that reported by the TG582n, but I've no idea what to make of those error numbers. Surely the Up CRC errors must be wrong?
I've not looked into it in any great depth, but is there a way to run RouterStats with a HH2?

[#4]

Those CRC errors look silly, some modem routers do report silly numbers due to firmware bugs, it may not be the latest firmware, but I wouldn't rush to update it, that might cause other issues.I knoiw they are sods to do things with but have had no personal experience with them. You'd need someone knowledgable specifically on HH2's to comment. Is it a Type A or a Type B?
RouterStats won't run on HH2's AFAIK, but depending on which type I did give someone a suggestion once, I never had any feedback, I'll see if I can find what I suggested later.
There must have been a lot of interference/noise when it synced which is why the sync speed is lower. Reported attenuation figures can vary from modem/router to modem/router, so as there is only 1db difference I wouldn't worry about it.

[#5]

I've tested your line and it's not reporting any errors on your upstream, as Anotherone said it may be a reporting bug.
EDIT - Typo

[#6]

On the HomeHub the "true" sync speed is reported under Troubleshooting/Helpdesk and is always a bit higher than what you can see on the broadband page. I've no idea why.
Also the "connection time" reflects your PPP session and not your exchange sync, so you might not have dropped sync at all. Check the router log for the time you think it happened.
My HomeHub also reports silly figures for the errors - always 23305 for upstream FEC from the second I connect, and this is a line without interleaving...

[#7]

Thanks for that apj 

[#8]

Quote from: smilerish

I've reconnected as you described above, in an attempt to bring the sync speed up, but it's not worked (in fact, I think it's gone down!).

(Personal experience with a HH3A - your mileage may vary)
I've found the best way with a HomeHub is to restart it from the router's GUI - no need to drop sessions, wait 10 minutes etc. unless you're going to turn off the power at the socket. Do NOT do that with any other router!
I'm not sure if this is "dying gasp" in action? I can often come back with higher sync because the exchange doesn't seem to treat it as a lost connection.

[#9]

Thanks all for your helpful responses 😃

Quote from: Anotherone

You'd need someone knowledgable specifically on HH2's to comment. Is it a Type A or a Type B?

It's a type A.

Quote from: Anotherone

RouterStats won't run on HH2's AFAIK, but depending on which type I did give someone a suggestion once, I never had any feedback, I'll see if I can find what I suggested later.

I had a feeling that might be the case! Trying to navigate the settings pages is fiddly, too =\

Quote from: chrispurvey

I've tested your line and it's not reporting any errors on your upstream.

Thanks Chris. Did you spot anything else that might be useful in the test? What were the downstream errors like? Anotherone had mentioned earlier in this thread that the sync speed seemed low for the line attenuation and/or error margin I had. Is there any explanation for that?

Quote from: apjashley1

The best way with a HomeHub is to restart it from the router's GUI - no need to drop sessions, wait 10 minutes etc. unless you're going to turn off the power at the socket. Do NOT do that with any other router!

I disconnected the PPP session in the GUI, then power-cycled (turned it off for about 10 minutes, then switched it back on), but I'll just restart like you said in future, if that works.

[#10]

There's no errors showing on the downstream either, your attenuation is 38.5 so I'd expect to be seeing higher speeds, around 8Mb/s sync rate.
Are you able to conenct to your test socket?

[#11]

Quote from: chrispurvey

Are you able to conenct to your test socket?

See the earlier discussion in this thread! To summarise: my master socket is brass, not an NTE5, so there is no test socket. AFAIK, this means the socket is effectively the same as the test socket (I don't have any extension sockets, and there's no ring wire).

[#12]

Quote from: chrispurvey

There's no errors showing on the downstream either, your attenuation is 38.5 so I'd expect to be seeing higher speeds, around 8Mb/s sync rate.

In that case Chris, as his modem/router is less than 12 months old, could you consider sending him another to try because with your tests in mind it's now suggesting that the modem/router could be at fault.
The fact that the HH isn't performing as well could simply be because it's second hand and is on it's last legs/faulty.

[#13]

I've dispatched a new router for you today, hopefully this will do the trick.

[#14]

Thanks! I just got a text about that. Fingers crossed, eih?
In case it's of interest (to Anotherone, in particular), I just took a screenshot of my Sam Knows whitebox dashboard (see attached). Looks like 3 May was the sweet-spot - I'd do anything to get back to there right now! Hopefully the replacement router will help.
jim:quote

[#15]

We're looking at that charge btw.