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Help Please - Bad Connection Since Returning From Holiday

bobboulby
Grafter
Posts: 1,139
Thanks: 4
Registered: ‎20-07-2007

Help Please - Bad Connection Since Returning From Holiday

We went on holiday on the 29th July and I turned my router off. Before this I had a stable connection with download speeds around 12-14Mbps. On returning from holiday on the 15th August I powered up my router and it connected without problem. However since then I have been suffering very poor download speeds and sometimes I will loose connectivity and have to disconnect/reconnect to PlusNet or reboot my router.
Today I ran a BT speed test with the results shown in the attached screenshot. My router stats are good (see screenshot 2) and so are my pings.
Pinging bbc.co.uk [212.58.253.67] with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 212.58.253.67: bytes=32 time=14ms TTL=120
Reply from 212.58.253.67: bytes=32 time=14ms TTL=120
Reply from 212.58.253.67: bytes=32 time=14ms TTL=120
Reply from 212.58.253.67: bytes=32 time=14ms TTL=120
Ping statistics for 212.58.253.67:
    Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
    Minimum = 14ms, Maximum = 14ms, Average = 14ms
I am currently connected to ptn-gw01 but have changed gateway several time with no affect. My exchange is showing a status of green and my PC is connected to my router via Ethernet.
Please could someone from PlusNet look in to what might be the problem and advise what I should do next.
Thanks - Bob
47 REPLIES 47
ejs
Aspiring Hero
Posts: 5,442
Thanks: 631
Fixes: 25
Registered: ‎10-06-2010

Re: Help Please - Bad Connection Since Returning From Holiday

Try running a slightly different ping command to see what the packet loss is like for larger packets:
ping -n 20 -l 1400

But I'm guessing the problem is that your target SNR margin has been lowered to 3, resulting in the higher sync speed, but this margin is too low, and as a result there are too many CRC errors and a large amount of packet loss, resulting in poor download speeds.
If the DLM doesn't raise the target SNR margin automatically, someone from Plusnet will have to arrange for it to be reset to 6.
bobboulby
Grafter
Posts: 1,139
Thanks: 4
Registered: ‎20-07-2007

Re: Help Please - Bad Connection Since Returning From Holiday

Thanks for your reply. Before I went on holiday, my noise margin was 6db but I have had 3db before and everything has been ok. Here are my ping results:
C:\Users\Bob>ping -n 20 -l 1400 bbc.co.uk
Pinging bbc.co.uk [212.58.253.67] with 1400 bytes of data:
Reply from 212.58.253.67: bytes=1400 time=27ms TTL=120
Reply from 212.58.253.67: bytes=1400 time=27ms TTL=120
Reply from 212.58.253.67: bytes=1400 time=27ms TTL=120
Reply from 212.58.253.67: bytes=1400 time=27ms TTL=120
Reply from 212.58.253.67: bytes=1400 time=26ms TTL=120
Reply from 212.58.253.67: bytes=1400 time=27ms TTL=120
Reply from 212.58.253.67: bytes=1400 time=27ms TTL=120
Reply from 212.58.253.67: bytes=1400 time=27ms TTL=120
Reply from 212.58.253.67: bytes=1400 time=27ms TTL=120
Reply from 212.58.253.67: bytes=1400 time=27ms TTL=120
Reply from 212.58.253.67: bytes=1400 time=26ms TTL=120
Reply from 212.58.253.67: bytes=1400 time=27ms TTL=120
Reply from 212.58.253.67: bytes=1400 time=27ms TTL=120
Reply from 212.58.253.67: bytes=1400 time=27ms TTL=120
Reply from 212.58.253.67: bytes=1400 time=27ms TTL=120
Reply from 212.58.253.67: bytes=1400 time=27ms TTL=120
Reply from 212.58.253.67: bytes=1400 time=27ms TTL=120
Reply from 212.58.253.67: bytes=1400 time=26ms TTL=120
Reply from 212.58.253.67: bytes=1400 time=27ms TTL=120
Request timed out.
Ping statistics for 212.58.253.67:
   Packets: Sent = 20, Received = 19, Lost = 1 (5% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
   Minimum = 26ms, Maximum = 27ms, Average = 26ms
Bob
bobboulby
Grafter
Posts: 1,139
Thanks: 4
Registered: ‎20-07-2007

Re: Help Please - Bad Connection Since Returning From Holiday

Tried it again, it looks like we are getting packet loss:
Pinging bbc.co.uk [212.58.253.67] with 1400 bytes of data:
Request timed out.
Reply from 212.58.253.67: bytes=1400 time=27ms TTL=120
Reply from 212.58.253.67: bytes=1400 time=27ms TTL=120
Reply from 212.58.253.67: bytes=1400 time=26ms TTL=120
Reply from 212.58.253.67: bytes=1400 time=26ms TTL=120
Reply from 212.58.253.67: bytes=1400 time=27ms TTL=120
Reply from 212.58.253.67: bytes=1400 time=26ms TTL=120
Reply from 212.58.253.67: bytes=1400 time=26ms TTL=120
Request timed out.
Reply from 212.58.253.67: bytes=1400 time=26ms TTL=120
Reply from 212.58.253.67: bytes=1400 time=27ms TTL=120
Reply from 212.58.253.67: bytes=1400 time=27ms TTL=120
Reply from 212.58.253.67: bytes=1400 time=27ms TTL=120
Request timed out.
Reply from 212.58.253.67: bytes=1400 time=27ms TTL=120
Reply from 212.58.253.67: bytes=1400 time=27ms TTL=120
Reply from 212.58.253.67: bytes=1400 time=26ms TTL=120
Reply from 212.58.253.67: bytes=1400 time=27ms TTL=120
Reply from 212.58.253.67: bytes=1400 time=27ms TTL=120
Reply from 212.58.253.67: bytes=1400 time=27ms TTL=120
Ping statistics for 212.58.253.67:
    Packets: Sent = 20, Received = 17, Lost = 3 (15% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
    Minimum = 26ms, Maximum = 27ms, Average = 26ms
ejs
Aspiring Hero
Posts: 5,442
Thanks: 631
Fixes: 25
Registered: ‎10-06-2010

Re: Help Please - Bad Connection Since Returning From Holiday

It occurred to me that the more significant result from the speedtest was probably the 0.01Mbps upload speed, so the DLM lowering the downstream target noise margin may not actually be the issue. You won't get much download speed with practically zero upload.
bobboulby
Grafter
Posts: 1,139
Thanks: 4
Registered: ‎20-07-2007

Re: Help Please - Bad Connection Since Returning From Holiday

I hadn't spotted that but think it must be an anomaly. All my other speed tests have shown a normal upload speed of 0.9Mbps.
Bob.
chrispurvey
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Posts: 5,369
Fixes: 1
Registered: ‎13-07-2012

Re: Help Please - Bad Connection Since Returning From Holiday

Hi Bob,
Have you been able to try an alternative device to see if the speeds are the same?
I've checked over your line and everything looks ok.
bobboulby
Grafter
Posts: 1,139
Thanks: 4
Registered: ‎20-07-2007

Re: Help Please - Bad Connection Since Returning From Holiday

Hi Chris, thanks for replying. If by device you mean PC then yes, we are getting the same speed on everything, Windows PCs, a Mac, iPad, phones etc. etc.
I haven't tried another router as I only have the one I am using.
Bob
chrispurvey
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Posts: 5,369
Fixes: 1
Registered: ‎13-07-2012

Re: Help Please - Bad Connection Since Returning From Holiday

I'd suggest running through our faults wizard adn we can take a closer look at your line as we've already got your speed test results.
I can try to up the downstream dB but I'm not convinced that will fix your issue.
bobboulby
Grafter
Posts: 1,139
Thanks: 4
Registered: ‎20-07-2007

Re: Help Please - Bad Connection Since Returning From Holiday

Ok, I should be able to do that tomorrow. I'm guessing that I'll need to plug my router in to the master socket. It's difficult for me to re-site the router so is it acceptable to run a telephone extension cable from the master socket to the router?
Bob.
chrispurvey
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Posts: 5,369
Fixes: 1
Registered: ‎13-07-2012

Re: Help Please - Bad Connection Since Returning From Holiday

Ideally yes, if you could plug into your master socket that would rule any internal issues out. Would you be able to run an ethernet cable instead of an extension?
bobboulby
Grafter
Posts: 1,139
Thanks: 4
Registered: ‎20-07-2007

Re: Help Please - Bad Connection Since Returning From Holiday

I could buy a long Ethernet cable but how would I connect it from the master socket to router (a Netgear DG834G)t? It's a different type of connector isn't it?
Bob.
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: Help Please - Bad Connection Since Returning From Holiday

My connection does exactly the same every time I go away for a week when I switch the modem off.  Cry
I find that the line recovers back to normal speeds after about ten days of use.  Roll_eyes
Now when I'm going away I just leave my modem switched on, so I don't suffer the return week of poor performance.  Embarrassed
bobboulby
Grafter
Posts: 1,139
Thanks: 4
Registered: ‎20-07-2007

Re: Help Please - Bad Connection Since Returning From Holiday

Interesting although I usually stitch my router off when we are away for more than a few days and I've not had this problem before  Undecided
Bob.
bobboulby
Grafter
Posts: 1,139
Thanks: 4
Registered: ‎20-07-2007

Re: Help Please - Bad Connection Since Returning From Holiday

More info if relevant. We just lost all Internet connectivity. Logging on to the router showed that it had re-synced (still over 18k) but there was nothing in the router log and the router status showed an up time of over 48 hours. A disconnect/reconnect re-established connectivity but download speed is still only 2Mbps Sad
Bob