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I'm tearing my hair out - can anyone help please?

MommaCat
Grafter
Posts: 77
Registered: ‎06-02-2009

I'm tearing my hair out - can anyone help please?

You may recall that, some time ago, I raised a topic entitled "Hello from me too" and said that I had slow speeds.  A lot of investigation went on and it eventually transpired that there was no BT Master Socket in my house, only a junction/splitter box.  I was given a number to call to try and get this rectified.
I have been busy with other things but at last, today, I did so.  A very helpful gentleman gave me the address of the faults section and said that I should complete the on line form and then do the BT Speed Check using my login that I use for my Plusnet account.  This is the part where I became stuck.
I keep getting error messages.  I have tried simply entering my user name and it gives me an error.  I have tried using my username @plus.com I have tried using my whole email address and all the time, I get an error.  I have logged into my Plusnet account OK so that confirms I have my username correct.
There was a message awaiting me in my Plusnet account telling me to do the speed test, but it also states that you cannot use the BT Speedchecker unless you have BT Broadband.  No, I have got Plusnet Broadband!!!
My question is - where do I go from here?  Sad
Incidentally, yesterday, I found I was not alone in having this antique set-up in my home.  I went to the other side of town to help a friend set up her internet connection (mypostoffice - and she had already made 8 long phone calls to the techies and got nowhere!).  Anyway, I got it set up for her but she too is getting very low speeds which she also blames on the silly little splitter box!
12 REPLIES 12
James
Grafter
Posts: 21,036
Thanks: 5
Registered: ‎04-04-2007

Re: I'm tearing my hair out - can anyone help please?

Heya,
To use the BT Speedtest you will need to use your username in the format of username@plusdsl.net
It may work then, but it might take a few attempts because the tester itself is a little bit flakey.
MommaCat
Grafter
Posts: 77
Registered: ‎06-02-2009

Re: I'm tearing my hair out - can anyone help please?

I will try that.  Many thanks!  Smiley
MommaCat
Grafter
Posts: 77
Registered: ‎06-02-2009

Re: I'm tearing my hair out - can anyone help please?

Right, I have now completed 5 speed checks and added some other information and have now received a free 0808 dial up number.
One of the checks was that my firewall was turned off.  Does this have to remain turned off until I receive further instructions? Undecided
Why the 0808 number?  Will my broadband be disconnected whilst the Technical Section work on it?
Can I shut my PC down when I am not using it, or does it have to remain permanently on?  The router is normally left on, but not the PC.
Sorry if these sound silly questions, but I have never had to deal with a query in this way before.
Anotherone
Champion
Posts: 19,107
Thanks: 457
Fixes: 21
Registered: ‎31-08-2007

Re: I'm tearing my hair out - can anyone help please?

You should be able to close down the PC. If you are using a Router I hope that's not your PC firewall turned off.
MommaCat
Grafter
Posts: 77
Registered: ‎06-02-2009

Re: I'm tearing my hair out - can anyone help please?

It is the firewall on my PC because I presume that is what they meant, Anotherone.  That is why I feel unhappy about it and, other than to pop into the forum, I am not accessing any other websites!
Anotherone
Champion
Posts: 19,107
Thanks: 457
Fixes: 21
Registered: ‎31-08-2007

Re: I'm tearing my hair out - can anyone help please?

It isn't just which websites you are accessing, it's who may be trying to access you.
How long ago was this request made and when are the tests going to be carried out?
If you don't know when etc, and whether it's your PC or Router Firewall that should be off (if your Router Firewall is still on you should be OK) I'd ring CSC now and ask.
Personally I wouldn't take any risks.
If they can't answer, then I'd turn it back on and tell them to add to the ticket to ring you just before they are going to test. It seems totally unreasonable that you should be left vunerable for an undefined and unspecified time.
MommaCat
Grafter
Posts: 77
Registered: ‎06-02-2009

Re: I'm tearing my hair out - can anyone help please?

I have just done as you suggested AnotherOne and the Technician I spoke to confirmed that I had to leave my PC Firewall turned off.  He did say I could shut down my PC though as long as I left the Router on.
Right now, I'm outta here!  Going to turn my PC off right now.
Thanks for the advice!
Anotherone
Champion
Posts: 19,107
Thanks: 457
Fixes: 21
Registered: ‎31-08-2007

Re: I'm tearing my hair out - can anyone help please?

Maybe I'm a bit thick today, but if the PC is off, then what difference does it make whether the firewall on it is on or off Roll_eyes
Did they say when the test was going to be done?
Oldjim
Resting Legend
Posts: 38,460
Thanks: 787
Fixes: 63
Registered: ‎15-06-2007

Re: I'm tearing my hair out - can anyone help please?

Despite comments which disagree I can see no reason why the computer firewall can't be left on as no tests should get or need to get past the router - for goodness sake I have three computers and an iphone connected to the router should I have all the firewalls switched off (I don't actually know if an iphone has a firewall).
MommaCat
Grafter
Posts: 77
Registered: ‎06-02-2009

Re: I'm tearing my hair out - can anyone help please?

At 6.52 pm yesterday I got the following message:
"The Connection Checks could not be completed.
Test Result Summary: inconclusive.  We have not been able to complete the checks of your broadband service.  This may be as a result of a fault in the testing system rather than your service."

At 6.53 there was another message:
"Your support request has been escalated to the correct team for review"
At 1.13 today I messaged them asking how long the checks were going to take and could I turn my firewall back on.  Three hours later, with no reply, I have turned the firewall ON!
Just tried the speedtester mentioned on someone else's thread and got:
Date  18/05/09 16:54:35
Speed Down 3097.11 Kbps ( 3 Mbps )
Speed Up 374.63 Kbps ( 0.4 Mbps )
Port 8095
Server speedtest1.thinkbroadband.com
Anotherone
Champion
Posts: 19,107
Thanks: 457
Fixes: 21
Registered: ‎31-08-2007

Re: I'm tearing my hair out - can anyone help please?

Having looked back at your other thread, what DSL Connection stats do you have now?
MommaCat
Grafter
Posts: 77
Registered: ‎06-02-2009

Re: I'm tearing my hair out - can anyone help please?

Funnily enough, since having raised the query, my speeds seem to have improved slightly.  These are the last two tests which I carried out.
Date 19/05/09 15:58:14 Speed Down 2899.49 Kbps ( 2.8 Mbps ) Speed Up 374.80 Kbps ( 0.4 Mbps ) Port 8095 Server speedtest1.thinkbroadband.com
              “      15.03                                                    3.16mbps                                            0.38Mbps                                                speedtest.net
Date 19/05/09 20:20:05 Speed Down 2988.85 Kbps ( 2.9 Mbps ) Speed Up 374.38 Kbps ( 0.4 Mbps ) Port 8095 Server speedtest1.thinkbroadband.com
              “      20.22                                                    3.22Mbps                                          0.38Mbps                                                speedtest.net

I have now received the following:  Going by those results, there does not seem to be a problem with the line or the actual account so you are getting the speeds that I expect for your line statistics.
I would have preferred to have seen 3.50Mbps on a line that is supposed to give me 4.0Mbps - but I'm no expert.  It's adequate for what I do on-line, I don't play games for instance.
I am wondering now, considering the very low speeds I was getting, if the initial build up in speed after joining Plusnet is slower than it should be and that was the problem.  I seem to remember having seen other postings complaining about this.