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Just got a new router and would like to check some details

Method0ne
Grafter
Posts: 134
Thanks: 3
Registered: ‎12-12-2008

Just got a new router and would like to check some details

Evening all.
As the topic states, I just purchased a new router ready for my eventual switch to that shiny new ADSL2+ service that will be rolled out in my town at the beginning of next month, and was wondering a few things.
First off, since I got my new router (D-Link DSL-2740R) I've re-arranged my cabling, my old usb modem ran through a 10m unshielded extension to the master socket and so wasn't exactly the most reliable piece of kit, also with it being usb based it was a bit spotty with regards to cleanly disconnecting from the internet if I needed to restart my computer, as a result I guess it must have kept retraining itself over time but I still managed to get a sync in the range of 72xx-73xxkbps, though my throughput was only in the 5200kbps range.
Now I have the D-Link I've got that running direct at the master socket and everything else connected through cat5 cables, though for some reason it synced lower in the 63xxkbps range, still with the same 5200kpbs or so throughput, so I started looking into the router stats to see what I could find that may be the cause, at least for the lower sync anyway.
Looking through the stats, I see that my downstream attenuation has dropped a decibel or two, since I'm not running through an obscene extension cable, and I thought it odd that even though the lower that number the better your connection should be, mine actually got worse. That's when I noticed the snr margin wobbling around, from anywhere as high as 7.5, to as low as 2.5, and it got me to googling.
From what I gather, with the snr, the higher the number the more stable your connection should be, and the lower it is the more prone it is to dropping out. If that's correct, then this new router must be pretty good at holding a connection since it's only dropped by itself once that I know of since I plugged it in.
Regardless, I set about trying to work out what could be causing the snr margin to fluctuate so wildly, so started from scratch and worked my way through everything step by step.
Single connection to the test socket yielded an 8096kbps sync, coincidentally my highest ever, snr fluctuation from 5.5-7.5, and still the same throughput according to the BT speedtester. While I had the nte5 faceplate off I figured I'd check it out and see whether the ring wire was disconnected only to find no wires at all, probably as it's the only socket in the house, yet I still found it odd since lots of guides recommend disconnecting that wire to stop it causing interference. Also while I had it off I checked the connectors and noticed a couple of pins in the socket were bent almost flat, so using a screwdriver I straightened them out.
Put it all back together, started plugging everything back in one piece at a time, each time disconnecting, then reconnecting to see what, if anything, was causing problems. Now since this was all done fairly quickly, I couldn't retest on the BT speedtester (stupid hour-long timer) so used the MyBroadbandSpeed.co.uk one for a rough guide. Manually reconnecting and running a test every time I did so yielded almost exactly the same results, sync at 8096kbps, snr fluctuations in the same 5.5-7.5 range, and a rough throughput of 5200kbps give or take.
Everything is now plugged back in, and the only thing I can find that it seems possible might have caused a problem is the nte5 faceplate having a couple of bent pins, everything now is just as stable as when plugged into the test socket (touch wood).
All that being said, is it possible that my throughput speed may increase between now and the ADSL2+ switchover, assuming of course no dropped connections? I only ask since that switchover is 13 days away and I'm curious to know if my line will support a higher speed now than it's ever been since DSLmax was rolled out in my area.
If so, is it also possible that I could hit the higher end of the speeds available once I can connect through an ADSL2+ connection?
More to the point though, I guess, is could I have had a faster internet connection all this time if it hadn't been for those pesky pins?!
Thanks in advance!
Edited to update;
Oldjim - I would have added the speedtester info prior to this, but since they have the timer on there I couldn't at the time of posting, as for everything else, I *thought* I mentioned all the details in the post, for the sake of completeness though..
Router Stats (Down/Up)
Rate (Kbps):	   8096 kbps	448 kbps

SNR Margin (dB): 7.5 23.0
Attenuation (dB): 31.5 14.5
Output Power (dBm): 19.5 12.5

Note: the SNR Margin fluctuates between 5.5 and 7.5
BT Speedtester results:
Download speedachieved during the test was - 4756 Kbps
For your connection, the acceptable range of speeds is 600-7150 Kbps.
Additional Information:
Your DSL Connection Rate :8096 Kbps(DOWN-STREAM), 448 Kbps(UP-STREAM)
IP Profile for your line is - 5500 Kbps
5 REPLIES 5
Oldjim
Resting Legend
Posts: 38,460
Thanks: 787
Fixes: 63
Registered: ‎15-06-2007

Re: Just got a new router and would like to check some details

Why don't you post the full information requested here and we might be able to comment http://community.plus.net/forum/index.php/topic,96155.0.html
RPMozley
Pro
Posts: 1,339
Thanks: 83
Fixes: 13
Registered: ‎04-11-2011

Re: Just got a new router and would like to check some details

As a guide for ADSL2+ speeds see this page and input your Line Attenuation. http://kitz.co.uk/adsl/max_speed_calc.php
That's RPM to you!!
Method0ne
Grafter
Posts: 134
Thanks: 3
Registered: ‎12-12-2008

Re: Just got a new router and would like to check some details

I did take a look at that, though I'm suspecting it's not entirely accurate.
Entering my current attenuation, after rounding up to 32 since it doesn't handle decimal places, gives me a max sync of 7776kbps instead of the 8096kbps that I'm sync'd at now, in fact the closest attenuation that makes sense for my sync rate would be (rounded up again) 30, giving 7904kbps.
Working off these figures for adsl2+ I get 13824kbps at 32, or 15264kbps at 30, which is honestly quite a difference.
What is also entirely possible here though, is that my router is lying to me!
spraxyt
Resting Legend
Posts: 10,063
Thanks: 674
Fixes: 75
Registered: ‎06-04-2007

Re: Just got a new router and would like to check some details

The Kitz calculator provides a theoretical estimate of sync speeds based purely on attenuation and with a 6dB target noise margin ratio. So real measurements might be higher or lower depending on line condition.
When changing things recording sync speed is the important statistic. Speedtests will show no effect until the BT IP Profile changes and the Plusnet Current line speed has caught up. Depending on the magnitude of the change on 20CN it can take 5 days for measured speeds to increase. In your case it is likely to be 3 days before the IP Profile increases from 5500kbps to 7000kbps.
Changes on ADSL2+ should occur much more quickly on 21CN after 12th December when quantisation is fully implemented.
Great result from sorting out the wiring and faceplate though.  Smiley
David
Method0ne
Grafter
Posts: 134
Thanks: 3
Registered: ‎12-12-2008

Re: Just got a new router and would like to check some details

I though that might be the case regarding the sync speed, so I've checked the router this morning and am showing a little over 12 hours uptime at this higher rate, I'll keep my fingers crossed it stays up.
Who would have thought that a couple of slightly bent pins could have caused so much loss of throughput!