Need advice on router stats regrading my speed

[#1]

Hi All, just looking for some feedback as I`m looking to re-contract and need to know which route to go down. Stay on my current ADSL package or go with a FTTC package as both are only marginally different in price for renewal purposes. The issue I have is this.

As far as I`m aware, my line still uses the old copper wiring. At least from the green cabinet to my home. The issue is if I decide to ditch ADSL and go a little faster, I`ve been advised that my line speed may not improve with the fibre product because of the copper lines anyway? So, I`m wondering whether to bother looking at fibre at all and for the next few years, stick with my tried and trusted ADSL, even though the speed estimated for my renewal is 1-2mb down from around 4mb currently. 

I`ve just did a speed test for my Plusnet line using the website broadbandspeedtest.org.uk and it stated the following:

Download: 4.16mbps

Upload: 0.64mbps

Ping: 36.00ms

Jitter: 1.75ms

The above looks okay to me but I`ve no idea if I should be testing anything else? I`m aware that if I choose to go with a fibre product (even if the speed won`t significantly improve due to the copper line factor) it will mean that I change my current router to a Hub Two, which would benefit me longer term if/when having to go full fibre. So that`s a bonus. 

So, my dilemma here is, do I just stick with ADSL or bite the bullet and switch to fibre as the pricing for both is around £25 odds per month for 18 months anyway on renewal? It seems like a no brainer to go for the fibre? But am I missing anything?

Thoughts? 

[#2]

 I`ve been advised that my line speed may not improve with the fibre product because of the copper lines anyway? 

yes, fttc still uses the copper line BUT only the bit between your house and the green cabinet whereas adsl uses the whole length to the exchange. So fttc is usually much faster.

Put your phone number into the bt wholesale checker  https://www.broadbandchecker.btwholesale.com/#/ADSL and post the results ( redact the phone number as this is a public forum ) then we'll be able to advise the likely speed 

[#3]

Thankyou. I`ve just put my code and home phone number into the 1st box on that webpage and it`s saying (in red) Invalid Number? What does it mean by DN? 

Also, how do I redact my number when I eventually manage to get any results please? Never did this before so not sure how to go about hiding/redacting certain bits of information. Thanks again. 

[#4]

I've no idea what it means by DN

Don't understand why it's not recognising your phone number are you sure you're entering it correctly ?

I've just tried with a phone number and it works fine

If you can't get it to work with yoursv, you could try the address version https://www.broadbandchecker.btwholesale.com/#/ADSL/AddressHome

To hide bits of information, save a screen dump and use a picture editor to blank the relevant bits, then attach the resultant file to a post

[#5]

I've no idea what it means by DN:-

Directory Number. A customer's telephone number which can be listed in the phonebook or can be made ex directory.

See Openreach glossary of terms for more.

Dan.

[#6]

Hi Everyone, I left a `gap` between the code and the actual number so typed it in again joined up and it worked! I`ve taken a screen shot of the page but not sure how to get it onto paint to black out my number? 🙄

Just to add (and I hope I`ve not jumped ship too soon) I decided to upgrade to:

Unlimited Fibre £25.99p a month for 18 months and will receive the HUB Two router in the post costing an additional £6.99p P&P. Activation date given is April 11th. My thinking was that staying on ADSL with speeds being slowed (or the danger of that happening) with very little monetary difference in the pricing being a few pence between ADSL and this fibre deal, it seemed a no brainer to upgrade to fibre and start now rather than wait for another 18 months to do that. I know Plusnet don`t do a VOIP service but eventually, our line will terminate by around 2015 ish so by then, I will be pondering another deal and maybe even have to switch away. Or find a separate VOIP service if it`s still required.

Just need to get the BT stats posted now so any tips on the best way to show those are welcome. 

[#7]

For a windows PC

Press the windows key and type snippet

You can select parts of the screen you wish to take an image of, save the image to downloads folder.

To attach to a post click on the picture icon to the right of the smiley face above   then follow the instructions.

HTH

[#8]

I`ve done a `snip` as advised and reduced the size of the image to hide my phone number.

[#9]

With those estimates you should easily get the maximum speeds on Unlimited Fibre, that is 40 Mb down and 10Mb up.

You also have FTTP available but plusnet are not offering a phone service with that.

[#10]

I`ve also done a fresh speed test today on my existing ADSL which are speeds that have been stable thus far. Upgrading to fibre estimated speeds of around 38-40mb should (hope!) may mitigate what I was being offered had I stayed on ADSL of roughly 1-2mb. 

I`ll let you guys have a look at the page above and determine what that means I have no idea. 

[#11]

Hi MisterW - We posted at the same time! Thanks for your input, much appreciated. I`ll take note of the FTTP not offering a phone line but it will be a good few years before I need to think about that. Ideally I wouldn`t need a line but my older Mum is in her mid 80`s so needs it for emergency purposes. I may have to train her with a mobile! 

[#12]

The BT figures for ADSL are abysmal.

To judge if you are getting the best from ADSL, we would need to see the router stats, after checking the quality of the phone line.  (Note a faulty phone line is likely to impact FTTC performance as much as ADSL.)

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 phone plugged into the test socket behind the face plate of the master socket (ideally this should be a corded phone). The line 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. NB: You need to put your LANDLINE NUMBER after "PHONE" [missing instruction].

• Phone Faults

How is your line performing?

Please post your router stats (include line speed, attenuation, SNRM, uptime and if available, error counts); for PN 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, download the .PDF report and post the results here. DO NOT REBOOT the router!

Check the Plusnet user portal for the "Current Line Speed" which is relevant to users with static IP addresses.

• TG582n Stats
• Hub 0 / 1 Stats
• Hub 2 Stats
• Kitz list
• BTw Speedtest
• PN Broadband Status

[#13]

@Townman  As @plusmouse  has already set off an upgrade to a 40/10 FTTC service I think we can forget about the abysmal ADSL speeds.

Time to move on to better things. 😁

[#14]

Unless of course his abysmal ADSL speed is due to a fault on his d-side circuit which will equally blight his FTTC service.  We have seen several users hop to FTTC only to find that does not meet expectations either.  Sadly only after an upgrade and new contract tie in has the right action been taken to investigate why performance was so poor.

It might well be the case that the line is too long for decent ADSL, but we have not seen evidence one way or another.

[#15]

I take both your points onboard, thanks.  Moving on and forgetting about the lowered estimated ADSL speed had I stayed with that package, which (hopefully) will improve with the switch to fibre, is what I`d normally do, but I also appreciate that thinking that will solve the issue altogether may not be the case. As Townman has pointed out without carrying out the above checks.

Townman, regarding the line check by dialing the test number, I know that our home phone has a good dial tone (with no static/noise) without removing the face place on the main socket, but am I overlooking it if I don`t plug the phone into the main socket without the faceplate removed to do this test? Just wondered if that was something I would do if I couldn`t hear the dial tone or had noise coming through? Therefor, alerting me to a line issue?

On the router stats, I`m a bit lost with that one! That will be a work in progress to get my head around it.