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Please check some figures for me

licenced
Newbie
Posts: 6
Registered: ‎28-10-2008

Please check some figures for me

Hi there,
for the last few weeks I have been suffering very bad downstream speeds on my broadband line - I think all the time although most times I check it's the evening because that's when I tend to use my PC most.
I have a Netgear DG834G router, wired through a 7-8 metre phone cable from the master socket, which I wired in myself. Nothing has changed on this set up for at least three years. Previously I was getting nice speeds between 1-2Mbps (probably the maximum for the distance from the exchange I am at).
Looking at my router stats I'm not really sure what the figures mean - so before I start moving things around to see if its the router or the line or just simply contention, could someone comment on whether the figures below are good/average/awful?
ADSL Link DownstreamUpstream
Connection Speed608 kbps448 kbps
Line Attenuation48 db15.5 db
Noise Margin12 db23 db

Thanks in advance,
Dave
12 REPLIES 12
Oldjim
Resting Legend
Posts: 38,460
Thanks: 787
Fixes: 63
Registered: ‎15-06-2007

Re: Please check some figures for me

There is something badly wrong.
With that attenuation and noise margin you should be getting in excess of 4000kbps.
Is it possible to move the router to the master socket and connect it to the test socket and report the same data
zubel
Community Veteran
Posts: 3,793
Thanks: 4
Registered: ‎08-06-2007

Re: Please check some figures for me

As Oldjim says, you should be getting substantially faster speeds from your line.
Try in the test socket, and report back the Sync speed, SNRM and attenuation that the router reports (a speed test will not show any difference)
B.
licenced
Newbie
Posts: 6
Registered: ‎28-10-2008

Re: Please check some figures for me

OK, thanks for the info. I thought that the attenuation being that high was a bad thing, but not from what you say.
I will try moving the router directly to the socket tomorrow when I have some time and will post back with results.
Dave
Santiago
Grafter
Posts: 3,291
Thanks: 2
Registered: ‎10-08-2007

Re: Please check some figures for me

Dave
As well as what has been suggested I would have a look at this http://www.jarviser.co.uk/jarviser/broadbandspeed.html
I had a long standing problem with my connection, low sync and profile with poor download speeds.
I disconnected the orange [bellwire] from the circuit and my connection was vastly improved in terms of speed and stability.
Just another option to consider.
licenced
Newbie
Posts: 6
Registered: ‎28-10-2008

Re: Please check some figures for me

OK, thanks for the suggestion.
I also just ran the BT Speed Tester, with these results:
    Your DSL connection rate: 608 kbps(DOWN-STREAM),  448 kbps(UP-STREAM)
    IP profile for your line is - 500 kbps
    Actual IP throughput achieved during the test was - 445 kbps
Is it odd that it is saying that the 'configured download throughput speed for your line is 500kbps'? Isn't that a line attribute rather than a problem with the connection within my house?
Thanks
orbrey
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Posts: 10,540
Registered: ‎18-07-2007

Re: Please check some figures for me

The exchange equipment sets the line throughput rate based on what speeds you sync at... this is normal behaviour for ADSL Max. I assume that's what you mean? Sorry if I've got the wrong end of the stick.
licenced
Newbie
Posts: 6
Registered: ‎28-10-2008

Re: Please check some figures for me

Nope, that's what I meant.
Thanks for the reply - I've raised a fault check request through the PN system anyway to see if that comes back with anything while I'm at work, and will try the other stuff mentioned above later on this evening if I can.
Dave
BML
Dabbler
Posts: 23
Registered: ‎10-04-2007

Re: Please check some figures for me

Quote from: Santiago
I disconnected the orange [bellwire] from the circuit and my connection was vastly improved in terms of speed and stability.

A further alternative is to fit one of the recently introduced BT IPlates (cost in the order of £10 plus postage - Google "BT IPlate" to find suppliers).
I'm about 4km from the exchange with a line attenuation of 56db and used to synch at about 2000 kbps and get download speeds less than this but my connection seemed to become unstable and my BT IP profile kept dropping to a few hundred kbps and, after the usual delay, recovered again.  I fitted an IPlate and now find that my IP profile seems to remain constant at 2500 kbps, my synch speed being about 3400 kbps and my usual download speed is about 2400 kbps.
I understand that the IPlate filters noise which may be picked up via the extension cable (the same effect as removing the bell wire)  so it will give improvements only if problems are being caused by an extension cable.  It's easy to fit and seems to do the job well.
HPsauce
Pro
Posts: 6,998
Thanks: 146
Fixes: 2
Registered: ‎02-02-2008

Re: Please check some figures for me

If you've got "hard-wired" extensions it's easier and cheaper to disconnect the bell wire, but if you use "plug-in" type extension cabling then an iPlate will probably help.
licenced
Newbie
Posts: 6
Registered: ‎28-10-2008

Re: Please check some figures for me

OK - thanks for everyone's help, but I think the problem is resolved, although I'm not sure how exactly.
Before posting any of this I had already rebooted the router to check that (I worked in IT support for 5 years, I'm not posting on a tech forum without "switching it off and back on again"  ;))
This evening I ran a check with everything as it was previously - same results as above.
I then unplugged the router and moved it into the main bedroom, where the secondary phone line socket is (not the master). This is the socket I have extended from to get the connection in my office. On connecting to the router it now says:
ADSL Link Downstream Upstream
Connection Speed2464 kbps448 kbps
Line Attenuation49 db15.5 db
Noise Margin10 db22 db

And the BT Speed Tester now gives:
    Your DSL connection rate: 2464 kbps(DOWN-STREAM),  448 kbps(UP-STREAM)
    IP profile for your line is - 500 kbps
    Actual IP throughput achieved during the test was - 442 kbps
Right, I think - now I know the problem lies with that extension wire or socket. I'll do something about that at the weekend. I can't have the router in the bedroom though so I move it back into it's original location and wire it all back in as it was - I'll live with the slow speed until I rewire.
Lo and behold, I now have the same fast sync-speed where the equipment was originally - been up for fifteen minutes with no fluctuation.
All I need to do now is wait for BT to re-profile my line in the next day or two and I'm back on 2Meg - excellent, if a little confusing
Thanks again,
Dave
Denzil
Grafter
Posts: 1,733
Registered: ‎31-07-2007

Re: Please check some figures for me

Did you try plugging the router directly into the BT socket? You might find you can get better still. Extension cables are fairly notorious for causing problems. If you do get a better sync rate then you could try leaving the router by the phone socket and using a long network cable up to the PC.
licenced
Newbie
Posts: 6
Registered: ‎28-10-2008

Re: Please check some figures for me

I didn't try that. I believe you, but to be honest, 2Meg is fine for me for now (never experienced better) and we're moving house within the month anyway - if not for that I'd do as you say.
Cheers,
Dave