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Plusnet broadband has become unusably slow

colinholmes
Newbie
Posts: 2
Thanks: 1
Registered: ‎20-11-2017

Plusnet broadband has become unusably slow

Hello

 

I am looking for some help.  My broadband has been fine for years and then over the last few days it has became unusably slow with speed intermittently increasing and decreasing.  This is making video and audio streaming basically unaccessible - for the second night in a row we cannot watch iPlayer or stream music and the poor performance is even noticeable with browsing.  It's like the 90s all over again but not in a good way....

After waiting about 40 minutes on the phone yesterday I got some assistance from one of PlusNet support staff who explained that there was nothing that would give poor performance from the PlusNet side - then took me through a few steps to try and identify the issue, but the speed was coming through fine at that point even although we didn't really change anything.

Nothing has changed in terms of the router or network setup, so I am struggling to see how this could be anything at our end and at the moment am not receiving acceptable service for my money.  PlusNet apparently have award winning support but I don't have time to spend another 45 minutes on the phone to speak to someone, so am hoping that this will help me find someone before I just have to cancel!

Any help from non plusnet staff appreciated too!  

 

thanks

4 REPLIES 4
Attila_The_Pun
Rising Star
Posts: 58
Thanks: 26
Registered: ‎30-11-2016

Re: Plusnet broadband has become unusably slow

 

This is probably not a help to you, but since last Thursday or Friday, my POP3 email traffic has slowed to a snail's pace and my data uploads are much slower too.  I have raised a thread about this.  However, my streaming (iPlayer, YouTube etc.), browsing and downloads etc. are still fast (around 20Mbps, which is pretty good for copper).

PlusNet support will have given your line a test, and should have given you advice, which will possibly have included restarting your router either now or after any changes they did.to the broadband parameters for your line have settled in. 

Some ideas:

Have you done a speed test to prove that your broadband data rate is actually slow?  Try Ookla (http://www.speedtest.net), for example, preferably when you have been experiencing slow performance, and again when it is back to normal (iaf ever). [NB You need to turn off the other applications while you test, or the results will be spurious. It’s no use running this while streaming telly!] 

If your PC or other device is Wi-Fi-connected to your router, carry out the speed test in different places in your home, as I found that when my PC was in the living-room, the data download rate was halved compared with how it was in the room with the router.  [One remedy for this is to get a Wi-Fi repeater installed that operates over your electricity mains supply.]

Also see if connecting to the router with a network cable instead (if not already so connected) improves the measured data speed, in case your problem is actually one of the Wi-Fi system breaking down.  Electronics, sadly, do not last indefinitely. Also, even your electric kettle and other appliances can interfere with your wi-fi signal in a big way if they are on the blink. Any intermittent contact emits radio waves.

Obviously, what you are trying to watch can also be variable in speed according to demand and other factors beyond your control at the relevant server.

Don't spend time and money changing your supplier without first proving your speed and that it is varying substantially as you say, and eliminating all local factors as above. You could just get worse service.

 

Arthur2
Hooked
Posts: 7
Fixes: 1
Registered: ‎20-11-2017

Re: Plusnet broadband has become unusably slow

This maybe a long shot, but I reset my DNS (Domain Name Server) this morning and although my speed is only between 3-7MB my performance has improved dramatically.

Townman
Superuser
Superuser
Posts: 22,922
Thanks: 9,538
Fixes: 158
Registered: ‎22-08-2007

Re: Plusnet broadband has become unusably slow

Hi Colin,

A warm welcome to the forums.  I think we need to cover off some of the basics please...

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 corded phone plugged into the test socket behind the face plate of the master socket. It 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.


 

What are the expectations for your line?

Please use the following links to check the services available and their estimated speeds. From the first link, please record and report back the distance from the exchange. The second link advises of which fibre services (if any) are available on your line and their anticipated speed.


 

How is your line performing?

Please post your router stats; for PN TG582n and 2704n 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 and post the results here. DO NOT REBOOT the router!

Also find your CURRENT SPEED (PlusNet line profile) from the PlusNet user portal - you will need to log in.


 

Superusers are not staff, but they do have a direct line of communication into the business in order to raise issues, concerns and feedback from the community.

colinholmes
Newbie
Posts: 2
Thanks: 1
Registered: ‎20-11-2017

Re: Plusnet broadband has become unusably slow

All - thanks for the responses, been a busy few days at work so not had the chance to check out these suggestions, although have done some before posting.  Will check things out and report back - thanks.

 

colin