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Poor broadband speed

TJBrentor
Grafter
Posts: 32
Registered: ‎08-04-2013

Poor broadband speed

I live in a small village about 2.5 miles from the telephone exchange.  There seems to be a wide range of broadband speeds in the village, but generally under 2Mbps.  In the few houses where I live we seem to get the worst speeds - 400Kbps would be good.  Someone who continually kicked up a fuss with his ISP (BT) said he finally saw some improvements after 5 engineer visits and now consistently enjoys 2 Mbps (he's about 400 yards away from me).  He said that one engineer informed him that some lines from the village  use a length of aluminium cable near the exchange, and that his speed was improved by transferring his line from this to a copper cable.  I've no way of knowing whether that's true or not.  Anyway, here are the vital stats:
ADSL Link             Downstream Upstream
Connection Speed 512 kbps 448 kbps
Line Attenuation 56.0 db 31.5 db
Noise Margin 10.6 db 15.0 db
BT Wholesale speedchecker result (after following all the guidance) - 0.210Mbps download, 0.170 upload and a ping latency of 285.27
Current line speed - 0.35Mb
28 REPLIES 28
ReedRichards
Seasoned Pro
Posts: 4,927
Thanks: 145
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Registered: ‎14-07-2009

Re: Poor broadband speed

I presume your telephone exchange has not been updated to BT's 21CN so you don't have ADSL2+?  You should be able to get the details here http://www.samknows.com/broadband/exchange_search
The other issue to consider is how much influence your internal phone wiring is having on the result.  To find out, you need to take the 'vital stats.' with your router connected to the Test Socket. 
TJBrentor
Grafter
Posts: 32
Registered: ‎08-04-2013

Re: Poor broadband speed

Thanks.  samknows info says under Broadband adsl, and under BT wholesale ADSL max status.
Router was connected to the Test Socket
dick:quote
adamwalker
Plusnet Help Team
Plusnet Help Team
Posts: 16,871
Thanks: 882
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Registered: ‎27-04-2007

Re: Poor broadband speed

Hi TJBrentor,
I've just been performing some line tests, I'd like to do another for you with the router connected to the test socket so I can compare the results.
Do you think we could do that today?
Adam
If this post resolved your issue please click the 'This fixed my problem' button
 Adam Walker
 Plusnet Help Team
TJBrentor
Grafter
Posts: 32
Registered: ‎08-04-2013

Re: Poor broadband speed

Adam
Router now connected to test socket
dick:quote
adamwalker
Plusnet Help Team
Plusnet Help Team
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Fixes: 221
Registered: ‎27-04-2007

Re: Poor broadband speed

Cheers,
That's actually highlighted a big difference in the downstream sync speed of the connection. It's around 2mb in the test socket.
As you may know all connecting to the test socket does is eliminate any extensions and other subsequent devices connected to the line (phones, sky boxes etc)
So this could indicate a problem with your wiring or the filters you're using. Are you able to swap the filters out?
Adam
If this post resolved your issue please click the 'This fixed my problem' button
 Adam Walker
 Plusnet Help Team
TJBrentor
Grafter
Posts: 32
Registered: ‎08-04-2013

Re: Poor broadband speed

Not sure what you mean by "swap the filters out" but I've found a different filter - unused I think - and swapped that with the previous one and gone back to the usual socket on the main plug  Is that what you want?
dick:quote
adamwalker
Plusnet Help Team
Plusnet Help Team
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Registered: ‎27-04-2007

Re: Poor broadband speed

Yes, sorry if the terminology was confusing that's exactly what I meant. My shift is about to finish but I'll get another test done now before I go.
Adam
UPDATE: This tests shows the sync speed on the downstream at around 1mb now so the filter was obviously a factor. I think it would be worth me calling tomorrow to go through this, I'm sure we can get this nailed for you.
Are you free between 9 and 5 tomorrow?
Adam
If this post resolved your issue please click the 'This fixed my problem' button
 Adam Walker
 Plusnet Help Team
TJBrentor
Grafter
Posts: 32
Registered: ‎08-04-2013

Re: Poor broadband speed

Yes - best after 0930 and 1700
Thanks
jim:quote
adamwalker
Plusnet Help Team
Plusnet Help Team
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Registered: ‎27-04-2007

Re: Poor broadband speed

Ok if I call in the afternoon around 1pm in that case?
If this post resolved your issue please click the 'This fixed my problem' button
 Adam Walker
 Plusnet Help Team
TJBrentor
Grafter
Posts: 32
Registered: ‎08-04-2013

Re: Poor broadband speed

Adam
That's fine
Tim
dick:quote
adamwalker
Plusnet Help Team
Plusnet Help Team
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Registered: ‎27-04-2007

Re: Poor broadband speed

OK talk then, just thought actually will you be at home so I can talk you through a few things? (which is what I'm hoping to do).

UPDATE:
Thanks for your time on the phone and your patience. As the speeds greatly improve in the test socket in spite of whether the phone is connected to the line or not, that could well mean there's an unused bell wire (as per my explanation).
As discussed I'd advise checking this to make sure and removing it, here's the pages I mentioned which should help with that:
http://www.kitz.co.uk/adsl/socket.htm
http://www.dougrice.plus.com/Erlangs/adsl.htm
Let me know how you get on.
Adam
If this post resolved your issue please click the 'This fixed my problem' button
 Adam Walker
 Plusnet Help Team
TJBrentor
Grafter
Posts: 32
Registered: ‎08-04-2013

Re: Poor broadband speed

Thanks Adam
Cant say I find Doug's page easy to follow!  
The wiring in my socket doesn't match that in the kitz photo.  There are 2 x green wires in pin 1, 2x blue in pin 2 and I've removed orange/white from 3 and white/orange from 4.  Speedtest gives 0.320Mbps down and 0.367 up. Is that it?
dick:quote
PeeGee
Pro
Posts: 1,217
Thanks: 84
Fixes: 3
Registered: ‎05-04-2009

Re: Poor broadband speed

I cannot see from the photo - is there 1 or 2 white/blue trace wires in position 5?
Plusnet FTTC (Sep 2014), Essentials (Feb 2013); ADSL (Apr 2009); Customer since Jan 2004 (on 28kb dial-up)
Using a TP-Link Archer VR600 modem-router.
TJBrentor
Grafter
Posts: 32
Registered: ‎08-04-2013

Re: Poor broadband speed

2 white/blue in 5, 2 white/green in 6