cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Setting up home network

Bubbles
Grafter
Posts: 26
Registered: ‎18-02-2015

Setting up home network

Hello everyone
I just started my Plusnet broadband service last week, and I must say, I am very happy with the support and help I have had in getting everything set up and going.
I am not using the Plusnet modem as it has not yet arrived, but I have opted for my own modem and router setup.
I understand that I am in my settlement period of the first 10 days, but I want to make sure I am doing everything I can on my end to get the most from my connection in terms of ping.
Phone Line:
My attenuation is 25.1 down and 11.4 up. This is already pretty good numbers, but last night I tried connecting to the test socket and doing so lowered these numbers by around 2dbs both ways. I have just moved into the house and we are not using nor will we ever be using the extensions. Max rate also increased with the test socket. SNR Margin stayed at 6 and 6.6 respectively.
Would one of those fancy ADSLnation x-2005 faceplates help us at all ? I am not sure how to rewire the socket, nor do I know if this is even allowed.
Router and Modem:
I am using an Asus AC87-u router, connected to a TP-Link 8817 (v8.1) modem.
I understand the modem is a trendset and only has a 100mb ethernet connection. I am fairly close to the exchange, under 1km and with the low attenuation numbers I would expect the cable is not too long, so that chipset seems alright.
Would something with gigabit Ethernet help at all or am I just being overly ocd about this ? I was looking at maybe upgrading to one of the TP Link TD-W8970s in bridge mode.
Cables and connections:
I am using cat6 cables from the router to my pcs and a 50m cat7 from the modem to the router.
I have also managed to get a new ADSLnataion XF-1e microfilter and a Belkin twisted pair telephone cable, but I might upgrade this telephone cable to a Cat5e one.
I know, I am just going overkill on everything.
I understand that I am still in my line settling period, and this are likely to change, but I do miss the 25ms ping time I had when my line first activated on Friday. It has gone up everyday to the current 47ish ms :(. Download speeds look very stable but upload is slightly 'jumpy'. It might be due to interleaving, but I dont want to change anything from Plusnet side till the settling 10 days is over.
Thanks in advance for any input, I am sure I will be asking more questions later Tongue
And Hello to everyone on the forums ! Smiley
26 REPLIES 26
Townman
Superuser
Superuser
Posts: 22,917
Thanks: 9,534
Fixes: 156
Registered: ‎22-08-2007

Re: Home Network

Hi Bubbles,
Welcome to the forums.
A straight forward post of your modem stats would allow us to take a holistic view of your line's performance.
The change in attenuation by moving to the master socket is quite marked and could point to an issue with the extension wiring, which is still connected to the master socket could still be impairing your line's potential.  Identifying which master socket you have (see the speed issues thread at the top of this forum), how the extensions are wired and the type / colour of the extension wires will be helpful - particularly if there are three wires connected to the phone socket backs.

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.

Bubbles
Grafter
Posts: 26
Registered: ‎18-02-2015

Re: Home Network

Hi there
Thank you for your quick reply.
I just got back home and checked the master socket. 24.3 db down, 10.9 up. That is in the test socket.
There are 3 cables going into the back of the faceplate, a green one at 2, a grey white one at 3 and a white one at 5.
The socket is an openreach socket, but there is no port on the top, IE when i open it there is just a phone port on the bottom bit i remove. I am not sure this is the original openreach faceplate, as the plate seems very new compared to the top half.
Still considering getting a new faceplate or an iplate or something.
Bubbles
Grafter
Posts: 26
Registered: ‎18-02-2015

Re: Home Network

Also, my Router Stats:
Bubbles
Grafter
Posts: 26
Registered: ‎18-02-2015

Re: Setting up home network

Today seemed to be abit of a bad day.
My wife is at home trying to play some games and she has told me there has been several dropouts and unable to connect to the server problems.

I have started a thinkbroadband quality graph, and it shows as follows:
http://www.thinkbroadband.com/ping/share/022ce923448341a23c9ceffb0e28d948.html
(I dont know how to submit it properly on forums)  Sad
There are certainly some very high packet loss times, and it seems to be similar times to when her game cuts out.
She says the net works okay when this happens.
Changes that I have done so far are that I have removed the faceplate and am currently connected via the test socket, I have also added the "pro" addon.
HairyMcbiker
All Star
Posts: 6,792
Thanks: 266
Fixes: 21
Registered: ‎16-02-2009

Re: Setting up home network

Can't help with your problem, but to share your tbb graph:
Select snapshot from the bottom of your graph
Press generate
Copy the text from Small Graph (500x219 px) - BBCode
and you will get something like this:

Bubbles
Grafter
Posts: 26
Registered: ‎18-02-2015

Re: Setting up home network

Thanks for the help with that Wink
Townman
Superuser
Superuser
Posts: 22,917
Thanks: 9,534
Fixes: 156
Registered: ‎22-08-2007

Re: Setting up home network

Hi Bubbles,
Sorry I've been a while getting back to you - been busy!
It looks like your internal wiring is having an impact on your ASDL service even though you are not "using" the extension wiring.  The colours of the wires indicate that the cable is not twisted pairs which is highly desirable for ADLS operation.  Further there are three wires connected, which means the "BELL" wire terminal 3 is connected, which can cause significant issues.  As a minimum disconnect the wire on terminal 3.  If you do not intend to use the extension, leave the faceplate off and just use the test socket.
You have noted that plugging the router into the test socket, rather than the faceplate, alters the line's attenuation - for this metric a lower figure is better.  At 25dB you ought to be seeing 18Mbps so there might be some room for improvement.
Is the phone line quiet?  Dial 17070 option 2 using a corded phone plugged into the test socket.  If it is noisy then that needs to be addressed by your phone provider before progressing further with a BB fault.
Your TBB BQM looks horrid.
@CRT is there any evidence of CVLAN congestion on this circuit please?
If the PlusNet modem / router has arrived, what model is it?  If it is the TG285n I would urge you to install it immediately please as it delivers excellent diagnostic information regarding xDSL operation.  Given that you appear not to be using WiFi you will not be concerned by any potential reservations about WiFi operation.
If it is the new 2704n then it is worth giving that a go too.  At the moment I do not know what the diagnostic stats look like on that device - will have to get mine out and have a look.

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.

MatthewWheeler
Plusnet Help Team
Plusnet Help Team
Posts: 8,896
Thanks: 1,506
Fixes: 480
Registered: ‎01-01-2012

Re: Setting up home network

There's no recorded congestion on the exchange but the error counts is extremely high.
I think the errors will be causing the packet loss
If this post resolved your issue please click the 'This fixed my problem' button
 Matthew Wheeler
 Plusnet Help Team
Bubbles
Grafter
Posts: 26
Registered: ‎18-02-2015

Re: Setting up home network

Hi there
Thank you for the help so far Townsman and everyone else.
I have disconnected the bell wire, but I am using the test socket exclusively now. I wish I could just removed all extensions on my line altogether.
I do not have a plusnet router yet, but I have got one on the way.
Line Attenuation:  24.3 10.9 db
Thats down and up, only connected to the test socket.
@Matthew Wheeler: Yeah the error count is really high, especially on the upstream. It is at 65k from what I can see on my end. You are right, I do see some major packet loss at times.
Is there anything I can do to help remedy this ?
Thanks again all Smiley
jelv
Seasoned Hero
Posts: 26,785
Thanks: 971
Fixes: 10
Registered: ‎10-04-2007

Re: Setting up home network

Is there any noise on the phone line?
jelv (a.k.a Spoon Whittler)
   Why I have left Plusnet (warning: long post!)   
Broadband: Andrews & Arnold Home::1 (FTTC 80/20)
Line rental: Pulse 8 Home Line Rental (£14.40/month)
Mobile: iD mobile (£4/month)
Bubbles
Grafter
Posts: 26
Registered: ‎18-02-2015

Re: Setting up home network

Tried 17070 and there is nothing I can hear
Bubbles
Grafter
Posts: 26
Registered: ‎18-02-2015

Re: Setting up home network

Ouch, my tbb graph looks bad tonight Sad
Hopefully the router gets here soon. I am loosing all my shopping with all these packets being lost...
Tried to watch some streams, and had buffering very often.
The line stats seem to be unchanged, however ever refreshing the crc errors on the modem went from 0 to 65k on the upstream after 11 minutes.
Line settling period or something else ?
Townman
Superuser
Superuser
Posts: 22,917
Thanks: 9,534
Fixes: 156
Registered: ‎22-08-2007

Re: Setting up home network

Bubbles,
If you want to disconnect the extensions, just pull off all of the wires from the lower half removable faceplate.  I think we need to wait for your PlusNET router to arrive and use that to get some detailed error stats off the line.
@CRT (Chris),
Expectation management - if it does not break DPA can you confirm here (or by PM to Bubbles) that a PlusNET router was requested during signup and that it has been despatched?  If it has been despatched, can you indicate which model so that we know best how to advise bubbles?
Any chance of some exchange end error count reports please?
Thanks,
Kevin

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.

MatthewWheeler
Plusnet Help Team
Plusnet Help Team
Posts: 8,896
Thanks: 1,506
Fixes: 480
Registered: ‎01-01-2012

Re: Setting up home network

@Townman
A router was dispatched however based on the OP's original message he's using his own setup at the moment and not our router. I can't see anywhere on the thread where this has been changed so I'm assuming that's still the case
@Bubbles
It looks like the connection is having a high spike of errors. So everyone can see I've attached a graph showing how it is now and also the error counts at their peak over the past 14 days
If this post resolved your issue please click the 'This fixed my problem' button
 Matthew Wheeler
 Plusnet Help Team