cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Significantly variable download & upload speeds

CRule
Newbie
Posts: 9
Registered: ‎18-03-2014

Significantly variable download & upload speeds

This is an on going problem I have been having since moving to Plusnet but everytime it is investigated I'm told there is nothing wrong. This was never a problem when I was with my previous supplier.
My broadband goes through phases of been extremely slow before return back to 'normal' - this inn't linked to peak times as it happens randomly throughout the day.
Upload speeds are diabolical - I have a SureSignal phone booster from vodafone but this is now useless with the upload speeds I am getting.
Results here:

I repeated the test half an hour later (through BT wholesale this time) and got the following results:
Download speed (Mbps): 6.73
Upload speed: 0.02
Ping latency: 124.75
I've tried changing the router and replaced the splitter - neither of those have helped.
I've tried "Further Diagnostics" on BT Wholesale (Plusnet telephone support ask me to do this every time) and I get:
Best Effort Test:

Download Speed : 6.73 Mbps

Your speed test has completed and the results are shown above, however during the test an error occurred while trying to retrieve additional details regarding your service. As a result we are unable to determine if the speed you received during the test is acceptable for your service. Please re-run the test if you require this additional information.


Any thoughts on this sporadic speeds and how this can fixed?
16 REPLIES 16
chrispurvey
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Posts: 5,369
Fixes: 1
Registered: ‎13-07-2012

Re: Significantly variable download & upload speeds

Hi CRule,
Firstly welcome to our community forums.
I've taken a look over your line and as previously identified we can't see any issues with your connection.
Have you tried your connection with nothing else connected to your line at all?
jelv
Seasoned Hero
Posts: 26,785
Thanks: 971
Fixes: 10
Registered: ‎10-04-2007

Re: Significantly variable download & upload speeds

How do you connect to the router wired or wireless?
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)
CRule
Newbie
Posts: 9
Registered: ‎18-03-2014

Re: Significantly variable download & upload speeds

Quote from: Chris
Hi CRule,
Firstly welcome to our community forums.
I've taken a look over your line and as previously identified we can't see any issues with your connection.
Have you tried your connection with nothing else connected to your line at all?

It's possible that there was a mobile phone connected to the wireless router at the time of the speed tests - next time it slows down I will try and disconnect it next time but its not as if the phone has been downloading large files (or uploading) when it has been going slow.
Quote from: jelv
How do you connect to the router wired or wireless?

Wireless
jelv
Seasoned Hero
Posts: 26,785
Thanks: 971
Fixes: 10
Registered: ‎10-04-2007

Re: Significantly variable download & upload speeds

You need to identify whether it is a problem with your connection or a problem with the wireless. I suggest you run speed tests using a wired connection with the wireless turned off to ensure nothing else is connected. Also if you could run this speed test as it gives a better picture of what is going on: http://www.thinkbroadband.com/speedtest.html
If the problem is just the wireless, have you tried using different channels?
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)
CRule
Newbie
Posts: 9
Registered: ‎18-03-2014

Re: Significantly variable download & upload speeds

Hi, thanks for your quick response.
I changed the channel a few days ago to see if it would make a difference but it didn't appear to.  I swapped router today (back to the plusnet router) but again that didn't help.
I'll try running the speed test wired now - although the internet seems to working a bit better at this moment in time.
Will post results shortly.
adie:quote
CRule
Newbie
Posts: 9
Registered: ‎18-03-2014

Re: Significantly variable download & upload speeds

Here are the results when connected directly to the router via network cable and with wireless devices switched off:

Repeated 10 minutes later:


And results using wireless:

What sort of latency should I be getting?  Vodafone blamed the latency as the problem for the Suresignal not working but it looks like it might be the upload speed that's the problem although latency also appears variable.
Thanks.

And again for verification:


jelv
Seasoned Hero
Posts: 26,785
Thanks: 971
Fixes: 10
Registered: ‎10-04-2007

Re: Significantly variable download & upload speeds

There's a lot of complaints at the moment about exchange and/or BT network contention and your wired results would suggest that is a distinct possibility in your case. Have you checked the error counts being logged by the router?
See http://www.thinkbroadband.com/news/6360-no-sign-yet-of-bt-wholesale-congestion-improving.html
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)
CRule
Newbie
Posts: 9
Registered: ‎18-03-2014

Re: Significantly variable download & upload speeds

I've only just gone back to using the plusnet router today so at the moment it is still reading 0.
Error Seconds (Local/Remote): 0 / -
FEC Errors (Up/Down): 0 / 0
CRC Errors (Up/Down): 0 / 0
HEC Errors (Up/Down): - / 0 / 0
I can plug the old bt router in and see what that says if you think that would be of benefit?
Re:exchange problems - should I be reporting this directly or that something plusnet will do?  This isn't a new problem though - its been on going for several months which the telephone log will show.
jelv
Seasoned Hero
Posts: 26,785
Thanks: 971
Fixes: 10
Registered: ‎10-04-2007

Re: Significantly variable download & upload speeds

I'd leave things as they are at present and monitor.
Which exchange are you on?
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)
CRule
Newbie
Posts: 9
Registered: ‎18-03-2014

Re: Significantly variable download & upload speeds

Snitterfield exchange.  No reported problems and no reported 20CN VP capacity problems.
Very strange.
CRule
Newbie
Posts: 9
Registered: ‎18-03-2014

Re: Significantly variable download & upload speeds

This continues to be a problem..  Any suggestions on what I should do given the lack of interest/acknowledgement of a problem from Plusnet so far?Huh

Pettitto
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Posts: 6,346
Fixes: 5
Registered: ‎26-11-2011

Re: Significantly variable download & upload speeds

Have you raised a fault with us?
CRule
Newbie
Posts: 9
Registered: ‎18-03-2014

Re: Significantly variable download & upload speeds

Several times - both by telephone and through the control panel.... I can raise another one, but as soon as speeds pick up again it the fault gets closed.
Pettitto
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Posts: 6,346
Fixes: 5
Registered: ‎26-11-2011

Re: Significantly variable download & upload speeds

When you raise the fault, on the last page of the troubleshooter, it should allow you to add your own notes. Please add a link to this thread in it so our Faults Team can have a read through.