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Slow Speeds / NO speed

bernimack
Newbie
Posts: 9
Registered: ‎10-05-2013

Slow Speeds / NO speed

Hi. I have been with plusnet for over 1 year. When it was first installed it was extremely impressive and any time I carried out a speedtest I would always have 5+MB/s.
Recently, maybe over the last month or two my speeds have steadily declined. As far as I am aware Plusnet staff are able to see the speedtests I have carried out on the BT Speedtester. This should show greatly varying results from 0.00MB/s  to around 3MB/s.
I would like to make it clear that I would be willing to accept a constant 3MB/s downstream connection but this is not what I currently have. Streaming is impossible as most times when I try to stream I am just stuck in buffering.
I also play online games (WoW) and over the past week or so this has been unusable as I get latency up to 5000+ (!).
I have raised a fault on plus.net.
Here are the stats asked for in the speed thread:
Uptime: 0 days, 12:35:26
DSL Type: ITU-T G.992.1
Bandwidth (Up/Down) [kbps/kbps]: 448 / 7.200
Data Transferred (Sent/Received) [MB/MB]: 19,13 / 322,60
Output Power (Up/Down) [dBm]: 12,1 / 11,8
Line Attenuation (Up/Down) [dB]: 3,5 / 8,0
SN Margin (Up/Down) [dB]: 26,0 / 6,5
System Vendor ID (Local/Remote): TMMB / ----
Chipset Vendor ID (Local/Remote): BDCM / TSTC
Loss of Framing (Local/Remote): 0 / -
Loss of Signal (Local/Remote): 0 / -
Loss of Power (Local/Remote): 0 / -
Loss of Link (Remote): -
Error Seconds (Local/Remote): 121 / -
FEC Errors (Up/Down): 0 / 0
CRC Errors (Up/Down): 0 / 121
HEC Errors (Up/Down): - / 121 / 262
---------------------------------------------
Download speed achieved during the test was - 2.96 Mbps
For your connection, the acceptable range of speeds is 0.6 Mbps-7.15 Mbps.
Additional Information:
Your DSL Connection Rate :7.2 Mbps(DOWN-STREAM), 0.45 Mbps(UP-STREAM)
IP Profile for your line is - 6 Mbps
---------------------------------------------
Estimated line speed: There's no speed estimate currently held on your account.
Current line speed: 7.15 Mb
I am connected via wireless and I have tried 3 different wireless cards. I cannot connect wired.
Router is plugged in to Master Socket and is approx 5 metres from PC through 1 floor.
I have done a fresh install of Windows 7.
I have tweaked selective startup in Windows so ONLY essential windows programs are loaded at startup so no other programs should be using my bandwidth.
I have both restarted and reset my router multiple times.
Any help would be greatly appreciated Smiley
(Edit: I can confirm that my phone line is clear and with no noise.)
12 REPLIES 12
bernimack
Newbie
Posts: 9
Registered: ‎10-05-2013

Re: Slow Speeds / NO speed

New BT Speedtest:
Download speedachieved during the test was - 0.15 Mbps
For your connection, the acceptable range of speeds is 0.6 Mbps-7.15 Mbps.
Additional Information:
Your DSL Connection Rate :7.2 Mbps(DOWN-STREAM), 0.45 Mbps(UP-STREAM)
IP Profile for your line is - 6 Mbps
bernimack
Newbie
Posts: 9
Registered: ‎10-05-2013

Re: Slow Speeds / NO speed

Attached WoW Latency screenshot
Attached tracert to www.google.co.uk
jelv
Seasoned Hero
Posts: 26,785
Thanks: 971
Fixes: 10
Registered: ‎10-04-2007

Re: Slow Speeds / NO speed

Looking at the stats the connection looks good and it's the wireless that is causing the problems.
Have you tried using different wireless channels?
You could buy these: http://www.amazon.co.uk/TP-Link-TL-PA211KIT-200Mbps-Powerline-Ethernet/dp/B004INVKP4
That will effectively give you a wired connection.
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)
bernimack
Newbie
Posts: 9
Registered: ‎10-05-2013

Re: Slow Speeds / NO speed

Thanks for the reply Smiley
I have changed wireless channel a few times although I should point out that I live in a rural area (luckily very close to the exchange) so the chances of interference from high population etc are slim.
I've switched to channel 13 now, and the BT speedtest gave me 2MB/s down and 0.36MB/s up. This would be acceptable however the intermittent nature of the fault means that I could well test again in 20 mins and I'm back to 0.0MB/s down 0.3MB/s up.
If it is a problem with the wireless, what would the solution be? Nothing has changed since I was first connected. Router is in same place, PC is in same place.  I do understand that sometimes wireless just isn't good enough but it was fine for me up until recently and the router is literally just below the PC through 1 floor/ceiling so range is not an issue.
Could it be the router? I don't have another router to try Sad I have already tried 3 different wireless cards (1PCI, 2USB).
bernimack
Newbie
Posts: 9
Registered: ‎10-05-2013

Re: Slow Speeds / NO speed

Carried out another BT Speedtest using my new wireless channel. First it gave 2+mb, 10 mins later:
Download speedachieved during the test was - 0.22 Mbps
For your connection, the acceptable range of speeds is 0.6 Mbps-7.15 Mbps.
Additional Information:
Your DSL Connection Rate :7.2 Mbps(DOWN-STREAM), 0.45 Mbps(UP-STREAM)
IP Profile for your line is - 6 Mbps
jelv
Seasoned Hero
Posts: 26,785
Thanks: 971
Fixes: 10
Registered: ‎10-04-2007

Re: Slow Speeds / NO speed

The homeplugs I've suggested will give you a consistent connection to the router way, way above the speed of your internet connection. I'd expect you to see 5Mbps+ on speed tests.
I can consistently stream HD iPlayer over mine.
Which exchange are you on?
What does https://portal.plus.net/my.html?action=data_transfer_speed say for your current line speed?
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)
bernimack
Newbie
Posts: 9
Registered: ‎10-05-2013

Re: Slow Speeds / NO speed

Current line speed:
7.15 Mb
I understand that I could get better performance from the product that you linked however I really don't feel like it should be necessary for me to spend any money when it was working perfectly until recently.
Before this fault started occurring I could also stream iplayer in HD just fine. I used to get constant speedtest results of 5mb+. For some reason it seems to have heavily downgraded in recent months.
bernimack
Newbie
Posts: 9
Registered: ‎10-05-2013

Re: Slow Speeds / NO speed

Sorry I forgot to add the exchange:

Exchange name: Pontrhydfendigaid
Exchange code: WNPRD
Location: Ceredigion Wales
jelv
Seasoned Hero
Posts: 26,785
Thanks: 971
Fixes: 10
Registered: ‎10-04-2007

Re: Slow Speeds / NO speed

The history of your exchange looks good: http://usertools.plus.net/exchanges/?exchange=Pontrhydfendigaid&exact=4618&plugin=vp&etashow=yes&ful... (I am also on a 20CN only exchange with no LLU). I see you are due to get FFTC before the end of this year.
Have you tried moving the router around/changing it's orientation? Likewise for the PC. Is there anything different which is electrical or metal near either the router or PC or in the line between them?
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)
Townman
Superuser
Superuser
Posts: 22,922
Thanks: 9,538
Fixes: 158
Registered: ‎22-08-2007

Re: Slow Speeds / NO speed

Hi,
Just to rule out the router / line, is there any way you can get the PC connected direct to the router just for a speed test?
You said nothing as changed - have you got any new wireless based equipment -.dect phone / mobile phone (one of these left close to a PC can nearly kill wifi) / wireless mouse & keyboard / baby monitor / tablet / wireless printer / TV.. Any of these can interfere with wifi.  Download inSSIDer and ake a look at the wifi spectrum in the area and ensure that channel 13 is clear.  For some Wifi cards, channel 13 ideal.
For your attenuation, the synch speed could be a bit better, however your recent data speed tests are well below the acceptable envelope, however they are over wifi and ths not a recommended configuration for this test.
Can you be certain that nothing else is using the Internet whilst you ran the speed test?

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.

bernimack
Newbie
Posts: 9
Registered: ‎10-05-2013

Re: Slow Speeds / NO speed

Unfortunately I cannot connect wired to the router.
I can confirm that I have no new wireless equipment.
I have downloaded inSSIDer and it showed 1 overlapping network on channel 13 and advised me to switch to channel 1, 6 or 11. I switched to 6 with a 'link score' of 93.
I am positive that nothing else is using the internet while I am running the speed test. I have fresh installed Windows 7, used selective startup to ensure only essential windows programs open. I have also used netlimiter to monitor my connection and it confirms that no other traffic is being sent/received.
jelv
Seasoned Hero
Posts: 26,785
Thanks: 971
Fixes: 10
Registered: ‎10-04-2007

Re: Slow Speeds / NO speed

You haven't answered this.
Quote from: jelv
Likewise for the PC. Is there anything different which is electrical or metal near either the router or PC or in the line between them?

I really can't believe that it is physically impossible for you to carry the PC downstairs to perform some tests for a limited period. Not only would it allow you to confirm if everything worked correctly wired. it would also allow you to see if wireless worked better in closer proximity to the router.
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)