Slow speed & random connection dropping

[#1]

@ cihan
When you first posted your pingtest.net/speedtest.net results in the Peak Time Issue thread, it looked like you were running off a VPN/proxy in the US? Were you aware of that?
If you weren't, I wonder if your PC might have a virus or trojan?

[#2]

That's an excellent point Andy!
@cihan
Banding is the cause of your current problem, no doubt. It's a case of discovering why it has happened. From what you've described, BT's work may well have cause several frequent interrupts to your line, resulting in the severe banding as kindly explained by spraxyt. When DLM sees an improvement it can change the banding as it appears to have done at present. But we still need to try an eliminate any internal issues that may be causing drops in connection, otherwise these problems will only re-occur.
That's a nice picture of that test socket, but it's any wiring that's connected to the removed plate that is important & especially of interest, and whether all the other sockets are dead. Please go round with a phone & spare filter and plug into each of the other sockets and see if they are dead.

[#3]

@AndyH
Regarding that, I use Firefox on my Mac and have an extension that uses a proxy to get around those pesky moments when a video clip is not available to certain countries. When I realised that, I used a Windows laptop to do the speed tests afterwards. I'm very conscious about viruses, so am certain that's not an issue.
@Anotherone
When I initially removed the bottom plate of the test socket yesterday, my router was still plugged into the socket upstairs and I noticed the internet was still working. So it looks like removing the plate didn't seem to have an effect, I don't think any wiring is connected to it, just the screws.

[#4]

OK, do you know where the BT incoming cable is outside? See if you can locate where it goes into the house and see which socket it may go to, or if there is another connection box anywhere.

[#5]

It's hard to tell, but does look likely the outside cable leads to that socket.

[#6]

In which case can you unscrew the back plate from the wall box and take a picture of the connections to the back of it. Be careful as you take it off not to disturb or pull out any wiring from the connections themselves.

[#7]

Attached two photos of the socket with the plate detached.

[#8]

At the back of the NTE5 you have 3 screwed connector plates - A, B and E.
E is the one on the left (looking down from the top) and should be unused.
A and B should wires connected to them and they look fine from your pic. There should be an external junction box somewhere outside behind where the master socket is on the wall.

[#9]

I feel like we're heading into a technical area that I'm not confident with. Is it not possible to have an engineer inspect the property? The internet is incredibly slow and it takes ages to even reply to this thread. I don't want to mess around with cables in case I mess things up even more.

[#10]

You have to have a clearly defined fault to get an engineer that won't cost you at least £60 and possibly more. We are heading in the right direction though.
The problem here is that there is only one pair of wires at this socket, so that can't be the incoming BT cable as none of the other sockets would work if they aren't connected from here!
Either the BT cable goes to one of the other sockets or there is a box on the outside of the house with 2 cables coming from it. One coming to this "master" and the other going to one of the other sockets. 
Have a good look around in daylight and see what you can find.  In the meanwhile the other thing you can do, is look at the back of all the other sockets in the house and see if one of them has "ring capacitor" similar to this one. Also see if any of them have 3 cables going to them, rather than just 2  as in the picture at reply #10 or even just one cable.
I do have another suggestion dependant on what you find.

[#11]

Hi cihan,
It might be worth you running through our faults checker at http://faults.plus.net and if you could complete the initial questions we'll happily take a look at your line for you.

[#12]

He could do with his line un-banding Chris, but his internal wiring is in need of a sort, he's apparently got a master socket, but it's not wired as as Master, star wiring + a bell wire by the looks of it all. He hasn't located where the BT incoming cable connects to the chain of sockets yet.
Recent external BT works have probably been the cause of the recent line disruption, but he got the odd drop previously anyway. Trying to get to a position where he might be able to get an engineer with no risk of a fee!

[#13]

Hi Anotherone,
That makes sense to do so, I've also placed a SNR reset on your line which will hopefully help with your speeds, this will take up-to 4 hours to take effect. Please try and refrain from doing a reboot of the router as your line will be placed in a 10 day training period.

[#14]

Quote from: Anotherone

Have a good look around in daylight and see what you can find.  In the meanwhile the other thing you can do, is look at the back of all the other sockets in the house and see if one of them has "ring capacitor" similar to this one. Also see if any of them have 3 cables going to them, rather than just 2  as in the picture at reply #10 or even just one cable.

Ok, bit of a discovery.
Photo 1: In the living room the phone is plugged into a micro filter which is plugged into what looks like an extension. The cable from the extension goes into the wall, and outside I think.
Photo 2: On the other side of the living room, is a cable from under the floor going into a micro filter and into the socket. The cable is attached to the micro filter and doesn't look like it can be removed easily.
Photo 3: Is the socket above unplugged for a better look. The internet continued to work, but the phone stopped.
Photo 4: Is the socket opened.
Haven't checked all the other sockets yet to look for capacitor, etc. (this house has a ridiculous amount of wall sockets)
The internet seems to have improved today, thanks Chris.

[#15]

When you've got time post up your stats.
As far as this wiring goes keep looking at sockets - the more pictures the better. That extension lead - is the cable round or flat?
One thing I will say, whoever wired this lot up didn't know about phone wiring, but at least it's the right cable - they've used the wrong colours on terminals 1 & 6 and 3 & 4 not that it will make any difference to your problem - just ignore anyone chipping in and saying pull out the orange wires!
Don't alter anything, once we know what is what, it will likely be a fairly easy fix, so don't get worried.