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Slow speed - profile reset needed?

Mardler
Rising Star
Posts: 630
Thanks: 26
Registered: ‎01-07-2012

Slow speed - profile reset needed?

I'm unable to stream radio let alone HD TV which I could do in Q1.
In the last few months I've disconnected the router a few times whilst away and during storms so I wonder if someone at PN could (again) check my IP profile. Last time I asked the profiler had slugged my connection so hoping similar this time.
Just ran a check: 4.2 down, 0.383 up - I usually get c.6 up and PN connection icon shows 7.15. No wonder HD TV won't stream anymore!
TIA
15 REPLIES 15
Townman
Superuser
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Registered: ‎22-08-2007

Re: Slow speed - profile reset needed?

Hi,
If the DLM has "slugged" your profile again then there is a reason for this which needs to be identified and rectified.
Can you please follow the slow speed trouble shooter detailed at the top of this forum and post the collected data here.

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.

Mardler
Rising Star
Posts: 630
Thanks: 26
Registered: ‎01-07-2012

Re: Slow speed - profile reset needed?

Thanks, Townman, but I explained why speed may have been slugged: I've been away and there have been a couple of thunderstorms so that's possibly the reason. I'll not protect the modem/router in future!
However the stats show it isn't a profile problem:-
noise margin - 12-13db down/24 up
speed - 8.128 down/448 up
attenuation - 16 down/4 up
PN line speed - 7.15
BT speed test - 4.12 down
IP profile - 7.15
If it isn't a profile issue what gives?
Looking forward to a PN staffer response.
Townman
Superuser
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Posts: 22,920
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Registered: ‎22-08-2007

Re: Slow speed - profile reset needed?

Hi Mardler,
Which router do you have?  Either the router has errors / reporting issues or you have transposed (the speed) figures when typing.
It looks like you are on ADSL(1) - are you in a rural location?  Can you put your details in here - http://www.kitz.co.uk/adsl/adslchecker.php - and see if 21CN is available.
For ADSL(1) your line is running at the absolute maximum synch speed, if you had this DS attenuation on ADSL2+ you might be looking at 21Mbps.
The BT & PN profiles (7.15Mbps) are at the correct values for ADSL(1) synching at 8128kbps - see here http://www.plus.net/support/broadband/speed_guide/broadband_terminology.shtml#ipProfile
For the current synch speed on such a short line (1.2km) I think the SNRM margin is rather low, which might indicate that there are noise / interference issues which are causing transmission errors - these could be the cause of depressing the achievable data speeds as indicated by your tests (though see below).
Does your router report error counts - FEC / HEC / CRC ?  If yes can you please post the full set of stats here (copy & paste).  If there are significant error counts then you'll need to raise a fault report (slow speed) here - http://faults.plus.net
Were these speed tests performed over a wired or a wireless connection?  Wireless could explain the low DATA speed test results.  Can you be sure that nothing else was using the internet when you were running the speed tests.
On the face of it, there is nothing to be reset which will improve matters.  A SNRM reset only has benefit where (for whatever reason) the SNRM is excessively high thereby causing the synch speed to be reduced.  For ADSL(1) your line is running as fast as the modulation standard permits.
The visible profile figures are correct for the synch speed on ADSL(1).  I have seen occasions where some hidden BTOR profile setting is different to the visible ones which has acted as a throughput constraint.
There is also the possibility that your exchange is suffering congestion.  This issue needs more analysis, as there is no apparent "reset" magic wand to be waved, unless that pipe-cleans BTORs internal systems (if that is what is wrong here).
FWIW I have run TV (iPlayer) over a 5Mbps (synch speed, 4.5Mbps data speed) link with no real issue.  Mind you if the son tries to do the same at the same time one of us runs into real difficulty... he then gets chopped off the internet!
Quote from: Mardler
Looking forward to a PN staffer response.

Well it is now the weekend and they'll not be back until Monday.  They have been a bit thin on the ground this week and it is virtually a completely brand new team.  Hopefully the above will be of some assistance to yourself and possibly the CRT too.
HTH,
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.

Mardler
Rising Star
Posts: 630
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Registered: ‎01-07-2012

Re: Slow speed - profile reset needed?

Hi Townman,
Speed transposition error above fixed - thanks!
Router is a Netgear 834 basic, mark 1.
No 21CN on my exchange.
There is no audible noise on the line and I think the figures are ok.
Not sure about error code, will look.
Speed test on wired connection (router/modem is next to pc).
I agree that there's nothing I can do and I suspect an exchange problem (there has been a lot of BT work there lately).
I await PN input.

Mardler
Rising Star
Posts: 630
Thanks: 26
Registered: ‎01-07-2012

Re: Slow speed - profile reset needed?

Update.
We've intalled my son's old (12 months) PN router. First speed test showed 6.8mbps down which is better than we ever got with the 12 year old Netgear. However, it's Sunday afternoon so we'll see what happens later.
Mardler
Rising Star
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Thanks: 26
Registered: ‎01-07-2012

Re: Slow speed - profile reset needed?

Speed held later yesterday and this morning is 7.41.
iPlayer still rebuffers, this time after 40 minutes, so remains unwatchable.
Will keep checking but this thread is effectively closed.
Townman
Superuser
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Registered: ‎22-08-2007

Re: Slow speed - profile reset needed?

Hi,
We'll some good news then - suspect router.  I would still ask PN to check for exchange congestion / issues and to check the line's error history.  You ought not to be seeing buffering at those speeds.
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.

Acassim
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Posts: 1,075
Registered: ‎11-06-2007

Re: Slow speed - profile reset needed?

Afternoon folks,
Apologies for the delay in getting to this however it appears that changing the router has had some great results already!
I've tested the line and all profiles seem to match up now with little in the way of issues shown on the broadband fault checker however we did get an possible PSTN issue back so have you noticed anything wrong with the quality of calls made from your landline?
As this isn't with us it may be worth getting your phone provider to run some tests although try not to mention the broadband problems you've seen as normally this discussion would end by being pointed back to your broadband provider so you may need to inform them of some noise on the line to get the initial tests done.
In the meantime, please let us know how you get on with this and if you see any further improvements or degradation in the quality of the broadband service.
Mardler
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Posts: 630
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Registered: ‎01-07-2012

Re: Slow speed - profile reset needed?

Hi Adam,
Thanks for your input.
I specifically checked for noise on the line and there is none, also we have not experienced any call problems.
We managed to watch an hour's worth of iPlayer last night so fingers are crossed.
Mardler
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Registered: ‎01-07-2012

Re: Slow speed - profile reset needed?

Bumped.
Tonight streaming radio breaks up every few seconds: haven't checked TV streaming but clearly it won't work.
Speed tests = 1.74, then 5.56 and 3 mins later 3.64.
Something is wrong so help, please, PN.

Edit: just run another test - 7.1. It's all over the place, probably exchange congestion but needs to be resolved.
Townman
Superuser
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Re: Slow speed - profile reset needed?

Mardler,
PlusNET line tests indicated a potential issue with the PTSN / POTS service.  When you get the "buffering" issue, can you please do the quite line test.  There is the possibility that the identified issue is intermittent.
Unfortunately, given that you have chosen to use different suppliers for POTS and internet you are exposed to the BTOR created problems of no single point of ownership for intermittent / obscure issues.  Though BTOR own all of the infrastructure, they don't (won't) own responsibility for addressing cross service faults - ownership is with the supplier and you have two and you therefore (by default) will have to own the management of the issue between them.
Adam said that the BB looks clean (I would have expected he'd check for congestion as that has already been suggested) and the stats I've seen look good.  Adam has identified a potential PTSN fault (would be good to know what that was) which needs to be checked out / eliminated by your phone supplier.
There is also the possibility that the problem is being caused by a burst of electrical interference.  Have you noticed any regular time for this happening, or action in the household - e.g. Using kettle, microwave etc?
Sorry this is not what you want to hear, but if PlusNET cannot identify a fault with the internet service, they have no fault condition to raise with their suppliers.  Conversely though they believe there is a fault in respect of PTSN, because BTOR do not provide that service to PlusNET, PlusNET cannot instigate a repair request.
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.

Mardler
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Posts: 630
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Registered: ‎01-07-2012

Re: Slow speed - profile reset needed?

Hi Townman,
I didn't check the line for noise as am rather busy but will do next time.
There's no relation to household gear: when it was really low everything else was off. Nor is there a time of day relationship.
Just now it was 7.57!
Looks as though we'll have to wait & see what happens, if anything, when our exchange is connected by fibre: discussions with the powers that be are fairly positive but long delay into 2015.
Townman
Superuser
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Posts: 22,920
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Re: Slow speed - profile reset needed?

May be the next step to profile this is to download and install router stats.
Thus is a program which constantly monitors the operation of the modem, thereby making plain any interference with the broadband operation.  If you want to follow this path, then we're here to help.
Note if here is a fault with your local wires, it will equally impact a fibre service too.

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.

Mardler
Rising Star
Posts: 630
Thanks: 26
Registered: ‎01-07-2012

Re: Slow speed - profile reset needed?

Problem back again.
This afternoon it was impossible to stream a very low bit rate internet radio station.
Speed test showed 4mbps or thereabouts. Back to 7.6 now and streaming a 128AAC station is OK.
No line noise, nothing else in use here, no interference.