Websites frequently slow to load

[#1]

My parents are having issues with their FTTC, and it also affects me when I’m there too. It started a few weeks ago.

Regularly websites will take ~30 seconds to respond to the first request to that site. Once the first page is loaded the website will then respond at a speed I would consider fine.

I was thinking some kind of DNS issue, but changing from I think it was 8.8.8.8 with a secondary of 1.1.1.1 *back* to the Plusnet default hasn’t helped.

Affected devices are iPhones and an iPad, and they have a Hub One, so can’t change it on the router, I’ve been altering the DNS settings on the devices.

I’m kind of at a loss what else to try. It is not every visit to any websites; but it even affects the Plusnet site itself. It’s just often enough to be annoying.

In terms of wifi all devices are on the 5GHz band – I had to split the bands when the neighbours moved in because they’ve got “something” making the 2.4GHz band unusable for streaming video.

All devices are on the latest iOS/iPadOS versions.

Can anyone think of anything else I could try?

[#2]

@GlitterChick A couple of questions  - How old is the Hub. How far away from the Hub are the devices when they 'misbehave'?

These may not be the right questions, but they may give us some clues - obviously, given you have tried both Google and PN dns, it isn't a dns issue, or at least, not conclusively.

[#3]

@jab1 I am not sure how old the hub is. More than a couple of years old, but beyond that I can’t be sure. The details in my signature are actually for my parents’ hub.

The devices act up in the same room as the hub, maybe a metre from it (as well as further away). My dad mostly sits with his iPad almost within touching distance of the hub – just how the room is laid out – so I don’t think it can be a distance problem. Up until a couple of weeks ago he wasn’t complaining, and neither the hub nor his chair have moved in that time.

[#4]

In that case, it could be the Hub - which will be considerably older than 'a couple of years'.

May be an idea for your parents to contact PN and see if they ca get a Hub2 as a replacement - at a minimum that will cost the P&P. How long have they got left on their current contract?

[#5]

They’re under contract until September I think, offhand. They’re not budging until their PSTN phone line is forcibly taken off them, otherwise I would have had them switch to FTTP via an AltNet already – still waiting on OpenReach to upgrade their pole.

Thinking about it, this might have started after OpenReach took their pole down and replaced it a few weeks ago (but yet didn’t put a CBT on it whilst they were there). OR had to return the next day because I think they forgot to actually connect the PSTN service again.

I’ll have to ask my dad if he can remember whether the issues started before or after the pole was done.

[#6]

Openreach wouldn't just put a CBT on 'just because they were there' - they are only installed when FTTP is actually rolled-out to a location.

I don't think that pole replacement would have the effect you are describing  - a faulty OR installation would affect the connection constantly.

[#7]

They’ve enabled the rest of the street, indeed the whole town as far as I can tell. It’s only the one pole which doesn’t have a CBT. I’ve checked random other houses all along the street and whilst some have access issues of some kind (trees mostly), all of the poles I’ve checked do have FTTP on them.

I will get my parents to contact Plusnet and see if they can get a Hub Two though. That might just fix their issues.

[#8]

Can you run a check on either: https://www.broadbandchecker.btwholesale.com/#/ADSL - if your parents still have PSTN phone - or https://www.broadbandchecker.btwholesale.com/#/ADSL/AddressHome if they don't, and attach the full result to a post - obscure any personal details? 

[#9]

That’s the site I’ve been checking on, and how I know some of houses have issues with access/trees. I’ve attached a screenshot.

[#10]

That is strange - it is a 'Fibre Priority' area, and yet it is 'not available' for your parents. Are you sure that, if other properties are on FTTP, it is with OR, and not altnets?, although it is strange your parents pole is not enabled

[#11]

This screenshot is for a house a couple of doors away from my parents – on the adjacent pole to theirs. In total I found 14 houses where FTTP isn’t available – all are connected to the same pole as my parents. I know some of the houses have gone with AltNets/Virgin, but there is definitely OR kit on the other poles too.

[#12]

That is extremely strange. Can you leave it with me until tomorrow - I'll see if I can find the contact details to ask why that pole isn't enabled? 

[#13]

That would be brilliant, thank you.

I did try one OR address someone gave me and it just came back with a very generic message saying it would be done by the end of March 2028. This was just before the pole was replaced though.

https://www.openreach.com/fibre-checker says FTTP will be “available to order soon”.  It’s just frustrating when everywhere else in town was done months if not years ago and there are no obvious access issues of any kind on my parents’ street.

I’m going to try a complete network settings reset on my dad’s devices to see if that helps with the odd lag when first connecting to websites as well. Worst case scenario is I have to log him back into everything again!

[#14]

If it's a new problem I would suspect a recent Apple software "improvement".

Have a look at Settings > Apps > Safari > Advanced > Advanced Tracking and Fingerprint Protection

Try turning it off.

I also find the "Private Wi-Fi address" a real pain with any public Wi-Fi.

I'm prepared to accept these things as well intentioned but personally I don't think the benefit justifies the pain!

[#15]

@markhawkin Personally, I doubt it is an Apple issue, more an ancient Hub.

@GlitterChick  I haven't forgotten, I'll check a bit later.