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internet issue

MyNameIsRay
Grafter
Posts: 45
Registered: ‎11-11-2009

internet issue

So, I have had this problem for several months and I have made threads here before and also tickets but to no avail.
Me and my brothers use the net for gaming a lot. Usually xbox live for fifa / call of duty, or cabal online / Gunz online on the PC.
The problem is that every time someone else in the house opens a new webpage the connection in our game stops or lags for a few seconds.
This starts to make the game annoying/unplayable and often causes disconnect from the game servers (internet doesn't disconnect).
and if anyone loads a video on YouTube we are guaranteed a disconnect from the game.
I have been with +net since 2009 I think, and for the first year or so I never had this problem, but now I do.
I doubt you can help as I have tried 2 or 3 times before but it is extremely annoying so I will try once more.
ummm
So no one repeats the stuff I have been told before... I checked/changed all connections and changed the router and microfilters too... I could not plug the internet cabal into the test socket (of the master socket) as it is inaccessible due to it being plastered over.
I just did a test on http://speedtester.bt.com/ because someone will likely ask:
Download speedachieved during the test was - 4894 Kbps
For your connection, the acceptable range of speeds is 600-7150 Kbps.
Additional Information:
Your DSL Connection Rate :6496 Kbps(DOWN-STREAM), 192 Kbps(UP-STREAM)
IP Profile for your line is - 5500 Kbps



Also the last time during my ticket I was told to report a line fault and a bt engineer would come out to check my line, but if no fault was found I would have to pay the fee for him coming out; Which I wasn't willing to do.
anywaysssss, on a related note... how can I check when my contract expires? I extended it some time last year but I can't remember exactly when or how long...
16 REPLIES 16
jelv
Seasoned Hero
Posts: 26,785
Thanks: 971
Fixes: 10
Registered: ‎10-04-2007

Re: internet issue

The problem is your upload speed, there is definitely a fault there so there.
Have you tried a different router?
jelv (a.k.a Spoon Whittler)
   Why I have left Plusnet (warning: long post!)   
Broadband: Andrews & Arnold Home::1 (FTTC 80/20)
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Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: internet issue

@jelv[quote=MyNameIsRay]So no one repeats the stuff I have been told before... I checked/changed all connections and changed the router and microfilters too
[quote=MyNameIsRay]a bt engineer would come out to check my line, but if no fault was found I would have to pay the fee for him coming out; Which I wasn't willing to doMy understanding is that most ISPs do pass on the potential BT callout charge if no fault is found, however with Plusnet I believe that you will ONLY get charged if the BT engineer arrives and discovers that the problem is caused by YOUR equipment or extension wiring.  This is one of the reasons why Plusnet make you do so many tests (particularly the TEST socket check) BEFORE they book an engineer visit.
orbrey
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Posts: 10,540
Registered: ‎18-07-2007

Re: internet issue

Hi there,
As mentioned it is definitely the upload slowdown causing the issues with the gaming, and there isn't really anything we can do to fix that unless a fault is raised.
If you can't get access to the test socket then please do try the connection with two different routers (if possible) plugged into the master socket with everything else removed from the line and you've done all you can to prove the issue isn't caused by something within your premises. Ideally though the test socket should be used as that will remove the possibility that the issue is being caused by the extension wiring.
MyNameIsRay
Grafter
Posts: 45
Registered: ‎11-11-2009

Re: internet issue

Ok I got to the test socket.
Bt.speedtest
Download speedachieved during the test was - 4615 Kbps
For your connection, the acceptable range of speeds is 600-7150 Kbps.
Additional Information:
Your DSL Connection Rate :6784 Kbps(DOWN-STREAM), 128 Kbps(UP-STREAM)
IP Profile for your line is - 5500 Kbps


everything from those test seems worse in the test socket :X

and still the same ingame
MyNameIsRay
Grafter
Posts: 45
Registered: ‎11-11-2009

Re: internet issue

I tried again with a new router + micro filter and still in the test socket.

Download speedachieved during the test was - 4849 Kbps
For your connection, the acceptable range of speeds is 600-7150 Kbps.
Additional Information:
Your DSL Connection Rate :6784 Kbps(DOWN-STREAM), 224 Kbps(UP-STREAM)
IP Profile for your line is - 5500 Kbps
the only thing I haven't changed is the wire which goes from the router to the micro filter since I don't have another in the house at the moment..
another:
Download speedachieved during the test was - 2048 Kbps
For your connection, the acceptable range of speeds is 600-7150 Kbps.
Additional Information:
Your DSL Connection Rate :6784 Kbps(DOWN-STREAM), 64 Kbps(UP-STREAM)
IP Profile for your line is - 5500 Kbps
MyNameIsRay
Grafter
Posts: 45
Registered: ‎11-11-2009

Re: internet issue

Again:
Download speedachieved during the test was - 3246 Kbps
For your connection, the acceptable range of speeds is 600-7150 Kbps.
Additional Information:
Your DSL Connection Rate :6784 Kbps(DOWN-STREAM), 64 Kbps(UP-STREAM)
IP Profile for your line is - 5500 Kbps

What's the wire called which connects from the micro-filter to the router? I will go and buy one today~
Also if that doesn't fix the problem, I would have tried changing all hardware/wires and used the test socket, what would you suggest next?
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: internet issue

It does look like you have a fault with your upload speed.  Cry

[quote=MyNameIsRay]What's the wire called which connects from the micro-filter to the router?
That is known as an "ADSL cable" or an "RJ11 to RJ11", for example the one I use is http://www.adslnation.com/phpapps/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=21&products_id=120.
Make sure you get a high quality cable rated for ADSL2 or ADSL2+,  and obviously get one with a plug on both ends, as it is also possible to get socket to socket, or plug to socket leads.

[quote=MyNameIsRay]what would you suggest next?
Next you need to run Plusnet Broadband Fault Checker

Unfortunately you have caught it on one of the few days when it is unavailable as it currently says -
Quote
Broadband Fault Checker temporarily unavailable
The Broadband Troubleshooter is currently unavailable due to maintenance work.
To find out when it'll be back online, please check Service Status.

Then checking the Service Status page, it says -
Quote
When's this work happening?
From 8pm Saturday 9th through until 6.30am Sunday 10th
What does it affect?
Access to the Broadband Faults Troubleshooter on our website.
How long will it take?
Approximately ten and a half hours.
What does the work involve?
Our suppliers are making some changes to the parts of their system that the broadband fault checker connects to.
Am I likely to notice the work?
You won't be able to access our Broadband Faults Troubleshooter for the duration of the maintenance window.
Is there anything else I need to know?
You will encounter holding pages if you try accessing the Broadband Faults Troubleshooter during the maintenance window.
WWWombat
Grafter
Posts: 1,412
Thanks: 4
Registered: ‎29-01-2009

Re: internet issue

I'm going to parrot the others here - that the problem looks to be the upstream speeds.
It is almost pointless in continuing to perform speedtests, as these are going to vary, but without helping to diagnose the underlying problem. The only exception is that doing a BT speedtest will also tell you your Upstream connection rate - which in your various reports has varied with values of 64, 128, 192 and 224kbps.
It is therefore better if you report your router's statistics - which you can usually get by logging into the router, and finding the statistics page. It will have data about the sync speeds, plus noise margin, attenuation, and power values. It may also have the error counters too.
Most people have no problem with the upstream rate - and certainly not when their downstream is performing so well (at over 6Mbps). BT will restrict the speed to 448Kbps and most people will be able to achieve that, but to be honest, most people would get around 1Mbps easily when the downstream is behaving as well as yours - if BT allowed it. The reason that upstream usually behaves best is because the upstream is allocated the lowest frequencies, which tend to not get interference.
So... the fact that you are getting low upstream sync speeds, plus the fact that they keep changing, all go to show that you are suffering interference on the upstream.
The next steps are almost certainly going to lead towards completing the fault report for Plusnet, in order to get a BT Openreach engineer to come out, and make some changes. Yes, you will be warned about the call-out charge, but my gut feeling here is that an engineer visit is the only way to sort this out.
The best way to make sure
a) You don't get charged for the visit
b) The engineer can fix the problem in a single visit
is to isolate the problem as much as you can, as part of Plusnet's troubleshooting procedure.
The definitive first step is to plug the router into the test socket, and leave it there until all problems have been solved.
Then you need to go through Plusnet's fault troubleshooter (which seems to be working now). That process will get you to change equipment, as part of an isolation process.
The troubleshooter might sometimes get the wrong emphasis, because almost everyone has problems with the downstream - and questions will be focussed on that. You will have to help PN by keeping a clear focus on the upstream yourself.
One tool that may help you see how your upstream & downstream are behaving is RouterStats, or RouterStats lite, depending on your model of Router. Take a look at http://www.vwlowen.co.uk/internet/files.htm, and see if it will work - if so, it will keep graphs of your up- and down-stream sync speeds, and error rates, and should help show you how often it disconnects and changes. Any pattern you can identify through this will help direct a BT engineer too.
Plusnet Customer
Using FTTC since 2011. Currently on 80/20 Unlimited Fibre Extra.
Oldjim
Resting Legend
Posts: 38,460
Thanks: 787
Fixes: 63
Registered: ‎15-06-2007

Re: internet issue

From experience with the same problem I found that it got worse (resyncs) when I had an incoming call where the phone was left to ring and we never managed to fix it despite several BT visits
In the end it was fixed when I was moved to 21CN which changed the exchange board from a DSLAM to MSAN so it was clearly an exchange fault
MyNameIsRay
Grafter
Posts: 45
Registered: ‎11-11-2009

Re: internet issue

The upstream speed shown on the router page only seems to change when the router is reset or after I do a bt speedtest. Not sure if that means something...
Uptime: 0 days, 13:05:13
Modulation: G.992.1 annex A
Bandwidth (Up/Down) [kbps/kbps]: 224 / 6,816
Data Transferred (Sent/Received) [MB/MB]: 89.48 / 575.08
Output Power (Up/Down) [dBm]: 10.5 / 19.5
Line Attenuation (Up/Down) [dB]: 16.5 / 30.0
SN Margin (Up/Down) [dB]: 7.0 / 14.5
Vendor ID (Local/Remote): TMMB / TSTC
Loss of Framing (Local/Remote): 0 / 0
Loss of Signal (Local/Remote): 0 / 0
Loss of Power (Local/Remote): 0 / 0
Loss of Link (Remote): 0
Error Seconds (Local/Remote): 0 / 0
FEC Errors (Up/Down): 0 / 0
CRC Errors (Up/Down): 0 / 58
HEC Errors (Up/Down): 0 / 34
Oldjim
Resting Legend
Posts: 38,460
Thanks: 787
Fixes: 63
Registered: ‎15-06-2007

Re: internet issue

You have a major problem
Have you tried the quiet line test - dial 17070 option 2 - it should be silent
This was what my bit loading looked like when I had a similar problem and it was almost certainly caused by cross talk at the exchange
MyNameIsRay
Grafter
Posts: 45
Registered: ‎11-11-2009

Re: internet issue

Before calling quiet line

just after calling quiet line

30 seconds after calling quiet line

I am not sure what I am supposed to look for so I just post screens here...
I repeated this a few times and I only seen twice when there was upstream mixed in with the downstream bars.
Oldjim
Resting Legend
Posts: 38,460
Thanks: 787
Fixes: 63
Registered: ‎15-06-2007

Re: internet issue

You appear to have the same problem I had where the upstream and the lower frequencies of the downstream are being hit.
This picture shows the before and after situation on my line - the left hand picture is after the problem was fixed
I also attach my current Routerstats picture for a direct comparison with yours
WWWombat
Grafter
Posts: 1,412
Thanks: 4
Registered: ‎29-01-2009

Re: internet issue

Quote from: MyNameIsRay
The upstream speed shown on the router page only seems to change when the router is reset or after I do a bt speedtest. Not sure if that means something...

It will change after it resyncs - at least, if conditions have changed... and they seem to be changing all the time on your line.
A BT speedtest shouldn't cause a change - it only reports the value as seen at the DSLAM - which ought to be the same as the value reported by your router.
Quote
I repeated this a few times and I only seen twice when there was upstream mixed in with the downstream bars.

That is weird. It shouldn't happen at all, but I do see it in the middle picture!
It might be worth posting on the Routerstats forum to find out if it is even possible!
Quote
I am not sure what I am supposed to look for so I just post screens here...

I've taken one, and highlighted the areas that I think are missing:
1) Your upstream frequencies start a lot higher than I'd expect, so you're missing out on some of what should be prime bandwidth. It also does carry as many bits per tone as I'd expect - both indications of interference.
2) The start of the downstream frequencies has a distinct rising slope to them; you'd normally expect to see the lowest frequencies having the highest #bits. Above that, things are looking very good.
(Hmmm... uploading kept failing. Anything going wrong?)
Plusnet Customer
Using FTTC since 2011. Currently on 80/20 Unlimited Fibre Extra.