Speed dropped way below Minimum Guaranteed Speed

[#1]

Thank you for your help.

I cannot see speed data history, nor indeed how to initiate its collection on the Netgear router.

[#2]

@peteredison 

What is the model number as the netgear site is rather ambiguous.

[#3]

Hi,

I have a Netgear Nighthawk AC1900 Wi-Fi router model R7000. I think it’s ca.6 years old

[#4]

@peteredison 

Correct me if I am wrong, but this comes up as a router only device (no modem) so is there a device between the Netgear Nighthawk AC1900 Wi-Fi router model R7000 and the phone line?

https://www.netgear.com/images/datasheet/networking/wifirouter/R7000.pdf

If so what is this device (which should be a modem).

Note the Plusnet device is a router/modem and has a socket on the back to go to the phone line, along with four ethernet sockets for the LAN. Netgear Nighthawk AC1900 Wi-Fi router model R7000 has four ethernet sockets for the LAN, and one for the WAN.

[#5]

That's the Netgear beast.

it sits above an Openreach modem, which sits above the Openreach master socket.
Fortunately the maze of boxes and cables hides in the corner of,a box room.

[#6]

@peteredison 

AhHa, so to get the information relating to the line to the cabinet, you will have to access the modem and see what

information regarding the line status is available.

If you can find this, then you can check to see if the connection speed is above the minimum as informed by plusnet.

Please ensure if you post here there is no password or other sensitive information present.

Anything with dB (decibels), Mbs (Megabits per second), speed, attenuation, strength are ok. 

[#7]

just to jump in on this - we had issues about a year, 18 months ago and was told by BT that the modems were obsolete. I was told to contact plusnet and get the all in one hub.

PN then sent this to us free of charge.

[#8]

Thanks for jumping in.

The obvious question: does it work well for you?

[#9]

Yes it has been fine. Some say it's not a very good router/modem, but I think that was the earlier models.

The later models are based on the BT Smart Hub, just a different colour. We've been 18 months with no issues.

The hub is neater too as it gets rid of one of the boxes. 

(Our speed issue this week has sorted itself now too.)

If you do want to keep using your own netgear modem, I think you can plug that into the back of the hub and connect via that wifi instead or you can put the netgear upstairs and use it as a booster.

EDIT: Hub one is the later version

[#10]

Thanks again.

My Plusnet contract ends in September so I will then review my options and consider new hardware, too. Over the past 7 years Plusnet have been decent enough as suppliers.

[#11]

I've been with them over 15 now I think, broadband, then fibre.

Back in the days when they were not owned by BT and answered tickets in 2 minutes!

I'm leaving soon, there are FTTP ultrafast/full fibre lines (with up to 300meg) which have been underground to the box at the end of our drive for 3 years and no way of getting put onto them as Plusnet do not offer FTTP and didn't offer us the trial they did for many.

They continue to charge us £35 for 13meg knowing those cables are available.

Even now they have no plans  to offer full fibre but other providers are starting to become more affordable. After the lockdown and everything resumes, I'll be leaving as full fibre  isn't that much more now than PN charge.

Good luck!

[#12]

just a quick thought - with your old BT modem, you can't "restart" it as such.

Always worth pulling the power cable out for 10mins then plugging back in, this sometimes helps properly resync the connection as when you just restart the separate router it doesn't actually refresh the fibre connection on the line.

Always worth a try.

[#13]

Wonder of wonders!

I ran a speed test before (re) touching anything - speed back to pre-lockdown levels (25down and 5 up). Is Big Brother watching? Whatever, it’s back above the minimum guaranteed level.

Re-booted modem and speed test at the same above minimum level mentioned.

So, issue seems to have been sorted .... by an unseen hand.

I will retire (again).

[#14]

Exactly what happened to us earlier after plusnet finally answered the fault!

Wonders indeed!

[#15]

@peteredison 

Well thats good, but we will never know if there was an issue.

Why, well we never got the connection speed or the other data.

I had a similar issue with plusnet, every evening, 18:00 to 23:00, slow speed tests BUT the connection speeds were constant.

After refusing an engineer visit (why, the line was ok), and getting the VLAN swapped (allegedly), then being requested to supply yet more speed tests, before actually doing the tests, puff it worked correctly, and has ever since.

Of course the Tooth Fairy fixed it, obvious.

Now I try not to involve plusnet in anything, including the annoying buzz on the line which comes and goes (but does not affect the internet) as to be sure it will end up worse if they fiddle with it.

I had the same issue with the previous ISP, they just would not think logically or outside the box.

I would suggest that you do find out if you can get access to the modem, get a set of reference figures, and when it happens again you will be more prepared.

Finally, I monitor connection and throughput speeds 24/7 and since the lockdown my through put has dropped by 2Mbs, while the connection speed is stable and the same as the pre lockdown period.