Weird (capped) download speed (20Mb) but fast Upload (9-10Mb) on Fiber Broadband Extra

[#1]

Anybody got an explanation / theory for why my broadband speeds are currently so odd - it's been like this for months now.

The figures (even when hardwired into the router - which I have also swapped) are consistent at 20.Mb download and 9Mb Upload - I should expect 35Mb upwards... the DSL logs in the router say I should be getting 55Mb (theoretical) raw throughput ?

Is it a Profile capping issue?

Asus DSL-AC56U router. (latest firmware)

[#2]

@RobDaGoth  welcome to the forums.

Have you done the broadband troubleshooting guide : https://www.plus.net/help/broadband/connection-troubleshooting/ 

She how that goes. Do all tests with a wired connection. If still an issue then log a fault.

Bear in mind due to current lockdown you might get a slow response to any investigation.

[#3]

Yeah, thanks for the reply, I've been on the support merry-go-round a few times... the router says the line is sync'ed at 55Mb but no test ever gets anything other than 20Mb - used to be faster for sure... my theory is a  speed cap in the network somewhere but plusnet are no help in diagnosing this.

[#4]

@RobDaGoth 

Go to the following website https://speedtest.btwholesale.com/  and do the tests including the second part of the tests, these get logged and your ISP can see them.

It might also show you with a stuck profile, in which can log a fault and asking for the stuck profile to be removed.

[#5 · Accepted solution]

Hi @RobDaGoth 

Do you have a static IP?

If so there is a Plunset profile which can reduce speeds.

The Plusnet profile should be automatically adjusted to match the BT IP profile but it can get stuck.

The Plusnet profile has been known to be stuck at 20 Mbps.

20 Mbps was the default Plusnet profile for ADSL lines when first provisioned.

What is current line speed (download) reported at: https://www.plus.net/member-centre/broadband

Regards

Richard

[#6]

So the Current Line Speed is 20 Mb  (consistently) - I mentioned this to support personnel previously!

Makes absolute sense that this is the problem but how do I get it corrected..?

[#7]

Worth pointing out that , although I have never requested a static IP - my external IP address has been the same for years...

[#8]

And with that, the case was solved ...

inetnum:        84.92.64.0 - 84.92.127.255
netname:        PLUSNET-DIAL-ADSL
descr:          Dial-up and ADSL pool
descr:          PlusNet Technologies Ltd
country:        GB
admin-c:        PLUS1-RIPE
tech-c:         PNET2-RIPE

I'm in a DIAL-UP AND ADSL pool IP range... what's the betting that's capped at 20MB (understandably)

Plusnet probably owe me a lot of money for paying for Fibre Service at Copper Speeds !!!! 

I go to battle in the morning.

[#9]

Hmm - I wouldn't have thought a RDNS (essentially what your test did) would affect your speeds. I could be wrong.

Are you getting the same speeds on any site you try and access? That rules out it congestion on the internet or even the servers?

I think it'll need a member of staff to pick this up.

[#10]

Bad form replying to myself, I wouldn't if I were able to edit my own post within the Crystal Maze-esque 15 minute edit limit 🙄 I've found the crystal!

I see the OP has noticed another thread where another user has noticed the same problem. The difference between the two is yours isn't static and the other persons is.

I am thinking of a couple of things (I don't do that very often so bear with me!), that PlusNet have changed something their side which is mis-classifing your IP for the wrong profile on their back-end systems.

EDIT: (yey got there within 15 mins), sounds like a profile capping issue. If you're certain your IP hasn't changed in 2 years then it sounds like a change has been made their side. I am sure anyone with Mod/Admin access can check your post history which also tells them what IP you posted from, as they have the extra info.

EDIT 2: They might not have that as you're a new poster. PlusNet may be able to do a lookup on your username and see what IP's you have been using. If it hasn't changed then I would say PlusNet have made a change which isn't classifing some of their IP range correctly.

[#11]

@Alex  Not sure if posting at 4:44 AM is a good idea, your thoughts sound a bit muddled.😊  If the OP has had the same external IP address for years I would hazard a guess that it is a fixed IP so it is probably the usual scenario of the Plusnet Current Line speed getting stuck and restricting the throughput because static IP's use a different network connection ( Not Plusnet's "New" Network which is not restricted by Current Line Speed)

I am pretty sure that al least some of the IP range @RobDaGoth has shown above is for fixed IP addresses. I had one years ago in that range. I don't think the mention of ADSL Dial up in the description is in any way relevant to the Profile speed. I was on 80/20 FTTC when I had a fixed IP address.

So the required action is to go to a dynamic IP or get Plusnet to correct the Current Line Speed value.

[#12]

Worth pointing out that , although I have never requested a static IP - my external IP address has been the same for years.

@RobDaGoth were you around in the dial-up days then ?

If you were, and ever requested to be able to dial in from a CID other than home , for example when staying with friends, then you WILL have been allocated a static IP at that point. There's then a pretty good chance that it will have stayed like that throughout any package changes/upgrades, mine certainly did!.

[#13]

I was around then and moved my Plusnet account to other premises since - Plusnet have identified that their "Profile" as opposed to the line profile was set to ADSL/Dialup and that it shouldn't have been - I'm now getting speeds within acceptable limits - only took about 2 years!

[#14]

Glad you got it sorted. The problem seems to be that when PlusNet migrated to the 'new network' a few years ago, the general understanding by CSC was that the PlusNet profile was no longer used. Whilst this is largely true, as a number of people have discovered it IS still used for accounts with static IP's as they are routed over the old L2TP network. I know that the experienced PlusNet  Help Team members who frequent this forum are trying to educate CSC staff to check for static IP and Plusnet profile as part of any low speed report but it takes time...