When congestion is given as a reason for speed drops, how much is acceptable?

[#1]

Thanks for your input @ejs

I just pinged google.com - average = 21ms

Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 13ms, Maximum = 37ms, Average = 21ms

Then I did 100 pings - 0% loss.

What's the best setting for increasing the ping packet size and command line syntax? Have just tried -f -l 1024 but I have no experience of what would be helpful here.

(Currently testing at <4Mbps throughput.)

[#2]

ping -f -l 1400 would be fine without bothering to work out the exact maximum size possible for whatever the MTU of your Internet connection is.

[#3]

Thanks @ejs

Ping statistics for 216.58.213.110:
Packets: Sent = 100, Received = 100, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 21ms, Maximum = 107ms, Average = 34ms

Tested throughput = 2.69Mbps (slipped again since an hour or so ago... grrrr)

Sync = 39.99Mbps

I'm unsure what all this means taken together. The word 'pathetic' springs to mind.

[#4]

@adamwalker I have started a log using software that pings and download tests every twenty minutes. Since Friday the repeated pattern is my throughput falling off a cliff from about 1.30pm and this lasts until after midnight. Once a few days has elapsed I will collate and present the data.

Is Plusnet aggressively throttling my account for some reason? Some kind of legacy setting from before I was on fibre?

[#5]

Sorry to hear the engineer didn't complete the requested task [a lift and shift]

Is Plusnet aggressively throttling my account for some reason? Some kind of legacy setting from before I was on fibre?

The speed profile on your account is 38600kbps and has been that since the 20th August.

Whilst the latest VP report from BTwholesale is showing that the SVLAN your circuit is connected to, is under threshold, which indicates there's no utilisation issues at the exchange I have contacted our suppliers and they have confirmed this.

If you haven't already, can you try plugging your router into the test socket? Failing that, I think the next step is likely to look at replacing the router. If you contact us 0800 013 2632 [Selecting Option 1, then Option 2] we can look into that.

[#6]

Hi, this is a brand new master socket fitted by first engineer (just in case). Subsequent line testing by engineers done in a number of ways, including using test socket.

New router - I'm using tickets rather than phone for a reason. Please just escalate the replacement router action to the required department for me. Thanks.

[#7]

Ok, have told that apparently I'm out of contract, and router is out of warranty...
Reply -
Sorry, since I'm still getting a negotiated discount I was under impression I still had around 6 months left on an 18 month contract, the router was provided at the start of fibre.

I'm sorry - I will not be entertaining a new contract while the throughout issue remains unresolved. Surely, from a customer service point of view, you can understand that?

I've been with you for over 15 years, going back to the FreeOnline days of dial up.

Please escalate this to someone who can authorise a router if Plusnet deems this is the next step. This is your idea, not mine. You have already cost yourselves three lots of wasted Openreach visits. Thanks.

[#8]

I've sent you a replacement router as a gesture of goodwill.

[#9]

This isn't going well and I am surprised at the very disappointing reply by @Gandalf  If the router is always synced at the maximum for the 40/2 product what is the point of using the test socket, it will make no difference and as for blaming the router there is no evidence that it is faulty. @adamwalker the question that needs to be asked is why didn't the Openreach guy do what he was tasked to do and change to a different line card rather than do nothing on a pointless visit to the customer. If the speed drops are time related it still looks like exchange congestion to me.

Support have a bit of a cheek to ask you to start a new contract to get a new router, I know what I would tell them.

edit: I've just seen that Gandalf is sending you a router as a goodwill gesture, unfortunately I don't think it will make any difference but worth a try.

[#10]

If the new router doesn't fix things then it's likely to require another engineer visit to take another shot into this problem.

Ideally, we'd like them to try a lift and shift at the exchange/cab.

[#11]

"We've hit an all-time low..."

Current measured download speed is 1% of what the maximum.... 0.38 Mbps!

You read that correctly folks.

@RealAleMadrid At the weekend I'm going to post a graphic of the drops over the week. It's interesting.

Currently, the only thing calming me down is the reality that this is only a 'first world problem' but I do so hate spending money on a poor product. If this is local congestation, should not this be indicated in other major suburban areas, and wouldn't the whole forum be set alight with complaints?

[#12]

Here's the latest folks...

@Gandalf @adamwalker

Thank you for the replacement router. Unfortunately it made no difference to the problem. Can you please supply a freepost address or return label and I will get the router returned to you?

I have attached a log since last Saturday of 3-times-per-hour download/upload/ping tests for you to examine. The new router was in play for the last two whole day segments.

It's clear to me that we're experience congestion from the same time of day, from around tea time.

What isn't clear to me, and it's a query no-one has seen fit to answer, is this typical? Does congestion really cause a typical suburban Plusnet customer to drop throughput to less than 10% of maximum for sustained periods? At one particularly notable point it dropped to 0.38Mbps!!

Clearly the physical line is capable of achieving maximum throughput, so unless you know something I don't, I doubt you're going to get Openreach to do anything different, or pull something out of the bag. I'd like to be proved wrong.

If the throughput demonstrated by my chart is typical then I'm astonished at what people are prepared to put up with. If it's not typical then I respectfully suggest you get a few people at Plusnet to put their heads together and come up with a reason, and hopefully a solution.

Thank you.

[#13]

Youv'e got some excellent evidence showing without any doubt that you are suffering from peak time congestion, almost certainly due to lack of exchange backhaul capacity. As I said in an earlier post a new router was pointless, I think its a default position, send out a new router, delay things a bit more. The graph shows longer spells of congestion at the weekend as would be expected. What you are seeing is not normal or in any way acceptable and if a even a small proportion of users were getting such low peak time speeds this forum would be in meltdown. @adamwalker @Gandalf PlusNet need to investigate and push BT for a resolution.

[#14]

Here's mine for comparison

I should add that the dips in download are expected as Now TV was being streamed at those times.

[#15]

Thank you @Browni and @RealAleMadrid

Well, Plusnet, the ball is back in your court. Ideally you should now proceed to tell me exactly how you're going to press BT/Openreach for a solution, other than more pointless engineer visits to my house.

Does anyone know if moving to Virgin (readily available in my street) sidesteps the issue? Or does Virgin in some way use Openreach's clearly overloaded infrastructure at some point in the chain?