slow speeds only temporarily fixed by modem/router reset

[#1]

So the cycle goes:

• Notice frequent delays loading pages ('Connecting...'), albeit intermittently


• Speed tests typically indicate half sync speed download (15 instead of 30Mbps) and upload of <1 instead of 5Mbps


• Rest Plusnet & BT routers (Plusnet off, BT off, BT on, Plusnet on)


• All ok for a day or 2


• Back to top

Any ideas?
Cheers
John

[#2]

BTW just tried ringing customer support - gave up after waiting 70 mins 

[#3]

I'm getting the same problem. First noticed this morning, around 6:30 but it fixed itself and by 7:00 we were back up to normal speeds. But it's happened several times during the day. Seems to be fixed by rebooting the BT Modem. Rebooting just the router means that when it comes back it shows a message about a possible BT outage and to try clicking the connect button in 10 minutes, even though it shows as being connected.
I'm connected to the Chudleigh exchange in Devon.

[#4]

Speed tests via Wifi?

[#5]

Nope - cable straight from router 2 ft away.

[#6]

I've been getting connection delays recently as well and last two nights my speed test results have been poor. Seems at the moment like the classic 'single threaded download runs slow' problem that Plusnet spent six months trying to fix last year. I'm not going to put up with it for long this time because I'm out of contract now.

[#7]

Quote from: Andrue

ISeems at the moment like the classic 'single threaded download runs slow' problem that Plusnet spent six months trying to fix last year.

And is that something that can be fixed temporarily by rebooting the modem/router? Just checking whether that's what I'm seeing.

[#8]

Quote from: matth1j

And is that something that can be fixed temporarily by rebooting the modem/router?

The original fault could usually be fixed by a router reboot (no need to reboot the modem and it's best if you don't - use the 'disconnect' button in the router UI if you have one). In my case a single bounce would usually sort things out for a month or two. For some people it only fixed it for a few days.
It's early days to say if it's the same fault but your comment about connection delays jibed with me. I didn't get that before - just had poor single threaded speed results. It's also odd that my single bounce tonight didn't help. For what it's worth my previous PPP connection was over 20 days old so whatever has happened it appears to be within PN's network. If I remember correctly the fault last year occurred only after a connection drop (it was if you sometimes just got shunted to a different gateway and occasionally ended up on a bad one).
Maybe a side-effect of the network changes they are making. But something is up it seems whether it's the same fault or something new

[#9]

I just bounced my connection a second time and things seem to have recovered. Will have to see how long it lasts but so far my issue at least is looking like 'old faithful' or 'The great fault of 2015' 

[#10]

Ok, thanks,

Quote from: Andrue

(no need to reboot the modem and it's best if you don't - use the 'disconnect' button in the router UI if you have one).

Sorry - by UI do you mean the page generated by the router if you browse to its IP address? My (Plusnet) Technicolor Gateway TG582n has options for restarting and resetting, but I usually use the power button; is that ok? I'll just do that next time and not power cycle the modem.

Quote

In my case a single bounce would usually sort things out for a month or two. For some people it only fixed it for a few days.

The latter for me. And I guess 'bounce' = router disconnect?

Quote

Maybe a side-effect of the network changes they are making. But something is up it seems whether it's the same fault or something new

Mmm...

[#11]

Quote from: matth1j

Sorry - by UI do you mean the page generated by the router if you browse to its IP address? My (Plusnet) Technicolor Gateway TG582n has options for restarting and resetting, but I usually use the power button; is that ok?

Yes, that's fine. What you shouldn't be doing however is resetting the BT modem. Do that enough times in a short enough space of time and the dreaded DLM will start to intervene and throttle your connection back.

[#12]

Quote from: Andrue

What you shouldn't be doing however is resetting the BT modem. Do that enough times in a short enough space of time and the dreaded DLM will start to intervene

I'm wondering if that's happened - after installation (just over a year ago) I was happily getting 35Mbps, but my sync speed is now only 30. Could that be due to DLM?

[#13]

Quote from: matth1j

I'm wondering if that's happened - after installation (just over a year ago) I was happily getting 35Mbps, but my sync speed is now only 30. Could that be due to DLM?

Not in the sense that you caused it. Pretty much all lines will suffer from increasing interference as neighbours sign up for the service. It's called crosstalk. Over time the attainable sync will fall for pretty much all of us. If it falls below the maximum for your package (80Mb/s or 40Mb/s) then DLM will intervene to avoid disconnections by dropping your actual connection speed. It's an expected problem with FTTC. There is a technology called 'vectoring' that aims to mitigate the problem but BT seem to have backed away from a national roll-out. I think they've decided it's more cost effective to push ahead with the next generation of their network which is G.FAST. Given that G.FAST may begin a national roll-out later this year (my guess) that seems sensible.
If you power cycle or reset your modem too often (several times within a single 15 minute interval or something like that) DLM will intervene as it assumes there's a problem. But then if left alone for long enough (a couple of weeks usually) it start to relent and lets the sync speed recover.

[#14]

Thanks for the info.

[#15]

And now a couple of times this afternoon the 'internet' LED on the Plusnet Technicolor modem has gone red for a bit - minute? - dropping my connection, before recovering back to green.
Speedtest currently showing 30Mbps down (normal), 1.5Mbps up (shoud be 5).