Plusnet Hub One downstream:70Mbps but speedtest:53Mbps ... flaky Router?

[#1]

Hello,

I currently have an open ticket: Question [ 205914721 ]

The BT Engineer came today and improved the connection reported in the router Broadband:Connection:Downstream status page from 40Mbps to 69.53Mbps.  Woo hoo!

He said that he 'unlocked' it from 60Mbps to allow the full 72Mbps.  And a possible connection fault had also been fixed on someone else's FTTC line that morning that could have been touching/interfering with mine.

But ... when I now connect a single device directly to the router via ethernet cable the BT wholesale speedtest web page reports 53Mbps, with a maximum achievable download speed of 68.84 Mbps. But the router still claims downstream is 69.53Mbps

The BT engineer didn't think the Hub One should be doing that to my bandwidth, and mused that maybe I should switch the router out.

I don't have a spare router but I have tried switching laptops (mine running windows 10, my better half Linux Mint) and get the same result - also tried a different ethernet cable and even disabled wifi for a test - still get 53Mbps.

I can see the router currently has Software version 4.7.5.1.83.8.263.

This router also has a history of going into a bootloop that I resolved myself by performing a factory reset on it.

https://community.plus.net/t5/My-Router/Plusnet-Hub-1-rebooting-many-times-an-hour/m-p/1765140

So is this speed difference likely to be a faulty Hub One?

Should I ask Plusnet to replace it?  Or is a downstream connection speed into the router of 69.53Mbps and actual download speeds measured on the only directly connected device of 53Mbps normal?

Thanks,

Alan

[#2]

@giraffeandtiger 

I am sure a PlusNet staffer will advise in due course. But because you have had a fault on the line it can take a few days for the line management system to pick up you now have a better line, and slowly increase your download speed. 

try another speed tester. I have been using http://www.mybroadbandspeed.co.uk/speedtester/  plus the one on the ThinkBroadband site both are considered good.

[#3 · Accepted solution]

Your Hub One may be fine. 

I wonder if it is a problem with Plusnet's system which sets the 'Current Line speed'. This caps your speed through Plusnet's network.  I believe it is supposed to transparently track changes to the IP profile as reported by the BT wholesale speedtester when you perform advanced diagnostics.  But sometimes, it gets 'stuck' if you don't see any improvement in download speed after several days.

Here is an example for an ADSL connection from plusnet's website circa 2016:

The 'Current Line speed' is no longer visible to customers since they upgraded their website more than a year ago.  Reason for removing it is unknown.

If Plusnet still operate this 'Current Line speed' system, you should ask a Plusnet rep to check and reset it for you.

If Plusnet no longer operate this system, someone will correct me.

Congestion at the exchange or Packet loss are other possible reasons for lower than expected speeds.

[#4]

@bill888 

The current line speed info is still available in the member centre under Broadband

[#5]

Thanks for the info!
I just checked my account : Current Line Speed (Download): 55.2Mbps
So Plusnet just have to bump that up for me and I should get the higher speeds?
I will ask on my ticket.
Thanks!

[#6]

I just phoned plusnet broadband technical support and the person who I spoke to there told me:

The "Current Line Speed (Download): 55.2Mbps" I see when I log in to my plusnet account and look at the broadband status is not a cap applied by Plusnet but simply a measurement of what I'm receiving - that there is nothing they can do to increase that speed - that it was due to the BT infrastructure that Plusnet is supplying me through.

They also said that they were now supplying me more than my minimum guaranteed speed so case closed.

Could anyone confirm and explain why my router would report this much higher "downstream" speed but plusnet reports a much slower "line speed"?  What's the meaning of/differences between these two measurements?

@bill888 The IP profile you reference above from the BT Speedtest report I generated after the fault was fixed says 68.84Mbps.  Should I be insisting that they perform a "reset" on the linespeed?  I can call them back if so.  Would a "line speed reset" bring it straight back up or does the tech support person have a point that it will be limited by the physical infrastructure?

Thanks

[#7]

So I phoned them back and got through to a tech support person with better training this time.

They manually adjusted the plusnet line speed up to 70 for me.

They also took the details of my previous call and will take action to recomend further training to the first person that I spoke to.

Thank you for all the help on here 🙂