Strange Slowdown on Wifi Speeds

[#1]

So....

I've received the replacement router (and sent back the old one) and things are not going well. I keep receiving the following messages at least 11 times in the last 24 hours:

03:04:00, 25 Oct.	(26239.210000) PPPoE is up -​ Down Rate=64299Kbps, Up Rate=18637Kbps; SNR Margin Down=6.3dB, Up=6.0dB
03:04:00, 25 Oct.	(26239.200000) CHAP authentication successful
03:04:00, 25 Oct.	(26239.150000) CHAP Receive Challenge
03:04:00, 25 Oct.	(26239.150000) Starting CHAP authentication with peer
03:04:00, 25 Oct.	(26239.150000) PPP LCP Receive Configuration ACK
03:04:00, 25 Oct.	(26239.140000) PPP LCP Send Configuration Request
03:04:00, 25 Oct.	(26239.140000) PPP LCP Receive Configuration Reject
03:04:00, 25 Oct.	(26239.130000) PPP LCP Send Configuration ACK
03:04:00, 25 Oct.	(26239.130000) PPP LCP Receive Configuration Request
03:04:00, 25 Oct.	(26239.130000) PPP LCP Send Configuration Request
03:03:52, 25 Oct.	(26231.830000) PTM over DSL is up
03:03:09, 25 Oct.	(26188.910000) PTM over DSL is down after 139 minutes uptime
03:03:09, 25 Oct.	(26188.900000) PPPoE is down after 139 minutes uptime [Waiting for Underlying Connection (WAN Ethernet 7 -​ Down)]
03:03:06, 25 Oct.	(26185.590000) PPP LCP Send Termination Request [User request]

I didn't have this problem with the old router. I'm going to try a factory reset to see if that helps. If it doesn't are there any other things I can try, or is this also potentially a faulty router?

[#2]

Thanks for your message, @mshaw213.

With the level of drops we're now showing, that weren't there before, I'd definitely be inclined to say yes.

Is the connection currently set into the test socket?

[#3]

It isn't in to the test socket, but it is in to the master socket (it is one of the Master Socket 5C sockets with separate connections for phone and internet). All of the wiring is the same as with the previous router - I literally swapped the router out and kept all of the cables in place. Unfortunately I've already sent the old router back so I can't put it back in place to see if the line drops go away.

There is only one other device connected to the phone line, and that is a DECT phone which is also plugged directly in to the master socket.

I've tried the quiet line test and there doesn't seem to be anything out of the ordinary from a line noise point of view.

I'm trying to find my old fibre router to see if the problem is related to the line or the replacement router but I'm struggling to locate it (I haven't needed it for around a year).

[#4]

I'm going to keep monitoring the situation, but fingers crossed things seem better at the moment. I've been connected for 1 hour 45 mins which is a record so far. All I've done is unplugged and replugged the internet cable - just wonder if the connection may have been slightly loose.

[#5]

And it's just gone down again, after a total of 145 minutes. Where do we go from here? I haven't been able to find my old router, so can I get another replacement router? Is it possible for that router to be soak tested before it is sent? The help desk stats are as follows:

1. Product name:	Plusnet Hub
2. Serial number:	+081441+NQ92702628
3. Firmware version:	Software version 4.7.5.1.83.8.263 Last updated Unknown
4. Board version:	Plusnet Hub One
5. DSL uptime:	0 days, 00:09:46
6. Data rate:	18569 / 63472
7. Maximum data rate:	18504 / 74430
8. Noise margin:	6.0 / 6.3
9. Line attenuation:	24.2 / 17.6
10. Signal attenuation:	24.0 / 17.5
11. Data sent/received:	694.0 MB / 33.5 GB

These are in line with my previous router.

[#6]

And this time we only managed 21 minutes.

[#7]

So it looks like the DLM has done it's thing overnight:

1. Product name:	Plusnet Hub
2. Serial number:	+081441+NQ92702628
3. Firmware version:	Software version 4.7.5.1.83.8.263 Last updated Unknown
4. Board version:	Plusnet Hub One
5. DSL uptime:	0 days, 04:38:23
6. Data rate:	14845 / 59394
7. Maximum data rate:	14867 / 75193
8. Noise margin:	6.0 / 6.1
9. Line attenuation:	24.1 / 17.6
10. Signal attenuation:	23.9 / 17.5
11. Data sent/received:	1.2 GB / 50.3 GB

Over 4 and a half hours of uptime! So why is this replacement router unable to run at the same speeds as the original plusnet router?

[#8]

@mshaw213,

DLM looks to have dropped the line rate down because there has been (currently) 30+ connection drops since 7:45pm on the 24th October. Would this be when the router was changed over? I'd suggest if it was then there's a problem somewhere (GEA looks perfectly fine) so we'll probably be best to go down the route of a fault. If you can raise this here and let us know we'll progress it for you.

[#9]

Hi @JOLO ,

That is pretty much exactly when the router was swapped out.

I've come home after being out for most of the day and I can see looking at the logs that there have been another 9 or so line drops. I've done the quiet line test again and the line itself still sounds clear.

I've filled out the fault report as suggested.

[#10]

Hi there @mshaw213 thanks for raising the fault report.

I've sent you some troubleshooting checks to perform if you haven't already done so, such as connect via the test socket opposed to the master socket.

If you can get back to us when you've done so we'll test the line again and the next step (if there's no improvement) will be to arrange an engineer visit.

[#11]

Hi @Optimatts ,

Sorry for the delay in responding.

I changed the connection to go directly in to the test socket at about 22:15 yesterday and looking at the logs there were connection drops at 23:43, 01:16 and 01:40. The final drop was at 07:02 when I changed the connection back to going through the front plate.

I'm more than happy to have an engineer visit, but not sure what help that will be. I was having a different issue with the previous Plusnet router, but the actual line connection was rock solid. if you check the connection details there will be one drop every 4 or 5 days which is caused by me restarting the router to resolve the slow wireless transfer speeds. The excessive line drops only started when I received this replacement router.

Either way, let me know what we need to do next.

[#12]

Thanks for getting back to us @mshaw213 

I'm sorry to see you're experiencing a lot of connection problems since fitting the new router. I've ordered you another router now which you should receive within the next few days. Let us know how it goes once you've received it.

[#13]

Hi @Gandalf ,

New router was received and connected on Friday, and my line has stayed up all weekend - no drops whatsoever at all.

Will the DLM eventually start trying to raise the line speed again, or does something need resetting on the line so that the speeds will increase?

Finally, I didn't receive a pink bag in with the replacement router, so I'm unable to send the faulty one back. Is is possible to either get just a bag posted out to me, or a pre-paid label that I can attach to the box?

Thanks for all of your help so far!

Best Regards,

Mark Shaw.

[#14]

Hi @mshaw123,

Glad to hear the connection has been stable as we can also see this from our side.

In terms of your speed, resetting the profile speed will not make a difference. The line at the moment allows you to receive anything from 0Mbps to 49Mbps however your speeds are not maxing out. You are currently hitting a maximum of 45.5Mbps and it is also detecting that there has been some sort of interference for the past two days even though your line has been stable. 

We would need you to first reboot the router and run a wired speed test to see if it increases the speeds to around 49Mbps. If it does not then we would need you to plug the router into the test socket to see if it hits the 49Mbps mark. If it does then we can request the line to be unbanded to increase the speeds. If it doesn't then we would need to arrange an engineer visit.

[#15]

Hi,

I performed the tests as requested yesterday evening. Rebooting the router had no effect on the sync speed. I tried directly in to the test socket and again there wasn't any difference.

I've attached one of my results from the BT Wholesale speed checker:

I've tried doing a quiet line test, and whilst there is a small amount of background noise I would more attribute it to the fact I only have a DECT phone rather than a wired one - there certainly doesn't seem to be anything that I would consider normal noise on the line.

I don't know how your systems work, but can you see if the interference disappeared whilst the router was plugged in to the test socket (it was about 6:50pm)?

Thanks again for all of your help.

Best Regards,

Mark Shaw