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Regular 33.33% Failed Web Requests?

kheemonahs
Grafter
Posts: 28
Thanks: 9
Registered: ‎23-09-2013

Regular 33.33% Failed Web Requests?

I have had a SamKnows Box attached to my router for the last 4 yrs monitoring the performance of my ADSL line complete with monthly stat reports, at times it has come in very handy as I live in a bad Broadband area and had a lot of problems when trying to prove to Plusnet that the connection was not performing as well as it should be.

My problem at the moment is that the SamKnows tests which run automatically over a 24 hr period have been reporting since around 13.00 on the 23rd October that my "Failed Web Requests" have leapt from zero to 33.33% and this is still ongoing, this is Not Around 33.33% but a Rock Steady 33.33% all the time.

I have queried these results with SamKnows and they are saying that this is down to a Plusnet (BT) fault and is due to trying to connect to the "http://bbc.co.uk" web site, which I think is one of the test sites that SamKnows uses.

Question, does this seem plausible to anyone and has anyone else experienced the same problem.

Tony.

20 REPLIES 20
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: Regular 33.33% Failed Web Requests?

@kheemonahs - Mmm, 33.33% is a very exact number and as this value is consistent it tells me, or indeed anyone, that one third of the tests being done are failing or more to the point that one third of the tests aren’t being done at all which is why the value doesn’t change.

I don’t have one of these boxes but do you or anyone know what these tests involve and how many of them there are? Also, the ‘Plusnet (BT) fault’ I find suspicious as there are no obvious issues for users gaining access to it (the BBC site) from their Plusnet connections otherwise this site would be full of comments about it.

Are you able to get SamKnows to elaborate on what this fault is, I suspect it is with them, their tests or their hardware.

kheemonahs
Grafter
Posts: 28
Thanks: 9
Registered: ‎23-09-2013

Re: Regular 33.33% Failed Web Requests?

Hi Mook, thanks for taking an interest.
This is the reply to my last email asking for clarification on various points.

(1) Your line is unable to either load all of the BBC page or that it fails to load a certain object on the page. This is an on going issue therefore the test results have remained the same (33,33%)

(2) Only the BBC webpage.

(3) All it takes for web test to fail is for the line to fail loading a single object on the page, and this applies on your browsing experience until the issue is fixed on your line. But you should not have issues browsing other sites.

(4) I would suggest to first check how the BBC pages load at your end and flag this with the tech support team, you can also share the Web page tests results with them as they might find it useful.

(5) I am afraid the BBC webpage is one of the most visited pages thus it is quite important to be included in the measures.

The web page seems to load on my computer ok and for my slow connection quite fast, I cant see anything wrong with it!
They are saying that some other ISP's are a experiencing the same fault also and to take it up with my ISP, adding that the ordinary Joe answering my call may not know about the "study" but their manager should.
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: Regular 33.33% Failed Web Requests?

@kheemonahs - In order to see what the issue is you’ll need to do some debugging, it’s not to hard to do but how it’s done is  browser dependant.

Start by opening a new browser and then opening the browsers Web Console, for Firefox on OSX this is done using Alt+Cmd+K. A window will appear at the bottom of the browser  and should look something like this:
Firefox Web Console
Once the console is open go to the bbc.co.uk site as normal then inspect the results, any errors should be obvious, but you may need to scroll through the output as it’s quite verbose.

kheemonahs
Grafter
Posts: 28
Thanks: 9
Registered: ‎23-09-2013

Re: Regular 33.33% Failed Web Requests?

My Firefox was Ctrl+Shift+J and I got this, but cant interpret it.

 

 

Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: Regular 33.33% Failed Web Requests?

As you are using Firefox can you please re-do the test but before you visit the web site again make sure the Console tab at the top is selected then select the options you see highlighted in blue below it from my screen capture, i.e. Errors, Warnings, XHR and Requests.

The output you are showing in not what we need to see it should look the same as mine above.

kheemonahs
Grafter
Posts: 28
Thanks: 9
Registered: ‎23-09-2013

Re: Regular 33.33% Failed Web Requests?

Right, sorted, I think!

There are 2 .jpg's attached because the output was just larger than 2 screen grabs (the bbc page has a lot loading).

All of the errors are shown in the screen grabs with just a couple of lines missing (with no errors) in between the 2 pics, but they do show the beggining and the end of the loading.

Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: Regular 33.33% Failed Web Requests?

From what you have posted kheemonahs it all looks sane to me and why SamKnows are saying this is an ISP related issue I do not know. Yes there are errors that could well invalidate your (SamKnows) tests, but not for me. So surely if it were ISP related then I too would see these errors.

Also, are as far as I know SamKnows are quite well respected so if they are aware of an ISP related issue then why don’t they raise it with them, surely coming from them it would carry some credibility! I do find the whole thing quite odd if the truth be told.

kheemonahs
Grafter
Posts: 28
Thanks: 9
Registered: ‎23-09-2013

Re: Regular 33.33% Failed Web Requests?

Thanks Mook,

You have only reinforced the doubts I had about the results and SamKnows explanation of them.

I have already expressed these doubts to SamKnows and am awaiting something further from them.

I am not backward in comming forward in taking Plusnet on when I think I have a valid complaint but in this case I cant be convinced so how can I convince Plusnet?

I will if you wish keep you informed of the outcome.

Thanks again,

Tony.

Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: Regular 33.33% Failed Web Requests?


@kheemonahs wrote:

I will if you wish keep you informed of the outcome.


Yes, please @kheemonahs, I'd like to know the outcome, the whole thing has an odorous hint of 'fish' about it.

Mustrum
Community Veteran
Posts: 3,554
Thanks: 1,055
Fixes: 76
Registered: ‎13-08-2015

Re: Regular 33.33% Failed Web Requests?


@Anonymous wrote:


Also, are as far as I know SamKnows are quite well respected so if they are aware of an ISP related issue then why don’t they raise it with them, surely coming from them it would carry some credibility! I do find the whole thing quite odd if the truth be told.


Having had Samknows a few years ago, I would not trust any of their results. The tests they do are crude at best, and they seem to be more interested in stats, rather than actual proper tests. Yes they are a handy way of monitoring your internet connection, but do no help once you notice a problem.

Not sure if they are still doing their video site testing, when they did, all it did was flood mine and the end point networks.

kheemonahs
Grafter
Posts: 28
Thanks: 9
Registered: ‎23-09-2013

Re: Regular 33.33% Failed Web Requests?

Hi Mustrum welcome to the thread,

As I have said above I have had Samknows for over 4 yrs and their stats have been very helpful at times of confrontation with ISP's where I am told that 0.5Mbps is all I should expect from my line and being told if you dont like it you can lump it!

Having stats that prove over years that this is rubbish I have managed to get and maintain my connection at an acceptable level considering that I live in the outback of Norfolk on the end of unmaintained and ageing aluminium / copper overheads, without this proof of what is possible over a long period of time it would be difficult to argue my case, so SamKnows has a real contribution to be made for people like myself on limited broadband.

Having said that, yes if like in this case the stats seem to be way out for some reason you would expect SamKnows to provide some real data to support the statement that   "This is also in issue with another ISP not just BT, I'd suggest your bring this to BT's attention, so that you can take it to your ISP and prove there is a problem",  and that  "You can share our the charts with the ISP tech team from the analytics section on your online dashboard",  All the chart shows is that my Failed Web Requests have been 33.33% since the 23rd October, but no explanation as to why.

The bottom line here I guess is what is the point of stats if you cant rely on them when you need them!

 
 
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: Regular 33.33% Failed Web Requests?

Thanks for that @Mustrum, I'm pleased to see that our assumptions are somewhat vindicated.

Mustrum
Community Veteran
Posts: 3,554
Thanks: 1,055
Fixes: 76
Registered: ‎13-08-2015

Re: Regular 33.33% Failed Web Requests?

Just a thought, has the Samknows and/or router been reset since the problem started?

 

Unfortunately, as you can reach the site OK on your computer, there would be nothing an ISP could do to help.

Is you computer plugged directly into the router or the Samknows box?

 

 

kheemonahs
Grafter
Posts: 28
Thanks: 9
Registered: ‎23-09-2013

Re: Regular 33.33% Failed Web Requests?

The computer is conecting to the router via WiFi and the router has been reset since the problem started.