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Broadband consistently 10% of typical speeds

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hemmer
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Posts: 8
Registered: ‎19-01-2018

Broadband consistently 10% of typical speeds

Hi there,

I have been a loyal plusnet customer for a number of years, but unfortunately recently I have seen a significant drop in broadband speeds. Up until a month ago, typical speeds were 12 Mbps whereas now they are consistently ~1.4Mbps (according to BT speed test, performed using ethernet cable to the router).

This is independent of the time of day, or day of the week and is really frustrating as the internet is basically unusable especially given that I work from home. I would appreciate any help as I have tried everything I can think of from this end.

 

 

19 REPLIES 19
jab1
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Registered: ‎24-02-2012

Re: Broadband consistently 10% of typical speeds

@hemmer Welcome to the forums. Sight of your router stats would help others to help you, but it does appear from what you say that you have a problem.

I assume you have followed the guidance from https://community.plus.net/t5/Broadband/ADSL-Speed-faults/m-p/1270245#M297501 ?

John
hemmer
Hooked
Posts: 8
Registered: ‎19-01-2018

Re: Broadband consistently 10% of typical speeds

Thanks for your response - sorry I should have included the router stats (although I don't know how to interpret them), see below:

 

1 - Product name: Plusnet Router
2 - Serial number: XXXXXXXXXXXXX
3 - Firmware version: 7.273.1_F2704N_Plusnet
4 - Board version: F@ST2704N
5 - Mode ADSL
6 - Uptime: 0 days 14:15:18
7 - Data rate: 435/2935
8 - Maximum data rate: 444/3012
9 - Noise margin: 6.1/3.2
10 - Line attenuation: 24.8/36.0

 

From: https://portal.plus.net/my.html?action=data_transfer_speed
Current line speed: 2.8 Mb

jab1
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Re: Broadband consistently 10% of typical speeds

Thanks for that, @hemmer.

Looking at that data, there are obvious problems:-

You are experiencing loss of connection (unless you turn your router off yourself)

These losses of connection have resulted in your speeds being reduced by the DLM to try and stabalise your connection, although I also think your downstream noise margin of 3.1dB isn't helping.

Do you experience noise on your phone-line? Dial 17070, select option 2 (preferably using a corded phone).

 

John
Baldrick1
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Re: Broadband consistently 10% of typical speeds

@jab1

Surely if the DLM had kicked in to reduce the speed the SNR would have increased correspondingly. If I understand this chart correctly https://www.increasebroadbandspeed.co.uk/graph-ADSL-speed-versus-line-loss-distance then the OP is about 3kM from the exchange (I've added on a bit as the chart assumes a 6dB SNR). This lines up with expected 11.8Mbps original speed. As it's been in sync for 15 hours without dropping on a 3dB SNR the line must be quite reasonable.

Assuming @hemmer has tested on the BT Speedtester using the test socket doesn't it have to be either a duff router or an exchange problem? @hemmer do you by any chance have a spare router to try?

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jab1
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Re: Broadband consistently 10% of typical speeds

@Baldrick1 You are probably more correct than me Smiley It would still be interesting to see the Radius graph - 15 hours uptime isn't that long.

Also, @hemmer hasn't said over what period the speed has reduced. Your other suggestions, though, are good.

John
hemmer
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Posts: 8
Registered: ‎19-01-2018

Re: Broadband consistently 10% of typical speeds

The connection itself actually seems pretty consistent - I'm not aware of a time where connection has dropped. I think the short uptime there is just because the BT speedtest requested that I restart the router prior to the test. The speed reduction has been happening consistently for ~1 month (any time of day).

I don't actually get a phone service from plusnet, but do pay line rental. I tried to use the phone that comes with the house but didn't get a dial tone when I picked it up or after calling the number 17070?

 

As for using the test socket on the mastersocket, I can't seem to locate it - there is just a wire that appears out of the wall and the ADSL filter is plugged into that (see attached). The house is a rental so cant do too much exploratory digging!

hemmer
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Registered: ‎19-01-2018

Re: Broadband consistently 10% of typical speeds

PS. I dont have a spare router but can try and track one down if you think it might be worth it?

jab1
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Re: Broadband consistently 10% of typical speeds

That wiring looks REALLY strange - but there must be a BT master socket somewhere.

Do you get a dial tone on the phone when you pick it up? Once you have dialed 17070, you should hear an automated voice offering 4 options - once you hear '2', just click that number on the phone keypad and listen, if it is totally silent you will eventually hear 'quiet line test' - just hang up at that point.

 

The spare router suggestion ought to be followed - if you can source one.

John
Baldrick1
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Re: Broadband consistently 10% of typical speeds

This is just an off the shelf extension lead that you have access to. Can you not get any idea where this is coming from? If it's an overhead line coming into the house can you see where it comes in? Can you ask the landlord? Is the telephone and broadband account(s?) in your name or the Landlords? If you don't have a landline service from Plusnet, who do you pay the line rental charge to?

The fact that you can't get a dial tone could be significant and indicate that there is a problem in the exchange. The problem that may cause you issues is that if a BT technician comes to your house as the result of a fault report he is going to ask for access to the master socket.

I'm sorry if this raises more questions than it answers but I can't see any other way forward. If you haven't got a decent quiet telephone line then you will have inferior broadband. If you have a noisy phone line then this needs to be rectified by the company to whom the rental is paid, which, if I understand you correctly, might or might not be Plusnet.

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hemmer
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Re: Broadband consistently 10% of typical speeds

Thanks for your continued help - after searching for a while I managed to find the master socket, and re-run the speed test by plugging the router (via a micro filter) into the test socket (see attached photo). The results are the same, so do I take it that at least the internal wiring is not at fault?

My line rental is billed from plusnet, but I don't have any phone package with them (only line rental) - do I need a phone package to be able to call the diagnostic number? I did manage to get what sounds like a dial tone, but when I call the number I just hear noise. Incidently I swear the first time I tried it sounded a little bit like the old dial up modem sound, but I didn't hear anything else apart from noise?

Does this suggest an issue with the phone? Again I dont really want to buy one as I dont use it at all.

 

jab1
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Re: Broadband consistently 10% of typical speeds

I think that should rule out the internal wiring (but @Baldrick1 can correct me if I'm wrong). If your line rental is with PN, they are your phone provider, so you need to contact them - but I would strongly suggest that you buy a corded phone (~£5.00 from the likes of Argos), as you really need to prove a phone line fault. Out of curiosity, if you don't have a phone, how did you perform a phone check? Huh

John
hemmer
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Registered: ‎19-01-2018

Re: Broadband consistently 10% of typical speeds

Ah to clarify, I dont have a phone package (e.g. evening and weekend calls) but I do have an old BT Decor 310 corded phone that I used .

jab1
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Re: Broadband consistently 10% of typical speeds

That makes sense (nowSmiley ) As regards the question of a 'phone package'  - no you don't need one.

John
Baldrick1
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Re: Broadband consistently 10% of typical speeds

The quiet line test should be done without the filter or router connected. This will eliminate all the internal sources of the problem. If you can't get a dial tone or get through the quiet line test then report a phone fault.

 

 

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