IP Profile unstuck but download speed still crawling

[#1]

We have periodic speed problems on our line so I'm quite used to the fault checker on the portal, but I have a particular issue at present and I wondered whether anyone could offer any suggestions. We hardly if ever exceed a download speed of 1.9 Mbps, but since last week it's been down to 290 kbps, with the BT Speedtester showing an IP Profile of 350 kbps. There have been no configuration changes to the PC in that time. I rebooted the router three days ago. As a result, the Speedtester is showing an IP Profile for the line of 1250 and the downstream DSL connection rate has crept up to 1728. However, our download speeds are not changing at all. Trying the BT Speedtester yet again earlier this morning still showed that at 286.
If anyone can help in any way, I'd be very grateful. Thank you.

[#2]

Can you try rebooting your modem/router and see if the speeds increase again?

[#3]

A quick check using the speed test at www.thinkbroadband.com suggests an improvement so thank you, Chris. When I'm beyond the three-hour limit on the BT Speedtester (and when I'm back from a meeting later!) I'll check there for a more accurate test.

[#4]

Good to hear, hopefully the BT speedtest will confirm the speeds have improved too.

[#5]

Just in, and the BT SpeedTester shows a download speed of 1082. The IP Profile is still at 1250, which is below what it usually is (nearer 2000), and the downstream DSL connection rate has crept up a little more to 1760.

[#6]

Hi there,
I note you said nothing has changed on the PC recently, but has anything else changed (new phone or extra gadgets for instance)?

[#7]

Nothing at all Mand, and we haven't even switched on the Christmas lights yet.

[#8]

What are the stats from your router? Looking for downstream and upstream speeds, attenuation and noise margin. Number of errors would be useful if shown also, but not as important as the other stuff.

[#9]

(Note to self: found these stats in the menu 'ADSL' and sub-menu 'Status'.)
Data rate is shown as 448 kbps upstream and 1760 downstream. Noise margin is 19 dB upstream and 12 dB downstream. Attenuation is 63 dB upstream and 57 dB downstream. Can't find the stats on errors - sorry.
Hope this helps. Thanks.

[#10]

The predicted sync speed for your attenuation is around 3200 so you are quite a long way down.
Do you have any telephone extension sockets (in use or not it doesn't matter)? If so you need to try putting your router in to the test socket inside the master socket with no phone attached and look at the stats again.

Post those back and we'll advise from there.

[#11]

Yes, I have to plug the router into an extension socket in the study. The master socket in the hall is in an inconvenient location for regular use. When I get some essential work done, I'll try plugging the router into it temporarily and see what I get. It may be some hours, but I'll post some stats as soon as I can. Thanks.

[#12]

For testing purposes try the master socket, and then the test socket behind the front plate and note the connection stats (you won't see an immediate increase in any web based tests because of profiling but the stats will help us to pin down any issues).

[#13]

Hi,
Sorry for the delay in replying. As well as the fact that weekends are busy for me (I'm a clergyman) I'm having trouble even connecting to ADSL this morning (and have tried two different routers, with the same trouble). Whether that's due to the problem you posted on the Service Status email at 10:47 am today regarding Sheffield-based services, I don't know. In the hope that I can get a connection for a period of time to post the figures you want, here they are:
Master Socket
Speeds: downstream 1664, upstream 448.
Noise Margin: downstream 11.0, upstream 19.0.
Attenuation: downstream 59.7, upstream 31.5.
Test Socket
Speeds: downstream 1600, upstream 448.
Noise Margin: downstream 13.5, upstream 19.0.
Attenuation: downstream 59.0, upstream 31.5.
I have also re-tested here in the study on the Extension Socket (this was 30 to 60 minutes later, due to the connection problems).
Speeds: downstream 768, upstream 448.
Noise Margin: downstream 10, upstream 20.
Attenuation: downstream 56, upstream 63.
Over the weekend, I did rough speed tests at www.thinkbroadband.com/speedtest.html again and they showed downstream of around 1100 and upstream about 370.
I have just used the BT SpeedTester again and received the following results:
The configured download throughput speed and IP Profile was 135k.
Download speed was shown as 115k.
DSL connection rates were 768 downstream, 448 upstream.
BTW, our master socket is of the old type that is suitable for a BT I-Plate (or whatever it's called now). However, three years ago you sent a BT engineer to us when we had persistent problems with dropped connections, and he cut the bell wire. My understanding (please correct me if I'm wrong) is that when the bell wire has been cut, there is no point in buying an I-Plate.
Thanks for reading through this; I look forward to your thoughts.
Kind regards,
Dave Faulkner

[#14]

You've got a problem with the wiring to your study as the stats from there are much worse.
Can you confirm that when you have the router plugged in to the filter in the study, you still have a filter on the phone in the main socket as well.
Have you got any other phone extensions?

[#15]

It's not as simple as that, I'm afraid. The speed disparity today can be (considerably) attributed to a plunge in the general downstream speed in between my tests on the master and test sockets and then later returning to the study. By way of illustration, I have just retested at the master socket and gained the following figures:
Speeds: downstream 160, upstream 448
Noise Margin: downstream 18.0, upstream 18.0
Attenuation: downstream 57.8, upstream 31.5.
To answer your query about filters, every socket in the house has microfilters fitted. I have also periodically changed them. The main cordless phone is plugged into the study socket, and our other two cordless phones as simply plugged into the mains. Sky is plugged into the master socket. However, our slow speeds predate our Sky installation.