Advice on unusable UKOnline broadband??

For the past 5 days or so my broadband has been virtually unusable.

ISP = UKOnline
Package = Business Premium (fixed IP upto 16G although mine is 8G due to the exchange)

The problem is trying to play online games, Starwarsgalaxies and/or EVE Online. I appear to be getting massive packet loss to the point I can't login to either game. Browsing, e-mail still works albeit really slowly.

I've had 2 evenings with the UKOnline support guys (can't fault them for effort) but they haven't been able to fix the problem, although they suggested maybe the destinations were busy. I went to my daughters house tonight, 600 metres away same exchange different ISP, bingo logged straight into both games, no latency issues.

Pingplotter tells me I'm getting 100% packet loss from the hop after my netgear router, tracert tells me second hop times out. The support guys and I have tried cable versus wireless connection to router, 2 different netgear routers, plugging straight into the house test socket, no joy.

The latest from a clearly frustrated support guy at UKOnline was that the backroom guys think there may be a problem with the BT kit as this exchange doesnt have their equipment in it. They also felt if I asked BT to investigate I'd get bounced back to my ISP. So I called BT, they checked the phone line (OK for phone calls) and directed me to BT Broadband somewhere who said 'talk to your ISP', predictable I guess.

So the best UKOnline can suggest is that I cancel my account (out of contract) get BT broadband and ask them to fix it!!!!!

Meantime I can just about manage forum posts. The OFCOM website says complain in writing to your ISP, is there no way I can get this fixed??

Regards

Edited by Mentet (Tue 23-Jun-09 23:47:22)

Despite what they may say, UKOnline has a thing for crippling traffic. Especially gaming (UDP being the most common protcol for games).

Easiest solution is probably leaving as I doubt they're going to fix it or the poor latency their network produces.

They also suggested switching ISP to me as a fix for their ongoing problems. They haven't managed to get things right this year even for a day, so don't bother waiting. They'll usually blame BT for any problem so far as saying that BT Wholesale traffic shape.

The trace problem you mentioned isn't a fault. UKOnline have changed something to prevent the first hop showing up. Fantastic.

1 1 ms <1 ms <1 ms 10.0.0.2
2 * * * Request timed out.

Shaping in action:
http://touringnet.co.uk/misc/uko/utplay/gamingpl.html
http://touringnet.co.uk/misc/uko/ukowarcraft.png

Edited by Btcc22 (Wed 24-Jun-09 04:22:23)

In reply to a post by Mentet:

For the past 5 days or so my broadband has been virtually unusable.

ISP = UKOnline
Package = Business Premium (fixed IP upto 16G although mine is 8G due to the exchange)

Theres no such thing, though they do 16Mb and 8Mb services, you also need to point out if you are an LLU customer or an Ipstream customer.

In reply to a post by Mentet:

The problem is trying to play online games, Starwarsgalaxies and/or EVE Online. I appear to be getting massive packet loss to the point I can't login to either game. Browsing, e-mail still works albeit really slowly.

Sounds like you are either an IPstream customer with a crowded exchange or your line is heavily interleaved or maybe even you are IPstream and that suffers on ukonline due to so many that sign up and dont understand you wont get a 16Mb service on IPstream and you wont get 8Mb unlimited perfection for around 20 quid a month to me.

In reply to a post by Mentet:

I've had 2 evenings with the UKOnline support guys (can't fault them for effort) but they haven't been able to fix the problem, although they suggested maybe the destinations were busy. I went to my daughters house tonight, 600 metres away same exchange different ISP, bingo logged straight into both games, no latency issues.

Sounds like the later i mentioned then, you are on Ipstream and the service is crowded

In reply to a post by Mentet:

Pingplotter tells me I'm getting 100% packet loss from the hop after my netgear router, tracert tells me second hop times out. The support guys and I have tried cable versus wireless connection to router, 2 different netgear routers, plugging straight into the house test socket, no joy.

Is your line interleaved? The first or second hop on UKonline is always the highest in time.

In reply to a post by Mentet:

The latest from a clearly frustrated support guy at UKOnline was that the backroom guys think there may be a problem with the BT kit as this exchange doesnt have their equipment in it.

Ah ha you are definately IPstream then

In reply to a post by Mentet:

They also felt if I asked BT to investigate I'd get bounced back to my ISP. So I called BT, they checked the phone line (OK for phone calls) and directed me to BT Broadband somewhere who said 'talk to your ISP', predictable I guess.

Yep they are never any use even when its BT Internet customers

In reply to a post by Mentet:

So the best UKOnline can suggest is that I cancel my account (out of contract) get BT broadband and ask them to fix it!!!!!

Sounds like the only logical step. Things are either congested UKonlines end (too many IPstream customers) or something is wrong (crowded probably) at your exchange

In reply to a post by Mentet:

Meantime I can just about manage forum posts. The OFCOM website says complain in writing to your ISP, is there no way I can get this fixed??

You can try moving, that may well fix it, depends if the issue is at ukonline or the exchange. If you move ISP though and its an issue at the exchange its still going to be hell to sort.

In reply to a post by Btcc22:

Despite what they may say, UKOnline has a thing for crippling traffic. Especially gaming (UDP being the most common protcol for games).

NOT true i max my connection no matter what the protocol, though im LLU. The only time UKonline has issues seems to be with regards to IPstream customers, probably because they have so many who expect full speed 24/7 on an ipstream service for 20 quid...... NOT gonna happen.

In reply to a post by Btcc22:

]Easiest solution is probably leaving as I doubt they're going to fix it or the poor latency their network produces.

Nothing wrong with latency either, pings to bbc and jolt are around the 10ms mark for me.
Again a IPstream user issue

In reply to a post by Btcc22:

They also suggested switching ISP to me as a fix for their ongoing problems. They haven't managed to get things right this year even for a day, so don't bother waiting. They'll usually blame BT for any problem so far as saying that BT Wholesale traffic shape.

Were you not a person who months back said you had a MAC and were moving?

In reply to a post by Btcc22:

]The trace problem you mentioned isn't a fault. UKOnline have changed something to prevent the first hop showing up. Fantastic.

1 1 ms <1 ms <1 ms 10.0.0.2
2 * * * Request timed out.

Shaping in action:
http://touringnet.co.uk/misc/uko/utplay/gamingpl.html
http://touringnet.co.uk/misc/uko/ukowarcraft.png

Again i dont have that issue, must be another Ipstream only fault

Edited by CARPETBURN (Wed 24-Jun-09 04:50:38)

Thanks for the replies guys. No I don't have a MAC (yet) and haven't discussed leaving before, my first post to this forum.

IPstream vs LLU, don't know what I am.... Although when I signed up for the 16MB ( I wanted a fixed IP) I was told it'd be 8MB as they didn't have their own equipment in my exchange, so I guess I'm not LLU.

I don't expect full bandwidth 24/7, I don't need it either. Both MMO's I play worked just fine when I had my first 0.5MB broadband 5 years ago in my previous house. Apart from when they throw a massive update download at you big download speeds aren't essential, just some download speed!

UKO support have mentioned something about hop 2 not showing up and you guys seem to confirm that.

The really weird thing about all this is that normally I get great download but somethings happened over the last week that noone seems to be able to explain.

I would suggest leaving, the LLU service is great, probably the highest quality infrastructure in the country used on consumer customers. The ipstream network is a different story and is poor.

The explanation for it suddenly getting worse last week might well be they moved from BT centrals to the new IPSC system.

You should know fine that I was talking about IPStream as was the original poster.

NOT true

It doesn't matter if they don't shape on LLU because it doesn't change the fact that as a company they do. So yes, it is true.

In reply to a post by Btcc22:

You should know fine that I was talking about IPStream as was the original poster.

The original poster was not sure if they were IPstream or LLU

In reply to a post by Btcc22:

It doesn't matter if they don't shape on LLU because it doesn't change the fact that as a company they do. So yes, it is true.

I doubt you can show or prove that, its only recently IPstream from them has had issues, as chrysalis mentions it could be from switching from BT centrals or numerous other things.

Your problems and the OPs problems could even be two different things entirely even if the symptons are similar. I suggest instead of moaning you just move like you said you were months ago.

Id also recommend the OP consider moving if he is an IPstream based customer. If ANYONE needs an IPstream service that isnt throttled or crippled in any way your only choice is to pay for it, you aint gonna get an IPstream service with no limits of any kind for 20 quid a month from anyone. The OP here seems to realise this and im sure most readers also will

Their IPStream has always had problems, and I have proof of it dating back over a year.

Not replying beyond this since there's no point.

the reason I dont take you seirously anymore is you been banging on for months that uko ipstream sucks but yet you still using the service when you out of contract.

So what you saying is you choosing to use a problematic service. I can understand on ipstream choices are limited for unlimited usage, but there are better options out there than ukonline such as O2.