Line Speed

Anyone know where Plusnet get their line speed figures from?

Received a note from them today (ticket closed so unable to comment on it) :-

"Current line speed: 21Mbps"

You can see my/TBB's calculation below.

Edited by hk11 (Mon 20-Feb-12 07:18:58)

here
https://portal.plus.net/my.html?action=data_transfer...

BT exchanges supply Plusnet automatically with this figure so they can manage traffic effectively.

IAn

In reply to a post by ian007jen:

BT exchanges supply Plusnet automatically with this figure

Thanks.

Just odd that the figure they give is 4 times the speed I actually get, that's alll.

But there can be a mismatch between the BT speedtester figure and the PlusNet one and you will be stuck at the lower of the two figures!

Cannot now recall the details but that sort of mismatch messed up my account for a few weeks whilst PlusNet & BT got the matter analysed and sorted out OK .

HI hk11,

On new services we set the speed at 21Mbps initially. Once we receive the first speed report from BT this will then match your BT IP profile.

Jojo

In reply to a post by jpilson:

On new services we set the speed at 21Mbps initially. Once we receive the first speed report from BT this will then match your BT IP profile.

Eh?

I thought both of these are 21Mbps?

My point was I'm only getting about 5Mbps.

In reply to a post by Routefinder:

Cannot now recall the details but that sort of mismatch messed up my account for a few weeks whilst PlusNet & BT got the matter analysed and sorted out OK .

Would be interested as/when/if you do remember.

I'm not at all bothered about the speed as it would only encourage me to download more and this account is limited anyway. Just interested to know why that's all.

In reply to a post by hk11:

I thought both of these are 21Mbps?

My point was I'm only getting about 5Mbps.

What does a BT speed test say?

Hi hk11,

If you PM your username I can double check for you.

Jojo

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

What does a BT speed test say?

Do you have a link that doesn't use Flash Player?

My ADSL Guide test is in my signature.

In reply to a post by jpilson:

If you PM your username I can double check for you.

Thanks: I'll do that as/when/if my link goes down again. ATM it is very stable and I'd prefer not to tempt fate by disturbing it.

This doesn't use flash player!

In reply to a post by jelv:

This doesn't use flash player!

Indeed, it uses Java, the next "best" thing

Post deleted by RobertoS

My ADSL Guide test is in my signature.

No use. The BT one will confirm your IP Profile as well as testing the speed. Don't use the Beta one, that's useless. It uses Flash and doesn't give the IP Profile.

Please copy and paste the contents of the down and up text boxes .

In reply to a post by jelv:

This doesn't use flash player!

That's odd: I'm sure I got an error saying it needed Flash Player.

Edit: It appears I was using the Beta model (see below).

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

]No use.

OK.

Will post BT one when I get results. ATM it just sits there saying "Test result" and four buttons.

In reply to a post by kasg:

it uses Java, the next "best" thing

No problem with Java. I believe the test in my sig uses that as well.

?
Click the Yes radio button, unless your answer is No, though you can ignore Step 2.

Then its the top left of the four buttons.

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

Click the Yes radio button

Radio? My connection is wired, not wireless! LOL

Why don't you just do the damn test!!!

Do you want help, or do you just want to play the buffoon?

Here you go. :-

Download speedachieved during the test was - 6.24 Mbps
For your connection, the acceptable range of speeds is 2 Mbps-7.15 Mbps.
IP Profile for your line is - 6.72 Mbps

Upload speed achieved during the test was - 409Kbps
Additional Information:
Upstream Rate IP profile on your line is - 448 Kbps

Sorry if my attempt at humor upset you.

Do you know how to get your line stats out of that router?

Or any old ones from your many posts.

From that result you are already on ADSL2+ so that isn't the problem, and it could be that your line is so long that's all you can get any more, and the PN 21Mbps figure in your "Line speed" was as they said above, just a top-end figure (so they don't wrongly slow you down) awaiting a true figure from BT Wholesale.

Stats will tell us.

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

Stats will tell us.

Any good? :-

Driver Version: 1.75
API Version: GS_API_626
Firmware Version: E.25.41.18 A
Dsp Version: 0x000000e1
Status: ON
US Trained Rate: 440 kbps
DS Trained Rate: 7622 kbps
Current US data rate during last 30 sec: 0 kbps
Current DS data rate during last 30 sec: 1.382 kbps
Local Line Attenuation: 48.5 dB
Remote Line Attenuation: 22.5 dB
Local SNR Margin: 4.00 dB
Remote SNR Margin: 22.5 dB
Operation Progress: 0x00000000
State: Showtime
Rx ATTNDR: 7632000
Tx Cell Rate: 1037
Rx Cell Rate: 17978
Overall Failure: 0
PMmode: L2L3Allowed
Local ITUCountry Code: 0x0000b5ff
Auto Start: true
Whip Active: Inactive
Profile: BT
Standard: BisPlusAuto
Utopia Interface: Level1
Rx Auto Bin Adjust: Disable
Tx Attenuation: Bis_0DB
Detect Noise: Disable
Capability: A2/A2+
Coding Gain: auto
Framer Type: Type3ET

Perfect.

But bad news .

Local Line Attenuation: 48.5 dB
Remote Line Attenuation: 22.5 dB
Local SNR Margin: 4.00 dB

The 48.5dB means you are on a medium length line. The connection speed of 7632kbps is excellent for that, and give or take a few hundred kbps it isn't going to get better. Your IP Profile is correct for that connection speed.

I assume although FTTC is available in parts of Dartford, (if your sig is still correct), that you can't get it?

Edited by RobertoS (Wed 22-Feb-12 21:26:46)

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

I assume although FTTC is available in parts of Dartford, (if your sig is still correct), that you can't get it?

No idea. Edit: "You are 2.2km from the Dartford exchange" http://www.broadband.co.uk/checker/postcode:da1XXX/p... "Super-Fast Broadband up to 100Mb"

Still not sure where the 21Mbps comes into play, as you say the line length wouldn't support it anyway.

Edited by hk11 (Wed 22-Feb-12 21:44:38)

Put your phone number into this checker and paste the results .

"Your cabinet is planned to have WBC FTTC by 8th March 2012. Our test also indicates that your line currently supports a fibre technology with an estimated WBC FTTC Broadband where consumers have received downstream line speed of 36.7Mbps and upstream line speed of 6.1Mbps."

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

Why don't you just do the damn test!!!

Language, Timothy!!

Well for £10 more per month that will solve your speed problem, and double your allowance . 37Mbps connection, ~34Mbps+ actual enough? Plusnet currently limit the upstream to 2Mbps connection, 1.7Mbps actual.

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

that will solve your speed problem,

Not sure I'm with you here.

I don't have a problem with the speed I'm getting; just the speed I'm being advised I'm getting.

Therefore you have a speed advisory problem. Switch to FTTC and the advice will match the speed. Problem solved

In reply to a post by hk11:

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

that will solve your speed problem,

Not sure I'm with you here.

I don't have a problem with the speed I'm getting; just the speed I'm being advised I'm getting.

But you are not being "advised" that you are getting 21Mb. Jojo has already explained that.

In reply to a post by kasg:

But you are not being "advised" that you are getting 21Mb. Jojo has already explained that.

I'm obviously missing something then.

Plusnet can manually adjust the figure you see in your Member Centre, or they can wait for the automatic update from the BT system when your BT (definitive) IP Profile changes.

This automatic system often fails. It seems it did so on your first update.

If and when your connection speed changes, probably by your turning the router off and on, your connection speed will probably change, and trigger an update of the Plusnet copy. It does usually work.

It isn't really anything to worry about. In theory, (and the reason PN claim to have the copy system), it reduces your packet loss so improves your actual throughput. A couple of other ISPs use similar systems.

I always had my doubts about that, and given the fact that Plusnet now dock on average 50kbps from your maximum throughput, (when their figure is correct), I think it is just a bit archaic and unnecessary on WBC connections like yours.

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

I think it is just a bit archaic and unnecessary on WBC connections like yours.

Keef goes off to Google WBC.

I don't claim to understand any of this and can only judge on what I have and/or get sent.

I'm very happy with my connection from Plusnet just wish they'd "tidy-up" some of the admin. But hey what ISP doesn't have problems in this area?

http://www.robertos.me.uk/html/wbc-wbmc-ipsc.html
http://www.robertos.me.uk/html/bt_ip_profiles.html

Edited by RobertoS (Thu 23-Feb-12 09:58:25)

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

http://www.robertos.me.uk/html/wbc-wbmc-ipsc.html

Must win the title of most aconyms on a single page!

Must be read in conjunction with http://www.acronymfinder.com

I think most of the acronym's are expanded on the pages . And there is always:-
http://www.robertos.me.uk/html/glossary.html

Hehe!

PS - I wouldn't be surprised if googling some of them come up with links to my pages anyway.

The plusnet portal can be frightening if you don't understand the various terms and sometimes the shear amount of information.

In reply to a post by MrSaffron:

The plusnet portal can be frightening if you don't understand the various terms and sometimes the shear sheer amount of information.

Indeed. It's not only overly clogged with links, it's done from the perspective of someone with knowledge of techie and Plusnet systems. A non-techie newbie can easily struggle to find simple avenues to much queried aspects of their broadband. They have improved upon it over the years, but it could be a lot better.

Easy to solve with a little thought.

In reply to a post by camieabz:

Indeed. It's not only overly clogged with links, it's done from the perspective of someone with knowledge of techie and Plusnet systems. A non-techie newbie can easily struggle to find simple avenues to much queried aspects of their broadband.

So can the support staff .

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

http://www.robertos.me.uk/html/glossary.html

That's useful!

http://www.robertos.me.uk/html/interleaving-fast_pat... seems to have done the trick on my line anyway.

All too easy to let things run away with you, if you know what you are talking about.

Often a good idea with these things to get a newbie to look at it and give their feedback.

As I say on the Home Page, I've tried to make it as newbie-friendly as possible, given the proliferation of jargon and acronyms. Kitz and samknows are much more detailed, and heavy going unless you have the basics.

There's a few pages need small updates at the moment but I'm a lazy ....

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

In reply to a post by camieabz:

Indeed. It's not only overly clogged with links, it's done from the perspective of someone with knowledge of techie and Plusnet systems. A non-techie newbie can easily struggle to find simple avenues to much queried aspects of their broadband.

So can the support staff .

I'll second that!!