What gives with my download speed?

OK. I have Sky Broadband and, frankly, I'm unimpressed. Sky refuse to believe that there is anything wrong with my line which means endless trips around the "plug a different filter, test socket, script roundabout" and no progress.

They *claim* that I'm getting 5-8MB. Indeed, the router says that the sync speed is - currently - 7996kbps. However, in *practice* - using the ThinkBroadband speed tester and with real-world downloads - I'm never getting better than 1.4M.

I can only interpret this as being a contention problem and a lack of pipe capacity from the exchange to the rest of the internet. Is that a correct interpretation?

If that *is* the case, will switching provider put me onto a fatter pipe?

For the record, my connection status details are:

Down:
Speed - 7996 kbps
Attenuation - 27 db
Noise Margin - 14db

Up:
Speed - 509 kbps
Attenuation - 7.5 db
Noise Margin - 16db

And Think Broadband speed test currently says:
Speed Down - 1037.70 Kbps ( 1 Mbps )
Speed Up - 400.19 Kbps ( 0.4 Mbps )

Any advice will be gratefully received.

try a speed test here : http://www.speedtest.bbmax.co.uk/

if as you say the lower speed is caused by *contention within the sky network,then yes changing to* a provider with less contention on there network in your area 'could' increase your download speed..

im sure there will be some other users that will post that have more knowledge than me when it comes to reading your modem stats..

what exchange are you connected to.? http://www.samknows.com/broadband/exchange_search

this will give you an idea of what other providers are available to you in your area..

good luck..


edit:*

Edited by djfunkdup (Mon 15-Aug-11 22:48:53)

Are you on Sky Connect? Tough! You would be getting 17 Meg Sync on ADSL2+.

Using the Broadbandmax speed test, I get around 3M down and 400k up. These are better than I see with the ThinkBroadband test, but still not at the level that the router says I am syncing at.

The BBC iplayer download tester says:
Download speed - 3427 kbps
Streaming speed (1) 1730 kbps
Streaming speed (2) 1120 kbps
Streaming speed (3) 890 kbps

So the average is 1246 kbps

I don't understand why there is such variation between tests (and between parts of the BBC test)? Certainly the connection that I get in practical terms does not *feel* like a 3MB+ connection. YouTube videos break up and require buffering repeatedly and downloads take an age to complete.

I can see what other providers are available, but is there any way to see what the speeds they can provide are actually like?

What package are you on?

What other providers are available on your exchange?

In reply to a post by AndyLaw:

Using the Broadbandmax speed test, I get around 3M down and 400k up. These are better than I see with the ThinkBroadband test, but still not at the level that the router says I am syncing at.

The BBC iplayer download tester says:
Download speed - 3427 kbps
Streaming speed (1) 1730 kbps
Streaming speed (2) 1120 kbps
Streaming speed (3) 890 kbps

So the average is 1246 kbps

I don't understand why there is such variation between tests (and between parts of the BBC test)? Certainly the connection that I get in practical terms does not *feel* like a 3MB+ connection. YouTube videos break up and require buffering repeatedly and downloads take an age to complete.

I can see what other providers are available, but is there any way to see what the speeds they can provide are actually like?

Generally if you choose an LLU provider you will see your full sync speed.

LLU is where the service provider has put their equipment into your local telephone exchange (usually a building near to you)

So SKY will go to your local exchange and put Sky equipment into this.

When you subscribe to Sky you then get Sky's LLU broadband and your line connects directly to Skys equipment at the exchange.

HOWEVER

If Sky have not been to your local exchange and have not put their equipment into your exchange....

You can still subscribe to sky broadband...

HOWEVER your line connects to the local exchange and then accesses sky via BTs equipment.

It goes

Your house - local exchange - BTs equipment - Sky

This is instead of your line connecting to the local exchange and connecting to sky directly through skys LLU

With LLU it goes

your house - local exchange - Sky

This bypasses renting capacity from BT

So without LLU sky have to use BTs equipment...

& Sky have to pay a premium to BT for the data that you use. It is far more costly per GB than using their own LLU network.

Because of this Sky minimize on the amount of backhaul that they buy from BT. This means that people who are not on LLU have a poor experience and slow speeds.

Whereas a sky customer on LLU will have fantastic speeds as Sky are not having to pay BT a premium...

SO WHY ISN'T LLU EVERYWHERE?

Installing their own equipment into the local exchange is expensive

If you live in a small village many service providers will not see the point in paying a high price on installing expensive equipment.

This is because the uptake of their service is likely to be low.

Low uptake = long time for their expensive investment to be paid for.

Ultimately do not install their own equipment.

OTHER FACTORS

the exchange can already be full and there is literally no room to install their own equipment.

SO HOW CAN WE HELP?

Well firstly if you are out of contract with Sky...

Assuming you are not on LLU with Sky.

We can see if there any other LLU options available such as BE or even talktalk (whether it's a re seller or not)

If there is no LLU at your exchange. There are other ISPs out there (usually smaller ones) that will usually charge slightly more but rent plenty of backhaul from BT and hence give you a good speed.

So firstly...

If asked for a username and password
Username: admin
password: sky

Can you access 192.168.0.1 (type this where you usually type in websites such as www.google.co.uk)

Click onto maintenance

Click onto show statistics.

Copy and paste everything on this page into this forum

This will confirm if your lines performing okay and whether you're on LLU or not

I expect to see something like this

Your numbers will be different of course

ROUTER STATISTICS

System Up Time: 77:12:36
Port Status TxPkts RxPkts Collisions Tx B/s Rx B/s Up Time
WAN MER 1528636 2249333 0 205616176 2147483647 77:11:22
LAN Up 1314900 932041 0 1367959945 145959109 77:12:36
WLAN Up 1131246 747071 0 1253538278 87933935 77:12:17
ADSL Link Downstream Upstream
Connection Speed 15336 kbps 1111 kbps
Line Attenuation 29.0 dB 16.9 dB
Noise Margin 8.1 dB 9.1 dB

SECONDLY

Visit http://www.samknows.com/broadband/broadband_checker

Enter your details

Click onto summary

It will say "The following services are available in your location:"

Copy and paste everything below this... e.g.

I expect to see something like this

"The following services are available in your location:

BT Wholesale ADSL
BT Wholesale ADSL Max
BT Wholesale WBC (21CN)
AOL LLU
O2 / Be LLU
TalkTalk (CPW) LLU
Sky Broadband / Easynet LLU"

From here we can help and do our best

Edited by ukhardy07 (Tue 16-Aug-11 02:47:11)

In reply to a post by ukhardy07:

Click onto maintenance
Click onto show statistics.
Copy and paste everything on this page into this forum

First Disclaimer - I'm using my old NetGear router because I consistently get better wireless strength and 30% better throughput on that than the [censored] blue Sagem box that sky supplied. Numbers should be the same though? If not, then I'll try tonight with the original Sky box and will repost.

System Up Time 56:55:48
Port Status TxPkts RxPkts Collisions Tx B/s Rx B/s Up Time
WAN PPPoA 527130 492300 0 896 2208 56:55:21
LAN 10M/100M 10027 0 0 12 0 56:55:44
WLAN 11M/54M 479384 531093 0 2180 902 56:55:33

ADSL Link Downstream Upstream
Connection Speed 7996 kbps 509 kbps
Line Attenuation 27 db 7.5 db
Noise Margin 14 db 16 db

In reply to a post by ukhardy07:

SECONDLY

Visit http://www.samknows.com/broadband/broadband_checker
Enter your details
Click onto summary

It will say "The following services are available in your location:"

From here we can help and do our best

The following services are available in your location:

BT Wholesale ADSL
BT Wholesale ADSL Max
AOL LLU
O2 / Be LLU
TalkTalk (CPW) LLU
Sky Broadband / Easynet LLU
Tiscali LLU
Tiscali TV (via Tiscali LLU)
Orange LLU (Formerly Wanadoo)


This is very much appreciated. Thanks.

In reply to a post by AndyLaw:

In reply to a post by ukhardy07:

Click onto maintenance
Click onto show statistics.
Copy and paste everything on this page into this forum

First Disclaimer - I'm using my old NetGear router because I consistently get better wireless strength and 30% better throughput on that than the [censored] blue Sagem box that sky supplied. Numbers should be the same though? If not, then I'll try tonight with the original Sky box and will repost.

System Up Time 56:55:48
Port Status TxPkts RxPkts Collisions Tx B/s Rx B/s Up Time
WAN PPPoA 527130 492300 0 896 2208 56:55:21
LAN 10M/100M 10027 0 0 12 0 56:55:44
WLAN 11M/54M 479384 531093 0 2180 902 56:55:33

ADSL Link Downstream Upstream
Connection Speed 7996 kbps 509 kbps
Line Attenuation 27 db 7.5 db
Noise Margin 14 db 16 db

In reply to a post by ukhardy07:

SECONDLY

Visit http://www.samknows.com/broadband/broadband_checker
Enter your details
Click onto summary

It will say "The following services are available in your location:"

From here we can help and do our best

The following services are available in your location:

BT Wholesale ADSL
BT Wholesale ADSL Max
AOL LLU
O2 / Be LLU
TalkTalk (CPW) LLU
Sky Broadband / Easynet LLU
Tiscali LLU
Tiscali TV (via Tiscali LLU)
Orange LLU (Formerly Wanadoo)


This is very much appreciated. Thanks.

Right just looking at this real quickly on my way to work. Will check my reply later

It's definitely looking like you ARE on LLU so you should be getting full speeds

There's definitely a problem though as that line should get at least 14 mbps

The heightened noise margin shows this issue

Are you using wifi? Have you tried a different router?

Don't run speedtests on this site, it misreports for me massively. It shows me at sub 1 Mbps when I can easily download at over 10mbps and stream iplayer hd

use the speedtester listed above or www.speedtest.net & select the London server

Just finally...

Sky DLM has set your line to a really poor sync which means something is prob wrong at your end

This could be causing issues

Can you run www.pingtest.net and report back

Are you in the master socket directly. No Argos style (usually flat white) telephone extension wires?

Try a new filter too.

Is every device in your home filtered?

Even sky boxes, fax machines and all telephones need filtering

Nothing should connect directly to the phone line

The sky LLU network is operated by easynet

Basically there's tonnes of backhaul so there shouldn't be a slowdown

Who was your previous ISP and what speeds did you get?

You've prob done everything above but if possible can you describe your setup?

Edited by ukhardy07 (Tue 16-Aug-11 08:50:12)

If this is congestion based, then when its 1am through to around 10am you should see much better speeds.

if bad 24/7 then possibly something hardware based.

Try a speedtest.net with a different server - Newbury is usually a good one.

I've seen this myself and the default server appears to be on a congested or traffic managed link.

The other thing is that Sky's LLU network is going over to MER rather than PPPoA - Sky's own routers know how to talk MER but no one else as yet has got a non-sky router talking MER. I've read a report that users still connecting via PPPoA where MER is available are reporting slow speeds. I've not tested this myself and neither am I likely to but it might be worth testing for possible differences between the Sky supplied router and your own.