BQM

My Broadband Ping"]My Broadband PingHi Had erratic speeds, turned on BQM and would appreciate some insight on if this is OK or not?
To me seems not bad as most good to avg?

https://www.thinkbroadband.com/broadband/monitoring/...

Edited by Ahmedg (Sat 24-Feb-24 12:23:50)

Your link doesn't work. Click the Share Today's Snapshot Graph under the graph, click Generate (if requested) and edit your post to use the Text Link - BBCode (fifth one down).

I think made a right hash of that, this is the link for today

My Broadband Ping"]My Broadband Ping

Base latency (green) is fine ... teh yellow spikes - do they correspond to large downloads?

The red at the top - awful. Occasional little bits, maybe but continuous 2-3% loss points to continuous congestion. Have you read https://www.thinkbroadband.com/faq/broadband-quality...

No downloads but have experienced speed issues and trying to get to the bottom of it. Its a new FTTP build and install around a month old.

My speeds are erratic and other than a couple of servers all very poor sub 20 on a 500 connection.

Is packet loss likely to be caused by my download?

The continuous packet loss - unlikely.

Download - could be a set of speedtests.

Do a couple of tests and post lins to those too.

This is from a couple of days ago and reflective of the general connection behaviour, couple of repeat tests that went from good to bad and occasionally the other way

https://ibb.co/YBBdGsd

I downloaded ping plotter and these are on RJ45 connections.

https://ibb.co/41LPmwy

https://ibb.co/QCkdjWH

looks like it might be my network causing the PL as occurring at hop 1 as well?

Edited by Ahmedg (Sun 25-Feb-24 13:44:43)

The packet loss being shown by the BQM,, is it likely to be caused by a bad ethernet cable internal to my network?

Tried reboot, factory reset and swapped cables but still getting continuous packet loss.

My Broadband Ping


I downloaded ping plotter and that doesn't always show packet loss on the hop 1 but later hops and as it runs, others start displaying PL as well as router. Does the router show PL as having to resent due to other PL?

Would a better router resolve this?

Is there anything else I can do?

Edited by Ahmedg (Tue 27-Feb-24 06:38:16)

That is still probably a problem on Sky's network.

The promised SKY engineer never turned up, called CS and (s)he was never booked in.

Done all raft of tests and all passed other than the initial speed test which was below minimum.

Currently only wif enabled and 4 devices logged in and still getting red lines on the TBB BQM monitor.

https://www.thinkbroadband.com/broadband/monitoring/...

The one with the IP6 address reports nothing

My Broadband Ping

At whits end here as to what else I can do to resolve this, speeds still erratic

From reading many of your recent posts it appears you might be doing speed tests over WiFi.

In order to get accurate results you need to do your speed tests over a wired connection.
Even the act of your neighbours using WiFi at the same time as you can considerably affect your throughput on WiFi.

Most are done wired to a USB dongle on a year old laptop.

I do some on my phone over WIFI but only when I am around 3 metres from the router. and to check speed when TV PQ changes,, TV is also in the same room as router.

I don't expect same speeds on WIFI as router and expect big variations when in other rooms and have those devices connected via switch and cable back to the router.



Ive seen some BQM with no packet loss, mine has constant low level PL and speed fluctuates.

In reply to a post by Ahmedg:

Most are done wired to a USB dongle on a year old laptop.

USB to Ethernet dongle? Some of these are good, some are bad. Is the USB port a USB-A version 3 (typically coloured blue) or a USB-C connector? What make/model is the Ethernet adaptor? I've seen all sorts of speed problems with USB-A ver 3 adaptors only 4 years ago, on internal corporate networks, not using internet speedtests. Shame many laptops don't come with Ethernet ports built in these days.

Hi,

I tried with two different makes but essentially same build type and they are both USB C connection to the laptop.

I had the BQM on today with all cat 5e to the switch and VOIP phone pulled out, only 4 devices connected via WIFI as a test to see if the BQM would improve, packet loss all the time.

My Broadband Ping

This may be fine? just going off what I have read and seen in other BQM, there is no PL.

Also watching something on Prime, with just WIFI enabled, with the above setup, it stopped playing started buffering. Did the Sky speed to the HUB and that was showing 230Mb, doesn't explain the buffering as no data heavy apps or anything else was connected.

Just trying to get to the bottom, if its my setup or connection., if the PL is the cause

The connection speeds are erratic flaky and my understanding and it may be incorrect, fibre once connected should be stable and you get the speeds that it synchs with all the time if nothing is devouring the connection internally?

In reply to a post by Ahmedg:

Just trying to get to the bottom, if its my setup or connection., if the PL is the cause

Changing stuff internally on your network isn't going to change the BQM. This is checking the connection between the Thinkbroadband network and your router. As you are on Sky, this is testing the connections from

Thinkbroadband -> <exchange point> -> Sky internet -> Openreach -> Your home -> Router

The connection speeds are erratic flaky and my understanding and it may be incorrect, fibre once connected should be stable and you get the speeds that it synchs with all the time if nothing is devouring the connection internally?

The FTTP connection is fixed speed between you and Sky's network over the Openreach fibres. Once you get to Sky, the connection goes to the internet and at that point you are on a motorway like the M25 where _anything_ can happen... but for connections to UK sites such as Thinkbroadband you should get consistency, unless you are on a bargain basement ISP.

You may want to complain to your ISP.

To compare I have Virgin Media's M250 service (old coax/DOCSIS area), which is 250 Mbps download, and my BQM is in the sig at the bottom. I don't see any PL, and I get consistent speeds, see my latest speedtest:
https://www.thinkbroadband.com/speedtest/17094011894...

Sky won't accept any other speed test other than their own which is done via account and that fluctuate from the low 200 to low 400.

They've found the speed below guarantee despite saying sending an engineer out never did

I've had these issues since getting FTTP coming up to 3 months. Will persevere

At least it's good to know packet loss is not down to me.

thank you for your help.

In reply to a post by jchamier:

In reply to a post by Ahmedg:

Just trying to get to the bottom, if its my setup or connection., if the PL is the cause

Changing stuff internally on your network isn't going to change the BQM. This is checking the connection between the Thinkbroadband network and your router.

Caveat - if you're on IPv6 for BQM you may be monitoring something beyond the router - in which case wifi can affect too etc..

In reply to a post by seb:

Caveat - if you're on IPv6 for BQM you may be monitoring something beyond the router - in which case wifi can affect too etc..

Of course, I forget as my ISP still doesn't do v6...

Hi,

Even if I use the IPv4 address for the BQM?

My Broadband Ping


The BQM automatically picked the IPv6 address up but that just returns a solid red wall and nothing else

https://www.thinkbroadband.com/broadband/monitoring/...

Time to trouble shoot internally than. I have two unmanaged switches via cable. I did retest the cables with cable tester and that lit up in the right order but perhaps might be something else awry with them or the switches.

Thanks

In reply to a post by Ahmedg:

Even if I use the IPv4 address for the BQM?
The BQM automatically picked the IPv6 address up but that just returns a solid red wall and nothing else

No but if you use dynamic hostnames and you have v6, you may not realise it's using that. Dual stack would pick v6 over v4 when available.
In your case you have an issue with v6 not responding which is probably router related and v4 has something odd. It could be the router.. or it could be something else on the line (if DSL based)..

I've just checked some other Sky BQMs set up in the past week or so - IPv6 is routinely all red so probably router setting or it doesn't allow it. The v4 are either ok or have a different congestion-based pattern, not persistent low-level packet loss like yours.

seb

Sorry no idea what dynamic hostnames are.
It's FTTP connection that's been live just over 2 months.

Are the PL likely to be caused by my internal setup?

In reply to a post by Ahmedg:

Sorry no idea what dynamic hostnames are.
It's FTTP connection that's been live just over 2 months.

Are the PL likely to be caused by my internal setup?

Dynamic hostnames are services like DynDNS where you can have a dynamic IP which changes but the hostname (most common example of a hostname is a website like www.thinkbroadband.com direct to) updates to a new IP when it moves. We ask for an IP to monitor for your BQM but if your IP changes (it's dynamic) then some software you can run (sometimes on router, sometimes on desktop) will update the hostname and we can keep monitoring it. If you put in an IP and it changes, then we'll monitor the IP you gave us, even if it's not the one you have at that point.

I strongly suspect your packetloss is due to your router's settings, or a line issue. As you're on FTTP there should be very little interference. I would check for anything on your router like Quality of Service (QoS) or similar.. Other users with the same router may know more.


seb

Edited by seb (Mon 04-Mar-24 23:23:23)

Thank you for the explanation.

Someone mentioned QOS in a Google search and googled SKY HUB; it doesn't have a QOS setting.

I pulled all my LAN cables out other than my VOIP phone and still had a low % of packet loss.

I will try tonight with WIFI turned off and cables out to see if that has an impact. The only time I can do it without being lynched.

In reply to a post by seb:

No but if you use dynamic hostnames and you have v6, you may not realise it's using that. Dual stack would pick v6 over v4 when available.

Yeah I had that issue at the start when I setup my own DDNS, so I had to separate the two into their own hostnames.

---
Paul

Swapped the Sky for an Asus AX58U V2

In terms of speed still the same, same server on Ookla minutes apart goes from 40+ to under 20mb.

My Broadband Ping[/url"]

The latest BQM link on the Asus

My Broadband Ping"]

My Broadband Ping

Edited by Ahmedg (Sun 10-Mar-24 08:15:42)

Strange, I swapped the router back to ISP and it got a new IP address, set a new BQM up and its still monitoring both..

One one

My Broadband Ping

new one

My Broadband Ping

Am I right in thinking somone else must have taken over the IP in that time and its their connection?

I thought mine was bad!!

In reply to a post by Ahmedg:

Strange, I swapped the router back to ISP and it got a new IP address, set a new BQM up and its still monitoring both..

One one

My Broadband Ping

new one

My Broadband Ping

Am I right in thinking somone else must have taken over the IP in that time and its their connection?

I thought mine was bad!!

I have no idea how they allocate V6 IPs.. on V4 it's quite likely someone else got it - or if it's CGNAT it's not monitoring your router.
If you turn a router off it should show all red for while.. on your ir does this for a short period around 1.30pm then the latency jumps so it does suggest probably another connection adfter.. there's still a bit of loss but less. Your SkyOR one has small level of loss all the time.

Edit: You appear to have quite a few monitos on the same IP you stop and re-create.. you probably don't want to do that.. you can view history for a while anyway.

Edited by seb (Tue 12-Mar-24 16:58:26)

I did a manual ping from a Linux system for about four and a half hours to your IPv4 IP and it was getting 1% loss.. Your BQM graph shows a bit more than this.. probably around 1-3% depending on time.. this could be because packets from that system are smaller (less tested for routers possibly).. I do think this still is likely to be something either in your ISP network (but not all Sky users have the issue) or the router/line..

If the 1:30 was yesterday, that was an OR engineer testing the line as am still experiencing erratic speeds. He did an SSFP test and was fine, nothing more they could do. The internet dropped twice.

This is the TBB test and it's the slowest of everyone I have tested.

https://www.thinkbroadband.com/speedtest/17103475673...

In real life, I do notice buffering and loss of PQ when watching Netflix or YouTube.

I guess I am going to have to live it as OR can't find an issue and neither can SKY, though they do notice the speed drop as the daily average has been below the minimum guarantee.

Thank you for your help

In reply to a post by Ahmedg:

If the 1:30 was yesterday, that was an OR engineer testing the line as am still experiencing erratic speeds. He did an SSFP test and was fine, nothing more they could do. The internet dropped twice.

This is the TBB test and it's the slowest of everyone I have tested.
https://www.thinkbroadband.com/speedtest/17103475673...

In real life, I do notice buffering and loss of PQ when watching Netflix or YouTube.

I guess I am going to have to live it as OR can't find an issue and neither can SKY, though they do notice the speed drop as the daily average has been below the minimum guarantee.

Thank you for your help

Our tester will be more sensitive to short issues than others so it would explain why it's slower.

If this is causing you active issues, then definitely worth following up with Sky about the packet loss. The problem is a support agent may dismiss it but if you have both issues with Netflix and YouTube it's indicative of a wider issue.

I'm not surw what the SSFP test is (I presume not face plate related) - If this is a DSL based service (including FTTC) unplug everything else from the line and redo the test? Did they rule out filter too? Also do you have Redcare or something else on it?

I believe the OP is on a very poorly 500Mbps full fibre service which Sky do not appear to be able to fix. That is making the assumption that the problem is the Sky broadband connection and not some problem with the OP's own network or equipment.

Edited by Realalemadrid (Thu 14-Mar-24 09:21:47)

What has actually happened in terms of engineer visits? Has someone remade the splice in your CSP?

If you haven't had the physical fibre checked properly and you can live without a connection for a bit I'd be tempted to open the CSP up and break the fibre just as it leaves the splice protector and then phone it into Sky as a complete loss of service, which will at least force them to redo that part and then check light levels etc. You also then have an engineer standing next to you while you prove awful performance and can reject the fault clear.

From what I understand you used to be with Vodafone and had the same problems, though your system of posting multiple threads about the same problem makes it harder to follow. If the problem moved between ISPs then the fault is either within the Openreach network, or it's to do with your own equipment that you are testing with.

Edited by jpm (Thu 14-Mar-24 10:51:57)

It is possible and I have tried to eliminate that by leaving the Ethernet wires out and just the router and phone plugged in.

The two ethernet go to unmanaged switches and that's why I pulled them first in case that was the cause of the packet loss.

Tonight I will remove everything bar the Phone line and ONT cable.

We have a "Smart" boiler thermostat that is connected via the wifi and as far as I know nothing else other than phones and occasional tablets. I have a device that says V2035, assumed that was the thermostat. There also radbots AFAIL they arent connected via wifi

https://www.securemeters.com/product/domestic-heatin...


We had a soundbar that also connected but since the move to SKY, I haven't updated the wifi on it in case that was causing problems.

I did ask SKY to get the engineer to check the splice, as someone on the SKY forum mentioned it but he didn't even visit the property (it was raining) he called and did a line test remotely and did ask him to do it again in case it did act up but both times it passed.

The packet loss is ongoing with only worklaptop and the two switches connected. i haven't changed the WIFI ID yet so none of the devices are online, still packet loss.

Will take the cables out tonight and see how it goes. Ive done it before and still PL , hope is eternal.

My Broadband Ping

In reply to a post by Ahmedg:

The packet loss is ongoing with only worklaptop and the two switches connected.

The BQM is testing from Thinkbroadband's servers (in London) to the Sky router in your home. So nothing you do with WiFi or routers or Ethernet cables should make any difference. If it DOES make a difference, then post back as you may be pinging some device in your home using IPv6.

Either:
* The Sky router is faulty and not responding correctly
* There is an issue on the Sky part of the connection (as Openreach have tested theirs)

If Sky haven't replaced the router, that might be worth asking. If they can't find the fault, then your only option would be to move to a different internet provider that uses Openreach FTTP.

You would need to be engaged in a fault with Sky that they can't fix before they would even consider releasing you from a minimum term contract.

Hi,
They replaced the router, pretty fast, the latest BQM is on the new router.
I put in the IP4 address in the BQM, could that still use IP6?

In reply to a post by Ahmedg:

They replaced the router, pretty fast, the latest BQM is on the new router.
I put in the IP4 address in the BQM, could that still use IP6?

Good - replacing is a simple thing to try.

If you use IPv4 address then no, that is IPv4.

THere is still packet loss.

From 10:30PM last night, I pulled everything out of the router other than the ONT lead. from than until 4:30AM it was WIFI enabled and than from 4:30AM to 8AM WIFI was disabled via settings so nothing could join the network and all cables were still out.
There is still consistent packet loss. I dont know if other SKY customers experienced the same?

My Broadband Ping

Think I answered my question.

I other IP addresses were still being monitored but showed no packet loss.

My Broadband Ping

and this one which was the one before the router was replaced. The big red blob is when it was swapped over and then took time for new allocation to someone else.

My Broadband Ping

Edited by Ahmedg (Fri 15-Mar-24 12:34:51)

I setup a BQM on my brother's line who is also on Sky and 2 doors down on the same pole, his BQM is showing packet loss.

I had a call from the priority team, he had no clue what packet loss was and promised to liaise with network team, he ran speed checks which came back low, escalated it again and 2 hours later got SMS to say resolved, issues still there☹️☹️

SKY Network team have run extensive tests and not found any issues. Case closed, they have offered to release me from the contract.