Download speeds dropped from 1.8M to 0.7

Hi,

Just over a week ago my download speeds dropped to 0.7 Meg. I used to get 1.8Meg consistently.

They reset my line and it then gave me 3Meg. However thats now dropped off to 710kbs on the Thinkbroadband checker.

BT Engineer came out and said our line was line and pointed to the 1600 sync speed. I would not expect with a sync speed of 1600 to be getting 710 actual throughput.

I am on Eversley Exchange. My router stats are:-

Downstream
1,600 Kbps

Upstream
448 Kbps

ADSL settings
VPI/VCI
0/38

Type
PPPoA

Modulation
ITU-T G.992.1

Latency type
Interleaved

Noise margin (Down/Up)
10.8 dB / 20.0 dB

Line attenuation (Down/Up)
53.0 dB / 31.5 dB

Output power (Down/Up)
16.3 dBm / 12.3 dBm

Loss of Framing (Local)
144

Loss of Signal (Local)
43

Loss of Power (Local)
0

FEC Errors (Down/Up)
2132 / 0

CRC Errors (Down/Up)
22 / N/A

HEC Errors (Down/Up)
N/A / 0

Error Seconds (Local)
10130

Any thoughts or suggestions ?

It looks like Sky are now in that exchange. Would that be ADSL2+ and would moving to them be the best option ?

Many Thanks
David

Hi David . Not the most frequent poster here .

At this stage a move to Sky may help, but would not be the best course of action until the problem is sorted. It could very well continue with them and I wouldn't rate your chances with their support.

As an incidental, you are on a BT Wholesale service so subject to their DLM. One of the main features of that is the IP Profile system, which is straight away lowering your maximum throughput to 1250kbps.

You seem to have two problems, possibly with the same or a linked underlying cause.

Your drop from a consistent 1.8Mbps to 0.7Mbps indicates a short-term fault or recent change. The 3Mbps you got for a short time points to both that and a longer-term issue.

Have a look at your attenuation, and read it off on this graph. The average figures there are because of cases like yours being included. I would expect a connection speed of 4-4.5Mbps, giving you an IP Profile of 3500kbps or 4000kbps, with 3Mbps throughput at non-congested times. Like you got.

UnFortunately the problem is probably on your premises .

Please can you see if you can find, then post, your line stats. See here for help.

Then the first thing to try is connecting your router to the test socket of the master socket, on the wall at the back in this pic. Take the stats again immediately after connecting there, and post those for comparison. (Don't expect a throughput improvement there and then).

Importantly, connect using just the filter and the short ADSL cable that comes with the router. Do not use a phone extension cable to reach the socket.

That will give us something to think about. You might find reading the DLM and Noise Margin explanations on the site linked to for the IP Profile table are useful, and then read the relevant pages of the Troubleshooting section there. See if you have any of the potential problem causes described.

Hi Roberto,

No I'm not the prolific poster .

I thought I had put the line stats in the post above. Is that not what is needed ?

I have had the router plugged into the test socket for the last week since I first called BT Support. A BT Engineer was out today but was pointed out to my wife the 1.6 reported on the router and not a speed test result of actual throughput. He said there is no fault on the line.

BT have looked back and say I have had far higher line speeds so are considering next actions.

Currently I am plugged into the test socket with an ADSL Microfilter and then the router plugged into that. No extension leads.

I do have other power sockets around there. There is no possibility that power leads and other wires to my PC could cause it ?

Thanks
David

Switched mode power supplies can cause problems with DSL broadband, so worth trying with minimal hardware plugged in within a couple of meters of the broadband modem/wiring

With 53dB attenuation, even the 3.1Meg of previous was a little on the lowish side, so may have been something pre-existing that has slowly got worse.

Hi,

I just wanted to thank people for responding and to feedback where I got to in case its of help to anyone.

It took a lot of polite perseverance with BT Broadband Support to get them to acknowledge that my line speeds were too slow. But a good engineer came out to see me. Using his test kit he was getting far higher speeds.

Swapping cables (wire from filter to router) and router (Hub V2 to Hub V3) and I got a far better sync speed). The engineer also put an ADSL Face plate on the socket for good measure.

I have been testing over the last few days and I get consistent line speeds of 2.3M now and it seems stable.

http://www.thinkbroadband.com/speedtest/button/13260...

Hopefully thats my speed resolved.

Line line stats on the router are currently:-

ADSL Line Status
Connection Information
Line state: Connected
Connection time: 1 days, 01:56:25
Downstream: 3.688 Mbps
Upstream: 448 Kbps


ADSL Settings
VPI/VCI: 0/38
Type: PPPoA
Modulation: G.992.1 Annex A
Latency type: Interleaved
Noise margin (Down/Up): 5.5 dB / 23.0 dB
Line attenuation (Down/Up): 52.4 dB / 31.5 dB
Output power (Down/Up): 19.2 dBm / 12.4 dBm
FEC Events (Down/Up): 7488534 / 19
CRC Events (Down/Up): 1519 / 21
Loss of Framing (Local/Remote): 0 / 0
Loss of Signal (Local/Remote): 0 / 0
Loss of Power (Local/Remote): 0 / 0
HEC Events (Down/Up): 13294 / 53
Error Seconds (Local/Remote): 21717 / 112

Slightly worried by the FEC Errors but the engineer said they are nothing to worry about.

Many thanks for the responses. They gave me the info I needed to push BT.

Regards
David

That's looking a lot better .

In reply to a post by anok4u2:

Swapping cables (wire from filter to router) and router (Hub V2 to Hub V3) and I got a far better sync speed). The engineer also put an ADSL Face plate on the socket for good measure.

You imply that it wasn't the faceplate that made the difference so which of the other two was it, I wonder. The cable seems unlikely to me, I've always been highly sceptical of those so-called high speed broadband cables. Did you get charged for the engineer visit? As the problem appears to have been purely internal it sounds like you should have been (although I wouldn't complain!).

The ADSL Plate wasn't the cause. It was the Hub. The cable also made a difference according to the engineer. Not sure what one gave the biggest bang for your buck. I had already spent a few pounds on a filter which made no difference.

No they didn't charge, But all equipments was BT Supplied no none of my own internal wiring in involved. End to End it was BT and I have no extensions.

Maybe it was customer loyalty. I 've been a long time BT customer. Even had their old Midband ISDN product before ADSL reached me.

Personally I would not charge customers for visits unless there is obvous abuse of the support system happening. Its not a great way to retain customers.

Most likely I'll stay with BT and they will make the engineer cost back in the long run.