Better quality modem in the 2wire - very good for long/high attenuation lines.

However, the 19.2dB noise margin on the Netgear is extremely odd.

If it was just a relative capability problem it would be showing whatever his other router shows for it, irrespective of the resultant sync.

Digging out old brain cells but do recall the 2Wire having a set of stability versus speed options, and it may be this is set to speed and its managing to set a lower margin, or alternatively just happens to work better with the configuration of the DSLAM the line is connected to.

2700HGV, for a while it was the modem of choice for long lines.
only major failing was the power supply, - which when it failed made the modem do mad things.

In reply to a post by MrSaffron:

Digging out old brain cells but do recall the 2Wire having a set of stability versus speed options, and it may be this is set to speed and its managing to set a lower margin, or alternatively just happens to work better with the configuration of the DSLAM the line is connected to.

Not to my knowledge or at least not openly visible or manually/user configurable ... and I have dealt with a few of them! However, the 2Wire would, on a stable and good line negotiate a 3dB margin after it had been working at 6dB for quite a while with no issues. It would also hold the line even lower -0.7 dB (minus zero point seven) is the lowest is the "best" I have recorded.

Has it got Dgteam alternative firmware installed?

If it has, it may have an adjustable SNRM.

http://www.dgteam-mirror.talktalk.net/Home.html

The Netgear 834 has adjustable SNRM via telnet with no problem. Just not preserved through a reboot in the manufacturer's firmware. However it is clear that the high SNRM is a result of the Netgear being connected, not a result of the BT Wholesale setting.

I suspect it is simply a dying modem component in it. That's assuming the same cable are being used for both modems. Or it does have DGTeam with the margin fixed high.

The 2-wire is behaving normally. If the BTW noise margin was set high then it would need tweaking, whatever its internal setting if it has one.

19.2dB noise margins do not come from BTW.

Strangely (or maybe not) I switched to the 2Wire router and get the 1 Mbps max again.

Stats from the 2Wire are here.

There is one hint on that page - have you fully checked ALL wires, extensions and filters?

Thank you.

I've changed the filter and that got rid of the message.

However, I'm still only getting about 1 Mbps. I've now tried a third router and get the same speed with all three.