BT slow speeds

So I have just joined by and the speeds i am getting are slower than what i am paying. I pay for the 500mbps package but at the moment i am only getting around 200/300. I did a chat and they sent an engineer out but he just hooked his laptop up and said it looks fine to me then left. He says there’s only an issue if the box ring changes to another colour. Any idea what I should do?

In reply to a post by Ryan1506:

So I have just joined bt and the speeds i am getting are slower than what i am paying. I pay for the 500mbps package but at the moment i am only getting around 200/300. I did a chat and they sent an engineer out but he just hooked his laptop up and said it looks fine to me then left. He says there’s only an issue if the box ring changes to another colour. Any idea what I should do?

How are you testing the speed? are you directly connected to the router or via wifi?

I tested in a few devices like laptop and phone but this is all wirelessly not via ethernet But shouldn’t the speed be abit higher at least via wireless. I am also doing the tests in the room with the router and some directly next to the router

In reply to a post by Ryan1506:

I tested in a few devices like laptop and phone but this is all wirelessly not via ethernet

Then your testing is irrelevant

with my old provider, I did the tests wirelessly and i was reaching close to and exactly the speeds I was paying for. Not 100/200mbps off

What was your old provider, and what speeds were you getting, and what router were you using?

In reply to a post by Ryan1506:

with my old provider, I did the tests wirelessly and i was reaching close to and exactly the speeds I was paying for. Not 100/200mbps off

Best plug a computer in via ethernet and test as that will give you a more realistic result, most people here will not take wifi test seriously for so many good reasons.

It was a business provider called Unicom. Prices weren’t the best but the broadband was. Paid for 330mbps and got around 300/310. I was using their provided box at first then switched to my own and they both worked great.It was a technicolour router then a TP LINK router

Ok, so you paid for 300Mbps and you got 300Mbps over Wi-Fi, and now you pay for 500Mbps and you get 300Mbps over Wi-Fi.

It would appear that your limitation is the Wi-Fi.

As a polite point, you really aren't helping yourself here. This is a fairly technical forum, when you're asked what router you're using people need a model number which then allows them to look at the wireless radio specs of that device, saying "it's a TP Link" is no help.

Edited by jpm (Sat 04-Nov-23 12:23:56)

Every single reply to your question is right, perhapps a bit blunt. I will try and explain why we prefer ethernet speed test results.

All modern computers in the last 10 years have gigabit ethernet, this is 1gbit bidirectional (before over heads) 98% of consumer internet services are 1gbit or below. It means with low latency and a consistent connection, testing should be problem free.

Coming to wireless, there are various standards, which limit speeds, you have hit one of them with your devices, 300mbits is the max, even if the router could do more wirelessly your devices are hitting that.

Secondly baring downloads and uploads - otherwise known as ftp(yes i know you can download via http/s) (not to be confused with fttp) with be the only service that would push the 500mbits service. hdr 4k won't, gaming (minus downloads) won't, browsing won't, etc etc. No mobile app needs 100mbits plus.

when you have these speeds its not about the single device doing xxx mbits but being able to use multiple devices at very fast speeds.