Low Speeds - Help Please!

Hi,

We have experienced very poor speeds recently, after moving house. BT Speedtester results:

IP profile for your line is - 1250 kbps
DSL connection rate: 448 kbps(UP-STREAM) 1696 kbps(DOWN-STREAM)
Actual IP throughput achieved during the test was - 1166 kbps

Originally BT estimated via their line checker that we should receive speeds around 3.5MBps, so 1.2 is rather low.

Details from the router (livebox):

Noise margin (dB) : 6.1
Attenuation (dB) : 63.5
Attainable download rate (kbps) : 1856
Rate (kbps) D/S 1696 U/S 448
Internet protocol : pppoa

Any thoughts on how to improve, if at all, given these stats?

Thanks.

You're only syncing at 1696 kbps, so it seems to be 100% to do with your line quality. Unfortunately these estimates aren't always right (especially if the estimate was based on straight-line distance to your exchange, when your phone line might actually go a much longer way round) -- but you could always try plugging your router into the master socket, or even the test socket inside it, and resyncing there, to make sure it's not a problem with your house's internal wiring.

There's also a phone number I can't recall right now (someone help! ) which you can dial to get a "quiet line" -- if you hear any crackling on that, it's a line problem and BT would have to fix it (assuming it's a BT line?), as long as you don't mention broadband and just say it's a voice problem

I have just plugged the livebox into the test socket behind the master socket, and achieved the following:

Noise margin (dB) : 6.4
Attenuation (dB) : 63.5
Attainable download rate (kbps) : 2752
Rate (kbps) (D/S) 2496 (U/S) 448

A speedtest (OVER WIRELESS) via www.speedtest.net, shows
1218 D/S, 379 U/S

Plugged into the master socket (not test socket), the stats change to:

Noise margin (dB) : 6.4
Attenuation (dB) : 63.5
Attainable download rate (kbps) : 1888
Rate (kbps) (D/S) 1728 (U/S) 448

House extensions are wired with 2 pair cable, with pins 2,3 and 5 connected.

Any thoughts?

Edited by deleted (Mon 31-Dec-07 12:10:24)

Looks like one of your extensions is causing a bit of line noise, as you get a much better connection in the test socket. It's worth removing the bell wire (is that pin 5?) from the extensions, as this acts as a major antenna for noise!

The speed test you did after plugging into the test socket is nothing to worry about -- it would take days of syncing at a good speed to cause the IP profile to rise, and in the meantime it would limit your download speeds. Blame BT for that

Presumably I just need to lift the pin 3 connection at the extension where the livebox is plugged in, or do I need to do it at the master faceplate and other extension too?

Ah, is it pin 3? My mistake... I'm not allowed to touch our phone socket, as I'll probably break it

I hear it is indeed best to do it for all the extensions, as all of them can transmit the noise to the main socket

Your Line Attenuation is high at 63.5dB. Same as mine.

Are you far from the exchange? My line length is approx 6.5km from town.

If so, I don't think that you can hope for more than 1500kbps, probably 1250kbps for the majority of the time.

The BT checker says that my line is capable of 2000kbps. Have never experienced this speed at this location.

Well I have lifted pin 3 at the master faceplate and all extensions, and it appears to have done the trick...

Noise margin (dB) : 6.3
Attenuation (dB) : 63.5
Attainable download rate (kbps) : 2624
Rate (kbps) (D/S) 2368 (U/S) 448

Assuming it syncs continuously at this speed for a few days, what should I expect the IP profile to go up to, and thus my actual speed?

Thanks for the help.

In reply to:

---

There's also a phone number I can't recall right now (someone help! ) which you can dial to get a "quiet line"

---

The number you require (in best patronising tone!) is 17070 on a MODERN BT exchange. Doesn't work on MD's and older kit, but most current ones.

Kitz's pages here are helpful (see the bottom of that page for which IP profile you can expect for each sync range)

Hope this helps

Stuart

(sorry PeteK - replied to wrong post!)

Edited by duncedunce (Mon 31-Dec-07 20:35:23)