Yeah i guess but speed isnt really the issue.
It just seems to be really unstable. Things load fast enouph when they work. But if the internet crashes i cant do anything.

PingPlotter is a really useful diagnostics tool for this sort of problem - it's a continuous traceroute that draws nice graphs that you can annotate. You can keep it running to an appropriate destination (such as the game server you're trying to use), and add comments to significant occurrences.

The Pro version is very expensive and most of the extra features are to do with VoIP. I'd recommend Standard - free for 30 days, then US$24.95 (so somewhere around £15). However, there is a freeware version if you don't want to spend anything.

Yeah i saw that software somewhere before and was looking at the freeware version.
So is it just like asking BT to monitor the line only on my computer specifically rather than the router itself?

My only concer is that even if i run it for a day and see the anomalies and the diagnostic results i still wont really be able to pinpoint what is actually causing the errors or even a way to fix it.

So i guess i'm asking whether it would actually be able to pinpoint the problem or rather just highlight the issue?

PingPlotter allows you to see which hop or hops on the journey to the destination are losing packets and/or have variable latency.

I've posted an example of PingPlotter Standard output here - this data is to a VoIP server in the US. The graphs at the bottom are configurable - in this case, it's the first hop outside my network, the first US hop, the penultimate hop and the last hop. It's pretty clear that the problems are with the server itself - it's the only hop showing latency spikes and packet loss (the red colour).

In reply to a post by thatginner:

i am paying for adsl2+ but i know that i can only get upto 8Mb/s on my line.

Unfortunatly the only phone socket in the house is not the one with a test socket.
Apparently according to BT it is not a requirements for homes to have them.

I have tried with my laptop and a cat5 Ethernet cable plugged straight to the router and removed the adaptors still to no avail. The ping was exactly the same.

We have had really erratic internet and i'm pretty sure that its not a hardware issue but a line issue.

Really appreciating the suggestions though!!!

You should be getting a higher sync rate, your target SNR is 9db (the defualt setting is 6db) indicating an issue , When BT openreach install a telephone line it is routine for them to install a NTE5 ( master socket) This is the point where BT openreaches responsibilities end AKA demacation point , This also allows you to isolate any internal wiring (extensions) and equipment connected to those , to avoid possible BT openreach charges , because if a fault is due to your equipment or internal wiring you will end up being charged, and they won't fix the problem
So as for you being told by some script reading monkey at bt retail or EE that a NTE5 BT master socket isnt required is totally incorrect info , they have been fitting NTE5's for 6yrs that i know of, probably longer , You should have an NTE5
link to what BT open reach always fit NTE5 I would be reporting this as a fault to you isp, unless you can hear crackling or other odd sounds when making a call, try the quiet line test dial 17070 option 2 use a corded phone,and use the secrecy button or cover the mic so you don't induce background noise ity should be complely quite apart from the recorded announcment

Because you are unable to isolate any internal extension wiring/bell wires even could well be why you observed no difference in stability of the connection, as such you cannot rule out connected equipment in your home such as sky boxes other telephones all need to be filtered so an adsl filter is required for anything plugged into extensions ,

Edited by tommy45 (Sun 03-Feb-13 16:14:09)

In reply to a post by tommy45:

So as for you being told by some script reading monkey at bt retail or EE that a NTE5 BT master socket isnt required is totally incorrect info

BT may have been installing NTE5s on new lines for years but they are not obliged to upgrade old sockets to one for free.

The charge to have an NTE5 fitted is around £25 on most phone providers. I'm pretty sure it is £25 on BT Retail but don't have the Price List link to hand. NTE5 installation is included as part of an FTTC install.

If you want an existing installation converted to an NTE5, the magic words are likely to be "conversion of existing master socket to a Linebox".

I heard the magic phrase was "normalise the line" to get it done free.

Regularising a line is £25+VAT

I would not worry about the line stats, other than just checking then when things are bad that the noise margin for downstream is still a reasonable value ie. greater than 5dB. Sync speed is a little low - but not frighteningly so.

If the issue coincides exactly with starting an online game and in particular when you display the list games servers I would suggest that it may be a router issue, and perhaps it has just recently had a firmware upgrade.

Edited by MrSaffron (Sun 03-Feb-13 20:01:26)

Hi there so i finally got round to downloading ping plotter during the time that i had problems playing video games and used the adress that you used in your example and here is the image i got!!
It seems high as soon as it leaves my router and then gets progressively worse as it hops.
It also has an insane amount of packet loss for some reason.
I'd like to hear what you think the issue might be.