Speed Testing

Hope you can help. Just returned from a friends house where I've been helping him with perceived broadband problems for at least a month. There was a motor accident some time back that knocked down a BT pole and pulled the one in his garden off perpendicular by at least 30 degrees and since that time he's had problems with broadband speed.

Essentially his broadband speed was, when I got involved, around 500 - 700 Kbps. After numerous calls and replacement Home Hub a slight but "erratic" improvement. Download speed initially got to 500 - 700 kbps then jumped suddenly to 1.5 to 1.7Mbps (!?!). It did this consistantly

My friend says that when it's raining his service deteriates significantly and in really bad weather becomes non existant. BT Openreach have been twice to put the pole in his garden upright - hopefully it will stay that way but the last time the weather was bad it moved. Tried to get them to re-erect (which they agreed was good idea) about 8 feet from current location but......

Today, I replaced his old master socket with new style NTE5 line box and rewired his internal extension socket. This improved things somewhat, as initial readings were 1.5Mbps before jumpiing sharply to 3 - 5 Mbps (!)

I've been using the broadbandmax.co.uk speedtester (ping tester) and whether I'm testing via secondary socket or directly connected to the BT network (NTE5 test socket) the initial reading is about 1.5 Mbps where it stays for appox 5 seconds before jumping to the higher speed. I've used this speedtester on various other PC's and none show this characteristic I've reported to BT but they insist in using their speedtester which doesn't show this sharp fluctuation.

I still think there is a problem. Would you agree that there is an underlying fault and how do I get BT to take this seriuosly.

Post router stats from test socket. Of primary significance than speedtests

As people will point out - you're not legally allowed to replace the BT Master Socket...


Posting the lines attenuation will allow people to comment on what connection speeds you should expect.

Connection/Sync speeds aren't the same as speed test results but are more important as speed tests are dependant on IP Profile, Target SNR and ISP's capacity etc.

Your point is noted and I totally agree but I couldn't get BT to come out and replace it. Being ex BT myself (not telephones) I felt more than competent to do it myself.....

I've remotely accessed my friends router and the stats, at time of collection, are as follows

Downstram Connection 4.563 M
Upstram Connection 448 K

Noise margin (Down/Up) 99db/16db
Line Attenuation (Down/Up) 44.7/28.0
Output Power (Down/Up) 19.5dbm/11.9dbm
FEC Events (Down/Up) 34348/18
CRC Events (Down?UP) 869/11

Since I replaced the old master socket with a new NTE5 Line Box and rewired the customer side sockets there has been a marked increase in broadband speed. However, as previously explained, when using the speedtester at

www.speedtest.bbmax.co.uk/

there is a marked jump from around 1.5 M after approx 5 seconds to the upper speeds. I've not this seen for anyone else. This jump is consistant and bearing in mind the deteriation in service with bad weather begs the question of an additional fault somewhere else. The perceived fault occurs when directly connected to BT's network via the NTE 5 test socket. BT use their own speedtester which doesn't give the visual jump that bbmax shows. I believe there is still a problem network side

With those stats you should be getting about 3.8 Meg speedtests. What does your speedtest average out as? Never mind the jumping! What does the TBB speedtest here: http://www.thinkbroadband.com/speedtest.html give? Post its thinkbroadband forum code. If you are getting large variation in speedtests, you should always check if your Sync Speed is changing likewise.

In reply to a post by majestic100:

Noise margin (Down/Up) 99db/16db

The Down NM is peculiar! You sure you haven't omitted a decimal point?

Your line should be capable of about 6+ Meg Sync on ADSL Max, speedtesting at about 5 Mag.

EDIT: Loads of errors! How long since last sync?

Edited by XRaySpeX (Tue 28-Feb-12 21:01:20)

Your point noted re NM and possible error in reading. I'll post new stats (from test socket) as soon as I make contact

New stats run today with router connected to NTE5 test socket...Yes, decimal point not added in first set for NM!

Downstream 4.188 Mbps
Upstream 448 Kbps

Noise Margin (D/U) 12.5/17.0 db
Line Attenuation (D/U) 44.6/28.0 db
Output Power (D/U) 19.2/11/9 dbm
FEC Events (D/U) 311/0
CRC Events (D/U) 23/5
HEC Events (D/U) 15/0
Error Seconds (L/R) 36623/4353

TBB Speedtest:

Downstream 2.7 Mbps
Upstream 0.2 Mbp[s

Run numerous times over an hour and these speeds were consistant. Note downloading 0.5 MB and 6.5 MB test packages

bbmax Sped Test (broadbandmax.co.uk) Tests run over an hour. Simple ping tester

1.1 Mbps for 3 - 5 seconds then jump to 2.8 Mbps
1.5 Mbps for 3 - 5 seconds then jump to 3.7 Mbps
1.2 Mbps for 3 - 5 seconds then jump to 4.4 Mbps
1.7 Mbps for 3 - 5 seconds then jump to 2.3 Mbps
1.5 Mbps for 3 - 5 seconds then jump to 3.7 Mbps

BT Speedtester

Has been permanantley busy for days so no results. BT insist on using it but service centre don't listen/understand when you tell them. Will insist you try again in a few hours (perhaps to get rid of you) and won't use any of the others

Those "Error Seconds" don't look good.

If you are saying the weather also changes things it's starting to look as if you might have a line fault.

You could try monitoring your line and lift the receiver to see if the errors/snr changes. If you are connected directly to the TEST socket etc. and using the phone changes things (as well as the weather) then you'll have to try to get the ISP to investigate.

Managed to get Service Centre to raise faullt with BT Openreach (External Network Rearrangement) despite the fact that their testing indicates no fault - today is a dry day. Having re-explained the eror rate as shown by the router stats and re-asserting that the service deteriates in bad/rainy conditions (as it did yesterday when it happened to rain), she gave me the freephone number and (weather related) fault reference number so this can be pursed. Unfortuantely I'll have to wait until Monday to do this as the number not manned at weekends