"something I have noticed is when using the Speedtest.net site it shows my nearest server as being London when I live near Edinburgh, it definitely used to get my location far more accurate than that"

This is due to where your IP address block node is located (closes to), I wondered the exact same in the past and that is what I was told. It should have no affect on your service.

i bought the cheapest router I could find from currys/pcworld tonight (On Networks N300R) and can't get it to connect
I need to use PPPoA on my current Belkin router, the only option this new one gives is PPPoE
it was only 20 quid but it's prob 20 quid lost now if I can't use it to connect
wondering if I should just pay whatever the callout charge is for an engineer to elimenate any problems the other side of the line in to my house
at least then I could focus on what to do

OK - please someone ensure me that this is all coincidence........

after having no luck with this new router I plugged the old one back in, same poor speeds.
Then tried another ethernet cable from PC to Router - boom - getting 6-7 Mbps download speed again, Changed the ethernet cable back to the one I've been using for the past x number of years - still getting 6-7Mbps!

I tried testing the speed on my iphone/ipod touch and a laptop through wireless before, and on a ps3 with a wired connection to the same Bellkin router - all really low speeds the past week or so

only in the last 10 mins that I am getting consistently good speeds

is there any way the ethernet cable to the PC could have affected all the connections listed above as that's the only thing that I have changed (even though I've reverted back to the original one now with no problems)

or is it more likely the case that something has been inverstigated when I contacted Zen today and has now been rectified ?

If the Ethernet cable was reporting connecting at 100 Mbps and its traffic lights showed no odd activity then something outside of what you've been doing has been fixed

I was getting 'no internet access' and a little red triangle next to the network icon in the taskbar/tray (win 8) over a week ago before I moved to Zen, but that was cured by updating the network card drivers

hopefully something out my control has been fixed although I've wasted 35 quid today on a mobile 3G top-up and a cheap router now!

actually forgot how fast the landline connection could be

In reply to a post by paradice22:

On Networks N300R

The manual indicates this router has an Ethernet WAN port (as you would use with a cable modem, FTTC modem or FTTP ONT), not a DSL WAN port. It could only be connected to your ADSL line using an ADSL modem or router. This is why you saw no PPPoA option, because you cannot use PPPoA over Ethernet.

achhh, just had a look on the website. I see now, was wondering why it was £19.99 when I went to the checkout

The one I wanted was the N300RM, boxes were right next to each other on the shelf and looked identical

Surely you can take it back for a refund ?

well, I don't need the new router now as everything is working fine
if I take it back they'll just want me to pay the extra tenner for the modem/router I thought I was buying
so maybe better off just cutting my losses

You can return it under the Distance Sellings Regs w/out needing a reason.