Slow speeds when connected to test socket?

If I connect my router to the test socket and still have problems with connection speeds at times, where does that indicate the problem is likely to be?

I connected my router to the test socket yesterday, I've ran two tests today:

At around 5pm the result was - 4.47 Mb/s
Now at 10pm it's dropped - 1.26 Mb/s

You need to find out the sync speed and line stats you obtain when connected at the master socket VS normally.

Post them here and we can give you an opinion. We need both at master socket and "how you connect normally".

Attenuation, SnR/noise margin/ratio, and Sync speed

If there is minimal difference, there is no internal wiring fault.

Based from what you have said though the slow speeds are most likely exchange contention and nothing to do with your physical line quality.

I've been posting in the DSL hardware part of the forum (I originally thought it might be the router but that's not the case, instead I'm now being advised about the wiring in the master socket - which I'm not keen to touch). I've been in touch with Zen too but for the first time ever didn't feel I got anywhere, so I'd appreciate any help I can get! I should also point out that I've had the odd problem with my connection but generally it's about 4 - 5.5 Mb. I can appreciate it that it might get a little slow at busier times and probably wouldn't really notice if it dropped to say 3 Mb, but in the past couple of weeks I've noticed a significant drop.

I've a whole bunch of stats I've been taking note of, first with my own router, then with a draytek router I've borrowed.

STANDARD SOCKET [speedtouch router]
Bandwidth: - 448 / 7,200
Attenuation: - 17.0 / 28.0
SN Margin: - 21.0 / 9.0

MASTER SOCKET [speedtouch router]
Bandwidth: - 448 / 8,096
Attenuation: - 16.5 / 27.0
SN Margin: - 29.0 / 14.0

A BT speedtest I ran when it was really slow:
Your DSL Connection Rate :8096 Kbps(DOWN-STREAM), 448 Kbps(UP-STREAM)
IP Profile for your line is - 6000 Kbps
Download speedachieved during the test was - 816 Kbps

STANDARD SOCKET [draytek router]
SNR Margin 8.0
Loop Att. 25.0

5pm - 1.62 Mb/s (zen test file downloads @ 150kbs)
6pm - 4.80 Mb/s (download from sourceforge @ 500kbs)

MASTER SOCKET [draytek router]
SNR Margin 15.0
Loop Att. 24.5

5pm - 4.47 Mb/s (zen test file downloads @ 600kbs)
10pm - 1.26 Mb/s (zen test file downloads @ 200kbs)

Edit: OK, I did make a big post but then I read your post in DSL hardware forum and the extra information there made a lot of my assumptions incorrect, so I've removed it as it was getting highly confusing... The folks in that thread will probably have a far better idea than me! But I'll give you my opinion tomorrow anyway! (because I suspect exchange contention is also at play..)

Edited by Pipexer (Tue 17-May-11 23:22:45)

. . . instead I'm now being advised about the wiring in the master socket - which I'm not keen to touch).

It is the EU (end-user) wiring that connects to the the removable front face-plate at the NTE5A (the master socket) that appears to be somewhat suspect.

This is one of the problems of having two threads open and active for one issue. Not everybody gets to see all the relevant information!

Once you are able to provide the details requested in the other thread, it could well be a simple job to correct -- we would be willing to give you step by step instructions how to achieve the result. Or if you really don't want to do it, perhaps there is a forum member, local to you, who would be willing to visit (if acceptable) and make the necessary adjustments. So to have some idea of your location, to which exchange are you connected?

In reply to a post by mac_d:

STANDARD SOCKET [draytek router]
SNR Margin 8.0
Loop Att. 25.0

MASTER SOCKET [draytek router]
SNR Margin 15.0
Loop Att. 24.5

You don't show your sync speed for the Draytek tests - Also didn't you notice your target margin has also gone upto 15dB from 9dB in the first test.

After using the speedtouch your IPProfile is reported as 6mbit, was there a change after you put the draytek on the line if so what ?

Also if you still have it which version of modem code was the draytek using ?

You also don't say where you are, and it looks like your still on ADSLMax (Rather than 21CN, or LLU)

Next time you get a bout of poor speed please run the BT speed test again and see what it reports - that should help narrow down if its the exchange or something else.

Sorry for the cross posting but my post here wasn't really meant to be anything detailed, more just a general query regards slow speeds when connected to the test socket. I thought that might indicate that as Pipexer said, possibly exchange contention is the issue - though the impact seems a bit severe for that?

Thanks for the help so far (in both threads!). I'll keep posting regards the master socket in the other thread, I'm not keen to do it myself but may be able to get someone else to do it for me, if with some help I can establish what needs to be done - and if it'll really make any difference.

Anyway, in response to what has been posted here. I should make it clear I've labelled those stats incorrectly, it should be test socket and master socket, as the router is always connected to the master socket. The draytek router currently reports sync speed as 7616000 (still using the test socket, don't know what it was with the standard set-up). And yes, I can see that the stats show an improvement when connected to the test socket, however, I thought that was to be expected, and I'm not sure how significant an improvement it is? I can't say the connection is noticeably faster.

There was no change to my IP Profile when changing routers (though it has jumped up to 6500 since yesterday). It usually sits between 5-6000 (except for the odd drop for a day), and has been sitting solidly at 6000 since February. So there's been no change to it despite my slow speeds recently.

I'm not sure what you mean by modem code? And yes I'm on Max ADSL, my local exchange is Cranhill in Glasgow. Since using the Draytek router (model Vigor2600), I can't seem to get beyond the checking details page of the BT Speedtest, but I plan on going back to my own router before the end of this week anwyay.

In reply to a post by mac_d:

I'm not sure what you mean by modem code?

Log into the router's web page - goto 'System Maintenance' down the bottom left hand side then click on 'System Status' you will get all the system information shown at the top of the page.

Let me know what you get for the following lines (mine are shown as an example)

Model Name : Vigor2820n
Firmware Version : 3.3.5.2_232201
ADSL Firmware Version : 232201_A Hardware: Annex A

. . . my local exchange is Cranhill in Glasgow.

Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk is just a little bit too far away from Glasgow to be considered local, so I won't be able to visit . . .

Model : Vigor2600 plus series annex A
Firmware Version : 2.5.6_UK
ADSL Firmware Version : 41e2be2c

I'll be switching back to my own Speedtouch 585 router either tonight or tomorrow though....