Broadband Speed problems

Hello all,

I have just moved home and after many problems I finally got my BT
Broadband service reactivated at the new address.

BT told me to expect a speed of 6 Meg. I didn't really believe this
because I am pretty sure the exchange is not very close by.

However upon connection I am getting a truly abysmal connection -
224kbps downstream and 448kbps upstream - less than 5% of the speed
predicted by BT.

I am pretty sure the line can support at least something more than
this, because when I first moved in I tried to connect and it turned
out that Talk Talk still had a tag on the line, but the router synced
up at over 600kbps, so I would think that means that speeds higher
than 224kbps are possible.

My concerns now are the following:

Does 224kbps really qualify as Broadband and can BT hold me to a
contract if that is truly the best possible speed?

Does a speed this slow mean that there is probably some kind of issue
that can be solved, especially as I am getting a higher upstream speed
than downstream which I don't think is normal? (I am already connected
to the master socket I believe in the house). If so what
troubleshooting steps do you suggest?

I am using the old BT Router from my old address instead of the new
one, which has not yet been delivered - could this be anything to do
with it (I doubt it as the router was working fine at 4 Meg speeds at
the old address)?

If these kind of speeds are truly the best available on BT Broadband,
is there anything to gain by switching ISP, especially given the
comment on Talk Talk above?

If my broadband connection is very slow and this cannot be corrected,
what other options if any are available to get more bandwidth (cable
TV is not available at my address).

TIA for any help
thanks

> Does a speed this slow mean that there is probably some kind of issue
> that can be solved, especially as I am getting a higher upstream speed
> than downstream which I don't think is normal? (I am already connected
> to the master socket I believe in the house). *If so what
> troubleshooting steps do you suggest?

Update - I have found a help file on the Bt web site and I have opened
up the telephone master socket and connected directly to the test
socket, bypassing all of the internal wiring in the house.

Upon doing that, I am now getting 2688kbps so the issue is with the
internal wiring.

So you can disregard the questions above.

My issue now is that none of the phone sockets in the house have
anything plugged into them, so it cannot be another piece of equipment
that is causing the issue. Does this now mean I need to call out an
engineer to investigate my problem?

thanks

On Sat, 5 Jan 2008 05:27:29 UTC, PatWarne1235
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> Does 224kbps really qualify as Broadband

The trem 'broadband' has nothing to do with speed. It is the name of the
particular kind of technology used. It could be a lot slower and still
be broadband, and faster e.g. on ethernet) and not be broadband!

> If these kind of speeds are truly the best available on BT Broadband,
> is there anything to gain by switching ISP, especially given the
> comment on Talk Talk above?

Probably not. You'lll still have the same phone line. If you were
getting a good sync rate but slow downloads, that would be a different
matter.

--
[ 7'ism - a condition by which the sufferer experiences an inability
to give concise answers, express reasoned argument or opinion.
Usually accompanied by silly noises and gestures - incurable, early
euthanasia recommended. ]

On Sat, 5 Jan 2008 08:21:15 UTC, PatWarne1235
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> Update - I have found a help file on the Bt web site and I have opened
> up the telephone master socket and connected directly to the test
> socket, bypassing all of the internal wiring in the house.
>
> Upon doing that, I am now getting 2688kbps so the issue is with the
> internal wiring.

> My issue now is that none of the phone sockets in the house have
> anything plugged into them, so it cannot be another piece of equipment
> that is causing the issue. Does this now mean I need to call out an
> engineer to investigate my problem?

You can - if your pockets are deep. Or take a systematic look at the
wiring. Wrong kind of cable, spaghetti wiring, use of a ring wire when
none of your phones need it. It's not rocket science.

You don't have a Sky box plugged in still? Sure everything is unplugged?
Damaged cable under carpet?
--
[ 7'ism - a condition by which the sufferer experiences an inability
to give concise answers, express reasoned argument or opinion.
Usually accompanied by silly noises and gestures - incurable, early
euthanasia recommended. ]

PatWarne1235 wrote:

> > Does a speed this slow mean that there is probably some kind of issue
> > that can be solved, especially as I am getting a higher upstream speed
> > than downstream which I don't think is normal? (I am already connected
> > to the master socket I believe in the house). If so what
> > troubleshooting steps do you suggest?
>
> Update - I have found a help file on the Bt web site and I have opened
> up the telephone master socket and connected directly to the test
> socket, bypassing all of the internal wiring in the house.
>
> Upon doing that, I am now getting 2688kbps so the issue is with the
> internal wiring.

Good. That keeps it relatively simple.


> So you can disregard the questions above.
>
> My issue now is that none of the phone sockets in the house have
> anything plugged into them, so it cannot be another piece of equipment
> that is causing the issue. Does this now mean I need to call out an
> engineer to investigate my problem?

Are the extensions originally BT wired ? I don't think they cover them now
anyway, they just cover everything up to the master socket.

It may be simplest for you to rewire the extensions yourself. How many are
there ?

Graham

PatWarne1235 wrote:
>> Does a speed this slow mean that there is probably some kind of issue
>> that can be solved, especially as I am getting a higher upstream speed
>> than downstream which I don't think is normal? (I am already connected
>> to the master socket I believe in the house). If so what
>> troubleshooting steps do you suggest?
>
> Update - I have found a help file on the Bt web site and I have opened
> up the telephone master socket and connected directly to the test
> socket, bypassing all of the internal wiring in the house.
>
> Upon doing that, I am now getting 2688kbps so the issue is with the
> internal wiring.
>
> So you can disregard the questions above.
>
> My issue now is that none of the phone sockets in the house have
> anything plugged into them, so it cannot be another piece of equipment
> that is causing the issue. Does this now mean I need to call out an
> engineer to investigate my problem?
>
> thanks

I am not sure of my facts here, but if you can put all the extensions on
the far side of a microfilter, that should essentially isolate them from
the ADSL stuff.

Do the special faceplates do this? I can't remember.

Conceptually you want incoming line to filter splitting off your router
on one leg and the extensions stuff on the other.


Extension wiring - even if completely free of plugged in kit, can act as
an aerial and pick up lots of interference from things like switched
mode power supplies round the house..enough to destroy the ADSL.

The fact that BT says 6Mbps and you are only getting 2.8, suggests there
is extra noise somewhere.

Try switching off everything in the house, especially electronic stuff,
and see what happens as you switch stuff back on.

Take notes and keep a log.

Post results here, and let's see.

In message
<612b1117-0601-410c-8486-(E-Mail Removed)>,
PatWarne1235 <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote


> Does this now mean I need to call out an
>engineer to investigate my problem?

It will not be a free service. BT will probably charge £150+ as its not
their side of the connection that is wrong.

Many people fit their own telephone extension as it's not that difficult
for anyone with a bit of common sense so maybe the worst case cost would
be to rip out what is already there and get a new extension kit or two.
With DECT (wireless) phones you may not need more than one extension so
the wires running around your house may be no longer required.

You can also fit a filter face plate to a master socket to isolate phone
(extensions) from ADSL

http://www.adslnation.com/products/xte2005.php
http://www.solwise.co.uk/adsl_splitters.htm
http://www.clarity.it/telecoms/adsl_faceplate.htm

http://www.adslnation.com/support/filters.php

It has been written that the ring wire to your extensions can act as an
aerial and affect the speeds you get with ADSL.
http://yarwell.blogspot.com/2005_08_...l_archive.html




--
Alan
news2006 {at} amac {dot} f2s {dot} com

PatWarne1235 wrote:
>> Does a speed this slow mean that there is probably some kind of issue
>> that can be solved, especially as I am getting a higher upstream
>> speed than downstream which I don't think is normal? (I am already
>> connected to the master socket I believe in the house). If so what
>> troubleshooting steps do you suggest?
>
> Update - I have found a help file on the Bt web site and I have opened
> up the telephone master socket and connected directly to the test
> socket, bypassing all of the internal wiring in the house.
>
> Upon doing that, I am now getting 2688kbps so the issue is with the
> internal wiring.
>
> So you can disregard the questions above.
>
> My issue now is that none of the phone sockets in the house have
> anything plugged into them, so it cannot be another piece of equipment
> that is causing the issue. Does this now mean I need to call out an
> engineer to investigate my problem?

No! BT (OpenReach) will charge an arm and two legs for the privilege. What
you need to do is isolate each piece of wiring until you find out which bit
is causing the problem. Depending on what you want to do and where you want
to locate sockets and equipment it may be worth you buying a faceplate
splitter and starting the wiring from scratch using proper spec cable and
not bellwire. There is a selection of good kit here

http://www.solwise.co.uk/adsl_splitters.htm

http://www.clarity.it/telecoms/adsl_bits.htm


Peter Crosland

Thanks to everyone for all the quick replies.

>>The fact that BT says 6Mbps and you are only getting 2.8, suggests there
>>is extra noise somewhere.

Perhaps, but I don't think so - everyone else I know on this housing
estate is getting between 1 and 3 Meg - I haven't met anyone getting
anything like 6 Meg. Also, if I put my postcode instead of my phone
number into BT's speed prediction site it says 1 Meg - I suspect that
my new phone number (recently moved and changed number), is not
correctly linked to the postcode in the speed prediction database or
whatever.


>>Many people fit their own telephone extension as it's not that difficult
>>for anyone with a bit of common sense so maybe the worst case cost would
>>be to rip out what is already there and get a new extension kit or two.
>>With DECT (wireless) phones you may not need more than one extension so
>>the wires running around your house may be no longer required.

I understand it's not rocket science to do this, but having never done
it before I need some kind of guidance website - does anyone know of
one?

Basically my master socket has 4 slots in it, which are all wired with
a pair of wires, plus there are a few loose wires floating around in
there as well.

There are about 6 or 7 other extensions in the house - all wired
within the walls. Each of them has 6 slots - in some cases each slot
has one wire, with one telephone cable coming into the socket, and in
other cases each slot has 2 wires with two phone cables coming in. I
assume this means they are wired in series and running off to another
phone point.

I am sure this is not too difficult, but I'm a bit confused as have
never done it before. How do I figure out where each of the 4 cable
pairs in the master socket is going to so that I can understand which
ones I am isolating at a time?

Also if I take out all of the wires in a socket and leave them all
loose, does that effectively isolate it?

I have read somewhere that only two of the wires need to be connected
on most extensions - does that mean I can take four of them out, even
when it's a pair of wires in each cable? I have particularly read
that the one with the number 3 can be taken out - is that what is
meant by the "ring" discussed above?

I am not too keen on rewiring the whole house, especially not with
internal wiring inside the walls - I would have to do it with a stable
gun with cable staples.

In reality I only really need one or maybe two extensions - the rest
can be handled with DECT phone. If I disonnect all the wires from all
four connections on the master socket will that effectively isolate
the main socket also?

I also assume I need some special tool for taking the wires out safely
and putting them back in if I need to - what is that tool called?

I may also try the filtered master faceplate solution - from what I
read above, I assume that will effectivly isolate the broadband from
all the interference or issues? That said, if my speed is dropping
from 2.7 Meg to 250k, there must be some pretty serious problem that
maybe could even interfere with voice communication anyway?

TIA
Patrick.

All,

I also noticed that my download speed has already gone up to 2 Meg
after a few hours of connecting my router to the test socket.

I thought that you had to wait 3 days for the speed to go up, but I'm
very glad to find that's not the case?b

thanks
Patrick.