Broadband speed query (Orange)

Hi

I've recently had my broadband speed upped from 1meg to upto 8meg package. I
ran a line test which stated I could get upto 6meg and Orange confirmed this
before I signed up for the faster service.

Now when I connect to the net,the pop-up box states I'm connected at 7.6
Mbps (where it used to show 1.1mbps). But I wasn't convinced I'm running at
anywhere near this higher speed. A speedtest confirmed I wasn't and I have
just done another speedtest which shows

downstream = 2130.91kbps
upstream = 376.10 kbps

I am running my broadband via a telephone extension cable through my house
but I don't consider this to be the cause of my problem as I only lost
around 0.2mbps when I was on the slower package using the cable rather than
connect straight to the master socket.

The only things I can think which would be contributing to the slowness
would be a) I'm still using my Alcatel Speedtouch frog and/or b) something
needs tweaking by Orange/BT.

To get a higher connection speed, do I have to use the Livebox that Orange
sent me, or should my frog be capable of handling the faster speeds???

Any ideas anyone??

Netty

On 27 May 2007, "Netty" <netty@???.hello.com> wrote:

>I've recently had my broadband speed upped from 1meg to upto 8meg package.

How recently ? There is a "settling down" period of 10 working days during
which time the BT wholesale network will still limit you to about 2 Mbps.

>Now when I connect to the net,the pop-up box states I'm connected at 7.6
>Mbps (where it used to show 1.1mbps). But I wasn't convinced I'm running at
>anywhere near this higher speed. A speedtest confirmed I wasn't and I have
>just done another speedtest which shows

If it used to show 1.1 Mbps, there might be some issues with your connection
anyway, but you will hopefully see some improvement (though another aspect
is 'when' you do speed tests - evenings and weekends are probably worst!)

>The only things I can think which would be contributing to the slowness
>would be a) I'm still using my Alcatel Speedtouch frog and/or b) something
>needs tweaking by Orange/BT.
>
>To get a higher connection speed, do I have to use the Livebox that Orange
>sent me, or should my frog be capable of handling the faster speeds???

I have tried a number of older routers, which all showed a connection speed
(sync speed) of 8128/448 (I am fairly close to the exchange) but which gave
poor throughput, and lots of disconnections. I was lent a modern Zyxel and
that gave a major improvement. I'd suggest you try the Livebox, and report
the details from that (sync speed, line attenuation, SNR figures), and post
them back in the newsgroup.

In message
<(E-Mail Removed)>
at 20:15:51 on Sun, 27 May 2007, NoNeedToKnow <(E-Mail Removed)>
wrote
>I have tried a number of older routers, which all showed a connection speed
>(sync speed) of 8128/448 (I am fairly close to the exchange) but which gave
>poor throughput, and lots of disconnections. I was lent a modern Zyxel and
>that gave a major improvement. I'd suggest you try the Livebox, and report
>the details from that (sync speed, line attenuation, SNR figures), and post
>them back in the newsgroup.
>
You may want to see the website http://www.orangeproblems.co.uk
--
Mike News

In article <f3ci60$v79$(E-Mail Removed)>, netty@???.hello.com says...
> Hi
>
> I've recently had my broadband speed upped from 1meg to upto 8meg package. I
> ran a line test which stated I could get upto 6meg and Orange confirmed this
> before I signed up for the faster service.
>
> Now when I connect to the net,the pop-up box states I'm connected at 7.6
> Mbps (where it used to show 1.1mbps). But I wasn't convinced I'm running at
> anywhere near this higher speed. A speedtest confirmed I wasn't and I have
> just done another speedtest which shows
>
> downstream = 2130.91kbps
> upstream = 376.10 kbps
>
> I am running my broadband via a telephone extension cable through my house
> but I don't consider this to be the cause of my problem as I only lost
> around 0.2mbps when I was on the slower package using the cable rather than
> connect straight to the master socket.
>
> The only things I can think which would be contributing to the slowness
> would be a) I'm still using my Alcatel Speedtouch frog and/or b) something
> needs tweaking by Orange/BT.
>
> To get a higher connection speed, do I have to use the Livebox that Orange
> sent me, or should my frog be capable of handling the faster speeds???
>
> Any ideas anyone??
>
> Netty
>
>
>
if you are using a recently converted package, then your data rate may
be set at the 2Mbps slot at the BRAS server. It may start to increase
within a few days of stable operation, but if it isn't showing any
movement after 3 days or so then get in touch with Orange support.

if you are on a non-LLU connection then it's a BT/ISP problem which is
common with lines newly converted to MAX.

this site may help to determine your data rate
http://test.speedtester.bt.com:50301/

if you are not on an LLU product.

FR

Netty wrote:

> I am running my broadband via a telephone extension cable through my house
> but I don't consider this to be the cause of my problem as I only lost
> around 0.2mbps when I was on the slower package using the cable rather than
> connect straight to the master socket.

The fact that you lost anything at all even on 1Mbps shows that your extension
cable *is* a problem, as I'd expect it to be.

It gets quite technical but if you *MUST* have your broadband connected PC
somewhere other than near the master phone socket you can do several things
about it.

If you happen to have a router or modem with ethernet - use that. Put the
microfilter into the master socket and connect your phone extension lead to the
phone socket on the filter and plug *ONLY* the phone(s) in at the other end.
Connect your router / modem to the adsl socket on the filter, power it off a
neaby mains socket and run a separate CAT5 ethernet cable from the modem /
router to your PC. Ethernet has no trouble covering such distances. It was made
to do so.

The other alternative is more complicated.

Graham

"NoNeedToKnow" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> On 27 May 2007, "Netty" <netty@???.hello.com> wrote:
>
>>I've recently had my broadband speed upped from 1meg to upto 8meg package.
>
> How recently ? There is a "settling down" period of 10 working days
> during
> which time the BT wholesale network will still limit you to about 2 Mbps.
>
>>Now when I connect to the net,the pop-up box states I'm connected at 7.6
>>Mbps (where it used to show 1.1mbps). But I wasn't convinced I'm running
>>at
>>anywhere near this higher speed. A speedtest confirmed I wasn't and I have
>>just done another speedtest which shows
>
> If it used to show 1.1 Mbps, there might be some issues with your
> connection
> anyway, but you will hopefully see some improvement (though another aspect
> is 'when' you do speed tests - evenings and weekends are probably worst!)
>
>>The only things I can think which would be contributing to the slowness
>>would be a) I'm still using my Alcatel Speedtouch frog and/or b) something
>>needs tweaking by Orange/BT.
>>
>>To get a higher connection speed, do I have to use the Livebox that Orange
>>sent me, or should my frog be capable of handling the faster speeds???
>
> I have tried a number of older routers, which all showed a connection
> speed
> (sync speed) of 8128/448 (I am fairly close to the exchange) but which
> gave
> poor throughput, and lots of disconnections. I was lent a modern Zyxel
> and
> that gave a major improvement. I'd suggest you try the Livebox, and
> report
> the details from that (sync speed, line attenuation, SNR figures), and
> post
> them back in the newsgroup.

I requested my upgrade 8/5/07 (21 days ago).

I can't connect my livebox as I don't have an ethernet port on my pc. It is
about 4 years old and when it was built, there weren't many things that
needed an ethernet - or nothing that I could afford at the time! So it's a
trip to PC World in the morning to see if I can get an adapter.

Anyone know if there's such an adapter that will change a USB port to
ethernet??? These new-fangled things are starting to get beyond me!

netty@???.hello.com declared for all the world to hear...
> I can't connect my livebox as I don't have an ethernet port on my pc. It is
> about 4 years old and when it was built, there weren't many things that
> needed an ethernet - or nothing that I could afford at the time! So it's a
> trip to PC World in the morning to see if I can get an adapter.

Get an ethernet port (on a PCI card). Don't pay more than £10 for it.
Takes about 5 mins to install - just take the side of your PC case off,
find an empty slot on the board, there will be a few of them, and stick
it in (it won't go in the wrong way). Screw it into position, put the
case back on and fire it up!
--
Regards
Jon

"Jon" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed) et...
> netty@???.hello.com declared for all the world to hear...
>> I can't connect my livebox as I don't have an ethernet port on my pc. It
>> is
>> about 4 years old and when it was built, there weren't many things that
>> needed an ethernet - or nothing that I could afford at the time! So it's
>> a
>> trip to PC World in the morning to see if I can get an adapter.
>
> Get an ethernet port (on a PCI card). Don't pay more than £10 for it.
> Takes about 5 mins to install - just take the side of your PC case off,
> find an empty slot on the board, there will be a few of them, and stick
> it in (it won't go in the wrong way). Screw it into position, put the
> case back on and fire it up!
> --

Ah, so it's just like putting in a video or sound card. Nothing to it then!

I really need to update my pc skills.... here I was thinking I could get a
plug-like adaptor to change one of my USB ports to ethernet - duh, how
blonde am I??? (No, don't answer that!) lol

Netty

On Tue, 29 May 2007 22:33:05 UTC, "Netty" <netty@???.hello.com> wrote:

> > Get an ethernet port (on a PCI card). Don't pay more than £10 for it.
> > Takes about 5 mins to install - just take the side of your PC case off,
> > find an empty slot on the board, there will be a few of them, and stick
> > it in (it won't go in the wrong way). Screw it into position, put the
> > case back on and fire it up!

> Ah, so it's just like putting in a video or sound card. Nothing to it then!

Indeed. And a tenner is quite expensive these days...cards go on eBay
for a lot less than that. If you're in East Kent, I can give you one of
my spares...hardly worth posting though.

--
[ 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. ]

netty@???.hello.com declared for all the world to hear...
> Ah, so it's just like putting in a video or sound card. Nothing to it then!

Exactlty! 5 minute job. Network ports are also stupidly cheap.

> I really need to update my pc skills.... here I was thinking I could get a
> plug-like adaptor to change one of my USB ports to ethernet - duh, how
> blonde am I??? (No, don't answer that!) lol

I'm sure such a device does exist, but ethernet is way faster than USB.
--
Regards
Jon