Joined: 30 Sep 2007Posts: 2Location: Southport, UK
Hi, folks...
I was hoping to get a little bit of help regarding my new Orange Unlimited Broadband package.
After having a bit of a nightmare connecting the Livebox, I finally managed to get onto the Internet seven days ago. Since then, despite a lot of checking, fiddling and phone-calls, I've only managed to get a download speed of between 60kbps and 110kbps. This is the speed every time I've tested (weekday, weekend, four in the morning etc.) and nothing I do seems to help (new filter, new cables, different computer etc.) and Orange tech support are about as useful as a chocolate teapot.
While I like to think that I'm not a luddite or a complete retard, I'm quickly running out of things to try and I'm not completely sure I understand all the technical aspects of the problems other people are having with their ADSL2+ Max connections.
So, here are the stats off the system information page in my router, maybe someone out there with more technical know-how than me can offer some suggestions as to why my download speed is barely better than dial-up:
Just as a point of interest, my flat is only 80 metres from the exchange, there is nothing else plugged into the BT socket and I'm running Windows Vista Home Basic on a new PC that's connecting via a D-Link AirPlus G+ DWL-G520+ Wireless PCI Adapter and an older PC that's running Windows XP Professional and is connected via the LAN socket on the Livebox. Both PC's are getting a similar crappy speed and all the Livebox lights are normal.
Is there something, anything I can do to fix this problem or is it something I need to get Orange to deal with (not exactly filled with hope at the prospect of getting them to do anything to help me out!)?
Any and all advice, help, sympathy, accusations of idiocy are welcome and appreciated.
Thanks in advance to anyone clever and good-looking enough to help me out.
...Since then, despite a lot of checking, fiddling and phone-calls, I've only managed to get a download speed of between 60kbps and 110kbps. This is the speed every time I've tested (weekday, weekend, four in the morning etc.) and nothing I do seems to help (new filter, new cables, different computer etc.) and Orange tech support are about as useful as a chocolate teapot.
The fiddling and cable changing may actually be doing more harm than good at this point, see below.
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While I like to think that I'm not a luddite or a complete retard, I'm quickly running out of things to try and I'm not completely sure I understand all the technical aspects of the problems other people are having with their ADSL2+ Max connections.
It's ADSL Max, 2+ is the upto 24 meg version of the connection that only a handful of ISP's use as yet, orange not being one of them.
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So, here are the stats off the system information page in my router, maybe someone out there with more technical know-how than me can offer some suggestions as to why my download speed is barely better than dial-up:
Very nice line stats. Interleaving is on but that shouldn't be anything to be worried about at this stage. It's an ADSL Max connection sync'd at it's maximum with plenty of margin spare which should cover any minor problems if any crop up.
Quote:
Just as a point of interest, my flat is only 80 metres from the exchange, there is nothing else plugged into the BT socket and I'm running Windows Vista Home Basic on a new PC that's connecting via a D-Link AirPlus G+ DWL-G520+ Wireless PCI Adapter and an older PC that's running Windows XP Professional and is connected via the LAN socket on the Livebox. Both PC's are getting a similar crappy speed and all the Livebox lights are normal.
Is there something, anything I can do to fix this problem or is it something I need to get Orange to deal with (not exactly filled with hope at the prospect of getting them to do anything to help me out!)?
The short distance to the exchange is mirrored in the attunuation you have, 7 is very low and should mean a good connection.
What's probably happened is a minor problem caused the IP Profile (speed limit for the connection) to drop and the subsequent fiddling has made the system keep it low thinking the line is unstable. That or the 10 day period has kept it that low for some reason.
Hopefully this is very easy to fix. First go to:
http://speedtester.BT.com/
Run the test, if you get an error just wait and try it later, and take notice of the IP Profile, it's probably on about 135kbps. Thats the cause of the slow connection but it should correct itself if you give it time. Either at the end of the 10 day training period or within 3 days. Best thing to do is....nothing. Don't touch the livebox (unless for pairing wireless), the cables, filters or phone sockets, leave it alone and things should fix themselves.
Joined: 30 Sep 2007Posts: 2Location: Southport, UK
Thank you, Elhana, for your quick and informative reply...
I ran the test you linked me to and got these results:
Test1 comprises of Best Effort Test: -provides background information.
IP profile for your line is - 7000 kbps
DSL connection rate: 448 kbps(UP-STREAM) 8096 kbps(DOWN-STREAM)
Actual IP throughput achieved during the test was - 172 kbps
Which, given what you said in your post, is weird, right?
I didn't know about the 10 day training period, or that I shouldn't fiddle with stuff (it wasn't mentioned in the documentation that came with the Livebox). Does the 10 day thing count from when your line is broadband enabled or from when you plug the Livebox in? And if it's the latter, do you have to leave it plugged in continuously for 10 days before it finishes training itself? Just wondering because I haven't actually changed any settings or unplugged the thing for 6 days and thirteen or so hours.
Given the above test results, do you still think that doing nothing is my best option?
Again, thank you so much for taking the time out to explain this stuff to me. Now I don't feel completely adrift in rough seas of ADSL Max!
Test1 comprises of Best Effort Test: -provides background information.
IP profile for your line is - 7000 kbps
DSL connection rate: 448 kbps(UP-STREAM) 8096 kbps(DOWN-STREAM)
Actual IP throughput achieved during the test was - 172 kbps
Which, given what you said in your post, is weird, right?
Yeah, thats not really a good result as it means the problem isn't the profile and it's down to something else.
Quote:
I didn't know about the 10 day training period, or that I shouldn't fiddle with stuff (it wasn't mentioned in the documentation that came with the Livebox). Does the 10 day thing count from when your line is broadband enabled or from when you plug the Livebox in? And if it's the latter, do you have to leave it plugged in continuously for 10 days before it finishes training itself? Just wondering because I haven't actually changed any settings or unplugged the thing for 6 days and thirteen or so hours.
Normally it shouldn't be all that noticable, the training period is supposed to be just where the system monitors the line to see what it's capable of, in the past though some experienced some freaky things during the time. Locked at low speeds or profiles, wildly intermittant or random connections, etc. It's a lot better these days with the updates BT have made to the way the system works. Also if you're on an LLU like there is no 10 day training period so not everyone gets it at first.
The 10 day period starts from the first connection, it's not continuous and you don't need to keep the modem/router plugged in or connected.
There's no rule not to fiddle with it, turning off and unplugging for example normally don't cause a problem, just in a small number of cases where there's already a problem it can make things worse.
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Given the above test results, do you still think that doing nothing is my best option?
Well yes and no. Checking the setup, phone sockets, wiring may be a good idea but nothing can really be done about a speed fault until after the 10 day training period. It's upto you if you want to do that now but to get a little technical, if you interfere with it during the 10 day training period then there is a possibility that that MSR (Connection rate at which below you can log a valid speed fault) might be reduced which can be annoying further down the line.
Right now it's best to wait out the 10 days and see what happens, if the speeds are still slow try connecting the livebox to the main phone socket and disconnect everything else.
Also are you using a wireless connection? May be worth trying a wired connection to make sure it's not a signal problem.
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