Joined: 04 Nov 2007Posts: 8Location: MIdlands - UK
After a month with Orange my linespeed has dropped to an average of 50 Kb/s for the last week against 8192 Kb/s advertised - ping test results have been about 300 ms (not 30 ms as expected).
Are these results likely to be the livebox (i.e. should I replace it with a router of my own) or is it likely to be the line? I'm really frustrated as both the web support and phone support at Orange don't seem to be able answer my questions - possibly because they don't have the skills.
Any advice on trouble-shooting or resolving this issue would be appreciated
The best way is to troubleshoot and work it out that way.
There's 3 main things to do.
1. Try a normal speedtest, such as here, speedtest.net or thinkbroadband.com and see what speeds that shows.
2. Run a BT speedtest ( http://speedtester.BT.com/ ) if possible, if you get an error try at different times as sometimes it's busy but if it always gives an error that's an indication in itself.
3. Log into your livebox ( http://192.168.1.1 ) and paste the System Information, ADSL section, into a post here. Just make sure to leave any IP addresses out along with your username. This gives your line stats and other useful information.
Joined: 04 Nov 2007Posts: 8Location: MIdlands - UK
Elhana wrote:
The best way is to troubleshoot and work it out that way.
There's 3 main things to do.
1. Try a normal speedtest, such as here, speedtest.net or thinkbroadband.com and see what speeds that shows.
2. Run a BT speedtest ( http://speedtester.BT.com/ ) if possible, if you get an error try at different times as sometimes it's busy but if it always gives an error that's an indication in itself.
3. Log into your livebox ( http://192.168.1.1 ) and paste the System Information, ADSL section, into a post here. Just make sure to leave any IP addresses out along with your username. This gives your line stats and other useful information.
3. from the livebox
Type : Interleave
Noise margin (dB) : 6.3
Attenuation (dB) : 63.5
Attainable download rate (kbps) : 736
Downstream Upstream
Rate (kbps) 608 448
Those are pretty bad stats. Unless there's something gone seriously wrong then you will never see 8 meg on that line with current technology.
You're line is very long as the attenuation is maxed, margin looks like it'll hopefully be a stable connection but with little to no room for improvement. Interleaving is on which your line probably needs anyway but that is adding to the high ping times.
One detail you missed from the BT speedtest was the IP profile, it's probably at 135kbps from the sounds of it though.
If you were on broadband previously on that line I expect it would have been a 1/2 meg connection, again unless there is a serious problem then it looks like ADSL Max may not be the best choice as you'd get probably an extra 1/4 - 1/2 meg at best.
You may want to check by connecting to the test socket in your main BT socket if possible but I wouldn't hold out much hope for that. Anything you try in future you only need to check the livebox stats for attenuation, noise margin, attainable and the upstream and downstream rates. They will show if it makes any difference.
3. from the livebox
Type : Interleave
Noise margin (dB) : 6.3
Attenuation (dB) : 63.5
Attainable download rate (kbps) : 736
Downstream Upstream
Rate (kbps) 608 448
Those are pretty bad stats. Unless there's something gone seriously wrong then you will never see 8 meg on that line with current technology.
You're line is very long as the attenuation is maxed, margin looks like it'll hopefully be a stable connection but with little to no room for improvement. Interleaving is on which your line probably needs anyway but that is adding to the high ping times.
One detail you missed from the BT speedtest was the IP profile, it's probably at 135kbps from the sounds of it though.
If you were on broadband previously on that line I expect it would have been a 1/2 meg connection, again unless there is a serious problem then it looks like ADSL Max may not be the best choice as you'd get probably an extra 1/4 - 1/2 meg at best.
You may want to check by connecting to the test socket in your main BT socket if possible but I wouldn't hold out much hope for that. Anything you try in future you only need to check the livebox stats for attenuation, noise margin, attainable and the upstream and downstream rates. They will show if it makes any difference.
Elhana : Thanks for the advice again. I include the latest test from Speedtester.BT.com
Test1 comprises of Best Effort Test: -provides background information.
IP profile for your line is - 500 kbps
DSL connection rate: 448 kbps(UP-STREAM) 608 kbps(DOWN-STREAM)
Actual IP throughput achieved during the test was - 4 kbps
What is so frustrating to me about this issue is that for the first few weeks of this service the performance was OK, but about a week ago the line dropped one evening and I couldn't get any help from Orange to understand why this happened (apparently the support is not 24/7 as advertised!) When the line re-connected in the morning, there was a severe degradation of the quality and speed and hence I have started to run speed-tests to find out what is happening. I still can't find anyone at Orange who may be able to diagnose what changed a week or so ago. Do you have any advice who I can approach to understand what might be done?
I used to have a second-line installed in my house (installed by my company when I was a home-worker) - that used to deliver 2-3Mb. I lost that line when I moved jobs, and I had assumed that my home phone came from the same exchange and would give a similar speed, but apparently not! It's all very frustrating.
Elhana : Thanks for the advice again. I include the latest test from Speedtester.BT.com
Test1 comprises of Best Effort Test: -provides background information.
IP profile for your line is - 500 kbps
DSL connection rate: 448 kbps(UP-STREAM) 608 kbps(DOWN-STREAM)
Actual IP throughput achieved during the test was - 4 kbps
For the sync speed thats the best profile you could expect.
Quote:
What is so frustrating to me about this issue is that for the first few weeks of this service the performance was OK, but about a week ago the line dropped one evening and I couldn't get any help from Orange to understand why this happened (apparently the support is not 24/7 as advertised!) When the line re-connected in the morning, there was a severe degradation of the quality and speed and hence I have started to run speed-tests to find out what is happening. I still can't find anyone at Orange who may be able to diagnose what changed a week or so ago. Do you have any advice who I can approach to understand what might be done?
Really they're unlikely to be able to tell you anything about why as it's a connection problem between the exchange and livebox.
There is something of minor interest to note, your sync speed is steady at 608, either it's just chance or it's quite stable. As it's been steady you may want to force a resync and then check what the livebox shows the stats as to see if there's any difference. Simply turn off the livebox for say 15 minutes and then check what it shows in system info again once it's reconnected.
Quote:
I used to have a second-line installed in my house (installed by my company when I was a home-worker) - that used to deliver 2-3Mb. I lost that line when I moved jobs, and I had assumed that my home phone came from the same exchange and would give a similar speed, but apparently not! It's all very frustrating.
I can imagine, most people assume lines going to the same place are the same but they can often be very different due to how BT have generally patched and tacked on more and more lines to a network they never thought would need to be the scale it is.
Keith : Looks like 512Kbps is max I can get, but what is the ADSL max product? Can I ask Orange to upgrade me to this?
Thanks
Stuart
Quote:
For Telephone Number 01283563345 on Exchange BURTON ON TRENT
Your exchange is ADSL enabled, and our initial test on your line indicates that your line should be able to have an ADSL broadband service that provides a line rate up to 512Kbps. However, due to the length of your line, an engineer visit may be required, who will, where possible, supply the broadband service.
Our test also indicates that your line should be able to support a potential ADSL Max broadband line rate of 500Kbps or greater.
The actual ADSL Max line rate supportable will be determined during the first 10 days of use, after which time the highest stable rate possible will be set.
If you decide to place an order, a further test will be performed to confirm if your line is suitable for the service you wish to purchase.
Joined: 04 Nov 2007Posts: 8Location: MIdlands - UK
Elhana wrote:
There is something of minor interest to note, your sync speed is steady at 608, either it's just chance or it's quite stable. As it's been steady you may want to force a resync and then check what the livebox shows the stats as to see if there's any difference. Simply turn off the livebox for say 15 minutes and then check what it shows in system info again once it's reconnected.
Elhana : I've tried this and the connection speed seems to change each time I do it! However the connection speed, seems to have little effect on the actual throughput speed.
Interestingly, I've tried the router from my previous business line and it gives higher connection speeds and throughput.
From the look of your stats, you're already on Max....you've got a 448kbps upstream result......I think this is as good as it gets unless any tweaking with phone line wiring/connections and/or extension boxes can be done.
Joined: 04 Nov 2007Posts: 8Location: MIdlands - UK
nhyder wrote:
Have you connected directly to the main BT linebox with nothing else plugged into it or any other extension boxes ?
If you have any extensions off the current line this may be contributing, that could be why you had no problems from the business line.
That's a good point. The livebox is connected to the master socket, but there are a couple of extensions with just 'phones connected, but nothing special, such as Sky boxes, etc. Perhpas I'll try to unplug them for a while!
Joined: 12 Jun 2006Posts: 907Location: Weston-super-Mare, UK
Stuart
You are already on IPStream Max which is a BT product bought in by Orange with speeds up to 8. You're speed is 0.5 which could be as good as it gets due to the distance you are away from the exchange.
Have you ever been with an ISP where you have had a faster speed?
The figure causing the problem is Attenuation (dB) : 63.5 - to get faster this figure needs to be lower, whether that is possible is another question.
What I would do is take everything out of phone lines and plug router in. Make sure you have decent filters.
Make sure you have the sequence correct if you're using line splitters.
That is, Splitter > Line 1 > Filter > Phone
Line 2 > Filter > Sky box
Do not have the filter plugged into the BT linebox then plug the splitter into the filter with the ext. lines coming unfiltered from the splitter, each line must be individually filtered.
Unless of course you use a NTE5 ADSL faceplate adaptor !!....in which case there's no need for filters at all !!
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