Ping

[kellys_eye]

My BT broadband connection (ADSL) is suffering repeated dropping of speed. Speedtest.net reports speeds starting as high as 4Mb/s (ping of <70mS) which drops over the following day or two to speeds of sub 1Mb/s (ping 80mS and higher).

BT is 'threatening' to send an engineer around to test my end of the system but this will cause me considerable expense if they DO find anything and I wouldn't put it past them to falsify results to justify their attendance.

I've pinged my network and router out-going port with a result of 0mS. Pinging my provider gives the 80mS+ result (sometimes it's nearly 1000mS) so I'm 'insisting' the fault is somewhere in their system, not mine.

Whenever I complain they do an 'exchange master reset' which 'miraculously' recovers my download speeds to 4Mb/s+ (the kind of speeds we normally get) but this, as I mentioned, drops down over a day or so to the sub 1Mb/s range.

Am I correct to assume the fault is with THEIR equipment/line? or should I be checking my own stuff more closely?

The router is connected at the main incoming phone socket, the line filter has been checked/changed, the PC is wired (10ft of CAT5) and the router is 'their supply'.

PC guru advice gratefully received.

[BillyGoat]

What sort of 'master socket' to you have?

If it's an NTE5 or one of their 'speed booster' things, then you can remove the "customer" plate, which should isolate any wiring in your own house that may be causing the problem.

Everything before that socket, is their problem.....and you ain't allowed to touch it, so no charge.

If your wiring IS connected behind the NTE5, then they CAN and more than likely will charge you - 'cos it's wrong.

I'd unplug the front plate, click right in and see how it goes there (obviously, you'll lose any phone service while you do this).

BG

[BillyGoat]

Alsooooooooooo, you could try logging into the routers admin pages and finding the line stats.

This will give you the quality of the line - it might be worse at different times of the day, which is causing the drop - the line cards at the exchange will usually 'train' down to give a GOOD connection rather than a FAST connection. It may degrade the speed to maintain stability.

They might have to repair or change your line (not your problem).

Have you tried a different router too? Supplied ones are usually gash......I swapped a BT supplied netgear for another kind and had a nice 3mb increase and a much needed shot of stability.

BG

[merlin50]

I had problems with BT broadband and moved elsewhere, no problems now, simples.

Next door had problems and were charged £100.00 just to be told there master socket was not a BT one and they would not fix it. I fitted a new BT one for them.

[BillyGoat]

Move house is one option! lol

Move next door to the exchange....

Just got me thinking......are your lines overhead or wombling underground? I had a walk up the road in my last house and followed the line, lots of open coveres up the posts......line was always BETTER when it rained, think it was the open covers.

BG

[kellys_eye]

He's the gist....

the NTE5 socket has two wires connected internally. A simple phone connected proves rather a lot of background noise. The lines are all overhead and run some 4 MILES to the exchange. The lines are (in places) lying across the ground due to fallen posts. They aren't on the road or anything, just lounging in some weeds.....

I bypassed the front plate - no difference.
I changed the filter - no difference.
I have only ONE PC connected - no difference.
There WAS an extra extension connected but I've disconnected that and still - no difference.
Reset the router - no difference.
Cable runs straight through the wall, up to the guttering around the house and over to the post and awaaaaay...

My understanding (and correct me if I'm wrong) is that the PING is important and very little to do with the 'local' wiring as pinging my router gateway (or the network) shows 0mS - give or take a femto-second (difficult to see on my just-guess-the-reading-ometer).

Since the ping values (as reported by Speedtest.net) vary from sub 70mS (when our speed is good) to well over 80mS when our speed tanks means (to me) that something EXTERNAL is changing......

Anyway, I don't know what else could possibly change from the day BT do the exchange reset (and the speed is good) to the very next day when it just drops off..... Certainly nothing changes HERE (wiring, position, equipment, knob-end-angle etc).

[merlin50]

Well the day we moved from BT we had 3 times the speed

[BillyGoat]

I'd use a ping response time as a guide....it can vary based on equipment, servers being pinged, the traffic and most often now - ISP's will traffic shape what goes over their network, often lowering the priority of pings and other 'back ground' (in their oppinoin) noise.

Call them - MAKE them sort it out, I'd not be paying a penny for any resolution in this instance.

Pings may also be increased if they have enabled interleave due to the distance to assist with the connection reliability. (Is it reliable?? I'd be guessing yes, but slow.....).

You shouldn't be paying here.

BG

[kellys_eye]

I'd change ISP except that I believe the fault to be related to the cables and/or exchange therefore BT would be involved no matter who we used as ISP.

As for 'paying'..... that's a particular bone of contention as we now get ALL our TV/entertainment via broadband so this loss of speed seriously inconveniences us. Wait until they try getting THIS quarterly payment

I'm now happy that there's nowt amiss at my end (unless they try to blame the modem itself) - and since THEY provided it I'll be having plenty to say if that IS the problem - so I reckon I could get them to attend and they wouldn't be able to shaft me for the £99 fee no how, no way.

[scot-canuck]

Sounds like a bad drop wire,
Pole out the back in our old place had a missing cover and a crapload of wiring hanging out. Phone constantly crackled like crazy so got Openreach out.
BT guy fixed the dodgy pole but the line was still crackling like crazy, phoned me from the top of the pole, wiggled the drop cable and the line dropped...seems the rain had gotten in and corroded the copper. Shame he spliced it outside and hid the splice in the soffit, which the birds nested in....every spring my net speeds went funny...think the birds kept pecking it or something.