Slow Internet - only getting 7kbps

Power_Coxswain · Post by **Power_Coxswain** » Wed Jun 03, 2009 12:13 am

Hi

We have been suffering from very slow internet speeds for the last fortnight. Our usual router is a Solwise SAR600EW (“R” version) running Routertech firmware 2.8. We have tried several others brands of router during this problem to see if things could be improved. Nothing has so far.

We reported the fault to BT but until today they have been saying there is no fault. Despite everything we have tried, the fastest speed we have been able to get in the last fortnight is 44kbps. The router seems to showing being sync’d up correctly. We normally enjoy a connection of around 4500kbps (4.5m). The modem is currently showing connected as below but the speed is 16kbps according to BT’s speedtest site:

Modem Status
Connection Status Connected
Ds Rate (Kbps) 5376
Us Rate (Kbps) 448
DS Margin 2
US Margin 17
DS Line Attenuation 51
US Line Attenuation 30
Trained Modulation ADSL_G.dmt
LOS Errors 0
Peak Cell Rate 1056 cells per sec
CRC Rx Fast 0
CRC Tx Fast 0
CRC Rx Interleaved 106
CRC Tx Interleaved 8
Path Mode Interleaved

At BT’s request we have tried to run their speedtest web site. Only the first test will run for us. No matter what we tried we cannot get the second or third tests to run with any of the routers we have tried. The results below are from a test that has just been run via the Solwise SAR-600EW router. Test 2 & 3 failed. These results are very consistent with other tests we have run since the problem started.

Test1 comprises of Best Effort Test: -provides background information.
Your DSL connection rate: 5376 kbps(DOWN-STREAM), 448 kbps(UP-STREAM)
IP profile for your line is - 3500 kbps
Actual IP throughput achieved during the test was - 16 kbps

www.speedtest.net will simply not run at all.

We have tried several different routers brands/models, even tried plugging them into the test socket point on the incoming BT master socket with all other subscribe side devices disconnected. We have tried different plug-in filters into the test socket (we normally use a Solwise faceplate filter) on the BT master socket, different connecting cables. Just about every feasible combination of router & cable has been tried. All to no avail.

BT indicated this morning that “Diagnostics have identified a potential common fault. Case has been passed to the Proactive Team to monitor/resolve”. They have been working on the fault all day but still no improvements have been seen.

Can anyone throw any light on how we can get things resolved please?

Below are stats using Router Stat Logger:

Router Stats Logger v1.0.27 report - 02 Jun 2009 23:37:05
Last boot: 02/06/2009 13:01:00
DS rate: 5376 kbit/s
US rate: 448 kbit/s
Max DS rate: 5376 kbit/s
Max US rate: n/a
DS SNR: 1 dB
US SNR: 17 dB
DS Attn: 51 dB
US Attn: 30 dB
DS Power: 19 dB
US Power: 12 dB
Mode: Interleaved ADSL G.dmt
ATM Driver version:[7.03.00.04]
DSL HAL version: [7.02.01.00]
DSP Datapump version: [7.02.03.00] Annex A
SAR HAL version: [01.07.2c]
PDSP Firmware version:[0.54]
Chipset ID: [Ohio250(7200/7100A2)]
SNR Margin Threshold: not set
Bit Allocation per Bin gaps:
Gap 1 = 0.000 - 30.188 kHz - Voice & guard band
Gap 2 = 133.688 - 146.625 kHz - Guard band between US and DS
Gap 3 = 276.000 - 280.313 kHz - Pilot frequency
Gap 4 = 810.750 - 815.063 kHz
Gap 5 = 836.625 - 840.938 kHz
Gap 6 = 862.500 - 879.750 kHz
Gap 7 = 901.313 - 922.875 kHz
Gap 8 = 927.188 - 931.500 kHz
Gap 9 = 935.813 - 957.375 kHz
Gap 10 = 961.688 - 966.000 kHz
Gap 11 = 983.250 - 1,099.688 kHz

Post by **Steve** » Sun Jun 07, 2009 10:53 pm

Can't help you much myself, but might be useful if you can provide your test machines details - OS etc.

Can you eliminate the PC as a cause of problem, since you seem to have tried various different routers. Might even be worth booting a live linux CD if you are on windows.

Looks from the router connection stats that you are getting a decent speed.

Post by **Shotokan101** » Sun Jun 07, 2009 11:20 pm

Downstream margin and attenuation figures would indicate the problem is with the line IMO - get the ISP or BT to recheck the line.

Have you tried swapping out your ADSL filter or connecting to your master socket via the test socket connection ?

Jim

Power_Coxswain · Post by **Power_Coxswain** » Tue Jun 09, 2009 12:05 am

Thanks for your comments guys.

I have tried several different PC’s/laptops & I get the same results on all of them. Yes, the router stats show we should be getting decent speed but trust me we are not (7kbps-44kbps max) – none of the speed test checkers will run correctly, that’s how slow it is.

I’ve swapped the ADSL filter with a couple of different ones. We are normally plugged directly in to a Solwise filter plate on the incoming NTE5 master socket. I have removed this & used different plug in filters in the master socket test connection point. I’ve even tried different connecting cables.

Nearly three weeks on & many calls/emails to our ISP & finally on Saturday afternoon an Openreach engineer came out to have a look. Four hours later & he was satisfied that what we were saying was correct & there was definitely a fault quote “like I’ve not seen before”. He even took our router down to the exchange to see what he could get when he plugged it directly into the line at the exchange. He still got the same, stats that showed a reasonable sync speed yet in reality there was no speed at all actually there. He finally concluded that there was a fault with the exchange equipment & it needs changing.

But surprise surprise they didn’t have any spare equipment available. So we are now waiting for them to replace the necessary equipment at the exchange. According to the ISP fault log it says “Tie Pair Faulty 15-This circuit has had a tie-pair modification order issued.” They had previously reported “BT have confirmed there were 8 faulty services on the same line card. As such, the line card has been replaced this evening.”

Hopefully we should be back on line again in the next couple of days as they have indicated a time of 1-3 days to complete the works the engineer requested on Saturday.

What a saga – wouldn’t it have been a lot easier for BTW to have arranged an engineer visit weeks ago rather than just keep saying there was “no fault” & waiting for us to go away!

Post by **Shotokan101** » Tue Jun 09, 2009 12:53 am

Well you know the saying "Delay is the deadliest form of Denial"

Let us know how you get on.

BTW - don't think you should,be using a filter when connecting the router directly to the test socket.

Jim

Power_Coxswain · Post by **Power_Coxswain** » Tue Jun 09, 2009 8:35 am

An ADSL filter was used to doing the testing via the internal test socket on the main NTE5 - a simple corded plug in type rather than the Solwise Faceplate one that we normally have fitted to the front of the NTE5.

Post by **mstombs** » Tue Jun 09, 2009 2:12 pm

Strictly you do not need a filter when only testing with master socket - but I can see they are useful to convert the plug to the correct shape!

Post by **eMuNiX** » Tue Jun 09, 2009 4:04 pm

Steve wrote:Looks from the router connection stats that you are getting a decent speed.

Which with only 1dB of DS SNR to play with I am surprised that the line keeps a connection at all, this should be at about 6dB for a stable connection. Hopefully the fixing the faults will help to raise this figure.