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[holmbase]

So after prevaricating for more than 6 months, today signed up with PlusNet for extra fibre and hoping that I get close to the estimated 72/20 speed quoted. I have measured my distance to the cab as between 150-200m but it's Milton Keynes so high quality copper cables are probably notable by their absence and therefore I remain nervous that it won't work that well. Current install date is October 12th.

I have read in the posts over the last year or so, the different things you should look at or ask about when the enigneer arrives. Can anyone point me to a handy summary of the data I should collect whilst the engineer is with me and the tests i should carry out in the first few days?

Also, I'm planning to use my Airport Extreme as router, which I understand work's well with FTTC, replacing PlusNet's TG582n on which I believe the wireless is pants.

Fingers crossed.

[Bald_Eagle1]

The stats in the attached photo of an installation engineer's JDSU display are the minimum that you should be asking to see.

The supplied modem will be locked, so the best you will be able to obtain data-wise for yourself will be results of BT's speed tests (includes IP Profile data that SHOULD be 96.79% of sync speed).

You may ask Plusnet for ongoing connection data that would show actual sync speed & time between resyncs etc.
That is usually only provided during "fault" investigations though.

The best/cheapest option (stats-wise) is currently to unofficially unlock the HG612 modem or obtain a spare one to unlock.
You would then have access to all the stats you could desire, either as snapshots of the connection or via ongoing logging 24/7.

Other very highly priced combined VDSL2 modem/routers that provide connection stats CAN be used (unofficially).

Hopefully, as you apparently are so close to the cabinet, you will enjoy a high speed & trouble-free connection from day one.

Plusnet may just start you off on a 40/10 connection, updating it to 80/20 after a day or so.
Occasionally, they need a subtle nudge to change to the 80/20 service.

[silversurfer44]

There's one important question to ask and that is how many sugars?
It seems to work quite well.

[holmbase]

Bald Eagle - thanks. Will do. Presumably I should get all the numbers off the JDSU?

Silversurfer - are there any recommendations on the biscuit front? We tend only to have kit kats and the like but if it was considered helpful we could ensure we are stocked up with custard creams or even bourbons. When it comes to sugar - whether plumber, electrician, or gas fitter - they always seem to take three sugars.

[Bald_Eagle1]

Bald Eagle - thanks. Will do. Presumably I should get all the numbers off the JDSU?

Some engineers/technicians use an Exfo instead of a JDSU, but yes, in either case the "gadget" will have the numbers.

Hopefully ALL technicians have been enlightened by now.
One visiting engineer told me he could actually lose his job if it was ever discovered that he had let me see the stats on his JDSU in relation to the connection that I pay for!
However, he was apparently allowed to tell me SOME of them.

[silversurfer44]

The engineer that installed my fibre was only too pleased to show me his hand held device readings, and I didn't even ask.
Maybe he was surprised that I connected at 78megs.
It has now settled at 73megs now. It was a bit cramped working in the cabinet anyhow.

As long as they can dunk the biscuits without them disintegrating then any will do holmbase.

[holmbase]

Installation date is morning October 12th - hopefully.

I think I have secured an HG612 off ebay which I will flash with the hacked firmware to allow stats monitoring. What is the best advice on when to swap to this router? Should I leave the installed router for the training period and swap only afterwards? Or should I install the HG612 the moment the engineer has gone?

Thanks

[asbokid]

I would substitute the second the engineer has gone.  So you have line statistics right from Day One. Should you need evidence of its original performance.

cheers, a

[Bald_Eagle1]

I too would substitute it the second the engineer left, for the same reason.

Assuming the replacement HG612 was correctly flashed in advance (& it's almost impossible to get the flashing process wrong), swapping would only cause a single disconnection/reconnection that should not be seen as a connection problem, even by the rather aggressive DLM that is used for BT's FTTC/VDSL2 services.

I would suggest you get into the habit of calling the HG612 a MODEM & the other device a ROUTER as that is what they are.
I presume you will be receiving the Plusnet provided Technicolor ROUTER in advance of your FTTC installation date.
My Plusnet provided ROUTER is the Netgear WNR1000v3 that was the Plusnet choice over 12 months ago.

If you do choose to wait for the physical training period to complete, that only takes a MAXIMUM of 2 days, not the 10 days that is no doubt still being quoted by ISP & BT Customer Srevice staff.

The 10 day period is apparently misquoted as it is actually intended to be the minimum period to elapse before BT will respond to "fault" reports, supposedly allowing the connection to "settle down".

[holmbase]

Thanks for the advice - I shall connect the MODEM as soon as the engineer goes.

I've flashed routers and ADSL modems loads of times so I'm expecting it to be okay. I was hoping to use the application from roseway to monitor the HG612. Is this the right thing to use?

Plusnet provide the TG582n router I think but I shall use my Airport Express (probably).

John

[Bald_Eagle1]

I was hoping to use the application from roseway to monitor the HG612. Is this the right thing to use?

My preference would currently be to use the Windows graphing scripts, especially if wishing/needing to monitor a connection 24/7 for many days, weeks, months at a time.

I would say that though wouldn't I, as it was me that created the scripts    (with much help from a number of far more expert people than me).

http://forum.kitz.co.uk/index.php/topic,10552.0.html

You could try them both & pick your own preference.
If you do that, I would suggest running only one at a time - to avoid potential clashes when both might be trying to access the modem's stats at the same time.

[holmbase]

Just up and running.

Installed by a contractor who didn't seem to know which ISP he was installing for (PlusNet) and has reused my existing modem cable to connect from the main socket to the modem (20ft away). Still, it is a high quality cable bought to eliminate any noise issues on my old ADSL. He wasn't really keen on the whole extension idea and certainly wasn't interested in drilling through my wall to relocate a new master socket (which I asked about here in a much earlier thread).

ECI modem by the looks of it.

He didn't use a JDSU and he didn't know the line length. He showed me a text containing the test results which were 72.9 down and 20.0 up.

My first speed test is attached.

I'll swap to the HG612 modem over the weekend so I can start monitoring.

[verkosh]

Possibly a Kelly Cowboy,  but your results look good.