Kitz Forum

Broadband Related => ISPs => Topic started by: MollyCoddle on November 29, 2008, 06:36:32 PM

Title: Whats under ISP control on BTw only exch
Post by: MollyCoddle on November 29, 2008, 06:36:32 PM
I can't find an answer from searching.

Are things like shaping/throttling, broadband optimisation (Eclipse) and port blocking under an ISP's control where they are using BTw (no LLU exchange)?. I know there are limitations placed on the ISP, that of 8Mb and IP profile.

I am asking in preperation to finding a better ISP. I have found other threads here that answer the question of "price is not a consideration, just damn good customer service", so I have some ideas from these threads.

Thanks,

MC
Title: Re: Whats under ISP control on BTw only exch
Post by: roseway on November 29, 2008, 08:01:43 PM
All of those things are managed by the ISP. Apart from the IP profile and the 8 Mbps limit which is part of the ADSL (1) spec there's no deliberate traffic management by BTw, but at times some exchanges can become congested which may reduce speeds.
Title: Re: Whats under ISP control on BTw only exch
Post by: MollyCoddle on November 30, 2008, 05:21:38 PM
Thanks roseway,

Is the following chart of Rx SNR, an example of traffic shaping?.

There is a stable, yet high period SNR, then about 2:30 it's as if some limitations are removed.

[attachment deleted by admin]
Title: Re: Whats under ISP control on BTw only exch
Post by: jid on November 30, 2008, 05:27:48 PM
SNR is unrelated to Traffic Shaping. Have a read of this:-
http://www.kitz.co.uk/adsl/lowSNR.htm

It seems that the issues you are having may be related to Low SNR causing errors on your line which, in turn, will cause the throughput to slow down.
Title: Re: Whats under ISP control on BTw only exch
Post by: MollyCoddle on November 30, 2008, 06:27:32 PM
thanks jid

Understood now, I am still collating data for that thread on the ADSL sub-forum, and got a bit impatient.

I find it strange that that stable period ends at the same time everyday that I have been monitoring. This 2:30 period where things go south just happen to be the time during weekdays when my useage ramps up dramatically due to my work. The change from the period of stability (+/- 0.5dB) is remarkable. Before I started charting the SNR I had expected consistent inconsitencies!!!!

Anyway, I hope to get input with the data I will post tomorrow.
Title: Re: Whats under ISP control on BTw only exch
Post by: jid on November 30, 2008, 06:51:38 PM
I have a similar issue to yourself.

At 6:50pm every evening my SNR starts to do a dip. When I had higher speeds this would cause CRC errors to rocket and therefore causing Throughput speeds to decrease so much that the connection was unusable.

I therefore had to set the target SNR to 12dB to keep the line stable.
Title: Re: Whats under ISP control on BTw only exch
Post by: kitz on November 30, 2008, 07:44:45 PM
Thats highly indicative of Noise on the line.. the fact that it occurs at the same time each day would point towards something being switched on at that time eg heating.

Once the SNRM gets too low, then then your router has problems 'hearing' the data and some of it is lost, re-requesting of the data causes slow downs.

Have a read of  What is SNR (http://www.kitz.co.uk/adsl/linestats.htm) to understand whats going on with your line.
Title: Re: Whats under ISP control on BTw only exch
Post by: MollyCoddle on November 30, 2008, 08:26:56 PM
Agreed, thanks kitz

I need to look for something that causes interference that results in my SNR gradually drifting from approx 13.0 at 14:30 and takes a full 6 hours to get to 8.0'ish , then stays at 8.0'ish for more than 4 hours and gradually drifts back up to 13.0. ;)

As nothing fits that description on site here, and I live on a farm a quarter of a mile from the A road that the junction cable follows to the exchange, I will need to look for the culprit near the A road. :'(

Also, I will leave PC on all night to see at what time it gets back to 13.0.

I will post in the ADSL thread what I have gathered thus far.

thanks again, MC
Title: Re: Whats under ISP control on BTw only exch
Post by: MollyCoddle on December 01, 2008, 07:24:41 AM
and at 7:00am has taken 6hrs to gradually drift back to above 12.4 from 8.0 ish. Increadibly gradual.

An AM radio does not pick up anything all the way down the spur cable/drop wire, back to the A road.