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[ClownBoy]

Hello,

Hope you can help me and I apologise in advance if the solution is posted somewhere else, but I did search.

I'm having a problem with my connection to the internet (Pipex).

My connection stops working for a few seconds a couple of times a minute (pauses), then starts again. Never enough to completely disconnect.

My best analogy would be that my foot is on the accelerator of my car, steady at 60 MPH. My foot does not move, yet every now and again, the car loses speed steadily, then kicks back in and back up to 60 MPH.

I have checked with various speedtest sites and they all confirm this.

Voip calls drop for this length of time.

Online games throw me into wherever I would have been when the connection bucks it's ideas up.

I am running Vista Ultimate, but I had the same problem with XP pro SP2.

I have tried with 2 different PCs and with 2 different routers and connected via ethernet, wireless and even via a modem.

All same result.

BT have come out, said I can get my expected speed (which I can, but they don't test for these drops) and said that the line is fine.

I'm really at my wits end now.

Any advice would be great.

Thanks in advance.

[Astral]

Hello ClownBoy

Welcome to the forum. As you are a Pipex customer I wondered whether you had been "unbundled" ie connected to Pipex exchange equipment. I have some doubt because you say that BT came out to check your line.

If you are not sure you can use this checker http://www.kitz.co.uk/adsl/adslchecker.php to see whose equipment you are connected to. Please report back the result.

[kitz]

Hi and welcome

One thing that occurs to me, that could perhaps be causing the problem is that although your router isnt physically dropping the connection and loosing sync... There is the possibility that you could have low SNR and be experiencing lots of errors which cause data packets to be dropped.  Your router would have to re-request these packets and the symptoms are similar to what you describe (ie loss of acceleration).

Can you provide us with your line stats - depending on which modem/router you use it should also record any errors.  Look for HEC/CRC errors or errored seconds etc.

[ClownBoy]

Thank you for the replies.
Astral: I have been with Pipex for almost a year, so that shouldn't be a problem. Also this is a now and then problem I get.

Kitz: I am sorry but I need more info. I need to know what SNR  means.

The link given (and the replies therein do not conform with my routers stats. (i.e. I can't find HEC or CRC errors).

Sorry for being a noob.

Your patience is greatly appreciated.

Thanks folks.

[Astral]

SNR = signal to noise ratio.

Is your router/modem not listed on the frog stats page? If not, let us know what it is; it may be the same as one on the list but differently badged.

[ClownBoy]

I think this is the info you want.

I think.

Statistics     Downstream     Upstream
Line Rate    8000 Kbps    448 Kbps
Attainable Line Rate    8032 Kbps    1168 Kbps
Noise Margin    8.4 dB    25.0 dB
Line Attenuation    34.0 dB    18.0 dB
Output Power    19.7 dBm    11.9 dBm
K (number of bytes in DMT frame)    251     15
R (number of check bytes in RS code word)    0     0
S (RS code word size in DMT frame)    1     1
D (interleave depth)    1     1
Super Frames    1121825     1121823
Super Frame Errors    45     8
RS Words    0     0
RS Correctable Errors    0     0
RS Uncorrectable Errors    0     0
HEC Errors    22     0
OCD Errors    0     0
LCD Errors    0     0
Total Cells    359831255     0
Data Cells    473941     0
Bit Errors    0     0
Total ES    41     4
Total SES    0     0
Total UAS    15     0

[roseway]

There are hardly any errors there, so nothing to explain the stuttering. You appear to have a pretty reasonable line, with performance figures to match. I'm rather inclined to suspect a problem at the Pipex end, but I'm really not sure.

[kitz]

Hi thanks for those

Although you have a few errors theres nothing in there that would really point to slow downs due to dropped packets/errors (I'd expect there to be 100s/1000s if it was this). 

However it also depends on how long your router has been up for.

Your line rate looks a bit weird - interleaved depth of 1 indicates no interleaving.
But a sync of 8000 isnt a standard BT sync rate for a non-interleaved line.  Indicating possible LLU.

Your stats look ok - one thing to check when the slow down occur is if the following figures suddenly start increasing.

>> Super Frame Errors    45     8
>> HEC Errors    22     0


---
The other thing that can cause similar problems is if your router has too many IP sessions open. 
One of my old routers did this if say I was using a p2p.  Theres sometimes a setting in the router which will allow you to configure the maximum IP sessions.
P2P applications can be a major culprit.


Another area to check for elimination purposes only is that your router hasnt got an idle timeout set.... however I notice that you say youve already tried another router/modem :/

Other than that Im out of ideas Im afraid, and looks like it could be a pipex problem.

[ClownBoy]

Thanks for your help.

Much appreciated.

[Pwiggler]

clownboy

do you know whether this problem is with your isp/line or on your home network???

if you have another machine on your network, transfer a large file from one to another to see if the pauses happen.

if it does then you'll have to swap test the nics/router with another (from a friend maybe??)

[ClownBoy]

Hmm,

Back again problem persists.

Could electrical interference be causing this?

Just a thought because I (not pipex) have ruled everything else out, having replaced everything from filters to modems/routers to PCs.

For the record, Pipex couldn't have been less helpful if they had tried.

Thanks again. 

[kitz]

>> Could electrical interference be causing this?

Theres numerous things that can cause problems with your connection - flourescent lighting, external lighting, treadmills, faulty emersion heater switches, microwaves.

However - this type of thing would cause the SNR Margin to drop - and youd loose sync at the exchange... or at least see lots of errors.

Electrical interference would affect your connection on the link between your router and the exchange.

However since you arent actually dropping sync - then Id be inclined to say something with the router or the ISP.

Which router do you use?
Is it possible to borrow another router off someone to try that?

[ClownBoy]

>> Could electrical interference be causing this?

Theres numerous things that can cause problems with your connection - flourescent lighting, external lighting, treadmills, faulty emersion heater switches, microwaves.

However - this type of thing would cause the SNR Margin to drop - and youd loose sync at the exchange... or at least see lots of errors.

Electrical interference would affect your connection on the link between your router and the exchange.

However since you arent actually dropping sync - then Id be inclined to say something with the router or the ISP.

Which router do you use?
Is it possible to borrow another router off someone to try that?

I have tried 2 routers (a bt 2091-I think and an edimax) I have also tried a modem.

Hmm, thought it may have been the electric thingy. 

The hunt goes on.

Thanks for trying.

[tnp]

Just a thought..I have heard not-so-good reports of Pipex running on high contention ratio backhauls..this may be nothing more than other people on your exchange downloading  the 'Encyclopaedia Galactica'.


You have a damn fast connection there. It's highly vulnerable to other traffic getting in its way.

[ClownBoy]

I'm sorry to keep dragging this up, but potential solutions keep popping into my head.

Last winter, I had a similar problem whilst with BT.

They sent engineers out and said the line was "capable" of 6-7 Meg.

But the problem persisted until about March.

Could this be weather related? Or have I just gone possible solution mad?