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[Jez]

Hi All,

I have recently signed up for ADSLmax service and am not getting the speeds I hoped for...

After reading the website I believe the stats I'm getting from my router suggest my phone line could be the problem:

Code: [Select]

  --------------------------- ATU-R Info (annex A) ----------------------------
   Running Mode            :    G.DMT       State                : SHOWTIME
   DS Actual Rate          :  2048000 bps   US Actual Rate       :   448000 bps
   DS maximum Rate         :  2976000 bps   US maximum Rate      :   800000 bps
   DS Path Mode            :  Interleave    US Path Mode         :  Interleave
   NE Current Attenuation  :    57.0  dB    Cur SNR Margin       :     8.0  dB
   DS actual PSDM(C)       : 00000007       US actual PSDM(R)    : 000037ab
   ADSL Firmware Version   : 41e2be2c
  -------------------------------- ATU-C Info ---------------------------------
   Far Current Attenuation :    31.5  dB    Far SNR Margin       :    15.0  dB
   CO ITU Version[0]       : 00b55453       CO ITU Version[1]    : 54430400
   DSLAM CHIPSET VENDOR    : < TI >
  -----------------------------------------------------------------------------

57dB of attenuation and 8dB SNR Margin isn't that good if I understand correctly.

So far I have tried using the master socket which gave the same results as compared to my office phone socket, which suggests to me there probably isn't an issue with the internal wiring.  Secondly I have removed the ring wire, which did not alter the SNR margin, however my sync speed has gone up to 2mb which previously wasn't as high, so I have left that disconnected.

Using sams checker my distance from the exchange is 2km in a straight line, but with attenuation that high I guess it must be a lot longer.

Does anyone think I need to speak to BT or my ISP, or is this the best I am going to get in my situation?


Thanks for any time spend reading and advice given.


Jez

[roseway]

Hi Jez, welcome to the forum.

To be honest you're not going to do much better than that with 57 dB attenuation. The only thing which I can suggest you try is to remove the faceplate on the master socket (assuming that it's the NTE5 type) and connect to the test socket inside. This eliminates your internal wiring completely. If you get a better result then you could make it permanent by getting a filtered faceplate to replace the present one.

More information at http://www.kitz.co.uk/adsl/lowSNR.htm

Eric

[Jez]

Thanks for your reply Roseway,

When I said I tested using my master socket I meant to include that I tried the test socket inside aswell, getting the same SNR margin there too.

Since removing the ring wire my sync speed has creeped up to 2.7mb, but still not enough to get my IP profile up to 2500 

I wish I had cable in my area!

Thanks for your time.


Jez

[roseway]

Sometimes life's a bitch

Eric

[soms]

Ah well, at least your getting more than 1.4meg which is about as high as i can get

[Technophobe]

I have a similar question, too, if I may.

Right, before I write anything, please be gentle with me, as I'm not what one might consider knowledgeable on these matters, but have found a great deal of assistance from this site.

About one month ago I signed up for DSL Max and have undergone the 10-day settling in period explained on the mainsite. My PC routinely synchronizes at about 6 Mbps, but I'm only getting download speeds of 2700-3000 kbps. Is this as good as it gets? If so, to my mind it was hardly worth upgrading. I've conducted the status checks for my wireless router, and they show a SNR of 3dB and an attenuation rate of 37. I'd estimate that as the crow flies, I'm about 1 mile from the exchange.

Grateful for your thoughts.

R.

[kitz]

Hi and welcome

The slower than expected speeds could be in several different areas, so we need to try and narrow down where.

• First of all make sure you check your speed using a speedtester with a UK server -  Overseas testers skew the results somewhat because of distance and international transit.
  My current fav is the BBMax speedtester located at
   http://www.speedtest.bbmax.co.uk/

If your ISP uses a BT IPStream product then there are some tests that you can do.  However these wont work/are not applicable if your ISP is using LLU.

• 1). Check your IP/bRAS profile - Details how to do this
  http://www.kitz.co.uk/adsl/btwperformancetest.htm
  Be warned the test gets very busy so its best checking early in the day.
  
  
• 2). Check your exchange status - its possible that you may be on a congested VP.
  http://usertools.plus.net/exchanges/
   
• 3). Check to see if your ISP has congested centrals by performing a BTw speedtest.
  This test bypasses your ISPs network and checks speed from your home to the BT RAS.
  http://www.kitz.co.uk/adsl/btwspeedtest.htm

----
If you cant log into the BTw speedtester then its likely that your ISP (sorry not sure who it is) may be using LLU, in which case the above checks are irrelevant because the Network is under control of your ISP and not BTw and your ISP.

Other areas where the problem could lie are
ISP traffic shaping your connection, problems with your own equipment.

If you can post a BBMax speedtest and also the results from the 3 tests listed above then we may be able to identify where the problem is to see if theres anything that can be done.

[Technophobe]

Thanks very much for the guidance. The details are as follows:-



[attachment deleted by admin]

[kitz]

Hi

Thanks for providing those results - from those its very obvious that the problem is your IP profile which is restricting your speeds and all the other factors seem to be performing as they should.

Its very unusual for a bRAS (IP) profile to get "stuck" at anything other than your previous fixed rate speed (ie 2000).
Therefore the obvious cause would seem to be that sometime during the past few days, you have sync'd in the 4000 to 4512 kbps region.

Your SNRMargin of 3dB is quite low and is in the region where some routers may loose the connection and resysnc at a lower speed.  This typically is more likely to happen in the evenings.
With a 37dB attenuation figure you may be able to squeeze a bit more speed out of your line if you try the usual tips to improve your SNR Margin.
http://www.kitz.co.uk/adsl/lowSNR.htm

You also need to keep an eye on your line stats and see if you can spot a time when its synced at a lower speed. 
Which router do you have have? with some routers its possible to get more information than on others. 

[Technophobe]

Hi,

My IP is AOL, and the router is the one supplied by them gratis - the Netgear DG834G.

I must admit that for the past few nights, I have suffered several disconnections, but I just reconnected and thought nothing more of it.

Having read your piece on the main site about the 10-day settling in period when you first connect to Max DSL, it would appear that once your download speed is set, that's it. I am right in this belief, or is it an ongoing process whereby everytime you connect, a new download speed is negotiated according to the synch speed?

R.

[kitz]

The Netgear is one of those pretty good at hanging on to low SNR lines.

>>> I have suffered several disconnections,

ahhh.. this is when your sync speed will have been dropping which causes the lower IP profile.

>>>  it would appear that once your download speed is set, that's it.

Your IP profile from that test is directly linked to your bRAS profile.
Its variable and can change on a daily basis. 
If you can maintain a stable higher sync speed for several days then your IP profile will be adjusted accordingly.
Bit more info under the Data Rate (bRAS profile).

Each time you connect a new sync speed is negotiated.. the speed you sync at will depend on your SNR Margin at that particular time. 

It gets a bit complicated but if you try sync in the evenings when your SNR Margin is lower.. then the DLM will always try and achieve a particular margin (say 6dB or 9dB), when it sets your connection speed.
This may result in a lower sync speed - despite the fact that the Netgear is reknown to be able to cope quite happily on 3dB.

If you manage to stay connected for 3 full days at the higher sync speed, then your IP Profile will be uplifted in line with the figures in the table on the bottom of that page.

[Technophobe]

Thank you very much for your help.

So, there's still hope for my download speed, yet! That's certainly good news.

Regards,

R.

[kitz]

Yes indeed as long as you can keep your connection stable.

In theory its supposed to take 3 full days before you get the increase - but a few of us have observed that sometimes it happens a bit sooner.

[Technophobe]

Just a little update.

Having had a further read of the main site, I invested in an NTE5 ADSL faceplate for the master phone socket. This was installed today (I could lie and say I did it  ) by the sparky who at the same time was fitting the electrical socket for my router.

It is early days, but I'm impressed by the results. My SNR margin has stayed the same (0-3dB) but my synch speed has risen dramatically to 6800kbps, although I have suffered a couple of disconnects tonight.

I'll see if I can keep it going and get my download rate up to something a bit more respectable than a max of 3500kbps.

R.