BT Broadband Issues

dbs_sailor

First post on this board... This is probably more common than I'd like to imagine, but let's give it a whack anyway:

I've had BT broadband at home for at least a year now. Originally I was on the 1MB service. Anyhow, a little after the start of the year I upgraded to a 3MB connection, and the service was brilliant.

Anyhow, about 2 weeks back the problems started. Tech support calls them "intermittent problems" with the broadband service. So occasionally there'd be a disconnect which would mean timeouts and as well as that the speeds were sometimes really really slow.

The setup in my house is an extension going upstairs from the phone line into my dad's office, where the router and a switch for the 3 computers in the house is. The switch is working perfectly, and I've already eliminated the idea that one of the other computers is monopolising the bandwidth because they're off most of the time I'm online.

So I rang up TS. First they said to try removing the DSL filters. No change.

Next guy speculated that the problems were a result of me exceeding my download limit (30gbs, i was freaked! :O) and that next month would be better. Next month came, no change.

Third guy sent me out a new router. So I retired the old Zyxel Prestige 600 series that had served me so well, and banged on the brand new Voyager 210 router. Still no change.

When I first put in the new one, I maxed at a 1MB connection speed at the IrishISP test. Earlier today I got 2.49MBs. But I've been getting timeouts. And twice I happened to be in the room with the modem in it when it timed out, and I spotted the DSL light blinking (that means connecting/reconnecting AFAIK) instead of just being on.

So I rang today, because of time outs on counter-strike! Some grumpy guy informed me that my noise margin (16DB) was very low, and that by connecting the router straight into the phoneline downstairs instead of using an extension wire, I'd get better service.

My dad switched the filters and now the noise margin is 12 DB about. And he's claiming that TS don't have a clue what they're on about.

My dad is in reading up about this dsl line stuff, and I'm about to google the christ out of it. Any help from you experts would be great. Or anyone who's experienced this sort of thing before. How do you solve it?

Here's the stats according to the modems configuration manager:

Line Mode 	G.DMT 	  	Line State 	Show Time 	
	Latency Type 	Interleave 	  	Line Up Time 	00:00:16:28 	
	Line Coding 	Trellis On 	  	Line Up Count 	18 	
		
	Statistics 	Downstream 	Upstream 	
	Line Rate 	3072 Kbps 	384 Kbps 	
	Noise Margin 	12.7 dB 	15.0 dB 	
	Line Attenuation 	50.0 dB 	28.0 dB 	
	Output Power 	14.3 dBm 	2.1 dBm

That line attenuation wasfill only support a 1MB line said one site. And the noise margin WAS 16DB until my dad got the urge to remove the DSL filters again and put on the old ones... I dunno why that happened.

Anyhow any help here would be great. I'm based in Dublin 6W if that makes any sort of difference.

PS I've had to try and post this thread 3 times. Even though I can get google.ie fine. WTF??

Iago

At that kind of attentuation on the line you'll constantly have problems on a 3Mb service. Essentially what happens is that the line attempts to sync with the local exchange and fails at 3MB, so then it tries again at 2.5MB, and then again at 2Mb etc etc. until it gets a consistent signal.

the only way to increase the consistency is to drop product levels. Or continue with the existing service in the knowledge that you will have these connection timeouts.

dbs_sailor

Hey Iago, cheers for the response. I didn't know that so that's very helpful.

Seems my dad didn't explain everything to me! A few weeks back someone accidentally booted the phone box where our phone line comes in, thereby knackering it. (one of those ancient beige things).

My dad, former electronics repairman/chancer, with some limited amount of wire and a soldering iron did a quick repair job. It's since THEN we've had the problems, he told me!!

So after trying out the line with the modem closer to it (no noticable improvement), I rang up and someone will come out and fix the line. So if a pro comes out and does a decent job doing up the line, we can hopefully get back to our formerly perfect 3GB service! My own fault for not asking him about that maybe.

Anyhow. I'll let you know if this is just our family's clumisness or if there's something else to it.

dub45

Dont have any links for booted phone sockets but yet again these make interesting reading:

http://www.kitz.co.uk/adsl/linestats.htm

http://www.kitz.co.uk/adsl/linestats.htm

And as Sponge Bob has frequently pointed out before - often the isp is not at fault for issues we attribute to them - far be it from me of all people to defend BT but this particular problem has nothing to do with their service.

icemanjimbo04

I am having the same trouble with bt broadband.
Its been happening for the last two months or so.
Random loss of DSL signal in the router,
Tried a different router (the original one i received from BT and the same problem occurs.. It must be a problem with BT as i have no extension cables or made any cable changes for more than a year.
Has anyone else had problems recently?