Weird line checker results

long_b

Using this link

https://www.eircom.net/broadband/choosebundle

I test my line (currently ) and get

My line - getting 0.5 Mb down, 0.1 up now
Previous Test Marginal "yes"
Current Test Max speed 2 Mb down


Neighbour A
Previous Test Marginal "yes"
Current Test Max speed 512 kb down


Neighbour B
Previously No broadband available
Currently Max speed 15 Mb down


Neighbour A and Neighbour B are adjacent.
Up till now I had thought that Neighbour B may be on a split line.

Site says eFibre is due in our area in May 2014 but I see our local cabinet is already in place.
Dunno if it's live yet. We're all about 2 road miles for the eFibre cabinet.

How accurate is this line tester (if at all) ?

long_b

Got Sky to bump up my profile to 2 Mb down, 0.2 Mb up.
The upload is fine and gets 0.2 but the download doesn't get above 0.5.

Does anyone know if the line checker tests the signal to the master socket ?

I'm wondering if something in my house may be limiting the speed .. I've tried plugging modem directly in to the master socket but it still
won't go above 0.5

There's an extra ringer on the phone line (mounted on the external wall).

Could that interfere with the speeds ?
Are they normally connected to the line coming in to my house before the master socket ?

ED E

Theres a termination in the Master for testing purposes, that makes the loop when the line is rated or fault tested.

The ringer is very likely to be a problem. Anything unfiltered on the line is, especially older kit (old phones, bells, legacy monitored alarms).

Get a fault test run and have them make sure nothing connected is causing a small short that would be degrading your signal.

Also read your downstream attenuation off the modem stats page and post that back.

long_b

ED E wrote: »

Theres a termination in the Master for testing purposes, that makes the loop when the line is rated or fault tested.

The ringer is very likely to be a problem. Anything unfiltered on the line is, especially older kit (old phones, bells, legacy monitored alarms).

Get a fault test run and have them make sure nothing connected is causing a small short that would be degrading your signal.

Also read your downstream attenuation off the modem stats page and post that back.

Thanks very much for the reply.

Stats below


Broadband Link

Downstream

Upstream


Connection Speed
544 kbps 256 kbps

Line Attenuation
63.5 dB 31.5 dB

Noise Margin
6.6 dB 17.17 dB


What would be the best way to disconnect the ringer?

I have an extension in one of the bedrooms with nothing plugged in to it. Should I kill that too ?

Attached image of the master socket wiring

KeRbDoG

long_b wrote: »

Attached image of the master socket wiring

That doesn't look like a master socket, can you trace the telephone wire into your house and the first box it comes to should be the master socket

ED E

long_b wrote: »

Thanks very much for the reply.

Connection Speed
544 kbps 256 kbps

Line Attenuation
63.5 dB 31.5 dB

Noise Margin
6.6 dB 17.17 dB

What would be the best way to disconnect the ringer?

This is a silly thing with the ADSL spec, theres an arbitrary limit of 63.5dB on Atten. That means your actual attenuation could be 70bB (every 3dB is a doubling of the "real" value) or 64dB and we can't tell. That means its not possible to say just how long your line is, but its pretty long either way.

Its worth noting faults can also throw these values off.

For a start with the ringer I'd just open it and disconnect the terminals inside, then cover them in electrical tape so they cant short/earth on the casing.


As kerbdog said, that looks like a generic faceplate, are there any Eircom or TE markings on it? Chances your MDP is just a joint beside the front door or its in the attic if you can't find it right off.

long_b

Oh man, I love boards ! Thanks folks !

It doesn't have any markings on it at all - see attached

I'll have a look in the attic when I can get up there next.

If I switch from my current provider (Sky) back to Eircom could I get them to put in a proper socket ?
Or do I even need to switch to get them to do that ?

ED E

Sky sales should be able to order an NTU replacement, that would fit one of these:


At the master, so wherever the line comes into the house. But it costs about €100 though.

If you're handy with a screwdriver I'd try getting rid of the bell and all phones for a minute, rebooting the modem and let it sit for 5 mins, then check the line stats again. See if your noise margin/sync speed improve.

long_b

Ringer disconnected, no improvement in attenuation.
Sky support say they can't get Eircom to come and install a new master socket - they also say Eircom wouldn't do it if I was their customer either.

He reckons Eircom are telling him it's a 1Mb max line, says his feed comes direct from the Eircom system.

So .. which Eircom system to believe I guess ?

And can anyone recommend a telecom leccy in South Kildare ?

ED E

Talking out his arse. All line ops have the same access to service orders. Eircom wouldnt do it free, but you could pay for it as above.

You arent looking for the attenuation to change btw, but the noise margins might go up.

Prequalification tests are what he's talking about, and Eircom Wholesale do them. All providers get the same data.

If your line is testing as a 2Mb, you wont get that, but you should get 1 with good wiring and no faults.

If you can find the master and connect to that and still get poor stats then its up to sky to send a tech to fix it. I suspect you might have to fight them though.

long_b

Here's what I have in the attic.
Line is black wire coming in from the right.

How bad is this I wonder ?
Don't particularly like the look of the stripped wires.

Any ideas what I could safely disconnect ?

long_b

OK - turns out I'm quite thick.

The number I was testing USED to belong to my neighbour.
Turns out it got recycled to some other house MUCH closer to an exchange.

Also - I love Eircom engineers !

Nice man came to my house and verified that I'm a whacking 7.9 km from the exchange. So no fast speeds for me but he did manage to get my current connection syncing at 0.9 Mb by removing the junk and picking the better of my two existing sockets.

ED E

You won the lotto there, they can be a bit hit or miss.

8KM of copper, thats a very long one alright. Cleaning up the cabling was the way to go. Hope its reasonably stable for ya.