Quick query about ADSL speed

MG42Maniac · 8 Jul 2010 at 23:08

Hi Guys,

Just had my new BT line activated, this is the first time I've used ADSL as my parents have always been on Cable. I understand the initial connection speed is only 4mb, but Sky will increase it as they run tests on my line. I have a rather large backlog of downloads that I need to complete so I am wondering if I am likely to get a decent speed or if it's worth going back and using my parents 50mb. I am on Sky unlimited 20mb and ideally I'd like at least 16mb. Phone number is too new (?) for line checkers to work

Line stats are:

ADSL Link Downstream Upstream
Connection Speed 4095 kbps 605 kbps
Line Attenuation 7.5 db 3.7 db
Noise Margin 14.8 db 20.7 db

Thanks!

cooljimy84 · 8 Jul 2010 at 23:21

I love BT... LOL line tests won't work !!!
( the Company i work for)
We tell your customers that a line needs "bedding in" for a few days, as they see ur connection become stable they "should" mod ur profile and up the speed till they see issues.
don't forget the if u have the router plugged in to the master socket u'll get better speeds.
Is that the only device on that line ?!? as internal cabling off the master socket can cause issues with speed as well.

cooljimy84 · 8 Jul 2010 at 23:25

Link Information

Uptime: 1 day, 13:00:52
DSL Type: G.992.5 Annex M US 56
Bandwidth (Up/Down) [kbps/kbps]: 1,230 / 7,965
Output Power (Up/Down) [dBm]: 11.0 / 19.0
Line Attenuation (Up/Down) [dB]: 25.5 / 49.5
SN Margin (Up/Down) [dB]: 7.0 / 1.0

For compairing i've got this on my router and speed test says.
6.80 mega bits down
1.03 up

and thats with a bittorrent client still running (downloading Linux discs...)

Ryan111 · 9 Jul 2010 at 00:44

With a line attenuation of 7.5db, you should have a much higher SNR than 15 with only a 4000kbps sync. There must be something wrong with your inernal cabling. Try plugging your router into the test socket, you should expect a full 20meg sync speed from that line on Sky LLU and 24meg from BE/02.

(The above is assuming you are on skys LLU network, judging by your upload you are)

cyclo · 9 Jul 2010 at 00:58

Yea you should defiantly get more than 4Mbps. My line attenuation is 39db and I sync at 10Mbps

As far as i'm aware, only BT do the line test thing for the first few days to see what your line is capable off, i'm pretty sure LLU providers don't do that.

You might wanna fit a proper ADSL faceplate on the master socket and run the cable to your router from there.

Swifty55 · 9 Jul 2010 at 11:00

MG42Maniac said:
Hi Guys,

Just had my new BT line activated, this is the first time I've used ADSL as my parents have always been on Cable. I understand the initial connection speed is only 4mb, but Sky will increase it as they run tests on my line. I have a rather large backlog of downloads that I need to complete so I am wondering if I am likely to get a decent speed or if it's worth going back and using my parents 50mb. I am on Sky unlimited 20mb and ideally I'd like at least 16mb. Phone number is too new (?) for line checkers to work

Line stats are:

ADSL Link Downstream Upstream
Connection Speed 4095 kbps 605 kbps
Line Attenuation 7.5 db 3.7 db
Noise Margin 14.8 db 20.7 db

Thanks!

Hi, if those stats are indeed true. You should be getting the full 20Mbps.

Few problems are, your Noise Margins (SNR) are too high, they should sit around 6dB.

Please try the test socket and repost the stats.

Ryan111 · 9 Jul 2010 at 12:23

Swifty55 said:
Few problems are, your Noise Margins (SNR) are too high, they should sit around 6dB.

Not within the first 10 days of Skys DLM period. The SNR will slowly drop until it hits a stable sync/snr. Which usually ends up at around 6-7db.

Plug your router into the test socket and leave it there for 10 days (if you can, if not, post the stats and we will help you troubleshoot the problems with your internal wiring) I would expect the full 20meg from that line.

MG42Maniac · 10 Jul 2010 at 10:29

Thanks for the responses guys, this line quality thing is a pain, cable is nice and simple!

I have just checked my line and the stats have changed, note it is not plugged into the test socket yet. If you guys still think it is worth doing, I will give it a go. Looked up the local exchanged, its 156m away.

ADSL Link Downstream Upstream
Connection Speed 16382 kbps 945 kbps
Line Attenuation 8.0 db 3.7 db
Noise Margin 11.6 db 16.7 db

Swifty55 · 10 Jul 2010 at 10:35

MG42Maniac said:
Thanks for the responses guys, this line quality thing is a pain, cable is nice and simple!

I have just checked my line and the stats have changed, note it is not plugged into the test socket yet. If you guys still think it is worth doing I will give it a go.

ADSL Link Downstream Upstream
Connection Speed 16382 kbps 945 kbps
Line Attenuation 8.0 db 3.7 db
Noise Margin 11.6 db 16.7 db

Is your modem connected to the main BT socket?

And yes, try the test socket.

Phemo · 10 Jul 2010 at 14:24

cooljimy84 said:
Link Information

Uptime: 1 day, 13:00:52
DSL Type: G.992.5 Annex M US 56
Bandwidth (Up/Down) [kbps/kbps]: 1,230 / 7,965
Output Power (Up/Down) [dBm]: 11.0 / 19.0
Line Attenuation (Up/Down) [dB]: 25.5 / 49.5
SN Margin (Up/Down) [dB]: 7.0 / 1.0

For compairing i've got this on my router and speed test says.
6.80 mega bits down
1.03 up

and thats with a bittorrent client still running (downloading Linux discs...)

Sorry to deviate from the original poster's question, but you have Annex M enabled (for up to 2.5mbit upstream) and you're only getting 1.2mbit downstream. It's probably more detrimental to your connection to have Annex M enabled so I'd suggest arranging for it to be disabled. As your line is too long to take advantage of it you'd likely gain more downstream and have little effect on the upstream.

Mattus · 10 Jul 2010 at 17:43

MG42Maniac said:
I have just checked my line and the stats have changed, note it is not plugged into the test socket yet. If you guys still think it is worth doing, I will give it a go. Looked up the local exchanged, its 156m away.

ADSL Link Downstream Upstream
Connection Speed 16382 kbps 945 kbps
Line Attenuation 8.0 db 3.7 db
Noise Margin 11.6 db 16.7 db

You need to wait until the Sky DLM process has finished adjusting your line before you do anything else. Sky's systems will gradually adjust the speed upwards if they think the line is stable. During this, it's best not to interfere, since anything which involves rebooting the router or disconnecting it from the phone line can be interpreted by Sky's software as a sign of instability and cause the speed to be reduced.

After about 10 days, the speed should settle. You should easily get more than 16Mb as that's a very good line - with an attenuation of 8db, I wouldn't be surprised if you can see the exchange from your house!

enigma27 · 10 Jul 2010 at 21:39

Mattus said:
You need to wait until the Sky DLM process has finished adjusting your line before you do anything else. Sky's systems will gradually adjust the speed upwards if they think the line is stable. During this, it's best not to interfere, since anything which involves rebooting the router or disconnecting it from the phone line can be interpreted by Sky's software as a sign of instability and cause the speed to be reduced.

After about 10 days, the speed should settle. You should easily get more than 16Mb as that's a very good line - with an attenuation of 8db, I wouldn't be surprised if you can see the exchange from your house!

This... just wish people would read the bumpf when getting these things installed.

Quite clearley states the connection starts at 4meg and gradually increses over the first 10 days while the line is tested for stability...

99% of the time why people get troubles with speed and sync is because they dont do this... just have patients.

I have pretty similar stats as you... after the 10 days my connection settled at 18meg and has been connected for over 2 months at that speed.

cooljimy84 · 12 Jul 2010 at 12:56

Phemo said:
Sorry to deviate from the original poster's question, but you have Annex M enabled (for up to 2.5mbit upstream) and you're only getting 1.2mbit downstream. It's probably more detrimental to your connection to have Annex M enabled so I'd suggest arranging for it to be disabled. As your line is too long to take advantage of it you'd likely gain more downstream and have little effect on the upstream.

O yer... didn't see that !!

I'll get that taken off and see if it makes any diffrence to my up/down speedsl, thanks for spotting that.

DJMK4 · 12 Jul 2010 at 13:06

Im on a BE LLU connection, should be getting around 19mb on a 23db downstream attenuation but can only reach a max of 16. I wouldnt be surprised if you were about 2-3mb under what you should be getting.

MG42Maniac · 14 Jul 2010 at 21:52

Thanks for the advice guys, got a fair few more days of line testing to go.

Currently at the following:

ADSL Link Downstream Upstream
Connection Speed 22015 kbps 1157 kbps
Line Attenuation 8.0 db 3.7 db
Noise Margin 7.3 db 9.3 db

I can download from Rapidshare but only at 1.4MB/sec, so something is not right as I should be getting over 2.4MB/sec, also speed tests show about 12MB. I am not too bothered as they are still testing the line but if I can get a proper 22MB I will be pretty chuffed

DJMK4 · 14 Jul 2010 at 22:03

MG42Maniac said:
Thanks for the advice guys, got a fair few more days of line testing to go.

Currently at the following:

ADSL Link Downstream Upstream
Connection Speed 22015 kbps 1157 kbps
Line Attenuation 8.0 db 3.7 db
Noise Margin 7.3 db 9.3 db

I can download from Rapidshare but only at 1.4MB/sec, so something is not right as I should be getting over 2.4MB/sec, also speed tests show about 12MB. I am not too bothered as they are still testing the line but if I can get a proper 22MB I will be pretty chuffed

Id say with them line stats you should be getting between 2.2-2.4MB/s download, you wont get more than 2.4MB as thats the maximum throughput both ADSL2+ and your router is probably capable of (on the WAN Link that is)

Ryan111 · 14 Jul 2010 at 22:34

MG42Maniac said:
Currently at the following:

ADSL Link Downstream Upstream
Connection Speed 22015 kbps 1157 kbps
Line Attenuation 8.0 db 3.7 db
Noise Margin 7.3 db 9.3 db

You havent removed the bell wire yet, have you? If you have, try the test socket. If you havent, remove it

Guide here; http://www.kitz.co.uk/adsl/socket.htm#ringwire

That SNR seems quite low for your sync speed still. I know people with lines almost twice as long as you with the same/similar syncs...

ncjok · 15 Jul 2010 at 04:09

DJMK4 said:
Id say with them line stats you should be getting between 2.2-2.4MB/s download, you wont get more than 2.4MB as thats the maximum throughput both ADSL2+ and your router is probably capable of (on the WAN Link that is)

A full 24,574 kbps sync on ADSL2+ would translate into something closer to 2.61 MB/s (2.55 MB/s in Windows as the file manager misuses SI notation), non?

/pedant

L0stpr0phet · 15 Jul 2010 at 11:19

Also Sky will reduce his sky speed down to 20Megabit even though he can sync at higher which is a shame. On another ISP like BE Unlimted looks like you'd hit the full 24meg and see a nice upload speed to go alongside that.

Are you using a wired connection or wireless when doing your download test? Also what OS? If its XP then you may need to make some TCP tweaks etc

Swifty55 · 15 Jul 2010 at 11:21

ncjok said:
A full 24,574 kbps sync on ADSL2+ would translate into something closer to 2.61 MB/s (2.55 MB/s in Windows as the file manager misuses SI notation), non?

/pedant

More like 3MB/s.