Wildly Variable Speeds Over 4G

Hussman · 16 Jul 2019 at 09:37

Hi,

My home fixed-line broadband is topping out at about 20mbps.

When I run Speedtest on my iPhone (3 network) I get about 30-40mbps.

I have therefore purchased an "unlimited" data SIM from SMARTY (which use the 3 network) and a 4g router (Huawei B315).

Connection speeds were less than I'd hoped, basically matching my home broadband, so I purchased a 4G aerial (Poynting 4g-xpol-a001), and connect it.

I ensured the router was using the external aerial.

My problem is this....no matter where I place the aerial I seem to get wildly variable download/upload speeds. I know the speed will not be as constant as a fixed-line, but I am getting as low as 4mbps and then running the test immediately after (in the same location etc) and getting 40mbps.

This is the same whether I run the test during peak times or at 3am-4am.

I'd hoped to move away from fixed-line broadband but I need a fairly constant speed.

Can anyone explain these huge differences?

Thanks in advance

Hussman

Steveocee · 16 Jul 2019 at 12:49

Are you cabled into the router?

Hussman · 16 Jul 2019 at 12:51

No, wi-fi. But the router is in the same room as myself when doing the speed tests...

Do you think cable from the router would improve things?

Steveocee · 16 Jul 2019 at 13:41

Hussman said:
No, wi-fi. But the router is in the same room as myself when doing the speed tests...

Do you think cable from the router would improve things?

Speed tests should always be done over cabled connection. WiFi can be too variable even when you're nearby.

Hussman · 16 Jul 2019 at 13:43

Ok, thanks. I'll give that a go.

Appreciate your input mate

Wizzkidy · 16 Jul 2019 at 13:46

I'm not sure what you are expecting. You have over the air internet and then are using an over the air internal network connection. Did you expect consistent speeds in this environment?

Rroff · 16 Jul 2019 at 14:00

I know very little about SMARTY but they sound generally similar to GiffGaff and I've generally found that kind of experience with this tier of operators - even off peak the speeds are highly varied and often poor.

The fact you are using WiFi internally here might be a factor but probably isn't - 4G itself is susceptible to a huge range of factors even things like humidity, foliage there might be a factory close enough to the signal path that intermittently produces enough interference to reduce performance, you might be sharing a mast with a user base that has an impact throughout the day and night etc. etc.

Where I am now I'm 2.5km from the mast with a hill in the way and somehow mostly get 30 down 10 up and a surprisingly stable ~30ms latency on 4G but at peak times of day have sometimes seen that drop to 8 down, 1-2 up.

Hussman · 16 Jul 2019 at 14:08

Wizzkidy said:
I'm not sure what you are expecting. You have over the air internet and then are using an over the air internal network connection. Did you expect consistent speeds in this environment?

I was expecting something more consistent, yes.

I did not expect the speeds to fluctuate so greatly when testing them within seconds of each other, hence my question.

As an update I've now connected an ethernet cable to the router and so far (been testing for around 30 mins) I now have a fairly stable 30mbps.

If the stability holds fairly constant it looks like the issue has been resolved.

Thanks

Steveocee · 16 Jul 2019 at 17:17

Hussman said:
I was expecting something more consistent, yes.
I did not expect the speeds to fluctuate so greatly when testing them within seconds of each other, hence my question.
As an update I've now connected an ethernet cable to the router and so far (been testing for around 30 mins) I now have a fairly stable 30mbps.
If the stability holds fairly constant it looks like the issue has been resolved.
Thanks

We can go one better though! Using the cable just ensures a solid testbed. If you are stable now then that points to the WiFi connectivity as being a problem, whether this is hardware or environmental though is subject to further testing. A WiFi analysis to see how congested you are would be worth while, it may be you're on a congested channel and a change will give you more consistent results over WiFi.

Hussman · 17 Jul 2019 at 06:36

Ok, how do I analyse my wifi signal please?

Note : I'm using an iMac, not a Windows-based PC.

Thanks in advance

Hussman

DIABLO · 17 Jul 2019 at 11:19

Hussman said:
Ok, how do I analyse my wifi signal please?

Note : I'm using an iMac, not a Windows-based PC.

Thanks in advance

Hussman

Do you have a Android phone?

Hussman · 18 Jul 2019 at 08:19

No, sorry, iPhone X

Steveocee · 18 Jul 2019 at 09:05

You will struggle to scan WiFi as apple don’t tend to like you doing it for stupid reasons.

Try changing your router wireless channel to 1, then 6 and then 11 and see which performs best for you.

NightSt@lk3r · 18 Jul 2019 at 21:47

I picked up one of these SMARTY sim's as well but live in a pretty poor service area for Three's network but still manage a solid 20 down 7 up with the sim in my old Moto G2 via USB tethering.

b0rn2sk8 · 20 Jul 2019 at 08:53

Wouldn’t SMARTY be lower priority traffic than anyone on the three network?

I’m on Plusnet and I know that when there is any kind of congestion my packets get put to the back of the queue. I think EE prioritise the packets along the lines of Max plan, Essentials plan, PAYG then it’s the MVNO’s at the end.

I expect Three do the same, why wouldn’t they? If you want the most reliable service, get on the main network.

Steveocee · 20 Jul 2019 at 12:37

b0rn2sk8 said:
Wouldn’t SMARTY be lower priority traffic than anyone on the three network?

I’m on Plusnet and I know that when there is any kind of congestion my packets get put to the back of the queue. I think EE prioritise the packets along the lines of Max plan, Essentials plan, PAYG then it’s the MVNO’s at the end.

I expect Three do the same, why wouldn’t they? If you want the most reliable service, get on the main network.

I doubt that. As an ISP would you buy bandwidth from a competitor with the caveat that if the network gets busy then you'd be lower priority than their customers?

b0rn2sk8 · 20 Jul 2019 at 13:02

Isn't that what I just said?

My experience leads me to the conclusion that EE is prioritising phones on its own network. My personal phone on Plusnet and my work phone is on EE. There are certain congested masts in London (e.g. Kings Cross Station) where my work phone will work fine but my personal phone will not load a web page despite both having full 4G signal.

I was at a concert last weekend, again EE phones were working (slowly) but my Plusnet phone couldn't get any packets through. Again signal strength was fine.

I'm only talking data here, calls and SMS is fine (but who does that these days?). EE even advertise their max plan as being faster than their essentials plan.

I may be wrong but its hard to conclude another way when its literally right in front of my face.

andicole0 · 20 Jul 2019 at 13:11

Might be worth asking a mate with an android device to run an analyser that shows channels. This is restricted by apple on iOS devices.
Andi.

Hussman · 26 Jul 2019 at 11:31

Hi,

All done thanks fellas

Getting a stable 35Mbs sometime 40-45Mps.

This is faster than my landline so when that contract expires I'll be cancelling that.

Fasters speeds and less cost - what's not to like?

Cheers

Alpherah · 29 Jul 2019 at 10:16

Hussman said:
Hi,

All done thanks fellas

Getting a stable 35Mbs sometime 40-45Mps.

This is faster than my landline so when that contract expires I'll be cancelling that.

Fasters speeds and less cost - what's not to like?

Cheers

As someone who doesn’t game anymore (except a bit of mobile Pubg/ vain glory) I’m looking into this when I move later this year.
Mind sharing what you did to stabilise the connection incase I get the same?

Looking into one of the more expensive Huawei routers (might be the one you use .. model number escapes me) with the 2x external connection and unlimited sim the same