Will a better router help.

pewe · 22 Nov 2016 at 15:20

First, here are the router stats as at few moments ago.

The problem I am experiencing is that after 2 years of a relatively stable connection at around 1.1MB delivering a real .9MB to 1.1Mb, in recent weeks the connection has started to play up. The router is often re-syncing between .3MB to 1.1MB with an SN of between 2 and 10 - mostly around .5/.6MB at an SN of 6.

When the resync level reaches over .9mb (which is not as frequent as the lower figures) the actual speed I get is around .3MB, possibly because the SN drops below 6.

I have had 2 visits from Openreach who confirm that the line from the house back to the exchange is 'excellent' for it's length and I have tried 5 different routers as well as having a new connection box fitted on the line.
There is no other extensions/equipment connected to the box other than a cordless phone.

The ISP (TalkTalk) also arranged a 'lift and shift' at the exchange to move my connection to a different port on their exchange equipment.

After 2 years of a stable service at around 1.1mb, and there being no changes in equipment from the exchange to the modem, I cannot figure out (nor can TalkTalk) what has happened.

Whilst TalkTalk try to figure out the problem, I had read that their D-Link routers are cheap and nasty and that a better router could help with stability (and possibly increase speed marginally).

So my questions to the gurus here are:

- Would a better router possibly help (one that can handle high attenuation and low SN for example), and if so what would you recommend,

and

- Has anyone any thoughts about the issues/stats above?

ov_sjo · 22 Nov 2016 at 15:40

Probably not but borrow one and try it out.

Armageus · 22 Nov 2016 at 15:46

Have you tried replacing any filters (or faceplate), and/or the adsl cable. The filters can certainly deteriorate over time, and for the sake of a couple of quid probably worth changing the cable as well to rule that out.

edit:
Draytek's ADSL routers used to be good for marginal lines, as they offer several different modem firmwares e.g. a standard and also firmware for speeds less than 4Mb, that use more conservative parameters to ensure stability.

As above though, I would borrow another router and see if it makes a difference before committing to especially an expensive router.

pewe · 22 Nov 2016 at 16:05

Thanks Guys.

I'll have to see if I can find someone with a router they can spare for a while because the nearest neighbours are 2 miles away and it's not just a 'pop next door' situation.

I asked about the router because the Openreach engineer suggested the TalkTalk branded ones are 'rubbish' and a better router could give another .2/.3MB - but I'm not sure.

skyripper · 22 Nov 2016 at 16:24

I lived in the country for a bit. Poor ADSL was one of the downsides.

A decent router/modem (Billion 7800n) helped as the SNR could be tweaked. As did buying a BT ADSL faceplate from ebay and fitting it in place of the 1980s one. They still only netted me a few more KBits, but when the start position was 950Kbit/s, boosting it to 1.3MBit/s made quite a difference.

As did traffic-management when my lad decided to download from Steam. Traffic management in his case meant powerline networking, so I could switch his link off from downstairs

I also found weather made an impact on speeds. When many of the telephone lines are on poles across wooded areas, significant periods of rain would affect stability. And if a tree came down.. that was lights out

KIA · 22 Nov 2016 at 19:12

Is FTTC available? https://www.btwholesale.com/includes/adsl/adsl.htm?s_cid=ws_furls_adslchecker (use the address checker).

ADSL2 mode isn't helping. Is there an option for ADSL1 or G.DMT?

pewe · 25 Nov 2016 at 17:17

Sorry for the delayed reply.

The modem was originally connecting with G.DMT, and that was even worse. The connection improved when TalkTalk set it to ADSL2.

FTTC is available - but we are 4km from the cabinet so it would not benefit us.

In the meantime, TalkTalk have switched our connection to a new card on the exchange equipment - and this has not improved our connection at all.

In fact, the service has gotten worse as we are now seeing constant disconnects and data loss due to a fluctuating SN - it varies between 0.1 and 8, but is mostly at around 1.5 - 3.

TalkTalk have said that there is nothing else they can do apart from sending out an Openreach engineer to check the line - for the 3rd time.

So if the exchange equipment is not at fault, we have tried 5 different modems and our line is perfect all the way back to the exchange (assuming they come to the same conclusion at the next visit) I'm at a loss as to where I go from here.

Sparx · 25 Nov 2016 at 19:01

How's the line into the building? Any extensions, master socket, ring wire still there etc?

When I removed the ring wire at my parents house, they had a long line too (attenuation was 52dB when on ADSL2) and the speeds went from 3Mb to 4Mb after taking the ring wire out. Then after I fit a prefiltered VDSL faceplate, sync went up to 5.5Mb.

Every little helps! What speeds does it show available on FTTC on www.dslchecker.bt.com website? Use the address checker link.

pewe · 25 Nov 2016 at 19:29

The wiring terminates at the main socket. We've only ever used a cordless phone here.

The main socket is a new one fitted by the second Openreach engineer a couple of weeks ago - he replaced the one fitted by a colleague of his last year saying it was rubbish!!!!

What puzzles me is that up until only 8 weeks ago we had had a very stable line - and no one can suggest what may have changed at that point to create the problem.
I don't know if the SN was varying so much back then, but the sync speed was over twice what we get now.

Rozzy85 · 25 Nov 2016 at 20:18

You should disconnect all phones and extension lines (as in physically disconnect them from the master socket) to completely rule out anything on your end.

I'm going to guess that you're in a farmhouse on the outskirts of some town/village? Your connection will no doubt travel via overhead lines. It's always possible that it has been damaged somewhere. You should at least check it to ensure there hasn't been some huge branch resting on the line at some point which I often see around my area. I'm guessing Openreach would've checked themselves but you never know.

pewe · 25 Nov 2016 at 20:36

I have tested the connection with nothing else on the circuit (having disconnected the only other thing - the cordless phone).

We are in the country. Part of the line is overhead and part underground.

Openreach tested the line all the way back to the exchange and said test results were 'excellent'. Next door shares the same cable as us from the cabinet to the house, and also has a TalkTalk service and is experiencing no problems.