[Archived] Broadband Speed

[broadsword]

Currently my BB speed for d/l is .3 Mb/s, has been down to .21.

I'm sat right next to the router, which is 3 feet away from faceplate. No spyware (running linux), laptop is 2 years old, sometime my dl speed is fine, up to 6 or 7 Mb/s.

If sometimes my dl speed is fine, then presumab;ly it's not a home set-up problem but a network problem. Their helpline is absolute gash, in fact I got cut off.

I work from home and need a good fast BB connection, what is the best way of finding a decent provider for my area?

Thanks

[LeChuck]

Who are you with?

I'm with Be and they're brilliant. I get around 15meg speeds (max is 24 depending on various factors).

Their website will give you an estimate of how fast your broadband would be with them, just enter your phone number in that box at the top:

https://www.bethere.co.uk/web/beportal/homepage

[broadsword]

Unfortunately, they don't cover my area.

I'm with Virgin.

I really need someone ASAP, I'm meant to be working from home.

Plusnet cover my area, I wonder if they're any good?

EDIT: Having checked PlusNet reviews, I'll be avoiding them!

[Hughesy]

Check 02 - nice cash back amounts through top cashback too.

Top quality customer service - free number to get through on to get help.

They will tell you what speeds you can get if you phone them

[Glenn]

Check 02 - nice cash back amounts through top cashback too.

Top quality customer service - free number to get through on to get help.

They will tell you what speeds you can get if you phone them

As I mentioned in the other broadband thread, O2 is Be rebadged, therefore not an option.

I'm assuming the is Virgin over a cable TV connection not virgin over a phone. If it's the later, try unplugging any phone equipment (and the microfilter), so the only thing connected to the face plate is the modem. It's amazing how much line noise a broken microfilter or phone can chuck down your line.

If it is a Virgin cable connection. It's more than likely something you can do nothing about on your own.

Also what type of modem is it, their diagnostics info can often give helpful clues as to the source (especially for stuff like signal to noise ratios)

[broadsword]

Thanks for the responses fellas.

It's Virgin over the 'phone, I'm not in a cable area (well and truly in the sticks here). 6.25 Mb/s this morning.

My impression is that when it's rubbish it's normally when most of the working population are at home ie weekends and weekday nights. It started to improve a bit (up to 1 Mb/s) last night at about midnight.

I'm reluctant to call Virgin customer services, as they're so poor (getting cut-off, being told you have to wait 20 mins etc). I will try the plugging the modem in thing next time, you never know. But it really does seem like a traffic problem to me.

I'll also get a PAYG O2 mobile dongle. I can't afford to be left with such poor bandwidth when I have work to do. Fingers crossed I keep this speed! I'm connecting to work's server via Citrix, and all jobs are run on their server, so I'm just sending text (ie typing on my keyboard), and then pressing submit, so it's not like I'm some bandwidth-glutton or anything.

Thanks again.

[Glenn]

One of a few likely scenarios.

Stupidly high contention ratio, Virgin have put too many people on two few circuits. Not a lot you can do about this other than change ISP. Do you have any neighbors with virgin ? Do they have the same problems ?

Noise generating fault at your end. Test this by removing all phone/comms kit at your end except the modem into the face plate.

Noise generating fault at their end. Good luck getting them to admit that. Threatening to change providers may get them to look into it.

Their kit has been upgraded to ADSL2/ADSL+ and your kit doesn't like it. Try grabbing a spare cable modem as see if it's the same.

There is a fault on the copper between your house and the little green box down the road. You'll be paying bill-roulette with BT on this one, thye will investigate, for a fee, but they'll try and convince you the fault is on your property (so you pay).

[broadsword]

Years ago there was a problem with my main box, BT came out and tested everything and it was resolved, a new box was put in, the lot. It had been causing problems with my landline (constant crackling) and dial-up (kept disconnecting). I don'yt think it's that problem recurring.

Speed fine this morning, then it went down to 0.7. I diconnected, then re-connected and it went back up again to 6ish.

Really don't fancy trying to get through to Virgin helpline, a waste of 45 mins I think.

Clarey mentioned demon to me last night, I looked for coverage map on their website but they don't have one. does that mean it's 100% I don't mind paying a bit more for a decent reliable service.

The big BT pole that I think has the green box in is only across the street from me. Also, Tel exchange is only about .5 miles from me.

[dazmaz]

One of a few likely scenarios.

Stupidly high contention ratio, Virgin have put too many people on two few circuits. Not a lot you can do about this other than change ISP. Do you have any neighbors with virgin ? Do they have the same problems ?

Noise generating fault at your end. Test this by removing all phone/comms kit at your end except the modem into the face plate.

Noise generating fault at their end. Good luck getting them to admit that. Threatening to change providers may get them to look into it.

Their kit has been upgraded to ADSL2/ADSL+ and your kit doesn't like it. Try grabbing a spare cable modem as see if it's the same.

There is a fault on the copper between your house and the little green box down the road. You'll be paying bill-roulette with BT on this one, thye will investigate, for a fee, but they'll try and convince you the fault is on your property (so you pay).

sadly at the point the line enters a house or flat the equipment is then the 'end users' problem. anything outside the house is bt's problem therefore if you can prove the fault lies outside your home you will never be charged.

as it sounds like its happening between peak times its more likely to be a traffic problem thus meaning the only thing you can do is rings virgin and complain

EDIT: sorry just read the last part of you message. the big pole (telegraph pole) is where your line goes underground, try and monitor your speed through the day as there could be a minor break in the overhead, also bad weather can have a factor on a old overhead.

[Paul]

I'll also get a PAYG O2 mobile dongle.

Bryan I have an Orange dongle and it's very slow. I wouldn't expect too much from a mobile dongle if I were you. Investigate before you spend.

I'm connecting to work's server via Citrix, and all jobs are run on their server, so I'm just sending text (ie typing on my keyboard), and then pressing submit, so it's not like I'm some bandwidth-glutton or anything.

I frequently work remotely but I use GoToMyPC which is a Citrix product. This allows me to log in to the office and control the office machines from anywhere, all I am transmitting is my keyboard strokes as I'm working directly on the office system. There isn't a great deal of difference in the speed of response regardless of using my home broadband (BT with about 2.5MB) or my Orange dongle which I think, but can't really remember, is something like 7.2kbps (I'll check it tomorrow for you).

Perhaps the solution is to change the product you use for accessing the office system? GoToMyPC is $100 per annum. I wouldn't be without it. You can get a free 30 day trial. Only snag I can see for you is the office has to be set up as the host and you are the client. You have to be in the office to do the set up

[broadsword]

I'm stuck with the Citrix Paul, I'm only allowed to use that.

In any case, bandwidth at off-peak hours is awful whether I'm working remotely or not.

Annoying, but I think changing providers is the answer.

[Glenn]

Clarey mentioned demon to me last night, I looked for coverage map on their website but they don't have one. does that mean it's 100% I don't mind paying a bit more for a decent reliable service.

I'm a big Demon fan, I've been with them since they were the first domestic ISP in the UK (1991 ish) and only reluctantly moved away from them this year (because switching to sky saved be around £40 a month). They're using BT phone lines, so if the problem is you house wiring or the local loop (your house to the big green box), you'll still have the problem. If however it's just the Virgin are running stupidly high contention ratios (which it sounds like it could be), then you'll be sorted.

[Majiball]

Bryan I share your frustrations.

Virgin are a joke of a service. I got a 10Mb line here in pool and a year later and many phone calls later we resolved the connection problem (believe me when I say its been a serious battle). It would appear when they where fitting the connections at the flats we live in they decided that one line could service all the flats. So as opposed to 10Mb I was lucky to be getting 1Mb. At one stage I could not even access my Email such was the ###### poor performance. But even with my own line (finally, you lazy prick of an engineer) its still crap

Just change ISP Bryan, kick the inexperienced virgin out of the bed and get in a proven Pro.

[Seggie]

Just checking out Be as a replacement for the gawd awful Orange(To be fair my connection is free with them)and they are offering 8mbps for £6.50 a month(Half price deal) or 24mbps for 17.50(My line is capable of 18mbps according to them though).

Obviously being a student type now I don't want to pay OTT. All I really want the Internet for is watching TV and XBOX live. Would people reccomend paying the extra 11 quid or should 8mbps be good enough?

Ive also just run a test on my current connection, 1.94mbs download, 42ms ping, Upload 0.23mbs. Would these likely improve with a new ISP or am I better off changing the Router/Nat settings?(A mate mentioned this for XBOX live).

I hate slow Internet

[Seggie]

Cheers for that!

BE does look very appealing to me. At under £7 a month with the reviews they seem to be getting seems worth it.

I see your point about good turning into bad. Orange as a Phone network don't bother me but as an ISP thats a different matter

[Sandiway Blue]

I notice a couple of people on here were having problems with Virgin`s broadband.I had problems for a couple of weeks and after reading this thread i was fearing the worst,anyway i rang them up and was pleasantly surprised with the service.I spoke to an operator and explained what the problem was,after switching the modem off waiting 30 seconds then switching back on,he identified straight away that the modem was knackered and said they would send a new one out within `3 working days` it arrived in less than 36 hours! I plugged it in and straight away noticed a difference with speed,i did a speed test and found i was getting 4mb (i only pay for 2mb!).

Outstanding service that left me very impressed maybe they have took on board people`s complaints and got their act together?

[Ewood and I Would]

Who are you with?

I'm with Be and they're brilliant. I get around 15meg speeds (max is 24 depending on various factors).

Their website will give you an estimate of how fast your broadband would be with them, just enter your phone number in that box at the top:

https://www.bethere.co.uk/web/beportal/homepage

I'm with BE and live right near the exchange (400m) and I have the top Be package, Be Pro) and I'm only getting 8-9 megabit max (the site says I should get 17Mb although I live so near the exchange I can only assume your house has to be built on top of it to get the full 24).

Don't get me wrong 9 megabit is enough but I reckon I might ask them to investigate given the speeds you're getting!