Help with NTL Freedom Slow Downloads

gregt · 15-02-2005, 14:40

I have the NTL Freedom 512k ADSL Package and after spending about a month actually getting it to work in the first place (there was a noise filter on the line) it was not to good...basically downloads would be arround 5-10kb/sec (no where near the right speed) Games such as HL, CS, HW2 etc etc would be ok but occasionally dissconnect me, and browsing was unbeliveably slow (text pages were taking half a min to load rather than a few sec)

So i rang up and complained just before xmas and it seemed to get better over the christmas period...and now its got worse again and before there was never good downloads just good browsing.

Its now started again specifically playing World of Warcraft (Bandwidth hugging game which just cannot cope with packet loss) now i only found this out today so i will try doing trace route n stuff tonight when i get home but can anybody suggest what else it could be? / suggest a fix?

is it worth trying to get away from NTLs grasp and try a new providor? as i am seriously considering it now seeing as i havn't had a decent month yet.

I am using the Speedtouch modem supplied free with NTL Freedom

I also have

AMD XP Athlon 1.8 GHZ
1GB RAM
80GB HD
XP

etc etc

I have already tried format and a complete reinstall of XP, Changing Splitters, uninstalling firewalls, changing mtu etc etc.

One thing i have had asked off me is how far i am from the main telephone point well its downstairs in my lounger and i currently use a normal extension cable on it i have been told to try my pc directly downstairs but this is difficult could this be a cause of the problem?

My exchange is Broomhill in Sheffield and i have already asked about that and NTL say its dandy.

Thanks in advance for anything u can suggest/advice

Neil · 15-02-2005, 14:43

to the site.

We need to see trace routes to the game servers you say you are having issues on, but I think the main problem is that you are connecting via a telephone extension cable.

What you need to think about is a router (wired or wireless) to get the DSL signal from the telephone point to your PC.

gregt · 15-02-2005, 14:50

so should i invest in a new cable or get a router? and if i need to get a router can u recommend one thats cheap but good? as i don't think i will need it past this year and i don't fancy forking out ÃƒÆ’Ã†â€™ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã…Â¡ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â£70 for one.

Neil · 15-02-2005, 14:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by gregt

so should i invest in a new cable or get a router? and if i need to get a router can u recommend one thats cheap but good? as i don't think i will need it past this year and i don't fancy forking out ÃƒÆ’Ã†â€™ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã…Â¡ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â£70 for one.

When I say 'cable', I mean get a ADSL combined modem/router.

The router will connect to your phone socket downstairs, & accept the incoming DSL connection, you then run an ethernet cable to your PC, or get a wireless modem/router, put a wireless card in your PC & connect to the wireless router (still downstairs) & send your internet wirelessly to your PC.

There's a wealth of info regarding wireless modem/routers in our Computers & I.T forum: http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/forumdisplay.php?f=19

HTH.

[Edit]-I would suggest you get a wireless router, it will be much easier than getting a wired one & running an ethernet cable up the stairs to your PC!

gregt · 15-02-2005, 15:04

i don't spose any of them are very small are they? see its in the middle of a student lounge and having a big router there...well it would not be good

ian@huth · 15-02-2005, 15:10

I would take the PC downstairs and see how the connection works with it connected directly to the microfilter on the master socket. You say that this would be difficult but the slight temporary inconvenience may be better than buying an extra piece of kit and finding that you still have the problem.

gregt · 15-02-2005, 15:12

yeah i know that but the thing is it varies so much it would be really hard to see if it was working ok or not i have no idea how to test to see if it works as fast as it should because very occasionally it works fast then slows down at the start and i can't keep it down there for more than say 15min

Neil · 15-02-2005, 15:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by gregt

yeah i know that but the thing is it varies so much it would be really hard to see if it was working ok or not i have no idea how to test to see if it works as fast as it should because very occasionally it works fast then slows down at the start and i can't keep it down there for more than say 15min

You have to rule things out here, it's a process of elimination.

ian@huth · 15-02-2005, 15:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by gregt

yeah i know that but the thing is it varies so much it would be really hard to see if it was working ok or not i have no idea how to test to see if it works as fast as it should because very occasionally it works fast then slows down at the start and i can't keep it down there for more than say 15min

There are many speed tests available. Have a look at http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/article.php?a=22 which tells you about speed tests and also applies to ADSL. Dan Elwels test is one of the best.

You can only keep it in the lounge for 15 mins?

Are they capping lounge use now?

gregt · 15-02-2005, 15:24

its not that its just that 2 of my house mates sort of over use the lounge ( i didn't choose to live with them was a last min thing) and are complete bitches so i wouldn't put it past them to accidently do something to it. Could probably stretch to half a hour or so or something anyway i will try it.

That aside adsl speed checkers always give back the right info ie connected at 512k or whatever it is 576k i think..anyway it connects at right speeds but seems to be slow browsing etc..getting the consensus here that the phone line could very well be the problem and not NTL as i first thought?

ian@huth · 15-02-2005, 15:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by gregt

its not that its just that 2 of my house mates sort of over use the lounge ( i didn't choose to live with them was a last min thing) and are complete bitches so i wouldn't put it past them to accidently do something to it. Could probably stretch to half a hour or so or something anyway i will try it.

That aside adsl speed checkers always give back the right info ie connected at 512k or whatever it is 576k i think..anyway it connects at right speeds but seems to be slow browsing etc..getting the consensus here that the phone line could very well be the problem and not NTL as i first thought?

If speed tests show that the connection speed is always correct then I would suspect that the answer lies more with your PC.

gregt · 15-02-2005, 15:33

well i don't think it does seeing as i have done a complete format and the browser speeds are still slow i mean what else could be affecting it? i only have the bare minimul on the system, Drivers, 1 Game (not yet used), Windows XP

Thats it. I certainly had no problem last year when i was on cable in another house with same pc, if is the pc then the laptop would determine this also.. correct?

Neil · 15-02-2005, 15:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by gregt

well i don't think it does seeing as i have done a complete format and the browser speeds are still slow i mean what else could be affecting it? i only have the bare minimul on the system, Drivers, 1 Game (not yet used), Windows XP

Thats it. I certainly had no problem last year when i was on cable in another house with same pc, if is the pc then the laptop would determine this also.. correct?

I'd put money on it being the fact that you are now connecting via an extension lead up the stairs.

I know it's prorbaly not what you want to hear, but it would appear that the problem lies with you & your setup, rather than ntl/BT.

If you connect your PC downstairs direct to the ADSL socket, & the problem is still present, you can feel fairly comfortable ringing ntl & reporting a problem.

Until that point you are just wasting time talking about it.

gregt · 15-02-2005, 15:49

ok so say it is the extension lead on stairs is a new router the only choice i have? what about one of these adsl extension cords?

ian@huth · 15-02-2005, 15:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by gregt

ok so say it is the extension lead on stairs is a new router the only choice i have? what about one of these adsl extension cords?

You could try a different extension cable to see if that solves the problem. Apart from this, other solutions all include equipment in the lounge. You could add a router, either wireless or wired with an ethernet cable running up the stairs or use an ethernet ADSL modem downstairs, again with either wireless or wired connections. Try the cheapest first which is using a laptop to verify where the problem lies.