Can't send attachments - V poor upload problem

Ashover · 20-08-2004, 08:30

Ever since NTL decided to have a day of last week, I have been unable to send attachments or upload files to my websites. The predictable response from NTL was that it was nothing to do with them, it was my anti virus software or firewall even though disabling them makes absolutely no difference.
Being so pigged off, I did an online speed test which showed downstream speeds of over 700 kps, but an upstream speed of only 16kps.
Any ideas anyone? I'm no expert but it does seem that the NTL help wallahs aren't going to be much use to me and I would like to resume sending email attachments.

Bifta · 20-08-2004, 08:51

What happens when you try to send attached files? What email client are you using? What OS are you using? If you're on the 600 (or whatever speed it is now) service with NTL, then 16kbps upload is perfectly normal.

Ashover · 20-08-2004, 09:08

I'm using Outlook Express 6 on Windows 98 SE. It initially starts to send the mail and I get the following error message.

Your server has unexpectedly terminated the connection. Possible causes for this include server problems, network problems, or a long period of inactivity. Subject '', Account: 'xxxxxx', Server: 'smtp.ntlworld.com', Protocol: SMTP, Port: 25, Secure(SSL): No, Socket Error: 10054, Error Number: 0x800CCC0F

I'm not part of a network and haven't changed or added anything since before these problems began.

Bifta · 20-08-2004, 09:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ashover

I'm using Outlook Express 6 on Windows 98 SE. It initially starts to send the mail and I get the following error message.

Your server has unexpectedly terminated the connection. Possible causes for this include server problems, network problems, or a long period of inactivity. Subject '', Account: 'xxxxxx', Server: 'smtp.ntlworld.com', Protocol: SMTP, Port: 25, Secure(SSL): No, Socket Error: 10054, Error Number: 0x800CCC0F

I'm not part of a network and haven't changed or added anything since before these problems began.

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=813514 it seems to infer that actually uninstalling your AV software, testing, then reinstalling might cure the problem.

Jon M · 20-08-2004, 09:20

The alternative is to use a good email client like thunderbird http://www.mozilla.org/products/thunderbird/ which can import all your mail from OE6.

Tech_Boy · 20-08-2004, 10:41

I wouldn't run Ie or Oe 6 on anything but Xp, I have seen them cause so many problems in both flavours of 98 and Me.

M$ seemed to have fixed most of the problems with Ie6 sp1, but I still wouldn't risk it.

Tech_Boy

Ashover · 20-08-2004, 10:46

I have unistalled my AV software and it made no difference. This problem only started after NTL upgraded me - everything was fine before that. Now, even a simple text email takes a while to go.

I've tried to send files by Hotmail, but it times out before uploading them. My websites time out when uploading and I really am desperate to know whether or not NTL are to blame as it seems very little is allowed to be uploaded from my pc.

Tezcatlipoca · 20-08-2004, 23:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bifta

What happens when you try to send attached files? What email client are you using? What OS are you using? If you're on the 600 (or whatever speed it is now) service with NTL, then 16kbps upload is perfectly normal.

16kbps (kbit/sec, kilobits per sec) is not normal

16kB/sec would be normal (128kbps [128kbit/sec] is roughly 16kB/sec).

Ashover - Are you sure of the units for the speed test values you quoted?

You say "over 700 kps" for the download.... meaning over 700kbps (kilobits per sec), which is fine.

But for the upload, you say "16kps" (i.e. using the same units as for the download)...Do you mean 16kB per sec (kilobytes) or 16kb (kilobits)?

Ashover · 21-08-2004, 00:13

The 16 kps refers to kilobits per seconds. There's a massive difference between upstream and downstream speeds and my opinion is that it's an NTL issue but I'm open to be proved wrong.

Bifta · 21-08-2004, 00:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ashover

The 16 kps refers to kilobits per seconds. There's a massive difference between upstream and downstream speeds and my opinion is that it's an NTL issue but I'm open to be proved wrong.

So are you uploading at 16 kilobytes or around 1.6 kilobytes a second? (make this easy for me as obviously I'm clueless when it comes to using the right acronyms).

Ashover · 21-08-2004, 00:33

NTL refer to my speed as 750k which I assume is kilobits per second and the speed test proves that to be OK. The same measurement of kilobits per second is applied to the upload speed of 16kps but this should be in a range of 200 to 220 kps

Bifta · 21-08-2004, 00:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ashover

NTL refer to my speed as 750k which I assume is kilobits per second and the speed test proves that to be OK. The same measurement of kilobits per second is applied to the upload speed of 16kps but this should be in a range of 200 to 220 kps

ok, now you're confusing me further, kps = kilobytes per second, kbps = kilobits per second, how many kilobytes per second (not kilobits) are you able to transfer up? you should be able to get around 16kps, 16kbps as Matt D pointed out would be wrong and indicative of a problem.

Ashover · 21-08-2004, 00:43

Sorry, it's late and I've had a drink! All of the figures are kbps, kilobits per second.

Tezcatlipoca · 21-08-2004, 01:00

OK, so they're definitely all in kilobits per second?

In which case... your upload is awful

The "750k" service (750 kbps....kilobit per second) should have an upload of 128kbps (128 kilobits per second).

...Yet you appear to be getting only 16 kbps (16 kilobits per sec)!

Try this upload speed tester:

http://www.pcpitstop.com/internet/BandwidthUpTest.asp

I'm on the 1.5meg service (with a 256kbit/sec upload), & just got

Quote:

Upload Speed 244 Kb/s

(where "Kb/s" = kilobits per second)

...Which is pretty good.

If your upload really is as bad as it seems from your earlier test, then it could be that your local UBR is oversubscribed.

Try phoning ntl again, & explain to them about your upload being so unbelievably poor.

Also, hopefully one of the ntl people here will see this thread & try to give you some help.

If it does definitely seem that the upload is the cause of your problem, I may well move this thread (& add a bit to the title) to the Broadband support forum - could get a better response there (& it would be the correct forum, if the problem is the upload, & not simply email problems).

Web-Junkie · 21-08-2004, 19:01

Ashover, I'm having similar problems. I can't attach files to my Yahoo or Hotmail e-mails and can't upload files to my Yahoo briefcase. I also can't upload attachments with newsgroup posts! I'm in the Notts NG17 area!

See my post here:

http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/sh...ad.php?t=16465

I also wondered about the upstream speed being lowered to compensate for the higher downstream speed! I'm on the 600k > 750k service.

I tried using the speed test at adslguide but it won't complete the test, just sits there saying:

Starting speed test...
Do not use your connection until the test has finished.

How do I test my upstream speed online? I DO NOT want to download programs or plugins.