ADSL : BT or not BT, that is the question

[7031]

Originally Posted by Chris

Seeing up to 2.5Mb download speed is consistent with that downstream sync. That's not congestion, it's the physical limitations of the line between yourself and the exchange.

Do you have a rough idea of the distance to the exchange?

Hmm yes.

Have you checked with the test socket yet?

[Kursk]

Originally Posted by Chris

Seeing up to 2.5Mb download speed is consistent with that downstream sync. That's not congestion, it's the physical limitations of the line between yourself and the exchange.

Do you have a rough idea of the distance to the exchange?

It's a mile or two away. The previous owner here told me he was getting over 6Mbps which is what I estimate I was getting before the BT engineer came and changed my line (I switched my phone from BT to VM). He remarked as he was leaving "not sure how the changes I've made will affect your internet connection".

Originally Posted by 7031

Hmm yes.

Have you checked with the test socket yet?

Do you mean removing the faceplate of the main socket and plugging in behind? If so, I can't find a main socket here. The previous owner used the socket I'm using (he also ran an ethernet cable into the adjacent room) so the socket should be ok?

At a mile or two distant, you should be doing rather better than you are. Exactly what did the BT Openreach tech do at your house? There is now a physical problem with your line somewhere between your phone socket and the telephone exchange, which you need to try to track down.

Finding the master socket and connecting via the test socket behind the faceplate would be a good start.

[7031]

One thing, keep in mind that the sync speed being low doesn't confirm that your line is poor, as it is essentially set by Virgin.

For example, with Sky broadband if your router reboots it's often interpreted as a line failure, leading to your sync speed being lowered (mine was as low as 3Mbps at one point).

Finding the master socket and connecting via the test socket behind the faceplate would be a good start.

Seconded. If you're not sure where the master socket is, it's normally the first one closest to where the phone line enters the house.

The sync speed is not set by Virgin. It is negotiated between the router and the equipment at the telephone exchange. Repeated router re-boots can fritz the process by making it look like there's a line fault, resulting in a lower sync speed, but if that had occurred it would only take a few days of *not* rebooting the router for the sync speed to climb back up again.

In the absence of any other information, it seems that Kursk's sync speed appears quite happy and stable at 2854, which suggests the rate-adaptive ADSL has done exactly what it's supposed to do and has established the fastest stable speed for the line.

Improving that speed any further will require the imperfections in the line, wherever they are, to be found and addressed.

[Kursk]

Just unscrewed every socket and they all look the same. There is no split socket and when you lift the faceplate all the wires come with it in all cases.

When the BT Openreach bloke came he said he would connect my phone. I said the internet is already working but I'm not able to ring people. He said the internet couldn't be working. It was. He said I am changing your telephone number, I'll be back in half an hour. He did, he was and now my connection is knackered.

My understanding of the telephone network is rather shaky on this point, but I suspect the tech may have moved you onto a different physical line ... presumably from one that was in good shape to one that was not.

Regarding the master socket, where does your telephone line enter the house? The nearest socket to that point ought to be the master.

[Kursk]

Originally Posted by Chris

My understanding of the telephone network is rather shaky on this point, but I suspect the tech may have moved you onto a different physical line ... presumably from one that was in good shape to one that was not.

Regarding the master socket, where does your telephone line enter the house? The nearest socket to that point ought to be the master.

That's what I'm thinking too although my understanding is as shaky as yours on this point. Certainly, things were ok before he changed my number. I have the same router, same filter, same phone, same computer, same carpet and wallpaper . The only difference was his tinkering. When I ask BT about it, they say VM is your provider, contact them.

The telephone wire comes in at the rear of the house. The nearest socket and the first socket the cable reaches looks no different to all the others and there is nothing under the faceplate that isn't under all the others. When it's unscrewed it just lifts all the internal wires with it - there's no hidden socket to plug into .