Sky Broadband - Page 4

greencreeper · 05-01-2008, 17:57

I'm new to this ADSL stuff, but I wouldn't expect regular disconnects to be normal. One or two, fine, but four or more a day surely can't be normal. I'll see how it goes - may yet try calling Sky, see what they say. Fingers crossed it'll be fine. I did find damage to the previous cable, and some heavily squashed/kinked sections - due to the carpet being fitted.

downquark1 · 05-01-2008, 18:08

Well this is why I don't like ADSL, its far to sensitive to problems. Basically the noise margin will change during the day, I find it weakest around this time. On a sky router if it drops below 6 you will get connection problems.

Remember as noise margin goes up sync speed goes down. (speed V stability)

Now the router decides what margin to set at, when you turn it on it will go for the highest sync speed it can get with a noise margin at 7. Or if it can reach the speed cap without going below 7 it will hold at the cap and get the highest noise margin it can. Now as the noise margin goes down in the evening it should ideally readjust so the sync speed drops to keep the noise margin stable, but this doesn't happen (or not yet at least). So you can either turn the router on in the evening when the noise is at its worst, so it finds a comfortable margin which will go up during the rest of the day. Or you can force it to have a larger margin.

These are assumptions derived from experience so please correct any mistakes.

Paul K · 05-01-2008, 21:49

GC with an SNR that low you will see dropped connections as I have already said, your side of the line probably isn't the issue and if the line between you and the exchange is poor then you will probably need your speed capped to stabilise the connection itself. I had mine capped at 10Mb as I don't need a blazing speed but I do need a stable connection in the evening.
Please post your full stats on t'other forum and it may be that you need to call CS and ask to be TS'ed for intermittant connection and point out you have a low SNR to the Tech person and make a point of saying you will proabaly need putting through to CST for speed and config checks.

greencreeper · 05-01-2008, 23:04

Yeah - connection dropped again not that long ago

I can't see if being the internal wiring - exactly same as my parent's (TalkTalk) and they don't have problems. Also a spike to 22dB a few minutes ago. The other forum don't seem much interested

I'll phone Sky on Monday - see how far I get.

downquark1 · 05-01-2008, 23:37

I bet they will just cap your connection lower to ensure a higher noise margin.

greencreeper · 05-01-2008, 23:51

Yeah - begs the question, "Why have different packages?" Going to end up with base speed for mid money

I've posted on SkyUser - nothing to lose.

Paul K · 06-01-2008, 09:15

It may be that the problem isn't your side of the wiring, getting your wiring as good as possible just helps highlight where the problem actually sits.
ADSL relies heavily on line distance and line quality, if your line can't handle it then it does cause problems, I'm less than 1km line distance from exchange but our telephone lines round here are really old and on overhead poles, I'm capped at 10Mb for stability but I know my line could go faster if I wanted to endure drop outs.
It's not Skys fault that BT doesn't worry about line quality and only looks at something if your voice service goes down

greencreeper · 08-01-2008, 23:17

Not phoned them yet - you get home from working in a call centre and you just don't want to phone one. Spent an hour on the phone to FastHosts - 58 minutes queuing, 2 minutes talking

Anyway, I think I might know what's wrong - the wind. The more windy it is, the more the connection drops out. It's been up and down all day - and the wind has been bad all day. But yesterday the connection was alright - and there was little wind. Not sure it'll do me any good to phone Sky and tell them I have trouble with wind

Paul K · 09-01-2008, 06:23

Ours does that as all the lines round here are on telephone poles, plays havoc with my SNR when the lines start swinging around. If your lines are on telephone poles you could try calling BT and tell them that during the bad weather you are getting intermittant line noise/ crackling and it's always when it's windy and the lines are moving around outside. Then you suggest there may be a connection issue on the telephone pole DP and ask for an engineer lol.