very slow broadband and frequent service drops

[#1]

So after several months of good service (we are 4km or so from the exchange - so its never going to be great we know) our average download speed of around 5 to 6mbps has now dropped to about 2 mbps with an upload speed of 0.6 mbps

Openreach came out last week, tested the cabling in the street, found a minor issue and then tested inside the house. This engineer said he was getting errors on his test towards the house when the phone is connected, however the line shows no faults when the phone is unplugged. We have a BT branded phone and after a different openreach engineer said the same last year, we returned the phone and received a new replacment.

However now with the phone unplugged we are still getting very low download speeds. 

I think we are now on visit number 12 by Openreach in the 18 months we have been in this house with the service from plusnet

here are the router stats (if it helps)

Product name: Plusnet Hub
2. Serial number: +081441+NQ13237753
3. Firmware version: Software version 4.7.5.1.83.8.289.1.3 Last updated 16/12/21
4. Board version: Plusnet Hub One
5. DSL uptime: 0 days, 12:12:31
6. Data rate: 832 / 2976
7. Maximum data rate: 1012 / 3072
8. Noise margin: 11.0 / 13.6
9. Line attenuation: 29.5 / 45.7
10. Signal attenuation: 29.5 / 44.9
11. Data sent/received: 571.2 MB / 9.0 GB
12. Broadband username: 
13. 2.4 GHz Wireless network/SSID: 
14. 2.4 GHz Wireless connections: Enabled (802.11 b/g/n (up to 144 Mb/s))
15. 2.4 GHz Wireless security: WPA2
16. 2.4 GHz Wireless channel: Automatic (Smart Wireless)
17. 5 GHz Wireless network/SSID: 
18. 5 GHz Wireless connections: Enabled (802.11 a/n/ac (up to 1300 Mb/s))
19. 5 GHz Wireless security: WPA2
20. 5 GHz Wireless channel: Automatic (Smart Wireless)
21. Firewall: Default
22. MAC Address: 
23. VPI/VCI: 0 / 38
24. Modulation: G.992.1 Annex A
25. Latency type: Interleaved
26. Software variant: AA
27. Boot loader: 1.0.0

Ookla speed test - now - DOWNLOAD Mbps 1.05 UPLOAD Mbps 0.47

BT Wholesale 203ms - 2.31mbps download - 0.69 mbps upload

we have a single PC connected via RJ45 Cat 6 - all speed tests are made across the cabled connection

Any suggestions gratefully received

thanks

[#2]

@dyha5b From that data - your noise margins are horrible for an ADSL connection.

For Community members to be able to help, information from these two sites, as screenshots, posted as pictures within the topic, not as attachments:-

BT Broadband(obscuring your phone number) and BTW Performance Tester - Over a wired (Ethernet) connection if at all possible, please report the 'ADDITIONAL DIAGNOSTICS', and sight of the broadband connection status from your Hub (with the 'Username' obscured) would be a good starting point.

For the Hub One -

Navigate from the Home Screen to Troubleshooting > Helpdesk

For the Hub Two -

Navigate from the Home Screen to Advanced Settings > Technical Log > Information

It may also be a good idea to report the results of a Quiet Line Test - dial 17070 option 2 from a (preferably corded) phone. After the confirmation of your phone number, there should be total silence apart from the regular 'Quiet Line Test' announcement. Any other noise - report a PHONE fault first.

If you are unsure about any of the above, please just ask - I am happy to help.

[#3]

thanks John

I have attached the screen shots

Plusnet have arranged another engineer visit 

[#4]

adsl check

[#5]

thanks John

and broadband stats are in the original post - screen shot also attached here

[#6]

Basic Speed Test

Broadband Speed Test

Executed Successfully

PING

35

Ms

DOWNLOAD

1.94

Mbps

UPLOAD

0.63

Mbps

AGAIN

Results

[CLOSE][RESET]

Summary of Performance Test

Timestamp

Monday 25 September 2023 | 10:28:18

Ping

35 Ms

Download

1.94 Mbps

Upload

0.63 Mbps

Advance Test

Download Test

Download speed achieved during the test was 1.94 Mbps

For your connection, the acceptable range of speeds is 1.2 - 4 Mbps

IP Profile for your line is 2.62 Mbps

1.94 Mbps

4 Mbps

Upload Test

Upload speed achieved during the test was 0.63 Mbps

IP Profile for your line is 0.83 Mbps

0.63 Mbps

0.83 Mbps

Summary Advanced Test

We were unable to identify any performance problem with your service at this time.

It is possible that any problem you have experienced may have been caused by traffic congestion or by a server responding slowly.

Please visit the "SpeedTest Guidance" for more information.

Download Report

The speed tests for 500Mb/1000Mb product are dependent on device capability. Click here for more information.

[#7]

Featured Products	Downstream Line Rate(Mbps)	Upstream Line Rate (Mbps)	Downstream Range (Mbps)	Availability Date	FTTP Install Process
FTTP on Demand	330	50	--	Available	--

ADSL Products	Downstream Line Rate (Mbps)	Upstream Line Rate (Mbps)	Downstream Range(Mbps)	ADSL Availability Date	Left in Jumper
WBC ADSL 2+	Up to 1	--	1 to 3	Available	--
ADSL Max	Up to 0.75	--	0.75 to 2.5	Available	--
WBC Fixed Rate	1	--	--	Available	--
Fixed Rate	1	--	--	Available	--

Observed Speeds	ADSL
Max Observed Downstream Speed	3.36
Max Observed Upstream Speed	0.9
Observed Date	2023-09-24

Other Offerings	Availability Date
ADSL Multicast	Available

Premise Environment	Status
Bridge Tap	U
VRI	--
NTE FacePlate	--
Last Test Date	--

Exchange Product Restrictions	Status
FTTP Priority Exchange	N
WLR Withdrawal	Y
SOADSL Restriction	Y

FTTP is not available.

[#8]

I just had a phone call with an advisor from Plusnet who has booked another openreach engineer based on the results of the test she has run. Engineer needs to come into the house and test from the socket again

Engineer is due tomorrow between 8am and 1pm

I asked if the router could be changed - however was told I would have to pay the £6.99 delivery charge ! So declined this and the advisor said she would wait for the openreach engineers findings and if he/she thinks the router should be changed

[#9]

In a previous post there was a suggestion (from TownMan) @Townman  to run the stats gathering software but there wasn't a link gievn

I've found the software -    Download RouterStatsHub for BT HomeHub 5 (Type A). 

lets see what this reports too

[#10]

---

@dyha5b wrote:

I just had a phone call with an advisor from Plusnet who has booked another openreach engineer based on the results of the test she has run. Engineer needs to come into the house and test from the socket again

Engineer is due tomorrow between 8am and 1pm

I asked if the router could be changed - however was told I would have to pay the £6.99 delivery charge ! So declined this and the advisor said she would wait for the openreach engineers findings and if he/she thinks the router should be changed

---

I doubt it is the Hub at fault - more likely to be your distance from the exchange and the condition of the cables - I'm guessing all overhead, possibly running through trees?

[#11]

Plusnet have asked me to upload the the screen shots to the ticket

However this happens:

Hi Patricia

I have a question open at the moment Question #237059123 and I can post replies to it but I am unable to post attachments, every time I try I get the following error from the webpage, so this is at the PlusNet server side:

There's a problem with the file you're trying to attach. INPUT_FILE_UPLOAD_FAILED_VIRUS_CHECK
Antivirus scan detected a virus in the file.

I've tried a PDF, a Word .DOCX Document, a .JPG and a .PNG, they all generate the same error.

I've tried this on my personal machine and my work laptop 

I've verified the files are clear from viruses by scanning them locally with up to date AV (Defender and McAfee) and even uploaded them to virustotal.com to check them, this site scans a file against approx 50 different virus scanners, they've all come back clean.

How else am I to upload the results of the speed test that you have asked for ?

thanks
Robin

[#12]

Openreach engineer attended today from 1330
He has replaced the master socket as it was showing a fault condition

He has found a cable fault which requires escalating to his manager as it requires replacing the cable from the house to the first DP on the post outside our gate (about 300m of cable plus needs two new stand off brackets)

The Plusnet router also has a fault, there is a discrepancy of 2mbps between his test router and our router (he obtains 7mbps, our router only 5mbps today) plus the light on the router keeps flickering and not just a steady blue when connected or orange when disconnected

Openreach will update us when they will come to replace the line

[#13]

---

@dyha5b wrote:

In a previous post there was a suggestion (from TownMan) @Townman  to run the stats gathering software but there wasn't a link gievn

For any such advice, the link is to be found in my signature.

This circuit appears to have chronic issues.  With a 45bB DS attenuation, you should see 7.2mbps - you are nowhere near that.  I note that you have disconnected the telephone in the hope of improving performance, but a telephone is a very useful diagnostic tool for finding out if there is interference (noise) on the line.

Is the router plugged DIRECT into the MASTER socket?

Are there any telephone extensions running from the master socket?

Have you tried changing the filter?

When you get your next engineer visit, ensure that they test the line IN BOTH DIRECTIONS - sometimes a fault can be seen from one end of the line only.  Also mention the issue with poorer performance with the telephone connected - this could point to a line card issue in the exchange.

Could really do with one of the ace forum staff on this one!  @willcutforth 

[#14]

Hey there @dyha5b by the looks of it the team have sent out a new router. Have you received it yet?

[#15]

@willcutforth 

Oh dear!!!

A new router will not fix a 13dB SNRM!!