Hub 2 drops, packet loss and latency issues, bufferbloat

[#1]

Hello, I have a hub 2 and over the last 18 months I have increased packet loss and latency to the point where part of my day is watching whirley things in the middle of my screen.  My main PC is cable to the router and I have problem with this as well as anything wifi. 

I have got a Thinkbroadband account which shows the regular drops and the packet loss etc. No one games in my house, it's just the usual Netflix and Iplayer etc. I have done the Bufferbloat test and got an F.

I have read that I need a router that does SQM which Hub 2 doesn't. I have tried talking to Plusnet who of course couldn't care less as they are getting paid and their end cannot see a problem.

can anyone recommend  a router or some other fix for this? 

[#2]

@DarkLordOfAll 

What is your contracted speed and are you receiving at least the minimum guatanteed?

Are you getting line drops? If so what are the lights on your hub showing?

[#3]

Hello,

The upload is not the minimum, and the download is around that. The lights on the router is always blue. 

Thanks. 

[#4]

@DarkLordOfAll 

So what are the speeds?

[#5]

BT Wholesale Advanced 

Advance Test

Download Test

Download speed achieved during the test was 3.29 Mbps

For your connection, the acceptable range of speeds is 4 - 21 Mbps

IP Profile for your line is 15.14 Mbps

3.29 Mbps

21 Mbps

Upload Test

Upload speed achieved during the test was 0.73 Mbps

IP Profile for your line is 0.83 Mbps

0.73 Mbps

0.83 Mbps

[#6]

Timestamp

Saturday 24 August 2024 | 16:5:59

Ping

140 Ms

Download

3.29 Mbps

Upload

0.73 Mbps

[#7]

Summary of Performance Test

Timestamp

Saturday 24 August 2024 | 16:10:11

Ping

25 Ms

Download

14.62 Mbps

Upload

0.73 Mbps

[#8]

Do you have anything on your network that is uploading data? Typical devices are security cameras with cloud storage.

Uploading whilst trying to download will slow the download speed by delaying handshakes. Look up buffer bloat for more information.

[#9]

No, nothing like that. 

Bufferbloat test. https://www.waveform.com/tools/bufferbloat?test-id=8921f496-7d32-490e-93af-601ce3dcdd85

[#10]

So is your connection an ADSL2+ line rather than FTTC? from the speeds it looks as if it is ADSL2+.

First thing to check is whether you can get FTTC (and if so whether it would be faster) or FTTP.

Twenty years ago 700Kbps upload was great - these days modern websites expect more, so although comments about buffer bloat are valid, any traffic QoS priorities only really tackle the symptoms rather than the cause of the problem.

[#11]

Yes, it's ADSL2+. No, I can't get FTTP or FTTC. Just ADSL where I live. 

[#12]

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@DarkLordOfAll wrote:

Just ADSL where I live. 

---

Do you have coverage from any 4G cells? I used a directional external 4G router to good effect until an altnet built FTTP here - I could get much better speed using that than was available from ADSL2+ (sub-USO) - especially upload speed.

Three have unlimited 4G available for £24pm (new customer £12pm for 6 months, then £24pm for the remaining 18 months)

[#13]

I do but would need a booster. I can get some support for this but it's all coincided with my Plusnet contact being renewed and various other things so I haven't been able to look further into this. 

I have been tied into another 2 year contract with Plusnet for largely non existent internet because from their end everything looks fine. 

This is sy I am looking at alternatives. I have a Hub 2 and I have read that different routers may help. 

[#14]

Don't expect too much improvement with a better router. QoS to help with "buffer bloat" works by slowing down some traffic in order to ensure ACKs get sent. With a very low upstream speed the result can be a smoother experience for downloads, but it can't make it faster.

It may be that a 4G router would be a better use of money than a better ADSL router - even allowing for the Plusnet contract. You could also consider load balancing between 4G and Plusnet - I did that for a while when I first moved to 4G. 

[#15]

@DarkLordOfAll  It would be good to see what your line should be getting to ensure you are getting the best speeds and you don’t have a fault.

Could you post the results from the BTW DSL checker using your phone number if possible, or the address checker if not. Hide your personal details.

https://www.broadbandchecker.btwholesale.com/#/ADSL 

Sight of the Thinkbroadband chart would also be useful, to determine loading on the line.