router stats - line speed

[3soteric]

Hi all,

I moved to o2 about four months ago coming from BT due to a rubbish service. On BT I was getting a speed of around 4meg. But; now I've moved over to o2, I don't seem to be able to get anywhere near the same speed, even though my package is up to 20meg. After speaking with o2 numerous times they have said that there isn't much that they can do, and that they feel my line can't handle any higher speeds.....

Here are my router stats from the test socket on a wired connection:

Uptime: 0 days, 01:00:37
DSL Type: G.992.5 Annex M US 56
Bandwidth (Up/Down) [kbps/kbps]: 772 / 1,457
Output Power (Up/Down) [dBm]: 11.5 / 17.5
Line Attenuation (Up/Down) [dB]: 25.5 / 46.0
SN Margin (Up/Down) [dB]: 6.0 / 7.5
Vendor ID (Local/Remote): TMMB / BDCM
Loss of Framing (Local/Remote): 0 / 0
Loss of Signal (Local/Remote): 0 / 0
Loss of Power (Local/Remote): 0 / 0
Loss of Link (Remote): 0
Error Seconds (Local/Remote): 0 / 0
FEC Errors (Up/Down): 1,395 / 140,853
CRC Errors (Up/Down): 1,395 / 791
HEC Errors (Up/Down): 86,415 / 655

Anyone able to offer an explanation or advice on what I can do to increase my line speed to something similar as what I was achieving before?

Thanks in advance!

[Saturday]

What your stats clearly show is that your line is a mess and very noisy, hence the low sync speeds and high level of errors. Get rid of the line noise and your sync will rise to ~7meg.

Most often line noise arises within the home phone wiring and less often in the BT line itself. You haven't described how you are connecting your router but I suspect it isn't plugged straight into a master socket or maybe you have lots of plugged in extensions or have missed out a filter somewhere.

First thing to do is plug your router into your master socket using just the supplied router cable and nothing else such as phones, digibox etc plugged in. What sync speed does that give?

Next, if you have a relatively modern master socket (like this), carefully remove the faceplate and plug the router into the hidden socket which sits behind the faceplate. What speed does that give?

Post those speeds plus a description of your home wiring (extensions, phones plugged in etc) and we can take it from there.

[3soteric]

My original post stats were from the test socket behind the master box.

There is one filter plugged in there, and one cable runs to the router, one to the house phone. There is an old extension cable in place, but no phone plugged into it. the other phones around the house connect to the main phone via DECT so no extensions are used for them.

What I will do when I get home, is strip out all the cabling, and just have the router plugged in, then post the stats.

Cheers for your help so far!

[Saturday]

Yes, if it isn't needed, disconnect the extension wiring connected to the master socket. Although you have no phones attached to the extension wiring, it may well be a cause of part of the noise problem.

[3soteric]

ok, dug out the old extension cable, and this is with the normal phone line and modem in one filter in the master socket. I will try from the test socket later this evening when the net is not needed

Uptime: 0 days, 0:14:24
DSL Type: G.992.5 Annex M US 56
Bandwidth (Up/Down) [kbps/kbps]: 802 / 959
Output Power (Up/Down) [dBm]: 12.0 / 17.5
Line Attenuation (Up/Down) [dB]: 25.0 / 45.0
SN Margin (Up/Down) [dB]: 6.0 / 11.0
Vendor ID (Local/Remote): TMMB / BDCM
Loss of Framing (Local/Remote): 44 / 0
Loss of Signal (Local/Remote): 24 / 0
Loss of Power (Local/Remote): 0 / 0
Loss of Link (Remote): 0
Error Seconds (Local/Remote): 5 / 0
FEC Errors (Up/Down): 20 / 18
CRC Errors (Up/Down): 20 / 0
HEC Errors (Up/Down): 87,923 / 0

I was also slightly wrong on the layout - the phone cable runs directly into the back of the box, so doesn't run through a filter as the filter is plugged into the front of the box. I can only presume that this is causing the issue?

Any idea on how I can fix this?

[Saturday]

Sorry, I'm not clear what you mean - what cable runs to the back of the socket? The correct setup is that the drop cable (the one that connects the outside BT line to the home) is attached to the back of the socket so that when plugged into the test socket you are directly connecting to the drop cable. Everything else is either wired into the back of the faceplate or plugged into the faceplate socket.

[3soteric]

Sorry for not making it clear.

The cable from outside runs into the back of the master socket.

The cable for the single telephone extension runs into the back of the faceplate, inside the box - but is just cables pushed into slots - not a standard telephone adapter plug/jack/whatever its called.

The filter and router cable are plugged into the front of the faceplate.

So from this, I assume that the line noise is because the faceplate isn't a filter itself?

After using the test socket with solely the filter plugged in (and the router cable) the bandwith downstream reported as just over 4.5meg.

Any idea on how I can fix this?

If it would make it clearer with a photo I can post one tonight?

Cheers!

[Saturday]

Sounds like the socket is wired up fine. Those push in slots on the back of the faceplate which the extension is connected to are called IDC connectors. They work great provided the right tool is used to push the wires into them.

No, it's not a problem that the faceplate isn't a filtered faceplate if you are using a plug in filter. Filtered faceplates which cost ~£10 and are easily fitted just avoid the need for plug in filters but can offer a higher quality filter. However, no filter will give a better result than a straight connection to the test socket - only as good as.

So, if 4.5meg is what you get from your test socket and as long as there is no problem with your plug in filter or cable, the shortfall you are getting to the ~7meg potential of your line is down to line noise arising in your BT line itself. Not really any prospect of you getting BT to do anything about that as it is only a relatively slight degradation.

My recommendation would be to disconnect the extension cable from the faceplate and consider either buying a good quality plug in filter or filtered faceplate. Plug your router into that, well away from any nearby electrical interference and that will give you the best sync possible for your circumstances.

[3soteric]

Thanks Saturday.

So if I buy one of these

and one of these

I will be able to connect the phone cable to the back of the new faceplate, and then plug the router directly into the front of the faceplate?

If so, how do I know which colour wires go in which slot?

Thanks again!

[Saturday]

To be clear: the drop cable is always wired to the back of the master socket i.e. the bit attached to the wall (the backplate) which contains the test socket; any extensions are then wired to the back of the faceplate. You are not allowed to interfere with the drop cable or the backplate. You can rewire or replace the faceplate.

Yes, if you want to keep your extension cable connected then a filtered faceplate is the best way forward. However, you said you don't use the extensions so just disconnecting from your current faceplate would also improve things.

If you want to keep the extension and fit a new faceplate then the links you give are fine. My own preference would be to buy from ADSLnation. They have a great reputation and provide instructions as well as on-line support if needed.