BT Broadband - Some initial troubles.

Nuphor

After finally having my line enabled yesterday, I was disappointed to see that my modem still hadn't arrived. I assumed since I was downgraded from ISDN that an engineer would call around to install a normal phone point, but nobody called or came around. No big deal, I just installed a phone jack I had lying around myself. After terminating it, popping a filter in and installing a PCI ADSL modem I'd borrowed from a friend, I finally managed to get it to sync:



Now, I ordered the 3MB service, but I knew that I wasn't going to get anywhere near that considering my position from the exchange is about 3.5KM-4KM. It seemed like a pretty decent sync considering the distance, but it's very unstable, randomly disconnecting a lot. I can't actually log into the service yet, as BT don't seem to have enabled my account properly yet.

Here are some line stats taken from the modem:

05/13/2006 - 14:30:42 - EVENT = PHYSICAL  STATISTICS - 
    Upstream Output Power = -38 dBm
    Upstream Noise Margin = +12.0 dB
    Upstream Attenuation = 31.5 dB
    Upstream Bits per Frame = 165
    Upstream CRC Errors = 0
    Upstream FEC Errors = 5
    Upstream HEC Errors = 2
    Downstream Noise Margin = +5.9 dB
    Downstream Attenuation = 31.5 dB
    Downstream Bits per Frame = 486
    Downstream CRC Errors = 236
    Downstream FEC Errors = 0
    Downstream HEC Errors = 71

As you can see, the attenuation is pretty good, but the noise margin on the downstream is pretty poor. Would I be right in assuming that if I dropped my package down to the 1MB service things would be fine and stable?

Also, I was just wondering if there was any way that I could force my modem to sync at a particular speed, since I would like to keep my upstream that high while downgrading the downstream to 1MB.

Any replies would be greatly appreciated.

kaizersoze

If you drop to the 1mb package your upload will drop to 128k. Maybe a drop to the 2mb/256k package would be better.
Have you got filters on phones etc connected to the line?
Wait untill the proper modem arrives before you do anything. It might stablise the connection. PCI modems are a PITA.

Nuphor

kaizersoze wrote:

If you drop to the 1mb package your upload will drop to 128k. Maybe a drop to the 2mb/256k package would be better.
Have you got filters on phones etc connected to the line?
Wait untill the proper modem arrives before you do anything. It might stablise the connection. PCI modems are a PITA.

Yep, filter on the phone point, and there's only one point in the house with nothing coming from it. Yeah, PCI modems do seem to be a pain. And I'd hate to lose the upload, so I might try 2MB for a while. Does it take very long for lines to be downgraded, or does it just take a few hours?

kaizersoze

8-10 working days normally for changes as they have to be sent to Eircom.

Nuphor

kaizersoze wrote:

8-10 working days normally for changes as they have to be sent to Eircom.

Jesus, that's a long time

WizZard

Nuphor wrote:

Jesus, that's a long time

They send the requests with Pony Express via Alaska.

Gandalf23

kaizersoze wrote:

8-10 working days normally for changes as they have to be sent to Eircom.

In my experience this is wildly optomistic. I'll be stunned if anything is sorted within this time.

kaizersoze

Gandalf23 wrote:

In my experience this is wildly optomistic. I'll be stunned if anything is sorted within this time.

In my experience this is not wildly optomistic.

Nuphor

I'll install a new socket tomorrow, one with a filter built in. I've also ordered a DSL-G604T since I've heard from here that these routers are incredibly stable, and are able to hold a good sync even with a poor SNR margin.

If things are still bad, I'll downgrade to the 2MB package later during the week. I'd sooner do this as a last resort though, as the 384kbps upload is something I'd like to hold onto, even if my downstream is nowhere near 3MB. I'm still amazed as to how on earth it can take so long to do, what essentially amounts to, pressing a button.

dahamsta

WizZard wrote:

They send the requests with Pony Express via Alaska.

Actually they used to send changes in an Excel spreadsheet, once a day. And I'm not kidding.

Gandalf23

kaizersoze wrote:

In my experience this is not wildly optomistic.

Lets wait and see how the OP gets on with this. I hope I'm wrong and your right...

nearlyhappy

Nuphor wrote:

Does it take very long for lines to be downgraded, or does it just take a few hours?

Everyone was upgraded for free in January.

I never got it so I asked to be downgraded, I dont need 2 meg anyway.

Turns out they couldnt upgrade me because of my Universal Number, something wrong with it.

But that didnt stop them from billing me for it of course....so when I requested a downgrade, an extra installation was added to my account by mistake. The downgrade never took place, neither did the upgrade (if you know what I mean :rolleyes: )


So on top of being double billed with 1 installlation charge, I was now being triple billed with 2 installation charges, oh ya, and I have 3 modems at home.....


To date non of it has been sorted, so my advice would be:


Let the sleeping dog lie......



Nh

Sconsey

Nuphor wrote:

I'll install a new socket tomorrow, one with a filter built in. I've also ordered a DSL-G604T since I've heard from here that these routers are incredibly stable, and are able to hold a good sync even with a poor SNR margin.

When you get that modem will you post here with informtion on how well it works at handling SNR, I was thinking of getting the D-Link modem as I hae a fairly bad SNR.
As far as your earlier question, I don't think downgrading the line will help with your noise problem.

kaizersoze

Sconsey wrote:

When you get that modem will you post here with informtion on how well it works at handling SNR, I was thinking of getting the D-Link modem as I hae a fairly bad SNR.
As far as your earlier question, I don't think downgrading the line will help with your noise problem.

It won't help with the line noise problem but it will stop the modem trying to sync at a higher speed than the line is capable of handling and this will help stablise the connection.

Nuphor

Sconsey wrote:

As far as your earlier question, I don't think downgrading the line will help with your noise problem.

Perhaps not to 2MB very much, but if it was dropped to 1MB I'd gain around 5dB's worth of SNR margin, which would make the connection stable. I'll keep you guys posted.

Nuphor

Sconsey wrote:

When you get that modem will you post here with informtion on how well it works at handling SNR, I was thinking of getting the D-Link modem as I hae a fairly bad SNR.

Well I'll be damned. I got the router last night, plugged it in, and I was playing WoW for a good 4 hours with no drops, no lagspikes and it syncs at 2.5MB instead of 1.8MB. SNR margin remains much the same, but connection is now stable, so I'm very happy.

Sponge Bob

Strange how it behaves better when it is really rainy and stormy , have yiz reversed the laws of physics ??

They may have twiddled with your settings in the exchange.

Nuphor

Sponge Bob wrote:

Strange how it behaves better when it is really rainy and stormy , have yiz reversed the laws of physics ??

They may have twiddled with your settings in the exchange.

Nah, I'd say that article regarding low SNR was correct in recommending the D-Link DSL-G604T, which is the router I was referring to. I've requested that BT move me down to 2MB, but if the connection remains stable tonight, I might cancel the request altogether.