Eircom - why slow in evenings??

opengoal

Hey guys, new on here so hello.

I got eircom bb 2 weeks ago, after many years of trying.

I am on the 3mb offering and am getting, on average, download speeds of 2700kbps during the day. However in the evenings my download speeds are crippled to c479kbps. ( Speeds taken from irishspeedtest.net).

Why is this the case, and is it likely to continue, as most of my time spent online is in the evenings?

Details of my stats from router (Netopia) below.

Max Allowed Speed (kbps) 3072 384
SN Margin (dB) 8.50 15.00
Line Attenuation (dB) 40.00 21.00
CRC Errors 1 1

Also are these any good??

Thanks.

Ronan H

I think the contention ratio plays a part in affecting speeds, particularly in the evening when there are generally more people online. In other words, if you have a CR of 20:1 with Eircom (not sure what it actually is) on a 3MB line then that means that up to 20 computers / users are using that line as such, because each of them has paid for "up to" 3MB speeds. Hence it will be slower if there are more computers trying to access the 3MB of speed.

This is just a summary of what is said on Wikipedia about contention ratio's so maybe the website itself will be clearer.

If you are living in a built up area then I would imagine that the chances of the CR being an issue are higher. I live in Ratoath and for almost 5 years I have not noticed any speed decreases in the evenings until recently, and even then only rarely. It may or may not be anything to do with the CR as the part of Ratoath I am in hasn't a dense population. I too am on Eircom's 3MB service...

Hope that helps...

Contention Head

opengoal

cheers Head.

I don't live in a built up area so I it shouldn't be an issue. How do I find out what the actual CR is?

What is your average speed in evenings?

nellyrev

Yeah its happening to me too, Eircom had this to say to me twice via email

In regards to your query, we have no reports of slow speeds in your area. In order to ensure that your PC and Internet browsing are operating correctly please do the following: · Check your pc for viruses, spyware, malware etc. · Ensure that your router is connected to the main phone point in the house. · Ensure that you are connected via the Ethernet cable rather than wireless and you are not running any peer-to-peer download operations. If this does not resolve the issue please contact the technical support helpdesk on 1890 260260, option 1 to have your case sent for investigation. We are unable to escalate unless "real-time" tests are carried out with a support agent. Please visit http://home.eircom.net/speedtest for an online speed test. Kind Regards,

Has anyone called Eircom yet ?

I get approx. 500kbps at evening times, @11pm it goes to approx. 1.3kbps and @1am I get 2.3kbps maybe more.

PogMoThoin

I've been noticing the last few evenings have been especially slow. I'm on the 7.6Mbit and getting speeds of less than 1Mbit.

SamandFrank

yea i get this too i think its a common problem amongst eircom users. i do most of my downloading doing the day and my game play late at night. oh im on 3mb.

JNive

1mbps on a 7.6mbps package regularly? :-) Makes me thankful for my Magnet 10mbps package :-) all-day every day. Good thing that they have restarted their LLU/ADSL2+ sales.

Daemonic

opengoal wrote: »

cheers Head.

I don't live in a built up area so I it shouldn't be an issue. How do I find out what the actual CR is?

What is your average speed in evenings?

Contention on the 3mb product is 48:1 so even if the area isn't built up you are very likely sharing with a lot of people in the evenings.

Username!

opengoal wrote: »

Details of my stats from router (Netopia) below.

Max Allowed Speed (kbps) 3072 384
SN Margin (dB) 8.50 15.00 (the higher the better)
Line Attenuation (dB) 40.00 21.00 (the lower the better)
CRC Errors 1 1

Also are these any good??

Thanks.

Your noise margin is very low for a 3MB package, it should be at least c. 18dB - they're may be some interference on your line in the house.

Also, your just past the borderline for receiving a 2MB connection with your attenuation level.

http://www.kitz.co.uk/adsl/linestats.htm wrote:

Downstream Attenuation for Fixed Rate Lines:

0-42 dB - 2Mbps
43-60 dB - 1Mbps
> 60 dB - 512kbps

Have you many phones / faxes / Sky connected in your house?
Are they all correctly filtered?
Are you using a extension cable for your Broadband?
Is your Broadband connected to your main telephone point?

Head wrote: »

I live in Ratoath and for almost 5 years I have not noticed any speed decreases in the evenings until recently, and even then only rarely. It may or may not be anything to do with the CR as the part of Ratoath I am in hasn't a dense population.

Hope that helps...

Ratoath eh, whererabouts?

Ronan H

Username! wrote: »

Ratoath eh, whererabouts?

Glascairn Lane

Head

Username!

Head wrote: »

Glascairn Lane

Head

Ah cool, I know a few from up there. Used to live in St. Olivers, now I'm in Mill Tree.

opengoal

Have you many phones / faxes / Sky connected in your house? No. Have Sky but not connected to phoneline.
Are they all correctly filtered? N/a
Are you using a extension cable for your Broadband? No.
Is your Broadband connected to your main telephone point? yes, I think so. I have three points in the house, however only 2 seem to be working. I have plugged router into the 2 that are working and get similar results for both. Interestingly I am now getting SN Margin of 15-16 on both lines.

Username!

opengoal wrote: »

Have you many phones / faxes / Sky connected in your house? No. Have Sky but not connected to phoneline.
Are they all correctly filtered? N/a
Are you using a extension cable for your Broadband? No.
Is your Broadband connected to your main telephone point? yes, I think so. I have three points in the house, however only 2 seem to be working. I have plugged router into the 2 that are working and get similar results for both. Interestingly I am now getting SN Margin of 15-16 on both lines.

What does N/A regardling your filters? Have you go microfilters for your Broadband and your phone?

Your router should be connected to the very first telephone point in your house (usually in the hall next to the front door.

A fluctuating Noise Margin can indicate internal wiring problems. Disconnect everything in the house and connect just the BB with no filters (if you have any) and post up the line stats once again.

opengoal

Don't have filters as there is nothing connected to the line except router. I don't have a landline phone.

I have restarted the router at socket in hall near front door. The below are the stats:

Max Allowed Speed (kbps) 3072 384
SN Margin (dB) 15.50 15.00
Line Attenuation (dB) 40.00 21.00
CRC Errors 0 1

BTW what does line attenuation represent?

hellboy99

Same problem here (Dundalk, Co.Louth), 3MB with BT.