3MB Broadband a bit sluggish

The Black Oil

I've noticed that our BB connection can be a bit sluggish in the evening time. Is there any way of checking this? Sometimes 3-4 computers can be on in the house, but the slow down can happen even if there's only one computer on. It tends not to be a major problem and doesn't last all evening, but great consistency would be better.

Ideally, I'd like to upgrade to a higher speed, but I'd have to do my homework on that first.

eircom: Mark

The Black Oil wrote: »

I've noticed that our BB connection can be a bit sluggish in the evening time. Is there any way of checking this? Sometimes 3-4 computers can be on in the house, but the slow down can happen even if there's only one computer on. It tends not to be a major problem and doesn't last all evening, but great consistency would be better.

Ideally, I'd like to upgrade to a higher speed, but I'd have to do my homework on that first.

The Black Oil,

I can check that our for you if you PM me with your telephone number.

Thanks, Mark

eircom: Mark

The Black Oil wrote: »

I've noticed that our BB connection can be a bit sluggish in the evening time. Is there any way of checking this? Sometimes 3-4 computers can be on in the house, but the slow down can happen even if there's only one computer on. It tends not to be a major problem and doesn't last all evening, but great consistency would be better.

Ideally, I'd like to upgrade to a higher speed, but I'd have to do my homework on that first.

Hi,

I got your details thanks, I will check it out and get back to you next week.

Thanks, Mark

The Black Oil

Thanks I appreciate you've probably not had the chance to check this out yet. I ran a few speeds tests the other day, max was 2.6Mbps, worst was 0.86Mbps, not ideal as you can imagine. Can't remember the upload stats, but I can check again if needs be.

eircom: Ant

The Black Oil wrote: »

Thanks I appreciate you've probably not had the chance to check this out yet. I ran a few speeds tests the other day, max was 2.6Mbps, worst was 0.86Mbps, not ideal as you can imagine. Can't remember the upload stats, but I can check again if needs be.

Hi The Black Oil,

Thanks again. Apologies for any delay.

I've checked your broadband connection. Your connection is currently syncing good. The modem is staying solidly connected across our Authentication servers and your attainable broadband rates are very good.

I've had a look at your modem and can see that you've had possibly 4 - 5 wireless devices connected over your modem.

When doing a broadband speed test it is important that you test with just one computer turned on.

For an accurate test, I would recommend completely shutting down all other computer devices. So just turn on one computer and connect this direct to the modem

Preferably the computer should be connected with the eircom ethernet cable (rj45) directly to the modem.
Please take a look at the following quick broadband checklist : http://bit.ly/cTw6pU

Obviously it's important to try to complete the checklist to the letter, otherwise this will be a waste your time and also Technical Supports. I can see previously you had a case logged (2452608) with Broadband Technical Support in in Sept 2008. At this time your adsl splitter /filter was replaced. It would be important in this case that you temporarily remove the adsl splitter /filter and any other 3rd party equipment from your internal phone line system - Please see http://bit.ly/cTw6pU

Your broadband download speed should average at 2.5MB (250KB).

If you are still getting slow broadband connection after completing this quick check then we can ask eircom Broadband Support to investigate this further.

If you need to call into Broadband Technical Support directly, please quote your previous case ref above : Phone No : 1890 260260 (lowcall).

Please let me know if this helps

Cheers Ant

conora2b

i have the same problem when there are other computers on line its very simple 3MB connection is just not enough to run facebook/zynga games or downloads and xbox live at the one time and my brother has to play farmville every evening :mad: such a load of crap that it is, the sooner we can get next gen the better but that probably wont be in my life time as we dont live in a city or large town but saying that for ordinary internet use its fine there's just no point in even trying to play the xbox if there is any one else on line (hence me still being awake at this time of the morning (i have to get a few games in a night)

eircom: Tony

conora2b wrote: »

i have the same problem when there are other computers on line its very simple 3MB connection is just not enough to run facebook/zynga games or downloads and xbox live at the one time and my brother has to play farmville every evening :mad: such a load of crap that it is, the sooner we can get next gen the better but that probably wont be in my life time as we dont live in a city or large town but saying that for ordinary internet use its fine there's just no point in even trying to play the xbox if there is any one else on line (hence me still being awake at this time of the morning (i have to get a few games in a night)

Hi conora2b
If you PM me your tel. no. I can see if any chance of speed increase or when your exchange is to be upgraded to NGB.
Tony

The Black Oil

Thanks Ant, appreciate that. I'll give it a go and report back. It's rare enough that all 4-5 devices would be on at once. Could depend on what you mean connected to the modem, do you mean as in using data/broadband access or that your system has picked up there's potential for 4-5 to be on? For example, my internet radio is on standby most of the time, not even powered on for FM or DAB let alone wifi. It's generally used in the morning and late evenings for internet access. When I did the speed test I was trying to access boards and my email, no downloading going on, but I'll run it at again with an ethernet cable and laptop.

I rang eircom the other evening and the rep said my line could only support 4MB at the moment and he told me to check www.ngb.ie - going by the map on it, our area is due to be updated at some point between Dec-March.

eircom: Ant

The Black Oil wrote: »

Thanks Ant, appreciate that. I'll give it a go and report back. It's rare enough that all 4-5 devices would be on at once. Could depend on what you mean connected to the modem, do you mean as in using data/broadband access or that your system has picked up there's potential for 4-5 to be on? For example, my internet radio is on standby most of the time, not even powered on for FM or DAB let alone wifi. It's generally used in the morning and late evenings for internet access. When I did the speed test I was trying to access boards and my email, no downloading going on, but I'll run it at again with an ethernet cable and laptop.

I rang eircom the other evening and the rep said my line could only support 4MB at the moment and he told me to check www.ngb.ie - going by the map on it, our area is due to be updated at some point between Dec-March.

Hi The Black Oil,

Cheers again. Please try the speed test and Broadband check if you can. Ensure only one device is turned on when testing your broadband speed. If you can let me know if you're still having problems, after trying the broadband check.

Remember it's important to try the test with the modem on the main phone point, without the adsl splitter or any other equipment connected to the internal phone line system ; e.g : a sky box upstairs, etc.

If you try this test over ethernet on perhaps a laptop computer it will rule in /out where the problem might be.

All the best
Ant

The Black Oil

Hi Ant, I got around trying the test you posted above with mixed results. Firstly, I shut down all of the computers, unplugged the internet radio, removed the Skybox phone line, etc. I brought a laptop into where we have the router, along with an ethernet cable. For some reason, the purple cable RJ11? from the router into the DSL filter/splitter is very tight and I had to use a pliers to remove it. Prior to trying anything I took the Skybox and the eircom Siemens cordless phone out of the equation. I plugged the purple line from the router directly into the phone socket/junction box on the wall.

Once I got going I had the following: on the router the power was solid, green, ethernet was flickering a little bit (green), wireless and DSL were flashing like car indicators and the internet was n/a. So, I was unable to try the speed test or access any websites. I thought I might have to reconfigure something via 192.168.1.254 (?), but I didn't want to start messing with that stuff. I powered the router on and off a few times, but no change. On the off chance something was wrong with the computer I tried a second laptop (after shutting down the first) same set up and the same resulting lights, no internet access.

I probably did something wrong somewhere along the line hence not being able to do the speed test. As I said in my first post, this is not a major problem, but it's a pity I wasn't able to try the test.

Unfortunately, our front room set up is probably not ideal and everything is run into splitters and the like, but it still works, generally. The Skybox (one branch of it) goes directly into the wall/junction box, the purple line RJ11 from the router goes into the DSL filter, the line from the cordless phone goes into a splitter which sits in the phone symbol socket part of the DSL filter, the tail of the DSL/phone splitter goes into another thing which takes the cable from the porch/outside and another branch of the Skybox line is in the mix as well. Probably easier if were to draw a diagram!

The Black Oil

Hi Ant, any feedback on the above?
The other evening I was trying to download a printer driver (from HP), a small enough file - 17MB and took 15-20 mins, no other 'net activity in the house at that time, if memory serves.

eircom: Ant

The Black Oil wrote: »

Hi Ant, any feedback on the above?
The other evening I was trying to download a printer driver (from HP), a small enough file - 17MB and took 15-20 mins, no other 'net activity in the house at that time, if memory serves.

Hi The Black Oil,
I have looked into your broadband connection.
Your broadband is syncing at 3MB. Your attainable rates are excellent and your modem is staying solidly connected.

In order to fully check your correct broadband speed you will need to comply with the following quick broadband ckecklist http://bit.ly/cTw6pU
(If unable to link to this website, please copy & paste the URL into your Internet browser address bar).


Currently I can see there are /has been quite a few wireless devices connecting through your router (please see below a list of wifi devices connected to your router recently).

It is imperative that you temporarily remove all wifi devices in order to check your broadband speed correctly.

Here is the list of devices that I have seen connecting :

Wireless Clients connected to your modem (wifi printer, laptop, etc)
MAC Status Privacy SSID
00-1c-b3-bc-a9-a0 Disassociated WEP eircom6222 2044
00-1e-c2-c1-36-66 Associated WEP eircom6222 2044
00-11-50-34-06-40 Associated WEP eircom6222 2044
00-18-39-17-d7-c4 Disassociated WEP eircom6222 2044
c4-17-fe-a4-ce-2d Disassociated WEP eircom6222 2044
40-d3-2d-87-fd-db Disassociated WEP eircom6222 2044
00-19-1d-f6-7a-2e Disassociated WEP eircom6222 2044
00-13-e0-ef-ff-e8 Disassociated WEP eircom6222 2044
c4-2c-03-6c-85-51 Disassociated WEP eircom6222 2044

Obviously it will be important to check personal software, private anti-virus programmes and firewalls, applications, etc, etc, etc..before we can correctly check broadband speed.

If you are unable to complete the broadband checklilst as advised on the URL above, then it may well waste your time as well as ours. Completing the broadband checklist will also help to speed up a resolution if we need to escalate a case for you.

More importantly, completing the broadband checklist will ensure that you are not accountable for a call out fee if an engineer has to call out to your premises. The call out fee is only evoked if the fault is a non-eircom issue; for e.g, If you have tested your broadband speed with more than one computer on an internal wired phone socket.

Please confirm that you have tested your modem on the Master phone socket; temporarily remove any third party equipment from your internal phone line system (sky box(s), fax, printers, etc.). Basically follow the guide as indicated on the URL above.

Once this is done, then please try to connect ONE laptop (or computer) by ethernet cable to the modem. Check what lights are on the modem and monitor for around 2hrs to see if the adsl line drops..

If your broadband connection stays steady, then please try our broadband speed test www.eircom.net/speedtest.
We expect your download speed to be around 2.5MB with one computer connected, and all other computers temporarily shut down completely.
If your broadband speed is below 2.5MB with one computer connected, please temporarily disable your firewalls, antivirus applications, skype, printer software, etc, etc..
Then please try the speed test again.

If you are still getting slow get a slow broadband speed then you will need to call Broadband techniical Support direct. They will then do a quick check for malware, or spyware on your computer. If the latter, they will refer you to the vendor or retailer of these applications.

Broadband Technical Support Phone No : 1890 260260

Regards

Ant

The Black Oil

Thanks Ant, but I'm a little confused. Is that meant to follow up on what I responded with on Jan 12th, i.e., the trying test you previously outlined?

Also, what does associated/disassociated mean - they're on/not on the system?

eircom: Ant

The Black Oil wrote: »

Thanks Ant, but I'm a little confused. Is that meant to follow up on what I responded with on Jan 12th, i.e., the trying test you previously outlined?

Also, what does associated/disassociated mean - they're on/not on the system?

Hi, thanks again Black oil,

Don't worry too much about associated/disassociated it's not relevant. This just confirms for us that you have more than one device (wireless) connected over your router.

What we're trying to establish is whether the fault is with eircom, or whether the fault is your internal wiring (equipment) etc. If the latter you may need help from a third party, electrician etc. If the former then we will send out an engineer once we establish it's our fault.
If the engineer finds out it is not eircom's fault, you will be accountable for a call out charge of €150. If the engineer finds that it is eircom's fault, then it will be fixed and there will be no charges for this.

This is the reasoning or logic behind asking you to confirm whether you have completed the broadband checks, previously advised.
I have no problem sending an engineer out to your premises, but I would prefer that you took a few minutes to complete the checks first, as I don't want you necessarily to be additionally charged for something that you could easily & quickly check.

So please confirm if you wish that you have completed the broadband checks. SHUT DOWN, COMPLETELY ALL YOUR OTHER computer devices and run the broadband check.

Please again confirm if you have completed the checks in order that we can proceed with your query. Otherwise we can escalate this to engineers and they can take a decision on your broadband query.

I hope this helps
All the best
Ant