Not getting the Download speeds I should be getting.

Crash Override

Hi all,

So anyone with Perlico Broadband will know that a few months back, they sent out a letter to certain people regarding an upgrade from 3MB to 8MB.

I recently contacted Perlico about this as I recently did a download speed test and found out I was just getting a a little under 3MB. This to me, suggested that I had not been upgraded to the 8MB although the Perlico Rep who emailed back said that we had been upgraded and recommended that I try unplugging any Sky box's and other devices that may be plugged into the phone line.

It made no real difference and the next thing they said to try was updating the Firmware on the router.

My router is a ZyXEL p-660HW-D1 and I downloaded the Firmware from ZyXEL's website and upon trying to upload the .BIN file, it didn't work. It gives me an error about a RomPage Server or something. Anyway I've also tried with an Ethernet cable and I get a simlar error message.

The router is pretty basic as it's the one that Perlico sent to us when we first joined with them, back in '06 I think.

My main queries are:

- Anyone know why my Firmware won't upload on the router?

- Would updating the Firmware actually make a difference in terms of me getting close to the download speed I Should be getting?

- Should I just buy a new router (maybe an N one since it's the new/best type out at the moment). I just don't wanna blow €50ish on a new router which might not make a difference.

Also just to note: As of recently my download speed is a little over 3MB - Rought 3.35 average. I know that if you have 8MB that it doesn't mean that your download speed will be 8 but I still feel it should be significantly higher than it is now if I apparently have 8MB Broadband.

As always, an help most apprreciated

Spear

Crash Override wrote: »

Also just to note: As of recently my download speed is a little over 3MB - Rought 3.35 average. I know that if you have 8MB that it doesn't mean that your download speed will be 8 but I still feel it should be significantly higher than it is now if I apparently have 8MB Broadband.

As always, an help most apprreciated

We'll need to see your linestats first. Look for attenuation and SNR margin numbers.

Crash Override

I think this is them.

noise margin upstream: 21 db
output power downstream: 17 db
attenuation upstream: 36 db

EDIT: Forgot the seconnd set

noise margin downstream: 1 db
output power upstream: 12 db
attenuation downstream: 58 db

Spear

Crash Override wrote: »

I think this is them.

noise margin upstream: 21 db
output power downstream: 17 db
attenuation upstream: 36 db

EDIT: Forgot the seconnd set

noise margin downstream: 1 db
output power upstream: 12 db
attenuation downstream: 58 db

The stats are very bad. How far from the exchange are you?

Crash Override

To be honest I have no idea.

Sorry if this seems like a silly questions but how do I find out?

dub45

Crash Override wrote: »

To be honest I have no idea.

Sorry if this seems like a silly questions but how do I find out?

Your line stats are dire with snr that low you will have a very poor performance.

What speed are you syncing at? What is your internal wiring like?

Crash Override

Would I be correct in saying that the sync speed is the speed at which your broadband modem or router communicates with the Exchange. Not sure how to find out; would it be somewhere in my router where I found the other figures?

Internal wiring, do you mean how my modem is wiried in or?

Morf3h

Hey guys,

Same problem for me here. I'm in south Dublin area, so shouldn't be far away from the exchange at all. I'm supposed to be on the 8MB 'NGB' broadband from Eircom. Here are my line stats:

Speed: 4096 kbps /384 kbps
Line Attenuation (Down/Up): 40 dB /18 dB
DSL Noise Margin: 24 dB /29 dB

Here's the speedtest results:



and Pingtest:



Cheers

Crash Override

Yeah I don't think I'm that far away from my exchange either, and my speedtest results are on average quite similar to yours (Morf3h)

Does anyone thing -in my case- getting a new router (good quality fast n one) would help in anyway or is this problem purely an issue with distance from the exchange and bad lines etc?

Spear

Crash Override wrote: »

Yeah I don't think I'm that far away from my exchange either, and my speedtest results are on average quite similar to yours (Morf3h)

Does anyone thing -in my case- getting a new router (good quality fast n one) would help in anyway or is this problem purely an issue with distance from the exchange and bad lines etc?

We're asking for the distance so we can potentially determine whether it's just a bad line or not. In your case an attenuation of 58dB suggests a line length of more than 4km. But if you know you're closer than that, it could be due to other sources, such as bad wiring, interference etc. A new router doesn't guarantee an improvement.

Crash Override

Okay perlico's website has a list of the areas that have exchanges and two closest to me are 2.8Km and 4.4Km respectively. (Estimated using google maps) so I'm not sure which one it would be going to.

Spear

Crash Override wrote: »

Okay perlico's website has a list of the areas that have exchanges and two closest to me are 2.8Km and 4.4Km respectively. (Estimated using google maps) so I'm not sure which one it would be going to.

The 4.4 would be a close match to your attenuation unfortunately. In which case that's the most you'll get out of that line. If it's the 2.8km option, then you'd get closer to 7 meg potentially. Might be worth asking Perlico which exchange you're on, but be prepared for disappointment.

Crash Override

Ah okay so basically if I'm on the 4.4Km line then that's really the best I'm gonna get unless I maybe change to another ISP in hopes that they have a closer exchange to me?

Is there a way that Perlico might switch me to the closer line if asked them?

Spear

Crash Override wrote: »

Ah okay so basically if I'm on the 4.4Km line then that's really the best I'm gonna get unless I maybe change to another ISP in hopes that they have a closer exchange to me?

Is there a way that Perlico might switch me to the closer line if asked them?

Changing ISP won't move your phone line, it's extremely unlikely Perlico will or could move you to another exchange. You may wish to consider UPC instead, since they're not dependant on phone lines.

Crash Override

Ah okay, I'll have a look into UPC. They seem to have a good reputation for their broadband and also they actually have an option to go for 15 or 30Mb braodband.

Anyway assuming that's all I can really do for now, then; thank you Spear and anyone else that contributed.

Morf3h

Morf3h wrote: »

Hey guys,

Same problem for me here. I'm in south Dublin area, so shouldn't be far away from the exchange at all. I'm supposed to be on the 8MB 'NGB' broadband from Eircom. Here are my line stats:

Speed: 4096 kbps /384 kbps
Line Attenuation (Down/Up): 40 dB /18 dB
DSL Noise Margin: 24 dB /29 dB

Here's the speedtest results:



and Pingtest:



Cheers

Any thoughts on these stats chaps?

cheers

Spear

Morf3h wrote: »

Any thoughts on these stats chaps?

cheers

That's not an 8meg package, it's a 4 meg one. Your max would be about 7 meg on ADSL1 or 9 meg on ADSL2.

Morf3h

I'm paying 60 euro for NGB 8Mb unlimited allowance and talktime something or other:

Next Gen. Broadband Advanced
Includes a download speed of up to 8Mb and unlimited upload and download allowance. 39.82 Euro inc. VAT /

Are they taking the piss?

Spear

Morf3h wrote: »

Are they taking the piss?

That's pretty much the definition of Eircom.

Morf3h

Mother of God...

Would it have anything to do with the type of Line Modulation my router is set to? At the moment it's at Multi-Mode with the other options being things like ADSL2,ADLS2+ Annex M, etc.

Could it be anything else I need to alter? I've the latest Zytel Eircom router P-660HW-T1 v3

Spear

Morf3h wrote: »

Mother of God...

Would it have anything to do with the type of Line Modulation my router is set to? At the moment it's at Multi-Mode with the other options being things like ADSL2,ADLS2+ Annex M, etc.

Could it be anything else I need to alter? I've the latest Zytel Eircom router P-660HW-T1 v3

No, even if it was ADSL1 it could still sync higher. Eircom have you set for a 4 meg package.

Morf3h

In fairness to Eircom I called them up and some very pleasant Indian chap upgraded my line to 7Mb right there and then!

Cheers for the help Spear