Slow Xtra Broadband Speeds / Router resetting

Forums › Spark New Zealand (including Skinny and BigPipe) › Slow Xtra Broadband Speeds / Router resetting

BrettOnTheNet

56 posts

Master Geek

#78162 28-Feb-2011 20:12

Hi there

I've got a question about what speeds I ought to be getting from Telecom Broadband. I am having trouble with accessing video and other sites and so I was wondering what I should expect in terms of speed.

I used the speed test on Telecom's site and find a 2.29Mbps downolad and 0.79Mbps upload.

Is this good? From a quick browse around here it seems very slow. I'm not sure of the distance to the roadside box, but I'm guessing about 200-300m, if the box I think it is is the right one.

I'm using a Thomson TG585 v7 wireless router provided by Telecom relatively recently. Oh yeah I guess I should have mentioned the wireless bit too huh.

I've never really taken the time to look at speeds before because it has been acceptable to date, so I'm sorry I don't know what questions to ask or what information to provide (or how to get it). Any assistance you can give would be much appreciated.

The other problem we are having is that several times a week we lose our connection and have to wait for the router to reset. We usually get back on straightaway, but it's a pain in the proverbial

Thanks a lot
Brett

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2469 posts

Uber Geek

#444259 28-Feb-2011 21:20

Have you tried an isolation test? Post your modem sync/stats.

BrettOnTheNet

56 posts

Master Geek

#444261 28-Feb-2011 21:22

Hi! Thanks a lot for replying.

Sorry - I am new to this. Like totally new. Up until now I have only ever needed to plug a modem in and use it.

Could you please clarify for me what an isolation test is. Also how would I find the stats you refer to.

Thank you for your patience :)

Brett

kyhwana2

2469 posts

Uber Geek

#444263 28-Feb-2011 21:27

An Isolation test is removing any other devices from your phone line and plugging your modem into the phone socket nearest to where the line comes into your house..

The modem stats will be on one of the pages on the web interface on your modem. ie, http://192.168.1.1 or http://10.0.0.1 (Or .1 of whatever subnet it's giving out)
It'll have your sync rate and noise levels, etc.

BrettOnTheNet

56 posts

Master Geek

#444265 28-Feb-2011 21:36

Thank you. I will do the isolation test. Actually there is only one other device plugged in and that is the telephone. And the modem is already at the master socket. So it won't be too hard to do :)

And I will hunt down those stata.

I shall report back. It might not be until a bit later on or tomorrow though.

Decal

183 posts

Master Geek

Subscriber

#444273 28-Feb-2011 22:03

to get to the stats of those modems the ip address is 192.168.1.254

BrettOnTheNet

56 posts

Master Geek

#444277 28-Feb-2011 22:10

Thanks Decal. I had only just this minute tried the other IPs given and was about to google it.

I have had a nosy around, but I am unsure of what stats I am looking for.

I can see this:

Link Information

Uptime:
0 days, 5:57:33

DSL Type:
G.992.5 annex A

Bandwidth (Up/Down) [kbps/kbps]:
945 / 2.649

Data Transferred (Sent/Received) [kB/kB]:
0,00 / 0,00

And this:

Connection Information

Uptime:
0 days, 5:57:59

Data Transferred (Sent/Received) [MB/MB]:
49,07 / 620,52

And this:

Service Configuration

This section contains information regarding the service configuration currently applying to your Thomson Gateway.

Service Name:
Routed PPPoA on 0/100 (modified by user)

Time Configuration

Time Source:
Manual

Timezone:
(UTC+12:00) Auckland, Wellington

Summer Time:
No

Time Since Power-on:
0 days, 12:05:59

System Configuration

Web Browsing Interception:
Automatic

Is there something else I should be seeking out?

kyhwana2

2469 posts

Uber Geek

#444280 28-Feb-2011 22:13

Hmm, according to that, you're only connecting at 2mbit/900kbit. So your download speeds on the telecom site are right. You might not be seeing a cabinet (at least one you're connected to)

You might want to call telecom and ask what exchange/cabinet you're connected to. If you have a cabinet on your street, you can ask to be moved to it, I think. You should be getting 10+mbit down if you're on a cabinet or are close to your exchange.

BrettOnTheNet

56 posts

Master Geek

#444281 28-Feb-2011 22:16

OK I will do. There is a box up the road. I think it is the right one because I remember seeing a man in there doing something just before we were informed that we were connected (That was some time ago, my memory is vague)

It's a fairly small light green box thingie. Actually I haven't taken much notice of it recently but I'm sure there is something up there. Hmmm - I might take a walk :)

I will call them and find out what is going on.

l43a2

1607 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#444284 28-Feb-2011 22:34

does that phone have a filter on it?

Ragnor

8035 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#444288 28-Feb-2011 22:52

BrettOnTheNet:

Bandwidth (Up/Down) [kbps/kbps]:
945 / 2.649

That's a really low line rate that your modem is connecting at.

Telecom have Chorus installing cabinets all over the place in order to make sure 80% of homes are within 1km of the exchange or cabinet and should be able to get >10Mbit download rate.

You can enter your address here http://telecomwholesale.co.nz/maps to see what exchange/cabinet area you are in.

BrettOnTheNet

56 posts

Master Geek

#444292 28-Feb-2011 23:04

Yes there is a filter on the line. Both the phone and modem are plugged into the filter, and the filter into the master phone socket

I looked at the map. I am on the Johnsonville Exchange, But when I click "Show ADSL2+ cabinets" it seems that my house is not covered by an ADSL2+ cabinet. The map covers up some areas near my house, but not immediately around my house. And on another look it would seem that most of the main area of Johnsonville is in a similar boat.

Also I note that several of the cabinets close to me are scheduled for later in the year.

Is this the issue? I basically don't have access to decent technology?

BrettOnTheNet

56 posts

Master Geek

#444609 1-Mar-2011 21:59

Thanks everyone for your help. With the assistance of Telecom we've identified some potential issues in the house. Some of which are going to need Mr Man to come to the house and fix (a jack that's not working, an alarm that is connected when it doesn't need to be)

By experimenting we have managed to double my speed already to 5Mbps, and apparently the maximum I can ever expect is 7.9.

So I will probably get the technician in to take a look, but at the moment I'm better off than I was originally.

Question... The tech on the phone mentioned the possibility of getting a splitter to split the modem off completely. Is this worthwhile? We only have one phone (wireless) in use, but two sky boxes, both of which are now currently unplugged from the phone lines. He said it would be about $200

kyhwana2

2469 posts

Uber Geek

#444610 1-Mar-2011 22:03

Ahh, house wiring usually ends up being the issue!

By saying the max you can get is ~8mbit implies you're on ADSL1. Telecom hasn't upgraded your exchange to ADSL2 yet (You also need to get a ADSL2 modem, if they upgrade the exchange)

BrettOnTheNet

56 posts

Master Geek

#444615 1-Mar-2011 22:16

Yeah we've only got ADSL1 although he did say ADSL2 was coming. Not according to their own maps but we shall see. I do have an ADSL2 modem though for what it is worth.

Crap... just felt an earthquake. A piddler, but for some reason it made me real nervous :o

jmumby

133 posts

Master Geek

#447918 12-Mar-2011 23:17

We are maxed out at 2Mb. We have had chorus out and checked the speed outside the house (isolating internal wiring) and the speed was still low. Although when he tested inside he was getting speeds up to 6Mb using his funky tools. 3 weeks later they ring and tell us thats the best they can get out of our cabinet and the Chorus guy said the type of ADSL hardware in the cabinet was 'flakey'. We are semi rural but it's fibre to the cabinet and it's a couple of hundred meters at best from out house. It's due to be upgraded in September. Apparently you should be able to do a lot with 2Mb.......not really.

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