Tinkering with my home network for better speeds?

Forums › Spark New Zealand (including Skinny and BigPipe) › Tinkering with my home network for better speeds?

chrisc10196

4 posts

Wannabe Geek

#151829 6-Sep-2014 17:19

Hello everyone,

I'm with Telecom/Spark on their old Home Broadband ADSL2+ 150gb data plan. Using the old modem/router - Thomson TG585.

With my line attentuation being just over 20 decibels - Thoretically I should be getting higher speeds than what I am now.

Here are some details from my modem:

DSL Type: G.992.5 annex A
Maximum Bandwidth (Up/Down) [kbps/kbps]: 776 / 11.560
Bandwidth (Up/Down) [kbps/kbps]: 748 / 10.509
Data Transferred (Sent/Received) [MB/GB]: 130,39 / 2,07
Output Power (Up/Down) [dBm]: 12,0 / 18,5
Line Attenuation (Up/Down) [dB]: 9,5 / 22,0
SN Margin (Up/Down) [dB]: 14,0 / 13,0
Vendor ID (Local/Remote): TMMB / BDCM
Loss of Framing (Local/Remote): 0 / 0
Loss of Signal (Local/Remote): 0 / 0
Loss of Power (Local/Remote): 0 / 0
Loss of Link (Remote): 0
Error Seconds (Local/Remote): 1 / 0
FEC Errors (Up/Down): 0 / 48.327
CRC Errors (Up/Down): 311 / 67
HEC Errors (Up/Down): 2.984 / 334

Do you think purchasing a new modem/router combo would be a good choice? What else would you recommend. I should note that we have had the wiring done so only one place in the house can connect to the modem reducing the amount of resistance in the wiring, that bumped the speeds up from 9 to 11 mbps.

EDIT: It shouldn't be the case that the internet wiring was done for ADSL1 standards because my maximum throughput at the moment is higher than that...

Any other advice is most recommended!

Cheers,
Chris

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#1123254 6-Sep-2014 17:19

Hello... Our robot found some keywords in your post, so here is an automated reply with some important things to note regarding broadband speeds.

If you are posting regarding DSL speeds please check that

- you have reset your modem and router

- your PC (or other PCs in your LAN) is not downloading large files when you are testing

- you are not being throttled by your ISP due to going over the monthly cap

- your tests are always done on an ethernet connection to the router - do not use wireless for testing

- you read this topic and follow the instructions there.

Make sure you provide information for other users to help you. If you have not already done it, please EDIT your post and add this now:

- Your ISP and plan

- Type of connection (ADSL, ADSL2, VDSL)

- Your modem DSL stats (do not worry about posting Speedtest, we need sync rate, attenuation and noise margin)

- Your general location (or street)

- If you are rural or urban

- If you know your connection is to an exchange, cabinet or conklin

- If your connection is to a ULL or wholesale service

- If you have done an isolation test as per the link above

Most of the problems with speed are likely to be related to internal wiring issues. Read this discussion to find out more about this. Your ISP is not intentionally slowing you down today (unless you are on a managed plan). Also if this is the school holidays it's likely you will notice slower than usual speed due to more users online.

A master splitter is required for VDSL2 and in most cases will improve speeds on DSL connections. Regular disconnections can be a monitored alarm or a set top box trying to connect. If there's an alarm connected to your line even if you don't have an alarm contract it may still try to connect so it's worth checking.

I recommend you read these two blog posts:

- Is your premises phone wiring impacting your broadband performance? (very technical)

- Are you receiving a substandard ULL ADSL2+ connection from your ISP?

I am the Geekzone Robot and I am here to help. I am from the Internet. I do not interact. Do not expect other replies from me.

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rileypriddle

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#1123654 7-Sep-2014 15:38

VDSL available?

chrisc10196

4 posts

Wannabe Geek

#1123656 7-Sep-2014 15:43

rileypriddle: VDSL available?

Well we have VDSL and UFB available... But UFB is too expensive. We really just want to make sure that there isn't anything that can be done without having to call chorus before we do anything else.

A line attentuation of 22db should give us around 17mbps in theory

kiwikiwi

455 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 57

#1123657 7-Sep-2014 15:44

chrisc10196:
rileypriddle: VDSL available?

Well we have VDSL and UFB available... But UFB is too expensive. We really just want to make sure that there isn't anything that can be done without having to call chorus before we do anything else.

A line attentuation of 22db should give us around 17mbps in theory

UFB is actually same price comparable to ADSL nowadays.

You can also follow me on twitter here @kiwifortw I do twitch streams every now and then at twitch.tv/kiwiforthewin :)

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chrisc10196

4 posts

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#1123659 7-Sep-2014 15:47

kiwikiwi:
chrisc10196:
rileypriddle: VDSL available?

Well we have VDSL and UFB available... But UFB is too expensive. We really just want to make sure that there isn't anything that can be done without having to call chorus before we do anything else.

A line attentuation of 22db should give us around 17mbps in theory

UFB is actually same price comparable to ADSL nowadays.

We're looking at a 20$ increase per month for UFB actually.

kiwikiwi

455 posts

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+1 received by user: 57

#1123666 7-Sep-2014 15:58

You also know that UFB is scale able if you choose go with UFB and for what you get with UFB over ADSL. Why not?

You can also follow me on twitter here @kiwifortw I do twitch streams every now and then at twitch.tv/kiwiforthewin :)

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#1123676 7-Sep-2014 16:12

kiwikiwi:

You also know that UFB is scale able if you choose go with UFB and for what you get with UFB over ADSL. Why not?

+1
Why would anyone stay with ADSL if they can get fibre?
The improvement is like like going from dial-up to ADSL, only better

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RunningMan

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#1123682 7-Sep-2014 16:19

chrisc10196:
A line attentuation of 22db should give us around 17mbps in theory

Really? On a perfect line with no crosstalk from neighbours and a 6dB noise margin, it would be possible. Real world, you are unlikely to see a sync rate that high with 22dB downstream attenuation.

Depends who you choose for your ISP whether or not it costs $20 more for UFB - I'd suggest you shop around and get UFB if you can't live with the throughput you have.

Ragnor

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#1123691 7-Sep-2014 16:36

chrisc10196: I should note that we have had the wiring done so only one place in the house can connect to the modem reducing the amount of resistance in the wiring, that bumped the speeds up from 9 to 11 mbps.

Who did the wiring was does it look like? From where the line comes in to the house is there a master filter and and Cat5/6 network cable to the jack for the modem? Can you take some pictures?

Coil

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#1123693 7-Sep-2014 16:37

RunningMan:
chrisc10196:
A line attentuation of 22db should give us around 17mbps in theory

Really? On a perfect line with no crosstalk from neighbours and a 6dB noise margin, it would be possible. Real world, you are unlikely to see a sync rate that high with 22dB downstream attenuation.

Depends who you choose for your ISP whether or not it costs $20 more for UFB - I'd suggest you shop around and get UFB if you can't live with the throughput you have.

This shouldn't get VDSL. Never ever. It will cause a tonne of cross talk and perform like a bag.
I dont know why there is even the question whether to go to UFB.

richms

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#1123708 7-Sep-2014 17:24

Only reason to get VDSL is fiber is in the street is if you have to deal with neighbour concents, which is a nightmare. If you can get fiber hassle-free do it now before they change what they give away for free with the installs.

That looks ok for ADSL. Attenuation is only a guide for the loss on the line, not the noise levels which will have more of an effect on the speeds you obtain.

Richard rich.ms

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Jarsky

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#1123724 7-Sep-2014 17:39

With the current attenuation and sync rates, do not go VDSL.

You could look at UFB options, as Fibre is a passive technology so doesnt get attenuated over distance like DSL. You get what you pay for.
Their pricing is pretty competitive for Fibre, or you can also look at the likes of BigPipe (Bring Your Own Modem) or Slingshot (Lower Throughput).

If you really want to stick with ADSL, then you're probably good to look at a modem you can use with the likes of DMT Tools to tweak the SNR, etc...
Also the broadcom chips are really good on the DSLAM's that Choruse use, so the likes of the RTA1320, RTA1025w, etc....or you could go for a Vigor 120, which while not tweakable, is typically excellent out of the box and you can create a PPPoE bridge to your router.

Also if sticking with DSL, ensure you have a splitter (master filter) to maximimise your speeds.

Dont forget to take into account that the cost of a splitter install and another modem, may equal the cost of getting Fibre installed, and may not guarantee any performance gains.

richms

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#1123729 7-Sep-2014 17:42

Splitter install is free with VDSL from almost all ISPs and if it is just crap internal wiring would sort it out at no cost, and if they cant make it perform and you go back to ADSL they dont rip it all back out again.

Richard rich.ms

macuser

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#1123731 7-Sep-2014 17:44

Why don't you move off Spark and move to one of the many other ISPS.

Slingshot for example has

Unlimited Fiber 100Mbps/20Mbps, with homeline for $89.

Jarsky

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#1123734 7-Sep-2014 17:52

richms: Splitter install is free with VDSL from almost all ISPs and if it is just crap internal wiring would sort it out at no cost, and if they cant make it perform and you go back to ADSL they dont rip it all back out again.

His attenuation is way above the threshhold (10.5dB), and its against policy to put through that order. Even if he does, it should be rejected by Chorus.

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