Slow New Fibre Connection

Forums › Spark New Zealand (including Skinny and BigPipe) › Slow New Fibre Connection

rendezvous

197 posts

Master Geek
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#175731 10-Jul-2015 09:58

Hi everyone,

So after 4 months of waiting (corporate body etc), I finally have fibre installed. It's not as fast as I expect though. I selected the Fibre 100 plan from Spark, but speedtest.net shows a download of 35Mbps, and an upload of around 10Mbps. I've tried with both wifi and ethernet connection to the modem, both give the same results. Initially I wondered if it was the unblock-us DNS settings interfering with things, but after changing them all back to the Spark ones, no change.
I have spoken to the help desk, and I'm waiting for Ultra Fast Fibre to make sure the network is all correct.

What could cause this slowness?

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#1340387 10-Jul-2015 09:58

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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DarkShadow

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#1340400 10-Jul-2015 10:09

If it's just connected it can sometimes be slow, give it a few days.

graemeh

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#1340440 10-Jul-2015 10:56

DarkShadow: If it's just connected it can sometimes be slow, give it a few days.

Can you provide more info? I thought fibre would be full speed from day one.

rendezvous

197 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 50

#1340449 10-Jul-2015 11:01

I've run the test a few more times, after restarting the modem/ont/computers, no change of course. I watched the test this time, interestingly, the download starts at about 80Mpbs for the first little bit, then drops very quickly down to the 35Mpbs for the rest of it. You can see the initial spike in speed on the image below.

robjg63

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#1340451 10-Jul-2015 11:04

[ VDSL has an optimisation process that can take a while to tune itself.]

Wasnt aware of anything like that with UFB - When we got it at work it just switched on an performed as per the plan we selected.

Either their is something wonky in the hardware (your end or Spark/Chorus) or they have somehow put you on the wrong plan/speed.

EDIT: What speed test are you running it against?
Are you using this link http://www.spark.co.nz/myspark/myinternet/testyourspeed/

Nothing is impossible for the man who doesn't have to do it himself - A. H. Weiler

stevenz

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#1340473 10-Jul-2015 11:17

I had no training process with my connection, it was full speed as soon as it was enabled. When upgraded to 200Mbps, it was instantly full speed again.

You haven't ended up on the 30Mbps plan by accident?

The plan\speed details need to be made clearer on the MySpark page - other than the speed suddenly getting faster with no notification, I have to wait for my bill to verify that I have in fact been upgraded to 200mbps. Happy to be proven wrong.

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rendezvous

197 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 50

#1340475 10-Jul-2015 11:18

I spoke with Spark this morning regarding the full speed. They've said I'm connected on the Fibre 100 plan. I'm not so sure. The My Spark page still lists it as VDSL.

rendezvous

197 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 50

#1340477 10-Jul-2015 11:20

The next issue is actually changing plans. Between when I requested fibre, and actually install beginning, Spark changed the plans (cheaper). Once it's working as expected I'll have to make sure I'm paying the new price.

robjg63

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#1340480 10-Jul-2015 11:23

rendezvous: I spoke with Spark this morning regarding the full speed. They've said I'm connected on the Fibre 100 plan. I'm not so sure. The My Spark page still lists it as VDSL.

So you cant actually see the gear you are ultimately hooked up to?
You cant see a Chorus ONT box - the thing that brings fibre to your place?

Someone could have connected UFB at your site but you might still be connected to a VDSL connection?
Sounds like you need to talk to whoever looks after the gear and check it out.

Nothing is impossible for the man who doesn't have to do it himself - A. H. Weiler

rendezvous

197 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 50

#1340484 10-Jul-2015 11:26

The My Spark lists the mobile phone plan and Naked VDSL for home - it hasn't been updated with the Fibre connection. The person I spoke to at Spark says I'm connected on the Fibre 100 plan.

I'm definitely connected through Fibre, the cable is from the ONT to the Modem, the VDSL cable has been unplugged from the back of it. The modem/router page says Fibre connection.

The connection itself works fine, just not at the speed I'm expecting. It's noticeably faster than the VDSL I had (that was about 17Mpbs), but it's no where near the 100Mbps!

robjg63

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#1340495 10-Jul-2015 11:43

It is a bit suspicious that they offer a 30/10 plan and your speeds are 'sort of' close to that.
Though normally you dont get quite the maximum speed that the plan says.
So if you were on a 30/10 plan you might get a speed test of say - 28/9 for example.
Which speed test are you using?

Have you tried others?

https://www.speedtest.net/

Nothing is impossible for the man who doesn't have to do it himself - A. H. Weiler

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rendezvous

197 posts

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#1340501 10-Jul-2015 11:48

I have been using SpeedTest, but I've now tried a couple of other sites, all with similar results.

DarkShadow

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#1340584 10-Jul-2015 13:40

graemeh:
DarkShadow: If it's just connected it can sometimes be slow, give it a few days.

Can you provide more info? I thought fibre would be full speed from day one.

From personal experience some of my customers don't get full speeds until a few days after the connection, others are full speed from the start.

cbrpilot

964 posts

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Spark NZ

#1340621 10-Jul-2015 14:15

PM me your details and I can double check the Spark side. Thanks.

My views are my own, and may not necessarily represent those of my employer.

graemeh

2080 posts

Uber Geek
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#1340647 10-Jul-2015 14:24

DarkShadow:
graemeh:
DarkShadow: If it's just connected it can sometimes be slow, give it a few days.

Can you provide more info? I thought fibre would be full speed from day one.

From personal experience some of my customers don't get full speeds until a few days after the connection, others are full speed from the start.

That's interesting and doesn't seem sensible but obviously it happens. Very strange and counter-intuitive.

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