Broadband speed issues with Telecom/Xtra

Forums › Spark New Zealand (including Skinny and BigPipe) › Broadband speed issues with Telecom/Xtra

AllessandraBrowne

42 posts

Geek

#43024 15-Oct-2009 19:44

This is a post about the speed of my xtra connection.

Using my iPhone speedtest.net app I have found that although I am on the same plan (well, was until today on the Big Time Plan) as a couple of friends, mine is not even half the speed of theirs.

Have just done a test: Download 95.2 kB/s Upload 74.6 kB/s - that is the lowest I have ever tested at.

I called Telecom today to ask about it and was told that I shouldn't compare my speed with anyone else's and I do get that because I understand that where I live can be an issue. However, a friend lives 15 mins from the exchange and I live 5mins and my sister is the same distance but her speed is 601.9 kB/s ...

Something must be up - surely?

Telecom chick had me tell her how long it was taking to download a page and that isn't an issue.

My P2P is coming in at 0.3 kB/s - this is what is really at the heart of my complaint. So, I changed plans - to the unmanaged 20gig plan in the hope that it will make a difference.

A friend has suggested that because my wireless is unsecured (don't know how to secure it - feel free to tell me how) that perhaps my neighbours are sucking it.

OK - Now don't go biting my head off but I have another question which I would like an answer to, please.

I use uTorrent for my P2P but clearly I am not connecting properly because I get the exclamation mark at the bottom telling me so which means the torrent comes in really slowly.

I TRIED reading all about the Port Forwarding but honestly, it is way beyond me. I am happy to pay for someone to come and sort it for me - would it be easy enough for a professional to sort for me? Would xtra be able to walk me through it perhaps?

Sorry in advance if I have asked too many questions and if I appear stoopid - I'm not - I just don't have anyone else to ask.

Thanks
Allessandra

freitasm

BDFL - Memuneh
79289 posts

Uber Geek

Administrator

ID Verified

Trusted

Geekzone

Lifetime subscriber

#264148 15-Oct-2009 21:47

Perhaps we should check one thing at a time?

First your speed... n you unplug all other devices from the phone points - telephone, fax, etc. Leave only your modem connected. Now try the speedtest again.

Does it change?

If it changes, try plugging the devices back one at a time, and test again - you might find there's a device that's causing interference. If you find such a device, are you using a DSL filter?

AllessandraBrowne

42 posts

Geek

#264154 15-Oct-2009 22:14

Hi freitasm

Thank you for your help.

Here's the story so far ...

I have a jackpoint in my bedroom - it has a DSL filter. I have a jackpoint in the kitchen that has a caller ID thing attached - it has a DSL filter. I don't have a fax.

I did as you suggested.

Before removing the phone and caller ID thing from the filters:
10.05pm Download - 338.4 kB/s Upload - 73.90
After removing the phone and caller ID thing from the filters:
10.06pm Download - 326.0 kB/s Upload - 74.4 kB/s
Attaching phone and caller ID thing back to the filters:
10.07pm Download - 336.0 kB/s Upload - 74.2 kB/s

So, removing the phone and ID seems to have been detrimental, right?

BTW: I am not even sure why I would care what the upload speed is - I am more a download kinda gal. There must be a reason I should care but I don't understand it's relavants.

Allessandra

AllessandraBrowne

42 posts

Geek

#264155 15-Oct-2009 22:18

PS: As for 10.17pm - my uTorrent is coming in at 0.5 kB/s and I have the green tick telling me that the connection is working well. 94.6% of my download and it says it will take 2 days to complete - it is as if the 'net is determined I should not watch Season One of The Sheild - been two weeks of downloading it 24/7 so far.

cyril7

9058 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

Subscriber

#264181 16-Oct-2009 06:44

Hi Allesanandra, purhaps you could check on your modems ADSL statistics page, you will find this in the built in web server where you can administer the modem. You are looking for a page of details such as Attenuation, S/N, sync rate etc.

Testing using downloads is pretty irrelevant if you are trying to check out a connection issue, the above detail however will tell you a lot about your actual connection to your exchange.

Cyril

AllessandraBrowne

42 posts

Geek

#264186 16-Oct-2009 07:49

Hi Cyril

Yes, that would appear a logical next step. I am not sure how to check this. The built in web server that can access the modem .... hmmm.

The computer guy who installed the wireless - pretty certain I remember him going to that place but I have since changed laptops so it won't be on this one - right? God, I know that sounds stupid - guess what I mean is I haven't accessed it on this laptop. Can you tell me how to do this?

Thanks
Allessandra

cyril7

9058 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

Subscriber

#264187 16-Oct-2009 07:51

What make model of modem do you have

vinnieg

2260 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#264194 16-Oct-2009 08:33

Power cycle your modem and router. 30 seconds off, then back on one at a time.

Mine went down overnight about 10pm the net stopped completely, only released this morning at 7am, reset it and now it's running over 200kb/s again(for downloads) 0.5kb/s is horrid, i wouldn't even expect that at peak time, are there many seeders?

I have moved across the ditch. Now residing in Melbourne as a VOIP/Video Technical Trainer/Engineer.

Quic Broadband

Move to New Zealand's best fibre broadband service (affiliate link). Free setup code: R587125ERQ6VE. Note that to use Quic Broadband you must be comfortable with configuring your own router.

Ragnor

8222 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#264229 16-Oct-2009 11:22

AllessandraBrowne: PS: As for 10.17pm - my uTorrent is coming in at 0.5 kB/s and I have the green tick telling me that the connection is working well. 94.6% of my download and it says it will take 2 days to complete - it is as if the 'net is determined I should not watch Season One of The Sheild - been two weeks of downloading it 24/7 so far.

In a copyright law sense, it basically illegal to download television shows from any source not affiliated with the legal owners of those shows. You are potentially asking for trouble by posting on public forums that you are downloading a tv season via bit torrent.

I put $5 on the issue being you are using a public torrent tracker, the torrent has few people seeding/upload or they are all limiting their uploading which is why you're getting low download speeds.

Securing your wireless should probably be your #1 priority imo, it's pretty straight forward to tell you how to do it if we know what make and model your modem/router is.

AllessandraBrowne

42 posts

Geek

#264250 16-Oct-2009 12:38

Thanks to those who have responded. Using iPhone to respond now
as I wouldn't want you to think me rude or ungrateful and not at home
until tomorrow.

I have an SMC modem or router - same thing? As for powering up my
modem - I don't know what this means.

Downloading torrents - hmmm I don't understand - what else would anyone
be using a torrent for if it wasn't to download?

I will secure my wireless - hah I almost sound like I know how to do that.
Would xtra walk me through that on the phone?

I realise I probably do sound hopeless but please remember that
once upon a time we were all new at this.

Allessandra

AllessandraBrowne

42 posts

Geek

#264708 17-Oct-2009 23:32

Right - have just checked out my wireless router.

SMC ADSL Barricade G
Modem Router
SMC 7904WBRA2

So, how do I secure my connection - please?

I did change my plan to the Adventure Plan - 20gig but unmonitored but it hasn't made a scrap of difference. In fact, my speed test shows a slower speed tonight but I am not downloading anything at present anyway.

Allessandra

Ragnor

8222 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#264796 18-Oct-2009 12:08

Securing the wireless on your SMC7904WBRA2

1: Make sure you are working on a computer connected to the router by network cable as you will be changing the wireless settings and will probably be disconnected if connected by wireless.

2: Login to the routers admin ui (if you don't know how to do that the default address should be 192.168.2.1 and the default username/password is smcadmin)

3: Go to the wireless > security section

4: Change it to WPA only > Save

5: Go to the wireless > security > wpa section

6: Change WPA mode to WPA2

7: Change Cypher to AES

8: Change Authentication to Pre-Shared Key, Pre-shared Key type to Passphrase

9: Enter a password in the pre shared key field, it would be a good idea to follow the typical advice for any password make it longer than 8 characters, include numbers etc

10: Save settings

After that simply go to one of your computers connecting via wireless and reconnect, you will need to enter the password you set to get access.

Now your dodgy neighbours can't use your internet without knowing the password.

Note: If you have a computer that's can't connect it might not support WPA2 so you might need to change to the less secure WPA mode in the router.

AllessandraBrowne

42 posts

Geek

#264822 18-Oct-2009 14:08

Hi Ragnor

DONE! Thank you so much for your help. Feeling almost geeklike right now. I really appreciate it.

Cheers
Allessandra