Eastbourne (Lower Hutt) ADSL Speed & Master Filter

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ouq77

4 posts

Wannabe Geek

#146963 4-Jun-2014 11:31

I live in Eastbourne (marked with a red dot on the map below). According to Chorus, I should be able to get speeds greater than 10Mbps. The reality however is just over 5Mbps.

Chorus Map

I've applied for Telecom VDSL, got sent the router, and waited 2 weeks for an appointment. Got a call from the Chorus guy on the day to be told that he's not even going to bother coming out - I'm too far from the cabinet (which is apparently at the Fire Station about 1.2km from my house) and all other VDSL installations he's attempted in my area before hav failed. (I checked afterwards, and most other ISPs says VDSL is not available here, so not sure where Telecom gets their data from.)

The actual phone line itself is very noisy - I only have one phone, and it is plugged in via a normal filter (supplied with router) into the same jack as the router. I've tried both jacks in the house, with the same result.

I'm no expert, but am sure there is something wrong. Telecom has said that a call-out will be around $160 (if the fault is on my side of the line). I am more than happy to pay for a fix, just want to make the best, but cheapest informed choice.

Someone suggested getting a Master Filter installed. Anyone here know how I can get that done in Wellington? Should I request it through Telecom? Anyone in this area which knows if it may just be a waste of money?

Below are my ADSL stats and also the speedtest.net result.

ADSL stats

PeterReader

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#1059111 4-Jun-2014 11:31

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.

These links are referral codes: Sharesies | Mighty Ape

DarthKermit

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#1059120 4-Jun-2014 11:41

There's a geekzone user called cyril7 who does master filter installations.
However, he doesn't seem to be around on GZ that much now (I'm guessing he's busy).
Perhaps someone on here who knows him personally might know if he's available.

Whatifthespacekeyhadneverbeeninvented?

Sideface

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#1059124 4-Jun-2014 11:48

As you are more than 1km from the cabinet, and you have a high downstream attenuation (26dB), the Chorus guy was right not to attempt a VDSL install - specially with the local track record of failure.
Installing a master filter and new in-house wiring MAY improve your ADSL performance, as you don't know how much of your line attenuation is due to your existing house wiring.

(you would expect 16dB attenuation with a line length of 1.2km)

Sideface

JohnButt

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#1059135 4-Jun-2014 12:20

Check out your home wiring, eliminate all wiring you can or replace with Cat6.

I am off the same exchange 900m in the opposite direction (it is an exchange not a cabinet) and 900m away on 10/26Mb/s VDSL. Using only Cat6 from house entrance we have 100% more download speed and 900% more upload speed.

Pity you are not on the cabinet on cnr of Nikau St, but it obviously does not feed back far :-(

ouq77

4 posts

Wannabe Geek

#1059160 4-Jun-2014 13:18

Thanks for all the feedback guys - really appreciate it!

I will try to get in touch with cyril7 and see if he can help or suggest someone.

Probably good idea to have someone look at the internal wiring - I have no experience with it, so will have to get someone in to do it.

ouq77

4 posts

Wannabe Geek

#1059175 4-Jun-2014 13:22

Also, thanks for pointing out that it is an exchange and not a cabinet. The cabinet at Nikau street explains then why there is a whole block south of us with > 20Mbps speeds - was wondering what that was.

DarthKermit

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#1059209 4-Jun-2014 15:07

ouq77: Thanks for all the feedback guys - really appreciate it!

I will try to get in touch with cyril7 and see if he can help or suggest someone.

Probably good idea to have someone look at the internal wiring - I have no experience with it, so will have to get someone in to do it.

No worries. And welcome to GeekZone BTW.

Whatifthespacekeyhadneverbeeninvented?

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giollarnat

138 posts

Master Geek

#1060139 5-Jun-2014 22:45

Yeah forget VDSL as there is a big issue on your line.

Once you are sure that your house wiring + modem is in order - and that is a decent task - if you're still getting <5Mbps there could be a faulty pair down the street or overhead connection from street to house. I've had both those issues in separate places on muritai rd !!! (and 20mbps when i lived near st ronans)

Then log a fault with your ISP they should send Chorus out to sort it...

ouq77

4 posts

Wannabe Geek

#1069152 19-Jun-2014 11:48

So, two weeks later, and I'm still at square 1. Maybe I'm just not patient enough.

I managed to get hold of cyril7, who suggested CTS. They in turn suggested I take it up with Telecom. So, after a 45min call to the offshore call centre going through the script Telecom provides the operators and the whole "have you tried switching it off and on again" mentality that goes with it, I finally managed to convince them that there is a problem and they logged a fault. The next afternoon, David from Chorus was outside testing and ensured me that there was nothing wrong with the line up to boundary wall (it is a town house complex with about 15 units).

I asked him if he could test the line coming into the house and maybe install a splitter / master filter, but we couldn't find the place where the line comes into the property and he didn't have the correct maps with him to check. He promised that he'll get back to me or get a colleague to come back with a map and even check to see if the line can be switched to connect to the Nikau cabinet. I never heard from Chorus again and have no way of getting in touch with them - should have asked for a phone number.

So, I took to Twitter! Suddenly Telecom was very helpful, but unfortunately the very knowledgeable and helpful person behind the replies (^SD) has just been let down by the rest of the team - I received a call on Monday evening to arrange a visit (with a quote of between $200 & $300???? Thieving robbers!), but, due to poor Telecom cell reception where I live (LOL), the call dropped. It is now Thursday, and I'm yet to hear back from them. ^SD from the on-line team has told me that the matter has been escalated...

Will keep you posted, but it seems I might just have to live with 3rd world speeds until fibre rolls out here in 2 years time! Funny thing, my family in the middle of nowhere in Africa, currently has faster broadband than I do. What frustrates me even more, is the fact that I pay exactly the same as someone with triple my speed, and exactly double what my family in Africa pays. Tsk tsk.

Jase2985

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#1069289 19-Jun-2014 15:42

ps a connection speed of 6.5mbps is not 3rd world there are a few around here that would love to have that speed

get your local data cabling expert (yellow/white pages) to install a master filter for you

RunningMan

8954 posts

Uber Geek

#1069342 19-Jun-2014 16:46

If the line is good to the boundary, then the fault must be internal to the building. If the Chorus tech was having trouble tracing the line through the building, you may have to do some basic detective work of your own - either see if you can follow it yourself, or confirm if there are records / plans / someone with knowledge of the apartment block.

If you can trace the cable path, or at least locate where the cable first arrives in your apartment then you should be able to conduct an isolation test of sorts, and eliminate some of your wiring. You may also be able to instal a master filter yourself if you have some basic electrical skills.

Your ISP should be arrange for Chorus to come and install a master filter for you through - from memory $199 installed.

matisyahu

1623 posts

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#1077514 1-Jul-2014 05:21

ouq77: So, two weeks later, and I'm still at square 1. Maybe I'm just not patient enough.

I managed to get hold of cyril7, who suggested CTS. They in turn suggested I take it up with Telecom. So, after a 45min call to the offshore call centre going through the script Telecom provides the operators and the whole "have you tried switching it off and on again" mentality that goes with it, I finally managed to convince them that there is a problem and they logged a fault. The next afternoon, David from Chorus was outside testing and ensured me that there was nothing wrong with the line up to boundary wall (it is a town house complex with about 15 units).

I asked him if he could test the line coming into the house and maybe install a splitter / master filter, but we couldn't find the place where the line comes into the property and he didn't have the correct maps with him to check. He promised that he'll get back to me or get a colleague to come back with a map and even check to see if the line can be switched to connect to the Nikau cabinet. I never heard from Chorus again and have no way of getting in touch with them - should have asked for a phone number.

So, I took to Twitter! Suddenly Telecom was very helpful, but unfortunately the very knowledgeable and helpful person behind the replies (^SD) has just been let down by the rest of the team - I received a call on Monday evening to arrange a visit (with a quote of between $200 & $300???? Thieving robbers!), but, due to poor Telecom cell reception where I live (LOL), the call dropped. It is now Thursday, and I'm yet to hear back from them. ^SD from the on-line team has told me that the matter has been escalated...

Will keep you posted, but it seems I might just have to live with 3rd world speeds until fibre rolls out here in 2 years time! Funny thing, my family in the middle of nowhere in Africa, currently has faster broadband than I do. What frustrates me even more, is the fact that I pay exactly the same as someone with triple my speed, and exactly double what my family in Africa pays. Tsk tsk.

You'll most likely need to either go under the house or cruise around the outside looking for the main cable (quite a chunky black cable or maybe the grey mushroom) and pretty much trace that back to where it comes out of the ground and find a way to shorten that to the point where it almost goes straight to a plug where the filter will go - I did that in two places (Trentham and my place in Avalon) and the first time I did it in Trentham my stats doubled which resulted in my VDSL2 connection sitting at 45Mbps. You'll be surprised to find the number of houses that have needlessly more plug and more telephone cabling than they need (my current house had 5 telephone boxes for only a two bedroom house).

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