ADSL Diagnostics

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dimsim

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Topic # 31147 6-Mar-2009 14:43

Hi, does anyone know how to interpret these adsl specs. A NZDSL speedtest give 600kbps DS and 80 kbps US. Our VPN keeps dropping (doesnt actually drop but traffic stops passing until reconnected) and RDP sessions just freeze for 15-30seconds at a time. I have the same router at home (Cisco 857W) as this one at work and dont have these problems which make me think its the connection. Both routers has same IOS and config etc.

router>sh dsl int atm 0
Alcatel 20190 chipset information
                ATU-R (DS)                      ATU-C (US)
Modem Status:    Showtime (DMTDSL_SHOWTIME)
DSL Mode:        ITU G.992.1 (G.DMT) Annex A
ITU STD NUM:     0x02                            0x2
Vendor ID:       'STMI'                          'BDCM'
Vendor Specific: 0x0000                          0x544D
Vendor Country: 0x00                            0xB5
Capacity Used:   72%                             30%
Noise Margin:    12.0 dB                         24.0 dB
Output Power:    18.5 dBm                         0.5 dBm
Attenuation:     16.0 dB                         10.0 dB
Defect Status:   None                            None
Last Fail Code: None
Watchdog Counter: 0x39
Watchdog Resets: 0
Selftest Result: 0x00
Subfunction:     0x00
Interrupts:      7710 (0 spurious)
PHY Access Err: 0
Activations:     1
LED Status:      ON
LED On Time:     100
LED Off Time:    100
Init FW:         embedded
Operation FW:    embedded
FW Version:      2.511

                 Interleave             Fast    Interleave              Fast
Speed (kbps):          7616                0           160                 0
Cells:               696906                0       5346665                 0
Reed-Solomon EC:          8                0             2                 0
CRC Errors:               0                0             1                 0
Header Errors:            0                0             0                 0

xpd

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Reply # 199626 6-Mar-2009 14:52

Is it just the one VPN and RDP session (ie: for yourself to get to your home PC) or for an entire office using RDP and VPN ?

If its more than one user, then Id suggest getting a FS account - youre on a FS/128k plan at the moment according to your post and thats not going to handle too many connections at once very well.

XPD / Gavin / DemiseNZ

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dimsim

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Reply # 199649 6-Mar-2009 17:40

Thanks Gavin, its just one user accessing RDP over the VPN and some Outlook over HTTPS use. I will upgrade to a FS account anyway (I though it was supposed to be, but had changed ISP recently and this must have been overlooked)

Can you see anything up with the ADSL specs? I thought the output power on the US looked at bit low at 0.5dBm? I've not seen it that low before?

cyril7

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Reply # 199719 7-Mar-2009 09:13

Hi, your US power (0.5dBm) is fine, note the noise margin is 24dB, this is heaps, so more power is obviously not needed. The fact that there are no reported ATM errors (except 1) indicateds the link is stable, would be interesting to see if any errored packets report after 2 or 3 hrs of use with traffic.

Cyril

dimsim

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Reply # 199721 7-Mar-2009 09:58

Thanks for that Cyril, its reassuring to know that the specs dont indicate any issue, but worrying that I still have no answer for my VPN dropping and slow speeds.

My other thought was that when we moved into this new office (in the same building) that the phone tech might not have switched the ADSL filter (splitter) over correctly or there was an existing wiring issue that might be at fault. I dont remember this being a problem in the old office and thought that something that serious would definitely show in the ADSL specs somewhere either in the form of errors or noise.

My ISP says they have reset the port and that there was an issue that this should have rectified but still having the same problem.

The router been up for 23hours now and doesnt look like any errors are surfacing

Alcatel 20190 chipset information
                ATU-R (DS)                      ATU-C (US)
Modem Status:    Showtime (DMTDSL_SHOWTIME)
DSL Mode:        ITU G.992.1 (G.DMT) Annex A
ITU STD NUM:     0x02                            0x2
Vendor ID:       'STMI'                          'BDCM'
Vendor Specific: 0x0000                          0x544D
Vendor Country: 0x00                            0xB5
Capacity Used:   72%                             30%
Noise Margin:    12.0 dB                         24.0 dB
Output Power:    18.5 dBm                         0.5 dBm
Attenuation:     16.0 dB                         10.0 dB
Defect Status:   None                            None
Last Fail Code: None
Watchdog Counter: 0xF6
Watchdog Resets: 0
Selftest Result: 0x00
Subfunction:     0x00
Interrupts:      7710 (0 spurious)
PHY Access Err: 0
Activations:     1
LED Status:      ON
LED On Time:     100
LED Off Time:    100
Init FW:         embedded
Operation FW:    embedded
FW Version:      2.511

                        Interleave             Fast    Interleave              Fast
Speed (kbps):          7616                0           160                 0
Cells:                 1328015                0      32066685                 0
Reed-Solomon EC:        21                0             4                 0
CRC Errors:                   0                0             1                 0
Header Errors:               0                0             0                 0

cyril7

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Reply # 199723 7-Mar-2009 10:10

Hi, the fact that your modem syncs at full ADSL1 rate (on DS) and reports 16dB DS attenuation (roughly 1.2km of line) with good noise margins, and few if any real errored cells indicates that your DSL line and connection is most likely not the issue and is running just fine. So the issue could more relate to your ISPs provisioning to your location.

Speedtest results dont always mean alot, however within NZ you should be able to get your connection to atleast surve up 3-4Mb/s to local desitinations, have you tried www.speedtest.net and checked speeds to various NZ servers. Dont forget a 160kb/s US will limit DS throughput to around 4.5Mb/s. Currently on my Xnet account from here in Kapiti on a 3.5km line syncing at 6Mb/s I am getting

Cyril

dimsim

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Reply # 200590 11-Mar-2009 12:57

Thanks for your reply Cyril, have just upgraded to a full speed plan and only download speed has increased. The DSL specs also have changed which I though was weird. Anyway router now reports

Alcatel 20190 chipset information
                ATU-R (DS)                      ATU-C (US)
Modem Status:    Showtime (DMTDSL_SHOWTIME)
DSL Mode:        ITU G.992.1 (G.DMT) Annex A
ITU STD NUM:     0x02                            0x2
Vendor ID:       'STMI'                          'BDCM'
Vendor Specific: 0x0000                          0x544D
Vendor Country: 0x00                            0xB5
Capacity Used:   90%                             97%
Noise Margin:    13.0 dB                         13.0 dB
Output Power:    18.5 dBm                        12.5 dBm
Attenuation:     16.0 dB                         10.0 dB
Defect Status:   None                            None
Last Fail Code: None
Watchdog Counter: 0xB9
Watchdog Resets: 0
Selftest Result: 0x00
Subfunction:     0x00
Interrupts:      7716 (0 spurious)
PHY Access Err: 0
Activations:     2
LED Status:      ON
LED On Time:     100
LED Off Time:    100
Init FW:         embedded
Operation FW:    embedded
FW Version:      2.511

                        Interleave             Fast    Interleave              Fast
Speed (kbps):           7616                0            864                0
Cells:                  5393817                0     2068602                0
Reed-Solomon EC:      784                0               2                0
CRC Errors:                   0                0                1                0
Header Errors:              0                0                0                0

Latest speeds test

3/10/2009 10:54 PM GMT	STATIC IP	6456 kb/s	114 kb/s	105 ms	Napier
3/10/2009 11:09 PM GMT	STATIC IP	6577 kb/s	77 kb/s	542 ms	Auckland
3/10/2009 11:11 PM GMT	STATIC IP	6531 kb/s	111 kb/s	120 ms	Tauranga
3/10/2009 11:13 PM GMT	STATIC IP	6513 kb/s	97 kb/s	120 ms	Tauranga
3/10/2009 11:15 PM GMT	STATIC IP	6406 kb/s	85 kb/s	120 ms	Napier

The only thing that I cans see is the US Capacity used is just about maxxed out compared with previously where it was 30%

As you can see DS has gone up by about 2Mbs but DS hasnt changed??

xlinknz

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Reply # 200614 11-Mar-2009 14:20

Guys I just read the post I also have a dsl issue posted here http://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?ForumId=49&TopicId=31278

Ilmarin

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Reply # 200726 11-Mar-2009 21:27

Looks like your port config has been updated, but you're probably still being throttled to 128 kbps upstream at a higher layer. Could be that whoever modified your port config is a different person to whoever's responsible for throttling on your PPP connection, and there's a communication disconnect/delay. If you're definitely on the new plan now (as opposed to switching at the end of your billing period or however else it might work), then maybe wait a day to see if it changes and ring your ISP if not.

Talkiet

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Reply # 201014 13-Mar-2009 13:22

cyril7: [snip] Dont forget a 160kb/s US will limit DS throughput to around 4.5Mb/s. [snip]
Cyril

This isn't actually true, despite being commonly bandied about by a LOT of people, and websites. a 160kbit ATM link (128kish IP) upstream is actually capable, of, in theory, about 9mbps down... Personally I have observed sustained throughput over 7mbit on a 128k upstream link (with a 16mbps downstream link).

And no, there was no compression going on - it was really a sustained 7+mbps.

Cheers - N

dimsim

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Reply # 201015 13-Mar-2009 13:27

Talkiet:
cyril7: [snip] Dont forget a 160kb/s US will limit DS throughput to around 4.5Mb/s. [snip]
Cyril

This isn't actually true, despite being commonly bandied about by a LOT of people, and websites. a 160kbit ATM link (128kish IP) upstream is actually capable, of, in theory, about 9mbps down... Personally I have observed sustained throughput over 7mbit on a 128k upstream link (with a 16mbps downstream link).

And no, there was no compression going on - it was really a sustained 7+mbps.

Cheers - N

My speedtest.net tests looks like they back you up here. 6400kbps down and only 70-110kbps up!

dimsim

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Reply # 201036 13-Mar-2009 15:17

Ilmarin: Looks like your port config has been updated, but you're probably still being throttled to 128 kbps upstream at a higher layer. Could be that whoever modified your port config is a different person to whoever's responsible for throttling on your PPP connection, and there's a communication disconnect/delay. If you're definitely on the new plan now (as opposed to switching at the end of your billing period or however else it might work), then maybe wait a day to see if it changes and ring your ISP if not.

I had my ISP investigate the issue which apparently they escalated to Telecom, this was the response

Case XXXXXX has been Closed . Your Reference XX - XXXXXX .

Resolution: No fault found.

Telecom found, there is nothing problem on customers line.

Can you please ask customer to do speed test again with different hours – 8am, 2pm and after 10pm. And customer will need to do speedtest with isolation test.

I've flagged the isolation test as we have a dedicated ADSDL jackpoint and external splitter wiht only the router plugged inot the ADSL line.

Have just rebooted the router (two days since plan change) and still no change in upload speed.

Something must have happened to go from a FS/128 plan with 4500DS/128US to FS/FS plan with 6400DS/110US. The downstream has increased so why hasnt the upstream?

cbrpilot

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Reply # 201075 13-Mar-2009 17:14

If I were you I'd be talking with your ISP again.

The sync rates are max possible for your connection, so it's not a cabling/wiring issue. There has got to be a congestion issue somewhere - either in your own LAN, or on your ISP's network. Does anyone else in your local area have the same issue (regardless of ISP)?

Do you get the same upstream speed issue with other speed test sites?

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

cyril7

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Reply # 201090 13-Mar-2009 19:29

This isn't actually true, despite being commonly bandied about by a LOT of people, and websites. a 160kbit ATM link (128kish IP) upstream is actually capable, of, in theory, about 9mbps down... Personally I have observed sustained throughput over 7mbit on a 128k upstream link (with a 16mbps downstream link).

Hi, I dont want to disagree with you, but in general depending on the stack setup in various servers as to how they handle ack rates its common to find 4.5Mb/s limts, however speed test sites and many others can use different sliding ack setups that can allow higher throughputs, but not all servers that you download from are the same, so in the end the comment YMMV is very very real, just pointing out that while you have a low uplink speed, you may find with a majority of servers a less than max throughput, assuming that server can offer you that if it could.

Cyril