Strange problem since my speed was upgraded three days ago

Forums › New Zealand Broadband › Strange problem since my speed was upgraded three days ago

steve98

1400 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 252

Trusted

#9948 26-Oct-2006 07:56

For the past few years I have been a relatively happy camper with my Xtra broadband service, which I use mainly for downloading TV shows from the UK via P2P networking. For a long time I have had no issues and I have been downloading at a rate of around 300 KB/s. About three days ago, a torrent I was downloading hit a speed of around 450KB/s, a speed I had never seen before, then it suddenly dropped right down to zero and wouldn't start again. When I opened my Firefox browser to try to figure out the problem, no websites would load - they were all timing out. I then close my bit torrent client (Bitcomet) and a few seconds later I was able to view websites through Firefox again.

I next went to my modem diagnostics and noticed that the downstream connection had suddenly changed from somewhere around 4200 Kbps which it had been for as long as I have been on a 3.5mb/s plan, to 6272 Kbps.

Eversince, I have not been able to download a single torrent. As soon as I start downloading, even though I know there are hundreds of seeders, often the speed rarely gets past 0Kbps. Sometimes, the torrent starts to download, hits a decent speed and I start to think the problem has gone away, then after a couple of minutes the speed starts quickly dropping until it hits zero and then is stays there. Also, as long as I have my bitcomet client open, I cannot use the web.

My fear is that this is something to do with the new shaping that Xtra are introducing for the Go Large plan. From what I have read I had believed that shaping would only apply to customers on that plan but I am on Xtra Broadband Adventure and this seems to be a problem no matter what time of the day. Right now it is before 8:00am and usually I am achieving top speeds at this time. Right now, it is going nowhere.

Does anyone have any input / suggestions / ideas?

Thank you!

Steve

Hoosein

68 posts

Master Geek

#49734 26-Oct-2006 08:29

Just spoke to someone at Xtra and the migration could take a few days.

steve98

1400 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 252

Trusted

#49738 26-Oct-2006 08:53

Thanks for that Hoosein but I'm not sure that that means this issue will be fixed as part of that process. My understanding is that the migration will take a few days because it will take that long to make the changes to all the exchanges. Since my speed went up three days ago, I am assuming that my exchange has been done and that what I'm experiencing is 'it'. Unless you know any different...?

freitasm

BDFL - Memuneh
80646 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 41025

Administrator

ID Verified

Trusted

Geekzone

Lifetime subscriber

#49739 26-Oct-2006 09:10

Are you on the Go Large plan?

Referral links: Quic Broadband (free setup code: R587125ERQ6VE) | Samsung | AliExpress | Wise | Sharesies

Support Geekzone by subscribing (browse ads-free), or making a one-off or recurring donation through PressPatron.

steve98

1400 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 252

Trusted

#49740 26-Oct-2006 09:12

No, I am on Broadband Adventure...

steve98

1400 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 252

Trusted

#49757 26-Oct-2006 11:13

Any ideas, anyone?

Or anyone that has had their speed increased who can also still used P2P with no problems?

BadCam

109 posts

Master Geek

#50153 29-Oct-2006 13:06

I too am on the Adventure plan. My speed gas also increased but only by around 500 Kpbs. I use Skype a lot to call Brasil and since the "upgrade" have noticed that the Skype calls have deteriorated substantially. My surfing is noticeably faster though. I also though that the Adventure plan was not going to be traffic shaped, so hopefully in the next few days Telecom will resolve this situation, otherwise if they are going to shape the adventure plan then I might as well just shift to Go Large and leave my PC on all day every day and start downloading loads of files via P2P.

Life doesn't always need to be explained.

New World

Shop on-line at New World now for your groceries (affiliate link).

antigrav

68 posts

Master Geek
Inactive user

#50236 30-Oct-2006 08:14

I think you'll find you are on the Go Large plan, the Adventure plan is gone and the Go Large replaces it, I don't believe you can remain on the Adventure plan (but I might be mistaken), I suggest you look into Woosh's (Quicksilver's) new plan which is the same price as Go Large but without interleaving and apparently any throtteling or shaping!. (unlimited data offpeak and peak is 1 hour less than Telecom at 5pm-midnight, your also throttled to dialup speeds (56kbit) until midnight if you exceed your 700MB during peak making the penatly so small I'll likely exceed it most days)

'The $59.95 Adventure plan (3.5M/128Kbps, 10G) is gone. It is replaced by Go Large at $49.95 (Max/128Kbps, unlimited).'

NokiaRocks

364 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 1

Trusted

#50239 30-Oct-2006 08:57

antigrav: I think you'll find you are on the Go Large plan, the Adventure plan is gone and the Go Large replaces it, I don't believe you can remain on the Adventure plan (but I might be mistaken), I suggest you look into Woosh's (Quicksilver's) new plan which is the same price as Go Large but without interleaving and apparently any throtteling or shaping!. (unlimited data offpeak and peak is 1 hour less than Telecom at 5pm-midnight, your also throttled to dialup speeds (56kbit) until midnight if you exceed your 700MB during peak making the penatly so small I'll likely exceed it most days)

'The $59.95 Adventure plan (3.5M/128Kbps, 10G) is gone. It is replaced by Go Large at $49.95 (Max/128Kbps, unlimited).'

Then why does my internet usage show this?

Current usage plan:

Adventure - calling Usage

steve98

1400 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 252

Trusted

#50249 30-Oct-2006 11:03

antigrav: I think you'll find you are on the Go Large plan, the Adventure plan is gone and the Go Large replaces it, I don't believe you can remain on the Adventure plan (but I might be mistaken), I suggest you look into Woosh's (Quicksilver's) new plan which is the same price as Go Large but without interleaving and apparently any throtteling or shaping!. (unlimited data offpeak and peak is 1 hour less than Telecom at 5pm-midnight, your also throttled to dialup speeds (56kbit) until midnight if you exceed your 700MB during peak making the penatly so small I'll likely exceed it most days)

'The $59.95 Adventure plan (3.5M/128Kbps, 10G) is gone. It is replaced by Go Large at $49.95 (Max/128Kbps, unlimited).'

Actually that's not right. Customers on the Adventure plan stay on it - same price, same allowance, just download speed restriction removed.

antigrav

68 posts

Master Geek
Inactive user

#50256 30-Oct-2006 11:31

It's a direct quote from 10layers, others said pretty much the same.
Won't be the first time news got it wrong.

It's also possible that Xtra have put you in the same BW pool as Go Large and just applied different rules with respect to caps (applied one) and made you imune to the fair use pool.

steve98

1400 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 252

Trusted

#50415 31-Oct-2006 12:09

It's right to a point in that it's been removed from the market for new subscribers, but existing subscribers keep the plan unless they opt for one of the new ones. I think you're right though, I think they did apply traffic management to it - it's the only explanation. I decided that since I was being managed anyway I would just switch to Go Large which i did a couple of days ago. Since then I've had a real mixed bag of experiences - sometimes slower than dialup, sometimes fast enough to be happy with, but never as fast as it was. I guess this shows that the backhaul just isn't up to it.