Inconsistent / Unpredictable Download Speeds

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409 posts

Ultimate Geek

#739518 2-Jan-2013 22:09

you shouldn't be if your connection, is off a wholesale cabinet. Have they said you are on their "better network" i.e. connected to one of their MSAN's. If you are get them to move you back to a wholesale connection.

Quic Broadband

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

Slingshot

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Slingshot

#739775 3-Jan-2013 15:43

Hey

Can you please PM me your account number

Ill check a few things

regards

mike

www.slingshot.co.nz

www.twitter.com/SlingshotNZ

https://www.facebook.com/SlingshotNZ

kornflake

409 posts

Ultimate Geek

#740147 4-Jan-2013 13:54

if you can Mike, keep us posted with what issue was or is.

kornflake

409 posts

Ultimate Geek

#747442 19-Jan-2013 17:28

guesing by the slilence it was an issue on the users side

dmartora

75 posts

Master Geek

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#749388 23-Jan-2013 10:47

kornflake: guesing by the slilence it was an issue on the users side

Apologies for the lack of update, it was actually because I've been away on holiday, however I would like to say that Slingshot have really been trying hard to support the resolution of this.

I've been providing speed tests to slingshot that have shown the huge variation in download speeds, eben aross minute by minute time slices and the stats on my router have not changed through this activity. Slingshot then arranged for a Chorus technician to arrive this morning, and and now we're into the next stage, but I'm a bit confused.

Without a breath being taken it was suggested that I get the single house filter (don't know what they're called, i know it has been mentioned in this post) which i am not averse to, however i was a little concerned that it was suggested without taking a look at the set up in the house.

I pointed out that there is no monitored alarm (although one is supposed to be installed in the next fortnight which I have postponed until this is sorted out), and that at present I have no phones connected to the phone line whilst i run the tests, and the *only* thing connected to the phone line is the modem.

He took a look at the modem and then asked why i didn't have a filter on it. Now i was led to believe by the call centre and a previous Chorus technician in another property that the modem should be connected directly to the phone socket and should only go via a filter if it is a shared socket with a telephone. When i do have the phone connected, it results in only one other device on the phone line and that phone has a filter on it (newly replaced). There are not sky boxes connected, not fax machines, no other phones or modems.

Anyway, in order to try and expedite this, i have agreed for the Chorus tech to come back tomorrow and install the uber filter, if only to then have that part of the problem taken out of the equation. I was advised that this means I have to 'nominate' a phone socket in the house that the modem can only be connected to, which is not a problem, i just find it a tad restrictive.

So, we'll see what tomorrow brings.

dmartora

75 posts

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#750255 24-Jan-2013 15:38

So, as an update. Chorus technician been. Added a line filter.

Will monitor the speeds over the next few days. As of now, these are the results I'm getting as shown in the attached images.

Numbers seem quite reasonable, however when watching streaming media (which we do a lot of in our house.. iTunes movies, trailers, YouTube..) the buffering is still a nightmare. Now i can internally stream High Definition (1080) movies, wirelessly and wired, to over three different devices simultaneously without any buffering at all, but as soon as i try stream something from the internet the streams stutter.

Wouldn't mind people's opinions and I'll update on any recurrence of the fluctuating speeds.

Thanks

johnr

19282 posts

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Inactive user

#750262 24-Jan-2013 15:47

Back to your provider then, You need to remember you are paying for consumer grade internet with no SLA so it's best effort

If buffering happens that is to be expected

chevrolux

4962 posts

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#750277 24-Jan-2013 16:14

.....Did the tech check the line too?
That is a rubbish sync speed for 2.5dB attenuation. Provided the splitter has been installed properly this is pointing to a fault with the Chorus network.
I am guessing the faultman just installed the splitter and ran? This is the issue with the boys being paid on codes and not per hour. They need to do everything quick as and don't spend the time to check the fault.
The other issue is there are some stupid people working on the network...

Oh and just to check the last thing, has another modem been tried? I realise it is a new-ish router but you never know..

dmartora

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#750337 24-Jan-2013 17:35

chevrolux: .....Did the tech check the line too?
That is a rubbish sync speed for 2.5dB attenuation. Provided the splitter has been installed properly this is pointing to a fault with the Chorus network.
I am guessing the faultman just installed the splitter and ran? This is the issue with the boys being paid on codes and not per hour. They need to do everything quick as and don't spend the time to check the fault.
The other issue is there are some stupid people working on the network...

Oh and just to check the last thing, has another modem been tried? I realise it is a new-ish router but you never know..

3 different modem/routers tried (Linksys/Cisco, D-Link, Netgear). All same problem. I only ended up buying a new one to get that part of the conversation out of the way with the call centres.

As i said, the solution to put the line filter in was the first an only activity. I'm not saying it won't be of use, I'm now micro-filter free (on the one phone that was only ever plugged in) and life will be easier when the house alarm is installed. However, I've always maintained that my internal network works pretty well, so if there is something interfering with the adsl line it could only be the router (proven not to be that) or the phone (proven not to be that).

For a while i thought I was driving down the bandwidth through some unexpected uploading via Dropbox. But I have dropbox upload speed reduced to minimum and i have actually started closing it down during the day and only having it active at night as i back up all my digital photos to it every night (at 3am).

Anyway, I've reported back to Slingshot, the download speeds are remaining consistent, but so it the buffering across internet streaming, and I agree that i would expect it to sync at a higher rate for such low attenuation.

As always, appreciate the feedback and guidance and willing to listen to any ideas or guidance people may have.

johnr

19282 posts

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#750339 24-Jan-2013 17:40

The issue with buffering I would say is not related to the speed the end user is getting

dmartora

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#750340 24-Jan-2013 17:46

johnr: The issue with buffering I would say is not related to the speed the end user is getting

Apologies for my ignorance but I don't understand what that means.

My assumption is that because i prove an efficient internal network speed by the lack of issues from the streaming of internal media (movies and music on an external USB from my desktop accessible through iTunes homesharing and also set up as a network share), and the fact that using the same network provides a different result when trying to stream from the internet, suggests that there is some kind of issue with the traffic shaping that is in place for the AYCE plan. Maybe.

johnr

19282 posts

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Inactive user

#750341 24-Jan-2013 17:49

Traffic is shaped on AYCE plan it's not a fault or a issue it's how it works, I am sure this is even covered in the T&Cs

Move off AYCE and you should find it much more stable

dmartora

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#750353 24-Jan-2013 18:05

johnr: Traffic is shaped on AYCE plan it's not a fault or a issue it's how it works, I am sure this is even covered in the T&Cs

Move off AYCE and you should find it much more stable

Ah now i understand, however I questioned that with Slingshot. Their traffic shaping priority was 1. Skype, 2. Video Streaming and then the others. I have no problems with things like torrents or file downloads being throttled, but as i said it is the movies and on-demand video I like to use. In the absence of that, torrents and downloads are all that's left I suppose, and I don't really care the speed that they come down.

I should have mentioned, i am getting buffering issues with Skype too, to the extent that we hardly use it anymore (which is a shame because we used to use it through the TV with family abroad).

johnr

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#750356 24-Jan-2013 18:14

So move off the AYCE plan

chevrolux

4962 posts

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Inactive user

#750405 24-Jan-2013 20:33

I also tend to think the buffering thing is not a true issue. Just the normal ayce issues.

But the sync speed is still half of what it should be for the attenuation level shown in the stats. Chorus need to go back and do a thorough job.

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