downloads slowed to a crawl, failing

Forums › 2degrees (including Slingshot, Orcon, Flip, Stuff Fibre, MyRepublic, 2talk and Vocus) › downloads slowed to a crawl, failing

avaiki

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#153775 7-Oct-2014 14:42

Afternoon all,

Been surfing about trying to understand why my Flip ADSL2+ has slowed to a crawl on downloads, and is useless for YouTube, or anything multimedia. Even a Speedtest.net takes a few minutes to load for testing. General web is mostly okay, but one day even the Flip site took 15 minutes to load.

Yes, Avast, Malwarebytes, even did a clean install of Win7 (admittedly starter pack but was getting decent speeds before).

Flip help suggested my modem was dying, but ping shows zero packet loss, even after several minutes of testing and between 1 to 37ms with an average of 1. The losses all happen after Flip.

I tried to download a 16.5mb file (Malwarebytes) for my new install (my old download was outdated) but it failed twice after eight hours of byte-by-byte downloading. Microsoft update appears to be working, but 264mb took more than 8 hours.

Been reading about Master Splitter, but just don't have $150-$200 for that at the moment - is there anything else I can do?

There is no copper phone, only a Vodafone wireless phone, and yes the results are the same for wireless or ethernet cable connections ... both slowwwww.

Here's my grab from an Huawei EchoLife router, nearly two years old (former Vodafone). Am in Parnell, and an online calc estimates I am 1.8km from closest cabinet on Gladstone Rd.

Very much appreciate any advice.

Status: Connected

ModulationType: ADSL2+

UpstreamDownstream

CurrRate(kbps)

1100

7271

MaxRate(kbps)

1100

9024

NoiseMargin(dB)

6.0

7.1

Attenuation(dB)

44.5

25.4

Power(dBm)

12.8

0.0

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avaiki

42 posts

Geek
+1 received by user: 17

#1149192 7-Oct-2014 14:52

sorry forgot grab

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avaiki

42 posts

Geek
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#1149592 7-Oct-2014 23:42

OK,

been doing more research. Full link list below. Meantime:

1. Seen the robot response on another post, i.e. # 1058732 2-Jun-2014 20:12

Here is my details as per the the robo list

- Your ISP and plan

Flip unlimited naked $75 (There is a Vodafone wireless phone in house, long story, but run PC off ethernet)

- Type of connection (ADSL, ADSL2, VDSL)

ADSL2

- Your modem DSL stats (do not worry about posting Speedtest, we need sync rate, attenuation and noise margin)

As above.

- Your general location (or street)

Avon St, Parnell

- If you are rural or urban

Urban

- If you know your connection is to an exchange, cabinet or conklin

Not sure, but the Chorus map shows a cabinet up the road, nothing else broadband

- If your connection is to a ULL or wholesale service

Presume ULL since its Flip?

- If you have done an isolation test as per the link above

Router plugged straight into wall, no splitter. Have rebooted, reset modem several times, and also left off overnight. Wireless and ethernet show almost identical speeds. Latest firmware for HG Echolife 556a is V100R001C12B037, which a check on Vodafone site appears to show as latest. Yes, it's a bog basic modem, but was getting decent speeds until a sudden change about a week ago .... also saw mention of school holidays having an effect. Would that really have that much effect? I.e. a 16mb file taking eight hours to download from Malwarebytes then failing?

Was going to post links to read material but realised still a noob. This stood out from one of the suggested links.

"It’s a common myth that having a naked xDSL connection (a xDSL connection without a phone) removes the need to use any filters. This is incorrect. While plug in filters are not needed as there is no need to split voice and xDSL signals, a naked xDSL service will still continue to be impacted by premises wiring issues that can only be eliminated by the installation of a master filter or disconnecting all other internal wiring so that only a single jack point remains connected for the xDSL modem."

Not sure if these ping tests are any help:

Also done -t pings over several minutes, including to router, and no packet loss, so does this prove that my modem is not the problem?

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michaelmurfy

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#1149609 8-Oct-2014 00:05

Yes, you're connected to the exchange which is a short hike away. My recommendation?

UFB is available on your street, the kind chaps over at BigPipe have new shiny UFB plans for those lucky buggers in Auckland, buy a better router (one able to support UFB and also dual 2.4GHz and 5GHz WiFi) and sign up to BigPipe here: http://bigpipe.co.nz, then while you await your shiny UFB install look out at the sky and just think what you're going to do once you have fast broadband. When the guys come to install your UFB offer them a coffee, it'll avoid a bad job like we're seeing here and most importantly if you're going to go with this option? make sure your router is UFB compatible (the guys on here can assist with a good, easy router).

Also if you're going to be a madman and go onto the 200/200mbit plan make sure you've got a beefy router to support it with Wireless AC - something like this will do if you're just needing the basics: http://goo.gl/l2qMKF and just remember, don't expect your full UFB speed over WiFi for the following reason: http://www.geekzone.co.nz/sbiddle/8728

Michael Murphy | https://murfy.nz
Referral Links: Quic Broadband (use R122101E7CV7Q for free setup)

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ubergeeknz

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Vocus

#1149611 8-Oct-2014 00:07

Beg, borrow, or steal a different router/modem to try. At least you will rule it in or out and it's a cheap and easy step to take.

was getting decent speeds until a sudden change about a week ago

Hate to say it but generally things work fine, up until they don't. This piece of info doesn't really tell you anything useful about the root cause, unless something else happened coincidental to that change in performance.

dcole13

534 posts

Ultimate Geek
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#1149621 8-Oct-2014 01:01

If there's fibre on your street there is really no other reason not to switch to it apart from if you are renting or on a shared driveway or if you can't be home for a day, but it's worth it, considering it is as cheap as ADSL and you get 30/10 (but I think that the new entry level is 100/20). It is so much better than any copper technology, it's fast and super reliable. Just do it!

Home ADSL: School:

avaiki

42 posts

Geek
+1 received by user: 17

#1149954 8-Oct-2014 14:03

. . .

UPDATE

Speeds slowly returning but still slow as ... a 28mb file from Oracle (java offline install, yeah i know, security risk) took just on two hours. Web pages a little faster than before. Does that prove the modem is not the problem? Or just that it might be suffering fluctuations?

As for UFB, I am in the one part of Avon St that did not get UFB, because there is a pensioner block there and they must have assumed pensioners would have no interest/money for it.

Shoulda made that clear, sorry.

Yes, tried to beg borrow a modem, but no luck yet. Looking at buying one of these: D-Link Dual band N750 Gigabit ADSL 2+ Modem Router. Still cheap but maybe not as cheap? At least more uptodate.

Thanks very, very much for responses so far, really do appreciate them. Any other ideas also valued and yes I do read every link suggested.

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michaelmurfy

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#1149989 8-Oct-2014 14:40

Ah bugger. Oh well! BigPipe are still an awesome ISP and I'd recommend them even for xDSL.

Yes, a better router will do you a world of wonders. I'd recommend the Asus range :)

Or, sign up with the people across the street and create a wireless link to your house for UFB. They've got 3 unused ports on their ONT's for other ISP's to use! Pay them every now and then in beer.

DarkShadow

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#1150346 9-Oct-2014 01:52

michaelmurfy: They've got 3 unused ports on their ONT's for other ISP's to use! Pay them every now and then in beer.

Can you do that now? I thought Chorus still hasn't figured out how to do this.

dcole13

534 posts

Ultimate Geek
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#1150348 9-Oct-2014 01:58

That's the most BS I've heard in a while, they don't put UFB into 2 houses just cause it's a pensioner block. Stupidest crap I've heard. It runs down your street, past your house and to other houses further down the road? Wat. Not sure, but could you possibly get them to run a cable for you? I'm not sure, so ask someone else here.

Home ADSL: School:

michaelmurfy

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#1150409 9-Oct-2014 08:36

DarkShadow:
michaelmurfy: They've got 3 unused ports on their ONT's for other ISP's to use! Pay them every now and then in beer.

Can you do that now? I thought Chorus still hasn't figured out how to do this.

Yep I've done it a few times now :)

avaiki

42 posts

Geek
+1 received by user: 17

#1150658 9-Oct-2014 13:02

Sooo ...

let me get this right:

1. Ask neighbours ... what? "Hi, you don't know me, but I live across the street and I'd like to be able to use your address to apply for Ultra Fast Broadband. This won't affect yourexisting broadband, and the payments will all be made online so there won't be any mail bothering you."

2. If the door has not already slammed in my face, then I should add, "oh, and, um, you'd have to agree to a modem being plugged in and left on 24/7 but I can give you money for the extra power."

Did I get that right?

I presume I would also need a modem capable of broadcasting an impressive distance. You say Asus, I see CNET has given good marks to this model: Asus AC2400 RT-AC87U. Would a wireless extender help too?

Thanks for the suggestions. Not too sure how Parnell types will take to country-style knocking on the door, and all this is cash dependent, but once that changes, this does offer possibilities.

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michaelmurfy

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#1151269 10-Oct-2014 12:42

avaiki: Sooo ...

let me get this right:

1. Ask neighbours ... what? "Hi, you don't know me, but I live across the street and I'd like to be able to use your address to apply for Ultra Fast Broadband. This won't affect yourexisting broadband, and the payments will all be made online so there won't be any mail bothering you."

2. If the door has not already slammed in my face, then I should add, "oh, and, um, you'd have to agree to a modem being plugged in and left on 24/7 but I can give you money for the extra power."

Did I get that right?

I presume I would also need a modem capable of broadcasting an impressive distance. You say Asus, I see CNET has given good marks to this model: Asus AC2400 RT-AC87U. Would a wireless extender help too?

Thanks for the suggestions. Not too sure how Parnell types will take to country-style knocking on the door, and all this is cash dependent, but once that changes, this does offer possibilities.

Depending on your budget I could get one of the Auckland techs to set up a wireless link for you, It will be rather expensive though but will provide you with UFB speeds from your donor if they agree to put a small access point on the roof. Offer them money for power and just say that you can't get decent internet.

Doing it via your stock standard access point might not be the best approach as you'll lose a tonne of speed. The guys over at http://www.gowifi.co.nz/ have some pretty good products (I'd recommend the Nanostation from here: http://www.gowifi.co.nz/backhaul-point-to-point/ubiquiti-nanostation-m5-802.11n/a-500mw-outdoor-ap/bridge.html), you grab 2 of these, set them up and align them (so P2P link) then you'll get some pretty good speeds.

I am sure there might be a Geekzoner that'll be happy to help you out assuming you get a neighbor to loan you some power and a port on their ONT :)