20Mb service, what speed should I expect?

[Boris1977]

Hi Forum

Im on the 20Mb service and have been for some years. Recently I have noticed a slowing of my connection and this is backed up by various speed tests. I used to get consistantly 15-20mb all day. Now the service struggles to get to about 12mb at any time (i even tried it at 4am one day, producing about 13-14Mb). Typically evenings produce anything from 3Mb-12Mb probably averaging about 8Mb.

Is this 'normal' for the 20Mb service. What are others getting (I'm in Colchester btw).

PS Tried various PC's and all directly connected by cable to VM modem. Tried rebooting modem and so on.

I do hope I dont have to call support, I have that sinking feeling if so.....

Ta an info you can provide!

[darkm]

Hi Forum

Im on the 20Mb service and have been for some years. Recently I have noticed a slowing of my connection and this is backed up by various speed tests. I used to get consistantly 15-20mb all day. Now the service struggles to get to about 12mb at any time (i even tried it at 4am one day, producing about 13-14Mb). Typically evenings produce anything from 3Mb-12Mb probably averaging about 8Mb.

Is this 'normal' for the 20Mb service. What are others getting (I'm in Colchester btw).

PS Tried various PC's and all directly connected by cable to VM modem. Tried rebooting modem and so on.

I do hope I dont have to call support, I have that sinking feeling if so.....

Ta an info you can provide!

Depends on what your using to test your speed. I find downloading a file from the likes of divx.com gives a fair reflection of your speed.

I'm on the 20 meg service and I always get my 20 meg and stay within the FUP. You will find speeds on File sharing programs and their protcols are some-what traffic managed these days.. I find I can download a torrent from my server on a torrent site, the speed I receive from my server is crap however ftp I get the full 20 meg speed.

It would do no harm getting your modem etc checked out to ensure everything is ticking over.

[Boris1977]

I think I will have to call VM support but historically this has proved a waste of time and/or very laborious. I could write a small book for comedy value about the few calls I have made over the years.

I used various speed checking sites over several different PC's with different OS installed. I havent tried from divx.com, will try.

Theres no way I can be breaking FUP policy as I dont download stuff from torrents/newsgroups, rarely use Iplayer, etc etc. Im not a heavy downloader full stop.

PS I player is often un-useable, not sure if this is due to my lack of bandwidth or a BBC issue?

[Peter_]

Click this link and post your Upstream and Downstream stats. http://192.168.100.1/ if required the username and password are both "root"

If you are having problems then only a call into the centre can get the issue resolved as all anyone on here can do is offer advice.

[darkm]

I think I will have to call VM support but historically this has proved a waste of time and/or very laborious. I could write a small book for comedy value about the few calls I have out in over the years.

I used various speed checking sites over several different PC's with different OS installed. I havent tried from divx.com, will try.

Theres no way I can be breaking FUP policy as I dont download stuff from torrents/newsgroups, rarely use Iplayer, etc etc. Im not a heavy downloader full stop.

PS I player is often un-useable, not sure if this is due to my lack of bandwidth or a BBC issue?

If your downloading the files from iplayer it uses p2p technologies so it is still possible that virgin are restricting it. Streaming should be fine although the last day or 2 bbc have had some technical issues..

[Boris1977]

Ok thanks for all the help, very swift too!

Will attempt to pull some modem stats later as described.

[Boris1977]

For those in the know heres my modem stats pulled at 19.45:

Cable Modem Downstream
Downstream Lock : Locked
Downstream Channel Id : 1
Downstream Frequency : 331000000 Hz
Downstream Modulation : QAM256
Downstream Symbol Rate : 5360.537 Ksym/sec
Downstream Interleave Depth : taps32Increment4
Downstream Receive Power Level : 1.7 dBmV
Downstream SNR : 41.6 dB

Cable Modem Upstream
Upstream Lock : Locked
Upstream Channel ID : 1
Upstream Frequency : 34000000 Hz
Upstream Modulation : QPSK
Upstream Symbol Rate : 2560 Ksym/sec
Upstream transmit Power Level : 58.5 dBmV
Upstream Mini-Slot Size : 2

How are we looking?

Cheers

[sniper007]

I got sick of my 20mb service and after months and months of issues and slow speeds went onto 50mb at discounted price. Rock solid even at peak times so far.

[Peter_]

Upstream transmit Power Level : 58.5 dBmV



The Upstream is on the high side as the maximum is 61dBmV so a call into the call centre is required, but at this time of night you may get offshore, try tomorrow after 0800.

[)3az )3aziah]

[QUOTE=Masque;35063127]Click this link and post your Upstream and Downstream stats. http://192.168.100.1/ if required the username and password are both "root"

Sorry to hijack someone elses thread but can someone please give me a "quote" on my modem please, I'm on 20meg ?

Downstream Channel

Downstream Status Operational
Channel ID 62
Downstream Frequency 315000000 Hz
Modulation 256QAM
Bit Rate 20480000 bits/sec
Power Level 5.8 dBmV
Signal to Noise Ratio 39.1 dB

Upstream Channel

Upstream Status Operational
Channel ID 2
Upstream Frequency 37500000 Hz
Modulation 16QAM
Symbol Rate 768000 bits/sec
Power Level 41.0 dBmV

Cheers.

[Peter_]

Sorry to hijack someone elses thread but can someone please give me a "quote" on my modem please, I'm on 20meg ?

Downstream Channel

Downstream Status Operational
Channel ID 62
Downstream Frequency 315000000 Hz
Modulation 256QAM
Bit Rate 20480000 bits/sec
Power Level 5.8 dBmV
Signal to Noise Ratio 39.1 dB

Upstream Channel

Upstream Status Operational
Channel ID 2
Upstream Frequency 37500000 Hz
Modulation 16QAM
Symbol Rate 768000 bits/sec
Power Level 41.0 dBmV

Cheers.
Yours looks fairly normal even though the downstream is slightly high but it is well within operational parameters.

Are you having any issues or just checking that it looks fine.

[Boris1977]

Thanks Masque, your help is appreciated.

If the upstream is where the issue is in the report generated why is it only my download speed thats affected?

[Peter_]

Thanks Masque, your help is appreciated.

If the upstream is where the issue is in the report generated why is it only my download speed thats affected?
The modem might have other issues such as internal power adjustments or it could be network related that is why you need to call in for it to be investigated further, but call after 0800 tomorrow morning for a UK call centre.

[Boris1977]

ok

[jb66]

Thanks Masque, your help is appreciated.

If the upstream is where the issue is in the report generated why is it only my download speed thats affected?

Upstream - The higher the number the harder the modem has to try to pass the signal to the servers. If you've got over 55 your pushing it. 58.5 is too close to 61 (the modems highest setting)

[kwikbreaks]

If the upstream is where the issue is in the report generated why is it only my download speed thats affected?Every downstream packet you receive has to be acknowledged. If the upstream is having problems some of those ACKs will be lost and the server will assume it has to resend the packet. Those duplicated packets are just wasting your downstream and show up as a fall in throughput.

[sonic99]

Hi soory to jump on the band wagon but i was wondering myself if i was getting the right speeds

Cable Modem Downstream
Downstream Lock : Locked
Downstream Channel Id : 0
Downstream Frequency : 331000000 Hz
Downstream Modulation : QAM256
Downstream Symbol Rate : 5360.537 Ksym/sec
Downstream Interleave Depth : taps32Increment4
Downstream Receive Power Level : 10.8 dBmV
Downstream SNR : 33.9 dB

Cable Modem Upstream
Upstream Lock : Locked
Upstream Channel ID : 1
Upstream Frequency : 18800000 Hz
Upstream Modulation : QAM16
Upstream Symbol Rate : 2560 Ksym/sec
Upstream transmit Power Level : 44.5 dBmV
Upstream Mini-Slot Size : 2

I have noticed that it's seem to be slow or it could be my imagination

cheers sonic

[jb66]

Downstreams a little too high, nothing to worry about

[sonic99]

Downstreams a little too high, nothing to worry about

Thanks great, so i'm getting the best out of it then :)

[)3az )3aziah]

Yours looks fairly normal even though the downstream is slightly high but it is well within operational parameters.

Are you having any issues or just checking that it looks fine.

Thanks for the reply.


I know virgin tell me that using a speed check site like http://www.mybroadbandspeed.co.uk/ is no proof of speed but I've been doing twice daily checks now for a months with it and getting results of

19635 kbps (2.45MB/s) Down
and
725 kbps (90.6kB/s) Up

as an average. However since I saw a Virgin bod working on the Cab at the end of the road on monday I'm now getting (as an average)

9000 kbps (1.13MB/s) Down
and
716 kbps (89.5kB/s) Up

I know there is not much of a difference in the Up speeds but the Down are at 50%

Any ideas please?

[jb66]

Virgin ask to you to use londonserver on speediest.net your assuming the speedtest site is fine when that infact could be congested.

[Peter_]

The only speed test I use on a call is http://www.virginmedia.com/testmyspeed/manual.php which includes full instructions how to calculate your speed.

[Boris1977]

http://allyours.virginmedia.com/html/broadband/speed.html

Interesting

[)3az )3aziah]

OK, tried that and got

505kb/sec
511kb/sec
488kb/sec
511kb/sec

= 2015 +201.5 = 2216.5kb/sec

from 20meg connection

[Boris1977]

The only speed test I use on a call is http://www.virginmedia.com/testmyspeed/manual.php which includes full instructions how to calculate your speed.




Just to confirm my score using the above is 8Mb over a 3min peroid, will try at a few other times too out of interest. I still havent had chance to call yet, I wanted to avoid evenings due to the high risk of getting the 'offshore' helpdesk again :mad:

[Zee]

Im having the same problems with VM on 20Mb service, always got full 20Mb, but last few months bout 6-7 months been getting anything from 1Mb-12Mb, switched to Sky now, all will be installed next week, no point paying £35 for 20Mb service when i could pay about £30 for everything!

[Boris1977]

OK, tried that and got

505kb/sec
511kb/sec
488kb/sec
511kb/sec

= 2015 +201.5 = 2216.5kb/sec

from 20meg connection

Guess these figures are KB rather than Kb? If so you are clocking about 18Mb so pretty good and im envious! Seems some people are getting the bandwidth they pay for.

[jb66]

Im having the same problems with VM on 20Mb service, always got full 20Mb, but last few months bout 6-7 months been getting anything from 1Mb-12Mb, switched to Sky now, all will be installed next week, no point paying £35 for 20Mb service when i could pay about £30 for everything!

Sky broadband lite?