Poor network speeds?

[tomvdv]

Hello,

I'm a new NTL broadband customer, on the 2meg service plan. I joined 13 days ago.
I was previously on a 2meg BT Yahoo ADSL plan.

From the very start, performance has been absolutely useless.
My NTL download speeds never exceed 119kb/sec, and uploads never exceed 10.9kb/sec. (regardless of the time of day -- 2:20am right now)
My BT Yahoo speeds were approximately 200kb/sec downstream, and 30kb/sec upstream.

I'm assuming my area is poorly cabled or possibly overused incredibly - I just cannot understand why I am experiencing such poor performance.

Is this a known issue?
I have started a 12 month contract and would probably have a slightly better chance at getting out of this poor serviced cable plan now, rather than 6 months from now when I decide I can't take it anymore.

:(

Any feedback would be much appreciated.

Tom

[Paul]

What does this show;

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/robin.d.h.walker/speedtest.html

[patrickp]

Are you using a SACM (Stand -alone Cable Modem) or an STB (Set-top Box) to connect to the internet, tomvdv, and what model?

[tomvdv]

Paul M - here is the output:

Sun, 09 Oct 2005 12:55:07 GMT
1st 128K took 1078 ms = 121588 Bytes/sec = approx 1012 kbits/sec
2nd 128K took 1140 ms = 114975 Bytes/sec = approx 957 kbits/sec
3rd 128K took 1329 ms = 98625 Bytes/sec = approx 821 kbits/sec
4th 128K took 1421 ms = 92239 Bytes/sec = approx 767 kbits/sec


patrickp - I am using a SACM. The model is "E08C007" - it also says "NTL: 250" on the box.

[patrickp]

Same CM as I'm using. Looks from the speed test that you're on 1 Mb, although this is not conclusive, as it can depend on network conditions.

Click this link http://192.168.100.1/ and enter root as your username and password. This logs you in to your modem. Then go to the Operation Configuration page. If you're on 2Mb, it should say Maximum Downstream Data Rate : 2048000 and Maximum Upstream Data Rate : 200000. _Don't_ try to change anything.

If the figures are half this, you're on 1Mb, and you should get on to CS or Tech Support and get it changed. If they give you a hard time, come back here: there are people who can help.

[tomvdv]

Thanks patrickp,
indeed it appears as though I am set to 1meg.
Maximum Downstream Data Rate : 1024000

[Graham M]

well theres your problem, you need to get someone in CS to sort this out for ya. The number's 0800 052 2000 make sure you choose the correct options or you get passed around a bit which gets annoying.

[Tezcatlipoca]

Paying for 2meg but only getting 1meg?

I hope you get it sorted easier than I did (http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/showthread.php?t=35274)!


If CS insist that you are on 2meg (as that's what you're being billed for), despite your modem actually being on 1meg, you may well have to endure telephone ping pong back & forth between them & TS until someone finally fixes it (that's what happened to me).

[tomvdv]

Noted!

Thanks for your help, everyone!

[obiwanquinobi]

Guys,

I have EXACTLY the same problem.

I'm paying £24.99 for 2MB broadband....I was recently upgraded from 600k and it was working fine at 2MB for ages .. but I noticed just recently my ping times were really poor in online games (Thats all I use it for mainly)

So I checked a couple of speed testers...lo and behold, its working only at 1MB now??

My modem is NTL Home:120

I logged into my cable modem and this is the output from the configuration section

Network Access : Enabled Maximum
Downstream Data Rate : 1024000 bps Maximum
Upstream Data Rate : 100000 bps
Maximum Number of CPEs : 1
Software Upgrade File Name : ntlhm120_ntl0001.cpr
Software Upgrade AdminStatus : allowProvisioningUpgrade
Software Upgrade OperStatus : completeFromProvisioning

I suppose I should call Tech support?? Calling tech support never gets me anywhere though! :(

Advice please!

:angel:

[jrhnewark]

Call Customer Services in the day, obiwanquinobi, and they should be able to help - 0800 052 2000.

Tech Support isn't really the department you'd want to be dealing with for this - just make sure you explain everything to Customer Services quite slowly so they understand. Some of them are a bit.. useless.

[obiwanquinobi]

Call Customer Services in the day, obiwanquinobi, and they should be able to help - 0800 052 2000.

Tech Support isn't really the department you'd want to be dealing with for this - just make sure you explain everything to Customer Services quite slowly so they understand. Some of them are a bit.. useless.

Useless is the understatement of the year!

I've had nothing but troubles since I got this connection.

House move went pear shaped
Charging me for two accounts when I only had one
The list is endless.....

Point taken though...I'll give them a call tomorrow. Trouble is, I work during the day and wont be able to have access to the connection from there!

Will that matter. do you think?

Thanks again:)

Edit: I'm seeing loads of threads here, people with the same problem...maybe this was a firmware update they pushed out,. blanket like?.

IIRC...my cable modem died a week or two ago..and I had to reboot it to get it back on.

Can't these people do anything right??

[tomvdv]

Can't these people do anything right??

Actually - I told them about my problem, they were extremely polite, and they fixed the issue within minutes! Half an hour later I was happily surfing at 2meg. Was highly impressed actually - I was expecting the worst!

[obiwanquinobi]

Nice one.

Who did the work...CS or TS?

ta

[jrhnewark]

Point taken though...I'll give them a call tomorrow. Trouble is, I work during the day and wont be able to have access to the connection from there!

Will that matter. do you think? Probably not if you call CS. If you call TS, they'll try to run you through all kinds of fool-proof checks on your computer - I'd just ring CS and insist (say you're a.. computer repairer, or something, to back it up) that you know it's their problem. :)

Edit: I'm seeing loads of threads here, people with the same problem...maybe this was a firmware update they pushed out,. blanket like?.Possibly. Some people's cable modems just died and never woke up again! :D

[obiwanquinobi]

Probably not if you call CS. If you call TS, they'll try to run you through all kinds of fool-proof checks on your computer - I'd just ring CS and insist (say you're a.. computer repairer, or something, to back it up) that you know it's their problem. :)

Possibly. Some people's cable modems just died and never woke up again! :D

Thanks for that.

I'll ring CS tomorrow, as I'm awating a response to an email I sent to TS.

Cheers again.

Peace

[obiwanquinobi]

Probably not if you call CS. If you call TS, they'll try to run you through all kinds of fool-proof checks on your computer - I'd just ring CS and insist (say you're a.. computer repairer, or something, to back it up) that you know it's their problem. :)

Possibly. Some people's cable modems just died and never woke up again! :D

Hmm...called CS today. They did confirm that my modem was only running at 1MB..but when they were trying to connect to the box to set it back to 2MB, it kept "resetting itself back again" and wouldn't take the update??

They escalated the issue to IT - Just have to wait and see if they fix it zzzzzzzzzzzzzz:sleep:

[obiwanquinobi]

Hmm...called CS today. They did confirm that my modem was only running at 1MB..but when they were trying to connect to the box to set it back to 2MB, it kept "resetting itself back again" and wouldn't take the update??

They escalated the issue to IT - Just have to wait and see if they fix it zzzzzzzzzzzzzz:sleep:


**Bump**

Well,l after 3 calls to customer services, and three promises that my modem would be reset back to 2MB - My connection is still running at 1MB?? I can't play online games because my ping is exceeding the limit on most servers - this is most frustrating.

I was told on three separate occasions that my problem would be fixed within the hour......Still waiting :td: The last guy said "I can assure you Mr Bloggs, your modem will register at the 2 Meg speed you pay for, within the next hour"

....this was yesterday morning

Can anyone advise on a better approach for getting this fixed....??

If anyone can help, a hareem of beautiful women & the promise of Nirvana await you :angel:

Peace

[V3n0m]

Although you are running at 1mb at the moment waiting to get back to 2mb its not going to help in your gaming as lots of people are getting ping/pckt loss/lag/poor connection on 3mb.

NTL are mucking around with something at the moment causing these problems,i just hope that everything reverts back to normal soon.

[obiwanquinobi]

Just thought I would chip in and tell everyone that my problem got sorted - at long last.

Tip for anyone having similar issues and are getting no joy:

Use the Responsetek feature. I don't have the linky ??

I did this, explaining the whole situation and someone got back to me 2 days later. They rang me back at home (at my convenience) and sorted the problem.

There were also issues relating to my account that needed resolving. This was due to a house move that went horribly wrong. The guy (Dave, I think his name was) promised me he had sorted those issues too.

All in all....a better outcome than I expected. So Glad I came across these forums and all it's helpful inhabitants :)

Responsetek for teh win ;)

[n_s_simpson]

Hi,

I have just had 10mb virgin broadband installed.

I have been given a e08c007 cable modem.

No problems downloading however whenever I upload (via FTP) the virgin modem simply grinds to a halt. Nothing will work, no webpages will load, the upload fails, etc.

As soon as I stop the upload it works again.

Any firmware updates, suggestions, etc? Does anyone else have this problem?

Regards

Nick

[tomvdv]

I think this is pretty much the case for everyone. You're using your bandwidth for uploading, which leaves next-to-none for downloading.

Try setting your FTP software to upload at a specific rate, like 25kb/sec. This way you'll have more of a balance between uploading & downloading.

[n_s_simpson]

This never happened before I upgraded to the 10mb connection. So why does the upload also fail? Is this a fault with the service?

[n_s_simpson]

Does anyone know if virgin are looking into this?

The service should not go down if you try uploading something.

Flippin cable.