Thread: Deteriorating ADSL coneection

How pleased I was before with the TOT 3Mb\s 512\k, that was, until this weekend. On Saturday I noticed a dramatic deterioration in speed.

I was able to run uTorrent at about 250KB download and upload at about 30kb, and still get over 2MB\s download speed using the speedtest.net connection via a server in Bangkok.

Now - it seems to have all gone to rat shit - I am getting a download speed from speedtest.net of 14kb\s with nothing else running - the telephone is as noisy as hell.

I reset the modem from bridge mode and connected directly to DSL and got a maximum download of 70KB\s, reconnected the wireless router as I had in the past and get virtually the same. Crap!

The internet connection keeps reporting that it has reconnected, i.e. it keeps dropping, (maybe 6 times today) and I checked the modem with it in normal ppope mode and the line stats are

SNR "MARGIN" (NOT SNR) Down = 37dB, Up 27.5dB
Line ATT Down = 30.0dB, Up 14.3dB

It still reports a down speed of 3071KB\s and upload of 509 KB\s.

I tried the speed checks and things like "ping time" are still as they were around 50ms to Bangkok, but the download speed is lower than the upload in most checks... any thoughts?

Phoned TOT but am still waiting, I really dont think they seem too bothered - any ideas where the fault could be? as I say it was working pretty much OK until this weekend.

Sounds like a fault on the line.Earthing or something. Best of luck!

When I had a problem I found it was the router which was a couple of years old.

There's a few threads on here about similar problems and solutions somewhere.

Originally Posted by NickA

When I had a problem I found it was the router which was a couple of years old.

There's a few threads on here about similar problems and solutions somewhere.

Thanks, butI think I have eliminated the router ( I am using a D link wireless) but have disconnected and have gone back to the hard wired DSL modem that TOT supplied and it is still a load of crap.

Any ideas why upload in some cases is better than download? and is that SNR MARGIN pointing to a problem? I look on the internet (slowly) and people seem confused between SNR and SNR Margin - SNR seems to be better the higher it gets, which makes sense, but SNR Margin seems to be the opposite way around, but if you read a lot of these web sites talking about the subject most dont seem to know their arse from their elbow.

One last question, if it was an earthing problem, would that not effect the line attenuation too? as that is still as it was when all was well and good?

In my experience with TOT, it is most likely on their end. I've had it for 2 years and get occasional drops in speed like that.

Originally Posted by pickel

In my experience with TOT, it is most likely on their end. I've had it for 2 years and get occasional drops in speed like that.

That is encouraging in a way, sort of, at least they may sort it out. I have pulled my hair out all day trying to make sure it is not my problem, have disconnected everything and loaded up all original settings, but it has never been like this before.

We reconnected the wireless router and all is fine there it is simply the download speeds. If you go and try to do a speed check outside of Thailand - like the ones bittorrent offers - you can go and make a cup of tea before it finishes, and you get a 14kB down and a 93 KB up!

One last question, if it was an earthing problem, would that not effect the line attenuation too? as that is still as it was when all was well and good? Quote
It depends which end the earth or fault is at.

You are basing that download speed to Thailand. You are hooking up to servers around the world. Right now I have a much lower speed internationally than I do domestically. It costs more to secure international line rights so until people start bitching nothing happens. All the changes in the last 6 months have been due to complaints. Not at all market based.

I am trying to eliminate any faults my end so to speak, but it just happens that there were two instances of problems during last week that could be responsible - one THEM, the other ME!

Towards the end of the week we lost all connections here, telephone everything - apparently it is quite "normal", all the phones were down for a fair old distance, a few calls and it eventually came back on after a half day. (I never checked the connection speed after that so I am not sure if it is a repurcussion from that.)

Secondly, TOT installed the cable but I didnt have any poles to support it - (We put in poles but the poles went to an optical line not an ADSL connection) So they had to route across a Klong nearby, and that is about 200M away.

Since then, I have put in a few poles, and have re hung the cables - is it possible that I have "stretched" or damaged them? I.E, would stressing the cable possibly cause this? or would I lose the connection full stop? Is it possible I caould have strained a joint in the cable? or would the signal simply die?

Answers on a postcard!

Sounds like the line is at fault if its so noisy.

Originally Posted by Marmite the Dog

Sounds like the line is at fault if its so noisy.

No, if the line had been that noisy then the modem would also have stepped down in connection speed, ie 2944/480 or even lower.
This problem is likely in the local ADSL connection point (DSLAM) or between the DSLAM and Bangkok, or even a ToT(al) route fuckup in Bangkok

can you go to the other end of your 200 meter elastic band and make a temporary connnection there and test - about the only way to eliminate the cable from the equation without some expensive test gear

Originally Posted by baldrick

can you go to the other end of your 200 meter elastic band and make a temporary connnection there and test - about the only way to eliminate the cable from the equation without some expensive test gear

No way, it's across the other side of a klong, and about 9 m up a pole then fed to the local temple - personally I think the monks are using a microwave or mobile phones next to it (in between drinking whisky and fucking kids) just to piss me off 'cause they know how much I "respect" them.

This humidity thing is interesting, we have had a fair bit of rain, the strange thing is, after calling TOT, it seems to have been cleared...do you think they could be throttling or shaping the connection?

Normally, regardless what I am running, I can get at least 2.6MB/s download from the speedtest, the past few days it has continually dropped to the point where carrier pigeon would be quicker - then, after complaining - it's back to where it was!

Originally Posted by Missismiggins

carrier pigeon would be quicker

It's *courier* pigeon (think what it stands for)

Originally Posted by Missismiggins

then, after complaining - it's back to where it was!

Problem on their end - they fixed it... or the rain stopped dripping into the CO.

Try to get the noise fault cleared on the phone line first,the attack the ADSL problem. What sort of noise is it?

Originally Posted by Missismiggins

Now - it seems to have all gone to rat shit - I am getting a download speed from speedtest.net of 14kb\s with nothing else running - the telephone is as noisy as hell.

Is it raining?

The problem is with your line -- if you have this amount of noise on your voice line, how do you think the data portion 'sounds' like.

Generally, this can be caused by a ground fault ('Earthing' as the Brits call it), humidity getting into any of the junction boxes, or a line having been compromised (by squirrels chewing on it - no kidding, this happens).

Since it's still raining more or less frequently, my guess would be that the problem is related to humidity or rain compromising your connection. TOT will need to troubleshoot and fix, as it sounds it's on their end. Good luck.

Originally Posted by NickA

When I had a problem I found it was the router which was a couple of years old.

How would a bad router cause noise on the voice portion of the line???

Originally Posted by DaffyDuck

Originally Posted by Missismiggins

Now - it seems to have all gone to rat shit - I am getting a download speed from speedtest.net of 14kb\s with nothing else running - the telephone is as noisy as hell.

Is it raining?

The problem is with your line -- if you have this amount of noise on your voice line, how do you think the data portion 'sounds' like.

Generally, this can be caused by a ground fault ('Earthing' as the Brits call it), humidity getting into any of the junction boxes, or a line having been compromised (by squirrels chewing on it - no kidding, this happens).

Since it's still raining more or less frequently, my guess would be that the problem is related to humidity or rain compromising your connection. TOT will need to troubleshoot and fix, as it sounds it's on their end. Good luck.

Originally Posted by NickA

When I had a problem I found it was the router which was a couple of years old.

How would a bad router cause noise on the voice portion of the line???

Funny you should say that - it is raining! and this morning, after a yak with the TOT customer services, it's back where it was -

I checked it with the phone and everything else disconnected - it makes no difference, phone on the filter/splitter or not, I was still only getting a few KB download, seems like Daffy has come up with something - RAIN! at least I haven't fucked the cable!

Thanks for all the advice - I'll keep an eye on it.

Daffy, why would the rain make such a difference? Does it mean there is water getting into the line???

Originally Posted by Missismiggins

Daffy, why would the rain make such a difference? Does it mean there is water getting into the line???

Water corrodes, water conducts - if water or a high degrer of humidity entered a phone switch box, you end up with conductivity problems.

Originally Posted by DaffyDuck

Originally Posted by Missismiggins

Daffy, why would the rain make such a difference? Does it mean there is water getting into the line???

Water corrodes, water conducts - if water or a high degrer of humidity entered a phone switch box, you end up with conductivity problems.

Come on Daffy Duck!
Water doesn't corrode, nor does it conduct. Impurities in water are responsible for both of these things, and there are loads of impurities in the water around here! try putting the probes from a multimeter in a glass of water and measure the resistance, water is an insulator, but a poorer insulator than air, why is a car battery not a dead short? (distilled or pure water.)

Only being a facetious twat, sorry! (I secretley appreciate the help - but won't say so!)

Quote why is a car battery not a dead short? (distilled or pure water.)
Rubbish! it's acid.

Originally Posted by Missismiggins

Come on Daffy Duck!
Water doesn't corrode, nor does it conduct. Impurities in water are responsible for both of these things, and there are loads of impurities in the water around here! try putting the probes from a multimeter in a glass of water and measure the resistance, water is an insulator, but a poorer insulator than air, why is a car battery not a dead short? (distilled or pure water.)

Well, when you move to a planet where you neighborhood is doused only in pure distilled water, and there are absolutely no impurities anywhere, then I'll save this reply and consider it - until then I will consider real world conditions in my replies.

By the way, car batteries contain a hydrochloric acid solution, not purely distilled water.

Originally Posted by Missismiggins

Only being a facetious twat, sorry! (I secretley appreciate the help - but won't say so!)

I bet he has the telephone connected to the ADSL jack of the modem/phone splitter..

Bare wire acting as an antenna.