10mbs Upgrade Test Results

[Nicksteroonie]

Hi everyone, I am hoping to get some feedback from other users that have been upgraded to from 4mbs to 10mbs.

My line was upgraded yesterday and I've been doing a bit of testing and so far I am a bit 'underwhelmed'.

I've noticed a bit poor quality on VOIP connections (Skype and GotoMeeting) and pretty slow connection speeds to overseas sites.

I am aware that this could just as well be one of the usual MWEB intl bandwidth problems, but I want to confirm.

I have done numerous tests on speedtest.net and what I am seeing is that the line is definitely faster in the first few seconds of the connection (around 7.5mbs) and then it drops down considerably to around 5mbs.

What I am trying to find out is whether this is a case of MWEB/Telkom throttling the connection or if this is an issue that the line quality is not good enough to handle a constant 10mbs connection?

Here is a copy of my speedtest.net test results:

These are my router connection stats:
ADSL Link Downstream Upstream
Connection Speed 10010 kbps 987 kbps
Line Attenuation 41.0 db 18.5 db
Noise Margin 11.30 db 6.5 db

I've also run a few continuous pings, eg pinging an overseas server www.gotomeeting.com:

Ping statistics for 216.115.208.197:
Packets: Sent = 180, Received = 179, Lost = 1 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 388ms, Maximum = 578ms, Average = 401ms

Pinging www.mweb.co.za:
Ping statistics for 196.2.63.110:
Packets: Sent = 144, Received = 144, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 30ms, Maximum = 517ms, Average = 34ms

Any feedback would be appreciated!

 

[steel_dog]

Hey man...
The problem is with your line.

Line Attenuation 41.0 db 18.5 db
Noise Margin 11.30 db 6.5 db

Line Attenuation should be LOW and Noise Margin HIGH.
Mine for example is 8db and 24db.

Checkout these links...

http://www.kitz.co.uk/adsl/max_speed_calc.php
http://www.kitz.co.uk/adsl/linestats.htm

 

[Nicksteroonie]

Thanks for your reply, so according to this calculator, my line should be able to handle a max of 8mbs with a line attenuation of 41db. So two questions:

1. Should I get them to reduce my line speed to 8mbs?

2. Is it possible to get Telkom to try to get my line attenuation down or is that like expecting a miracle to happen?

 

[HavocXphere]

You can drop it to 8 for stability if you like, but it won't fix the performance issue...thats likely to be the ISP.

2. Is it possible to get Telkom to try to get my line attenuation down or is that like expecting a miracle to happen?

Not a chance. The fact that you can even get semi stable 10mbps already makes you one of the lucky ones.

 

[MogenNaidoo]

Thanks for your reply, so according to this calculator, my line should be able to handle a max of 8mbs with a line attenuation of 41db. So two questions:

1. Should I get them to reduce my line speed to 8mbs?

2. Is it possible to get Telkom to try to get my line attenuation down or is that like expecting a miracle to happen?

If its unstable, then you should get it down to 8Mb...that's what i did and its pretty stable at 8Mb.

The only way is when Telkom upgrades the infrastructure. We can't do anything from our side.

 

[3p1c]

You can drop it to 8 for stability if you like, but it won't fix the performance issue...thats likely to be the ISP.


Not a chance. The fact that you can even get semi stable 10mbps already makes you one of the lucky ones.

Dude, totally agree, so lucky to be on 10mb........

 

[sand_man]

Maybe open an unshaped account with Afrihost, buy a gig and use it to test the maximum speeds your line is capable of. Although your line attenuation and snr margins aren't too hot if they couldn't sustain your line you would constantly be losing sync.
Are you using an uncapped shaped account with Mweb?

 

[Pada]

You should definitely drop the upstream speed to like 768 or 640kbps, which might be linked to like 8Mbps downstream profile of Telkom.

Your problem is 99.9% an ADSL synchronization issue and not an ISP issue.

I do hope that you realize that 10Mbps uncapped is VERY expensive.

Off-topic:
I'm actually quite surprised that the ADSL checker reports the correct stuff in Stellenbosch:

ADSL Support : Your exchange support ADSL
Max speed supported by your exchange: 4096

 

[Emp!r3]

mine says it supports 10 meg ... yet im still 4 meg

 

[Fantastic1]

How do we get it to 10mbps if the exchange supports it and you still on 4mbps sync

 

[fragtion]

@OP suggest you downgrade to 8Mbps, or even 6... you'll then get a higher speed and it will be more stable and consistent. Otherwise try improve the conditions of your line - proper filters and a good quality dsl router. Search the forums for router recommendations - they're all over the place

 

[ColinR]

How do we get it to 10mbps if the exchange supports it and you still on 4mbps sync

Phone Telkom. Ask.

 

[ID_10_T]

Afrihost -

 

[ID_10_T]

How do we get it to 10mbps if the exchange supports it and you still on 4mbps sync

Order a new service if you have a spare line and cancel ADSL on existing

 

[Chevron]

Order a new service if you have a spare line and cancel ADSL on existing

Um no. You just call telkom and ask them to up you to 10meg.

 

[Nicksteroonie]

Hi everyone and thanks for all your responses.

Firstly, the line seems very stable, it has been synched at 10mbs now for 3 days without dropping the connection once.

The responses from everyone were quite conflicting, some suggesting a drop the speed to 8mbs and some suggesting that if the line is stable then its an ISP issue.

Does the fact that the line is not re-synching and has been up for more than 3 days mean that the connection is stable and that dropping the speed to 8mbs will make no difference?

I get next to 0 packets lost when I do a ping to MWEB over a period of 15 mins. That surely means the line is pretty stable?

Lastly, to all those that asked how they can get their line upgraded from 4mbs to 10mbs. If you used the line checker and your exchange supports ADSL, all you need to do is call the DSL call centre and they will upgrade your line to 10mbs while you are on the phone.

The guy did it while I was on the phone with him and it took less than 2 mins. Its simply a setting they need to change.

Cheers for now!

 

[Nicksteroonie]

I just did some more tests, I also have an ADSL account with IS.

On IS I seem to get a constant 8mbs download speed and 0.81mbs upload speed.

So the fact that I dont get higher than 5mbs seems to point to an MWEB throttling issue?

 

[Chevron]

I just did some more tests, I also have an ADSL account with IS.

On IS I seem to get a constant 8mbs download speed and 0.81mbs upload speed.

So the fact that I dont get higher than 5mbs seems to point to an MWEB throttling issue?

Do you have uncapped with MWEB? If you do then yes. It looks like you are paying for a 4Mb/s package. The 10Mb/s package is much much more expensive.

 

[sand_man]

I just did some more tests, I also have an ADSL account with IS.

On IS I seem to get a constant 8mbs download speed and 0.81mbs upload speed.

So the fact that I dont get higher than 5mbs seems to point to an MWEB throttling issue?

Clearly. I ask again, is the Mweb account uncapped shaped or capped unshaped?

 

[Nicksteroonie]

Hi Sandman, thanks for your response.

The MWEB account is a 4mb uncapped, I didnt even realise that I had to get MWEB to change that to a 10mb account.

But I should've realised they would use every opportunity to bleed me dry!

As per your previous message, if its much more expensive then its probably not even worth upgrading to a 10mbs uncapped account with MWEB.