Super Slow Broadband

[Hawker52]

Hi folks,

Ok, my broadband, which normally kicks along between 30-35MBs, has suddenly dropped to below 3MBs.

I've  completed two live chats and one phonecall to Tech Support, (the phone call didn't last long after the guy on the other end insisted that i take the front off my master socket!!... despite me telling him it wasn't a great idea... sure enough it cut off and closed the call..!!!).

So, my current situation is this:

Service Status Check says everything is fine, TT's speedtest page claims I'm getting 11MBs download, (I wish!!), and 12-14MBs upload.   The reality is, I've used about six different speed checkers, from Ookla Speedtest, Sam Knows, USwitch, ThinkBroadband etc....and they all give readings between 2 and 4 Mbs, upload speed remains high, around 11-14MBs.  As a result, streaming video is nigh on impossible without lots of buffering, or dreadful pixelation...HD streaming is a no-no, and accessing many of the game servers on the PS4 is impossible.

I've carried out all the tests asked of me...had the router off overnight, disconnected everything apart from my desktop with it's LAN connection to the router, still bad.   Wireless channels are all set to auto, I was wondering whether to try using a fixed one and maybe changing the DNS server to a public one like Google??   Any advice would be useful... otherwise it's back to live chat and probably an engineers visit..

Kind regards

Paul

[KeithFrench]

If the wired speed test is bad, there is no point in changing wireless channels & I would never recommend doing that anyway without the use of a wifi analyser.

I have asked one of TalkTalk's OCEs to pick your thread up and investigate it for you.

The forum is not real-time 24/7 support, so depending on how busy they are & how many are working at any one time, this can take 24 - 48 hrs (excluding weekends & limited cover on Bank Holidays). Alternatively, you can call the call centre or use online chat. The posts are responded to in time/date order, oldest first. So the fewer entries you make on your thread now, the sooner they will pick it up.

To save yourself time, please make sure that your community profile includes your first & last names, broadband phone number & if possible an alternative contact number. This can be done by clicking on your Avatar picture then click on "My Settings" followed by:-

Personal Profile > Personal Information

Otherwise, TalkTalk will not be able to tie up your forum username to your broadband account. Only you & TalkTalk have visibility of your details.

[OCE_Karl]

Hi Paul

The router is in sync at 39mb.  Where the speed tests wired or over wifi ?

Can you check the home phone, is the dial tone clear or is there any noise or interference on the line ?

Thanks

Karl. 

[Hawker52]

Hi Karl,

Sorry for the delay in replying, i've been out for most of the day.

First off, thank you for responding to my post, I appreciate you must be busy!

So, to answer your post, the tests were carried out wired, on my pc... There isn't any discernible noise on my main phone line, but the extension line was a bit crackly.

Here's what I've now done:

Phone extension cable physically disconnected from master socket....
(Socket 2 feet from router and LAN connected desktop is less than a metre away)

Powerline adapter cable removed from router, adapters switched off.

More wired testing as follows:

(All results are MB/s)

Ookla speedtest   2.28 dwld 20.61 upload
TT speedtest        6.8 dwld     9.8 upld
SamKnows           4.8 dwld     9.0 upld
Broadband/

Speedchecker uk 5.48 dwld    9.55 upld

Turned off wireless at router:

Ookla speedtest 3.12 dwld 19.34 upload
TT speedtest      8.9 dwld     9.3 upld
SamKnows    Offline...no test
Broadband/

Speedchecker uk 6.23 dwld  9.35 upld

Not sure why my upload speed is faster than download, it's always been the reverse in my experience!   ... Anyway, I hope this is of some use to you, please let me know, at your convenience, if you have any suggestions or insight into this issue.

Oh, I also used a wireless scanner and made sure no-one was skimming off my wireless!!!

Many Thanks

Paul

[OCE_Michelle]

Hi Hawker52,

Thanks for the update. Could I also confirm, have you tried switching the router off for a full 30 minutes and then retested the speed again as this will reset the current session?

Thanks

[Hawker52]

Hi Michelle,

Yes, I left it off for a full hour before I did the tests.... just repeated it again, 30 minute switch off, everything disconnected, apart from the LAN connection to my desktop....  the most optimistic result was the speed test from TalkTalk's web page, which reached the heady heights of 4.35MB/s download... all of the other test sites barely reached 2!!

I usually achieve 28Mbs, bearing in mind the distance I am from the digital exchange, which is about 5k  or 5 miles, cant remember which now!

Kind regards

Paul

[OCE_Michelle]

Hi Paul,

Thanks for confirming this. Do you have an alternative router that you can test with?

Thanks

[Hawker52]

Hi michelle,

No I don't unfortunately.....but, this is very weird....my speed has come back this morning!!!!!

Getting wired speeds of 37MB/s and wireless at 29MB/s...!!!

I was beginning to suspect the router as well, but now I don't know what to think!

I'll continue to monitor it today and let you know what happens.

Many thanks

Paul

[OCE_Michelle]

Hi Paul,

Ok thanks for the update and please let us know how the speed compares over the weekend 🙂

Thanks

[Hawker52]

Hi Michelle, Karl,

4:30 in the afternoon here, got everything on including the toaster!!... 3 phones, 1 tablet, a kindle and a PS4, oh, and my desktop!......

Wired throughput is a solid 37 MBs on every speed test site I've tried so far, (including BT's)....  Wifi is at a solid 27Mbs on my phone.........  Did you move me to a parallel universe where the sun shines daily and no-one's broadband ever fails????   Only I have no explanation as to why it disappeared so drastically, (I was beginning to suspect the router was failing), or even less idea as to how it came back!!

Happy bunny presently....will keep a weather eye over the weekend though.

Kind regards

Paul

Paul

[Hawker52]

Hi folks,

As of 16:20, Sunday 11th August, broadband is flying at a steady 37MBs wired, 29MBs on the wireless.....

Any thoughts as to what happened?

Kind regards

Paul

[OCE_Debbie]

Hi Paul

Thanks for keeping us updated, this may have been related to wireless interference.

Please let us know if you do experience any further issues.

Debbie

[Hawker52]

Hi Community team,

Well, here I am again, two weeks down the line and my broadband speed dropped off a cliff last night, around midnight.

Exactly as before very low throughput speeds, can't stream, can't gameplay, phone updating particularly slow.

So, remembering all the advice you gave last time, I switched off the router and left it off overnight, switched back on this morning, disconnected everything except main phone on the master socket and the LAN connection to my desktop.  My wifi scanner showed that only the router, my phone, (which I've now switched off), and my desktop are connected. speeds on all the major speedtest sites, including Talktalk's, show download speeds varying from 0.5 to 4.5MBs.

I'm attaching my syslog file, maybe someone can cast an experienced eye over it for me?... Particularly around midnight last night, (22nd),  there's something on there about a spoof ip attack that has me worried, particularly as it takes place around the time it all went FUBAR!!

Many thanks

Paul

[Hawker52]

Looking deeper into Syslog, and running Traceroute on some of the IP's, it appears I'm being hit on from China, Germany and all points in between.... is this normal??

[OCE_Chris]

Hi Hawker52,

I'm having some problems running the line test at the moment - are you currently experiencing the slow speeds?

Chris

[Hawker52]

Hi Chris,
Sorry for the tardy reply...I was elsewhere engaged. Yes, still experiencing very slow speeds. Sync Speed still at 38 MBs, upload speed is normal, around 9-10 MBs, just download throughput is off by a mile.
The last time this happened, (around the 10th of this month), it stayed like this for a few days, then suddenly returned of it's own volition, or so it seems, as no-one was able to give me a solid reason as to why it dropped out in the first place, or why it suddenly came back.
Regards
Paul

[Hawker52]

Hello??... is anyone able to help?.. speed is now less than 1Mbs...I could barely get this page to load in under 30 seconds!!
All speed tests coming in very poor...there is an initial spike around 15-20MBs which rapidly drops away down to below 1...
I don't know what to do now, should i open a ticket with with the helpdesk? that has to be a last resort as I dont have the time or the desire to sit around for two hours while we go through their script only to be cut off and have to start over which happens each time I call or text them..
Kind regards,
Paul

[Hawker52]

Well, there's 4 hours of my life im not getting back anytime soon!!   Started a Live chat...should've known better....  Carried out all the tests they asked for,(even though I've done them myself a hundred times), before finally being told that the would carry out more diagnostic tests which would entail me losing my internet temporarily, and therefore the Live Chat.... No problem though, I could contact him again after 20 minutes via my mobile using mobile data, if my internet was still out due to tests...... I fell for it didn't I?... after 20 minutes contacted Live Chat, got a completely different person, who proceeded to go through all the tests that I'd just gone through before deciding it was one of my devices hogging the bandwidth!  When I pointed out all my devices were disconnected and we were actually chatting via my mobile data, it all went a bit quiet, Then I was suddenly offered the dreaded 3 options of a chargeable visit, upgrading my router, (even though it had already been established that it was the latest up to date one), or sort it yourself basically!... at which point, I thought, why did I bother...same old, same old...  Roll on the end of my contract...10 years with TalkTalk is enough for anybody!   

OK, rant over!!... anybody out there with any suggestions?😆😆😆

[andrew49]

I know the feeling fella,, my fast fibre is suppose to be 32mps , but , I have been getting 12s upload, 5s download, this as been the same for months, and months  me to roll on January, as I think I am going to BT,  and I spoken with there customer service, I was able to understand every word they said in plain English, 👊👊🤛

[Hawker52]

Hi Andrew, feel much the same mate...roll on January!! Just been doing some online research.... lots of people complaining of this problem.. A lot of them put it down to the so called 'Super Router', with many of them saying how their lives changed for the better when they brought a 3rd party modem/router like Netgear or TP-Link, so I'm looking at that option..
My father-in-law is with BT...everytime I ask him if I should swap, he starts to cry! LOL!!
I mean, all I want is a good broadband connection, good kit that can bring it into your home, and good support!!... I can't find anyone that can give you all three at once.... two out of three is the norm, and sometimes one out of three!!!
The 3rd party router is looking better by the minute!!.. if I go that way, I'll give you a heads up on how it goes..... rooting around shoulders deep in a cupboard at the mo...damn sure I had a spare router in here somewhere!!!! If I'm not back by tomorrow, give Cave Rescue a bell for me will you??? Ha..Ha..