DG8041W download speed slows until router reset

[athomas]

Since I was "upgraded" to Fibre and provided with a DG8041W (with v1.05t firmware), I have found that my speed downloading a webpage often becomes very slow and unreliable until the router is reset.  

I've frequently had to reset the router more than once in a day. 

For example, before a reset today I had a download speed of about 0.70 Mbps:

Immediately after the above test, I reset the router and did another test - getting a speed over 10 times faster (although still not exactly fantastic for a Fibre service):

I have called TalkTalk repeatedly and been told that line tests do not indicate any problem with my line.

Does this indicate a problem with the DG8041W?

Any help would be appreciated. I've been going round in circles.

[Michelle-TalkTalk]

Hello,

I'm really sorry to hear this. Please let us know if you would like us to look into this for you.

Thanks

[athomas]

Not only has the slow speed of my internet not been fixed, but I see from my bill that I've been charged for one of the two engineer visits.

Since both visits identified (different) potential problems with the network and on both occasions claimed that they had probably resolved those problems, I fail to see why I should be charged.

Anyway, after this pretty disappointing saga I'll now be cancelling my TalkTalk service.

Taken as a whole, I think the service from TalkTalk has been shockingly bad.

Goodbye.

[Chris-TalkTalk]

I've booked the engineer for tomorrow afternoon - March 04 2022, PM (13:00-18:00) - please let us know how you get on

Chris

[Chris-TalkTalk]

I've replied to your latest PM

Chris

[athomas]

Thanks for the PM. I've replied. I hope this visit by an engineer is more productive.

[Chris-TalkTalk]

Hi athomas,

I've sent you a PM

Chris

[Karl-TalkTalk]

Hi

OK, if the speeds are still remaining low over ethernet then we would need to arrange a repeat engineer and flag that we are seeing a possible issue across the line.

I'll need to book this as an appointment, so will drop you a PM requesting some info.

Thanks  

Karl.

[athomas]

The phone service continues to seem fine, to my lay-person's eyes/ears.  I get a dial tone and can hear people clearly.

[Karl-TalkTalk]

Hi

Is the phone line side still ok, no call issues etc.  Tests are clear but I'm seeing a low resistance on the Earth side from one of my tests.

Thanks  

Karl.

[athomas]

Openreach investigated a couple of weeks ago and the engineer said that he couldn't identify the cause of the problem but did a couple of things, e.g. replacing the main socket, in the hope this would do something. He said to give it a week to see what happens.

Since then, my TalkTalk broadband speed has generally been below 1Mpbs (whether on WiFi or Ethernet) and, unlike previously, it no longer seems to improve for a while after resetting the router. 

For example, my results AFTER a recent reset (which used to improve things considerably, at least for a few hours/minutes) was about 0.5 Mbps, on Ethernet.

In other words, the problem is now much worse.

Unless something more can be done, I think I'll just be using my mobile broadband (which works relatively well) permanently and may as well terminate my landline. I'm on a rolling contract with TalkTalk so presumably any notice period is relatively short (even without pointing out that my "guaranteed" speed is not being provided - and I haven't had a reliable service in the months since I was "upgraded" to TalkTalk fibre).

[Chris-TalkTalk]

As the line test is showing an issue I've logged this out to Openreach as a non-appointed task. Openreach will investigate over the next 72 hours and may contact you directly if they need to access your home. 

Chris

[athomas]

About 11 reconnections yesterday sounds about right.  (Due to the slowing of the Internet speed until a reset, I have usually have to reset several times a day since my "upgrade" to fibre by TalkTalk a few months ago. The problem has been particularly bad during the last few days, so I've been resetting the router more frequently which dramatically improves the speed for a period that varies from a few hours to, at times yesterday, just minutes). 

[Chris-TalkTalk]

OK thanks. Line test is also showing a lot of reconnections over the last few days (11 yesterday). Have you rebooted the router much over the last few days?

Chris

[athomas]

One of your colleagues mentioned a potential voice service fault yesterday, so perhaps there is some problem. I've not personally experienced any problem with the voice service. As I said yesterday, I have a dial tone and made a test call without getting any noticeable noise on the line on my end (and the recipient of my call thought it sounded clear on her end).

[Chris-TalkTalk]

Hi athomas,

Line test is picking up a potential issue and showing a potential voice fault. Are you experiencing any problems with your telephone service, any noise on the line?

Chris

[athomas]

After plugging the router into the test socket (with a new microfilter, just in case), the speed increased to about 24 Mpbs for several hours and then dropped again.

The speed went to under 1 Mpbs, becoming basically unusable on wifi and on Ethernet on several PCs and devices tried in turn.

I tried disconnecting everything apart from a single computer and doing another speed test, but by that point it was taking several minutes to load a simple website. Most websites (including speedtest.net) eventually timed out without loading, so I couldn't do another speed test at this point.

After resetting the router (again...) about 10 minutes ago, I initially had a download speed of about 8 Mpbs but it has already dropped down to 3 Mpbs with an Ethernet connection. 

I'll try disconnecting everything apart from this computer and doing another speed test now ... okay, I'm now on a download speed of 0.20 Mpbs with an Ethernet connection to the router from this PC with all other devices disconnected.   

[Michelle-TalkTalk]

Hello,

Thanks for connecting the router directly at the test socket and please let us know how the speed now compares in this set up. If the throughput speed does drop again then please can you run both a wired and wireless speed test with only the one device connected prior to rebooting the router.

Thanks

[athomas]

Thanks for that Help Guide. I appear to have a NTE 5C master socket, with a test socket inside.  I have now plugged in the router cable into another new microfilter and plugged that new microfilter into the test socket.

The light on my router flashed for a few minutes and is now a solid white light.  As usual after a reset of the router, I now have a good speed again (about 20 Mpbs) and will wait to see if it drops as usual after a few hours. 

Just let me know if there is anything else you want me to do at this stage. 

[Michelle-TalkTalk]

Hi,

I've included a Help Guide below,

Your guide to main phone sockets

Thanks

[athomas]

Yes, when I replaced the router I replaced the cable between the router and the socket (and replaced the microfilter).  I've also tried replacing the Ethernet cables between the router and two different PCs.

I am not using any powerline adapters.

I don't know if the main socket has a test socket. (I've never had to use a "test socket" before and am not sure what one looks like or what is does). I'll Google this now and have a look at my main socket.