I'm getting less than half of my rated DSL speed . . . anything you'd look for before I go through the tech support?

[episodic]

I'm paying for 3 down

I'm getting 1.6 down maybe 1.7. . .

Modem sync says that same as the speed tests say, never connects anywhere near 3 down.

Thoughts?

I'm new with the service, so I need to find out what some typical steps are.

 

[drebo]

Log in to the AT&T account system and make sure you're actually set to receive 3mbps. I recently moved my DSL from one location to another and they mistakenly set the speed to 3mbps, where I was still paying for 6mbps. Had them bump it back up and it worked great.

Also, speed tests online are rarely accurate. Go to Microsoft's website and download the biggest file you can find. If it equalizes out around 300KBps, you're getting what you're paying for. If it doesn't, and the AT&T account system says you're set to receive 3mbps, then you might want to consider your router. If you're hooked straight into the modem, then you might have a case with tech support.

 

[episodic]

I'm hooked directly to modem. I get about 209 sustained on an openoffice download.

In q now.

 

[episodic]

The modem also says my max connect speed is 1984 down.

 

[RebateMonger]

Originally posted by: episodic
The modem also says my max connect speed is 1984 down.

Sounds like your settings have been cut back to avoid errors. Presumably your ISP told you that data speeds are affected by distance and line quality between you and the Telco's local switching center. They try not to oversell, but sometimes thngs don't work out like everybody would like.

 

[ScottMac]

If it's AT&T DSL, then go to the http://help.sbcglobal.net, enter your user ID and domain, then select the "connection problems" link.

On that screen you have a "speed test" option. Try it with one or two of the closest listed nodes. The advantage to this speed test, is that 1) It's located on your home network and rules out potential cross-tier bottlenecks, 2) it permits you to save the test, and gives you a reference number that you can offer to the Tech Support person so that THEY can see, with their own eyes, what your performance is.

Run the test several times to at least two nodes, just to rule out network / backbone issues. Keep all the reference numbers so that if / after the repair, you have something to compare. Once it's fixed, run the speed test again and save that number so you can prove that it actually ran at {whatever speed}.

There are also some (possibly) helpful suggestions for connection problems and other stuff on that site as well.

If you have a really crap physical connection between your home and the DSLAM (the DSL network interface), it can take days for the modem & DSLAM to train-up for the best tones. If it doesn't suck too much, try leaving it alone for a couple days and run another speed test to see if it improves.

Good Luck
Scott

 

[BassBomb]

www.speedtest.net

tell us what you get there

For a long logn time for some reason my ISP was failing (after they had upgraded our systems from 5megabit to 10) and I would get abysmal bandwith, more like i was getting 3 megabit

Now they seemed to solve the issues on their end and I can see up to 9 megabit and I get ~1000kilobyte/s when downloading frmo microsoft/nvidia

 

[bruceb]

You need to know how far you are from the telco central office which serves
your home. For DSL to work properly, maximum if about 17,000 feet.
Also, a lot depends on how many of those little in line DSL filters you installed
for the telephones. More than 3 or 4 and the line connection gets degraded.
DSL runs at about 10Mhz over your line to the telco office. Also have the telco
check your line for extra Loading Coils, Bridge Taps (which is when the wires
to your home, also go to another terminal, say a few blocks away) .. These must
be removed for DSL to work properly .. Same if the wires have a high resistance
leakage to ground or any foreign voltage on them. In my own case, I am 17K feet
from the co and the dsl was going up and down. After many checks, the issue was
resolved by installing a Whole House DSL filter at the entry point and running a
data feed from that into the dsl modem / router .. when this is done all the set dsl
filters come out .. Line has not dropped once since then (over 2 years now)
Note that I get 1800 as my download speed

You can get the whole house dsl filters here:

http://www.homephonewiring.com/splitters.html

I used this one: 649A1 Outdoor DSL Splitter .. it is an outdoor unit
that I used indoors .. local telephone repairman provided it free
after he ran tests on the dsl line.

 

[episodic]

It turned out to be a big convoluted mess. When I signed up, I was disconnected from the first guy - I called back and the order rep said they could not access what the last guy had did. When I received 2 modems, I realized that 2 orders for dry loop dsl had been performed. Then I got a call from the installer asking if I wanted 2 DSL lines. (the geek in my was happy at that thought - channel bonding and all - but I digress) - I told him no - I wanted 1 and explained about the order mixup.

So I was given the wrong DSL dry loop account number (the one that I refused it seems) and everyone I called could not understand why I was on, but they couldn't see me on an end to end ping. I tried explaining this over and over again to the guys that kept insisting that I clear my cookies, etc. Finally, I got someone to give me 'advanced solutions' who just non chalantly told me I did not have service yet (the canceled one, not the one I was on). Still no dice. They transferred my to my state's rep, where finally I talked to someone who understood what was going on. He put like 3 people on a conference call and we all got it straight. While I was on the phone they also bumped my speed up to where it was supposed to be. Part of the problem is since I was on a weird account, the line provisioning never occurred. So 4 hours later it seems the saga is over.

I'm certain most people would have given up.