internet How do I get my full internet speed?

[DumboDodo]

I'm subscribed to an internet package that is supposed to provide me with a speed of 15MBPS. As you can see in the picture below, the Downstream max rate, which is supposedly the max speed my line can handle, is 17MBPS (It keeps fluctuating but it never goes below 7MBPS or so) However, the Downstream line rate, which is the actual speed that I'm receiving, is only 1.7MBPS. Here in Egypt, the internet is terrible overall, but I'm living in an area where it should be pretty good. This problem has been existent for quite a while, but I started seeking help only when the speed was starting to get unbearable (We're currently a family of 5 with around 9 devices that use Wi-Fi on a speed of 1.7MBPS) It used to do that all the time. Go up to 15MBPS then go back to 4MBPS and the go up to 7MBPS then drop to 3.5MBPS and then yet again go up to 14MBPS and so on over extended periods. The technicians and customer support agents of my ISP are basically Patrick Star in terms of experience and proficiency. What do you suggest me to do, taking into consideration that I can't change the cable that's coming from the box to the house? I'm honestly sick of this whole potato internet sh!t

[Firewrath9]

Are you using Wifi or ethernet?

[DumboDodo]

Just now, Firewrath9 said:

Are you using Wifi or ethernet?

sometimes Wifi and sometimes ethernet

It doesn't really matter because using ethernet doesn't increase the speed output of the router itself. It's just better at transferring the connection than Wifi, so there's no big difference most of the time (unless when it comes to playing multiplayer, ethernet obviously provides noticeably better ping)

[moriel5]

Have you checked with different hardware, to rule out that your modem-router is faulty, or has a faulty firmware (that also happens, the Netgear router provided by our ISP has a faulty firmware, which may or may not have been fixed, I did not check).

 

My recommendation, is to get a Netgear DM200, and replace it's firmware with OpenWrt (stock DM200 firmware is not the most stable either, but much better then our ISP-provided Netgear router's firmware). Since you are still on ADSL2+, so no need for vectoring (you can get vectoring to work on the DM200, but only on OpenWrt, and only via extracting it yourself, via tools meant for the FritzBox).

 

For WiFi, a Xiaomi Mi Router 3G is the best bet, after replacing it's firmware with OpenWrt (chinese firmware, and reports of ads being injected, not to mention the datamining done by Xiaomi, on the stock firmware).

[DumboDodo]

2 minutes ago, moriel5 said:

Have you checked with different hardware, to rule out that your modem-router is faulty, or has a faulty firmware (that also happens, the Netgear router provided by our ISP has a faulty firmware, which may or may not have been fixed, I did not check).

 

My recommendation, is to get a Netgear DM200, and replace it's firmware with OpenWrt (stock DM200 firmware is not the most stable either), you are still on ADSL2+, so no need for vectoring (you can get vectoring to work on the DM200, but only on OpenWrt, and only via extracting it yourself, via tools meant for the FritzBox).

thanks but speak in human please

[moriel5]

4 minutes ago, DumboDodo said:

thanks but speak in human please

To which part of my answer are you alluding?

Or do you mean my entire post?

 

I'll try posting something more easily understandable, I just need to know at what level do I need to say it.

[DumboDodo]

8 minutes ago, moriel5 said:

I just need to know at what level do I need to say it.

Consider yourself talking to your 12 y/o nephew.

[moriel5]

Just now, DumboDodo said:

Consider yourself talking to your 12 y/o nephew.

Well, I only have nieces, the oldest which is in 1st grade, however i get your point.

I generally speak like this about these things even to my youngest sister, however I'll try making it easier.

 

From your original post, I take it that you know what a modem-router is, so my recommendation is getting another one (preferably the Netgear DM200), just to make sure that the issue is not because of your current modem-router.

 

I  strongly recommend replacing (when possible) a router's firmware with OpenWrt (there are others as well, but OpenWrt supports more devices), since it really shows it's potential, unlike the stock firmware.

As for OpenWrt vs. stock, think of it as something like Linux vs. Windows (not precise, but gets the message across).

 

My recommendation for the Xiaomi Mi Router 3G is only valid if you decide to truly replace your current modem-router with the DM200, since the DM200 lacks WiFi.

The rest is unimportant unless you switch over to the DM200, and move to network speeds such as 40+ Mbt/s (mostly affects 100Mbt/s).

[DumboDodo]

1 minute ago, moriel5 said:

my recommendation is getting another one (preferably the Netgear DM200), just to make sure that the issue is not because of your current modem-router.

When the technicians came, they tested using their VDSL router and the result was the same. The problem is not an issue with the router (though I wish it was, because that would've made it so easy to fix)

I'll be buying a new VDSL router tomorrow or after anyway because they'll change the central ports to VDSL and hopefully that'll help.

[moriel5]

Just now, DumboDodo said:

When the technicians came, they tested using their VDSL router and the result was the same. The problem is not an issue with the router (though I wish it was, because that would've made it so easy to fix)

I'll be buying a new VDSL router tomorrow or after anyway because they'll change the central ports to VDSL and hopefully that'll help.

Yeah, I understand you. We're having similar issues (except that in our case, our ISP's representatives, and their  provider (the only DSL provider in the country), is actually very good ,plus their technicians are amongst the best ISP technicians I had seen), and we had verified that the issue is neither on our modem-router (DM200, running OpenWrt, with vectoring enabled on a VDSL2 line) nor on their end, and will soon check the networking cabinet.

 

I still recommend you go the Netgear DM200+Xiaomi Mi Router 3G (both with OpenWrt), since for a budget, it is pretty much the best combination I had seen (on par with more expensive modem-routers which cost over x2 of this combination).

[Donut417]

18 hours ago, DumboDodo said:

15MBPS

You have aDSL it looks like. DSL is distance limited. The further from the CO or remote box in the area the slower it goes. That doesn’t take in the account the condition of the phone lines on the poles. Bad lines can cause the interference from what I have read. So that might be the best the line can do. 

 

 

[moriel5]

14 minutes ago, Donut417 said:

You have aDSL it looks like. DSL is distance limited. The further from the CO or remote box in the area the slower it goes. That doesn’t take in the account the condition of the phone lines on the poles. Bad lines can cause the interference from what I have read. So that might be the best the line can do. 

 

 

That may be the case, but lets first make sure.

To bring an example, I know that our distance from the CO limits our maximum speed (had we payed for 100Mbt/s) to ~60-65Mbt/s, however we've had issues in the past year, that were not shared by our neighbors, sometimes limiting our speed to ~800Kbt/s (that's ~100KB/s), which after checking things (literally checking every single point on the line, except for the networking box itself), I think is due to something going haywire in our networking box (I was supposed to call someone today, but was unable to do so on time, so hopefully tomorrow).

[DumboDodo]

On 9/10/2019 at 6:35 PM, moriel5 said:

That may be the case, but lets first make sure.

To bring an example, I know that our distance from the CO limits our maximum speed (had we payed for 100Mbt/s) to ~60-65Mbt/s, however we've had issues in the past year, that were not shared by our neighbors, sometimes limiting our speed to ~800Kbt/s (that's ~100KB/s), which after checking things (literally checking every single point on the line, except for the networking box itself), I think is due to something going haywire in our networking box (I was supposed to call someone today, but was unable to do so on time, so hopefully tomorrow).

 

On 9/10/2019 at 6:16 PM, Donut417 said:

You have aDSL it looks like. DSL is distance limited. The further from the CO or remote box in the area the slower it goes. That doesn’t take in the account the condition of the phone lines on the poles. Bad lines can cause the interference from what I have read. So that might be the best the line can do. 

 

 

 

On 9/9/2019 at 11:58 PM, Firewrath9 said:

Are you using Wifi or ethernet?

Quick Update: I've updated to a VDSL router and the problem is still there. I know VDSL routers aren't supposed to just increase speeds the moments they're plugged, but I thought I'd get it just in case mine in fact has an issue. The problem has gotten worse and it's still gradually getting worse. The Line Rate is now 254KB Up 1024KB Down. About 1MB of download speed for over 8 wi0fi devices. Nice.

[Donut417]

1 minute ago, DumboDodo said:

 

 

Quick Update: I've updated to a VDSL router and the problem is still there. I know VDSL routers aren't supposed to just increase speeds the moments they're plugged, but I thought I'd get it just in case mine in fact has an issue. The problem has gotten worse and it's still gradually getting worse. The Line Rate is now 254KB Up 1024KB Down. About 1MB of download speed for over 8 wi0fi devices. Nice.

My guess is either you have a wiring issue in your home or your ISP has an issue on their network. All you can do is bitch at them. Depending on your provider and their focus you might find they are not as responsive as you would like. Verizon for instance has pretty much given up on DSL, they are letting their copper infrastructure rot. They dont care. This is because they are focused on Fiber areas, 4G and 5G services. 

 

Im not sure how to test DSL wiring. But if you can find a way to test your Inside wiring vs where the wiring hooks in to your home from the ISP, that might give you an idea where the issue is. On Cable internet we would just unhook the wiring coming from the pole and directly connect that to the modem. Not sure how everything is connected when it comes to DSL as our copper phone line to our house is nicely wrapped up and hanging on the nearest utility pole. We no longer can get service from AT&T (They dont want to upgrade our area) so we no longer have a phone line connected to the house. 

[DumboDodo]

13 hours ago, Donut417 said:

My guess is either you have a wiring issue in your home or your ISP has an issue on their network. All you can do is bitch at them. Depending on your provider and their focus you might find they are not as responsive as you would like. Verizon for instance has pretty much given up on DSL, they are letting their copper infrastructure rot. They dont care. This is because they are focused on Fiber areas, 4G and 5G services. 

 

Im not sure how to test DSL wiring. But if you can find a way to test your Inside wiring vs where the wiring hooks in to your home from the ISP, that might give you an idea where the issue is. On Cable internet we would just unhook the wiring coming from the pole and directly connect that to the modem. Not sure how everything is connected when it comes to DSL as our copper phone line to our house is nicely wrapped up and hanging on the nearest utility pole. We no longer can get service from AT&T (They dont want to upgrade our area) so we no longer have a phone line connected to the house. 

Yet another quick update : I've upgraded the wiring. I changed the cable that was connecting my apartment's line to the box of the building from the old tin cable to a new copper one because they told me doing that will most likely solve the problem (spoiler alert : it didn't). That did make a lot of improvements. The statistics and properties of the connection on my router page are all perfect now, except for literally the only thing that matters: The Actual Line Rate, which is the actual speed that I'm receiving. It's still at 1MB down 254KB up. I did all what I can, and the problem is still persistent. All stats on the router page are great. Even the attainable rate has increased to around 19000KB down and 2300KB up. Yet the main problem, which is that I'm receiving very little of the speed I'm supposed to receive, is still persistent. Logically, that would mean only one thing. The problem is technical, and obviously from their end. As you said, the only thing I can do now

is bitch at them. I'll go sicko mode as I do because I've had enough of this stupid ISP and its dumba$$ technicians that don't know how to say anything but 'rEsTart tHe r0uTer siR'

I'll also make a separate post about the issue with the new stats to hopefully get clearer and updated help. Thanks for all your help, buddy! Deeply appreciated!

 

 

[Alex Atkin UK]

I'd second that there definitely seem be a line problem there.  The noise margin should be something around 6dB, its what the attainable rate is basing things on.  All the statistics we can see would suggest you should be getting close to that attainable rate, if everything was fine on that line.  The interleaving values would also suggest its encountered some problems.

 

Since you replaced the cabling, could you perhaps try leaving the router turned off for 30 mins or so, just to see if it resets their end?  If the problem was your side, it might need time to see its been resolved, although admittedly I do agree its most likely a line problem on their end.