Constant slow speeds for 3 years and getting worse... down to 45kb/s!

[TMessenger]

I've had a quick scan through the site for some info on this but unfortunately I can't find much to help. I've been with Sky Broadband for 3 years now and I've always had very slow speeds. Originally, from 2008 to late 2009, the download speed according to speedtest.net was around 180kb/s, however since late 2009 it is has been almost constantly falling and is now set at around 45kb/s. Considering I pay for a 20mb connection, this is unacceptable.

Here are the relevant stats taken from the test socket:

ADSL Link Downstream Upstream
Connection Speed 507 kbps 796 kbps
Line Attenuation 52 db 30 db
Noise Margin 11 db 9 db

If other information is required, please let me know. I've tried moving the router to different positions, opting for wired over wireless and all sorts, but to no avail. Has anybody got any tips or do I just have to live with a ridiculously slow "broadband" connection?

[Snicholls]

i had the exact same problem with sky the issue i think was at that time it was when the deal went through with BT to start allowing other providers to insert there Kit into BT Exchanges i chabnged to BT and it was fine back to sky now 18 Months later and again fine but a few things that helped me, you do need to phone sky, when with BT and speaking to various Engineers about the issue later on it could be down to a simple Network Card issue at the Echange end and simply unplugging and reinserting can cause the isseus to go away (sorry not something you can do unless you want to break in).

but i think the issue is external to your house, try the full cycle of factory resetting your router and starting a fresh testing the RJ11 Telephone cable with a Spare and different Microfilters if you do all this the issue is either the router or external to your Property. do the above at home then phone sky.

[User05]

Any noise or issues on your landline telephone?
How many telephone sockets do you use?
Is there a microfilter connected directly into each telephone socket in use, ensuring that nothing is before the filter?
Is the router connected to the master socket or an extension socket?
Are you using the short grey dsl cable that Sky provided, or running an extension telephone cable to the router?
Do you have Sky tv connected to any telephone sockets - if so, how is that connected to the socket?

[TMessenger]

Any noise or issues on your landline telephone?

The landline telephone works fine, in both the master socket and the extension socket which the Sky Router is connected to.

How many telephone sockets do you use?

We have 4 sockets in the house, but only 2 are in use: the master for the phone, and an extension for the router.

Is there a microfilter connected directly into each telephone socket in use, ensuring that nothing is before the filter?

Yup, all working fine.

Is the router connected to the master socket or an extension socket?

Extension socket, but I've tested the router in both the master and the test socket and I still get the exact same speeds regardless.

Are you using the short grey dsl cable that Sky provided, or running an extension telephone cable to the router?

I'm using everything which Sky provided.

Do you have Sky tv connected to any telephone sockets - if so, how is that connected to the socket?

We have Sky TV but it isn't connected to any telephone socket.

[User05]

Connect the router to the master socket and post up the stats. Looks like it has been capped to 512/800 for stability - likely noise from running it off the extension, so you won't see an increase in speed, but that's not what we're looking for at the moment.

[Isitme]

..and if you have a Test socket, try plugging in there. That will isolate all your extensions.
How to test your ADSL in the Master Test Socket

[TMessenger]

The stats I originally posted above were taken from the test socket.

ADSL Link Downstream Upstream
Connection Speed 507 kbps 796 kbps
Line Attenuation 52 db 30 db
Noise Margin 11 db 9 db

I've always found that running the router from the master or test socket doesn't result in an immediate, noticeable speed improvement.

[mcphailan.]

No way should you be "living with this" for the £7.50 (or more?) you pay a month !

With Stats like that I would personally be contacting Sky and threatening to cancel unless they can at least point you in the right direction for sorting it out. PS when I had similar problems I found their evening-time Technical Support to be very good, often UK based techies. And the guys here even better

I note you say the microfilter is "working fine" but have you proved that by trying another one just in case, as Mr/Ms Nicholls suggested?

[Broosta]

With my limited experience with these matters I would say it looks like you've been capped at your current speed but this means they could increase your connection a bit. Don't know by how much but you could get an improvement if you call sky.

[Isitme]

The stats I originally posted above were taken from the test socket.

ADSL Link Downstream Upstream
Connection Speed 507 kbps 796 kbps
Line Attenuation 52 db 30 db
Noise Margin 11 db 9 db

I've always found that running the router from the master or test socket doesn't result in an immediate, noticeable speed improvement.

Sorry, I did not notice you said they were from the Test socket. That being the case, there is either a bad fault on your line, at the exchange or with your router. If you do have the DG834GT there is a chance that it is failing. If you have another router, plug it in and see what the sync/noise margin is, it does not have to be a Sky router to get these details.
As mentioned you seem to have some noise margin in hand, but not enough to give you much more speed. If you try another router, and it reports the same, call Sky and ask them to check your line and exchange connection. If they say it is OK, ask them to try your line on G.DMT(ADSL1) this may give you a bit more. With your attenuation an average line should get 5-6Mb.

Incidentally, the test socket will nearly always give a better result, especially if you have hard wired extensions. That is why we ask for it to be tested, we would not just waste peoples time just for the hell of it.