What download speed should I be getting?

[MickL]

For all you techies out there, can you give your verdicts on my current performance:


Connection Speed
Downstream 8096 kbps
Upstream 448 kbps

Line Attenuation
Downstream 15.5 db
Upstream 17.5 db

Noise Margin
Downstream 8.6 db
Upstream 22.0 db

Sky Package Connect

Distance from exchange 885m (straight line)


I've run a variety of speedtests, with the best one coming back at 3792 kbps download & 292 kbps upload.

I've run TCPOptimizer (was only getting 2600 kbps before).

Anyone any idea what speed I should expect given the details above?

[Saturday]

You have good downstream attenuation and your router is connected at the maximum for your package.

You should be able to get nearly twice the actual download speed you are getting. To see if your connection quality is degrading this try plugging your router directly into the test socket behind the front panel of your mastersocket.

Your router connection stats will stay unchanged so it's the speedtest you're interested in.

Use this site as a before and after as it's one of the most reliable in my experience:

http://www.speedtest.bbmax.co.uk/

[MickL]

.......You should be able to get nearly twice the actual download speed you are getting. To see if your connection quality is degrading this try plugging your router directly into the test socket behind the front panel of your mastersocket.

Thanks Saturday - I've got an old style mastersocket (it's around 2 inches square with only one socket - under the faceplate is nothing but wires!).

Out of the mastersocket, I've got a filter with my phone & router connected in the necessart sockets.

Would you suggest me replacing (or getting BT to replace) the mastersocket with a new style one (i.e. one with a test socket)?

It was with speedtest.bbmax that I've been getting my best speeds (in fact I've run the test 10 times since I made my original post & have had the following results - 3534, 3703, 3631, 3653, 3747, 3739, 3782, 3773, 3785, 3427).

Cheers

[Saturday]

Difficult to say. Do you have any extensions elsewhere in the house which are running off this socket? If so unplug any phones and your Sky TV box(s) and try again. If you get better speeds then it may be worth investing in an upgraded mastersocket. You are on Connect though so you are at the mercy of BT line congestion. It seems sometimes 3-4 meg is as good as you get.

Your options are to pay BT (expect £150) or wire a new NTE5 into your existing mastersocket and then run everything in the house off this (~£20).

Of course if you were having intermittent voice problems - particularly if you noticed a crackly line when you jiggled the phone connection in your current socket (that's a hint) - and reported it as a fault to BT then the BT engineer that will come round may well fit a new socket for you for free, especially if you were nice to him/her.