COMPUTERS, THE AGONY AND THE ECSTASY

[Tizer]

It's working for me. The first thing I noticed as different was those icons on the Active Topics list page. There's also a general tweaking of the appearance, perhaps fonts slightly smaller. I think there are more icons above the text box in the Post a Reply page.

[PanBiker]

The post editor has been upgraded to the latest version. Not noticed any increase in the number of icons though, they basically look the same to me.

[PanBiker]

On a domestic computing matter, I am going to have to ring Talk Talk as my VDSL2 bandwidth has dropped to 15mbps, should be 39mbps. Fairly certain that it's a line fault there is a lot of noise and rustling on the line. Need to reconnect the router and the phone back to the test socket behind the VDSL2 faceplate first to fully confirm though.

[plaques]

Ian, you may remember in my recent broadband problems the engineer came and fitted a intermediate plate in the master box. At the same time he re-connected some of the wiring. This then left us with a two port master box. One port for the broadband and a separate one for the telephones. All the micro filters to the telephones were redundant and were removed. But prior to all this I was asked to remove the front plate and plug the router directly into the test socket which incidentally gave the same low speed that I was complaining about. Fortunately before we had got to the engineer bit I found that Mrs P had swapped one of the telephones round but left the filter off. Worth checking your filters with a spare just to make sure.
Putting all this to one side about two years ago I had a lot of noise on the telephone which turned out to be tree branches chaffing on the line and exposing the core to the rain. A new section of cable did the trick.

[PanBiker]

I fitted a VDSL2 faceplate myself to the original Master back box just before I upgraded to fibre. This is perfectly legal as it plugs into the test socket in the back box of the original master socket. Anything the other side is the users responsibility. Main reason was to extend in higher grade cable (CW1308) and place another VDSL Master where I wanted it rather than where BT installed the master when it only carried analogue traffic. You fit an intermediate extension plate between the Master backbox and the new faceplate. This has connections to extend with new cable to anywhere that is more convenient for the router. In my case directly under the computer in the alcove that we use for the main machine and printer. I have two VDSL Masters now, one used basically to enable the extension and the other where we plug the router and landline phone in. All VDSL faceplates have dual ports on the front one for the digital component of the signal and one filtered for the telephone. I was on standard ADSL when I fitted the new extension and simply by replacing a bog standard 5M plug in extension with a hard wired link in CW1308 internal cable gained me 2Mbps in speed. I then upgraded to 39Mbps fibre and normally get the full speed. All filters dumped at the same time, no longer required on the VDSL side of the line, built in for the phone side.

I documented this upgrade in this thread when I did it, here: VDSL extension upgrade

After two pole hops (one half way down the backstreet and one at the bottom), there is a multiplex cable that also runs through the trees along Commercial Street which eventually get back to one of the street cabinets. It's about 8 years since I last had a problem and it was this link that failed last time.

[Stanley]

Just checked my speed Ian, I have almost 39 down and over 9 up so normal. Same goes for site experience, all as usual. So your original speed is out there Ian, you need to get them to restore it. Best of luck.

[Stanley]

Just a boring nil return as to site behaviour. Perfectly normal and I hope others are getting the same benefit.

[Tizer]

Both of our Ubuntu PCs received updates in the last couple of days that took a very long time. As well as a routine security update they deleted large numbers of old Ubuntu `headers' and files. It's about time too - I never understood why they let them accumulate instead of leaving just the most recent.

[PanBiker]

Well, just had an interesting half hour with Talk Talk technical. I first tried the online chat option and got connected to an agent OK. After the normal who are you security checks I did manage to get my fault symptoms passed over and suggested a faulty line. Waited a bit and got no reply as the router was in the process of re-booting as it had dropped the line. I had previously connected it directly to the VDSL2 master so I was 100% sure it was a line fault rather than anything internal.

I noticed a freephone number on the website when it came back up so rang that from my landline. Got a bloke, (missed his name) but I could understand 95% of what he was saying which was a bonus. Related my fault symptoms again and he took my mobile number and rang me back on that in case the line dropped again. He ran a line test through our exchange which took about 10 minutes, then announced that I was correct in my assumption of failure in the copper somewhere between my house and the fibre cabinet. I told him that the multi-pair cable that runs through the trees on Commercial Street would be my Usual Suspect. He has booked a ticket with an outside engineer (Open Reach) to resolve the problem. Should be actioned within the next three days. Reasonably painless exercise with front line level 1 support, last time you had to get to level 2 at least to get them to call the network owners. I have noticed a couple of OR vans in the area over the last couple of days. Maybe someone else has logged the fault for their system or land line, the noise and rustling on the line is quite apparent when the fault is there, chaffed cable maybe with water ingress. The trees are on the banking at the bottom of Bessie St and Pleasant View. I have always thought it strange that they would run the multi-pair cable through the trees without cutting back odd branches to allow a free run. Failure waiting to happen as it has already done in the past.

[Wendyf]

Our landline failed on Monday afternoon. Col knew the cause immediately, a new access track to a farm between us and the pub at Black Lane Ends is being made and on Monday morning a cattle grid was being installed by the road. The phone cable runs underground beside the road.......
It could be a while before service is resumed!

[Stanley]

Tiz, I had the update removal as well a few days ago.
Ian and Wendy, hope your connections get mended soon.
I note that my email connection is down again, it happens occasionally. Always says it is password failure, always establishes again later. A pain but I shall just leave it heal itself and ask Margaret in Oz to send my 'not dead behind the door' mail to the kids so they don't worry about me.

[Tizer]

I have always thought it strange that they would run the multi-pair cable through the trees without cutting back odd branches to allow a free run. Failure waiting to happen as it has already done in the past.

That reminds me of the run in I had with BT in the village when I warned them of tree branches along our lane that were resting on the phone lines and would break them when we had high winds. Their reply was their policy now is to only come out once a line has failed. This seems to be a common attitude now.

[PanBiker]

Not been out yet today so not noticed any Open Reach activity in the area but my broadband speed is back where it should be, 39mbps down and 7mbps up. Might be jumping the gun but it's not been there for nearly a week.

[Gloria]

Crikey how bad is ours then? 1.81 down and 0.33 up.

[PanBiker]

Received a text from Talk Talk at teatime to confirm that they believe that the issue I reported has been resolved. Ticket obviously been reported back by OR as sorted. Maximum download shows as 59mbps available. 39mbps is where my router is throttled.

[PanBiker]

Crikey how bad is ours then? 1.81 down and 0.33 up.

That is a bit dire in this day and age Gloria. I take it it is down to you location from the exchange, no access to fibre I assume?

We got 17mbps on the copper network alone in Barlick.

[Wendyf]

We get a wireless connection through Boundless Gloria, it looks as if they have coverage in your area and it's well worth checking out.
http://www.boundlessnetworks.co.uk

[Big Kev]

We got 17mbps on the copper network alone in Barlick.

Same here and still do, until fibre is offered cheaper than ADSL I'll stick with it.

[Pluggy]

We got 17mbps on the copper network alone in Barlick.

Same here and still do, until fibre is offered cheaper than ADSL I'll stick with it.

And me.

[Stanley]

Gloria, that's not much better than the old dial-up! Hard luck.

[plaques]

Crikey how bad is ours then? 1.81 down and 0.33 up

Gloria, which supplier are you with. We have always been with TalkTalk. and for about three years and got about 6.7Mb on down load which was good enough for normal viewing. Then out of the blue we got an email saying our speed was slow and had we considered their new low priced faster fibre offer. I checked the speed it was down to 2.7Mb. What a coincidence how the two events came together. Its a good job I'm not of a suspicious nature but I still find it a bit strange.

[Stanley]

I would have had exactly the same suspicion P. These providers are cunning little beggars!

[Tizer]

...Maximum download shows as 59mbps available. 39mbps is where my router is throttled.

That's what we get with Plusnet and we have the throttle too because it's cheaper and we don't need faster.

[Stanley]

Same here Tiz, I am perfectly satisfied with what I have.....

[Gloria]

We are with EE, have been for ever when it was Orange. Never been good here but doesn't really affect us as we don't down load music or films.
We pay £26 a month for wifi and unlimited anytime phone calls.