Infinity Performance: Any clues or suggestions would be much appreciated

[johntclinton]

OK. I am a longstanding broadband customer who upgraded to 80mb Infinity several weeks ago. Initial performance was not fantastic and did not settle down as indicated. Line tests show no problems, and I am happy to concede that line testing shows a high quality service is being delivered to my hub. Speed testing on a Windows 7 Netbook (BT Wholesale and speedtest.net) confirms almost full speed.

That's the good news. My main computers are still running XP, and that's where most issues arise. Initial performance on XP was no better than 15mb download speed. Not quite what I expected...especially compared to the W7 computer.

Based on the research I was able to do, I tried a number of things, such as:-

• upgraded NIC drivers to latest available version
• optimised TCP/IP (TCP Optimiser, DSL Reports Tweak Tester and DrTCP)
• patched tspip.sys to increase the # of open connections from 10 to 256 (megaleecher)
• set flash player to run in protected mode in Firefox
• tweaked firefox settings for broadband performance (according to speedguide.net)

This resulted in a huge improvement in performance as measured by speedtest.net (tested regularly throughout the day on a directly connected laptop with no other applications running) with download speed dropping to 61mb on only one occasion, and usually in the 69 - 75 range) and corresponding improvements in upload speed. I tested to a local service in the UK, and also to a server in Germany, seeing no major discrepancies.

That would all be fantastic if it wasn't for results from BT Wholesale Speedtester.

Running immediately after the speedtest tests, this produced an entirely different picture, and one that I am at a loss to explain.

According to the BT Wholesale Speedtester:-

• performance was relatively poor and highly variable
• download speeds: 28 - 38 mb
• upload speeds: 7.1 - 9.6 (one outlier of 14.7)
• ping latency: 29.8 - 51.3

Not exactly comparable to speedtest.net

For the record, I also tried different browsers (IE, Chrome) but that made little difference.

The BT Business Helpdesk are unable to explain the differences or suggest where I go next, and I am at a bit of a loss. How am I supposed to interpret these results, especially in comparison the those from speedtest.net ?

There are many possible explanations here, and I am not ruling any out or in. I am just very surprised by the comparative results (eg the BT ping test range of 29.8 - 51.3 compared to speedtest's 16 - 31) never mind the upload and download speeds.

So if you have any insights, similar experiences or suggestions of things I should do next I will be more than grateful for them.

Many thanks !

[johntclinton]

Was able to do a quick test on BT followed by speedtest.net.

For BT, the upload speed showed just as slow as before (reported as 4.71). For speedtest.net it was showing send rate between 15 and 18 Mbps according to the bytes sent graph.

All of which makes me think this can not be 100% down to the PC on the end of the line.

[johntclinton]

Results from the thinkbroadband speedtester are here

http://www.thinkbroadband.com/speedtest/results.html?id=138010609505931319389

Seems to be telling a different story to the BT numbers ie good download and good upload speeds being achieved.

Which takes me back to one of my original questions: what exactly is the BT speedtester doing to produce such different results ?

[johntclinton]

No-one from BT wishes to comment on the apparent anomalies ?

[Robin30]

I have been a BT Business a/c holder for a number of years. Last week an engineer came to install BT Infinity which I hoped would improve the speed and efficiency of the web WiFi connection. Up until them the router was next to my computer (Apple iMac) in my study/office. Performance was okay but not always great elsewhere in the house thus the decision to go with Infinity - at extra cost!!

The engineer called on Wednesday 3rd Oct at the arranged time. Nice guy - and after discussion - I acknowledging his 'expertise' - he installed the router (I already had the latest version) by the front door at the main BT socket. I have internal tel extensions to a bedroom and my study/office. I was worried that this might pose a problem but he assured me that it probably be okay. He said - and this is odd - "I could put the router in one of the other rooms - e.g. the bedroom - but that would mean you couldn't also have a telephone line on the same socket". Well, that was no good to me - so I opted for the 'front door' approach.  

By the way I also expected a new up-to-date line into the house - the existing being many years old and probably installed around coronation year! It droops precariously around the front of the house. 

Once installed, the router seemed good - streaming fast and so on. We were both happy. However since then, the main in computer often freezes on emails and the internet (it is as I write this). Whilst working, speeds are good but I am advised not as good as they should or could be (best on Channel 11 - download speed appears to be around 14.42Mps and upload 9.3Mps.) I have also been told that this business of not being able to have 'phone line with the inlet box if moved to the bedroom is mystifying to nonsense. A more central position in the house seems to me (as a layman) a better option. Currently iPhones etc do not work web-wise at the top of hues along with my iMac. Equipment near the router like an iPad is fine.

Yesterday I spent over two hours on the telephone to BT folks trying to get this sorted out and some action taken. I spoke to eight separate people - being transferred one after the other. All were very pleasant, patient and polite but none actually able to do anything. It stated with Margaret on 0800 169 3809 - who did her best and she passed me on to the Fibre Optics folks who passed me on to Aaron who passed me on and so on until I ended up with Stephen. At each point I had to repeat the story and in some cases again give my name, a/c details etc. Some of these folks were (I think) sales staff - some not. Some were mystified as to why I'd been passed to them. In one case I was hanging on awaiting a chap to sort something out and I suddenly found myself transferred to someone else - neither of us knowing why! Glitch in the system I suspect. I simply wanted (and want) a re-visit from an engineer to put all this right. I was told during all this that my download speed should be around 60Mps! Some also said that I'd have to pay extra for a move on the box!

However, after more than two hours I was hungry for lunch and losing the will to live. Stephen said he would get it sorted and someone would call me to arrange for an engineer to call - and without charge. 

I await the call with baited breathe. 

As a business customer (or indeed any other customer) I should not have to suffer this kind treatment/inefficiency - no fault of the numerous members of staff - they were as exasperated as I was. There should be a 'one-stop' number that people can call to get this kind of matter resolved. Part of what I do is run courses and role-play precisely about these sorts of customer relations issues - a famous problem in the insurance industry (and others) which also often fail to coordinate. 

I am paying extra for this service and expect it to be all singing and all dancing to meet my needs. At preset I am worse off than I was before. If it cannot be resolved then it is better I revert to the status quo ante. 

This is only a summary of yesterday's nightmare.

[johntclinton]

Robin30,

You might be better to create your own thread rather than append to the one I had started - as my final observation to BT is being ignored...

I wouldn't want you to experience the same outcome.