My exchange states 21CN WBC status: Enabled. Faster BB for me?

1carminestocky · 10 March 2009 at 4:28PM

Total novice when it comes to the tech side of BB, but just checked my local exchange to see the above has been enabled. Am I right in assuming thsi means I can now get ADSL2 at my exchange? Or am i talking out of my backside?

TIA!

penrhyn · 10 March 2009 at 5:40PM

Depends on whether you are getting your broadband via BT wholesale, i.e from BT or a reseller.
If you are with an ISP who has their own equipment in the exchange, LLU, then it won't make any difference to you.
But as Mr Scott remarked, you can't change the laws of physics, i.e. a lot depends on the copper pair that runs from the exchange to your house.
I'm on ADSL2 with Sky, and with my line attenuation of around 45db, I can get a little over 8mbps.
You can check your own situation here:
http://www.skyuser.co.uk/adsl2_checker.php

1carminestocky · 10 March 2009 at 6:34PM

Thanks for that, Penrhyn. How embarrassing!

I'm also with Sky (on their Max product) and I am already apparently on ADSL2

. here's my stats from the Netgear router:

Down Up
SNR (dB): 9.3 12.5
Attn(dB): 44.5 32.0
Pwr(dBm): 0.0 12.6
Max(Kbps): 5240 708
Rate (Kbps): 4095 606

I am miles away from my local excahnge, hence 'only' 4mb?

penrhyn · 10 March 2009 at 7:40PM

You should be getting better than 4mbps, with a downstream attenuation of 44.5db.
Its possible that Sky have capped your speed due to instability/dropouts on your connection.
If possible try connecting your router to the master test socket as shown below.

If you get a faster sync then its possible that the extension wiring is causing the problem. The usual solution to this is the removal of the bell wire connection to pin 3 on the back of the faceplate.

These are good articles
http://www.dslzoneuk.net/socket.php
http://www.kitz.co.uk/adsl/socket.htm

When posting your stats if you scroll down to the bottom of the routers homescreen and click on show statistics you get a nice table like this one.
Netgear08_ShowStats%281%29.png

I'm assuming a Netgear router.
Hope this helps.

penrhyn · 27 March 2009 at 12:45PM

Hi, did you manage to get any improvement?

old_codger1 · 27 March 2009 at 3:59PM

1carminestocky wrote: »

I am miles away from my local excahnge, hence 'only' 4mb?

4MB??? I dream of getting 4Mb.:mad:

Bandwidth (Up/Down) [kbps/kbps]:832 / 2,816
Data Transferred (Sent/Received) [KB/KB]:3.00 / 11.00
Output Power (Up/Down) [dBm]:11.5 / 17.5
Line Attenuation (Up/Down) [dB]:31.0 / 51.0
SN Margin (Up/Down) [dB]:7.0 / 12.5

I've just tried a couple of ADSL speed tests and I'm actually getting slightly over 1Mb atm. Yesterday I managed to get 2.3Mb and that's about the best I ever get.

I'm on Tiscali

penrhyn · 27 March 2009 at 4:08PM

Have you tried your test socket as above.
Your stats are a bit mangled but it looks like your noise margin is poor at 7db.

old_codger1 · 27 March 2009 at 5:21PM

penrhyn wrote: »

Have you tried your test socket as above.
Your stats are a bit mangled but it looks like your noise margin is poor at 7db.

I've got an idea I've done that before but I'll try it again a bit later this evening.

Thx

old_codger1 · 28 March 2009 at 3:36PM

old_codger1 wrote: »

I've got an idea I've done that before but I'll try it again a bit later this evening.

Thx

OK! Tried again, first with connections as usual, then plugged in direct, then back same as before.

Normal.

Bandwidth (Up/Down) [kbps/kbps]: 832 / 2,816
Output Power (Up/Down) [dBm]: 11.5 / 17.5
Line Attenuation (Up/Down) [dB]: 31.0 / 51.0
SN Margin (Up/Down) [dB]: 7.0 / 11.0

Plugged direct

Bandwidth (Up/Down) [kbps/kbps]: 832 / 3,744
Output Power (Up/Down) [dBm]: 11.5 / 19.0
Line Attenuation (Up/Down) [dB]: 31.0 / 51.0
SN Margin (Up/Down) [dB]: 8.0 / 13.5

Back to normal.

Bandwidth (Up/Down) [kbps/kbps]: 832 / 2,848
Output Power (Up/Down) [dBm]: 11.5 / 17.5
Line Attenuation (Up/Down) [dB]: 31.0 / 51.0
SN Margin (Up/Down) [dB]: 8.0 / 12.5

The S/N seems to have improved, (albeit not to same level as plugged in direct), by unplugging and plugging back in again, even with same setup. Having said that the d/l speed has dropped from 3.7mb to 2.8mb. My actual download speed at http://www.speedtest.net/ has dropped from 3.01mb to 2.48mb but that's better than it was yesterday when it struggled to get 1.02mb

The problem is we've only got a single phone with it plugged in direct so it's not a practical option.

Still, interesting stuff

penrhyn · 28 March 2009 at 3:45PM

There is something very odd about your router stats as I would expect the noise margin to be worse( a smaller number) for downstream than for upstream.
If there are any extensions wires to the back of the master faceplate remove any connection to pin 3 (the bell wire). This should maintain the improvement you get from the test socket.
Other than that its possible that your ISP has capped your speed, you will have to take this up with them.

old_codger1 · 29 March 2009 at 3:56PM

I'm 1.29 miles away from the exchange according to a website I found following the sites listed in this thread. I tend to think tiscali are messing with my speed because I sent them a complaint and my speed went up from the 1Mb it had dropped to up to the 2.5mb I'm getting now.

Having said that I'm back to 1.55mb today.

I've put tiscali on notice that I'm going to move to someone else if it doesn't improve. Even the 3mb is way below the 8mb I'm paying for.

I'll check the bell wire thingie you mention but, tbh, I think I've already been through this loop before. I'm pretty sure it's not connected.

My exchange states 21CN WBC status: Enabled. Faster BB for me?

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