"Don't unplug your router" says BT Engineer

chunter

For those of you subscribing to 8Mb broadband services.
Talking to a BT Engineer today, he informed me that if you have a "max-circuit" (ie subscribing to 8Mb broadband services), you should NOT switch your router off.
WHY? Because apparently it takes days or weeks for the line to build up its broadband speed again!
Where did this come from? Dunno, but he swears it's true.

He also happened to mention that BT engineers use Netgear routers when they want a stronger adsl signal (when's there's a lot of noise on the line).
Shows the quality of their own fancy boxes - especially when you're out in the sticks !!!

isofa

Perhaps he failed to mention the problems with some chipsets (including these found in Netgear routers) with BT ADSL services.
The initial "max" connection speed negotiation usually takes place during the first few days of a new connection.

Zen for instance recommend against using Netgear products and connections are as stable on their BT ADSL product as when using Speedtouch routers. The problem lies in the chipsets used.

All routers have various settings to tweak and improve the connection, most found in the advanced tabs of their internal homepages. Good ISPs can also tweak settings their side / exchange side to improve settings, some even offer this via portal webpages.

I turn my router off every night, and have done so for the past 2-3 years, and still I get a 5.5 to 6Mb connection on ADSL Max every day via Zen...

DatabaseError

turning the router on/off repeatedly can be a problem, the dslam could read it as a line fault, and change profile accordingly. just turning off overnight is not a problem.
some netgear routers are pretty good over long lines, especially if using 'interesting' firmware, my basic adsl modem experience is dlink 604t (rubbish), netgear 834GT (pretty good, kept as a spare) 2wire 2700HGV (superb)

isofa

Ihteresting articles re the AR7 chipset here: http://www.thinkbroadband.com/news/3257-dsl-modem-chipset-issue-comes-to-the-fore.html

samhale

Homehub's are dirt cheap on eBay second hand, I got mine for £5.50 inc postage.

And in the new version, instead of making it more stable, they just installed a reset button

frivolous_fay

Yep, with ours, if we lose power (or some upgrade causes it to reset) we have to wait a few days for the connection to settle.
Then if it settles at a speed which we think is unacceptable, we reset it AGAIN and repeat until the speed is stable and tolerable :rolleyes:

Something about BT deciding how fast to make your connection based on the speeds it's achieved in the last few days...?

I'm sure I've made a shocking botch of describing what really happens but you get the gist I hope!

DatabaseError

samhale wrote: »

Homehub's are dirt cheap on eBay second hand, I got mine for £5.50 inc postage.

And in the new version, instead of making it more stable, they just installed a reset button

if that's a reference to mine, it's a business hub, totally different (and vastly superior )

Sam_G_3

When you first get broadband you should turn the router off every night for the first 7-10 days so that your service can calculate an acceptable DSL sync speed. After that it makes no difference if you leave it on 24/7 or turn it off every night (which is what I do).