Problems connecting with o2 Broadband

Legacy_user

Hi, I am on o2 broadband and use an extension lead from the main phone line to the broadband box (as my PC is other end of the room).

Only over the last month I've had problems getting onto the internet at all during the evenings, do not get this problem during the day around 3pm-5pm..

o2 have said that using the extension has cut my speed in half from 6kb to 3kb and this is the reason much of the time in the evenings I am unable to connect to the internet at all.

They've suggested I buy a USB Wireless Adaptor for approx £15-£20 instead of using the extention lead.. Does this sound correct? I never had these problems with my previous broadband provider and it only seems to have been bad during the last month or so... I am wondering whether there are too many people using it?? Anyone else had a similar experience please?

Leopard

They're being disingenuous (to put it politely).

We use a (thick, shielded) telephone cable, five metres long, between the splitter at the master socket and our modem router. (So that we can reach our modem router, when necessary.) It has no problem passing (in excess of) 6 Mb/sec.

The reduction in your speed is being caused by O2 and/or BT sharing its broadband facility at your local exchange with too many other people.

That is why it only happens at certain (busy) periods. If the problem was caused by your own equipment and cabling it would not vary with the time of day.

O2's provision of "unlimited" broadband attracts subscribers who want to download huge amounts of data. This impacts negatively on less-intensive users of the same service.



PS. Please could you post in a larger font if you want people to read what you write.

Inactive

There are numerous reports of O2 overloading their systems with too many customers, I would find another ISP, if I were you.

System

Thanks for your replies, you are confirming what I already thought to be the case. I have never had a problem with using cabling when we were with Tiscali for many years before this.. I don't know whether to tell them I've got the adaptor they've suggested just so they look at the actual problem (will they have a way of telling I haven't?!)

Does anyone have recommendations of any other Broadband providers that are good - I don't know whether it's worth getting the Sky broadband which is free I think?

The o2 one is only costing me £2.50 a month - this offer will run out soon and go up but it's no good if I can't use the internet

p.s. will use bigger writing going forward...;)

macman

I would retest your line speed using the router plugged straight into the BT test socket behind the master socket faceplate (i.e. with no extension lead). Maybe borrow a laptop to do this if you don't want to move your PC. This will show if your line speed is due to internal wiring problems or o2's contention ratios.
Given that it's only happening in the evening, almost certainly the latter though.
However, cheap phone extension leads (i.e. the sort you can buy in the DIY sheds) do cause problems, as they lack proper shielding and are basically bell wire. Regardless of any other problems, you may find things improve with a properly wired extension socket using proper twisted pair cable.
Also worth changing your ADSL filters in turn, as they can go bad.

Leopard

Don't tell O2 you're using a wireless adaptor, whether you've got one or not.

If you haven't, that will become apparent when they ask you about details of it and tell you to do things to it.

More importantly, even if you do have one, it enables them to claim that your problem arises from a deficiency with it.

Always tell them that your modem is plugged directly into the ADSL splitter attached to (or within) your telephone Master Socket by a very short, shielded cable and that your computer is (now) attached to the modem by a very short Ethernet lead. This closes off to the maximum the degree to which they can claim that the fault lies within your own equipment.

Then stick resolutely to the argument that your broadband speed varies with the time of day, using the same set-up and with no variables at your end: so the problem has to lie with the signal your premises is receiving from them.

Don't let them fob you off: you're paying them for a service you aren't receiving from them.


As for alternative ISPs, Sky broadband is only free if your local telephone exchange has been "unbundled" to enable Sky to install its own equipment in it. Otherwise, add £10 a month to what Sky quotes initially and don't expect the same quality of service.

You need to do some research here and here to see what is actually available to you (and at what price) where you live.

The broadband tariff you are paying O2 at the moment suggests that your exchange is already unbundled to O2.

For BT-controlled telephone exchanges, PlusNet is (currently...) good.

Beware of the dangers in getting locked into long contracts or with deals that are linked to other services which you may wish to discontinue.

So far as I am aware, O2 contracts are for a minimum of 12 months, so the option of switching when your current offer runs out may not be readily available to you.

The problem with long contracts is that the ISP (like mobile 'phone companies) can - and frequently does - take the attitude that it can tell you to get stuffed until you are within one month of it finally expiring.

System

Thank you for your advice and help, you've all been really helpful (have clicked "thanks").

I will check but think it expires in a month or two..

The guy I spoke with yesterday said they could see that the connection had dropped at least 8 times in the last 24 hours, and I was out and about alot of the weekend so goes to show how shody it is..

When it started up it had such good feedback, can't believe how bad it's got so fast!

weegie.geek

If it's the extension causing it, your sync speed will have dropped. Test the router's sync speed both with and without the extension in place.

Being unable to connect at all points at a problem other than congestion. Congestion will slow you down. Routers should always be connected. There's more electrical interference at night, so perhaps the added electrical interference, along with the longer, unshielded extension, IS causing the dropouts and speed problems.

I'd stay wired, but use a long ethernet cable, and as short a cable between filter and router as possible. Having phone extensions in the house can wreck sync speeds.

O2/Be are having congestion problems in places though, right enough. Up here I've not noticed it, but for some people near Bristol, speeds have been awful at times.

In any case, always check sync speed, not actual download speeds. If the sync speeds are the same during the day when it's fast and at night when it's slow, and the other statistics (loss of sync etc) are stable, then it's a problem with congestion, more than likely.

If you can get into the stats page, using the details at this link (I think - not on O2 so can't check) and post the details here I'll be able to tell you a bit more about what the problem might be.

System

Thank you for the link and tips, I am unable to get onto the internet at all at the moment so I can't do this just yet can I? I'm assuming I have to do this from the o2 connected home PC?

weegie.geek

Nope, that link is for a page in the configuration of your router. You can access it whether you can access the internet or not.

edit: here's the info just in case you can't access the O2 site.

Click on the following router config link:

http://192.168.1.254/cgi/b/dsl/dt/?be=0&l0=1&l1=0

Login = "SuperUser"
Password = "O2Br0adb64nd"

Bold = Capital
Red = Number

Password and username without quotes.

System

Thank you weegie.geek
will try this...