Broadband Speeds - why the variation?

dav964

Hello,

I've just been chasing Talk Talk customer services about my broadband speed. Following some changes at their end, my download speed has increased from 2.92Mbps to 3.26Mbps - an increase of 11%.

For my two immediate neighbours, one is on Orange at 1.95Mbps and the other is on AOL for 4.77Mbps. We're all running comparable equipment.

Any ideas why such a big difference? None of us is on a premium package, but I would have thought that our speeds would be similar.

I'm also a tad disappointed that other people seem to be getting much higher download speeds that I get - here in the heart of the so-called high tech Thames Valley.

macman

Different lines, different extension wiring internally, different wireless set-ups, routers, ADSL filters..
You cannot expect exactly the same speeds as your neighbours with this many variables.
The best way of testing in this fashion would require you all to use ethernet from the BT test socket-that would rule out wireless issues or dodgy extension wiring or equipment. But you still wouldn't all get identical speeds.
The main limiting factor on speed on ADSL connections is still the distance from the exchange though.

penrhyn

Lots of factors can affect the speed of your connection, assuming lines of a similar length then internal wiring can cause problems.
You need to obtain the router line statistics from your neighbours and yourself before any definitive answer could be proposed.

http://www.kitz.co.uk/adsl/frogstats.php

dav964

I shall investigate our router stats... Am I right in assuming that SNR and Attenuation are the two that I need to be interested in or are there others?

penrhyn

Indeed they are along with the download and upload speeds.