Off Topic Broadband Speeds

[Willson]

Thanks for the advice. With the cost of an improved router being somewhat ‘costly’ I certainly intend to research all other avenues; including speaking with the KCOMs.

As stated in previous posts, I’ve put devices slap bang next to the router, and its yield has still been rather slim - so I can't imagine that the problem is positional.

Do you have any troubleshoot suggestions that would be prime to investigate? I did fanny about with the channels a while back, which didn't make a difference.

Unless you did a thorough check testing every channel then I would say it is almost certain that's your problem. The channel issue is basically when other routers in your area are competing with your router for the wireless channel, causing the signal to be reduced. If you move your router to a free channel the issue is resolved.

 

[Leon...]

Unless you did a thorough check testing every channel then I would say it is almost certain that's your problem. The channel issue is basically when other routers in your area are competing with your router for the wireless channel, causing the signal to be reduced. If you move your router to a free channel the issue is resolved.

Cheers Willson. Thinking on, it's well possible that I didn't try out every possibility so, when I get time, I'll try that again.

Thanks

 

[askewshair]

I am paying for Lightspeed. Not sure it has made a lot of difference. I've just run a check (I turned off other devices in the house).


Testing upload...
8.33 Mbps
download
15.2 Mbps
upload
Latency: 88 ms

Going by some of the speeds some on here are getting, should I be on their backs? That's in Anlaby if it makes any difference.
I spent a lot of yesterday re installing Kodi to improve performance (struggling with sports channels, but that's for another thread), it hasn't made any difference.

 

[PLT]

I am paying for Lightspeed. Not sure it has made a lot of difference. I've just run a check (I turned off other devices in the house).


Testing upload...
8.33 Mbps
download
15.2 Mbps
upload
Latency: 88 ms

Going by some of the speeds some on here are getting, should I be on their backs? That's in Anlaby if it makes any difference.
I spent a lot of yesterday re installing Kodi to improve performance (struggling with sports channels, but that's for another thread), it hasn't made any difference.

Yeah, that download speed is nowhere near what you should be getting if you're on Lightstream. Give them a call about it. It'll be a simple fix.

 

[onceatiger]

I think that you only need to go over to other IP's chat rooms and you are confronted by much the same grumbles as people have with KCom, Talk Talk are just that to a lot of their customers, just talk. And whilst the main grumble in this area is lack of choice, those in other areas of the country that have choice are not always happy with their alternative choices so back to square one.

Exactly - choice is often ' which provider is marginally less crap than the others' Don't for one minute think that everywhere in the rest of the country is getting fantastic broadband speeds cos they ain't!!

 

[bashdabish]

Thanks for the advice. With the cost of an improved router being somewhat ‘costly’ I certainly intend to research all other avenues; including speaking with the KCOMs.

As stated in previous posts, I’ve put devices slap bang next to the router, and its yield has still been rather slim - so I can't imagine that the problem is positional.

Do you have any troubleshoot suggestions that would be prime to investigate? I did fanny about with the channels a while back, which didn't make a difference.

Are you on the 5Ghz wireless? To have half a chance of getting anywhere near full speed you have to use 5Ghz. Laptops/PC's can be easily upgraded with a £10 USB adapter, most newish mobile phones already have it.

 

[askewshair]

Yeah, that download speed is nowhere near what you should be getting if you're on Lightstream. Give them a call about it. It'll be a simple fix.

Thanks PLT

 

[askewshair]

Yeah, that download speed is nowhere near what you should be getting if you're on Lightstream. Give them a call about it. It'll be a simple fix.

Seems I'm not using 5G and that my laptop doesn't support it. Reading up, it seems the quickest way is via Badabish's adapter? Is this called a 5G adapter then?
Is there anyway Amazon firesticks can run at 5G

 

[PLT]

Seems I'm not using 5G and that my laptop doesn't support it. Reading up, it seems the quickest way is via Badabish's adapter? Is this called a 5G adapter then?
Is there anyway Amazon firesticks can run at 5G

I think Bashdabish's advice was for Leon. Based on your speeds there has to be something more at play. Even at the standard 2.4GHz you vcan get way higher download speeds than what you posted.

Yours might not be a wireless problem at all. Do you get speeds any better when plugged in?

 

[askewshair]

I think Bashdabish's advice was for Leon. Based on your speeds there has to be something more at play. Even at the standard 2.4GHz you vcan get way higher download speeds than what you posted.

Yours might not be a wireless problem at all. Do you get speeds any better when plugged in?

Ok cheers. I'll check later (need to dig out a lead). The lad at Kcom just said that's what you get with wireless (though did say 5 G would increase it).
I always wondered if its because I use my laptop (and Kodi) a long way from the router with lots of walls inbetween. Have been too lazy to investigate, but I'm on one now.
Seaside beckons for now though (Mrs A is insisting)

 

[Leon...]

Are you on the 5Ghz wireless? To have half a chance of getting anywhere near full speed you have to use 5Ghz. Laptops/PC's can be easily upgraded with a £10 USB adapter, most newish mobile phones already have it.

Thanks 'bish'.

There's been a lot of kind advice on this thread, thanks to everybody. Will have to go through the suggestions when I get a bit of time to.

 

[Willson]

Are you on the 5Ghz wireless? To have half a chance of getting anywhere near full speed you have to use 5Ghz. Laptops/PC's can be easily upgraded with a £10 USB adapter, most newish mobile phones already have it.

Not true, just find an empty channel and you'll be fine. Odds of finding one are better on 5Ghz though.

 

[BillyBobBallbag]

Just got sure fitted, test was between 13.5 and 18mbps, fine for streaming, only £25 a month unlimited.
That's a hell of a lot better than kcoms normal bb in my area (no light stream available but they wanted to charge the same for standard **** I didn't transfer)

 

[PLT]

Not true, just find an empty channel and you'll be fine. Odds of finding one are better on 5Ghz though.

Bish knows what he's on about and what he says is true. Locating the exact cause of any issue is trial and error though. All these things being discussed are possibilities. It needs a systematic troubleshooting process to pinpoint, which is why I advocate giving KCOM a call.

When I worked there, people used to get a bit irritated sometimes about being asked to check various different things, but it's the only way to find out for definite what's wrong and fix it. It's very rare that it's just something at the provider's end to fix.

 

[C'mon ref]

Bish knows what he's on about and what he says is true. Locating the exact cause of any issue is trial and error though. All these things being discussed are possibilities. It needs a systematic troubleshooting process to pinpoint, which is why I advocate giving KCOM a call.

When I worked there, people used to get a bit irritated sometimes about being asked to check various different things, but it's the only way to find out for definite what's wrong and fix it. It's very rare that it's just something at the provider's end to fix.

I understand what you are saying PLT but unless you have encountered Dell's so called helpline then dealing with KCom is childs play, you pay for a technician to call at your premises but Dell with do anything to avoid such a condition even though you have paid for it.

 

[bobby ace]

My internet regularly drops out when it rains heavily, both at home and at my office.

You'd expect that in this day and age, the service would be able to cope with a bit of rain.

Though it's not just KCOM, we occasionally have power cuts when it rains as well.

several hundred miles away in London, with a decent Virgin fibre service, my bb slows down when it rains also. anyone care to explain how rain affects bb speeds?

 

[bashdabish]

Not true, just find an empty channel and you'll be fine. Odds of finding one are better on 5Ghz though.

No mate, it's very true

https://www.speedguide.net/faq/what-is-the-actual-real-life-speed-of-wireless-374

To save any confusion and reading through the link here is the true wireless speeds you would expect, wireless n 2.4ghz highlighted in bold

Below is a breakdown of actual real-life average speeds you can expect from wireless routers within a reasonable distance, with low interference and small number of simultaneous clients:
802.11b - 2-3 Mbps downstream, up to 5-6 Mbps with some vendor-specific extensions.
802.11g - ~20 Mbps downstream
802.11n - 40-50 Mbps typical, varying greatly depending on configuration, whether it is mixed or N-only network, the number of bonded channels, etc. Specifying a channel, and using 40MHz channels can help achieve 70-80Mbps with some newer routers. Up to 100 Mbps achievable with more expensive commercial equipment with 8x8 arrays, gigabit ports, etc.
802.11ac - 70-100+ Mbps typical, higher speeds (200+ Mbps) possible over short distances without many obstacles, with newer generation 802.11ac routers, and client adapters capable of multiple streams.

 

[bobby ace]

Exactly - choice is often ' which provider is marginally less crap than the others' Don't for one minute think that everywhere in the rest of the country is getting fantastic broadband speeds cos they ain't!!

I have an office in W1 (just off Oxford Circus) and the broadband speeds there are woeful - especially for uploading. Reason is, BT have a monopoly in the area and they're not keen on spending the money it would take to dig up the road and install fibre optics. Twats.

 

[bashdabish]

several hundred miles away in London, with a decent Virgin fibre service, my bb slows down when it rains also. anyone care to explain how rain affects bb speeds?

Two spring to mind

1. Some fibre services are still delivered over copper for the 'last mile' as they call it. In these situations water can ingress into copper joints on any weak parts of the network. This causes a reduction in sync speed until the joint dries out. Over time this will turn into a noisy line and sync speed will reduce permanently until resolved. If you are on true fibre all the way into your home then disregard this.
2. Rain means more people at home. More people at home means more congestion.

 

[AlRawdah]

several hundred miles away in London, with a decent Virgin fibre service, my bb slows down when it rains also. anyone care to explain how rain affects bb speeds?

It makes it wet.