BT Business Broadband Problems

[Snowgoat]

We're having continuing problems with our BT Broadband service. Normally 6Mb or so, as the day progresses the service deteriorates and it grinds almost to a halt, and often we only get access to Gmail (or another Google product) before service totally vanishes . BT are investigating but there don't appear to be reported problems at their end.

Using Gmail and Chrome we got this message today: We have detected a problem......if you are using a supported browser (I assume Chrome is OK with Gmail) we suggest alterting your Internet Service Provider that a proxy is failing to accept cookies on HTTP redirects.

Didn't mean anything to me, nor to BT Tech Support (nothing to do with us, mate).

Any suggestions? Or anyone else having a similar problem? It's browser independent, and testing using an XPPro desktop hard-wired into the router (i.e. not downstream on the network) and all hardware rebooted etc. We've also disabled BT's OpenZone 'feature'. We're on our 4th BT Business Hub. Previous service with Zen was impeccable for years.

[neil277]

Hi
Make sure that someone like your neighbours are not tapping into your computer, the same happened to me called talktalk and was told because i downloaded sp2 it allowed them to use my talktalk.

The computer will move very slow.

Thanks

Neil

[Snowgoat]

Thanks, Neil.

Yes, thanks. We've removed BT OpenZone (actually the range is so weak they would have to camp out on our doorstep to use it) and we've got a Wireless Access Point downstream with good security and have tried removing it, but on/off makes no difference.

In fact, all our testing is done with the network disconnected and just one desktop into the BT Hub.

Unrelated we have an ongoing problem with Chrome, but that needs another thread.

[mit74]

To eliminate hardware first thing I'd do is replace the router or modem and test with another one. Also use more than one computer to elimanate the possibility of viruses. I think if you did this and you still had problems you would be prety sure it was a fault with their lines.

[neil277]

Hi
At the moment i use a dongal its fine in the end i brought a new computer everything is fine looking for a new provider inn three months.

Thanks

Neil

[heathcote123]

We're having continuing problems with our BT Broadband service. Normally 6Mb or so, as the day progresses the service deteriorates and it grinds almost to a halt, and often we only get access to Gmail (or another Google product) before service totally vanishes . BT are investigating but there don't appear to be reported problems at their end.

Using Gmail and Chrome we got this message today: We have detected a problem......if you are using a supported browser (I assume Chrome is OK with Gmail) we suggest alterting your Internet Service Provider that a proxy is failing to accept cookies on HTTP redirects.

Didn't mean anything to me, nor to BT Tech Support (nothing to do with us, mate).

Any suggestions? Or anyone else having a similar problem? It's browser independent, and testing using an XPPro desktop hard-wired into the router (i.e. not downstream on the network) and all hardware rebooted etc. We've also disabled BT's OpenZone 'feature'. We're on our 4th BT Business Hub. Previous service with Zen was impeccable for years.

First thing I'd try (when the problem is apparent) would be to isolate the router & your desktop by unplugging everything else downstream from the router (not sure from your statement whether you have actually disconnected everything else) - as it could be a machine on the network flooding the connection with data (does it occur when any particular machine is turned on.. virus, file sharing app etc?) - a decent router will give you stats on this, but I think it will be a case of isolating it with a BT freebie. (it's well worth spending some money on a decent router)

Worth popping off the BT faceplate as well, and pluggin straight into the test socket, so rule out any internal wiring issues. - Do you have any extensions on this line that are unfiltered?

Also worth checking what plan you are on with BT - business services get a higher priority - if you're on a 'home' tariff it's not unusual for it to slow down noticeably at peak times - though probably not quite to the degree you are getting.

[Snowgoat]

Thanks, guys, much appreciated.

Mit74 – Good point - I will change the router and the hard-wired PC I’m using to test the system.

Heathcote123 – yes, everything on the network downstream of the router/PC has been disconnected. A couple of extension ‘phones on the broadband line, unfiltered, but I understood from BT that the filtering is done at the main socket for the ‘phone network, and individual filters are not required. I could try filters to see if it makes a difference. OK, will try without faceplate. We are on a Business plan.

There’s one extra factor – when using web-based applications (i.e. Gmail) input via the keyboard is very slow, and ‘hesitant’. I assume that’s a symptom of a slow connection?

Re hardware - the best equipment we've used is Level One, but it's not that easy to find in the UK.

[heathcote123]

re the filtering, I was under the impression you need to filter all extensions on the same line - do you get any noise on the lines?

Slow typing rings a few alarm bells, i'd certainly try a different pc as a tester.

[crumble]

You definitely need filters on each extension in your house of that main line,

[Snowgoat]

We've solved the problem, and it's not BT's fault.

We had an online backup service running in the background on our main desktop, and for some reason it wasn't showing up when checking running programs (XPPro go Ctl+Alt+Del).

Using ping 4.2.2.2 -t in the command line (Start / Run) it was upping our pings from an average of 35 - 45 m/s to 700 - 800 m/s and completely zapping our download performance on broadband and hence our speedtests. With the backup switched off our broadband is now between 6mb and 10mb.

When BT originally installed the new entry socket into the property they made it 100% clear that it was filtered upstream of any extensions, and I've still got the 1/2 doz. filters he pulled out. No filters are required and the extensions are not noisy. I can't remember the name of the new BT sockets but will report back. BT installed the new socket without charge when we changed to their service and (regretfully) ditched Zen.

Lesson to learn is an online backup system can mess up your broadband if run during working hours. We're also running internet TV off the network and that doesn't affect our download speed - not sure why.

2300
I talked to BT Broadband who insisted we needed filters on all extensions. Anyone in contact with BT engineers for a definitive answer?

[heathcote123]

We've solved the problem, and it's not BT's fault.

We had an online backup service running in the background on our main desktop, and for some reason it wasn't showing up when checking running programs (XPPro go Ctl+Alt+Del).

Using ping 4.2.2.2 -t in the command line (Start / Run) it was upping our pings from an average of 35 - 45 m/s to 700 - 800 m/s and completely zapping our download performance on broadband and hence our speedtests. With the backup switched off our broadband is now between 6mb and 10mb.

When BT originally installed the new entry socket into the property they made it 100% clear that it was filtered upstream of any extensions, and I've still got the 1/2 doz. filters he pulled out. No filters are required and the extensions are not noisy. I can't remember the name of the new BT sockets but will report back. BT installed the new socket without charge when we changed to their service and (regretfully) ditched Zen.

Lesson to learn is an online backup system can mess up your broadband if run during working hours. We're also running internet TV off the network and that doesn't affect our download speed - not sure why.

2300
I talked to BT Broadband who insisted we needed filters on all extensions. Anyone in contact with BT engineers for a definitive answer?

Thats good news & is why I like proper routers (we use cisco), any router that keeps track of connections with bytes sent/recieved would have allowed you to solve this in approximately 2 minutes.

Is this the specific issue that has seen BT sending you 4 routers?

[Pentangle]

You DEFINITIVELY need microfilters on EVERY phone device in your house, whether they're on the main socket or on an extension.

Here's one of many similar FAQs on the topic:
http://www.getonlinebroadband.com/faqs/faq08.html

Mike.

[Snowgoat]

Pentangle, I don't think you're necessarily correct.

It depends on the socket, and it depends how the wiring for the extensions is taken off the main entry socket. We've got an Openreach V 1.0 socket, and several extensions, and the engineer who fitted it was 100% clear that filtering downstream was not required.

Talking to BT Broadband support today I was told there was no information on this, and engineers were not contactable. We've had our setup for 18 months, no problem with 'phones on the extensions.

Here's another view from your link:

http://www.broadbandbanter.com/showthread.php?t=15774

Heathcote123 - good question about the routers. Two problems were WiFi issues and another was before we were using online backup.

The massive difference that online backup can make to a connection speed immediately makes nonsense of BT's assertion that having your hub broadcast OpenZone WiFi to your local area has no affect on your broadband connection speed. Take a simple case - 3 neighbours hooking onto our OpenZone and backing up? It would grind to zero. Sending out the Business Hubs with OpenZone enabled is a highly dubious idea.

[Pentangle]

Pentangle, I don't think you're necessarily correct.

It depends on the socket, and it depends how the wiring for the extensions is taken off the main entry socket. We've got an Openreach V 1.0 socket, and several extensions, and the engineer who fitted it was 100% clear that filtering downstream was not required.

That's because the OpenReach v1.0 socket performs microfiltering in-socket. My response is purely to avoid misinformation about whether microfiltering is required or not, since the addition of microfilters to an OpenReach v1.0 socket extension won't detract at all, it would just be belt & braces.

Hence to avoid the statement of "for everyone who hasn't got 100% confidence in the internal wiring of their entire phone lines, including extensions, then add a microfilter", it's a hell of a lot easier to educate people to "add a microfilter to all lines".
:)

[Snowgoat]

You DEFINITIVELY need microfilters on EVERY phone device in your house, whether they're on the main socket or on an extension.

Pentangle, I take your point completely, it's just that your statement looked 100% clear to dorks like myself, who haven't a clue about this sort of stuff, that there were no exceptions.

Maybe, to save a potential £50 or so, it's worth asking who installed what and whether filtering is necessary? They're not pretty, after all, and nowhere near 100% reliable, and can cause fault-finding problems.

[Pentangle]

Don't do yourself down, you're not a dork (dorks wouldn't get close to asking questions like this!).

The problem with your approach is that it requires screwdriver access to the master socket, and microfilters are way cheaper than £50 - more like £2.