ActionTec replaced Westell. Stable, but slower.

[Eskimo11]

My 4-year old Westell was dropping connection on average 23 times a day, so VZ sent me a replacement in the form of an Actiontec GT784.  The DSL connection is now rock-solid, but...  slower.  I used to get ~3200kpbs down and ~800kbps up (3MB service, fastest offered here) with the Westell, but below is what I get with the GT784..

I have a dedicated Cat5 cable from the interface box outside to a surface jack, and have tried 3 different RJ11 cables with no change.  The Cat5 does not run along side any electrical wiring for any real distance, either.  During troubleshooting, I also cut the cat5 back a foot and re-terminated the connection to the jack..no change.  There are no phones on this line at all (it's a dry-loop service)

Broadband Parameter | Status

VPI:0

VCI:35

Broadband Mode Setting:ADSL2+

Broadband Negotiated Mode:ADSL2+

Connection Status:CONNECTED

Downstream Speed:2112 Kbps

Upstream Speed:860 Kbps

Retrains:3

Retrain Timer:1 Days, 11H:54M:21

SATM QoS class:UBR

Near End CRC Errors Interleave:1340

Near End CRC Errors Fastpath :N/A

Far End CRC Errors Interleave :0

Far End CRC Errors Fastpath :N/A

30 Minute Near End CRC Interleave :0

30 Minute Near End CRC Fastpath :N/A

30 Minute Far End CRC Interleave :0

30 Minute Far End CRC Fastpath :N/A

Near End RS FEC Interleave :0

Near End RS FEC Fastpath :N/A

Far End RS FEC Interleave :0

Far End RS FEC Fastpath :N/A

30 Minute Near End FEC Interleave :1544

30 Minute Near End FEC Fastpath :N/A

30 Minute Far End FEC Interleave :5

30 Minute Far End FEC Fastpath :N/A

30 Minute Discarded Packets Downstream :0

30 Minute Discarded Packets Upstream :0

SNR Downstream :30 dB

SNR Upstream :10 dB

Attenuation Downstream :47 dB

Attenuation Upstream :26 dB

Power Downstream19.6 dBm

Power Upstream12.3 dBm

Any ideas?

Thanks

[smith6612 · Accepted solution]

Looks like your line was just optimized. Have someone with the right access in Verizon manually set your speed back to 3Mbps.

[Eskimo11]

Easier said than done.  I'm having to go through the script-reading Level 1 support people and answer INSANE questions like "Are you running file sharing?" "What is the operating system of your computer?" "Maybe it's your firewall"..

Holy hell.  When the modem itself is only connecting at 2100kbps, it's not my freaking PC!  (Just had to vent.  I'm at 40 minutes on this stinking call!!)

[Eskimo11]

Yup.  Someone in the "maintenance department" restored my connection back to 3350/860 and all is well with the world..  

[RRzepka]

From what I see from the stats, you are slower.   The downstream speed is configured for a max of 2112 Kbps, not your previously reported speed of about 3200 Kbps, so you are being throttled back by approximately 30%.

What I also noticed was a high value for "near end CRC errors interleave" at 1344.   Near end CRC errors are those recieved at the modem, far end are those reported by the DSLAM. CRC's are uncorrectable errors,    You'll always see at least a couple of errors, but if they increment heavily, it's likely going to be a problem.

Could be a bad modem, or just that the ActionTec is more sensitive to line noise or other sources of interference,

[Eskimo11]

---

@RRzepka wrote:

What I also noticed was a high value for "near end CRC errors interleave" at 1344. 

---

After being up at full speed for just about 24 hours, I'm at:

Near End CRC Errors Interleave:

436

This is much better than before, when I had been up for 12 hours, and had 1340 errors..

[JNagarya]

Had similar experience. 

Upgraded my DSL to a higher speed -- 3-7 -- but it wouldn't reach 5, let alone break that.  I understand fluctuations, but that made no sense.

Verizon replaced Westell 5700 with ActionTec GT784WNV, but that didn't correct the DL speed, which remained at 5448 according to the modem.

Online tech. support finally said it had to be corrected "at the office," and I was told that would be done.  It wasn't.

Ultimately, during phone call about the problem, it was corrected: now I get the speed I've been paying for.

Potentially useful tip (though it didn't apply in this case): if the line-monitor detects instability, it will throttle the speed back to a stable level. 

What I'd like to know is how to set the QoS.  And I'd like to know how to do that by getting a manual for the modem.  Anyone know anything about any of that?