3meg DSL Download speed running at dial-up speed
SlightlyTweaked
Enthusiast - Level 3

Since last week I’ve been getting DSL download speeds that are basically dial-up speeds.  I have the 3 meg plan and for the past 10 years or so, I came close to a 2 meg download connection speed regularly.

Last week my download speed basically disappeared.  I spent hours on the phone with Verizon Tech Support during the week.  (Their standared 72 hours to assign a service call after creating a service ticket is bogus.) A Verizon DSL tech spent 5 hours at my house on Saturday and said the problem is on VERIZON’S END with their servers.  He did it all, replaced internal wires, used his modem for the tests, checked speeds at the NID, took the router out of play, tried to get new wires from the service on the street, and still could not resolve the issue. 

I show the correct 3360/864kbs connection on my DSL Modem (Actiontec GT701D) but my download speed is averaging 33K to 60K using 4 different speed tests.  DSL disconnects at random also. My upload speed is typically around 700kbs – where it should be.

My most recent test is from this morning:

Checking for Middleboxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Done
SendBufferSize set to [8192]
running 10s outbound test (client to server) . . . . . 591.76Kb/s
running 10s inbound test (server to client) . . . . . . 60.33kb/s

------ Client System Details ------
OS data: Name = Windows Vista, Architecture = x86, Version = 6.0
Java data: Vendor = Sun Microsystems Inc., Version = 1.6.0_24

------ Web100 Detailed Analysis ------
Client Receive Window detected at 17424 bytes.
Cable modem/DSL/T1 link found.
Link set to Full Duplex mode
Information: throughput is limited by other network traffic.
Good network cable(s) found
Normal duplex operation found.

Web100 reports the Round trip time = 106.05 msec; the Packet size = 1452 Bytes; and
There were 33 packets retransmitted, 59 duplicate acks received, and 63 SACK blocks received
The connection stalled 4 times due to packet loss
The connection was idle 1.36 seconds (5.03%) of the time
This connection is network limited 99.9% of the time.
Excessive packet loss is impacting your performance, check the auto-negotiate function on your local PC and network switch

Web100 reports TCP negotiated the optional Performance Settings to:
RFC 2018 Selective Acknowledgment: ON
RFC 896 Nagle Algorithm: ON
RFC 3168 Explicit Congestion Notification: OFF
RFC 1323 Time Stamping: OFF
RFC 1323 Window Scaling: ON
Information: Network Middlebox is modifying MSS variable
Server IP addresses are preserved End-to-End
Information: Network Address Translation (NAT) box is modifying the Client's IP address
Server says [{edited for privacy}] but Client says [192.168.1.100]

My DSL STATUS from this morning is:

DSL Status

VPI: 0

VCI: 35

DSL Mode Setting : MMODE

DSL Negotiated Mode: G.DMT

Connection Status: Showtime

Speed (down/up): 3360/864kps

ATM WoS Class:  UBR

Near End CRC Errors: 0/0

Far End CRC Errors: 0/73045

Near End CRC (Within Last 30 mins): 0/0

Far End CRC (Within Last 30 mins): 0/0

Near End RS FEC: 0/68

Far End RS FEC: 0/0

Near End FEC (Within Last 30 mins): 0/0

Far End FEC (Within Last 30 mins): 0/0

Discarded Packets(Within last 30 mins): 0/0

SNR Margin (Downstream/Upstream): 0/14

Attenuation (Downstream/Upstream): 119/30

This performance drop off is totally unacceptable.  What’s really interesting is that my service call has been closed out as “resolved”.  Which is obviously has not.  I am now being forced to go through support again to “diagnose” my problem.

I’ve been researching (painfully) these speed issues and have determined they are a chronic problem going back to at least 2006 for many DSL customers.  The issue seems to be they have oversold DSL services and overcrowd their local Central Office servers and routers.  There is supposed to be some performance issue regarding Redbank and Juniper switches.  Redbank is supposed to be more reliable and Juniper aren't so.  I also believe their latest “optimizing” software may also be part of the problem.

For the first time EVER, I am seriously considering converting to COMCAST because no one at Verizon (other than the DSL tech) will acknowledge they are the cause of my issue.

Anyone have a realistic idea as to what needs to be done at the Central Office to correct this issue? 

Thanks for your time.

Re: 3meg DSL Download speed running at dial-up speed
smith6612
Community Leader
Community Leader

From my viewpoint, it looks like your modem is mis-reporting the Statistics. At 119dB of attenuation along with a SN Margin of 0, that would never fly with DSL service. Without reliable statistics, I can't even tell if your line is having issues from noise or for that matter, how far out your line might be. If you have access to a NID, see if your modem will report the correct statistics at your NID. If you also have a spare modem around, you could see if that will obtain the statistics I'm looking for. Second, disable the Firewall on the ActionTec if it is enabled, and then go to DSLReports, register an account there and visit their Tools section. Perform a Ping/Line Quality Test and post up the results you receive from their test. This will let us see where the issue may be, and if you are on a Juniper by any chance. From what I can tell form my end, you are not on a Juniper.

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Re: 3meg DSL Download speed running at dial-up speed
SlightlyTweaked
Enthusiast - Level 3

These are the results from the requested test. dslreports line quality w ping

Can't get at the NID right now.  What results are you looking for from the modem?

Thanks.

Re: 3meg DSL Download speed running at dial-up speed
SlightlyTweaked
Enthusiast - Level 3

Ran a 2nd test 20 min later - looks like worse results 2nd test

FWIW the SNR Margin is now 0/13

the attentuation is still 119/30.

What should they be????

I get the part about them not supporting DSL, that would appear to be the problem.

Theoretically, I am attached to Allentown NJ.  Before the tech came Sat, I was attached to Camden NJ.  Not exactly sure why, because my CO is supposed to be Riverside NJ.

Thanks again,

Re: 3meg DSL Download speed running at dial-up speed
jentink
Enthusiast - Level 3

I started having the exact same problem on 7/18, one week ago.

Re: 3meg DSL Download speed running at dial-up speed
Freestyler1
Enthusiast - Level 2

Consider yourself lucky. I have had the 3Mb plan for over ten years and initially had regular speeds of 1.5 to 3.0...until a new development was put in a block away, they were connected to Verizon, and my speeds dropped to 205 kbps down/805 kbps up at the copper drop in my basement. Many calls to Verizon resulted in modem upgrades (currently the Westell 6100) and reassurances from Verizons foreign help desk that my service was performing normally. Promises of FIOS soon being available in my area (Cedar Brook, NJ) have kept me hanging on but I stopped holding my breath a few years ago.  Hopefully your service will be restored - mine most likely never will.

Re: 3meg DSL Download speed running at dial-up speed
smith6612
Community Leader
Community Leader

It sounds like you need to get a tech to look at your line again. It's hard to say right now what is going on, if it's loss from CRC errors on the line (Uncorrectable errors) due to noise or if it is a result of congestion or a Juniper issue. See what you can do, and if they provide Transceiver Statistics from the DSLAM, please share them so I can get a better idea of what is wrong. If you need a place to start, try the Verizon Direct forum over at DSLReports.

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