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Accurate Line Speed

I've recently connected to the Sky Broadband Mid package (8Mbs). The reason I chose this option was because the maximum speed my line could connect at was about 5.5Mbs according to the Sky and BT website line checkers.

Since the service has become enabled, I've been able to download at about 7Mbs according to the speedtest.net website. This is about the same wherever I'm situated in my house connecting wirelessly to the Sky router. Since there's always a drop in speed over wireless connections this leads me to the conclusion that I'm getting the full 8Mbs down my line, and that it could well be capable of higher speeds (which would make me want to upgrade to the Sky Max service).

Anyone know where I can accurately find out what speed my line is truly capable of?
 
Presently that rather depends on whether your exchange has been upgraded to support 24Mbps capable services from BT, since most checkers will then be able to give you an estimate based on that. See if you get a BT ADSL2+ speed estimate here by inputting your phone number:

http://www.ispreview.co.uk/checker/

If not then another solution is to post your router stats and many on here, myself included, should be able to give you an idea of where you might stand. Though it is curious that Sky's service would predict 5.5Mbps and deliver 7Mbps (note that at 7Mbps I doubt your wireless network would be hindering the maximum speed).
 
Computer says "no".......

NO - ADSL2+ @ up to 24Mbps (BT Wholesale Broadband Connect / 21CN)

Oh well.........I was getting a download speed of 7060kbs right next to the router, and only marginally lower a few rooms away.

Anyone know why Sky have ICMP pings to the router enabled in the setup? Considering the help tells you this is a danger (obviously!) and shouldn't normally be checked, why have they done this?
 
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Theres a few sites that will give you a estimated speed like samknows and a few others, if you can post the routers line stats I may be able to give you a idea of what to expect.
 
Keep in mind that BT's ADSL2+ service is just one method of gaining 'up to' 24Mbps services and your Sky service is already using it, albeit capped to 8Mbps on the MID option. As Lee suggests, post your router stats so we can see the quality of your line.
 
Righto, here are the router stats:-

Status: PPPoA
Collisions: Zero across the board!
Uptime: 48 hours

ADSL Link

Downstream
Connection Speed 8188kbs
Line Attenuation 42.0db
Noise Margin 6.4db

Upstream
Connection Speed 412kbs
Line Attenuation 19.9 db
Noise Margin 27.1 db


For my local exchange I get the following:-

BT Wholesale information
ADSL status: Enabled as of 14/02/2003
ADSL Max status: Enabled as of 31/03/2006
SDSL status: Enabled as of 21/08/2005
21CN WBC status: RFS date set : 30/09/2009
21CN PSTN switchover target: Q2 2011

So, from that I assume they'll be upgrading to ADSL2+ this September.........
 
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Sky use their own ADSL2+ capable kit for their LLU service, it is not dependant on BT's WBC date. As sky Mid is available at your exchange their adsl2+ max product should also be available.

If your DS connection speed really is 8188kbs rather than a typo (eg for 8128) I think that would suggest you are actually on adsl2+, however as far as I know Sky don't use adsl2+ on their mid product.
 
Mel, I've known all along Sky Max was available at my local exchange..........

Unbundled (LLU) Land-Line Broadband Service Availability

YES - Easynet
ISPs Using This Supplier: Sky Broadband, UKOnline


.......The reason I didn't choose it was due to the fact that speed tests (BT and Sky) indicated the maximum speed my line was capable of was 5.5Mbs. Since my router is connecting at 8Mbs (no typo 8188/1024 = 7.996Mbs) this leads me to believe that the line is capable of higher speeds than I'm getting with the Mid package and certainly much higher than line speed tests indicated! What I wanted to know is how much higher it could actually connect at, to see if it would be worth upgrading to the Max service.

I'm fine for now in terms of download caps, as only the 'house' laptop is accessing the router (not this old 98 box I'm typing on now that's still using dialup!!!!!!!!!!!!). But when my nice new core i7 machine comes through next month, and I'll be streaming 'educational' videos at 2Mbs, I'm sure I'll have to upgrade on the basis of download limit alone!!!!!:D
 
Sky mid usually has a maximum downstream sync rate of 7616. Even if you've had interleaving disabled I'd expect the sync rate to be a max of 8128, and in any case I've read that on ADSL1 (G.DMT), the downstream sync rate is normally a whole multiple of 32 , which 8188kbps isn't - whereas adsl2+ sync rate seems to vary in 1kbps steps. Sky's target noise margin is normally 7db, so it looks to me that sky already have you on adsl2+ (possibly something to do with sky now using their own DLM system) and your router is syncing at the maximum rate your connection will currently support.

One thing you could try is plugging your router into the test socket behind your master socket and seeing if either the sync rate or downstream noise margin increases see - http://www.kitz.co.uk/adsl/socket.htm
 
So, coming about 180 degrees, so to speak, where can I find out what speed my line is realistically capable of for the sake of upgrading to Sky Max, from a purely speed point of view!?!
 
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im on ukonline i sync at 8000,on pro (8mb) fast path enabled,but get around 7.4mb/s d/load,most speedtest sites varey,from stupid 3.3mb to 14mb most give around 7mb
 
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