"Hugo Nebula" abuse@localhost wrote in message
...
Please bear with me: My ADSL router is connected via an extension
from the BT master socket in the hall. The distance to the exchange
is high and I've never got a particularly good connection, but it's
been acceptable at 1Mbps. I'm with UKOnline/Easynet LLU.


OK up to now.

Over the last few days the speed and the stability have dropped
markedly. It happened between 6:00pm and 8:00pm on Wednesday. On
phoning my ISP, they said that it could be my internal wiring (well,
they would, wouldn't they?).


That's because it's peak time when loads of people switch on and try to use
the Internet. The company you are paying can't keep up with demand so
everyone has their transfer speeds lowered.
What do you do with your internal wiring each night between those times!
That's just on their "get shut of the caller" scripts they have.

Now, how to test that? The bits of kit I have available a a
screwdriver for removing the faceplate's screws, a USB DSL modem, DR
Speedtouch, and a Netgear router. So far, the only results I've been
able to establish with any certainty a
1) when plugged into the socket behind the faceplate, the results from
the DR Speedtouch log are Receive Attenuation=54dB & Receive
Margin=13dB;
2) when plugged into the socket on the faceplate and to the extension
in the study, Receive Attenuation=54dB & Receive Margin=11dB;
3) currently, according to the router, Line Attenuation
Downstream=58dB & Noise Margin Downstream=wobbling around 12 to 14dB;
4) Connection Speed according to the router=1152kbps, speed test
results currently 965kbps.

The current connection is OK, but I had to re-boot the router this
morning to get it.

The difference between the logs' margins of 11 and 13 doesn't seem
that great, and AIUI anything greater than 10 shouldn't be
detrimental. Does this indicate that the problem is likely to be on
the BT/LLU side of things? If not, how can I test the quality of my
internal wiring?
--
Hugo Nebula

It's nothing to do with your wiring, outside temperature, rain, full moon or
buses going past - it is the ISP unable to cope with demand in peak times.
Simple as that. Look for a different ISP.