VERIZON DSL - How to find out actual avail speed range on my local loop?

[daze20]

Hi,

My current service level is set at  Download: 1.1 Mbit/s to 3.0 Mbit/s  Upload: up to 384 kbit/s from what I can tell.  

In the past i had Download: 3.1 Mbit/s to 7.0 Mbit/s Upload: up to 768 kbit/s available to me at the same address.  The available range on my  line was downgraded late last year.  I've had repeated confusing messages from customer service in regards to this.  Obviously customer service isn't a technical group and can't explain in detail why the condition of my local DSL loop was apparently downgraded (from my perspective this is a service downgrade at least).  Yet my bill remains the same of course.

I'm wondering if anyone else has experienced this, and if they've received an adequate explanation as to why this would occur?  There are no plans of implementing FIOS at my address so I know that cannot be the reason.

If I could get a simple direct answer as the what the condition of the local loop to my address is, and what speed range it can support I could make an informed decision as a consumer.  Is there a reason this information is so difficult to extract from Verizon?

[dslr595148]

Step one: Visit http://www.giganews.com/line_info.html and post up the Traceroute the page shows, if you wish. Be aware that your non-bogan public IP Address will show up.  It might shown up as the final hop (bottom-most line of the trace)  might contain a hop with your IP address in it. Either remove that line or show only the first two octets. What I'm looking for is a line that mentions "ERX" in it's name towards the end. If for some reason the trace does not complete (two lines full of Stars), keep the trace route intact.

For example this what I saw when I was using Verizon

---

news.giganews.com

    traceroute to 71.242.*.* (71.242.*.*), 30 hops max, 60 byte packets
    1 gw1-g-vlan201.dca.giganews.com (216.196.98.4) 13 ms 13 ms 13 ms
    2 ash-bb1-link.telia.net (213.248.70.241) 39 ms 7 ms 7 ms
    3 TenGigE0-2-0-0.GW1.IAD8.ALTER.NET (63.125.125.41) 4 ms 4 ms GigabitEthernet2-0-0.GW8.IAD8.ALTER.NET (63.65.76.189) 4 ms
    4 so-7-1-0-0.PHIL-CORE-RTR1.verizon-gni.net (130.81.20.137) 6 ms 6 ms 6 ms
    5 P3-0-0.PHIL-DSL-RTR11.verizon-gni.net (130.81.13.170) 6 ms 6 ms 6 ms
    6 static-71-242-*-*.phlapa.east.verizon.net (71.242.*.*) 32 ms 32 ms 33 ms

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Step two: Can you provide the Transceiver Statistics from your modem?

#3 If you don't know how to get that info:

a) What is the brand and model of your modem?

b) If you have a RJ-45 WAN port router connected to it: What is the brand and model of the RJ-45 WAN port router?

#4 If you have a RJ-45 WAN port router connected to the modem, even if you know how to get the Transceiver Statistics from the modem: What is the brand and model of the RJ-45 WAN port router?

[daze20]

I will attempt to pull the traceroute information this evening and post my findings.

Note, I have a TP-LINK TD-W8980 N600 Wireless Dual Band Gigabit ADSL2+ Modem/Router.  I can figure out how to grab the transceiver info, so I'll post that here as well.

Thanks so much!

[daze20]

traceroute to 96.239.xx.xxx(96.239.xx.xxx†), 30 hops max, 60 byte packets
1 gw1-g-vlan201.dca.giganews.com (216.196.98.4) 0 ms 0 ms 0 ms
2 ash-b2-link.telia.net (213.248.70.241) 2 ms 2 ms 2 ms
3 TenGigE0-0-0-10.GW1.IAD8.ALTER.NET (152.179.50.233) 2 ms 3 ms 2 ms
4 B1000.NYCMNY-LCR-22.verizon-gni.net (130.81.163.225) 16 ms 16 ms 16 ms
5 G4-1.NYCMNY-NYCKNYBR-ERXG15.verizon-gni.net (100.41.195.165) 11 ms G4-0.NYCMNY-NYCKNYBR-ERXG15.verizon-gni.net (130.81.196.7) 12 ms 12 ms
6 * * *
7 * * *
8 * * *
9 * * *
10 * * *
11 * Max number of unresponsive hops reached (firewall or filter?)

Statistics:

INDEX=1

{

enable=1

status=Up

modulationType=ADSL_2plus

lineEncoding=

dataPath=

interleaveDepth=0

lineNumber=0

upstreamCurrRate=860

downstreamCurrRate=2944

upstreamMaxRate=986

downstreamMaxRate=4964

upstreamNoiseMargin=105

downstreamNoiseMargin=124

upstreamAttenuation=244

downstreamAttenuation=538

upstreamPower=122

downstreamPower=169

ATURVendor=

ATURCountry=

ATUCVendor=

ATUCCountry=

totalStart=658136

showtimeStart=207

quarterHourStart=0

X_TPLINK_Bitswap=On

X_TPLINK_SRA=On

X_TPLINK_AdslModulationCfg=Multimode

X_TPLINK_AnnexType=Annex A/L

X_TPLINK_SupportAdslMode=T1.413:A;G.dmt:A;ADSL2:A,A/L;ADSL2+:A,M,A/L/M;Auto Sync-up:A,A/L,M,A/L/M;

}

[dslr595148]

Ok.

#1 An original or very old style NID with a spark gap and ground wire can even get spiders in it that could cause an issue. Inspect the NID first before thinking of changes or wiring.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Network_interface_device

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demarcation_point

Running a good quality wire CAT5, no need for CAT6,  directly to the NID for the DSL modem jack may help. That is what I had done with mine. Depending on the number of loads or amount of wire in the house could also cause issues. But if the user's signal quality is not being pulled low due to a wiring issues, it would usually indicate a problem elsewhere. Unless there was noise being picked up on the premises wiring. Wire DSL directly to the NID and install a filter there for all other in house wiring may help. There used to be available what was called a NID Filter, and I am sure you can still get them.

Ideal Connection if house wiring is an issue, or very old, and lengthy. Install a filter / splitter at the NID.

Run CAT5 directly to the NID location, and install a dedicated jack for the DSL modem.

Remove all in house wiring from the NID.

Connect piece of CAT5 from the NID to the filter / splitter input

Connect all existing phone lines to the phone side of the filter output.

Connect the new DSL CAT5 directly to the NID before the filter / splitter, or to the DSL side of the filter / splitter, depending on the device purchased.

This will take all the existing premises wiring out of the picture unless there is a short circuit or excessive load somewhere in the house.

At this point all the single filters could be removed because the DSL is filtered at the NID.

http://www.homephonewiring.com/dsl.html

#2 You can test outbound to Giganews. But giganews has/had a test that will check your inbound connection from their servers to you.

I heard from another user that

---

Giganews is being watched very closely because of multipart binaries, and pirated material. MP3s and Video Content. 7 years ago you could get 10-20 MP3 albums in a single day, and that was with a 15/5 fios connection. So they started providing an encrypted connection service for an added fee. I have not messed with news groups for a very long time. Now with deep packet inspection, and other enforcement, I would not even think of it. No news I want there. But there may be content that people want? They may even be checking and limiting speed from that domain. Never tested. But let me see. It looks as if reverse trace routes and speed tests are being blocked by Verizon from Giganews to my router.

        Reverse Traceroute

        Tool news.giganews.com

        traceroute to *.*.*.*, 30 hops max, 60 byte packets
        1 gw1-g-vlan201.dca.giganews.com (216.196.98.4) 0 ms 0 ms 0 ms
        2 te0-0-0-7.mpd22.iad02.atlas.cogentco.com (38.122.67.49) 0 ms 0 ms te0-7-0-9.mpd22.iad02.atlas.cogentco.com (38.122.62.193) 0 ms
        3 te0-0-0-4.ccr21.iad02.atlas.cogentco.com (154.54.31.105) 0 ms 0 ms te0-2-0-0.ccr21.iad02.atlas.cogentco.com (154.54.31.101) 0 ms
        4 uunet.iad01.atlas.cogentco.com (154.54.13.138) 28 ms verizon.iad01.atlas.cogentco.com (154.54.10.226) 40 ms uunet.iad01.atlas.cogentco.com (154.54.13.138) 28 ms
        5 0.ae1.RES-BB-RTR2.verizon-gni.net (152.63.32.157) 41 ms 41 ms 0.ae2.RES-BB-RTR1.verizon-gni.net (152.63.34.22) 13 ms
        6 * * *
        7 * * *
        8 * * *
        9 * * *
        10 * * *
        11 * * *
        12 * * *
        13 * * *
        14 * * *
        15 * * *
        16 * * Max number of unresponsive hops reached (firewall or filter?)

---

#3 Have the provider run a local loop test to see if any problems are indicated. If there are, then they could run the test with everything in the house disconnected, except the new DSL modem connection. If issues are still indicated, then the DSL provider needs to make connections on the local loop. Another user told me that they had issues when it rained, and it was because construction had left a splice box open on a line somewhere.

[DoraLorraine]

Hello,  I'm in the same situation you are except I was told that my speed had to be lowered down to the slowest.  I had been told that I could now have the faster speed and again in a very short time I could have an even higher speed.  In troubleshooting slow speeds for years finally a tech that came to my house said the lines were not capable of the higher speeds and I needed to be dropped to the lowest speed.  So I paid for faster and got worse speed.  I was lowered and in checking I am now being charged for the higher speed and can't tell if they raised the speed or what.  I can't get a straight answer either.  I can't even send them an email.  Under contact all you get is a phone number or live chat. FIOS is not available here either but from what I hear it isn't all that great anyway.  So tomorrow I'll be on the phone to them and asking for a supervisor to speak to and this time I'm telling them that I will be recording the phone call for reference.  I've been told one thing and later told that's not possible.