Re: NTHell

In article <MMW3f.3282$2z4.2443@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Luke Siemaszko
<no.spam.for.me@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> I just did one of my periodic tests and pinged the connection from home
> to work.
>
> packet loss 40% to 50%
> ping times up to nearly 400mS
>
> I use NTHell because I don't have any choice.
> Am I unlucky, or are they this bad for everyone?
>

I've been have exactly the same problem with NTL. My records show ten
calls over seven months, with four engineer visits.

My broadband connection is via the set top box (STB). Each time packet
loss rises above 10%, the STB information available on the TV screen
shows poor SNR and/or 'no connection'. [1] [2]
The engineers have tinkered with attenuators on the incoming cable and
even put fresh plugs all the way back to the street box, but the
problem persists.
It's random - could be during the middle of the working day, early
evening or even midnight, which suggests it's not overutilisation -
during the day, perhaps, but surely not in the early hours of the
morning....?

Recently, NTL has been less helpful when I've called - their view now
seems to be that if I can *browse* OK, then that's 'good enough'. They
don't seem interested in people who are playing online (eg World of
Warcraft) where a low, consistent ping is quite literally a matter of
life or death....... *sigh*

Regards
Peter



[1] If you've got a Samsung STB, you can get this info by pressing the
following sequence on the remote control: Page Up, Page Down, Blue
Button. It's page 2 of the 'User information' which gives the relevant
info. According to several engineers, "Return Power" should be in the
range 45 to 60 dBmV. Personally, I've found the system simply dies if
it goes above 51.
[2] It's rare for the connection to die completely - on average once a
day, I'll get a three to four minute period with 30% to 50% packet
loss, before things suddenly return to normal.
If you do call NTL, I suggest giving them the ping to your 'default
gateway' (which you can get from your router). It persuades them you
know what you're doing and can't be fobbed off with "Oh, it's just that
the internet is busy right now...."
.