uk broadband - grinds to halt multiple times a day - "bt accelerators" ?

[johnyboy]

my broadband connection (tiscali, uk) has caused trouble for years. basically it works, then doesn't work so well, then grinds totally to a halt intermittantly until it pretty much stops full stop (all and any kind of connection), multiple times each day. pulling out the power plugs of my modem and airport -- restarting them -- restarts the grinding to a halt process from its start. i use bittorrent software a lot; i'm sure this accelerates the problem... it's got to the point where i've pretty much accepted this is part of broadband. i used to think it was the airport but now i realise it's probably not, as restarting just the modem usually temporarily fixes it, which indicates that it's not the airport and is either tiscali, the modem, or something else in the network.

i've got:

tiscali -> d-link modem -> airport base station ->(via air) laptop
                                                ->(via ethernet) desktop

both machines come to a grinding halt.

i came across this a few days ago: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/08/05/i_plate/. it's talking about a filter thing which bt call an accelerator. just wondering if anyone's had any experiences with such a device (it's just a uk thing) or/and similar problems i'm having?

i'll probably get one of these accelerators as they're fairly cheep (near free it looks like apart from i think that's just for bt broadband customers which i'm not). the device filters out some signal or something which is connected with a redundant aspect of in home phone networks which allowed (no phones use it now) multiple phones in the same home. this signal causes noise to broadband.

the accelerator is talked about, obviously from its name, as a speed up thing (because it removes noise).

so the situation which this bt accelerator addresses is where the speed of the connection is 90% or whatever of what it could be because of the noise. but not where the speed slowly curves towards 0%, halts.

is it possible for noise to work like compound interest in a bank account -- compound noise; that is once noise has had its negative effect that effect (i still don't know when you should use affect or effect -- even after reading explenations i don't know) hangs around, sticks, while more actual noise has more negative effect (which also sticks)?[*] that doesn't seem to be what's happening with people who the accelerator is addressing, but could it be what's happening to me?, could it be the accelerator will be a stop-stopping-device for me?

.[*] that would explain the problem i'm seeing -- describes it well -- but i don't know if it's likely/possible because i made it up.

obviously i should just try getting an accelerator, but just wondering if anyone has any experiences/thoughts on (a) my problem in general, (b) bt's accelerator

thanks.

[AlexDawson]

Firstly, I would do a line check, plug your internet connection into the BT test socket and run the speed tester, see what kind of result's you get, also check your routers connection speed and line noise values, those can be varying factors.

http://www.kitz.co.uk/adsl/linestats.htm

Though I should warn you, Tiscali are probably the single most complained about ISP in the whole of the UK, their on the verge of bankrupsy, no-one wants to buy them out, their consistantly voted among the 5 worst ISP's every year and they have some serious faultline issues, personally if I were you I would have dumped them years ago for an ISP that's actually held in high regard.

http://www.thinkbroadband.com/isps.html

[johnyboy]

> Firstly, I would do a line check, plug your internet connection into the BT test socket and run the speed tester, see what kind of result's you get, also check your routers connection speed and line noise values, those can be varying factors.
> http://www.kitz.co.uk/adsl/linestats.htm

right, yup, ok thanks for that.

> Though I should warn you, Tiscali are probably the single most complained about ISP in the whole of the UK

yes i despise them but they are the only one i know of (i'm not in a cable area) that gives unlimited (as in not metering and then limitting at a certain amount) outside peak hours, for not too high a price (obviously it's not proper unlimited because they limit for a considerable chunk of each day, possibly more during the week end, but they're more unlimited than others at roughly similar prices). horrible company though without question. in fact the way i learnt about the bt accelerator was it was linked to from a story on the register which caught my eye about a woman who's life had been put in danger by tiscali's blatent lies and incompetency (Exposed activist accuses Tiscali of putting life in peril). shocking, unbelievable.

> their on the verge of bankrupsy, no-one wants to buy them out,

i thought talktalk or car phone warehouse (same thing possibly) bought them? doesn't matter though, yup, tiscali in general not good (apart from a bit more unlimited in some senses than others at lowish price)

thanks.

[AlexDawson]

I think both Sky and BE offer Internet access with no direct bandwidth caps, check out thinkbroadband, it has lists of every package in the UK you can go with and their price along with bandwidth restrictions, you might find someone else to move to

[johnyboy]

i definitely can't get be here unless that's changed just recently which i really doubt -- they're just cable right? i was very hopeful and keen when i first heard about be some time ago but it really looked like they won't be coming where i am any time soon. i'll check again though and look into sky. problem is i'm restricted to what's available via a bt local exchange as cable isn't available where i am. so it comes down to all the companies who are offering a share of what ever it is that bt offer those companies because they own the infrastructure. thanks.