[ADSL] Modem Connected Speed Have Halved Overnight - Help! (Also: iiNet Tech Support Are Stupid)

spackbace on 17/12/2017 - 23:39
Last edited 17/12/2017 - 23:59

Rant will follow after my request from support for someone knowledgeable!

On Tuesday, I came home from work to find out my connection speeds have halved, both upload and download. Modem is currently connected at 448/9076, when before it was a smooth ~1000/~20000. I've tried unplugging and plugging back in, power cycling etc, I'm not sure what could be doing it. Nothing is plugged into any other the other phone sockets in the house.

Help?!

Rant:

So I called iinet tech support, explaining the problem, explaining I'd done the necessary shit. Dumbass on the other line was asking how I was accessing the modem, either via ethernet or wifi. I explained wifi but that has zero effect on my modem's connected speed. Dumbass still stuck her heels in and said they had to do basic troubleshooting. I hung up
First time I've had issues with their tech support. Now I see why their FB page is full of complaints!

I was on the phone with their Cape Town branch apparently :/

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Comments

  • armedgoat on 17/12/2017 - 23:44

    iiNet is okay. easy, dirty words do not help :D

    • spackbace on 17/12/2017 - 23:47
      +1

      I used to think they were OK, I had nothing but good service from them. Tonight, not so much :/

      • armedgoat on 17/12/2017 - 23:51

        you know it's rush hours. easy, [Spackbace] :D

        • spackbace on 18/12/2017 - 00:16
          -2

          Give up on the personal shit ok.

        • armedgoat on 18/12/2017 - 00:22
          -5

          @Spackbace: you're right, it's just like shit. btw, you'd better delete those offensive words. Good to meet you though. have a good sleep : )

  • Switchblade88 on 17/12/2017 - 23:46
    +1

    Could be your local FTTN node being wired in. I had the same issues where my sync was consistently down for the 3 months before the FTTN was declared Ready for Service; this is because your local loop distance is changed from a direct run to the exchange to a run via the FTTN cabinet and through to the exchange.

    This is assuming that there's no other issues like water in pits etc that would cause attenuation. Are you scheduled for FTTN soon?

    • spackbace on 17/12/2017 - 23:48

      I think it's like 12 months away!

      There's been some roadside work about 2 streets away recently, not sure if that's caused an issue.

      Sucks because the speed drop is so noticeable

      • Switchblade88 on 18/12/2017 - 00:03

        Hmmmm, that could be it, if you know your line locations from house to exchange. But you still have to battle it out with support over the phone, so they can escalate it to level 2, who are the only ones allowed to request a Telstra wholesale tech callout. Here lies the blunt end of the stick that iiNet will repeatedly thrust into your orifices. You might win, but it will cost you your soul.

        What's your contract length with iiNet? I would strongly suggest changing to a different provider (Aussie broadband ftw) where you can at least talk to somebody with common sense.

        • spackbace on 18/12/2017 - 00:14

          Out of contract, but I've had decent service up till now where I've actually recommended them to family!

      • PVA on 18/12/2017 - 08:43
        +1

        That's probably it. NBN preparing.

  • spackbace on 17/12/2017 - 23:58
    +1

    Lol my notes on my account:

    customer called
    Customer advise that he been having issues with internet since tuesday
    upload and download speeds not what it use to be
    323.3GB used of 350.0GB anytime quota
    0.45 upload and 9.0download
    customer connected via wifi
    customer advise that his home phone working fine
    modem isolated
    advise customer to test a differ a socket and cable
    customer not able too
    wanting a line test
    customer refuse to do basic troubleshooting
    and hung up
    nfa
    stc

    • [Deactivated] on 18/12/2017 - 00:10
      +3

      How did you access these noted? They are not normally made available are they?

      What is stc?

      Silly Tired Customer?

      • spackbace on 18/12/2017 - 00:14
        +3

        It's in toolbox

        Lol I dunno

        • mccarthyp64 on 18/12/2017 - 01:46
          +1

          Ask for a SELT when the modem is connected and when disconnected. That'll show a fault in some cases, but you need to test with a different phone cable and modem, perhaps also test a different socket if you have one. Since the phone is fine, frequencies <8KHz are fine so it could be the phone cable/socket.

      • dom on 18/12/2017 - 14:32
        +2

        Safe To Close

      • BargainTrain on 05/11/2018 - 21:34

        NFA = No Further Action
        STC = Safe to Close
        I am in no way associated with iinet, but in light of dom's response, it seemed only logical.

  • [Deactivated] on 18/12/2017 - 02:07

    My fiber is fine, odd.

    https://imgur.com/21Y0IbL

    • spackbace on 18/12/2017 - 02:08
      +2

      There's always 1

      • [Deactivated] on 18/12/2017 - 02:18

        No need to be jelly

        • [Deactivated] on 18/12/2017 - 05:23

          How do you even game with a ping like that? Not jelly at all 😎

        • [Deactivated] on 18/12/2017 - 08:46

          @TightBottom:

          Typically by using the PC that's not on WiFi….

  • pjcook on 18/12/2017 - 07:50
    +11

    Maybe if you were not a complete dick on the phone you may have got a better response. They have to go through a checklist first to get a baseline before they can pass any issues up to 2nd level. Go through the motions, confirm they have done so, then you will be able to talk to or get assistance from the techs who can help.

  • slavella on 18/12/2017 - 07:53

    Do you happen to be on one of their Naked DSL plans?

    • spackbace on 18/12/2017 - 09:57

      Nah, standard adsl2 (but off-net)

  • Allan on 18/12/2017 - 08:24
    +1

    In my time having issues, when there's something wrong with upload speeds usually something's happened outside like one of the joints has corroded again.

    Have to follow their BS of doing their basic troubleshooting before they can escalate (probably following a script)

    Is the problem still the same with another modem (some older modems just give up out of the blue). If same speed then let them know you've tried a different modem and same thing. If you can crackling with phone only plugged in puts you in a better position too

  • JIMB0 on 18/12/2017 - 08:35

    At least your connection is working. My ADSL has been out for nearly 2 weeks now after heavy rain. Even before then the fastest speed I got was 7500kbs.

  • kipps on 18/12/2017 - 08:42

    Have you still got a dial tone on the line? Any noise on the line? Can you post your modem stats? Tried removing everything else from the line?

  • PVA on 18/12/2017 - 08:52

    Geez, and to think, my normal download speed is 6Mb/s. I would love your half speed.
    But would be peeved if I was on 20 and it halved.

    Just call them again and let them go through their script, frustrating but only takes a few moments.

  • kallico on 18/12/2017 - 08:54
    +1

    Those notes could have been me some time ago. Except my problem was no internet at all. Same story off contract +20 years customer, always happy, good service. Now its crap. 3 days, phone calls backwards and forwards, i thought it was phone line, they denied it, said it was modem, i was out of contract, they wanted me to puchase new one from them. Went to jbhifi, spoke to a great young man, didnt purchase a modem, used free wifi at shopping centre came home and lo and behold we had internet. Only problem couldnt connect because iinet had changed password. Iinet rang to say it was the line and i could now connect, when i said i couldnt they gave me the new password they had changed it to. Their service is appalling. We have stuck it out as nbn is coming and we will change. My blood now boils everytime i see their ads

    • peteru on 19/12/2017 - 01:31

      You think that NBN will be better than iiNet/TPG?

      Think again!

  • Hithere on 18/12/2017 - 09:07

    Since TPG purchased iiNet they have made a lot of the old Australian staff redundant, closed down offices, and have gone off-shore with their Help Desk.

    I'd be considering looking for a new ISP if you aren't under contract as support will only get worse.

  • Savas on 18/12/2017 - 09:13
    +1

    wow I wasn't expecting a rant from you!

  • AJW on 18/12/2017 - 10:04
    +2

    I have flagged on my account notes the procedure to fix this issue which I have had with Iinet about 5 times in the past 8 or 10 years. I cannot remember the name of the procedure, but they "flush" or "reset" the port, and my speed went instantly back to normal after waiting for them to do this. I have connected at 15-16000 with full 2000 upload (annex M) but every 18 months or so I would suddenly find things slow to download or open, and sure enough the router would say 8 or 9000, not 15 or 16000. I ring them, they say speed is normal, I say can you please refer to my notes and previous speeds, they say yes lower speeds over time is not uncommon, I ask them again to refer to the notes - then they see constant speed over many years, and the note about the port reset. Then they finally ask me to wait about 10 minutes while they escalate the issue, and then it they come back and ask me to disconnect/reconnect. Then it works at full speed. They never believe me at first that my speed should be much quicker, so I did ask one really helpful tech who originally found the fix to make good notes for future support issues which has helped a lot on subsequent calls.

    Sorry I don't remember what the technical name is for the port reset?

    • Make it so on 18/12/2017 - 16:48
      +1

      "port reset" is the term they used with me. But if an ADSL port goes funny, throughput normally drops a lot lower than that.

      Spackbace, when talking to support, always tell them you have done an isolation test (nothing else plugged in), and are on LAN not WiFi. Yes, it makes no difference that you are on WiFi, but they won't help you unless you say you are on LAN). These first tests are annoying, but they won't let you escalate to level 2 support unless you go through it. Do you know how many unreasonable people contact them, blaming them for their own mistakes? They have to filter out the sillies (not you). If you have another modem, maybe try that (recent thunderstorm may have affected things). Once they escalate to "level 2", they should be able to tell from modem stats (attenuation, noise, etc.) what's going on.

      Iinet has not been 'okay' for a long time. Their networks are very congested, and their pricing is very poor. They bought up many companies, and are taking advantage of their large market share.

  • peteru on 19/12/2017 - 01:29
    +1

    iiNet, TPG (or almost any other ISP) phone support is like playing Zork. You have to go through the motions, no matter how absurd, before you complete the quest. Put aside a few hours for stuff like line isolation tests and other shit that will lead nowhere, except the end of their script. At that stage they are allowed to pass the buck to someone more senior.

    It sucks, but that's the difference between paying competitive residential prices for Internet, versus being taken to the cleaners with a business plan and a decent provider.

  • vicosads on 08/11/2018 - 09:13

    iinet tech support is awful, but being capetown can't be expecting much

  • alexsmith on 04/12/2018 - 21:19

    If you are frustrated by dialling and dialling iNet Support Number. I recommended all of you to visit this website
    http://iinet.technicalhelpaustralia.com/
    they have experienced technicians and they help you. I am satisfied with these guys. Awesome Work

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