Broadband 1Mbps when Guaranteed 11Mbps

[Anonymous User]

I've seen other similar posts but I'm not sure the answer is something I've seen. I've tried everything but the Split wifi channels with a LAN cable (because my laptop doesn't have an ethernet port). Until early July 2022 my internet speed was fine for streaming and was stable. Phone all fine. I don't have the highest guaranteed rate but it suited what I needed and was much more stable than Virgin. HOWEVER, since July, my Netflix keeps stopping after five minutes, Disney+ is slow to load, BBC iPlayer and YouTube are fine and running a Speedtest both on my laptop and on Roku says I'm getting around 1Mbps instead of the guaranteed 11Mbps.

I've made sure everything not being used is not connected but no increase, I've reset the Hub but no effect. I've tried changing server but it generally goes down up to 0.3Mbps so have returned to the original. Other posts have referenced loose cables which OpenReach have eventually sorted but my phone line has been fine throughout so I'm stuck and, whilst lots of people are saying they've had issues, it's the fact that it was fast enough for my needs before July that makes me think something else might be going on. 

Any ideas, folks? 

[RoyB]

@Anonymous User 

There are lots of things that can screw up your broadband speeds, and even the poster with the loose wire has got his landline back but lost his guaranteed broadband speed again. 

You have telephone support with your Now broadband; call the number and report the problem, and see what they can do.

https://help.nowtv.com/article/how-to-contact-now

(Posting the broadband telephone number directly is deprecated by Now, but the above will get Now broadband users to it. Do not use ‘Get help quicker’ there - it won’t.)

[Jayach]

It's a shame you cant run a wired test, as Wi-Fi speeds tell us nothing.

You need to log in to the router and see what sync speed you are getting, that is the speed that is guaranteed not download (despite the wording in the guarantee)

https://help.nowtv.com/article/broadband-speeds-explained

Once we know that we can advise further.

[RoyB]

@Jayach 

Can I assume that whatever else in the house that may be using the broadband will have the same effect on a wired line as on a WiFi link? Especially when I have everything quiesced down so there is nothing much going on except the usual monitoring that Home Hubs, Alexa devices, TVs and sticks on standby, etc., do?

And so holding an iPad, say, or a mobile phone, hard up against the router, and doing a broadband speed test, should measure pretty much what a wired line would measure?

[Jayach]

Anything using the broadband heavily would certainly effect a speed test, both wired and wireless.

Yes, being close to the router should give a similar result to wired, (especially so if using 5Ghz) however it is important to know the sync speed, in order to make sense of the speedtest results.

[Anonymous User]

FYI - I was sat next to the router when I tested in on my Chromebook and the TV is 3 foot from the router.

[Anonymous User]

Thanks Jayach - my partner's bringing his laptop over at the weekend so we can do a wired test.

[Jayach]

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@Anonymous User wrote:

Thanks Jayach - my partner's bringing his laptop over at the weekend so we can do a wired test.

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Have you checked you sync speed yet? That is the most important figure, at the moment.

Once we know what that is, we can try to work out if something is causing it to be reduced.