Can High Upload Usage Affect Download Speeds? ISP Buzz Ongoing Issue

aspirepranesh on 27/10/2017 - 10:03
Last edited 27/10/2017 - 10:21 by 1 other user

I have been persisting with Buzz telco (I know!).

On a 100/40 FTTB plan and my speeds were averaging 15/20 most of the time in the last couple of weeks.

They brought up issues like:

• Stability profile
• Co-existence
• Issue with the copper in the building

and I have made sure none of them are an issue and they have admitted it.

Their reasoning now is "In regards to your slow speeds our upstream carrier can see that you’ve stopped uploading high amounts of data and whatever additional isolation test you’ve performed seems to have improved the service"

From 1st of october, I have downloaded 230GB of data and uploaded 34GB of data (this is mainly because I have a NAS which is uploading stuff because I stream to other devices in the house with the family)

What I dont understand is, 230GB/35GB is not a lot of usage and I fail to accept their reasoning that my HIGH upload usage is affecting my download speeds. Apparently this is what their upstream provider has informed them.

Anyone with knowledge on this, could you share some light?

Appreciate it.

Related Stores

Buzz Telco

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  picklewizard on 27/10/2017 - 10:21

  Yes, upload speeds will affect download speeds; there's always associated overhead.

  Why not just remove the NAS or whatever else is generating upstream traffic and re-test?

  • 

    aspirepranesh on 27/10/2017 - 10:33

    The problem I have is, Buzz Telco don't have a usage monitoring tool on the online account for me as a customer.

    I have a Netcomm modem and have looked at any software/tools they might provide to monitor usage at that point, no luck there either.

    I am not too tech savvy to go on to add any usage monitoring tools on my Synology NAS. I havent found any downloadable software either. The only thing Synology provides is a Network Resource Monitor , but its more a graph of download/upload speeds than the actual usage!

    • 

      picklewizard on 27/10/2017 - 10:35

      +1

      Just unplug NAS, stop torrents etc that use upstream, run a speedtest.

      Overhead should be minimal in any case, the telco is definitely giving you the runaround.

      • 

        aspirepranesh on 27/10/2017 - 10:40

        I have to say I am beginning to think that they are making me run around in circles.

        Since the upstream provider was involved, I switched off my NAS (Tuesday night) and it didnt do anything to my speeds. it was still 15/20 for the whole of wednesday. I sent the usage details to them letting them know this was the case with the NAS turned off.

        The next day (Thursday) the speeds were up to 75/35 and I turned on the NAS late last night and its still sitting at 75/35.

        Nothing is being uploaded/downloaded off the torrents since yesterday.

      • 

        picklewizard on 27/10/2017 - 10:41

        +1

        @aspirepranesh: Yeah those speeds are nonsense! Keep at them!

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  Purec on 27/10/2017 - 10:32

  Your NAS shouldn't increase your service upload usage since you mention it streams to devices in the house which means it's a local connection.

  However usage of a NAS can slow down a network depending on your network hardware capabilities.

  100/40 means you should be capable of having internet access at those speed at the same time. 100Mb download and 40Mb upload simultaneously.

  So for you to have 15/20 speed on a 100/40 connection is pretty disgusting and I would be right to complain.

  • 

    aspirepranesh on 27/10/2017 - 10:36

    I agree with you on that point! My understanding was that it is local usage and shouldnt affect the upload usage.

    I had the NAS hardwired straight to the Netcomm modem, and I have PoE around the house from my modem to my tv, xbox and playstation and they are all hardwired too.

    Covering your last point: 100/40 is simultaneous and I cannot understand how my speeds could be 15/20 when I am not downloading/uploading.

    And the way I see it, 35gb is not a lot of upload over a month!

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  Diji1 on 27/10/2017 - 10:35

  +1

  Just downloading requires constant small uploads (because computers haved to constantly talk to each other saying "I got that bit, send more" and so on. If your upload is saturated then download speed will be affected.

  To test this you need to throttle your NAS or whatever is uploading - ideally using QoS on your router.

  Or use software if QoS is not available. Set it to 80% of your upload speed. Not the upload speed lies your ISP sold you on, the upload speed you get from a speedtest with no internet activity going.

  • 

    aspirepranesh on 27/10/2017 - 11:13

    Thats a good point. But the speed tests I have been running over the last 3 days are all with no torrenting and mainly from browsing.

    For example:

    Monday : 15/20 , with NAS turned on with a bit of torrent downloading. about 3gb downloads
    - Issue escalated to Upstream carrier

    Tuesday: 15/20 , with NAS turned on, but no downloads/uploads on torrents all day
    - Requested to switch off NAS for isolation test, and I had already sent them speed test results

    Wednesday: 15/20, with NAS turned off, and only browsing on the computer.
    - Speed tests all day, results emailed

    Thursday: 75/35, with NAS turned off, and only browsing on the computer.
    - Speeds picked up after mid day.

    Here, at this point I believe to shut me up , they have done something to remove the control on my speeds. Because now they may have identified that the speeds are slow even without the NAS connected and no massive uploads/downloads.

    And I got the above response this morning saying its because of my excessive uploads!