Internet keeps dropping on a daily basis
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- Internet keeps dropping on a daily basis
Internet keeps dropping on a daily basis
20-01-2022 7:34 PM
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Hi all,
I have ADSL internet (through a telephone socket) as there is no fibre in my area at the moment.
Typical speed is around 8mb to 11mb download with about half a meg upload.
I ran for two years with SSE internet through the same telephone socket, with a telephone filter and a Technicolor TG589vac router. This service ran perfectly without any real outage in the two years I was with them.
However once SSE upped their prices and would not reduce to acceptable price, I voted with my feet and signed up to PlusNet.
Since the changeover to PlusNet service last November, the internet keeps dropping out at least a couple of times a day (probably more) and it is quite annoying, especially as I work for the NHS and am pretty much constantly online working during the day.
When I changed internet providers in November, I removed my SSE Technicolor router and filter cable and installed the Plusnet router and filter cable that got delivered to me. Since then the internet keeps dropping as the red light indicates on the router so I definitely know its a line issue to plusnet and not the router(s) and filter(s).
So, in late December, I unplugged the plusnet router and filter and reinstalled my Techncolor router (and configured it with plusnet's config).
It connected to the internet OK, but the Technicolor router also gets disconnected periodically so I know it is not a dodgy router or cable as I have tried both alternatives.
I think it is something to do with the plusnet side as nothing else has changed from my phone socket to the outside world since leaving SSE.
When the internet drops, it drops out for a couple of minutes then comes back for a while (perhaps running for a few hours if I am lucky) before dropping again.
I use wired ethernet at home so can discount anyone saying anything about WiFi signal (although I can ping my router internally when the internet drops so I know there is no problem with wired or wireless connection in the house to the router. The problem is definitely the internet line dropping.
Plusnet support direct seems like a nightmare to figure out how to report the problem to officially so I thought I would try here. Does anyone have any ideas or is there a plusnet support person lurking on the forum that can pick up this issue and test for me please?
I'm an IT professional by trade so I know the ins and outs of router config and testing to find root cause of IT issues so I can guarantee everything inside the house is A-OK and it is the external incoming line that is dropping.
Here's some info from my router:
(G.992.5_Annex_A; downstream: 12375 kbit/s, upstream: 1173 kbit/s; output Power Down: 12.8 dBm, Up: 19.2 dBm; line Attenuation Down: 37.0 dB, Up: 20.0 dB; snr Margin Down: 3.1 dB, Up: 6.6 dB)
I can also list a lot more from my logfile such as UP, DOWN, In your ladies chamber etc) or attach if needed.
Please can a plusnet support rep or someone help. Thank you.
Re: Internet keeps dropping on a daily basis
20-01-2022 8:00 PM
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Welcome to the forums, @badkarma . I can see nothing much in the brief details you have posted about your connection, except that your D/S SNR looks a little low for the attenuation.
A full screenshot of the page you extracted that data from - redacting any personal detail, and the logfile, may point someone in the right direction.
Re: Internet keeps dropping on a daily basis
20-01-2022 8:32 PM
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Thank you @jab1
Attached are a screenshot of the log management dialog of my router where I eported the log from and the actual log itself.
Many thanks.
Re: Internet keeps dropping on a daily basis
20-01-2022 8:44 PM
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@badkarma Unfortunately, that information is, shall we say, not particularly useful - to me - as I have no experience of your device, but I suspect the modem/router may not be configured correctly.
Is it possible to replace the Technicolor with the PN supplied hub (which one?) and post the details from there?
Also, can you run a Quiet Line Test on your phone, just in case there is any noises on the line which could be impacting your BB signal?
Re: Internet keeps dropping on a daily basis
20-01-2022 9:09 PM
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Thank you. I will set up my PN router tomorrow morning and run the days work over it then will extract its logfiles and report back either tomorrow evening or weekend.
When you say you suspect the modem/router may not be configured correctly, would this be in both cases of SSE techncolor router incl the PN router? And would this incorrect config be the result of the line dropping randomly every now and then for both routers? As the reason I switched to the Technicolor router was because I was getting same issues then as I am now.
Will check back in a day or so once I have the PN logs.
Re: Internet keeps dropping on a daily basis
20-01-2022 9:20 PM
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Thanks - the PN gears files are easier to understand, with less extraneous data.
Difficult to answer the config query, as I can't make much of the Technicolor reports, but the PN Hub is easier to read - again, which one?
Have you done the QLT I mentioned earlier?
Re: Internet keeps dropping on a daily basis
21-01-2022 10:31 AM - edited 21-01-2022 10:31 AM
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Thanks for your post @badkarma and welcome to our Community Forums.
I'm really sorry to see you're having connection issues after moving to us.
I've tested your line today and the tests aren't showing any issues, but I can see the drops and that the signal to noise ratio (SNRM) target is set at 3dB by the automated dynamic line management (DLM) software at the exchange, however the actual margin is around 4dB, which suggests there may be noise on your line.
I'd second @jab1's suggestion of carrying out a quiet line test by dialling 17070 from a home phone handset, ideally through the test socket as explained Here as that'll rule out any issues with internal wiring.
Also, the good news is I can see that fibre (FTTC, fibre to the cabinet, the cabinet being the green box in the road) is available for you at an estimated speed of between 21.9mbps to 30.9mbps. I've found out this information by typing your landline telephone number into the supplier availability checker Here.
You should be able to upgrade by going to the "Offers & Upgrades" tab in your account online, logging in from Here or by calling our Customer Options Team on 0800 013 2632 and they'll be happy to help.
For future reference, as well as posting here, you can report a problem to us by text through following the steps Here or message us on Twitter or Facebook as well as by phone us on 0800 432 0200.
Let us know how it goes.
Re: Internet keeps dropping on a daily basis
21-01-2022 3:25 PM - edited 21-01-2022 3:28 PM
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I plugged my PN Hub in mid-morning.
I went to the charity shop at lunchtime today today and bought a cheap phone for £2 to test the line. When I tested the line (at 14:55 just after the internet dropping as mentioned below) I could hear a very feint continuous buzz / hum between the test voice prompts. A bit like when you put your ear next to an old transformer. A very quiet continuous steady hum. No crackling.
The internet dropped at 14:51 (giving me chance to do the line test) - I unplugged the routers DSL line at this point) and then once line test finished, I plugged the DSL line back into the PN hub and the internet recovered itself.
I then logged back in to the router and dumped the logfile - please see attached and check around 14:50:36
Also from my PN router:
1. Product name: Plusnet Hub
2. Serial number: +081441+NQ12366185
3. Firmware version: Software version 4.7.5.1.83.8.289.1.3 Last updated 15/11/21
4. Board version: Plusnet Hub One
5. DSL uptime: 0 days, 00:30:49
6. Data rate: 1085 / 12751
7. Maximum data rate: 1092 / 12848
8. Noise margin: 6.6 / 3.3
9. Line attenuation: 18.7 / 38.0
10. Signal attenuation: 19.3 / 37.1
11. Data sent/received: 110.8 MB / 1.1 GB
12. Broadband username: redacted
13. 2.4 GHz Wireless network/SSID: redacted
14. 2.4 GHz Wireless connections: Enabled (802.11 b/g/n (up to 300 Mb/s))
15. 2.4 GHz Wireless security: WPA2
16. 2.4 GHz Wireless channel: Automatic (Smart Wireless)
17. 5 GHz Wireless network/SSID: redacted
18. 5 GHz Wireless connections: Enabled (802.11 a/n/ac (up to 1300 Mb/s))
19. 5 GHz Wireless security: WPA2
20. 5 GHz Wireless channel: Automatic (Smart Wireless)
21. Firewall: Default
22. MAC Address: redacted
23. VPI/VCI: 0 / 38
24. Modulation: G.992.5 Annex A
25. Latency type: Interleaved
26. Software variant: AA
27. Boot loader: 1.0.0
Re: Internet keeps dropping on a daily basis
21-01-2022 4:02 PM
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Re: Internet keeps dropping on a daily basis
21-01-2022 4:16 PM
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@badkarma Thanks for that information. Looks (to me) like there could be a BT network problem, given that you appear to have had a couple of xDSL drops since installing the Hub1, but maybe @Gandalf will be able to confirm/deny that - he has more visibility of the data.
The phone line should be silent during the QLT - so something is slightly awry there - and could be the reason for your problem, again something for the PN Help Team to investigate.
Re: Internet keeps dropping on a daily basis
21-01-2022 4:29 PM
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Thanks for getting back to me @badkarma
I'd recommend keeping an eye on this over the weekend and if you're still having issues, let us know as we'd likely need to arrange an Openreach engineer visit to take a look at the phone line. Let me know how it goes.
Re: Internet keeps dropping on a daily basis
21-01-2022 4:35 PM
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I think the weekend will probably see the same symptoms as it has been happening daily since changing from SSE to PlusNet in November, with me changing from the PM router to the old Technocolor SSE router in December and having same issues, so having flipped back to the PN router and still getting symptoms.
However I will keep an eye on it and report back on Monday.
Many thanks all, have a nice weekend.
Re: Internet keeps dropping on a daily basis
21-01-2022 4:41 PM
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Re: Internet keeps dropping on a daily basis
21-01-2022 4:45 PM
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Thanks for getting back to me @badkarma
No problem, perhaps we should arrange an engineer now, based on the problems you're still having.
Could you reply to the ticket I've logged on your account Here with when you'll be available for a visit?
If you can post back once you've responded, I'll make sure we book the engineer as soon as we can.
Re: Internet keeps dropping on a daily basis
23-01-2022 2:00 PM
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Some general observations here...
- The technicolor routers are particularly good at hanging on to the signal on noisy lines
- Whilst you do not see changing routers as being any different, they are certainly not the same and on a noisy line could well account for the different level of disconnections experienced
- You do not need the internet to be down to do a quiet line test ... unless you intend to remove the faceplate to eliminate internal extension wiring ... is there any?
- The line sync is excellent, so any data speed throughput concerns arise from retransmission errors ... which could well be associated with the observed noise ... beyond that there is some possibility of congestion in the exchange, none of which is in the Plusnet components of the service provision
- That said, some 30 minutes after the start of a new xDSL session the SNRM figures are up 10% from what would have been their start point, potentially inferring the presence of noise on the line at the time of the resync which had decreased at the time you grabbed the stats - running router stats 24x7 might be illuminating - see the link below, the PN Hub One is a BTHH5a in different livery
- SSE do not offer ADSL services currently - were you on an old ADSL service with them or on FTTC? (That technicolor router supports both ADSL and VDSL)
In another browser tab, login into the Plusnet user portal BEFORE clicking the fault & ticket links
Superusers are not staff, but they do have a direct line of communication into the business in order to raise issues, concerns and feedback from the community.
If this post helped, please click the Thumbs Up and if it fixed your issue, please click the This fixed my problem green button below.
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