Plusnet broadband unlimited keeps dropping out this afternoon

[#1]

OK  dan, I get you now. Sorry for getting confused.😀

[#2]

Hi @simonc2,

I'm sorry to see you're having connection issues. I agree there's something not quite right here. Line tests though aren't showing the cause for this and as your connection seems to have been stable for 2 days, I've done an SNR reset.

Could you switch your router off then on again in about 4 hours then retest your speed afterwards over the next 24 hours?

If you're still having issues, have you tried plugging your router into the test socket yet btw? 

[#3]

Hi Gandalf

Thanks for your input. I'll do a long test this afternoon while I'm out, and it will be with the router plugged into the test socket with a wired PC. (All the ping tests I've done have been with a wired connection but with the Hub One in a phone extension socket and through a second router which I use for my home network - ie the Hub One is used simply as a broadband modem.)

[#4]

@simonc2 I think a proper speedtest - from https://speedtest.btwholesale.com/ would be more informative. Ping tests are not a good indication of your lines performance.

[#5]

@simonc2 

The Hub One does not have a modem only mode, so how have you configured it? Is the second router directly connected using a cable or via power line adapters?

Any speed tests should be performed with a device connected to the Hub One

[#6]

@simonc2 wrote:

Hi Gandalf

Thanks for your input. I'll do a long test this afternoon while I'm out, and it will be with the router plugged into the test socket with a wired PC. (All the ping tests I've done have been with a wired connection but with the Hub One in a phone extension socket and through a second router which I use for my home network - ie the Hub One is used simply as a broadband modem.)

Hi Simon,

I don't think the issue is anything to do with your home network between your hub and devices, so it's definitely worth making sure your hub's in the master telephone socket, or better yet, the test socket as that'll rule out an issue with internal wiring.

Let me know how your testing goes though.

[#7]

Re: comments above - I accept that ping response times are not an accurate guide to download speed, but if the internet seems very slow this invariably corresponds to slow ping response, so it's a good diagnostic to how often the connection is suspect.

No, the Hub One doesn't have a modem only mode, but if you disable both the 2.4 and 5GHz Wifi then it is effectively a modem only.

Here's a thing - this afternoon I took the front off the master phone socket to check if there was a test socket, discovered with the front off there was no internet connection, so put the front back on, maybe a little tighter than before. And suddenly the ping response times were less than half what they were typically before.Here is the BTW speed test - this is before plugging directly into the test socket:

I did a two hour repeated ping test with the Hub One plugged directly into the test socket with a wired connection to a pc which showed mostly really good responses but a very erratic responses for a 25min period:

Here are the BTW speed test results from the beginning and end of this long test period:

And at the end:

Here is the Hub One helpdesk data for after the test. The noise levels are hugely down:

1. Product name:    Plusnet Hub
2. Serial number:    +081441+NQ52928394
3. Firmware version:    Software version 4.7.5.1.83.8.289.1.3 Last updated 16/11/21
4. Board version:    Plusnet Hub One
5. DSL uptime:    0 days, 01:07:28
6. Data rate:    975 / 18745
7. Maximum data rate:    972 / 19180
8. Noise margin:    6.5 / 6.7
9. Line attenuation:    5.6 / 12.1
10. Signal attenuation:    5.5 / 10.5
11. Data sent/received:    24.0 MB / 720.1 MB
12. Broadband username:    xxx@plusdsl.net
13. 2.4 GHz Wireless network/SSID:    PLUSNET-68M7
14. 2.4 GHz Wireless connections:    Disabled
15. 2.4 GHz Wireless security:    WPA2
16. 2.4 GHz Wireless channel:    Automatic (Smart Wireless)
17. 5 GHz Wireless network/SSID:    PLUSNET-68M7
18. 5 GHz Wireless connections:    Disabled
19. 5 GHz Wireless security:    WPA2
20. 5 GHz Wireless channel:    Automatic (Smart Wireless)
21. Firewall:    Default
22. MAC Address:    a0:1b:29:66:d8:fa
23. VPI/VCI:    0 / 38
24. Modulation:    G.992.5 Annex A
25. Latency type:    Fast
26. Software variant:    AA

I don't know if that means part of the problem was at our master socket all along. I don't think the master socket has been touched for 10-15 years or so. There is still the issue of the 25 minute period with erratic ping response times. Do you think there is still something that needs to be investigated?

[#8]

@simonc2 I would certainly be blaming your master socket - they can get a bit loose - or more precisely, the DSL cable can get displaced - over time. I still give mine a push every so often, even though I haven't had a connection problem for over 2 years - probably longer.

Your speed test reports look much better, and more in keeping with your line and signal attenuation figure, plus you have got a much better D/S SNR. Hope it stays good for you.

[#9]

John

I hope it stays like this also! What do you make of the section of the latest ping test where the response times were suddenly erratic and really long?

[#10]

To be honest, Simon, ping times are something I have never had to worry about, so they are not something I have investigated and have little knowledge of. I do see odd bursts  on my my TBB graph, but they have never interfered with my browsing, so I ignore them, TBH.Maybe other Community members ( @Dan_the_Van , @RealAleMadrid  - any thoughts?).

[#11]

@simonc2 

Good to things have improved, further observation.

but if you disable both the 2.4 and 5GHz Wifi then it is effectively a modem only.

This is a misconception, as the router is still present, so if you have back to back routers this will result is in 'double NAT' which could cause issues. See https://kb.netgear.com/30186/What-is-double-NAT-and-why-is-it-bad 

Double NAT will not be present if you use the second router as a Wireless Access Point as it will share the same IP Address range of the Hub One, with the Hub One being the DHCP server.

I suggest you look at Routerstats http://www.vwlowen.co.uk/RouterStatsHub/routerstatshub.htm this will monitor the line performance, it would require a PC running Windows or Linux running Wine which needs to be left on 24/7.

@jab1 refers to TBB graph which is https://www.thinkbroadband.com/broadband/monitoring/quality 

HTH

[#12]

Just to add - in case you were thinking of looking at the Thinkbroadband logger, you really need a fixed IP, but the advantage is that you don't need to have any machines running 24/7.

[#13]

Unfortunately it is not possible to enable ICMP on a Hub One so a device which responds to ping needs to be in the DMZ switched on 24/7, plus a static public IP Address

Dan 

[#14]

If that was aimed at me, Dan, OK - I wasn't aware of that, so TBB obviously will be no use.

Sorry, @simonc2 

[#15]

Hi Simon,

I'm glad to see things look a lot better with your router in the test socket.

How has your connection been since then? Have you noticed any further improvement?