Unable to access some services despite Plusnet appearing to work

[#1]

I have been getting problems with the broadband over the last week. These include inability to access the red button on BBC channels, the LG TV losing connection, very slow connections on some services from my desktop and some sites timing out such as supermarket booking slots.

Some things work fine, such as email and most websites.

This is despite appearing to have a fast line according to speed checkers. I've restarted the hub a number of times and checked connections. There is nothing obvious when I look at the plusnet two hub manager.

Any suggestions are very welcome!

[#2]

@seadog 

Have a look at Help & Support and go Fault Finding.

Start with the phone and if that comes up clear try internet faults.

Brian

[#3]

Don't know about the TV issues, but the sites timing out/taking a long time to load sounds site specific, rather than a general problem.

@seadog  Can you be a bit more specific with regards to the problem sites?

[#4]

Hi John,

Yes, here are some examples:

booking slots on Ocado takes about 2 minutes just to get the days up

booking slots at the gym often times out

red button on BBC and Eurosport don't work "sorry this service is unavailable"

BT performance checker does not fully load

Amazon Kindle is not downloading an order

All these sites used to work seamlessly. It feels as though there is a problem with sites requiring data to be uploaded in a certain time frame and the system locking up (I might be wrong here). I do use a TP-Link router to enable connection via LAN cable to some devices. However, my PC is connected directly to the router and that has problems as well.

The problem did seem to start after a brief power cut. I don't know if this could have caused a problem. 

[#5]

@seadog As other sites seem to load OK, this is a weird one, so, one step at a time. If the BT checker won't load, can you try : https://www.speedtest.net/ and post a screenshot of the result.

I don't know what the reporting capabilities of your TP-Link are like, but is it possible to find any of the data shown in the picture below;

[#6]

Thanks, John.

The BT speed checker works intermittently. When it does work I get this:

Home

SpeedTest Guidance

Basic Speed Test

Broadband Speed Test

Executed Successfully

PING

22

ms

DOWNLOAD

57.11

Mbps

UPLOAD

0

Mbps

AGAIN

Additional Diagnostic

?

If you are testing 500Mb/1000Mb product speeds please click here.

The upload appears to run fine at 18 Mbps. It briefly displays 18.2 Mbps before resetting to zero.

I use the plusnet 2 hub as my router. The TP-link is just a 5 port gigabit ethernet network switch.

The speedtest gives this:

Share

 

Result ID

 

16582203907

 Download Mbps

56.10

 Upload Mbps

18.68

Ping ms  9  75  72

Connections

Multi

Community Fibre Limited

London

Change Server

PlusNet

The plusnet hub technical log gives this:

This is a list of your Plusnet Hub settings and current statistics.

Product code:Plusnet Hub Two

Serial number:+108417+2230001897

Firmware version:v0.10.00.04201-PN

Firmware updated:28-Jun-2023

Board version:R01

GUI version:1.9 16_08_2022

DSL uptime:0 Days 0 Hrs 26 Mins

Data rate:19.999 Mbps / 60 Mbps

Maximum data rate:21.394 Mbps / 79.546 Mbps

Noise margin:7.0 / 11.1

Line attenuation:9.8 / 15.9

Signal attenuation:9.8 / 17.2

VLAN id:101

Upstream error control:Off

Downstream error control:Off

Data sent / received:55.6 MB Uploaded / 225.0 MB Downloaded

Broadband username:[Removed]@plusdsl.net

2.4 GHz wireless network name:[Removed]

2.4 GHz wireless channel:Smart (Channel 11)

5 GHz wireless network name:[Removed]

5 GHz wireless channel:Smart (Channel 36)

Wireless security:WPA2

Wireless mode:Mode 1

Firewall:On

MAC address:A8:A2:37:B8:D1:39

Software variant:-

Boot loader:0.1.7-PN (Thu Nov 30 09:45:22 2017

The event log is:

admin login success from 192.168.1.188

19:16:07, 04 Aug.

ARP [add] br0(eth0) 192.168.1.96 9c:c9:ed:e9:25:6a

19:16:07, 04 Aug.

ARP [del] br0 192.168.1.96 9c:c9:ed:e9:25:6a

19:16:05, 04 Aug.

admin timeout from 192.168.1.188

19:13:18, 04 Aug.

ARP [add] br0(eth0) 192.168.1.96 9c:c9:ed:e9:25:6a

19:13:18, 04 Aug.

ARP [del] br0 192.168.1.96 9c:c9:ed:e9:25:6a

19:12:17, 04 Aug.

DHCP device Disconnected: 192.168.1.221, 4e:cd:92:f9:7c:bd, Chris-s-S22

19:12:17, 04 Aug.

LAN [DEL] ARP 192.168.1.221 with 4e:cd:92:f9:7c:bd from br0

19:12:14, 04 Aug.

ARP [del] br0 192.168.1.221 4e:cd:92:f9:7c:bd

19:09:21, 04 Aug.

ARP [add] br0(eth0) 192.168.1.96 9c:c9:ed:e9:25:6a

19:09:21, 04 Aug.

ARP [del] br0 192.168.1.96 9c:c9:ed:e9:25:6a

19:07:40, 04 Aug.

ARP [add] br0(eth0) 192.168.1.96 9c:c9:ed:e9:25:6a

19:07:40, 04 Aug.

ARP [del] br0 192.168.1.96 9c:c9:ed:e9:25:6a

19:05:01, 04 Aug.

ARP [add] br0(eth0) 192.168.1.221 4e:cd:92:f9:7c:bd

19:04:59, 04 Aug.

ARP [del] br0 192.168.1.221 4e:cd:92:f9:7c:bd

19:04:34, 04 Aug.

DHCP device Disconnected: 192.168.1.248, 14:91:38:25:64:8b, unknown

19:04:34, 04 Aug.

LAN [DEL] ARP 192.168.1.248 with 14:91:38:25:64:8b from br0

19:04:32, 04 Aug.

ARP [del] br0 192.168.1.248 14:91:38:25:64:8b

19:02:46, 04 Aug.

LAN [DEL] ARP 192.168.1.86 with 20:17:42:f2:59:0a from br0

19:02:44, 04 Aug.

ARP [del] br0 192.168.1.86 20:17:42:f2:59:0a

19:01:40, 04 Aug.

ARP [add] br0(eth0) 192.168.1.248 14:91:38:25:64:8b

19:01:36, 04 Aug.

DHCP device Connected: 192.168.1.248, 14:91:38:25:64:8b, unknown

19:01:36, 04 Aug.

DHCP lease issued 192.168.1.248 to 14:91:38:25:64:8b , lease duration is 86400 seconds

19:01:36, 04 Aug.

LAN [ADD] ARP 192.168.1.248 with 14:91:38:25:64:8b from br0(eth0)

Many thanks for your help!

Mark

Moderator's note by Mike (Mav): Personal information removed from a public forum (to an area that staff can see).

[#7]

Assuming you haven't turned the HUb2 on and off before gathering that data, you have an issue. It is showing a DSL uptime of only 26 minutes, and what I would call an elevated downstream SNR value.

If you still have a normal landline connection, can you run the Quiet Line Test, please - dial 17070, select option 2. After the confirmation of you number, there should be NO noise whatsoever, save the regular 'Quit Line Test' message.

[#8]

Hi John, Thanks.

I had reset the hub shortly before as I had started going through the tests suggested by bmc (Hero). I'll try a hard reset in a bit.

The quiet line test was very quiet, I couldn't here a thing until the message blasted out!

Mark

[#9]

OK, @seadog . Personally, I  doubt any resetting will achieve anything, and probably cause more issues than it will solve. I suspect your previous rests have already 'upset the Dynamic Line Management kit in the FTTC cab, and doing more will just aggravate the situation.

To be honest, I'm a little unsure of what to suggest next - your initial post suggested a possible ping or routing issue, but your ping is good, so that is one none-issue.

Do you know how to perform a traceroute?

[#10]

Thanks. Here's the traceroute:

Tracing route to pingbox1.thinkbroadband.com [80.249.99.164]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

1 <1 ms <1 ms <1 ms *.*.*.*
2 5 ms 4 ms 4 ms 172.16.19.219
3 * * * Request timed out.
4 7 ms 7 ms 7 ms 128.hiper04.sheff.dial.plus.net.uk [195.166.143.128]
5 14 ms 19 ms 15 ms peer7-et-3-0-1.telehouse.ukcore.bt.net [109.159.252.152]
6 8 ms 8 ms 7 ms linx-gw1.thn.ncuk.net [195.66.224.240]
7 8 ms 8 ms 7 ms ae11-11.edge-rt2.thdo.ncuk.net [80.249.97.21]
8 8 ms 7 ms 7 ms te1-51-36.core-rs3.thdo.ncuk.net [80.249.97.72]
9 8 ms 8 ms 7 ms po5-32.core-rs4.thdo.ncuk.net [80.249.97.90]
10 7 ms 7 ms 7 ms pingbox1.thinkbroadband.com [80.249.99.164]

Trace complete.

The 3rd one looks a bit dodgy but I don't know how to interpret that.

[#11]

That is a good ping - the third hop probably doesn't respond t ping  requests, and is perfectly normal. What about one to ocado.com?

[#12]

When you've reset your router, did you notice if the IP address changed? It could be an ip issue? I say that as an LG owner and I have been using mine all day with the apps and BBC with no issues. I no that doesn't help you though.

Also, not sure if editing out your PN username may be a good idea.

Mark

[#13]

The one to Ocado looks fine. Most of the time, Ocado is fine. It's just when I need to book a slot that it goes really slow or times out. Speedtest.net also seems ok. It's a complete mystery.

C:\Users\mark>tracert ocado.com

Tracing route to ocado.com [107.162.180.20]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

1 <1 ms <1 ms <1 ms 
2 5 ms 4 ms 4 ms 172.16.19.219
3 * * * Request timed out.
4 7 ms 7 ms 7 ms 132.hiper04.sheff.dial.plus.net.uk [195.166.143.132]
5 8 ms 7 ms 7 ms core6-hu0-0-0-15.faraday.ukcore.bt.net [195.99.127.66]
6 7 ms 8 ms 7 ms 166-49-209-194.gia.bt.net [166.49.209.194]
7 9 ms 10 ms 10 ms cc-uk-thn-01-linx-01.controlcircle.com [195.66.225.161]
8 * * * Request timed out.
9 9 ms 9 ms 9 ms 107.162.79.5
10 9 ms 9 ms 9 ms 107.162.180.20

Trace complete.

C:\Users\mark>tracert speedtest.net

Tracing route to speedtest.net [151.101.194.219]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

1 <1 ms <1 ms <1 ms
2 5 ms 4 ms 5 ms 172.16.19.219
3 * * * Request timed out.
4 7 ms 7 ms 7 ms 128.hiper04.sheff.dial.plus.net.uk [195.166.143.128]
5 7 ms 7 ms 7 ms peer2-et-7-0-1.slough.ukcore.bt.net [109.159.252.120]
6 * * * Request timed out.
7 7 ms 7 ms 7 ms 151.101.194.219

Trace complete.

C:\Users\mark>

[#14]

If it is when trying to book a slot, that suggests to me that it s something in the Ocado internal network which is the issue - and best of  luck trying to ask them about that - the call centre staff won't have clue what you are on about.

[#15]

Thanks. The IP address doesn't seem to change. As I have reset the router a number of times, is it best to just leave it now to settle down (hopefully)?