User Error 0x3 and 0x4 - frequent drops OpenReach given up

[#1]

Over the last three years I have had:

2 line shifts

1 new master socket (three faceplates / 2 ADSL filters)

1 new line to the house

1 replacement pole in the street

2 service providers

7 different routers ranging from BT Home hub through TP-Link SOHO VOIP

2 different IP addresses

More visits from OpenReach than from my mental health counsellor 

and a big pile of frustration...

Does anyone know what these errors actually are?  I've been told they may be for speed training, told they are part of an IP address change or possibly error correcting.

OpenReach say they are part of tests from my ISP, my ISP say they are nothing to do with them.

I'm being told by OpenReach they will not come for intermittent faults anymore

I'm being told by the Helpdesk that I have to either live with this or get OpenReach out again (see above)

No one on first line seems to be able to tell me exactly what these errors are and they do not seem to have any second line people I can talk to.

Some days its fine - today its dropped twice, record I think is about 14 in 4 days...

[#2]

@adbeasley Where are these 'errors' appearing?  Can you give us a bit more detail. What router /modem are you currently using?

[#3]

Apologies - typed error rather than 'request' - not sure if I can change the title or if a mod can?

I'm currently using the second Plusnet router I have been sent:

Plusnet Hub One

Software version 4.7.5.1.83.8.289.1.3

In the WAN event log it reports:

15:41:12, 21 Mar. (49176.630000) PPP LCP Send Termination Request [User request]

and then goes though a full set of communication checks and restores connection.

The Tp-Link router gives a little more:

2022-02-14 16:30:00 [6] PPP: ppp1 sent [LCP TermReq id=0x3 "User request"]
2022-02-14 16:30:06 [3] PPP: ppp1 User request
2022-02-14 16:30:06 [3] PPP: ppp1 User request
2022-02-14 16:30:06 [6] PPP: ppp1 sent [LCP TermReq id=0x4 "User request"]

[#4]

/No problem - I now know what you mean, and other Community members who may chip in with ideas will too. Keep using the Hub1 please - I understand the reports from that a little better, and it is easier to try and help you through that  equipment.

This may seem an odd request, but can you carry out the requested checks in the following script?

For Community members to be able to help, information from these two sites, as screenshots:-

BT Broadband(obscuring your phone number) and BTW Performance Tester - Over a wired (ethernet) connection, please report the 'ADDITIONAL DIAGNOSTICS', and sight of the HELP DESK tab from your Hub would be a start.

It may also be a good idea to report the results of a Quiet Line Test - dial 17070 option 2 from a (preferably corded) phone. After the confirmation of your phone number, there should be total silence apart from the regular 'Quiet Line Test' announcement. Any other noise - report a PHONE fault first.

[#5]

Quiet line test shows nothing and the line is fine when the DSL drops (been on the phone when it dropped once).

I know the 2.4GHz is disabled on this box - I have my own access point that WiFi connects to.

I'll have to runt he BT test from my wife's machine when she is free - I'm WiFi only!

Last week the router was reporting 39.9Mbs downstream and the same 9.9Mbs upstream.

[#6]

Thanks for that information - the things that shout at me immediately are: the current vs. the attainable data rates, the DSL uptime (probably due to you losing the DSL connection) and the downstream SNR. You have a problem, and I suspect it is somewhere in the BT/OR infrastructure - probably between you and the local cab, but I shall wait for the results of the BTW speed test before commenting further.

Could you post your current WAN log, please?

[#7]

Moderators Note

This topic has been moved from ADSL Broadband to Fibre

[#8]

Oh - I've moved! I had assumed 'fibre' was FTTP not FTTC - sorry about that.

If the IP profile is what I think it is (max available set by the exchange software) then I am being strapped down to try and fix this...

Wan log below (and a TP-Link version attached - has more message detail) - the current router only went in this weekend so its short. Unfortunately I see the night time drops as my health impacts my hours (e.g. it was 05:30 this morning when I went to bed).

Time and date Message
15:43:57, 21 Mar. (49341.390000) WAN operating mode is VDSL
15:43:57, 21 Mar. (49341.390000) Last WAN operating mode was VDSL
15:43:55, 21 Mar. (49340.110000) PPP IPCP Receive Configuration ACK
15:43:55, 21 Mar. (49339.930000) PPP IPCP Send Configuration Request
15:43:55, 21 Mar. (49339.920000) PPP IPCP Receive Configuration NAK
15:43:55, 21 Mar. (49339.920000) PPP IPCP Send Configuration ACK
15:43:55, 21 Mar. (49339.920000) PPP IPCP Receive Configuration Request
15:43:55, 21 Mar. (49339.900000) PPP IPCP Send Configuration Request
15:43:54, 21 Mar. (49338.770000) PPPoE is up -​ Down Rate=33478Kbps, Up Rate=9973Kbps; SNR Margin Down=10.9dB, Up=6.1dB
15:43:54, 21 Mar. (49338.760000) CHAP authentication successful
15:43:54, 21 Mar. (49338.670000) CHAP Receive Challenge
15:43:54, 21 Mar. (49338.670000) Starting CHAP authentication with peer
15:43:54, 21 Mar. (49338.660000) PPP LCP Receive Configuration ACK
15:43:54, 21 Mar. (49338.660000) PPP LCP Send Configuration ACK
15:43:54, 21 Mar. (49338.650000) PPP LCP Send Configuration Request
15:43:54, 21 Mar. (49338.650000) PPP LCP Receive Configuration Request
15:43:54, 21 Mar. (49338.590000) CHAP Receive Challenge
15:43:54, 21 Mar. (49338.590000) Starting CHAP authentication with peer
15:43:54, 21 Mar. (49338.580000) PPP LCP Receive Configuration ACK
15:43:54, 21 Mar. (49338.580000) PPP LCP Send Configuration Request
15:43:54, 21 Mar. (49338.570000) PPP LCP Receive Configuration Reject
15:43:54, 21 Mar. (49338.570000) PPP LCP Send Configuration ACK
15:43:54, 21 Mar. (49338.570000) PPP LCP Receive Configuration Request
15:43:54, 21 Mar. (49338.570000) PPP LCP Send Configuration Request
15:43:06, 21 Mar. (49290.990000) PTM over DSL is up
15:41:15, 21 Mar. (49179.370000) PTM over DSL is down after 817 minutes uptime
15:41:15, 21 Mar. (49179.370000) PPPoE is down after 816 minutes uptime [Waiting for Underlying Connection (WAN Ethernet 7 -​ Down)]
15:41:12, 21 Mar. (49176.630000) PPP LCP Send Termination Request [User request]
02:04:53, 21 Mar. ( 197.790000) WAN operating mode is VDSL
02:04:53, 21 Mar. ( 197.790000) Last WAN operating mode was VDSL
02:04:51, 21 Mar. ( 196.570000) PPP IPCP Receive Configuration ACK
02:04:51, 21 Mar. ( 196.400000) PPP IPCP Send Configuration Request
02:04:51, 21 Mar. ( 196.390000) PPP IPCP Receive Configuration NAK
02:04:51, 21 Mar. ( 196.390000) PPP IPCP Send Configuration ACK
02:04:51, 21 Mar. ( 196.390000) PPP IPCP Receive Configuration Request
02:04:51, 21 Mar. ( 196.370000) PPP IPCP Send Configuration Request
02:04:50, 21 Mar. ( 195.330000) PPPoE is up -​ Down Rate=33478Kbps, Up Rate=9905Kbps; SNR Margin Down=17.3dB, Up=6.4dB
02:04:50, 21 Mar. ( 195.310000) CHAP authentication successful
02:04:50, 21 Mar. ( 195.160000) CHAP Receive Challenge
02:04:50, 21 Mar. ( 195.160000) Starting CHAP authentication with peer
02:04:50, 21 Mar. ( 195.160000) PPP LCP Receive Configuration ACK
02:04:50, 21 Mar. ( 195.060000) PPP LCP Send Configuration ACK
02:04:50, 21 Mar. ( 195.060000) PPP LCP Send Configuration Request
02:04:50, 21 Mar. ( 195.050000) PPP LCP Receive Configuration Request
02:04:50, 21 Mar. ( 194.990000) CHAP Receive Challenge
02:04:50, 21 Mar. ( 194.990000) Starting CHAP authentication with peer
02:04:50, 21 Mar. ( 194.990000) PPP LCP Receive Configuration ACK
02:04:50, 21 Mar. ( 194.980000) PPP LCP Send Configuration Request
02:04:50, 21 Mar. ( 194.980000) PPP LCP Receive Configuration Reject
02:04:50, 21 Mar. ( 194.980000) PPP LCP Send Configuration ACK
02:04:50, 21 Mar. ( 194.970000) PPP LCP Receive Configuration Request
02:04:50, 21 Mar. ( 194.970000) PPP LCP Send Configuration Request
02:04:00, 21 Mar. ( 145.500000) PTM over DSL is up
02:02:10, 21 Mar. ( 34.650000) WAN Auto-​sensing running.
02:01:06, 21 Mar. (57679.870000) PPP LCP Send Termination Request [User request]
10:03:02, 20 Mar. ( 196.340000) WAN operating mode is VDSL
10:03:01, 20 Mar. ( 195.000000) PPP IPCP Receive Configuration ACK
10:03:01, 20 Mar. ( 194.870000) PPP IPCP Send Configuration Request
10:03:01, 20 Mar. ( 194.860000) PPP IPCP Receive Configuration NAK
10:03:01, 20 Mar. ( 194.860000) PPP IPCP Send Configuration ACK
10:03:01, 20 Mar. ( 194.850000) PPP IPCP Receive Configuration Request
10:03:01, 20 Mar. ( 194.840000) PPP IPCP Send Configuration Request
10:03:00, 20 Mar. ( 193.690000) PPPoE is up -​ Down Rate=33478Kbps, Up Rate=9905Kbps; SNR Margin Down=17.6dB, Up=6.4dB
10:03:00, 20 Mar. ( 193.670000) CHAP authentication successful
10:03:00, 20 Mar. ( 193.590000) CHAP Receive Challenge
10:03:00, 20 Mar. ( 193.590000) Starting CHAP authentication with peer
10:03:00, 20 Mar. ( 193.580000) PPP LCP Receive Configuration ACK
10:03:00, 20 Mar. ( 193.570000) PPP LCP Send Configuration ACK
10:03:00, 20 Mar. ( 193.570000) PPP LCP Send Configuration Request
10:03:00, 20 Mar. ( 193.560000) PPP LCP Receive Configuration Request
10:02:59, 20 Mar. ( 193.510000) CHAP Receive Challenge
10:02:59, 20 Mar. ( 193.510000) Starting CHAP authentication with peer
10:02:59, 20 Mar. ( 193.500000) PPP LCP Receive Configuration ACK
10:02:59, 20 Mar. ( 193.500000) PPP LCP Send Configuration Request
10:02:59, 20 Mar. ( 193.490000) PPP LCP Receive Configuration Reject
10:02:59, 20 Mar. ( 193.490000) PPP LCP Send Configuration ACK
10:02:59, 20 Mar. ( 193.490000) PPP LCP Receive Configuration Request
10:02:59, 20 Mar. ( 193.490000) PPP LCP Send Configuration Request
10:02:10, 20 Mar. ( 143.850000) PTM over DSL is up

BT Wholesale report:

[#9]

Thanks for that further information. I assume you on the 'Fibre' product and not 'Fibre Extra' - i.e. the 40/10 product?

If you are, then those figures are not too bad, but with your line attenuation, you should be getting more speed than currently. The constant disconnections won't help.

Hopefully one of the Help Team will be along soon and possibly provide the Radius log and GEA test - which may give us more of a clue, but quite honestly, you should not be seeing so many PPP drops.

[#10]

One of the advantages of a Hub One is you can monitor the link, this can help towards diagnosing the issue. 

http://www.vwlowen.co.uk/RouterStatsHub/routerstatshub.htm 

You will need a PC which is left on all the time, wired is preferred. It can run 'minimised' so not to distract the user.

HTH

[#11]

@adbeasley Looking at those charts again, I now suspect you are on the 'Fibre Extra' 80/20 product, but quite honestly, with such a low max, I would go for the 40/10 product. It won't solve the connection issues, but may save you a bit of cash. 😀

[#12]

@adbeasley  the 'errors' aren't the problem, they're a consequence of the real problem , that is the DSL drops.

To explain, an Internet connection comprises a PPP  ( point to point protocol ) connection to the plusnet gateway , which allocates an ip address and gives you a route to the internet. For an FTTC  connection,  his PPP  connection is carried over a DSL ( digital subscriber line ) connection using the copper line to the cabinet.

In your case the DSL link is dropping , the PPP  link can therefore no longer maintain the connection to the gateway and reports the errors you are seeing.

The dsl link should not be dropping with the frequency it appears to be and is indicative of a fault. The elevated snr on the downstream confirms that a fault exits and will need Openreach to investigate

[#13]

@MisterW Totally agree. Just wondering out loud - could it be the port in the VDSL cab, as everything else seems to have been checked/replaced?

[#14]

It's possible , but I would have thought with the line shifts, another port would have been tried.

Basically it needs a fault reporting and PN to get OR to investigate.

The only problem may be that the line is synching JUST above the mgal , but with the frequency of drops OR should still accept a fault

[#15]

OK - just a thought. 😀