Connection drop, TP Link router or Plusnet?

[#1]

Hi, I wonder if any Plusnet staff are able to help? My router has started dropping the connection on a regular basis, usually in the late evening. I'm using a TP Link Archer VR 600. When I look in the logs I see this entry regarding 'ppp0 user request' at the same time:

475	2018-01-18 22:30:13	PPP	Information	ppp0 sent [LCP ConfReq id=0x1 <mru 1480> <magic 0x95922fc8>]
474	2018-01-18 22:30:13	PPP	Information	ppp0 sent [PADI Host-Uniq(0x0000569f)]
473	2018-01-18 22:29:55	PPP	Error	ppp0
472	2018-01-18 22:29:52	PPP	Information	ppp0 sent [LCP TermReq id=0x4 "User request"]
471	2018-01-18 22:29:49	PPP	Information	ppp0 sent [LCP TermReq id=0x3 "User request"]
470	2018-01-18 22:29:49	PPP	Warning	ppp0 LCP down
469	2018-01-18 22:29:49	PPP	Error	ppp0 LCP down
468	2018-01-18 22:29:49	PPP	Error	ppp0 User request

I wonder if it's my router or if there's an issue with the line or at the cabinet?

Any help appreciated, thanks.

[#2]

Just lost connection again twice in quick succession. Please can a Plusnet staff member have a look to see if they can see the connection dropping and if there are any problems with my line?

Thanks

[#3]

Have you tried running the BT line checker?

http://speedtest.btwholesale.com/

[#4]

Just ran the BT Line Checker:

Download speedachieved during the test was - 65.16 Mbps
 For your connection, the acceptable range of speedsis 40 Mbps-68.57 Mbps .
 Additional Information:
 IP Profile for your line is - 68.57 Mbps

Upload speed achieved during the test was - 17.28Mbps
 Additional Information:
 Upstream Rate IP profile on your line is - 20 Mbps

We were unable to identify any performance problem with your service at this time.
It is possible that any problem you are currently, or had previously experienced may have been caused by traffic congestion on the Internet or by the server you were accessing responding slowly.
If you continue to encounter a problem with a specific server, please contact the administrator of that server in the first instance.

[#5]

Would really appreciate it if Plusnet support could check my line.

[#6]

Just had more disconnects in the last hour, wife and kids were getting Netflix rage so I've switched out the TP Link box and put the BT modem and PlusNet supplied Technicolor router back in place for now. This should hopefully rule out the TP Link box one way or the other.

[#7]

Sorry to hear you're experiencing connection issues.

Our tests aren't finding the cause of the drops. How's it going with the equipment we've sent you?

[#8]

@Gandalf I've switched out my TP Link router for the BT modem and the Technicolor router supplied by PlusNet. Unfortunately I'm still having issues, and it always seems to be in the evening around 10pm. Tonight I've had two disconnects. The red light was showing on the Technicolor. I tried to get the logs but it seems they've been lost as i restarted the router during the second disconnect. The first disconnect was around 10:25 and the second around 10:35.

It doesn't seem to be the hardware seeing as I'm having the same issue as before. Can you see anything from your end?

[#9]

@Gandalf also note that the connection speed seems to drop right down in the preceding minute before dropping completely. Websites are slow to load and buffering occurs on streaming apps like Netflix. Could it be congestion / over provisioning on the line? A speedtest usually gives me around 65 to 70 Mbps down and 19 up.

Also sounds similar to this: https://community.plus.net/t5/Fibre-Broadband/Congestion-or-something-else/td-p/1512599

[#10]

@MrRichThomas

Just a reminder that Gandalf is on holiday till the end of this month. Hopefully another member of staff will pick this up.

[#11]

Was this resolved as a dupe of above issue. I'm getting similar drops on my tp-link modem.

[#12]

Hi @graemev,

I've tested your line today and I can't see that the connection is frequently dropping out and the sync speeds appear to be 48.6Mpbs download speeds, which is at the high end of the estimated speed range you should be able to achieve.

As this is the case, are you able to test your connection with another router to see if the same issue persists?

[#13]

Thanks for that. I phoned plusnet support yesterday, they could see 126 reconnections "recently"  . I stopped various services which do packet inspection (such as throttling) . I want to leave it a few days and see it it helps . If the problem persists, I'll try the "two box" solution plusnet originally installed . I'm guessing you meant "modem" rather than "router" ? ... ABTW, I don't see 48.6 . I used to to when I originally signed up  (to the 80Mps service)  but it dropped over time.

PS I posted more on

• Plusnet Community
• Forum
• Help with my Plusnet services
• My Router
• TD-W9980 setup

[#14]

Hi there.

I'm not sure what the agent would be referring to by 126 reconnections because your line looks stable.

Do you see more DSL or PPP drops than indicated below?

If you're just using a TP Link box then it'd be a modem and router built into one, but yeah it may be worth testing with the equipment we sent you originally as this would narrow down where the problem may lie.

[#15]

@graemev If it helps I eventually found a stable solution by using the BT modem and my TP Link set in router mode only. I think the modem part of the TP link was playing up, and the wifi on the Technicolor was playing up. I've not had any issues for a few months, touch wood.

So to summarise I've got the TP operating mode set to wireless router mode and the WAN connection type set to PPPoE, with my PlusNet username and password.