What's the deal with routers?

[#1]

So I still have the original fibre router plusnet sent me when I moved from the adsl product to their fibre product in about 2013. I have been having intermittent faults where my connection drops and last week it dropped and instead of reconnecting at 70/20, it connected at 20/20.

I called plusnet who asked if a previous engineer they sent out a few months prior cleared the copper line issue. I informed them that he hadn't found a copper line issue and that after he left my line was back to usual speeds. They suggested a new engineer visit to clear up the copper line issue.

Took a week but had engineer out yesterday, He said there was light oxidisation and that he'd cleaned it in the box outside my property. He also changed the main socket in my house. Unfortunately my line speed is still between 50-55 instead of the usual 65. Engineer suggested a new router and said he'd add that to his notes.

Imagine my surprise when I got an email stating plusnet had close my issue! It's still an issue! It's not been resolved.

So I hop on a call with them and because my router is out of warranty, and because, like an idiot, I took on a new contract with them recently (I had to), they won't send me out a new router unless I pay off my contract, or I buy a new router from them for about £90.

Have been with PN for over a decade and it's seriously starting to grate that businesses these days put no stock in customer loyalty. They'll throw stuff at acquiring new business but do very little to keep loyal customers happy. Simply mind boggling!

Oh, and the rep I spoke to said, "well, they said it may be the router so it may not be the router. we can send out another engineer".  Really? You'd rather send out another engineer than send out a new router?

[#2]

Have a look at the extensive threads relating to BT HH6 on Plusnet. I got mine for £15 on Gumtree and it's great. PN routers are cheap and cheerful, but HH6 is much better.

[#3]

@khaled35 

The new PlusNet HubTwo is based on the BT SmartHub2 (next one after the BT HH6).

Depending on how recently you recontracted you might be able to cadge a HubTwo. It'll need one of the staffers to come along and have a look at your account.

Brian

[#4]

@bmc  think I re-contracted last year as it ends sometime in 2023. So are people here using the HH6 or the SH2? I'd rather buy something myself that pay PN for it. I'm actually rather annoyed.

[#5]

@khaled35 

How recently is recently? If it's more than a couple of months then you might be out of luck.

Many use either the BTSmarthub or Smarthub 2. See here and the linked instructions and more info. https://community.plus.net/t5/My-Router/Using-A-BT-Smarthub-An-Update/m-p/1795292#M24601

These have better wireless performance than the Plusnet Hub One and previous offerings.

[#6]

@Baldrick1 it's definitely been much longer than a couple of months since I renewed. This rep seriously had me rattled. I've not asked for a new router or anything like it since I signed up for their fibre product in 2013, I can't get over the fact that they would rather send out another engineer instead of sending me a new router like the last engineer suggested.

All good though. As soon as I figure out if a HH6 or a SH2 are the preferred options, I'll buy one. I heard one of them don't allow you to separate the channels. Is that just the plusnet versions or the BT versions too?

[#7]

I can't get over the fact that they would rather send out another engineer instead of sending me a new router like the last engineer suggested.

That's because, whilst not unknown, its very unusual for a router to be the cause. Routers usually either fail completely or they work. Problem is that the engineer is from BT Openreach, so its easy for them to blame the router (since that's nothing to do with them!) and kick the problem back to the ISP.

[#8]

Plusnet will not have sent out an engineer to fix a copper line fault if they did not have good reason to suspect a copper line fault.  A suspect router is not likely to be the cause of a degradation in SYNC speed.  If the speeds you have mentioned are DATA speed tests over WiFi that could be a different issue.

If there was a copper line issue, then unless the BT engineer did a rest on the line, the DLM is not going to remove any line limitations it might have imposed in the line in the presence of the the copper circuit fault.

[#9]

@MisterW This engineer ran the line. He said he did what he could outside, then came in and renewed the master socket and even the cable from the master socket into the router. The router itself is reporting a downstream of 73mbps, while any speed tests are only getting 50 or maxing out at 54. I can understand why the engineer wanted to rule out the router as a possible source of the issue.

Sure, there's a possibility it may not be the router, and I'm sure some engineers simply kick the problem back to the ISP. I'm also sure that isn't a customer issue. This is something ISPs need to take up with BT Openreach. So now my next engineer visit is ... don't even know.

[#10]

@Townman with all due respect, I reported a similar fault a month. maybe 2 months ago and it was logged as a copper fault. The engineer that came by then said it was, did some stuff and my line was back to normal. This is a second engineer that has come about as a result of plusnet reporting it as a copper fault and he said he cleaned up some light oxidation which he doubts would be the cause of the issue.

Also, please note that my tests were all conducted over a hardwired connection. It would be nice if someone took ownership of the issue and got it resolved instead of penny pinching on a router.

[#11]

---

@khaled35 wrote:

The router itself is reporting a downstream of 73mbps, while any speed tests are only getting 50 or maxing out at 54.

---

Was that data speed test over Wi-Fi or over a wired connected device with Wi-Fi turned off?  If over Wi-Fi, then Wi-Fi is never going to reach the maximum potential data speed, which will always be less than the sync speed.

A DS SYNC speed of 73mbps is pretty dammed good.  That data speed is 74% of the sync speed - I do not know what the factor is on VDSL, but on ADSL the very maximum on a perfect line would be circa 80%.

"It would be nice if someone took ownership of the issue and got it resolved instead of penny pinching on a router."

It is doubtful that this is the router.  Have you check the line for noise?  17070 option 2.

Edited for cross posting

[#12]

The router itself is reporting a downstream of 73mbps, while any speed tests are only getting 50 or maxing out at 54.

What does the PlusNet member centre say for 'Current line speed' ? and do you have a static IP ?

[#13]

So how would I explain getting ~65Mbps since 2013 compared to only getting 50-54 today? I've also experienced more dropped connections than I have previously. Like I said, before the last engineer visit my router showed sync at 20/20. I was only getting under 5mb on all wired speed tests.

[#14]

Hi @khaled35
If you have a static IP or have enabled the Plusnet firewall, your speeds could be limited by the Plusnet profile.
What is the current broadband speed reported at:
https://www.plus.net/member-centre/broadband
Regards
Richard

[#15]

I have a static IP.