Kitz Forum
Broadband Related => ADSL Issues => Topic started by: kitzcurly on March 22, 2020, 04:35:52 PM
-
This may sound like a stupid question :)
My brother is technophobe but every time I visit his flaky broadband drives me bonkers.
The connection goes up and down intermittently and seemingly at random. The router is losing connection so it's not just wifi or something dodgy on the user side of things. He has at least had a new router but it won't provide anything via DSL stats so I can't see how to diagnose.
Obviously if he moves to fibre he'll get a different router which may resolve the problem although this has not had any effect in the past.
Assuming there's no fault in his mastersocket, to what extent might moving to fibre resolve the issue? Is there something between the mastersocket and the cabinet which remains unchanged and could therefore continue to create a problem.
If so the next best option I can see is Virgin, but then in a year when they jack up the price he will have no option but to overpay every month or go back to an ADSL or fibre connection.
What do you suggest please?
-
This may sound like a stupid question :)
No, not at all.
Obviously if he moves to fibre he'll get a different router which may resolve the problem . . .
Ah, I was wondering what you meant by "fibre" in the above subject line and now it becomes clear. A VDSL2 (ITU-T G.993.2) based service, i.e. FTTC.
Assuming there's no fault in his mastersocket, to what extent might moving to fibre resolve the issue? Is there something between the mastersocket and the cabinet which remains unchanged and could therefore continue to create a problem.
For a VDSL2 based service, everything from the cabinet to the master socket remains the same. So if the current problem is in the D-side, the local loop, it will still occur even with the change of service. :(
-
Thanks. Judging by the latest developments I should have made an assumption that the zombie apocalypse wasn't already in full swing as well.
Meanwhile is there a recommended way to gather the evidence to persuade openreach to look properly into the connection from master socket to cabinet?
-
An accurate "status log" of dates, times & events, along with the circuit's statistics.
-
What is his line like when he uses it for calls? Is it clear with no background noise?
Does he have any extensions? If he has, has he tried plugging the router in to the test socket inside the master socket? Has he checked that that disables the extension sockets?
If you put his landline number in to http://www.dslchecker.bt.com/adsl/adslchecker.welcome when speeds does it predict? A screen shot of the results (with the phone number blanked out) would be useful.
-
What is his line like when he uses it for calls? Is it clear with no background noise?
Yes it's clear, no problems.
Does he have any extensions? If he has, has he tried plugging the router in to the test socket inside the master socket? Has he checked that that disables the extension sockets?
Checking, will report back.
If you put his landline number in to http://www.dslchecker.bt.com/adsl/adslchecker.welcome when speeds does it predict? A screen shot of the results (with the phone number blanked out) would be useful.
There is no data available for this number. This could be either because it is not a BT line or it is a new BT number that has just been provided. Most new numbers will appear on the checker 24 hours after BT has installed the line.
One observation: He says that when the connection fails, it can be restored by calling his home number from a mobile!
-
Just to check - when you keyed the number you did enter it without the space in the middle? If you enter it with the space it will say what you describe.
-
Just to check - when you keyed the number you did enter it without the space in the middle? If you enter it with the space it will say what you describe.
Both.... Weird, huh?
-
Which ISP is he with (looks like he's on a LLU connection)?
You should be able to get the details with the address checker: http://www.dslchecker.bt.com/adsl/ADSLChecker.address
-
Which ISP is he with (looks like he's on a LLU connection)?
You should be able to get the details with the address checker: http://www.dslchecker.bt.com/adsl/ADSLChecker.address
He's with TalkTalk. The addresschecker is at http://www.dslchecker.bt.com/adsl/ADSLChecker.address (http://www.dslchecker.bt.com/adsl/ADSLChecker.address). It isn't working at the moment, I've been getting "We are sorry but the checker is unavailable at the moment. Please try again later." since yesterday :-(
Meanwhile I have asked him to do the tests on https://kitz.co.uk/adsl/troubleshooting.htm (https://kitz.co.uk/adsl/troubleshooting.htm) and let me know the outcome (although he probably took one look and thought "no way"!).
-
OK results of https://speedtest.btwholesale.com/ (https://speedtest.btwholesale.com/) : The ping latency was 34ms. The download speed was 2.97 Mbps and the upload speed was 0.99 Mbps. It wouldn’t let him do the further diagnostic tests as it said the line was busy.
The address checker still isn't working.
And I think my brother has given up. :(
-
One observation: He says that when the connection fails, it can be restored by calling his home number from a mobile!
Others will confirm but this sounds like a line fault, the ringing tone can have an effect temporarily improving the line or something like that.
-
Others will confirm but this sounds like a line fault, the ringing tone can have an effect temporarily improving the line or something like that.
I missed the original information ( :-[ ) but, yes, that does read like there is one (or more) joints showing semi-conductive and/or high resistance tendencies.
-
So is there a way of going direct to openreach with this fault, instead of having to waste time with TalkTalk? And what is the suggested wording to use when reporting the problem?
Is this right: "I have intermittent problems that my router is losing the broadband connection and I have found that I can temporarily fix it by calling my home number from my mobile. So I believe that I have diagnosed the fault as being due to one (or more) joints showing semi-conductive and/or high resistance tendencies. I have ruled out problems with my internal wiring by removing all other devices and phone extensions, and plugging the router into the 2nd (test) socket on my master socket. I have ruled out problems with my wifi by connecting my laptop to the router using an ethernet connection. This is a new-ish router, having replaced my earlier TalkTalk router some time ago and since the problem has occurred throughout, this also rules out the modem being at fault."?
And what should my brother be pushing for exactly? A visit from openreach to do what? Would they have to physically dig up the cable under the pavement (I believe that's where it is, I don't think its on a pole)?
Thanks guys.
-
Your wording is a perfect statement of the facts. It makes perfect sense, to me. As for what you or your brother should do . . . :-\
A visit from openreach to do what? Would they have to physically dig up the cable under the pavement (I believe that's where it is, I don't think its on a pole)?
Joints in the cabling would be accessible via a joint box (or chamber). There should be no need to excavate the pavement.