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Author Topic: ADSL - errors and drops in bad weather  (Read 2174 times)

aesmith

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ADSL - errors and drops in bad weather
« on: May 01, 2016, 06:37:10 PM »

Hi,

Our line's always shown signs of disliking bad weather, and the symptoms are getting worse as shown by the recent snow and sleet showers.  During the most intense period it dropped a few times, sometimes only reconnecting after a few minutes.   Coincidentally on Friday I was at home during a period of basically fine weather with occasional squally showers, making it easy to see the correlation.   See attached error and SNR plot, you can see the time of the squall and sleet shower.

The question really is how to get this resolved.  I would guess that any time an Openreach guy turns up it will pass all his tests.  The other question is whether I can do anything.  There are a few places where the line lies exposed, with clip joints just lying on the surface so I could wrap and seal those joints.  But if it's wind that seems to be the issue, does that mean it's most likely overhead cable that's the issue?  As far as I can see our line is all underground except for two poles where it crosses the road.

Any suggestions welcome.   Currently it's a bit of a pain not particularly from the drops but because it knocks the speed back and that takes days to recover.

Thanks,  Tony S
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aesmith

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Re: ADSL - errors and drops in bad weather
« Reply #1 on: May 08, 2016, 05:14:59 PM »

Based on the last couple of weeks it looks to be moisture that's the issue, windy dry days don't seem to be a problem.   We've just had quite a long dry spell during which errors were right down to only a few a day, even FECs reducing.  Then this morning when it was drizzly the error rates went through the roof, only clearing up after the rest of the morning was dry.
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burakkucat

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Re: ADSL - errors and drops in bad weather
« Reply #2 on: May 08, 2016, 05:36:38 PM »

Hmm . . . Interesting. You have a perfectly good theory as the the possible cause of the errors.

With your knowledge of the hardware infrastructure used transport the service to you, can you see any possible location that would be a potential location for moisture ingress and, thus, the fault?  :-\
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aesmith

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Re: ADSL - errors and drops in bad weather
« Reply #3 on: May 08, 2016, 06:35:07 PM »

I have gone through a couple of ideas, some of which I've discarded.  For a start I think the issue is recent, or we'd not have survived the winter.  So first suspect has to be the cable uprooted by ploughing, although it doesn't look too bad the outer casing is damaged at one point and slit along its length.  That's been reported to OR so we'll see whether they do anything.

Second theory, based on such a rapid response, was that it was more likely to be overhead rather than underground.  An underground joint being unlikely to get wet the moment it starts raining, or to dry out so fast either.  Our main cable runs along the public road to a pole which I think counts as our DP, it's a black underground cable going up the pole.  Two thin wires cross the road to another pole on our side, and the grey 5 pair (?) cable comes down that pole to start it's 1/2 mile journey to us.   Looking at both poles with binoculars the sheath on the grey cable is split and cracked in all sorts of places, which I guess must be old age rather than impact damage.

Between the pole and ourselves there are maybe 8 or nine joints, the accessible ones are all the resealable clip together sort.  None look damaged, although one the lies on the surface was driven over by a tractor recently so would be worth a check, meanwhile I've covered it in a plastic feed sack and tied it to a wee post.

A slight academic oddity is that the errors this morning were no accompanied by any apparent change in noise margin.
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burakkucat

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Re: ADSL - errors and drops in bad weather
« Reply #4 on: May 08, 2016, 07:53:06 PM »

Perhaps all the obvious defects that you have identified should be reported via the Openreach tell us web-page.

I agree that an exposed joint, for example, is more likely to be suspect then one underground. When you next have an episode of errors, it might be worthwhile performing a quiet line test. If the circuit proves to be audibly noisy, then report it as a PSTN defect.
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aesmith

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Re: ADSL - errors and drops in bad weather
« Reply #5 on: May 22, 2016, 11:56:58 AM »

This is proving unclear.  For example after a pretty dry spell we had heavy rain starting about 11:15 today and still continuing now.  No increase in error rates.  Maybe back to thinking it's wind that causes the issue, or maybe only severe weather and these other changes are just random.   There's definitely something, the snow/sleet/hail etc on 22nd April corresponded with multiple disconnections, sometimes only connecting at half speed, and enough errors for DLM to put us onto 9dB target.   By contrast since that weather cleared up the line has stayed up and ILQ green even though I've forced it back to 6dB.
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