Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[BobC]

If it is banding the same sort of pattern has been happening for a long while. In 2016 when I first connected to the cab a similar problem occured. Sync rates and max attainable identical. After a few months it started going to 67 sync 74 max attainable, 63 sync 74 max attainable, 55 sync 74 max attainable and then eventually the max attainable dropped with it. In one of my other posts I may have mentioned a fault was raised on our cabinet and our internets were down for half a day and when the HUB eventually came back online the sync rates and max attainable were back to 74mbps. That started to wither away again after a while first with the sync rates then with the max attainable. I tried to get a dlm line reset from the engineers that were called out but they refused stating this is the maximum my line can do. This even though my data rates were 10-15Mbps lower than the max attainable with a noise margin of 8.3-8.5 at the time, I was also syncing lower than my minimum guaranteed speed then as well. I was never charged for their visit and I was in the test socket beforehand so they must have found or atleast done something to waive the charge. As for BT forum... I have tried going there in the past but no staff member as ever reviewed my case. Something I have always found annoying about that forum is the more detailed information you give the less feedback you get. Crazy right? Managed to get way more information in my limited time here than I could ever get from BT forums in years, not that I posted very often, but I made 3 or 4 threads but it was always the same generic responses please try the test socket, then it goes silent.

I'm not sure if the reysncs are happening regularly. I always thought the DSL uptime was accurate. Unless the resyncs can happen without actually losing internet connection. I spend that much time on the internet that when I notice the connection as gone down it's generally the HUB resetting which takes a few minutes. This HUB may definitely be partially at fault because it likes resyncing with the cabinet every 1-14 days.

I will buy a ZyXEL VMG8924-B10A in the next couple of days to test with and get this over with once and for all. Can someone point me in the right direction to the firmware version I need for this particular model? I saw the 65 or so page thread. I take it the file I need is somewhere in here ftp://ftp.zyxel.co.uk/VMG8924-B10A/firmware/

Just had to edit in a thing or two.

[g3uiss]

I'm not sure if the reysncs are happening regularly. I always thought the DSL uptime was accurate. Unless the resyncs can happen without actually losing internet connection. I spend that much time on the internet that when I notice the connection as gone down it's generally the HUB resetting which takes a few minutes. This HUB may definitely be partially at fault because it likes resyncing with the cabinet every 1-14 days.

Each time the HUB resets that will drop the DSL and I'm sure its impossible for a connection to survive when a resync happens. As J0hn points out many resyncs cause the DLM to take action which is normally banding, whereas if its high errors Interleaving is applied. You can check if the line is interleaved by pinging bbc.co.uk, normally on a Fastpath line it would be circa 12ms, but interleaving adds  8ms to that so over 20ms the line is likely interleaved.

If I was undertaking this, I would leave the firmware, and just plug in and logon in your credentials. When the line is sorted, you might want to update the firmware as the device will be superior by far to the HH in my view. Both my modems don't resync for months, no reason for the HUB to keep doing so really.

[BobC]

Pinging bbc.co.uk [151.101.128.81] with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 151.101.128.81: bytes=32 time=9ms TTL=57
Reply from 151.101.128.81: bytes=32 time=9ms TTL=57
Reply from 151.101.128.81: bytes=32 time=9ms TTL=57
Reply from 151.101.128.81: bytes=32 time=9ms TTL=57

Ping statistics for 151.101.128.81:
    Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
    Minimum = 9ms, Maximum = 9ms, Average = 9ms

That's the crazy thing. My latencies are still lowish. My HUB always resets on a 14 day cycle. When I read into it a while ago other users using the HH5 and HH6 were reporting similar things about the 14 day reconnects. The difference with mine to theirs is mine can resync at lower speeds then very rarely recovers. It might resync at a 2 or 3Mbps higher, but some resyncs later the speeds continue to fall. It's also extremely rare for the HUB to reboot multiple times within a few week window. It either happens once every two weeks or twice every two weeks if we are going off the HUB stats and dsl uptime.

Had to edit again... sorry.

Need to include this. Before I commit to this VMG8924 are there any you would personally recommend John? I know you mentioned the HG612 Openreach modem but if I want a all in one package, which few were you alluding to when you said there aren't many combined modem & routers you're a fan of? Which also have the means to reveal lots of information about your line? If I could pick one of those up on the cheap I'll order that instead. If not I'll just get the VMG8924.

[j0hn]

I like the VMG8924-B10A and personally used it for a year or 2 as a bridge modem.

For an all in one unit it is 1 of the better devices.
The only downside being its age and lack of support/recent firmware upgrades.

I only mentioned the HG612 is as can be found very very cheap on occasion and had identical stats access as the Zyxel.
The Zyxel has a newer DSL chipset and should sync higher (although you are currently capped).

[BobC]

I like the VMG8924-B10A and personally used it for a year or 2 as a bridge modem.

For an all in one unit it is 1 of the better devices.
The only downside being its age and lack of support/recent firmware upgrades.

I only mentioned the HG612 is as can be found very very cheap on occasion and had identical stats access as the Zyxel.
The Zyxel has a newer DSL chipset and should sync higher (although you are currently capped).

Fair enough, thanks. Just ordered the VMG8924 from Ebay. Fingers crossed it turns up and is also working. Paid a little more than the £15-£30 quoted earlier including delivery costs to avoid getting embroiled in the bidding system and waiting around. The listing also claimed to be new and unused apart from having pictures taken for the listing. Until the router/modem arrives I don't think there is anything else to add.

That link I posted a few posts ago. ftp://ftp.zyxel.co.uk/VMG8924-B10A/firmware/ is where I get the firmware right? Do I just download the latest version from 2019 and add it in? Just want to make sure before I update the firmware.

[Weaver]

If you are going to use it as just a modem then try our very own member Johnson’s excellent enhanced firmware, at https://github.com/johnson442/custom-zyxel-firmware/releases

I have four ZyXEL modems and I use this on all of mine.

Friends, is it suitable for full router-mode usage?

[BobC]

If you are going to use it as just a modem then try our very own member Johnson’s excellent enhanced firmware, at https://github.com/johnson442/custom-zyxel-firmware/releases

I have four ZyXEL modems and I use this on all of mine.

Friends, is it suitable for full router-mode usage?

No, not modem only, bought it as a all in one. Only bought it to test as instructed for the stats. If it's decent I will continue to use it providing I stay with vdsl.

So which firmware do I actually need?

Also, should I be contacting BT and telling them I'm banded and need a line reset or just wait until I can pull the stats from this router when it's setup? I still want to switch ISP as well, gonna be tied down to another full months payment at this rate on top of the bill due later this month. What I really want to know is what is causing the banding. If there is no noise in the quiet line test in both the master socket and the test socket, my latencies are still low so no interleaving and the HUB only reboots once or twice a fortnight what is the actual problem? Crosstalk is obviously an issue but something else is happening alongside that and as been for a long time.

[meritez]

If I was using the VMG8924 as an all in one, I would be using the stats firmware without Jumbo or X6 so this one: https://github.com/johnson442/custom-zyxel-firmware/releases/download/v1.1/8x24-B10A-28-tel-stats1.1-cmd.bin

[g3uiss]

Also, should I be contacting BT and telling them I'm banded and need a line reset or just wait until I can pull the stats from this router when it's setup? I still want to switch ISP as well, gonna be tied down to another full months payment at this rate on top of the bill due later this month. What I really want to know is what is causing the banding. If there is no noise in the quiet line test in both the master socket and the test socket, my latencies are still low so no interleaving and the HUB only reboots once or twice a fortnight what is the actual problem? Crosstalk is obviously an issue but something else is happening alongside that and as been for a long time.

As J0hn has said Banding is usually caused by excessive re syncs, there are line faults that exhibit no noise, had one recently. I would wait until I get access to the stats then there may be more information. Changing ISP is your choice, and when dictated by your need, not the possible line fault. If you wait until you have a good router on the line, then might be the time to get a DLM reset. The Zyxel may not reboot for months, mine don't

[Alex Atkin UK]

If I was using the VMG8924 as an all in one, I would be using the stats firmware without Jumbo or X6 so this one: https://github.com/johnson442/custom-zyxel-firmware/releases/download/v1.1/8x24-B10A-28-tel-stats1.1-cmd.bin

It doesn't hurt to have Jumbo though, even if you never use it.

[Weaver]

What Alex said.

[BobC]

Router turned up today. I wasn't able to establish a connection in the test socket so I switched it back over to the master socket, was my fault, didn't realise I had to change the PPPOE username and password to BT. Changed that, changed the wireless SSID's. Not sure what else I need to change from the default settings. I also downloaded that firmware Meritez linked and clicked on the firmware upgrade but it's been loading for the past 20 minutes, not sure if that's normal.

So once it's all fully setup what stats do you actually need?

[meritez]

Router turned up today. I wasn't able to establish a connection in the test socket so I switched it back over to the master socket, was my fault, didn't realise I had to change the PPPOE username and password to BT. Changed that, changed the wireless SSID's. Not sure what else I need to change from the default settings. I also downloaded that firmware Meritez linked and clicked on the firmware upgrade but it's been loading for the past 20 minutes, not sure if that's normal.

So once it's all fully setup what stats do you actually need?

Hi Bob,

If you go to http://192.168.1.1:8000 you should see all stats

[BobC]

Hi Bob,

If you go to http://192.168.1.1:8000 you should see all stats

That site can't be reached from the link.

I also can't get that firmware to update. Was loading forever. Went onto Youtube and it should take 10s.

    Upgrade Firmware
        Current Firmware Version: 1.00(AAKL.10)C0_20151008

    Upgrade 3G Package
        Current 3G Package Version: 1.09

[meritez]

That site can't be reached from the link.

I also can't get that firmware to update. Was loading forever. Went onto Youtube and it should take 10s.

    Upgrade Firmware
        Current Firmware Version: 1.00(AAKL.10)C0_20151008

    Upgrade 3G Package
        Current 3G Package Version: 1.09

That sounds like custom isp firmware

Can you telnet into the router and type

zycli fwidcheck off

and

zycli modelcheck off

and then try the firmware update again