Line keeps dropping?

[cjenkins]

Hi everyone,

For about the last week or so my connection keeps dropping out, for a few seconds each time before re-establishing itself. Chances are you wouldn't even notice when just browsing but if I'm online gaming or using something like Skype it causes major annoyance. Here's the event log from my router a little while ago:

19:55:16 (since last boot) FIREWALL event (1 of 1): disabled rules

  19:55:16 (since last boot) xDSL linestate up (downstream: 8128 kbit/s, upstream: 448 kbit/s; output Power Down: 19.5 dBm, Up: 12.0 dBm; line Attenuation Down: 17.0 dB, Up: 10.0 dB; snr Margin Down: 10.0 dB, Up: 22.0 dB)

  19:55:16 (since last boot) GRP Default destination is routed via gateway 91.135.x.xx

  19:54:59 (since last boot) FIREWALL event (1 of 1): enabled rules

  19:54:59 (since last boot) xDSL linestate down

  19:54:58 (since last boot) GRP Default destination is not routed anymore via gateway 91.135.x.xx

  19:51:14 (since last boot) FIREWALL event (1 of 1): disabled rules

  19:51:14 (since last boot) xDSL linestate up (downstream: 8128 kbit/s, upstream: 448 kbit/s; output Power Down: 19.5 dBm, Up: 12.0 dBm; line Attenuation Down: 17.0 dB, Up: 10.0 dB; snr Margin Down: 10.0 dB, Up: 22.0 dB)

  19:51:14 (since last boot) GRP Default destination is routed via gateway 91.135.x.xx

  19:50:59 (since last boot) IDS dos parser : udp flood (1 of 1) : 192.168.1.66 213.244.170.72 0057 UDP 4362->12340

  19:50:56 (since last boot) FIREWALL event (1 of 1): enabled rules

  19:50:56 (since last boot) xDSL linestate down

  19:50:56 (since last boot) GRP Default destination is not routed anymore via gateway 91.135.x.xx

.... and so on. It doesn't usually happen this frequently, this happened when I was trying to make a skype call. So there is no pattern to this, but usually happens 2-3 times an hour.

I've tried all the trouble shooting on the website that I could. The sync light doesn't change on my router as far as I can see, I've checked the cabling (this hasn't been altered in any way and I had 1 year of trouble free service before this), I tried swapping the filter over, I have one simple BT socket going straight into the filter and one standard phone coming off of it. The connection from my computer to the router is wired, again nothing has changed here recently, and the only other thing which uses the router is a Wii on wireless connection, which I've had for the last 6 months or so. I'm not sure how much of this is even relevant but thought I'd give you all the info I have!

I'm not sure what the Firewall events mean either with the rules enabled and disabled. I checked yesterday that the firewall was set properly on the router, it kept saying the same thing, then I disabled the firewall on the router since McAfee has one, and it still kept saying the same thing anyway.

Can anyone offer any help before I ring support?

Thanks,

Colin.

[Rik]

Hi Colin and welcome to the forum.

At first sight, with those line stats, I'd say you have a near perfect line. Unfortunately, the router isn't giving us a lot of information, and I'd be interested to know if you are losing the PPP session or dropping sync. From what you say, it would appear to be the former.

As you've already been through our normal trouble shooting checks, I'd suggest getting on to support, as they can see what's happening and test the line for you, which might reveal a subtle fault that we're not easily going to guess.

[Sebby]

What Rik said.

So you don't have any extension sockets?

[cjenkins]

Thanks for the advice. Things have moved on but nothing is resolved. I called support and after running some tests they told me that it's almost certainly a router issue, that I'll need to download updated firmware or get a new one altogether. I have a Speedtouch 780WL and so I went to the website and tried downloading up to date firmware.

The first snag I came across was that the Thomson website asks which product release I have; 6.1.4.3, 6.2.R.2 or 6.2.T.3. There is no mention of this anywhere on the router or documentation but what I do know is that the software release is 6.1.7.2 so I guessed the product release must be 6.1.4.3. So this gives me 2 options of bin files to download, I downloaded the latest one (7/8/08) but when I go then to the upgrade wizard it tells me this is actually a downgrade. Understandable enough given the numbers and I went no further with the install. Should I just download the 6.2.T.3 firmware? I'm just nervous because I've read the wrong firmware can mess everything up.

[Rik]

I'm really not sure, as I don't have a Speedtouch. Is there any indication on the label on the router?

[Steve]

If you look at the file names one is for 02 one for Be and the other general, trouble is they have all the same date

[Rik]

Thanks, Steve. 

[Steve]

Thanks Rik, Might be worth a look at Zen support as I think they use them.

[Sebby]

Thanks for the advice. Things have moved on but nothing is resolved. I called support and after running some tests they told me that it's almost certainly a router issue, that I'll need to download updated firmware or get a new one altogether. I have a Speedtouch 780WL and so I went to the website and tried downloading up to date firmware.

The first snag I came across was that the Thomson website asks which product release I have; 6.1.4.3, 6.2.R.2 or 6.2.T.3. There is no mention of this anywhere on the router or documentation but what I do know is that the software release is 6.1.7.2 so I guessed the product release must be 6.1.4.3. So this gives me 2 options of bin files to download, I downloaded the latest one (7/8/08) but when I go then to the upgrade wizard it tells me this is actually a downgrade. Understandable enough given the numbers and I went no further with the install. Should I just download the 6.2.T.3 firmware? I'm just nervous because I've read the wrong firmware can mess everything up.

I would say the latest is 6.2.T.3. The problem is that this actually isn't the firmware version! When you load it into the SpeedTouch updater software, it should tell you the true version. The chances are that it's the same as the version you've already got.