New 2700 user

[Marksfish]

Hi everyone, i've been lurking and reading Tripod for the last week or so, since my ISP suggested I get hold of a 2700hgv to try and help with my line problems. I am the lucky new owner of a unit which arrived today from the ebay seller. The router is happily "chugging" away on my line connected to MAAF and working "out of the box" except for the javascript trick to change username and password.

The details are as follows:

According to Tripod, it was manufactured in January 2008
Part number of: 4201-903003-008
Firmware version: 5.29.117.6
Hardware version: 2701-100589-005

I have a few questions that I just can't get my head around. I have been trying to prevent the firmware updating by using the Home/ MDC?? (what is this?)> Provisioning info>  Server set configuration. I click on the home tab and there is no Provisioning info tab/ link to be seen, am I missing something? I would like to prevent the firmware upgrade as I believe the snr can't be tweaked on the new version and I want to be able to "experiment" with mine in the future.

Firmware. What are the benefits of changing the firmware? Is it purely to remove the BT branding from the interface, or do I get access to new functions as well. Which would be the most highly recommended firmware to use for mine, I don't really mind keeping the BT branding as it doesn't really matter to me that much so long as it works  ?

Lastly (for the time being), is the Fusion access point always active? I have tried to find a way to disable it in the interface, but with no luck. As it appears to be broadcasting, does it mean that users are still able to access it? Will that then come out of my metred allowance if someone finds it?

Thanks for any help.

Mark

[Rik]

Hi Mark and welcome to the forum.

I'll leave our 2700 specialists to answer most of your questions, but I have Fusion disabled from this page:

http://home/xslt?PAGE=C01&THISPAGE=A01&NEXTPAGE=C01

[Simon]

    Mark!

Until one of the aforementioned experts comes along, you might find some interesting reading in this thread:

http://www.idnetters.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=12429.0

[Sebby]

[kinmel]

Hi Mark  

Follow this guide to change the ACSurl parameter to prevent your router logging into the firmware update server, we know this works.

You already have the best firmware, if you flash any other firmware onto your router you will not be able to revert back to 5.29.117.6.

We recommend that you set up your router's security etc by following this guide and if you download the PDF version it contains a list of links to the important pages in the router firmware

Any more questions feel free to ask

[Rik]

Thanks, Alan. 

[MisterW]

Home/ MDC?? (what is this?)

That means enter home/MDC into your browser address bar. That will take you to the Management and Diagnostic Console ( MDC ) having entered the system password. There you will see a menu down the LHS of the page and on there you will see a selection for 'Provisioning Info'.

That should enable you to follow the guide as indicated in the previous post.

[Marksfish]

Hmm, don't seem to be getting reply notifications and I don't have a spam folder  I didn't get the registration email either 

Hi Mark and welcome to the forum.

I'll leave our 2700 specialists to answer most of your questions, but I have Fusion disabled from this page:

http://home/xslt?PAGE=C01&THISPAGE=A01&NEXTPAGE=C01

Thanks Rik. That page just gives me the option to enable the SSID broadcast and what security I want to use. No faciity in there to disable Fusion that I can see?

    Mark!

Until one of the aforementioned experts comes along, you might find some interesting reading in this thread:

http://www.idnetters.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=12429.0

Thanks for that Simon, i'll take a look

Hi Mark 

Follow this guide to change the ACSurl parameter to prevent your router logging into the firmware update server, we know this works.

I have looked at that page previously, but I don't have the options Home/ MDC?? (what is this?)> Provisioning info>  Server set configuration to get me to that page.

Thanks for all the input so far.

Mark

[Rik]

Hmm, don't seem to be getting reply notifications and I don't have a spam folder  I didn't get the registration email either 

I saw you join and activated the account, which may have stopped the email. I'll take a look at your profile settings in a sec to see whether notifications should be working.

Thanks Rik. That page just gives me the option to enable the SSID broadcast and what security I want to use. No faciity in there to disable Fusion that I can see?

I've got an enable/disable button on that screen.

I have looked at that page previously, but I don't have the options Home/ MDC?? (what is this?)> Provisioning info>  Server set configuration to get me to that page.

See MrW's post above.

[Rik]

I've just changed your settings, Mark, you should start getting emails...

[kinmel]

can you post a screen shot of the page that shows when you enter http://home/mdc into your browser.  the page should be headed Management and Diagnostic Console

[Marksfish]

Crikey, this is moving too fast for me. As soon as I read a reply and try to gather information, there is another

Thanks for taking a look at my settings Rik, still no notifications, perhaps my mail server is a bit slow tonight!!

Going to the address Kinmel gave me, I can get to the MDC now and shall have a study. It appears to be a hidden menu that isn't accessed from the homepage on mine?

Thanks again for the replies.

Mark

[Rik]

I'm getting notifications promptly, Mark, so it may be your mail server is grey-listing idnetters.co.uk, or even spam trapping the mail.

[Simon]

Mark, I've just had a fiddle with something.  Can you please now click the 'Notify' button at the top of the thread, after which you should start receiving notifications of this, and future threads. 

[Rik]

I've just had a fiddle with something

Should I call you Nero?

[Simon]

Well, I can smell burning, but I think that's the oven. 

[Rik]

When I smell burning, it's usually Sue's way of drawing my attention to the fact that dinner is ready.

[Simon]

My attention is usually drawn by the bloody smoke alarm, which goes off at the slightest whiff.   

[Rik]

I know that feeling. The one that bugs me most, though, is the CO detector, which the gas service engineers invariably want to test and which refuses to stop sounding until I take it outside and wave it around. 

[Simon]

Mmmm....   

[Marksfish]

Okay, i've clicked the notify link at the top (there was a tick in the notify box at the bottom before too), let's see what happens 

The update should hopefully now have been prevented with the bit of coding put in to change the addresses 

Time for some more reading now. Thanks everyone 

Mark

[Rik]

Let us know if the notifications still don't work, Mark and we'll do some more checks.

[Marksfish]

Nothing yet, I may try an alternat email addy 

[Rik]

I'll do a manual send to you, which will test if the domain is being held by spam traps.

[Marksfish]

I've changed to my isp addy instead of my domain one and I have had a notification   Dunno what's happening with the domain as I don't use a spam filter  

Mark

edited to add: Got both PM's too Rik

[Rik]

The hosting service may be blocking our domain or IP range. I've sent you a couple of emails, from two separate accounts, to your original email address. If the one from idnetters.co.uk doesn't get through, but the other one does, then it points to a block somewhere.

[Lance]

Hi Mark, what are your line problems and what have you tried so far?

[Marksfish]

Hi Lance, time for a bit of Jackanory 

I am on a long line, but have always managed a steady 2mb connection since upgrading to MAX. Towards the end of March/ beginning of April, I began to experience a drastic drop in synch and intermittent disconnections. It coincided with a) exchange upgraded to 21CN, b) lots of rain and c) roadworks in the locality.

The line has a history of being problematic, but any problems can usually be fixed using the BT online fault checker. This time the checker hasn't been working for some reason or other. I thought my filtered faceplate may be playing up, so I put the old faceplate back on and changed filters on all extensions. No change. I then plugged the router into the test socket and synch dropped to around 400kbps for a while. I reported the fault and was told by the ISP that my line could only be expected to receive 512- 1mb according to BT records. Now, my ISP have records showing a consistent synch of over 2300kbps for the best part of 2 years and once I even had a profile of 3Mb!! (only for a week or so though  ).

After battling with my cut & paste answers ISP, they finally involved BT with the obligatory threat of £140 or so +vat if the fault was found with my wiring or equipment (I had been using my trusty Belkin, tried my ISP supplied Voyager and even bought a Netgear), so I know it wasn't my fault. It was at this time that an ISP rep on another forum suggested this router "may" be of benefit to me, so ebay to the rescue  By the time the engineer arrived, the synch had stabilised at around 1900. The engineer spent about 3 hours putting my socket back together and checking the wiring. He then went to the cabinet (about 100 yards away) and spent 1/2 hour or so there. When he returned, I received the "I can't find any fault on your line and the maximum synch I can get at the cabinet is 2100. I'll put in my report, but if you keep losing connection we may have to lay a new pair from the exchange to the cabinet (pigs might fly!!)". Anyway, when he left the line was 200kbps below what it was before the visit  . In the meantime my line has been dropping 10- 15 times a day since the visit.

I put the new router to work today and immediately got a synch of 2432 for about 3 hours. The router has since dropped connection and is now around 1800. The fault is still open with BT, but it looks as though I am no further forward  . That said, the router is a nice piece of kit though 

Mark

[Rik]

What are your downstream line stats, Mark, ie sync speed, noise margin and attenuation?

[Marksfish]

At this current moment in time the stats are:

Downstream Rate: 1856 kbps 
Upstream Rate: 448 kbps 
Channel: Interleaved
Current Noise Margin: 10.0 dB (Downstream) 18.0 dB (Upstream)
Current Attenuation: 61.2 dB (Downstream) 31.5 dB (Upstream)
Current Output Power: 16.8 dBm (Downstream) 12.2 dBm (Upstream)

They have been MUCH better, but they have also been MUCH worse! when the line is behaving, the snr usually sits around 3- 6db.

[Rik]

It looks like your target NM has been increased to 9 or 12db, do you know what it shows immediately after a re-sync? It suggests a noisy line (I have one too, so run with a target NM of 9), which coupled with the length, about 6km, means you're always going to be struggling for speed. Many lines, particularly longer ones, seem to have degraded since ADSL launched. My own theory is that, as more people get broadband, the crosstalk on cables increased, hitting speed. Add to this the fact that there will be more joints on a long line and a lot more opportunity to pick up noise and it's not a pretty picture. Fibre is the only realistic way for us to get good speeds.

[Sebby]

On the whole Fusion thing, I'm wondering if your 2700 is a single SSID model in which case there wouldn't be a Fusion SSID.

[Marksfish]

Hi Rik

Yes, the line has always been temperamental, but to lose 1/2 meg of speed in a few days is pretty abysmal in my book. It is like buying a litre of water and finding only 750ml inside and being told "it's within operating limits" 

Hi Sebby. Appears to definitely be a twin SSID as both are on a label at the bottom of the router. I have a SSID for a Broadband wireless hub and a SSID for BT Fusion - 3831, bith with WEP keys. Obviously I have changed the SSID for me and also the security to WPA, all I have managed to do with the BT Fusion one is to hide the SSID.

Mark

[Rik]

Hi Mark

Do you know what your maximum stable rate is?

[Marksfish]

Is that the same as my IP profile?

[Rik]

No, it's the figure set by BT during your initial training period. That determines the fault threshold rate (70% of MSR), which will ultimately determine whether your ISP can raise a fault with BT on the speed issue.

[Marksfish]

No, I haven't seen that since moving to MAAF, it was available when on F9 though. At that time it was 2.5meg from what I recall. The ISP agent has stated in the ticket that I am synching below the FTR. I am hoping BT do what they say and lay a new cable. Oh, did I just see a flying pig 

Mark

[Marksfish]

Okay, so scrolling through my open ticket, it says it is 2400.

[Rik]

If you're below FTR, then BT should address the fault, however, they can refuse to do so on the grounds of cost - in which case, you can end up with your line being classified as not suitable for ADSL. You need to keep pressure on your ISP to get this sorted, but be prepared to back off if you're told that your choice is living with the speed or having the service withdrawn. Unfortunately, BT don't have any obligation to provide ADSL.

[Marksfish]

Problem is that others in the street have also noticed a deterioration, i'm wondering if the exchange "upgrade" is the issue? none of them are that interested in pursuing a complaint to their isp's though, so it is me on my jack.

It's a shame there is no other option locally. In a place we stay in Spain, they have a small aerial (similar to the Ionica ones, remember them?) attached to the wall outside and the whole connection is wireless from a mast about 10 miles away. Cable passed the bottom of our road and didn't turn in. Mobile broadband isn't that much of an option as the signal area here is flaky, to say the least, so BT have the monopoly on my dosh at the moment!!

Mark

[Rik]

It could be at the exchange, Mark, or could just be a local degradation of the cable - only BT will know for sure. It's a shame your neighbours aren't prepared to take up cudgels as the more issues raised, the more likely BT is to act.

I remember Ionica well. The effective monopoly of BT outside major conurbations, inside some of them, has held back UK broadband services, but it seems as if Ofcom see their role as protecting BT, not consumers.

[MisterW]

Hi Sebby. Appears to definitely be a twin SSID as both are on a label at the bottom of the router. I have a SSID for a Broadband wireless hub and a SSID for BT Fusion - 3831, bith with WEP keys. Obviously I have changed the SSID for me and also the security to WPA, all I have managed to do with the BT Fusion one is to hide the SSID.

It doesnt matter whether the h/w is single or twin SSID its the firmware version that implements the Fusion.
AFAIK all f/w from 5.29.107.12 implemented Fusion. I've got a single SSID which originally came with 4.25.33 but now running 5.29.107.12 and it has Fusion.
Anyway you disable it from here http://home/xslt?PAGE=C01. If its enabled then there should be a 'Disable' button next to the label 'Fusion Devices' about halfway down the RHS of the page ( see attached screen shot).
N.B mine is already disabled as you can see.

[attachment deleted by admin]

[Rik]

That's the same screen I have. 

[Marksfish]

That is my screen too. I thought that using the disable button would disable anything that was connected during that session, didn't realise it disabled the feature full stop. I have now done the same. Many thanks for your help 

Mark

[Rik]

I've turned off USB too, Mark, but I'm like that - if I don't need it, I like it disabled.

[Marksfish]

Just to let you know Rik, the notifications from last night are appearing now, along with loads of other email. It seems (according to this site http://www.levinecentral.com/mail_parse/default.aspx) that my web host has had a 21 hour delay!! I thought it was quiet 

[Rik]

That's a relief, thanks for letting me know, Mark. 

[Marksfish]

The synch is rising, it just needs a bit of stability:

Downstream Rate: 2656 kbps 
Upstream Rate: 448 kbps 
Channel: Interleaved
Current Noise Margin: 9.0 dB (Downstream) 19.0 dB (Upstream)
Current Attenuation: 61.2 dB (Downstream) 31.5 dB (Upstream)
Current Output Power: 17.7 dBm (Downstream) 12.2 dBm (Upstream)

[Rik]

 

[Marksfish]

Had a catastrophic loss of synch and subsequent re- synch of 1400 . A manual disconnect for 5 minutes and reconnect gave me.......  1400  . I disconected again and left it for 10 minutes and got a re- synch of 2528. Still a long way to go though

Mark

[Sebby]

Ouch. It sounds like your line is suffering from bursts of noise.

[Marksfish]

Did a BT speedtest this morning and my profile has been lifted from 1500- 2000, so i'm back where I was almost  Maybe the line has dried out a bit, 'cause i'm damn sure BT haven't done anything 

Mark

[Lance]

Its quite possible

[Rik]

Have you tried a quiet line test, Mark? Dial 17070 and select option 2. Listen for any undue noise on the line (a background hiss or slight hum is normal).

[Marksfish]

I haven't done this persoanlly, but the BT engineer did last week when he came round. I can try it a bit later once the noise in the house has died down. Bank holidays and kids, don't you just love it 

[Rik]

 

If you hear any noise, eg crackling, then report that as a voice fault and don't even mention ADSL.

[Marksfish]

Been there before, even got the little courtesy telephone handset they leave behind when you have a line problem . Must say, voice engineers are much more sociable than broadband ones 

Mark

[Rik]

I've always found all engineers nice people. We usually end up putting the world to rights for a couple of hours.