What causes a CHAP time-out?

[Jimbo]

Hi all

Support are helping me with a weird issue at the moment and I've just sent a screenshot off to them.  Last night I couldn't get my Internet to work.  I had been connected most of the day and line is still connected and sync'd but noticed in the Syslog tool for the DrayTek router that CHAP (PPoA) had timed-out.  No idea what time it got back on but I gave up and left it until tonight.

I recently changed my Mode from GDMT to ADSL2(G.992.3) and gained some speed from this, worried though, if that caused this?  Although I'm back on now so I'm confused.  I managed to dump some info into a log file and it has references to,

PPP Closed - LCP Time-out

WAN1 PPPoE ==> Protocol:LCP(c021) TermReq Identifier:0x06 ##

WAN1 PPPoE <== Unknown: aa aa 03 00 00 00 08 06 00 13 08 00 00 00 00 08 04 00 00 00 01 01 01 01 ##

WAN1 PPPoE ==> Protocol:LCP(c021) ProtRej Identifier:0x01Rejected Protocol: 0x8057 01 01 00 0e 01 0a 02 12 7f ff fe ae 41 1b ##




Like I say, sent it to Support so it's in their capable hands.  Is that a problem at my end?  

Thanks all.

[Rik]

I don't know, tbh, Jimbo. First thing I'd do is switch the router back, or let it auto-detect. Bear in mind, though, that these has been massive disruption to the BT network over the past few days.

[Steve]

Where is the PPPOE to PPPOA bridge? If that makes sense?

[Jimbo]

I don't know, tbh, Jimbo. First thing I'd do is switch the router back, or let it auto-detect. Bear in mind, though, that these has been massive disruption to the BT network over the past few days.

Hi mate

Yeah I've just been reading some other threads so it could possibly be all down to this, although they all seem to be down South and no where near me.  But I guess it could all link together in some weird and wonderful way. 

[Rik]

It is. I'm 50 miles from Paddington was was still affected, even though we have a node here at Milton Keynes. BT moves data in mysterious ways.

[Jimbo]

Where is the PPPOE to PPPOA bridge? If that makes sense?

I don't even know what that is. lol    Is that when you have say, an external modem?

Just logged in and checked my settings.

Protocol is set to PPPoA.
PPPoE Pass-Through is not ticked (for Wired or Wireless LAN).  
PPP Authentication is PAP or CHAP (Always on, Idle Timeout -1sec).  
Encapsulation is VC MUX.
Modulation, ADSL2+ (G.992.5).  
VPI 0 and VCI is 38.
WAN Connection Detection is ARP Detect

[Jimbo]

It is. I'm 50 miles from Paddington was was still affected, even though we have a node here at Milton Keynes. BT moves data in mysterious ways.

Cheers Rik, makes me feel a bit better that it may just all be linked. 

[Steve]

The settings look ok to me anyway.

[Jimbo]

The settings look ok to me anyway.

OK cheers Steve.

My internet died again last night, same thing PPP time-out.  Notice when it tried to reconnect it said PPP: Remote Termination.   

Back on now again, but Support still want me to try another Router.  I dunno, is it worth a shot?

Thanks.

[Rik]

I think so, Jimbo.

[Jimbo]

I think so, Jimbo.

More money.    Here's what happened last night when it finally authenticated properly.  Couldn't load any webpages and Pings were like this:-



Internet still sync'd at just under 3Mb but slow tonight.

New Router it is. 

[Jimbo]

Hi all

Just to say, haven't got another router tested yet, my old cheap spare decided that it didn't like it's power plug anymore and died also.    Thank you to the inventor of sealed plugs also!!

But, still having major problems!  My WAN is now disconnecting @8pm every night (+- 15min).  I've tried updating the firmware and doing a factory reset on the Router.  Still not helping. 

Is anyone else having issues like this? 

[Rik]

Hi Jimbo

It is WAN or LAN that's the issue. If WAN are you seeing any signs of loss of sync?

[Jimbo]

Hi Jimbo

It is WAN or LAN that's the issue. If WAN are you seeing any signs of loss of sync?

Hi Rick

It's WAN.  Getting CHAP disconnection at the same time every night.  Line stays up, unless I fiddle with the Router or change a setting to see if that helps and cause a reboot, etc.  I've tried altering from ARP Detect to Ping, which did not help.  I've also reduced the MSS (MTU?) from 1442 to 1400, that has not helped. 

[Jimbo]

Not long to go now....... Sorry if I don't reply from this point onwards.... 

[Rik]

Neither do I, too busy eating?

Set the MTU to 1500, though it shouldn't be part of the issue. If the problem persists, you need to talk to support again as they will be able to see what's happening to the line.

Do you have much else connected to the router or line?

[Jimbo]

Neither do I, too busy eating?

Set the MTU to 1500, though it shouldn't be part of the issue. If the problem persists, you need to talk to support again as they will be able to see what's happening to the line.

Do you have much else connected to the router or line?

Haha food. yum!

Well it did go off, lost connection about 20 past 8 last night.  Yeah, support want me to try a new Router then get a BT engineer out if that fails.  What gets me, I don't know if you agree Rik, is that apparently there was an issue with a Netgear router and o2 users.  At a specific time each night people would get WAN disconnections, turns out it was the Firewall blocking the update of the lease?  Could that be happening here?
 
Nothing else connected, just the Router.

Cheers

[pctech]

Hi Jim

I've had all sorts of bizarre behaviours from routers but these tend to have been caused by gremlins creeping into the firmware (these have often baffled tech suppoort at the ISPs I have been with)

Before you junk the router, leave it plugged in and try pressing the factory reset switch (usually on the back panel), you will need to reenter your connection login but its generally worked for me before.

[Jimbo]

Hi Jim

I've had all sorts of bizarre behaviours from routers but these tend to have been caused by gremlins creeping into the firmware (these have often baffled tech suppoort at the ISPs I have been with)

Before you junk the router, leave it plugged in and try pressing the factory reset switch (usually on the back panel), you will need to reenter your connection login but its generally worked for me before.

Ok will give that a go as well.  Thanks for the help! 

[Rik]

Also, if you're using it through a surge protector, try going direct to the mains...

[Jimbo]

OK, did a hard reset via the button.  Then re-loaded the latest firmware, then just for good meausure, rebooted with factory defaults once more.

Reapplied all my settings manually then switched off the Router for 10-15min.

Just powered back up and connected.  So far, so good.  See what happens tomorrow night now.

Rik, cheers for the tip, forgot to unplug it from the surge protector after switching it back on just now. 

[Rik]

It's not always the answer, Jimbo, but some surge protectors can drop the voltage a bit and cause weird problems as a result.

[pctech]

Not sure what surge you are using but after a lightning strike took out my old 56k modem I bought a Belkin Surgemaster Gold series one with telecom protection, unlimted connected equipment insurance (in the event it lets anything through) and a lifetime warranty.

After about 3 years and a few lightning storms later I noticed the protected and earthed LEDs were glowing a bit weak so I rang Belkin and they told me to send it back and they'd send me a brand new one and sure enough they did.

As Rik says the voltage can drop, particularly if the circuitry is getting a bit old if it has absorbed a lot of surges etc.

Might be time to replace the one you have if you've had it for a while.

On the router front thats good news.

[pdu]

Unfortunately, most so called surge protectors are pretty much a joke as they tend to rely on a component called a MOV, these have a finite life expectancy even with clean power, yet tend to die with either one large surge or a few smaller ones.  Naturally most 'surge protectors' are wired so as to continue supplying power to the outlets, in theory the light should fail, but it's not uncommon for a MOV to be alive enough to still power the indicator yet provide virtually no protection: wiki mov link.  Basically, if you care about the connected device, plug it into a high quality surge protector (these cost a wedge and aren't found in the likes of B&Q) or UPS, as the battery backup on these along with voltage sensors provide better protection, if you don't care about the device, save yourself £2 on the cost of a power strip.  For any serious danger level spikes, chances are the RCD protection in your consumer unit will kick it before you reach fire hazard levels.

On another note re the original post being about a draytek router, I'd recommend you get yourself another cheap router just to compare the difference, when I bought a 2820 it couldn't hold a connection beyond 24 hours either, after 3 days I plugged my trusty old d-link dsl504t - half covered in plaster - back in (visit your local museum to see one) and my disconnections stopped.  I returned the router for a refund and built my own with some cheapo PC hardware for about the same cost.  Basically from what I remember, it wasn't actually much better h/w than you get in any other half decent router, draytek just loads the software with lots of options and features it can't actually cope with.  After discovering this, I got a friend to remove his cable version of the draytek to see if it stopped him disconnecting from IRC about 45 minutes, a netgear off freecycle solves his stability issues too.

HTH

[Rik]

Thanks for that. I'm a great believer in the value of UPS too, and have all my equipment protected by one, even the Sky box.