recent drop.....

[Baz]

....anyone?  looks like I had one at 5.10 this morning only for about a minute but has been going so well lately too.

[Rik]

Not here, Baz, but have you seen the reports of the Linx/Lonap issues?

[Baz]

just saw them Rik.how will I know if that affects me

[Rik]

If it's the connection to the web, but the router stays in sync, it may be that, Baz. If the router falls over, then it's local.

[Baz]

   can just go off the logs

Wed, 2010-07-21 05:14:18 - LCP down.
Wed, 2010-07-21 05:14:26 - Initialize LCP.
Wed, 2010-07-21 05:14:26 - LCP is allowed to come up.
Wed, 2010-07-21 05:15:14 - CHAP authentication success

and the up time was showing 10 hours instead of up in the 400's+ as it was the day before

[Rik]

That's a local synchronisation issue, Baz. Any thunderstorms been around?

[Baz]

there was actually on that night but stopped about 12/12.30  as far as I know, ZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz  that was what I was doing 

[Rik]

Maybe one snuck up on you. If it continues to be a problem, run Routerstats for 24-48 hours.

[Baz]

what does the storm do then Rik,something at the exchange?

[Rik]

It creates noise on the line, Baz. In a bad case, it can blow your router and/or computer.

[Baz]

had another one yesterday morn and this morn...

ed, 2010-08-11 05:40:59 - LCP down.
Wed, 2010-08-11 05:41:07 - Initialize LCP.
Wed, 2010-08-11 05:41:07 - LCP is allowed to come up.
Wed, 2010-08-11 05:41:29 - CHAP authentication success
Thu, 2010-08-12 04:36:27 - LCP down.
Thu, 2010-08-12 04:36:35 - Initialize LCP.
Thu, 2010-08-12 04:36:35 - LCP is allowed to come up.
Thu, 2010-08-12 04:36:42 - CHAP authentication success


seems to be getting regular now.The last one was a Wednesday too    anything in that I wonder.

profile now at 5000.how long will that take to get back up.

[Rik]

It depends on (a) the difference in sync speeds and (b) the stability of your line, Baz. Up to 5 days. It could be BT work, but what time does your water heating turn on/off.

[Baz]

no heating on at the moment Rik...............its blistering hot up here in the north east 


would BT work at the same time each week/day

[Rik]

Unlikely, that's why I wondered about water heating (or washing machine, dishwasher etc).

[Baz]

nothing at that time in the morning Rik.

[Rik]

Run routerstats on your machine overnight, Baz, just turn the monitor off. See if that reveals anything.

[Baz]

ok  

whats a good time to set the 'log every...' time for  if any

actually whats the best way to set it up altogether, graphs/custom settings etc

[Baz]

it doesnt seem to be logging anything at the moment just getting a flat line at the 'zero' figure on the graphs

[Rik]

Set it up with a max on the Y axis of 1db above your normal noise margin, and -2db as your min. Read every 30 seconds. What you're looking for in the graph is spikes of noise, which will cause the noise margin to fall, Baz, ie if the graph dips, noise has risen.

[Baz]

it seemed to sort it self out after a bit so I ran it over night with the default settings apart from changed it to log every 3mins.got this log this morn, its a bit long sorry........in fact its very long  

<log removed - IP address visible>

[Rik]

Nothing obvious there, Baz. If it keeps happening, you'll need to talk to support.

They will ask you to plug the router into the test socket using a new filter, to remove all other devices from the line, eg phones, Sky boxes, and if neither of those work, to try a spare router. If you have to call, therefore, it will be worth doing that first.

[Rik]

Baz, I've checked with support. They confirm the Wednesday/Thursday overnight disconnection, and you had one midnight Thursday/Friday, but they have no previous disconnection showing since May.

It would be worth, therefore, checking to see if there's a firmware upgrade for the router.

[Baz]

thanks for that Rik and for the edit of the earlier post,just didnt see that schoolboy error 

Interesting about no others since May as I posted this just back in July,was there nothing from then did they say?

Ive gone through all the tests with them before Rik and nothing is ever found   and I have the latest firmware

[Rik]

They have May, then the recent ones, Baz. Possibly, clutching at straws, the drops are not making it past the radius servers to BT, but your line appears as rock-solid as is possible to IDNet. 

[Baz]

ok thanks Rik,will keep checking it 

[Baz]

going back to router stats, every time I start it I just get a solid line at 0 am I doing something wrong.

surely it doesnt need setting up at every start

[Rik]

What are you plotting, Baz? Have you set up the necessary login? Have you saved the settings?

[Baz]

thats whats puzzling  I set it up yesterday to log in,saved etc and today its back to the same solid line at zero.

just plotting the default settings I think.

[Baz]

put the details of log in and its set away.

try again 

[Rik]

Have a look at the timestamp of the INI file, see if it's current.

[Baz]

   seems like I had another one last night, well 3.45 this morn

anyone else

[Glenn]

Fine here, Baz.

[Ray]

No problems here either, Baz.

[Rik]

It seems to be a local issue, Baz, so you need to do the usual router in test socket routine etc...

[Baz]

heres a shot of part of the graph from router stats today when it dropped.has been steady since then.what does this mean

[attachment deleted by admin]

[Rik]

It means you've had sever bursts of noise, Baz, enough to force a resync. It also shows your target NM has been raised to 12db, or your line is short enough to have that much headroom.

[Baz]

that was the same on up and downstream.is that an exchange thing or what would it be,what causes the noise

[Rik]

Local electrical interference, eg domestic appliances, electrical plant between you and the exchange or a radio transmitter along the path.

[Baz]

thought I had it sorted there, dropped again and it was about same time as water boiler fired up then kettle switched on other side of wall to where the router is but have just re tried them both and nothing flickered  

[Rik]

Have you got a MW, battery-powered, radio, Baz?

[Baz]

yes.I think you told me of this test before but I could not figure out where any noise was coming from.tell me again though thanks

[Rik]

De-tune the radio so you only have white noise (hiss). Then follow the run of the phone wiring from where it enters the house to the router. If the noise increases, that's where your interference is. You may have to keep repeating this with intermittent noise, btw.

[Baz]

havent done it yet but what can you do if you find noise from somewhere

[Glenn]

Switch off electrical items in your home, one at a time until the source is identified.

[Rik]

Making sure you test the router PSU, the monitor and computer to start with.

[Baz]

so the profile eventually went back up to 7000 when i checked this morn and speed to suit  

wheres the touch-wood-smilie  


but just done another Bt test and got this

Download speed achieved during the test was - 6668 Kbps
For your connection, the acceptable range of speeds is 1000-7150 Kbps.
Additional Information:
Your DSL Connection Rate :8118 Kbps(DOWN-STREAM), 888 Kbps(UP-STREAM)
IP Profile for your line is - 4000 Kbps

what is going on with the profile  


just checked router and had a drop about 1.20pm  

its getting really annoying now,drop, 5-7 days for profile to get up then drop again.So I guess it'll be starting again from the 4000 another 5 days or so.

[Rik]

just checked router and had a drop about 1.20pm 

You just answered your own question, Baz.

[Baz]

I did yeah.  

very frustrating though not been able to find out why or get it sorted.

[Rik]

If you've done the 'connect to master socket', 'try alternative router', 'change filter and leads' plus the MW radio search, Baz, there's nothing else you can do except ask IDNet whether they think a BT visit would help, knowing that it might cost you £160+.

[Baz]

have to admit Rik that ive done..... yes;
no(dont have an alternative);
yes(even though I have a face plate fitted)
and yes.

Did get noise from around the area where my computer is as I have router/printer/phone/ all in the same area,found it hard to pinpoint the location of it.

not keen on the BT visit either.They must think people are rolling in it do they

[Rik]

They charge monopoly prices, Baz. What do support say?

[Baz]

last contact with support a week ago was saying if it was still dropping while connected to test socket then they suggest  trying a different router,which i'm stuck at the moment as I dont have one.

The time before this last drop I did all the tests support asked, ran in test socket for a week I think it was and all tests were ok.So after that i was hoping it was ok and had righted itself...seems not

maybe it is the router then   


whats my options for coming off adsl+2

[Rik]

You can be remodulated to ADSL1. You keep the bandwith allowance of ADSL2+ and, in most cases, the upload speed, though sometimes, for reasons known to themselves, BT also cap this to ADSL1 levels.

[Baz]

.... in most cases, the upload speed, though sometimes, for reasons known to themselves, BT also cap this to ADSL1 levels.

..so not always then and what is the ADSL1 upload speed Rik.

[Rik]

448 on standard, 832 on Pro, Baz.

[Baz]

Thanks Rik,Im on home pro at the moment



and as if on cue, as we speak 

[attachment deleted by admin]

[Rik]

Classic noise burst or faulty router, Baz. Anything electrical just switched on or off?

[Baz]

dont think so.the washing machine is mid cycle but was on before this drop.


on a side note if I go the router way to try it,what is a good one to buy.I have a Netgear DG834PN now and its always been no bother at all.Whats the average life span of them, think Ive had this about 6+ years


got a drop on the sync speed graph too but the logs show no drop in uptime.

[attachment deleted by admin]

[Rik]

I'd go Draytek or 2700, Baz. The 2700s are available more cheaply if it's just for testing purposes.

[Baz]

might have a look at Draytek,never took much notice of them before.If mines on the way out I might as well get a decent one as replacement.any particular model.what about the 2700 ones to avoid,firmware isnt it

[Rik]

Try to get a v5 firmware if you can.

[Baz]

   what about the Draytek model,any thing good


are the 2700 easy to set up

[Rik]

Draytek's are good, but I always feel they're a bit overkill for domestic use. The 2700 is a doddle to set up, and there's a shed load of instructions and tips in the board here.

[Baz]

blimey!!!!! seems a bit of a chew on to set up/unlock/find the right model etc with these 2700 routers.

is it all worth it

[Rik]

For those of us with longer lines, yes.

[Baz]

whats classed as a long line and how can you find out

[Rik]

Line attenuation above, say, 43db, Baz.

[Baz]

ah right,downstream that is?

38.5 at the moment

[Rik]

You've got a medium-length line...

[Glenn]

My line length must change depending on the time of the year, 58 - 61db. 

[Baz]

You've got a medium-length line...

so I wouldnt benefit from a 2700 then

[Baz]

My line length must change depending on the time of the year, 58 - 61db. 

changing length eh!!!!


handy 

[Rik]

so I wouldnt benefit from a 2700 then

Not particularly, Baz. In your case I'd suggest a Speedtouch.