New Firmware for Fritz!Box 7390

[Steve]

I agree if it works why worry, and I guess things will become clearer as the user base on VDSL expands,with regard the 80/20 service I think it's pushing the boundaries of what certain individual lines can cope with, we've seen it with adsl2+ where interference and high error rates made some longer lines unusable without the imposition of a max sync limit or a reprofile back to adslmax.

Hopefully at the end of the trial we may have some indication of which connections will benefit from 80/20, sadly the individual may not have the data to make that decision as the supplied HG612 is as we know locked to the end user. A minor point for the fiddlers, the HG612 which utilises the Broadcom 6368 is compatible with adsl variants but not in the state supplied by Openreach.

[Ardua]

Reading page 3 (Annexes) of the following attachment would suggest to me that Annex A should be used within the UK. The issue seems to be more related to VDSL's relationship with our POTS (plain old telephone service) rather than how much users can squeeze out of their connection. Happy to be told that I am wrong.

http://www.suomicom.fi/VDLS2_vs_ADSL2_vertailua.pdf

Fixed the link - Glenn

[Steve]

That's my current thought from the evolving thread on TBB but I think the confusion lies around the use or misuse of the terminology.

[FritzBox]

Fritz Fon was updated to 01.02.73 Friday

[Ardua]

Fritz Fon was updated to 01.02.73 Friday

My 2 Fritz!Fons MTFs are now showing 01.02.74 as of Saturday. 

[FritzBox]

My 2 Fritz!Fons MTFs are now showing 01.02.74 as of Saturday. 

Thanks Ardua, just done an update check, now .74

You know me, always behind the times

[mervl]

Just out of curiosity has anyone noticed a new hourly "something" after installing the latest 84-05-09 beta firmware showing as a  a slight latencv spike on a TBBQM monitor see:My Broadband Ping and have an idea what it might be? My only suggestion is perhaps the router is busy with an hourly stats collection for the new "line quality monitor" for the daily report e-mail if you have it operational. (I haven't worked the bit of the resulting graph showing actual throughputs out yet though, it appears to be some sort of "average"). Ignore the other spikes though, they are me downloading.

[Ardua]

MyFritz! does work. With the help of Google translator, the set up is pretty easy. Whether there is any advantage in having MyFritz! set up, only time will tell.

[mervl]

I set up My Fritz quite easily using my pigeon German, as it allows you remote access to selected router data from any remote internet-enabled device, the most useful of which seems to be the calls list.

With regard to VDSL2 throughput speeds (apart from congestion) I suspect the most important are cab distance, and also that BT do restrict power levels from the exchange to further away cabs, presumably to restrict interference with degraded ADSL lines on the same local loop. Trouble is that unless you hack (whether FB or OR modem) and know what the expected power level is, you have no idea. I made a suggestion to AVM that estimated distance from cab and power levels as well as upstream attenuation (all of which I understand are available via telnet access, which they state makes the modem "unsupported" - not sure what that means in practice) should be shown on VDSL details/stats pages of the UI but I'm not sure that they take any real notice of such feedback.

[FritzBox]

My online meter's not working as it should either

[mervl]

My online meter's not working as it should either

I've always found the FB meter runs about 10% ahead of IDNet's recorded usage, which at least is the helpful way round. The apparent latest beta firmware improvement in the the usage recording through a LAN1 connection hasn't made any noticeable difference for me.

[Ardua]

A 'minor' firmware update v. 84.05.20 has been released for the Fritz!Box 7390:

EDIT:  I have just checked and the update is not yet downloadable from the Firmware Update in the FB - nor can it be downloaded from Fritz AVM. Our cousins 'down under' seem to have access via a FTP link.

EDIT 2:  Downloaded from ftp://ftp.avm.de/fritz.box/fritzbox.fon_wlan_7390/firmware/english/


New with version 84.05.20:

DSL: New DSL-version with improvements for ADSL2+ and VDSL lines
DSL: improved VDSL-interoperability and performance
DSL: optimised display of DSL data-rate on annex J lines
DSL: improved interop for Globespan cabinet mode lines
DSL: improved interop for various lines by deactivating PTM

Internet: New- use MyFRITZ! to safely access your FRITZ!Box from abroad
Internet: New- use WLAN instead of DSL or LAN to connect to the Internet
Internet: New- optional possibility to manually configure DNS server
Internet: New- UMTS-fall-back in case of a problem with the Internet connection over DSL
Internet: New- display of line speed for Internet access via LAN added in the online-monitor
Internet: New- configurability of Exposed host and ping6 in the IPv6 settings
Internet: New- configurability of other IPv6-routers in your home-network
Internet: New- IPv6-support for UPnP, UPnP-AV and TR-064
Internet: New- DynDNS-support for IPv6 with dyndns.org and namemaster.de
Internet: New- possibility to deactivate NetBIOS-filter
Internet: redesign of internet-account information pages
Internet: completed support for DNSSEC
Internet: improved error handling with DynDNS refresh
Internet: Internet-page loading accelerated with active child-protection

WLAN: New- integrated possibility to send feedback per WLAN-device
WLAN: New- active MAC-filter now automatically deactivated during WPS pairing
WLAN: New WLAN module
WLAN: WLAN-start and changes in the configuration accelerated
WLAN: improved interoperability with Logitech Squeezebox Radio
WLAN: Mouse over display of WLAN device name and IP-address in the system log
WLAN: reduced WLAN events with WPS for Windows7 and Windows Vista clients
WLAN: display of WDS-devices improved
WLAN: display of link-speed added for connections to Apple MacBook
WLAN: added configurability for WLAN connects and disconnects messages in the syslog
WLAN: added "new WLAN device first connect" message in the syslog
WLAN: additional syslog entry in case the 5Ghz channel is used by systems with priority (radar)
WLAN: to improve Windows-compatibility space at the beginning or end of a WLAN key are filtered

Telephony: New- Prioritise phone calls in your WLAN with FRITZ!App Fon
Telephony: Menu option "Own Telephone Numbers" combines internet- and fixed-line numbers with a status overview
Telephony: display-name now also configurable for remotely managed Voip-accounts
Telephony: transmit the number of messages on the answering machine to IP-telephones (MWI)
Telephony: display-name of the own number now possible to transmit to IP-telephones
Telephony: simplified email-setup for fax-reception
Telephony: improved the behaviour for the sip-registration with alternative providers
Telephony: added IMS-support for "implicit registration"
Telephony: fixed a possible problem when taking over a call from the answering machine
Telephony: improved import of telephone book
Telephony: improved signalling on analogue extensions in some scenarios
Telephony: improved caller line detection for some analogue lines
Telephony: improved Internet telephony setup
Telephony: stability improvements

DECT/FRITZ!Fon: New- configurable background image with date/time
DECT/FRITZ!Fon: New- new start screen for FRITZ!Fon MT-F
DECT/FRITZ!Fon: New- display incoming calls with bigger font
DECT/FRITZ!Fon: New- new midi-ringtones
DECT/FRITZ!Fon: fixed sporadic loss of connection to DECT-base
DECT/FRITZ!Fon: improved interop with other DECT phones
DECT/FRITZ!Fon: corrected text display in podcasts
DECT/FRITZ!Fon: accelerated menu speed for podcasts and internet-radio
DECT/FRITZ!Fon: improved error handling in case of missing pictures

Homenetwork: New- Change your FRITZ!Box name: for WLAN SSID, SMB, DECT and more
Homenetwork: New- Internet access for guests connected to LAN4
Homenetwork: New- improved display of guest-devices in the network-overview
Homenetwork: New- network devices with an http interface can now be clicked in the networking-overview
Homenetwork: New- automatic wake on LAN for devices reachable from the internet (including IPv6)
Homenetwork: New- display of FRITZ!Powerline-devices in the network-overview
Homenetwork: New- details of network devices now shows extended information including IPv6 addresses

System: New - smartphone optimised web-pages for fritz.box and myfritz.box
System: New - name of FRITZ!Box and FRITZ!OS displayed on main-page
System: New - setup simplified (new passwords will now be initially shown in plain text at configuration)
System: New - simplified change between normal and expert view
System: New - push mail now contains more detailed DSL information
System: New - push-mail now displays current IP-address and missed phone calls
System: New - possibility to activated automated sending feedback in case of a crash
System: New - automatically synchronise WLAN night-settings between multiple FRITZ! products
System: improved stability
System: added POP3 SLL support for web.de
System: DNS-server of FRITZ!Box enhanced (DNS over TCP)
System: corrected loss of APIPA-address 169.254.1.1
System: DOS-robustness of https-access towards the thc-ssl-dos-tool improved
System: fixed problems of displaying username and SMTP server in the push mail service
System: fixed possible problem with using IP-cameras with real time streaming-protocol

USB: multifunction printers now only need the activation of "printer" device type with USB remote connection
USB: Interop with EnOcean USB device improved
USB: improved write performance for USB memory
USB: improved stability when disconnecting USB memory

Memory/NAS: New- name of workgroup changeable
Memory/NAS: accelerated scanning of memory for internet-sharing
Memory/NAS: accelerated FTP connection for LAN-access to USB memory
Memory/NAS: improved handling of USB memory disconnects while scanning media-files
Memory/NAS: improved picture handling and search with Internet explorer 9

Mediaserver: New- playlist support added
Mediaserver: improved interop (Sony TV, Kathrein-receiver, Xbox360 ...)
Mediaserver: performance-improvements
Mediaserver: improved handling of Umlauts in MP3-Album covers and jpg files

UMTS: added support for some UMTS devices with CSV function
UMTS: added support for new UMTS devices (ZTE K4505-Z, Sierra USB 309, 4G Systems XS Stick P14)

Important details regarding this update:

[1] Automatic priorisation of Voice data using FRITZ!App phone requires at least version 1.6.0 for iOS and 1.56 for Android.

[2] Automatic synchronisation of the WLAN-night-settings will require an upcoming update of the FRITZ!WLAN Repeater software.

[3] With the current IPv6-implementation AVM already follows the current IETF-suggestion, to not establish a 6to4-tunnel automatically, as long as the Internet provider does not support IPv6 natively.
Please explicitly configure 6to4 as connection type if you wish to use 6to4 for your IPv6 connection.

[4] The energy consumption values have been recalibrated in this release. Due to this they will differ from the displayed valued of the former release version.

[5] To be able to use all new DECT features, please make sure to also update the firmware of your FRITZ!Fon to the latest available version.

[FritzBox]

Just getting now from your linky Ardua, thanks

[mervl]

Anyone using this latest version 84-05-20 on an existing VDSL2 (FTTC) connection and who is seeing some benefit, please let us know; before I bother! 

[FritzBox]

Had at least four instances of it clearing connection since I put it on, if I get many more I'll be going back to beta

[FritzBox]

Another new one out

ftp://ftp.avm.de/fritz.box/fritzbox.fon_wlan_7390/firmware/english/

[FritzBox]

Looks

Another new one out

ftp://ftp.avm.de/fritz.box/fritzbox.fon_wlan_7390/firmware/english/

Looks like it's for International version only, but think I might give it a go anyhow

[Ardua]

Looks
Looks like it's for International version only, but think I might give it a go anyhow

No need to use the ftp link. Update 84.05.21 is available via the GUI firmware update button. Yesterday's update was stable for me. Downstream reduced slightly but upstream speed increased resulting in lots of errors. The latest firmware has resulted in a 0.5Mbps increase in downstream and a reduction in upstream back to its recent level.

Edit:  A quick check of the GUI shows no errors whatsoever per minute in the 'send' direction and about 0.7 in the receive direction. For me it looks to be more stable than yesterday's .20 version. Just noticed though that on my account page Encapsulation is showing 3 clear buttons on an ADSL2+ connection. The only other change that I can see is the bit swap was turned on yesterday and is off today   - again in the send direction.

[Ardua]

I am beginning to wonder whether firmware version 84.05.20 was ever built for UK release as 84.05.21 appears to be much more stable. My downstream CRCs are at 1 per minute and upstream is only 0.21 per minute. I will interested to see how the latest firmware performs when FTTC is installed next week.

[mervl]

OS 5.20 is quite stable on my VDSL2 connection. The reported Noise Margin and CRC errors hardly vary (EDIT 6/7 down 6 up and up to 0.3pm); as I have interleaving on due to a high 20dB attenuation the reporting of FEC (corrected) errors fluctuates wildly (EDIT a few hundred thousand down to a few hundred pm) which makes me wonder if the stats are accurate, but it hardly matters to performance which keeps the IP profile at 38.71, sync 39992/6600 approx. (and higher FEC levels arguably just show the system is working effectively). 

My experience with both the OR modem and Fritz! is that VDSL is more stable than ADSL (unless perhaps you have an existing HR fault with an unstable line which might show up more with higher speeds), as I would expect on most lines as the DSL copper (or ali) run is much shorter and fibre (to the Cabinet) is a much better transmission medium with low or negligible signal loss. I do not get the resyncs I used to get on ADSL - the only performance issue is the occasional loss of internet connectivity due to an outage on the BTw network, but the DSLAM stays in sync. No firmware update has made a material difference to my VDSL2 speeds more than I would expect of any resync depending on the daily variations of environmental conditions due to temperature fluctuations affecting the copper.

I have never heard of AVM producing specific UK firmware. Nothing I have seen leads me to conclude it has a sufficiently large market in the UK: it's too expensive for most residential users, with poor customisation options for the expert, and fewer options than a standalone business PABX, so I think it falls between too many stools. There is a suggestion on Whirlpool.au that v.21 was issued due to a potential problem in the case of a factory reset in the earlier version, which sounds more plausible to me.

I suspect the variations in the Fritz!Box performance apart from the usual line conditions are at least in part because it's not designed and tested for specific UK use e.g. the variable performance of analogue signalling and where the UK has modified or not adopted international standards. I believe the UK version is an international version with a UK analogue phone socket and mains plugs.

[Glenn]

Up until yesterday I was getting 2m+ FEC errors/15 mins, I did a speedtest yesterday and BT reported at 12kbps down/ 0kbps up, support took a look and sent the line details to BT for investigation, hopefully they find the problem.

[mervl]

Glenn, from your few posts on the subject I suspect your line has a problem; but I've had a few "rogue" BTSpeedtester results like that, usually the test doesn't complete and I can do another, but if I repeat the test anyway after a few hours it comes back up to the 38.71 profile and the 38 throughput; and if I recall you have better attenuation, so a shorter and better (in theory) line?

[Ardua]

Mervl - you could be right about v.20 and .21. All reference to v.20 has disappeared from the AVM site. V.21 is working well for me. Errors are down to what I was getting with the last beta and I have a 0.5Mbps downstream increase. I see that the Aussies are suggesting that there may be some issues but apart from a missing Encapsulation button all is fine with me.

[FritzBox]

21 much more stable for me, no disconnections or "Clearing" since I put it on early yesterday morning

[Ardua]

21 much more stable for me, no disconnections or "Clearing" since I put it on early yesterday morning

I spoke too soon. I had a 'no obvious reason' disconnect at 9.06am and my downstream has risen by 1.2Mbps to just under 18 and my upstream has fallen back to 888 from 1048. Never seen the upstream that low in the past 12 months. My log also shows a phantom call last night. I haven't had one of those for weeks.