Dropped Connections and Router Crashes

nazuk · Jan 19, 2008, 10:34:48

Hi everyone, i've been a bit of a lurker on here, and now I need some help!

A few facts to assist you to assist me...

I migrated from Pipex from their (upto 8mb download, 448KB uploads) service - I was getting synched at 2.5 to 3mb downloads, and 448 uploads (i think).

I'm a Apple Mac 10.4.11 Tiger user, with a Draytek Vigor 2800VG router.

I migrated on the 8th January 2008, to the IDNet Home Supermax package.

I *have been* synching at 3 to 3.2mb downloads, and 832KB uploads with a stable connection for the first 7 days of migration.

However, the last 3 days I have been getting many dropped connections, and rather strangely I have for the first time ever, been experiencing my router crashing/freezing connections. The only thing, I can do then is to power down the router and reboot it.

My connections have now been synching at 8000bps uploads, and 3 to 3.2mb downloads.

NOTE: My router is connected to a BT ADSL filter faceplate - therefore, all my extensions do not interfere with the ADSL connection. However, it is not connected directly, but through a standard [extension cable] to the ADSL faceplate.

My line stats using telnet are as below. I also pasted in the BT Tester results!

Can someone please help?

I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Regards, Naz

---

Yesterday - 18th January 2008 at 21:36pm

> show adsl
Version= 119
DspFirmwareVersion= E.38.2.23
DSPVersion= 0x00000050
Connected= True
OperationalMode= G.Dmt
State= Showtime
Watchdog= 0x00000053
OperationProgress= 0x000000AD
LastFailed= 0x00000000
TxBitRate= 800000
RxBitRate= 3168000
TxCellRate= 1886
RxCellRate= 7471
PhyTXCellCount= 407384
PhyRXCellCount= 6155630
PhyCellDropCount= 0
OverallFailure= 0
LocalITUCountryCode= 0x0000B5FF
LocalSEF= 0
LocalEndLOS= 0
LocalSNRMargin= 9.5 dB
LocalLineAttn= 51.5 dB
LocalTxPower= 10.9 dB
LocalFastChannelRxRate= 0
LocalFastChannelTxRate= 0
LocalFastChannelFEC= 0
LocalFastChannelCRC= 0
LocalFastChannelHEC= 0
LocalFastChannelNCD= 0
LocalFastChannelOCD= 0
LocalInterleavedChannelRxRate= 3168000
LocalInterleavedChannelTxRate= 800000
LocalInterleavedChannelFEC= 6422
LocalInterleavedChannelCRC= 3
LocalInterleavedChannelHEC= 1
LocalInterleavedChannelNCD= 0
LocalInterleavedChannelOCD= 0
RemoteSEF= 0
RemoteLOS= 0
RemoteLineAttn= 31.5 dB
RemoteSNRMargin= 7 dB
RemoteFastChannelFEC= 0
RemoteFastChannelCRC= 0
RemoteFastChannelHEC= 0
RemoteFastChannelNCD= 0
RemoteInterleavedChannelFEC= 3
RemoteInterleavedChannelCRC= 0
RemoteInterleavedChannelHEC= 0
RemoteInterleavedChannelNCD= 0
LocalMgmtFEC0= 0
LocalMgmtCRC0= 0
LocalMgmtFECErroredSec= 0
LocalMgmtErroredSec= 0
LocalMgmtSeverelyErroredSec= 0
LocalMgmtLOSErroredSec= 0
LocalMgmtUnavailErroredSec= 0
LocalMgmtHEC0= 0
RemoteMgmtFEC0= 0
RemoteMgmtCRC0= 0
RemoteMgmtFECErroredSec= 0
RemoteMgmtErroredSec= 0
RemoteMgmtSeverelyErroredSec= 0
RemoteMgmtLOSErroredSec= 0
RemoteMgmtUnavailErroredSec= 0
RemoteMgmtHEC0= 0
LocalTPSTCCell0= 0
LocalTPSTCCell0UpperLayer= 0
LocalTPSTCBitError= 0
RemoteTPSTCCell0= 0
RemoteTPSTCCell0UpperLayer= 0
RemoteTPSTCBitError= 0
SRA= Disable
PSDMask= Standard
ActivateLine= None
HostControl= Enable
AutoStart= True
Failsafe= False
Action= Startup
Standard= G.Dmt
UtopiaInterface= Level1
EcFdmMode= FDM
MaxBitsPerBin= 15
TxStartBin= 6
TxEndBin= 31
RxStartBin= 32
RxEndBin= 255
RxAutoBinAdjust= Disable
TxAttenuation= 0.0 dB
BitSwap= Enable
BitSwapUp= Enable
NTRMode= Disable
AnnexType= AnnexA
MaxDownRate= 255
PhysicalPort= 0
Retrain= Enable
DetectNoise= Disable
Capability= A
CodingGain= auto
FramerType= Type3
DyingGasp= Disable
Defaults= None
>

---

Today 19th january 2008 at 09:08am

> show adsl
Version= 119
DspFirmwareVersion= E.38.2.23
DSPVersion= 0x00000050
Connected= True
OperationalMode= G.Dmt
State= Showtime
Watchdog= 0x00000053
OperationProgress= 0x000000AD
LastFailed= 0x00000000
TxBitRate= 800000
RxBitRate= 3392000
TxCellRate= 1886
RxCellRate= 8000
PhyTXCellCount= 74448
PhyRXCellCount= 561009
PhyCellDropCount= 0
OverallFailure= 0
LocalITUCountryCode= 0x0000B5FF
LocalSEF= 0
LocalEndLOS= 0
LocalSNRMargin= 9.5 dB
LocalLineAttn= 51.5 dB
LocalTxPower= 10.9 dB
LocalFastChannelRxRate= 0
LocalFastChannelTxRate= 0
LocalFastChannelFEC= 0
LocalFastChannelCRC= 0
LocalFastChannelHEC= 0
LocalFastChannelNCD= 0
LocalFastChannelOCD= 0
LocalInterleavedChannelRxRate= 3392000
LocalInterleavedChannelTxRate= 800000
LocalInterleavedChannelFEC= 847
LocalInterleavedChannelCRC= 25
LocalInterleavedChannelHEC= 20
LocalInterleavedChannelNCD= 0
LocalInterleavedChannelOCD= 0
RemoteSEF= 1
RemoteLOS= 0
RemoteLineAttn= 31.5 dB
RemoteSNRMargin= 7 dB
RemoteFastChannelFEC= 0
RemoteFastChannelCRC= 0
RemoteFastChannelHEC= 0
RemoteFastChannelNCD= 0
RemoteInterleavedChannelFEC= 29
RemoteInterleavedChannelCRC= 0
RemoteInterleavedChannelHEC= 2
RemoteInterleavedChannelNCD= 2
LocalMgmtFEC0= 0
LocalMgmtCRC0= 0
LocalMgmtFECErroredSec= 0
LocalMgmtErroredSec= 0
LocalMgmtSeverelyErroredSec= 0
LocalMgmtLOSErroredSec= 0
LocalMgmtUnavailErroredSec= 0
LocalMgmtHEC0= 0
RemoteMgmtFEC0= 0
RemoteMgmtCRC0= 0
RemoteMgmtFECErroredSec= 0
RemoteMgmtErroredSec= 0
RemoteMgmtSeverelyErroredSec= 0
RemoteMgmtLOSErroredSec= 0
RemoteMgmtUnavailErroredSec= 0
RemoteMgmtHEC0= 0
LocalTPSTCCell0= 0
LocalTPSTCCell0UpperLayer= 0
LocalTPSTCBitError= 0
RemoteTPSTCCell0= 0
RemoteTPSTCCell0UpperLayer= 0
RemoteTPSTCBitError= 0
SRA= Disable
PSDMask= Standard
ActivateLine= None
HostControl= Enable
AutoStart= True
Failsafe= False
Action= Startup
Standard= G.Dmt
UtopiaInterface= Level1
EcFdmMode= FDM
MaxBitsPerBin= 15
TxStartBin= 6
TxEndBin= 31
RxStartBin= 32
RxEndBin= 255
RxAutoBinAdjust= Disable
TxAttenuation= 0.0 dB
BitSwap= Enable
BitSwapUp= Enable
NTRMode= Disable
AnnexType= AnnexA
MaxDownRate= 255
PhysicalPort= 0
Retrain= Enable
DetectNoise= Disable
Capability= A
CodingGain= auto
FramerType= Type3
DyingGasp= Disable
Defaults= None
>

---

BT TESTER RESULT:

190108 @ 08:52am

Test1 comprises of Best Effort Test: -provides background information.
IP profile for your line is - 2500 kbps
DSL connection rate: 800 kbps(UP-STREAM) 3392 kbps(DOWN-STREAM)
Actual IP throughput achieved during the test was - 2290 kbps

<<<< END >>>>

Rik · Jan 19, 2008, 10:45:46

Hi Naz

Welcome to the forum, have a karma.

Your sync speed is a little slow for your attenuation, I manage that speed or better on a 56db line. It looks as if the line management software has increased your target noise margin to try and stabilise the line, so that suggests noise pickup.

When you say a standard extension cable, is it flat or round?

nazuk · Jan 19, 2008, 10:48:10

Hi Rik, thanks for the welcome and the karma.

The extension cable is flat.

regards, naz

Rik · Jan 19, 2008, 10:57:25

Hi Naz

Get a round cable.

Standard BT cabling (CW1308) and round extensions use twisted pairs to reduce noise pickup. Flat cables do not, and act as large antennas for all the electrical noise and RF interference that is going. As ADSL operates in the MW band, it is very susceptible to noise pickup.

Even better, if you can do it, is to use Cat5 cable, ADSL nation supply ready to go lengths, see here.

That should make a big difference to stability, though why the router is locking up puzzles me - it should just be re-synching. I have found that Drayteks are not as good on Max as they are with fixed rate products and I moved from a 2600+ to a Netgear and now to a 2-Wire 2700 myself. The latter has gained me 500k on my profile, and might just be about to deliver a further 500k.

nazuk · Jan 19, 2008, 11:08:36

Thanks Rik, I shall order the Cable from Adsl Nation, the one you recommend, and see what happens.

I have a feeling it might be the flat extension cable anyway - because I moved my router (at the time of migration) from a 1m direct connection cable, to the extended flat cable (which is too long, around 10 metres or so).

Do you think from my stats though that everything is OK at the exchange, or is that hard to determine at this stage until I change the cable?

thanks, naz

Rik · Jan 19, 2008, 11:10:41

I would have hoped for a slightly higher sync speed, Naz, but that cable could be inhibiting the speed due to noise pick up. Once you have the Cat5 in place, see what happens, but hopefully you'll get an extra 500k or so.

nazuk · Jan 19, 2008, 11:23:40

Ok Rik, order placed for the recommended cable. When that arrives, i'll give it a try and report my feedback.

In the meantime, thanks for your speedy response. It is much appreciated.

Rik · Jan 19, 2008, 11:26:02

My pleasure. I'll be interested to see how the ADSL Nation cable performs.

nazuk · Jan 24, 2008, 08:37:54

Hi Rik

Thought i'd give you and anyone reading some feedback.

Received the cable on Tuesday. Have managed to obtain a stable connection with the new cable, and I am at 40 hours and counting. That's the longest number of hours I have been able to manage that since these problems started.

So it looks like the new cable has done it's job.

As for speed etc, nothing has changed there, but I haven't tried to re-sync because I wanted to test a continuous stable connection in the first instance.

I don't think my speed will increase any further anyway, because I have reached the limitations of my line!

Anyway, many thanks for your advice, I appreciate it. Keep up the good work you do.

Rik · Jan 24, 2008, 09:14:32

Great result, Naz, I'm really pleased for you. It's amazing what a bit of wire can do, isn't it.

nazuk · Jan 24, 2008, 09:33:10

Yes good result Rik, and hopefully fingers crossed it stays that way.

I did actually update the firmware on the router as well, but that made no difference. Oh well!

Naz

Rik · Jan 24, 2008, 09:35:42

I've found that firmware changes on almost any router just seem to introduce new bugs, Naz.