Another lost connection

[dlorde]

Got back from work this evening, to find my connection was gone. After 10 mins of attempted web accesses, I logged in to the modem/router to see what was what - 'Not Connected'. Took about 12 mins before it came back, but even then I couldn't access web sites (I could ping IP addresses). After another 10 mins, I decided to change the DNS addresses to OpenDNS, after which I immediately was able to access web sites.

This is the fourth time this has happened in 2.5 weeks since joining IDNet. Pipex may have been hellish slow, but I never had disconnections like this... Doesn't seem right somehow - always on should be always on... Is this something I should expect now with a higher speed profile?

Modem Log:

3/27/2008  19:10:18 NTP Date/Time updated.   
03/27/2008  18:58:24 ATM1 get IP:91.xxx.xx.xxx
03/27/2008  18:58:16 If(ATM1) PPP fail : Unknown error or UI Connect/Disconnect
03/27/2008  18:58:14 ATM1 start PPP           
03/27/2008  18:58:14 Dial On Demand(ATM1)     
03/27/2008  18:58:05 192.168.2.2 login success

[Simon]

I'm not sure if anyone will be about to help you tonight now, but I am sure this will be spotted first thing in the morning.  In the meantime I have masked your IP address for security. 

[Sebby]

I can't tell from the log if the sync dropped or whether it's just the PPP session. During these periods when you can't connect, is the ADSL light on your router lit or does it flash?

We need to establish whether this is a problem between the exchange and IDNet, or whether it's a problem with your line (for whatever reason that may be - noise, faulty router, etc). I suspect the latter, but we'll be able to look into it in more detail when we have some more information.

Rest assured that we'll get to the bottom of it, either way.

[dlorde]

... In the meantime I have masked your IP address for security. 

Oops! thanks for that, I wasn't thinking... 

[Dopamine]

I've had 4 lost PPP sessions in the last two days. 2 reconnected immediately, 2 took several minutes. The last dropped connection was about 30 minutes ago.

Seems that there are a few others with similar problems at the moment. Very annoying when I'm trying to listen to a BBC "listen again" radio program, as a dropped PPP session means that no record is recorded of where I was in the program, so when I return to the BBC's site and start listening again, I have to start at the beginning and jump through in 5 minute segments until I'm back where I was when IDNet dumped my connection.

Can't say that I'm terribly impressed with IDNet, which is saying something as an ex Pipex user. Pipex might have been very slow and throttled, which IDNet isn't, but at least the connection was reliable. IDNet's has become quite unreliable in the last couple of weeks.

[Cookiemonster]

I've had 4 lost PPP sessions in the last two days. 2 reconnected immediately, 2 took several minutes. The last dropped connection was about 30 minutes ago.

Seems that there are a few others with similar problems at the moment. Very annoying when I'm trying to listen to a BBC "listen again" radio program, as a dropped PPP session means that no record is recorded of where I was in the program, so when I return to the BBC's site and start listening again, I have to start at the beginning and jump through in 5 minute segments until I'm back where I was when IDNet dumped my connection.

Can't say that I'm terribly impressed with IDNet, which is saying something as an ex Pipex user. Pipex might have been very slow and throttled, which IDNet isn't, but at least the connection was reliable. IDNet's has become quite unreliable in the last couple of weeks.

I feel for you on the subject DP. But in IDNet's defense i've not once had any connection issues what so ever. The only problem i have had was when i didn't get my full upload sync but a quick call to support and it was sorted within minutes. Do you have another Router you can try on your line? Also what are your line stats?

[dlorde]

... During these periods when you can't connect, is the ADSL light on your router lit or does it flash?

The ADSL light remains lit, and refreshing the modem stats shows the same figures for sync, SNR, attenuation, etc. The figures don't change when it reconnects. But when I mess with the line - different filter, add extension cable, plug in Sky box, etc., the stats do change. So I don't think the disconnections are a problem with the line itself - unless line problems can occur that don't show in the modem stats.

The modem has been fine since I got it, and seems to behave as usual. When it's disconnected like this, it just says  Internet Status: 'Not Connected'. Apart from the log entries, everything looks the same as when it is connected. Once I saw it was disconnected, I just kept clicking the 'connect' button on it's web page every so-often until it reconnected. It was puzzling that even when it re-connected, I couldn't browse web sites until I switched to the OpenDNS DNS IP addresses, but I seem to recall a similar problem last time, although then it was only a minute or so after reconnection before everything was OK again.

[Dopamine]

No, I don't have another router.

                           Downstream     Upstream
Connection Speed       8128 kbps     448 kbps
Line Attenuation          28.0 db        16.0 db
Noise Margin                8.5 db         24.0 db

It's aways possible that it's a sudden problem at my end, but I think that's unlikely. My sync is solid, line is quiet (just did a quiet line test), was with Pipex for 4 years with the same hardware as I use now and not one problem, bar of course the throttling and speed issues. Have only started having problems since I've been with IDNet, and they've become more frequent just recently.

A couple of disconnects a day aren't the end of the world, and I was only affected by 2 of them as the others happened when I was away from my PC and were only noticed by looking at my router log, but it could/should be better for a premium price.

[Cookiemonster]

I can understand your frustration. It may be a thought though that if your equipment is 4 years old then could cause possible disconnections. I take it you have tried different Filters, plugged into the Master socket etc etc?

[Dopamine]

I can understand your frustration. It may be a thought though that if your equipment is 4 years old then could cause possible disconnections. I take it you have tried different Filters, plugged into the Master socket etc etc?

Tried them all and in any event my problems are PPP session losses, not sync losses. This is a bit like going back to my bad old days with AOL years ago, when every complaint was met with the same old "change your filter, change your modem (as it was in those days), change your PC, reinstall Windows, did you eat breakfast?, it's not our fault, etc, etc".... until of course AOL realised it was their fault.

Call me a cynic and jaded, but I'm not convinced that sudden problems just coincidentally have happened at the same time that lots of users seem to be joining IDNet, and broadband usage across the board is reaching unprecedented volumes.

Modified to add: just realised my current router is only 2 years old. Netgear DG834PN that has never let me down yet.

[Cookiemonster]

Yeah i used to be with AOL years ago and i had the same scripted response as you.

Well your best bet would be to call support i guess and take it from there. I'm no tech I'm afraid, but there are a lot of very knowledgeable people on this forum and I'm sure you will get this sorted one way or the other. On a side note if you want another Router to try send me a PM and i can sort you out with one.

[Mytheroo]

there was alot of talk last month about BT doing work which was likely to cause PPP sessions to go stale or to drop (not sync) but I did think that was all finished. On a side note I got home yesterday to a red light on the router (not sure what this means but isn't sync). I had to reboot router, which didnt connect so I checked it and all settings had reverted to default. Then I had to reboot the PC to get more than a few kb/sec upload speed. 
I don't think this is related to your problems but you never know, its good to has lots of info 

[Ray]

Does seem to have been a problem somewhere during the night as shown by the extract from my router log. This is not normal for me as I have had hardly any connection problems previously in my 22 months with Idnet and my connection had been up for 41 days prior to this.

I don't think it has anything to do with increased users on Idnet seems more like a fault has developed on BT or Idnet systems.

   Recorded Events

   Time   Message   

Warning    Mar 28 05:09:26   PPP link up (Internet)
Info    Mar 28 05:09:26   PPP CHAP Chap receive success : authentication ok
Info    Mar 28 05:09:25   PPP CHAP Receive challenge (rhost = ESR10.Birmingham6)
Warning    Mar 28 05:09:25   PPP link down (Internet)
Warning    Mar 28 05:04:12   PPP link up (Internet)
Info    Mar 28 05:04:12   PPP CHAP Chap receive success : authentication ok
Info    Mar 28 05:04:10   PPP CHAP Receive challenge (rhost = ESR10.Birmingham6)
Warning    Mar 28 05:03:48   PPP link down (Internet)
Warning    Mar 28 05:02:10   PPP link up (Internet)
Info    Mar 28 05:02:10   PPP CHAP Chap receive success : authentication ok
Info    Mar 28 05:02:08   PPP CHAP Receive challenge (rhost = ESR10.Birmingham6)
Warning    Mar 28 05:01:32   PPP link down (Internet)
Warning    Mar 28 00:15:26   PPP link up (Internet)
Info    Mar 28 00:15:26   PPP CHAP Chap receive success : authentication ok
Info    Mar 28 00:15:25   PPP CHAP Receive challenge (rhost = ESR10.Birmingham6)
Warning    Mar 28 00:14:21   PPP link down (Internet)
Warning    Mar 28 00:04:47   PPP link up (Internet)
Info    Mar 28 00:04:36   PPP CHAP Chap receive success : authentication ok
Info    Mar 28 00:04:30   PPP CHAP Receive challenge (rhost = ESR10.Birmingham6)
Warning    Mar 28 00:03:33   PPP link down (Internet)
Warning    Mar 28 00:02:34   PPP link up (Internet)
Info    Mar 28 00:02:34   PPP CHAP Chap receive success : authentication ok
Info    Mar 28 00:02:33   PPP CHAP Receive challenge (rhost = ESR10.Birmingham6)
Warning    Mar 28 00:02:14   PPP link down (Internet)
Warning    Mar 27 23:39:04   PPP link up (Internet)
Info    Mar 27 23:39:04   PPP CHAP Chap receive success : authentication ok
Info    Mar 27 23:39:02   PPP CHAP Receive challenge (rhost = ESR10.Birmingham6)
Warning    Mar 27 23:38:43   PPP link down (Internet)

[Rik]

Are you on dsl4, Ray? I've got no problems recorded overnight.

[Sebby]

I've checked my logs and can confirm I have had some disconnects on gw5.

All I can say is that this is completely unlike IDNet. It might be worth letting them know, if someone hadn't already done so.

[Rik]

I will be doing, Sebby, just gathering info first.

[madasahatter]

It's all going horribly wrong 

[Ray]

Are you on dsl4, Ray? I've got no problems recorded overnight.

Yes, Rik, I am on dsl4, I hadn't had any problems till last night either.

[Rik]

Thanks, Ray. I'll be talking to support shortly.

[Rik]

OK. I've had a chat with support. They have a sheaf of emails from BT this morning advising them of engineering work to be done... last night! 

This would explain the problem affecting customers on both realms. There were no problems on the IDNet network overnight and, for those that are concerned about the new members causing capacity problems, I am assured that there is no issue there either.

Time to email BT again. 

[Ray]

OK. I've had a chat with support. They have a sheaf of emails from BT this morning advising them of engineering work to be done... last night! 

This would explain the problem affecting customers on both realms. There were no problems on the IDNet network overnight and, for those that are concerned about the new members causing capacity problems, I am assured that there is no issue there either.

Time to email BT again. 

Thanks for the information, Rik  , well what a surprise I thought I detected the hand of BT as the cause of these problems.   

[Sebby]

I thought there must be something more to it. It's a shame for new customers as it creates an initial disappointment, but I can only say that IDNet's service is flawless.

[Rik]

Thanks for the information, Rik  , well what a surprise I thought I detected the hand of BT as the cause of these problems.   

It certainly felt like it, Ray. I wonder whether their work, scheduled to run till March 20, wasn't actually completed?

[Ray]

It certainly felt like it, Ray. I wonder whether their work, scheduled to run till March 20, wasn't actually completed?

Knowing BT I think that's a fairly safe bet, Rik.

[Rik]