topic Re: Replacement Router (ADSL) in Broadband

Replacement Router (ADSL)

david_hay — Fri, 13 Mar 2026 16:47:59 GMT

I've been a Plusnet customer on and off over the past few years and have always chosen to use my own routers, including various DrayTek and TP-Link models.

In the main, life has been good, and I've been happy being relatively self-sufficient.

However, over the past few months, my ADSL connection has started to become fairly "ropey", and often appears to drop out with no obvious root cause.

Last year, we did have some line noise, which OpenReach kindly fixed, once I engaged PN support via the HELP SMS text route.

Now, despite the lack of obvious line noise, we're seeing random disconnections at various times of the day, without obvious explanation.

I've got two different TP Link routers on the go ( the DrayTek box was zorched by a lightning strike ~2 years back ), including an Archer VR400 and an older Archer VR2800.

I'm seeing similar symptoms with both ...

The logs aren't terribly meaningful e.g : -

51 2026-03-13 14:18:59 PPP Warning ppp1 LCP down
52 2026-03-13 14:18:59 PPP Error ppp1 LCP down
53 2026-03-13 14:18:59 PPP Error ppp1 User request
54 2026-03-13 14:18:59 SYSTEM Notice DSL Training
55 2026-03-13 14:18:56 SYSTEM Notice DSL Link Down

I've tried swapping out the cable ( between router and OpenReach MK4 faceplate ) and, call me Mr Silly, am now running without the faceplate, using a microfilter directly into the master socket.

Sadly the random disconnections persist ...

I've raised fresh HELP tickets with Plusnet, but they're not able to see anything obvious from their end.

They've tried - and failed - to "refresh" the connection because, at a guess, they're expecting to see a Plusnet Hub / Hub 2, which I don't have.

The reason for this thread is to see if/whether I can order a genuine PN router.

This would: -

1. Give me another data point i.e. if it fails with three different routers, one of which from PN themselves, I can justifiably call for a call out from PN / OR

2. Enable PN to properly refresh the connection ( and, I guess, reset the router internally )

As per my previous posts here, we're in a situation where ADSL is supposedly going away, being replaced with 1.6 Gb/s Full Fibre Broadband within the next year ( according to the OR Fibre Checker )

Therefore, I'm reluctant to spend much more money on kit that's potentially going to be EOL within a year or so ( a boy can dream ).

So, to reiterate, any chance I can persuade PN to provide a Hub / Hub2 ?

Thanks in advance, Dave

- PN account - <Redacted>

- PN user - <redacted>@plusdsl.net

Moderator's note:
Personal information removed from a public forum (to an area that staff can see).

Re: Replacement Router (ADSL)

Baldrick1 — Fri, 13 Mar 2026 16:49:14 GMT

@david_hay

Ring in and ask. Chances are they will oblige for the P&P charge.

Re: Replacement Router (ADSL)

jab1 — Fri, 13 Mar 2026 16:52:53 GMT

@david_hay That extract from your router shows that you are suffering - at that point at least - from a DSL disconnection, which I suspect, but could be wrong, given the lack of detail, is a fault in the OpenReach network, which if it is 'corrected' would mean that a PN test would come back 'clean'.

Is there any way to provide a full error log from your current router?

Re: Replacement Router (ADSL)

david_hay — Fri, 13 Mar 2026 16:56:51 GMT

Thanks @Baldrick1 will definitely give that a try

Thanks @jab1 I've attached the log, definitely appreciate any insights

Re: Replacement Router (ADSL)

bmc — Fri, 13 Mar 2026 16:59:37 GMT

@david_hay

You may be heading for trouble.

Your ADSL connection depends on a phone line, which will be terminated some time this year. If Full Fibre is not available by this time you will need to change ISP as PN do not offer the digital version (SOADSL). Very few ISP's do so it'll probably be BT for you.

PN may supply a new router but, given what I've said above, may not as you may well be leaving in the next few months.

I would phone PlusNet Customer Options Team on 0800 013 2632 and see what they say.

Brian

Re: Replacement Router (ADSL)

PhilipHeyes — Fri, 13 Mar 2026 17:04:23 GMT

If you guys can diagnose a connection issue from a curated 3 seconds of the ADSL Router log ...

... you must have a Swarovski crystal ball !

Re: Replacement Router (ADSL)

jab1 — Fri, 13 Mar 2026 17:05:04 GMT

@david_hay Re: the log - a quick glance confirms my thoughts - this looks like a fault in the Openreach network, which unfortunately neither PN or OR will want to investigate unless you actually ring PN and ask the agent you speak to to actually interrogate the RADIUS logs - if they know what they are.

Re: Replacement Router (ADSL)

jab1 — Fri, 13 Mar 2026 17:06:38 GMT

@PhilipHeyes wrote:

If you guys can diagnose a connection issue from a curated 3 seconds of the ADSL Router log ...

... you must have a Swarovski crystal ball !

I actually read the full log in the attachment, @PhilipHeyes .

Re: Replacement Router (ADSL)

david_hay — Fri, 13 Mar 2026 17:22:47 GMT

Thanks @jab1 Radius, as in auth server 🙂

Will give them a call, and see with what they reply ....

WIll also ask about a new router

Thanks again

Re: Replacement Router (ADSL)

jab1 — Fri, 13 Mar 2026 17:24:07 GMT

Let us know, @david_hay

Re: Replacement Router (ADSL)

david_hay — Fri, 13 Mar 2026 18:02:58 GMT

Thanks @jab1 had a useful session with Plusnet support, the tech was able to see similar disconnection issues at their end ( Radius ). She's shipping a new Plusnet Hub Two DSL out to me, so we can compare/contrast between the TPLink and PN boxes.

I'll leave the connectivity as-is ( in terms of going to the master socket rather than through the MK4 faceplate ) initially, so we have a baseline ( make one change, test one change ).

She also noticed that the Stability Profile - I've assumed that's Dynamic Line Management (DLM) - was set to Standard, so she's flipped it to Stable, to see whether that makes any difference with the current setup.

I'll keep an eye on the connection between now and Monday, and then we'll regroup

Similarly, if the problems persist, we'll see what, if anything, the Hub Two brings to the party.

Fun fun fun !

Thanks again for your support - community rules OK

Re: Replacement Router (ADSL)

david_hay — Fri, 13 Mar 2026 18:04:07 GMT

@bmc yeah, it's a fair point - it doesn't look like OR will bring Full Fibre any time real soon, before my contract renews in May.

One step at a time .....

Re: Replacement Router (ADSL)

jab1 — Fri, 13 Mar 2026 18:08:21 GMT

David, looking at those logs, the fault is nothing to do with your equipment -it is in the Openreach network, but I am aware that OR insist on a 'check the router' move before they will consider a network investigation - they tried that with me, when it was clearly a fault on their network.

Re: Replacement Router (ADSL)

david_hay — Fri, 13 Mar 2026 18:17:43 GMT

@jab1 yeah, I get that, but I also get the logic of them not wanting to "support" 3rd party kit

Let's see how it goes ....

Re: Replacement Router (ADSL)

Dan_the_Van — Fri, 13 Mar 2026 18:38:40 GMT

The logs tell an interesting story, there are more DSL Link Down than DSL Link Up.

The extra Link down messages are due to the DSL Training where the modem is attempting to establish the connection.

2026-03-13 14:17:08 [5] System: DSL Link Down 2026-03-13 14:17:11 [5] System: DSL Training 2026-03-13 14:17:24 [5] System: DSL Link Down 2026-03-13 14:17:28 [5] System: DSL Training 2026-03-13 14:17:43 [5] System: DSL Link Down 2026-03-13 14:17:49 [5] System: DSL Training 2026-03-13 14:18:07 [5] System: DSL Link Up us/ds 832/5248 kbps Type ATM Annex A

DSL Link Up

12th March 2026-03-12 09:00:12 [5] System: DSL Link Up us/ds 832/5312 kbps Type ATM Annex A 2026-03-12 09:02:06 [5] System: DSL Link Up us/ds 800/4768 kbps Type ATM Annex A 2026-03-12 10:54:57 [5] System: DSL Link Up us/ds 800/5536 kbps Type ATM Annex A 2026-03-12 14:25:55 [5] System: DSL Link Up us/ds 800/5024 kbps Type ATM Annex A 13th March 2026-03-13 13:28:30 [5] System: DSL Link Up us/ds 832/5056 kbps Type ATM Annex A 2026-03-13 14:18:07 [5] System: DSL Link Up us/ds 832/5248 kbps Type ATM Annex A 2026-03-13 14:19:38 [5] System: DSL Link Up us/ds 832/4512 kbps Type ATM Annex A

Not saying there is not a problem, but the logs provide evidence that the DSL Link down are not a constant through the day, as you need a DSL Link Down for a DSL Link Up.

There could be an external noise source which caused these drops, someone fiddling somewhere on the netwrok, if exists was the landline phone active at those times?

If this was a Hub One I would be running Router Stats to monitor the connection.

Anyway the next step is to try a Hub Two..

Re: Replacement Router (ADSL)

david_hay — Fri, 13 Mar 2026 18:55:51 GMT

Hey @Dan_the_Van that's an interesting catch ...

With regard to noise on the line, we did have issues with that ( crackling ) some time last year; Plusnet were able to see that, and it was resolved by OpenReach tinkering up on the pole opposite my house

After that, things settled down for some time, until this bubbled up in Nov/Dec last year - I ended up buying the new TPLink VR400 to try and eliminate the issues

wrt the landline itself, we barely ever use it, and the disconnection/reconnection issues arise regardless of whether we're anywhere near the phone ( it's a BT Dect box that just sits in the corner feeling unloved )

Similarly, in terms of the LAN, there's a few Ethernet connections into the back of the VR400, from various bits of kit, including my Mac Mini, a relatively ancient Ethernet-over-Powerline box etc.

Now I think of it, the EoP box .... hmmm, if there was something "spiking" there, that could take down the VR400 but I'm not sure whether that'd lead to the DSL link yoyo ....

That may be another avenue of exploration .....

Fun Fun Fun

Re: Replacement Router (ADSL)

mwwagain — Sat, 14 Mar 2026 19:04:02 GMT

Sometimes ringing the phone can change things - but don't answer.

The application of the ring voltage will clean out dodgy connections. Worth a shot ?

With a PN router they can run a bit more remote diagnostics as well, so handy to have one even if you rarely use it

Re: Replacement Router (ADSL)

jab1 — Sat, 14 Mar 2026 19:05:50 GMT

@mwwagain That suggestion will work - usually - for a short time, but it is not a final solution.

Re: Replacement Router (ADSL)

mwwagain — Sat, 14 Mar 2026 19:07:22 GMT

It is though solid proof the BT circuit is at fault.

'My internet only works for an hour after I dial myself'

Re: Replacement Router (ADSL)

david_hay — Sat, 14 Mar 2026 19:10:39 GMT

@mwwagain @jab1 I'm definitely tempting fate by saying this, but there's been no outage since PN switched the DLM Stability Profile last night, from Standard to Stable.

I'm keeping an eye ( several eyes actually ) on the router logs, but ... so far, so good - and this is with the same old TPLink VR400.

That's the only change that's been made since yesterday ... time will tell, and having the PN router will be a good backup

Again, let's see how it goes

Thanks again