topic Re: Plusnet FTTP not working in Full Fibre

Plusnet FTTP not working

aelsbury — Fri, 06 Sep 2024 05:37:01 GMT

Hello everyone. I'm having issues with my Plusnet FTTP service and am hoping someone can assist or advise.

Whilst on holiday, I lost Internet service on 21 August. I discovered this because of all of my Blinks, Rings and Internet cameras went offline on this date.

Upon my return I found my Deco X075 mesh in a disconnected state. The mesh is directly connected to the Openreach endpoint, and has been rock solid for over two years. The Openreach FTTP endpoint looks ok, all green.

I used the text method to contact Plusnet support, and the techs I spoke to indicated a PPPOE issue. I'm not too sure after troubleshooting.

I've confirmed my PPPOE username $username@plusdsl.net and know the password is correct. I've factory reset the Deco, confirmed PPPOE settings but it still shows disconnected. I then dug out an old Asus AC3200 router, factory reset, configured and it shows disconnected (logs show waiting for pado packets). Did the same reset and configure with the original Plusnet Hub One, which shows disconnected. Finally attempted direct connect to the Openreach endpoint with a laptop and PPPOE login variables, no Internet. Network adapter shows active transmit, but absolutely nothing is being received - zero bytes.

So, I've tried three different routers and direct connect via laptop, and cannot connect via PPPOE. For good measure I've also tried different ethernet cables and changed my Plusnet password.

Not sure where to go from here. Appreciate it if someone could take a look or elevate the issue to the appropriate tier. I have multiple individuals who work from home and this is having a massive impact.

Thanks!

Re: Plusnet FTTP not working

aelsbury — Fri, 06 Sep 2024 09:52:00 GMT

Found my Plusnet Hub Two. After a factory reset and configure, I'm still disconnected. The support individual I spoke to thought the Hub Two would work.

Again, not sure about way forward. Plusnet state the Openreach ONT is good and the issue is with my router or cable. After trying four different routers, I think the problem lies elsewhere.

Re: Plusnet FTTP not working

MisterW — Fri, 06 Sep 2024 10:05:11 GMT

Found my Plusnet Hub Two. After a factory reset and configure, I'm still disconnected

Just try factory resetting it, without any configuration. See if it gets a connection initially (light goes blue) and then goes red after a few minutes. If it never goes blue then its an Openreach/BT Wholesale fault (circuit not configued correctly). If it initially connects then the problem is with your account at Plusnets end .

Re: Plusnet FTTP not working

aelsbury — Fri, 06 Sep 2024 10:12:03 GMT

Thanks for your reply. After the initial factory reset, the colour never turned blue. I tried another factory reset and now the router is in a reboot loop (green, off, green, off, green...).

Sigh.

Re: Plusnet FTTP not working

MisterW — Fri, 06 Sep 2024 10:36:02 GMT

After the initial factory reset, the colour never turned blue

and given that you've already tried 3 different routers , a direct PPPoE connect and a different cable , I'd suggest that's an OR/BTw fault. Your circuit isn't routed correctly. My guess is that something got changed in BTWholesales configuration.

now the router is in a reboot loop (green, off, green, off, green...).

That now sounds like a dead Hub 2. I wouldn't mention that to support, otherwise they will probably want to send another router which will delay things for another two days and make no difference! Just tell them that after a factory reset on the Hub it still didn't connect.

I'm afraid getting these sort of faults fixed on FTTP seems incredibly difficult. All the systems seem to indicate that everything is OK. Eventually after much faffing about, the ISP gets an Openreach engineer out who manages to talk to their 2nd line support and the fault gets fixed!

Re: Plusnet FTTP not working

aelsbury — Fri, 06 Sep 2024 15:16:56 GMT

The Plusnet Hub Two finally pulled out of its reboot loop, but still won't connect.

Called Plusnet with the hope of elevating the issue to Openreach...but they need to send out their subcontractor Qube to double check my troubleshooting and verify I can type my password correctly. AND they aren't available until seven days from now. I expect to have to then wait for Qube to schedule Openreach, which will take additional time. I told the manager there is an impact as my wife works from home and that a week is too long to be disconnected. He responded with "I can appreciate you are using the service to work from home, but we are a residential service and this is technically a breach of contract on your part."

Nice.

Re: Plusnet FTTP not working

MisterW — Fri, 06 Sep 2024 15:23:15 GMT

and verify I can type my password correctly

That's not relevant when the Hub 2 is factory reset. It attempts to connect with the preconfigured 'setup' credentials.

I'd raise a formal complaint if I were you. You've done more than enough testing to establish that the fault is not internal equipment.

I'm going to try escalating this to see if I can get someone to apply some common sense. I can't guarantee , but let's see...

Re: Plusnet FTTP not working

aelsbury — Fri, 06 Sep 2024 15:34:03 GMT

Appreciate your help.

Yeah that was the response from a manager in CS Escalations after the complaint was made. I understand they have to follow their processes, but I'm pretty disappointed.

Re: Plusnet FTTP not working

MisterW — Fri, 06 Sep 2024 15:32:52 GMT

Really! I despair...

Re: Plusnet FTTP not working

jab1 — Fri, 06 Sep 2024 15:35:15 GMT

So do I, @MisterW , but I'm not that surprised, having seen some of the responses on here.

Re: Plusnet FTTP not working

MisterW — Fri, 06 Sep 2024 15:43:20 GMT

I really don't understand why fault handling seems so broken with FTTP, it should be simple!

The ISP can run diagnostic tests directly to the ONT. If that shows fault, call Openreach!, if no fault, then it's basically try another router & cable, if that doesn't work , call Openreach!

Re: Plusnet FTTP not working

willcutforth — Fri, 06 Sep 2024 18:03:54 GMT

@aelsbury that is really frustrating and I am sorry about that. As it tests as no fault found we have to send out Qube to resolve it and if they can't to then escalate it. I wish I could speed the process up I really do! Like the others have said, you have done what you need to from your side.

Re: Plusnet FTTP not working

jab1 — Fri, 06 Sep 2024 18:18:08 GMT

@willcutforth If everything has been working normally and then fails, does that not indicate that the customers setup is correct?

I kind of understand that your ultimate employers have 'procedures' - as you may know, I'm no longer a Plusnet customer, and when I had a phone problem, OR insisted on my ISP sending out a replacement router, which they and I both knew was not the issue, but it delayed the resolution by a week and incurred extra costs.

I know you can't comment, but this 'blame the customer/customers equipment' attitude is, to put it politely, very reminiscent of the practices of GPO Telephones of old - and yes, I am old enough to have had experience of such. It is about time BT Group PLC realised that we are not all stupid!

Re: Plusnet FTTP not working

RRM — Wed, 18 Sep 2024 14:29:11 GMT

did you get this resolved?

Would be good to see some pictures of what is connected where and what lights are on / flashing.

Re: Plusnet FTTP not working

aelsbury — Thu, 19 Sep 2024 06:28:23 GMT

Update:

So, I had an Qube engineer appointment scheduled for Friday, 13 September (a week after raising the fault). During that time, I received a second Plusnet Hub 2 router because the help desk stated, "I'm 95% sure the new router will solve your issue".

No surprises that it did not.

I left work early on Friday to meet the engineer at the property. One minute before the allocated time slot, I received a text that the engineer canceled the appointment. No reason, no explanation.

Rescheduled the Qube engineer appointment for the following Monday, 16 September. He attended the property, connected his laptop to the ONT and within 30 seconds determined a fault at the cabinet, as I had predicted. His exact words were "Yeah, you're right - its broke". He forwarded the fault to OpenReach.

The following day after no contact from PlusNet, I had to call them to find out when OpenReach was scheduled. I was pleasantly surprised to find out they were scheduled the next day, Wednesday, 18 September 0800-1300 time slot.

The OpenReach engineer appeared promptly at 8am, inspected the cabinet and ONT, made a phone call and service was restored. It was a routing issue. The OpenReach engineer stated PlusNet could resolved this by making a phone call, as he did.

So, I'm back online. I've had 12 days of internet outage to dwell on how PlusNet has handled this situation. Frustration, irritation, disappointment. I've been with PlusNet for awhile, and always had good things to say about them. I'd have to agree with comments made by @jab1 made above. I understand there are processes that need to be accomplished in order to troubleshoot and resolve issues, but the PlusNet individuals I spoke to applied no true troubleshooting methods to resolve the problem - all they did was read from a script and kick the ticket down the road leading to further delay. Result: disconnected for over 12 days, hours on the phone, the cost of sending an unnecessary Hub 2 router, cancelled site visit. Not to mention the condescending tone of an individual from the PlusNet escalation team.

Oh well. I'm sure I will slowly forget this issue and it will fade from memory. Looking forward to the next disco.

Re: Plusnet FTTP not working

pjmarsh — Thu, 19 Sep 2024 06:55:23 GMT

There's two odd things with that @aelsbury. There isn't a cabinet involved with FTTP, and all Plusnet (or any ISP can do) in relation to Openreach is raise it with them. It would be the Openreach systems that would say to book an engineer and their helpdesk would just go with that (at least in the first instance) if an ISP contacted them.

Re: Plusnet FTTP not working

aelsbury — Thu, 19 Sep 2024 07:10:59 GMT

Using old terminology, @pjmarsh . Guess I meant optical splitter, or wherever the OpenReach guy goes to check his connections.

Re: Plusnet FTTP not working

MisterW — Thu, 19 Sep 2024 07:59:10 GMT

The OpenReach engineer stated PlusNet could resolved this by making a phone call, as he did.

@aelsbury I agree, the process is frustrating and doesn't seem to be coping with FTTP faults very well. However, the OR engineer is wrong, ISP's have no access to Openreach engineering (DCoE) which is who the engineer called. As @pjmarsh says all the ISP can do is phone the Openreach helpdesk.

I do agree that having to wait for a new router and a wasted Qube engineer visit in these type of FTTP faults is not the best way to handle faults.

Re: Plusnet FTTP not working

aelsbury — Thu, 19 Sep 2024 08:34:51 GMT

I think my overall issue is with the fault process and timeline. I understand scope and role of all parties, and that sometimes engineers/technicians might say things to customers off the cuff that aren't quite factual. In any regard I'm back online, much calmer now that I've vented and consider the issue resolved.