topic Re: Frustrated - please help !! in Plusnet Feedback

Frustrated - please help !!

simontailby — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 14:49:15 GMT

Hi all,
I'm hoping some of you knowledgable folks can help me decide what to do next to fix my problem...
I have been with PlusNet for just a few months and over the last month or so i've started losing my connection, or going to my PC and having no connection, with these outtages lasting from 10 minutes to all night.
Rather than just immediately complain, i've used ideas off this forum to try and sort it myself, but to no avail.
So far, i've checked the wiring in both the master and extension sockets, also making sure that 'only wires 2 and 5 are connected' as someone on here suggested.
I've taken my PC downstairs for a few days and had it plugged into the master socket. After that, I took the face off the unit and used the Test socket for a few days.
Then I dragged out my old NetGear router and tried that.
After none of this worked, I finally bought a new NetGear router, new ethernet lead, new BT cable and new filters.
These have been installed for a few days now, and just minutes ago, my wife called me at work to say she's gone to the PC and there's no connection.
It's now getting tiring and i'm beginning to wish i'd never swapped from Sky, who I had no problems with at all. My gaming friends have used PlusNet for ages and were the ones who finally got me to change.
It's just a shame I'm not getting the same great service so far.
Anyway, if anyone can offer any advice on what to do next, it would be greatly appreciated.
If you can, please bear in mind I know little about the 'techie' side of the internet and my connection, so basic instructions would be great ; )
In case it's relevant, a night or so ago I used the SpeedTest site to check things over and there seemed to be a big difference in service. The first night (Tues) my download speed was about 250kbs but then on the next night I checked (Weds) it was at 2.5mb? Is that normal or at all related to my connection problems?
Thanks in advance for any help you can give,
Simon

Re: Frustrated - please help !!

James — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 14:56:07 GMT

Hi Simon,
It sounds to me like you've done pretty much everything you can do to ensure that the problem isn't at your end.
I'd strongly suggest that you go to http://faults.plus.net and raise a fault so that we can investigate it and then send it onto BT for you.

Re: Frustrated - please help !!

Oldjim — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 15:00:09 GMT

Simon,
Can you provide a bit more information.
As you are using a Netgear router can you advise the noise margin, attenuation and speeds - from here http://192.168.0.1/setup.cgi?next_file=stattbl.htm
Also please advise the exact model of router as we may be able to get more advanced logging running.
What does this link say https://portal.plus.net/my.html?action=data_transfer_speed

Re: Frustrated - please help !!

ReedRichards — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 15:25:45 GMT

There are lots of different types of 'no connection'.

No connection to the router

Loss of sync on router

Router syncs but fails to logon

Connected to the internet but no connection to a DNS server

Connected to Plusnet but no connection to the wider internet

Maybe there are more that others can think of? It sounds as if you have probably eliminated the first of these. You could, if you want, run some tests to identify which of the others it might be. But if Plusnet are on the case now, maybe you don't want to bother.

Re: Frustrated - please help !!

simontailby — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 15:50:51 GMT

Hi folks,
Thanks for your fast responses - appreciated.
When I get home, if my connection is working, i'll try and do both jobs (get the information and use the Fault Reporter) as soon as I get in.
Cheers,
Simon

Re: Frustrated - please help !!

jelv — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 16:03:38 GMT

You may have already done something along these lines, but if not when the connection next dies can you check if there is any connection to the internet by running the following

ping 212.159.6.9

.
If this works you could be looking at a DNS issue. If it fails the router has lost all internet connectivity, you should then confirm you still have connection to the router by running

ping 192.168.0.1

The other thing you haven't mentioned is whether you've found anything relevant in the router's logs around the time it dies.

Re: Frustrated - please help !!

simontailby — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 14:42:01 GMT

Hi folks,
At my dad's using his PC just to post an update.
Ok, so since yesterday afternoon i've had virtually no connection. Had nothing at all until very early this morning, but even that went halfway through using the fault reporter.
Have called to Support and they have what they need from the reporter so now i'm just waiting.
As i've had no other connection time, i've been unable to post stats etc and try other tests you've all kindly suggested, but will do if I get a connection again any time soon.
BTW - if it helps, what I mean (I think) by no connection is that the power and ethernet lights are on on the Netgear, but the DSL flashes when you first power it up, then there's simply no other lights at all after that one has gone out. It's a DG834GT.
Cheers again for your support,
Simon

Re: Frustrated - please help !!

simontailby — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 13:45:47 GMT

Hi again,
PlusNet are looking into the problem now and looking at the last entry into my 'open question' it looks like they have referred it to BT as there is 'no sync' ?
Not sure what this means, but i'm hopeful BT can sort it soon.
Thanks again for all who are helping me.
Cheers,
Simon

Re: Frustrated - please help !!

James — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 13:50:01 GMT

Hi Simon,
No sync is short for no synchronisation.
It means that your router is unable to latch onto the broadband signal on your telephone line.
Just to let you know, I've just checked your fault and BT were unable to find a fault, so I've asked them to look a bit harder.

Re: Frustrated - please help !!

simontailby — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 13:56:27 GMT

Hi James,
Thanks for the update and the explanation.
It's a little worrying BT say that can't find anything. Is there anything else I can check my end?
If not, i'll just have to wait and see what they say.
Cheers,
Simon

Re: Frustrated - please help !!

James — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 13:57:57 GMT

Simon - It's a pretty common reply from BT, so I wouldn't be too concerned.

Re: Frustrated - please help !!

simontailby — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 13:06:54 GMT

Hi PlusNet guys,
Is there any news on my fault please?
I had a very small glimmer of hope last night as the ADSL Link light on my NetGear started flickering orange and then actually went green and stayed on. Unfortunately, this lasted literally minutes and then there was nothing again.
Thanks in advance.
Simon

Re: Frustrated - please help !!

James — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 13:18:41 GMT

Hi simon,
Sorry to hear that the hope was short lived.
BT have asked for appointment times. Could you possibly update your ticket and let me know once you have?

Re: Frustrated - please help !!

VileReynard — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 13:24:35 GMT

Is there definitely not a voice fault?
What happens if you dial 17070 and do the quiet line test from a wired-in telephone?
You should hear absolutely nothing - if you do, it's a likely voice fault.

Re: Frustrated - please help !!

simontailby — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 10:00:18 GMT

Hi mate,
Thanks for your input.
Funnily i've added to my open ticket, as the broadband suddenly came back last night albeit very slowly.
I have a wireless phone, but can get hold of a wired one, so i'll try your suggestion tonight and check it out.
There is quite a bit of noise on the wireless phone, but thought was due to 'no wires'. Maybe not then...
Thanks for your thought.
Cheers,
Simon

Re: Frustrated - please help !!

jelv — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 10:12:25 GMT

When you get hold of the wired phone (preferably one you've confirmed works perfectly using the quiet line test on some else's line), if there is noise on your line make sure you also check for noise in the test socket!

Re: Frustrated - please help !!

simontailby — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 11:28:32 GMT

Hi mate,
Great. Thanks for the info, will do.
Cheers,
Simon

Re: Frustrated - please help !!

simontailby — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 14:54:38 GMT

Hi Jameseh,
Can I just check with you what to do next?
I added some info to my open ticket last night, so what do I do now?
If it's still connected tonight should I just wait for 3 days to see if the speed improves (I read the '3 days after several disconnects' bit somewhere)?
I'll also do the quiet test on the phone as well, just to be sure.
Thanks for your help,
Simon
P.S. I know this all sounds a bit coincidental after you said the next step was an engineer visit, but its genuinely how it happened and i've changed nothing. In a way, I wish it hadn't come back as it's just confused me now.

Re: Frustrated - please help !!

James — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 12:34:40 GMT

Thanks Simon,
I'm still seeing a lot of disconnections on your line.
BT have asked for engineer appointment times so I've passed your ticket back to you.

Re: Frustrated - please help !!

simontailby — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 15:14:32 GMT

Hi James,
Thanks for that. As you say, I think it's going to need an engineer.
However, bad timing on my part as i'm away on holiday for 2 weeks as of tomorrow. Will I need to open a new ticket when I get back?
Thanks again,
Simon