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Connection drops for 1 to 2 minutes randomly

nishkankiwala
Dabbler
Posts: 17
Registered: ‎17-09-2012

Connection drops for 1 to 2 minutes randomly

Hi everyone,
I've been having this problem for months now, and still no luck fixing it. So, what happens is a few times a day (maybe 5 times during the day) my internet will disconnect randomly for about 1 to 2 minutes. Looking at the router, my DSL light will begin to flash and internet light will either turn off or go red while this is happening. Then it seems like the router sorts itself out and 1 or 2 minutes later it's all reset and I have internet again. This is getting incredibly annoying now and it is completely at random and without warning and has made me loose large amounts of data many times now.
Many thanks in advance for your help.
Best Regards,
Nish
41 REPLIES 41
Gus
Aspiring Pro
Posts: 3,236
Thanks: 26
Fixes: 3
Registered: ‎31-07-2007

Re: Connection drops for 1 to 2 minutes randomly

Noise on your phone line will drop your connection, if I disconnect my first check is always my phone.  Dial 17070 option 2 and give it a minute or two.
If you do get any noise, disconnect everything except your phone from the phone socket and check again, ideally from the test socket with and without a filter and repeat that with another phone  if possible, could be the phone at fault.  Then if you still get noise on the line report it as a fault to who ever supplies your landline.
But if you get noise normally and don't get any with nothing else but your phone then also connect your router and repeat the tests, to see if it might be the router or its cable to the socket at fault
FTTP 500 regrade from Tues 28th November
nishkankiwala
Dabbler
Posts: 17
Registered: ‎17-09-2012

Re: Connection drops for 1 to 2 minutes randomly

Hi,
I will try dialing that number. I've been told to try the test socket before, but we don't have one.... Taking the cover of the socket off the way, there is no hidden test socket underneath, so I've never been able to proceed with these tests. I'll try dialing the number and then if I get noise dialing the number again by directly plugging the phone into the wall. I'll post up what happens.
Cheers
chrispurvey
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Posts: 5,369
Fixes: 1
Registered: ‎13-07-2012

Re: Connection drops for 1 to 2 minutes randomly

If you don't have a test socket then obviously don't worry about that test, just connect direct into your master socket and try the quiet line test.
Below is a log of your connection.
<img src="http://ccgi.psmith12.plus.com/visradius/generated/image13479786039250.png" />
You've actually got one of your better connections at the moment, is there anything different internally at the moment?
Also your line is being upgraded to ADSL2+, this will complete on the 26 September. Hopefully this could help your connection if there isn't an issue on your line.


nishkankiwala
Dabbler
Posts: 17
Registered: ‎17-09-2012

Re: Connection drops for 1 to 2 minutes randomly

Hi Chris,
Thanks for the update. I have tried the "quiet line" test with everything plugged in and just the phone plugged in. Both produced the same results of a very quiet line. There may have been a faint hissing in the background, but not enough to make me think there is anything wrong with the line. Is a very slight hissing noise ok? Or is anything above dead silent a bad sign?
Apologies if I can't quite understand the picture you posted. If i'm right, our session seems to start and close multiple times a day? This would correlate to the drop in internet connection I see, yes?
Best Regards
8grosvenor
Newbie
Posts: 8
Registered: ‎19-09-2012

Re: Connection drops for 1 to 2 minutes randomly

Just seen this and would like to comment as I had this problem (a lot worse however) for months and it turned out to be the router we had been supplied.
If your router is a Thompson then try disconnecting ALL wifi devices (preferably turn the wifi off) and connect using Ethernet, if you problem stops then you know its your router, ask plusnet for a better one (not a replacement of the same router).....
When my flatmate tried to connect his laptop to the router or another flatmates phone tried to connect it knocked the router out.  Took us months to figure it out, we never suspected something that sounds this daft!  Plusnet sent us an identical router to try and help but that made no difference, the Thompson routers are just plain awful unfortunately! 
I don't know if this would help but perhaps worth a shot!
ReedRichards
Seasoned Pro
Posts: 4,927
Thanks: 145
Fixes: 25
Registered: ‎14-07-2009

Re: Connection drops for 1 to 2 minutes randomly

With any persistent connection problem one should consider the possibility that it is the router at fault.  If you speak to your ISPs tech. support 'Have you tried another router?' is usually in their script.  What they don't say is that you should ideally try a different make and model of router.  If you cannot beg or borrow one yourself then your local computer repair person should have one available for a quick trial. 
nishkankiwala
Dabbler
Posts: 17
Registered: ‎17-09-2012

Re: Connection drops for 1 to 2 minutes randomly

Hi guys,
Thanks for the responses. I've got a TP-Link router which I used to use which I could plug in again
8grosvenor
Newbie
Posts: 8
Registered: ‎19-09-2012

Re: Connection drops for 1 to 2 minutes randomly

definitely worth the try.  I'm having major issues with the new N router they provide now also, utterly awful stuff!
adie:quote
chrispurvey
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Posts: 5,369
Fixes: 1
Registered: ‎13-07-2012

Re: Connection drops for 1 to 2 minutes randomly

They are disconnections,  the Log graph that I posted shows the time you are connected and when disconnections are happening. Your line appears to disconnect then connect immediately.
Keep me updated when you have tried the alternative router.
JulieA
Newbie
Posts: 1
Registered: ‎26-09-2012

Re: Connection drops for 1 to 2 minutes randomly

Hi
I too have had this problem for months and have also reported it without reasonable outcome.  My parents live in the same road and are also on Plusnet Broadband, they have the same problem.
If you report the problem and they don't hear from you within 14 days the problem is deleted from the database - end of story and your complaint!
Mine is dropping out dozens of times a day.
Will give it another couple of weeks then switch provider.
Good luck 
colintivy
Rising Star
Posts: 1,375
Thanks: 33
Registered: ‎07-03-2008

Re: Connection drops for 1 to 2 minutes randomly

Me too! but I do not know for how long they have been present.
This problem has only become evident to me now because I have started to use RouterStats Lite to see what is going on. Through the good offices of Anotherone, who actually visited me during his holiday recently, my wiring has been sorted and speeds are now much better. I have been checking my router (Belkin FSD 8633-4V) at various times during the day for a long time, but rarely when these drops have occurred. Now I can get a continuous plot and find that they can occur at a handful  per hour it seems. Right now I have not been able to look at the log created by RSL for some reason which I am exploring.
With variety of routers and locations involved it makes me wonder if there is a deeper cause of this effect. Any ideas?
Roll_eyes
Anotherone
Champion
Posts: 19,107
Thanks: 457
Fixes: 21
Registered: ‎31-08-2007

Re: Connection drops for 1 to 2 minutes randomly

@JulieA
What are you going to give another couple of weeks exactly? If you aren't pursuing an open ticket (question/fault) or posting information here for some help then nothing will change. If you have a line fault which it sounds as though you may, you will take the same problem to another provider - it's exactly the same wires to the exchange. I'd also say that you are unlikely to get the same high quality of support that you will get here. It seems to me there is the possibility of a cable fault that could be affecting several people. I'd suggest that you start your own thread and see if you can provide the information suggested in the Speed fault sticky thread at the top of this board, this will save detracting from nishkankiwala's problems in this thread.
@colintivy
Hi Colin, I've replied to your email and will reply further in your own thread but for the sake of clarifying things in relation to dropping connections, I'll make a brief comment.
It's worth saying that there can be a number of different causes that will result in exactly the same symptoms of a dropping connection. These can appear to happen at random but sometimes there is a pattern. Loss of connection can typically be around 30secs. to a minute when there is loss of sync where the cause of the loss doesn't persist for a long period.
Typical causes can be an intermittent connection problem (audible noise may exist on the line), interference (may be audible but usually RFI) affecting the line, interference to a wireless connection (no loss of sync), a faulty modem/router, a faulty exchange line card. These are typically the more common causes.
@nishkankiwala
As Chris Purvey has mentioned the graph of the Radius log he posted shows the drop and start of a PPP session which will be consistent with your loss of connection. It's likely but not definite that there is a loss of sync causing this. The upgrade work at your exchange may be the cause of your intermittent connection and only time will tell if that's the case - again posting the information requested in the sticky "Speed fault" thread at the top of this board maybe helpful in trying to diagnose what's going on.
nishkankiwala
Dabbler
Posts: 17
Registered: ‎17-09-2012

Re: Connection drops for 1 to 2 minutes randomly

Hello,
I went ahead and changed the router, haven't had any drops still. However my internet speed itself still drops to a crawl randomly for a few days or weeks at a time before going back up to normal speed. Is this something that happens a lot in my area?
Cheers
Anotherone
Champion
Posts: 19,107
Thanks: 457
Fixes: 21
Registered: ‎31-08-2007

Re: Connection drops for 1 to 2 minutes randomly

Can you check the VP status of your Exchange here?
What modem/router did you get? Can you post the current ADSL Stats from it, that's the figures for Sync (connection) speed (or bandwidth), Attenuation and Noise margin, both Downstream and Upstream?
If you are not sure how to get your stats, if it's a Thomson, you will typically find them here. Otherwise try here to see if that helps.
Also the results of a BT Speedtester (Diagnostics) and your Current Line speed (Login required) that will help us judge what is going on.