Connections with TGN582n slow & laggy and with other modems stable and fast, but constant disconnect

[#1]

Hi,

I was wondering if anyone had some insights in our problem with our connection.

We recently noticed, that we had a very laggy internet connection with our standard PlusNet Router (Thompson TGN582n). It usually manifests itself by using the browser, clicking on a link and it takes a few seconds until the page loads. Sometimes it would say "loading website" and it loads and loads and loads and then we've got a time-out, browsers usually claim the website could not be opened or with Chrome it says it timed out and asks whether we want to reload the page. We click on the "reload" button and the website opens instantly.

We found this rather odd and after getting the modem/router changed from PlusNet previously afer the modem's red light switched on and completely crashed beyond recovery we also asked them to check our internet connection. They claim we have no issue with our line.

Fair enough, we then decided to buy a new modem/router combo. First we tried using the ASUS AC3200 with the DrayTek Vigor 130. Amazingly internet was not lagging, websites opened instantly, nothing timed out (I also use it for gaming, etc.) and we never had such a good connection... we thought. Until we noticed after a while, that our modem's hanging up every time. It happened so often and our router eventually claimed, that there was no physical connection to the modem. We had the router exchanged. Same problem, internet connects roughly every 10-15mins with the (new) router claiming either the modem hang up or there was no cable connected.

We connected the PlusNet router again. Once more... internet slow, constant time-outs in the browsers... but it was running (strangely, when playing games, there are no disconnects, so the modem doesn't hang up). We also noticed that if we're using VoD with the PlusNet modem, the stream works perfectly, but none of our other devices will be able to use the internet anymore. Which made the situation about lagging connections worse. 

So we thought, maybe the DrayTek modem is rubbish as well. Today we received our new Netgear modem, that even has a PlusNet specific setting when being installed. And we have exactly the same problem again: our internet was never faster or more stable... except the modem drops connection roughly every 15mins. This can't be a coincidence and I really can't figure out, where the problem is now.

Has anyone got any idea, what the problem could be? Long story short: We established already it can't be the router (swapped), PlusNet claims there is nothing wrong with our line (though I really begin to think that's not true) and the two non-PlusNet modems have the same strange disconnects and the PlusNet modem basically has a hard time getting any stable connection.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Kind regards,

Philippe

[#2]

Hello.

I think the problem is a setting called "Idle Timeout" on your new routers. 

Most Netgear routers have this set to 5 minutes so if you are browsing it ends up dropping every ten.  You need to login to the setup page and set the "Connection Mode" option to "Always On". I'm not sure about the config on the Asus router, but it's the only real way to explain the problems you are describing. 

I think Netgear have this standard configuration because it works well with the broadband technology used in America which is PPPoE for standard ADSL, whereas we use PPPoATM  for it in the UK - I might be wrong.  

[#3]

Hi!

Unfortunately I cannot confirm that, all devices are "always on". It also does not explain, how PlusNet's own router/modem is incapable of coping with the line. As I said, the PlusNet TGN582n is slow and laggy and can't keep the line stable. In a sense, in regards to stability at least, all other modem/router combinations work much better than the PlusNet Router (bear in mind, that this one is also the second we've got as the first one broke). I also now can tell, that our line with our 3rd party devices, is still more stable (less laggy, no timeouts), however the line still drops. Luckily, not every 15min anymore. It's now anything between 15min to 2 hours. Only once the line was up and running for 6h straight (which was from 23h to 5h in the morning).

Also, I am a gamer, which means if I play a game, according to your theory that the modem or router hangs up during inactivity, the modem shouldn't hang up. But it does. I had a network sniffer running as well... I had enough connections constantly on to keep the line running. We've got 3 phones, 2 tablets, 3 PCs... there is always something connected to the internet, it would be really rare that the modem would have a reason to hang up due to inactivity. Technically only when we're not at home. 😉

Strangely, I have never seen any other settings than PPPoE. Even the PlusNet modem is using PPPoE, so I can't confirm that at all. Also reading through the forums, PPPoE is the way to go and PPPoA is outdated and some people in these forums claim that PPPoA is not even working anymore. So that setting can't be it either.

Thanks DanDanDan for your input! Keep suggestions going, or maybe anyone else with more ideas?

Kind regards,

Philippe