cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

I keep losing my connection, and it's getting worse

foxboom
Dabbler
Posts: 21
Registered: ‎10-10-2009

I keep losing my connection, and it's getting worse

I've been a happy customer for years, but over the last few months my connection has been getting worse and worse.
Before I left for work this morning, I had a connection for a little while, but then DNS lookups started failing and I couldn't get anything done.
When I got home this evening, I had to restart my router because I wasn't getting any response at all.
I've tried running the Broadband Troubleshooter, but "portal.plus.com" is sooooo slooowwwww, I've been waiting minutes to for a response -- but other websites, including this forum, are working okay, just a little slower than usual.
I don't even know where to begin troubleshooting this.  I can't afford to buy a new router to try out.
22 REPLIES 22
foxboom
Dabbler
Posts: 21
Registered: ‎10-10-2009

Re: I keep losing my connection, and it's getting worse

My router is intermittently butting in with "Your DSL connection is down.  Verify if your Thomson Gateway is correctly connected to your DSL line. For more information consult your documentation." and "Your requested host could not be reached. Click on the link below to retry.".
foxboom
Dabbler
Posts: 21
Registered: ‎10-10-2009

Re: I keep losing my connection, and it's getting worse

I finally got through to the Broadband Troubleshooter, and:
"There's been a problem
Please try using the Broadband Troubleshooter again in a short while. If you continue to have problems please contact our Support Team for help."
Urrrrrrgh. 😕
adamwalker
Plusnet Help Team
Plusnet Help Team
Posts: 16,871
Thanks: 882
Fixes: 221
Registered: ‎27-04-2007

Re: I keep losing my connection, and it's getting worse

Sorry to hear about the fault and the issue with the troubleshooter, I'm not sure what may have caused that but I can see you were able to complete logging the fault a couple of hours later.
If this post resolved your issue please click the 'This fixed my problem' button
 Adam Walker
 Plusnet Help Team
foxboom
Dabbler
Posts: 21
Registered: ‎10-10-2009

Re: I keep losing my connection, and it's getting worse

That's weird!  After I got the "Please try using the Broadband Troubleshooter again in a short while" error, I didn't try again, so I don't know how the fault got logged.
Anyway, it's still getting worse today.  About 2:30 this morning I was listening to internet radio, and it just cut out.  I tried loading the BBC News website on my phone, and it went straight to the router's own "network error" page.
This morning, I had to restart my router TWICE to get online long enough to post this!
I can't remember when I first reported this, but it was months and months ago, and I did get a call from someone at Plusnet saying "there's nothing we can do."  If that's still the case, I think I can get a pretty good deal for moving to BT -- at least they'll give me a new router for signing up, and that alone might fix this.
dick:quote
adamwalker
Plusnet Help Team
Plusnet Help Team
Posts: 16,871
Thanks: 882
Fixes: 221
Registered: ‎27-04-2007

Re: I keep losing my connection, and it's getting worse

I'll make sure we take a look at the ticket today for you and give you an honest and informative reply.
I've spoken to the faults team and someone will be picking this up ASAP.
If this post resolved your issue please click the 'This fixed my problem' button
 Adam Walker
 Plusnet Help Team
foxboom
Dabbler
Posts: 21
Registered: ‎10-10-2009

Re: I keep losing my connection, and it's getting worse

Thanks Adam!
I'm confused about the response I got.  It was suggested that I try changing the wifi channel I use, but... surely the wifi is the connection between my PC and the router, and doesn't affect the connection between the router and the internet?  I can connect to my router just fine, but my router keeps losing the connection to the internet (see the attached screenshot).
dick:quote
jojopillo
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Posts: 9,786
Registered: ‎16-06-2010

Re: I keep losing my connection, and it's getting worse

Hi Cariad,
How's it been since you last posted?
Jojo Smiley
foxboom
Dabbler
Posts: 21
Registered: ‎10-10-2009

Re: I keep losing my connection, and it's getting worse

Hi Jojo!  I had to reboot my router at least once (maybe twice, I think) since Friday, which is better but it's still frustrating.  If I want to watch a video or play a game online, I just can't be sure if it'll work or not and it's easy to feel resentful about paying for that.  Even though it's better than it was, I feel "lucky" when it works, rather than it being a normal thing.
Can you tell me what my wifi channel has to do with the router disconnecting?  I don't mind having a look at the channel when I get home, but I just don't see the link between that and the router disconnecting.
dick:quote
jojopillo
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Posts: 9,786
Registered: ‎16-06-2010

Re: I keep losing my connection, and it's getting worse

Quote from: Cariad
Can you tell me what my wifi channel has to do with the router disconnecting?

That wouldn't have anything to do with the router disconnecting. What happens to the router, does it reboot? What do the lights show on the router when you lose your connection?
Jojo Smiley
foxboom
Dabbler
Posts: 21
Registered: ‎10-10-2009

Re: I keep losing my connection, and it's getting worse

Sometimes, I get the "Your DSL connection is down" browser intercept message, but when I log into the router, it says it's connected.  I've attached a couple of screenshots so you can check what I'm saying. Smiley
Less often, I get the router's "domain could not be resolved" error.  I don't have a copy of that one, but it's the router's own message being shown, not Chrome or Safari showing an error message.  I hope you know what I mean?  Restarting the router usually fixes that one.
And sometimes I'll wait minutes on minutes for a website to respond, so I try to log into the router to see if I'm actually connected, but then the router itself doesn't even respond, so I restart it.  That usually fixes that too.
Next time I have a problem, I'll have a look at the lights and let you know.
(And I was only asking about the wifi channel because that was a suggested solution in the support ticket I raised.  Thanks for clearing that up!  I wish that the support system was as useful as the forum.)
Thank you! Smiley
dick:quote
jelv
Seasoned Hero
Posts: 26,785
Thanks: 971
Fixes: 10
Registered: ‎10-04-2007

Re: I keep losing my connection, and it's getting worse

Have you confirmed that you are losing connection to the internet when using a wired connection to the router?
jelv (a.k.a Spoon Whittler)
   Why I have left Plusnet (warning: long post!)   
Broadband: Andrews & Arnold Home::1 (FTTC 80/20)
Line rental: Pulse 8 Home Line Rental (£14.40/month)
Mobile: iD mobile (£4/month)
foxboom
Dabbler
Posts: 21
Registered: ‎10-10-2009

Re: I keep losing my connection, and it's getting worse

Not yet.  I promise I'm not trying to be stupid, but could that really make a difference?  My Mac can connect to the router, because the router is showing me the "disconnected" and "DNS could not be resolved" errors.  I honestly don't understand how connecting via wifi or using a particular wifi channel could cause these problems.  People keep suggesting it, but no-one yet has told me how it could make a difference.  Could you tell me?
dick:quote
jelv
Seasoned Hero
Posts: 26,785
Thanks: 971
Fixes: 10
Registered: ‎10-04-2007

Re: I keep losing my connection, and it's getting worse

There's a few reasons why wireless could cause issues (at least one one related to a particular router and firmware combination). As testing wired is so easy it's as well to rule out out early on.
jelv (a.k.a Spoon Whittler)
   Why I have left Plusnet (warning: long post!)   
Broadband: Andrews & Arnold Home::1 (FTTC 80/20)
Line rental: Pulse 8 Home Line Rental (£14.40/month)
Mobile: iD mobile (£4/month)
foxboom
Dabbler
Posts: 21
Registered: ‎10-10-2009

Re: I keep losing my connection, and it's getting worse

There's no way I'll be able to find the cable that came with the router -- I got it years and years ago.  If you think it's worth it, I can go buy a cable and see what happens.
But are you suggesting that I'd need to turn off the wifi completely?  I wouldn't be able to connect my tablet, my media centre or my internet radio... and then I'm left with very little point in having a broadband package at all. Smiley
If it proves I need a new router then I'll probably take the opportunity to switch to O2 Broadband and get a brand new router from them.  They've got LLU on my local exchange, and one of my friends here says he got a much more reliable connection from them.  And I can get it cheaper than Plusnet for 12 months because I'm already an O2 customer.
But obviously I don't want the hassle of switching, so I'd love to get a resolution here.
dick:quote