cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Intermittent Loss of Device Connectivity, Slow Service

kickasskingy
Dabbler
Posts: 15
Registered: ‎30-01-2019

Intermittent Loss of Device Connectivity, Slow Service

Hi All, 

I have had an issue now well since I joined plusnet (about 5months). I previously thought it was caused by a dodgy router so I've now replaced it... but the issue remains!

We seem to be experiencing weird internet outages. The router will say its connected, and the router logs will not display any errors but on all connected devices we will get random 'connection refused' errors, or the page will just load forever until it times out. The device will maintain network connection but appears to lose internet. The issue lasts from 30secs to 2minutes and then its ok again. This will happen a few times an hour and seems to be random. 

This issue seems to affect every device in the house. I have limited access to wired devices, but even the PS4 is moaning that there are connection issues so I guess it effects wired too!

The issue seems to be getting worse and now I don't know what to do!

Any advice would be very appreciated Smiley 
Si
 

27 REPLIES 27
JOLO
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Posts: 1,149
Fixes: 77
Registered: ‎06-08-2018

Re: Intermittent Loss of Device Connectivity, Slow Service

Hi @kickasskingy,

 

Welcome to the forums!

 

Initially I wanted to take a look at your connection logs to check that your service wasn't loosing sync at all. There's a copy below since the end of December for reference:

 

 

Your connection hasn't been too bad, we'd expect a few drops here and there. The only real concern would have been on the 15th Jan but this stabilised back out so it was likely a small outage in the area. 

 

I would say the connect looks to drop at 3am in the morning every so often, and while I don't think this is something to worry about at this stage it's probably worth keeping in mind because if this became more frequent it's likely it will need looking at. Do you have any timed stuff that comes on at 3am (boilers, heating, lighting etc.)?

 

 

This is your GEA test which shows how your connection is currently performing, again there's not a huge cause for concern here, and nothing that jumps out that looks to be causing your problems. To be honest the downstream and upstream speeds are at the low end of your estimates so this could be being impacted by something. 

 

You've noted that the majority of your devices are wireless, but even on a wired device you're having problems. Would it be possible to describe/explain/provide a picture of your network setup? Is the router plugged directly into the master socket? Do you use any extension cables? Are there any other devices connected to the router? Where is the router located, is it in the vicinity of anything that could cause interference problems? 

kickasskingy
Dabbler
Posts: 15
Registered: ‎30-01-2019

Re: Intermittent Loss of Device Connectivity, Slow Service

*Please note the forum keeps marking this post as spam!?

Hi Joe, 

 

Thanks for getting back to me!

In answer to your questions on downtime: 

  • The 3am disconnect was caused by my previous router. In an effort to get to the bottom of the issues I was having, I programmed it to reboot regularly.  So this is nothing to worry about. Obviously, it didn't work. 
  • The larger downtime on the 15th was me replacing the router altogether and putting the standard Plusnet router back in.

 

As for devices, I have had issues with wired devices but fairly infrequently and nothing compared to the issues with wireless devices - leading me to think it was a wireless/router problem hence my decision to replace the router. Being that the router replacement didn't work I guess its either a wireless issue or a Plusnet issue. I only have a PS4 and TV wired into LAN so regular web browsing (when the majority of the issues happen) isn't done so I cannot comment. 


I have tried many wireless configs (auto/manual etc) to solve the issue, including carefully selecting channel etc. based on whats broadcasting nearby, as there are a large number of networks nearby - most of which broadcast by next doors BTWifiX router. I can send you a NetSpot report once I'm home if it is helpful.

 

My network is set up as follows: -

  • Plusnet standard router is plugged into the master socket. 
  • Powerline LAN to PS4/TV
  • Wireless to 2x mobile, 2x tablets, laptops, pc, chromecast, firestick, Ring doorbell etc.

Wireless is set up is default config (with SSID name changed), with mixed 2.4 and 5G radios. Turning off 5G radio doesn't solve the issue. Currently, I have the channels set to custom values in a bid to fix the issue but it isn't working so I will go back to SMART mode. 

I have tried removing the powerline adapter but it didn't help. Last night (approx 23:30) I was getting a speed test of 16mb Down and 1.2mb up. The amazon firestick was unusable. Mobiles constantly complained for short periods of time that there was no internet connection. 

 

I hope this helps - As you can imagine I am eager to fix this issue Tongue 

Cheers, 
Si

MatthewWheeler
Plusnet Help Team
Plusnet Help Team
Posts: 8,896
Thanks: 1,506
Fixes: 480
Registered: ‎01-01-2012

Re: Intermittent Loss of Device Connectivity, Slow Service

Thanks for getting back to us.

Is it possible to carry out a traceroute to any website when you're having issues and copy and paste the results back here?

If you're unsure on how to do this there's a guide here

If this post resolved your issue please click the 'This fixed my problem' button
 Matthew Wheeler
 Plusnet Help Team
kickasskingy
Dabbler
Posts: 15
Registered: ‎30-01-2019

Re: Intermittent Loss of Device Connectivity, Slow Service

Hi Matthew, 

So a run a series of diagnostics for you. 

As I mentioned before I collected some data from NetSpot on the wifi networks around, as you can see there are a lot! I have also got maps of the channel bands with my current channels highlighted. 

 

 

As for the tracert's:

Generally, have problems with any website on the net. Tonight, my wife was trying to look where she wants to go for her 30th and is complaining that google maps keeps timing out intermittently... 

So I ran a tracert on maps.google.com which is attached. I also did one for Amazon.

I also run various trace routes for other sites eg thingiverse.com, bbc.co.uk and facebook.com. As with the attached google maps trace I found that stage 2 always timed out, stage 3 was intermitted with errors and sometimes would just timeout. Stage 8 would also usually timeout. 
I did also find that stage 7 did cause two of the tracert's to hang indefinitely (109.159.253.253 both times it got stuck). 

My networking skills are limited to home/internal business so I am hoping these mean something to you guys!

Kind regards,

Simon

 

EmilyD
Plusnet Help Team
Plusnet Help Team
Posts: 2,032
Thanks: 357
Fixes: 117
Registered: ‎26-03-2018

Re: Intermittent Loss of Device Connectivity, Slow Service

Hi @kickasskingy,

 

Thank you for running the traceroutes and for sending over the wireless network data.

 

You're connected to our new network and with the new network it's normal for the traceroute to fail on hops 2 and 3 and this shouldn't normally affect the connection. When the traceroute fails beyond step 7, this normally indicates that there is a problem on the website side. However, as this issue is affecting your connection to multiple sites across multiple devices, it does appear that there's something deeper going on.

 

I've tested your line but the test still isn't picking up the cause of the problem from here so we will need to do some further investigation. Please can you run the BT Speedtester service here? Ideally, this should be run from a wired device to give the most accurate result. Once the initial result is completed please click Further Diagnostics.  You'll need to type in your phone number and click run diagnostic test.  This will run a test and send the results to the server for investigation. Please get back in touch once you've done this so that we can investigate this further for you.

If this post resolved your issue please click the 'This fixed my problem' button
 Emily D
 Plusnet Help Team
kickasskingy
Dabbler
Posts: 15
Registered: ‎30-01-2019

Re: Intermittent Loss of Device Connectivity, Slow Service

Hi Emily, 

 

 

I ran some tests as requested (attached). I run one last night and it errored and gave a speed of faster than my line is capable of? So this may be an indication of the issue? I ran a second one this morning and it was a lot more believable. Ping isn't listed in the attached print screen but it ranged from 15-130ms. 

I wasn't home much yesterday, but I have attached screenshots of internet dropouts experienced: once in the morning and once in the evening. I thought maybe the timestamp in the image could help cross with a log any errors etc?

Thanks for all your help so far!

Cheers, 

Simon

MasterOfReality
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Posts: 1,640
Fixes: 57
Registered: ‎26-03-2018

Re: Intermittent Loss of Device Connectivity, Slow Service

Hi @kickasskingy 

 

We dont seem to be registering any drop outs either in the morning or the evening yesterday 

 

In fact, we haven't seen a drop in connection for over 5 days.

 

The two "internet failure" pictures you linked are both on Wireless connections. Do you notice the same issues on a Wired connection? 

 

Thanks, 

MoR

kickasskingy
Dabbler
Posts: 15
Registered: ‎30-01-2019

Re: Intermittent Loss of Device Connectivity, Slow Service

Hi MoR,

 

The only devices I have on wired connections are the PS4 and the TV. The TV has seen streaming services interrupted with connection errors in the past, but not as frequently as with wireless devices... this could just be because we use wireless devices all the time so likely to see issues more frequently. Today the PS4 kicked me from a game twice with complaining it had lost connection with the game servers, however, I was playing the new Anthem demo, so could have been standard teething issues typically seen with new releases. 

Today the wife sent me three screenshots of when her iPhone lost internet on three separate occasions using Instagram, googlemaps and safari. I have attached them. I see you looked at the connection data but are you able to look at the router logs? I have attached them in case you can spot something as it doesn't mean a lot to me. 

With regards to your suggestion of it being a wireless issue. I have used two sperate wireless routers now. With the current router being Plusnet's supplied router on its default settings (just with a custom SSID). These issues started after we joined Plusnet from TalkTalk, so it is unlikely to be a wireless issue rather a Plusnet one. That being said I am open to trying any suggestions you may have and happy to exhaust options until we narrow something down.

Thanks for all your help so far!
Simon

MasterOfReality
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Posts: 1,640
Fixes: 57
Registered: ‎26-03-2018

Re: Intermittent Loss of Device Connectivity, Slow Service

Hi @kickasskingy 

 

it is unlikely to be a wireless issue rather a Plusnet one. That being said I am open to trying any suggestions you may have and happy to exhaust options until we narrow something down.

If it's ok with you I'd really like to rule out Wireless issues initially? 

 

Have you tried changing the wireless channels? If not, then please follow the steps here.  

 

Let me know how you get on and how a 24 hour period on a fresh channel goes. 

 

Thanks, 

MoR

kickasskingy
Dabbler
Posts: 15
Registered: ‎30-01-2019

Re: Intermittent Loss of Device Connectivity, Slow Service

Hi MoR, 

 

I have tried the following already over the last 5 months:
- Tri-band smart connect (on Asus router) and Auto/Smart mode on Plusnet Router
- Shared SSID 2.4/5G bands (with no smart connect, rather letting device should a band)
- Split SSID's 2.4/5G bands (i.e. manual band steering)
- Auto channel selection on all bands
- Manual Channels 1, 6, 11 on 2.4G
- Manual Channels 36, 64 on 5G
- Disabling etc radio, in turn, to use only one at a time. 

No luck...

Looking at the router logs I sent you, I see at 18:55 when my wife moaned her phone complaining of no internet, there is a lot of "Client associated" "Client disassociated" messages, as well as the device renewing the lease 5 times in rapid concession. Scrolling down the log it looks like several devices are all doing the same thing. Could this be linked to something?

Cheers, 

Si

EmilyD
Plusnet Help Team
Plusnet Help Team
Posts: 2,032
Thanks: 357
Fixes: 117
Registered: ‎26-03-2018

Re: Intermittent Loss of Device Connectivity, Slow Service

Hi @kickasskingy,

 

Thank you for trying the wireless troubleshooting checks, I'm sorry to hear that this issue is still ongoing. As you're now seeing the drops in connection to the devices in the router logs, then it's looking like this may be something deeper than a wireless connection issue.

 

As our tests aren't picking up exactly what's causing the issue, we will need to do some further troubleshooting to start ruling things out. I'd recommend starting with basic checks here.

 

If the basic checks don't helpm the next thing would be to rule your internal wiring out by plugging the connection into your test socket which is under the faceplate of your master socket and seeing if the drops stop. This rules out internal wiring, face plates and extension sockets as being the cause. Please see the guide here for instructions on how to connect to the test socket.

 

Please let us know whether the connection improves once you've connected to the test socket.

 

If this post resolved your issue please click the 'This fixed my problem' button
 Emily D
 Plusnet Help Team
kickasskingy
Dabbler
Posts: 15
Registered: ‎30-01-2019

Re: Intermittent Loss of Device Connectivity, Slow Service

Hi Emily, 

I have been running tests all week and still have the issues.

I ran through the basis checks - obviously, a lot of it is trivial.

I then run the internet for a week using the test socket under the master plate. The number of connection drops has lessened but they are still there. I have attached a screen-shot from last night as a demonstration.

I am not sure what to do next.

 

 

Cheers, 
Simon 

MasterOfReality
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Posts: 1,640
Fixes: 57
Registered: ‎26-03-2018

Re: Intermittent Loss of Device Connectivity, Slow Service

Hi @kickasskingy

 

If the problem still persists, please can you raise a fault here and let us know once you have done so? 

 

Thanks, 

 

MoR

kickasskingy
Dabbler
Posts: 15
Registered: ‎30-01-2019

Re: Intermittent Loss of Device Connectivity, Slow Service

Hi MoR, 

 

I have raised the fault. 


Cheers, 

Simon