Please help... pulling my hair out here

[#1]

Hi,
I'm connected on Legacy Premier Option 1, using a Belkin F5D7633uk4A Modem Router.
Since I upgraded the hardware firmware (to v1.00.24) back in February-ish I think (due to similar problems), I had absolutely no problems with disconnections, speeds etc etc. Infact I went a couple of months with no problems whatsoever.
However, in the last week or so, it has gone back to major problems with my broadband. It is dropping out several times a day - and the only way to get it to see the internet again is to restart the router.
I've had to do this more than two dozen times since the weekend, and obviously this has now seriously impacted my IP profile with BT (what was a constant 5500 is now at 3500, even though router is syncing at around 6100-6400ish)
Everytime you leave it a couple of days, and just get the IP profile back to normal, it ends up screwing up and then I'm back to square one again because my restarting the router is obviously triggering at the exchange.
To say I'm fed up is an understatement. The router just appears to drop off the net completely. All the LED's work as normal, except the Internet one... which appears to flash 4 or 5 times quickly... then nothing for about 5 seconds, then it repeats like that continually. The ADSL LED remains constant, lit.
I have caught it once straight after it did it... and all the Downstream and Upstream figures in the router page were blank (Data Rate, Noise Margin, Output Power & Attenuation), and then I often come back to it with a Data Rate of ridiculously slow (4000k or less). This then syncs back at 6100-6400k once I have rebooted the router.
Does anyone know if there is anything I can do? I had thought of maybe changing the filter but wouldn't that be showing with the ADSL light not lighting... or why would it all start up OK again with a simple reboot?
I don't have a problem with rebooting, its just that it so screws up your IP profile at the exchange.
HELP!!

[#2]

Sounds strange, at first I thought it sounded like a simple case of PPP session dropping, however as all the line stats are blank I'd certainly advise trying a different router as that sounds odd. If it was doing that and the ADSL light going off then that would make more sense.
If you don't have another router to test or don't know someone that could possibly lend you one to test with then I'd try factory resetting the router and starting from there.

[#3]

Hi Chris, I had never actually seen blank line stats before either... that was just a one off that I happened to note as I was on the web when it disconnected. Normally, it appears to disconnect more often whilst I'm away from the computer.
What is PPP session dropping? If it is simple to sort, how can I?
I have noticed the BT exchange checker had an outage at my exchange last night - but I was back at my computer when it came back online (after my rebooting the router half a dozen times thinking "[Censored] is it this time?!)
I will do a factory reset as a last resort when it next screws up, but in the meantime if you could send me off somewhere to read up about PPP sessions etc coz I'd like to know what they are so that I can eliminate them from my queries, as it were!
cp:quote

[#4]

Hi BlueMeany
Just for information, there was a piece written in PC Pro issue 160 by Davy Winder regarding routers dropping out, well worth a read.
The jist is first check that your line is not noisy, if that is ok then the fault may well rest in the router. This model may have the AR7 chipset in, most routers have and this they believe is the cause of dropped connection. The routers that do not have this chipset are speedtouch. I have just fitted one myself, works great. I thought I should mention this incase you have to invest in a new router.
Regards

[#5]

Hi,
I used to use a Belkin F5D7633 and it had the same problem as yours. (The firmware I was running was
F5D7633-4Av1_UK_1.00.11_AnnexA.bin) I replaced it with a Netgear DG834PN.
My downstream speed has dropped recently but this is not caused by the new router (BT to blaim in my opion).
Very happy with the Netgear.
Dan.

[#6]

Spose this is all pointing towards a new router 
for the record :
BT Test
Test1 comprises of Best Effort Test:  -provides background information.
    IP profile for your line is - 3500 kbps
    DSL connection rate: 448 kbps(UP-STREAM)  6400 kbps(DOWN-STREAM)
    Actual IP throughput achieved during the test was - 3155 kbps
Plusnet Test (with couple of older ones which were typical)
Date Download Speed Upload Speed 
Today 22:36 3290 kbps (411kB/s) 376 kbps (47kB/s) Share
May 7, 14:29 5181 kbps (648kB/s) 372 kbps (46.5kB/s) Share
Apr 7, 15:26 5150 kbps (644kB/s) 371 kbps (46.4kB/s) Share

[#7]

Connection seems to have stayed stable overnight, now getting the information below (still pretty naff download speeds considering) BUT I did notice last night, when I took a voice call and they finished the conversation/hung up, that the line appeared quite "noisy". Can't hear that noise when you get the dial tone. Could this too be affecting it - and how do I go about reporting a noisy line (without getting a BT bill of £150+!!)
Anyway, this morning's tests :
Test1 comprises of Best Effort Test:  -provides background information.
    IP profile for your line is - 5500 kbps
    DSL connection rate: 448 kbps(UP-STREAM)  6400 kbps(DOWN-STREAM)
    Actual IP throughput achieved during the test was - 3175 kbps
----------------
Date              Download Speed      Upload Speed 
Today 09:33 3287 kbps (411kB/s) 376 kbps (47kB/s)
----------------
ADSL                              Down                  Up
Type            Interleave 
Status          No Defect 
Data Rate(Kbps)            6400                  448 
Noise margin (dB)          14.4                    8.0 
Output power (dBm)      12.4                    19.8
Attenuation (dB)            32.0                    31.5

[#8]

If you are getting noise on the line, try a quiet line test by dialling 17070 from your handset. This should let you hear if there is any crackle on there.

[#9]

Quote from: BlueMeany

BUT I did notice last night, when I took a voice call and they finished the conversation/hung up, that the line appeared quite "noisy".

I found this as well, also notice at this point the router has drop the connection and re synced.
Dan.