Synchronisation Problems

[#1]

Apologies, this might be a bit long. And I don't really understand what I'm writing about so I may get the technical terms wrong.
I have broadband over a BT landline using a Zoom USB modem.
At the start of the year, when I connected I would get a report that my speed was 6.1-6.3 Mbps. My connection would usually drop out once or twice a day for a minute or so.
BT came and renewed fixtures and fittings on my local junction box. My line speed subsequently dropped to a few Kbps. I raised a ticket and it was batted to and fro a few times then my line died completely so I called BT and they sent an engineer. He said I'd been given a duff line and he switched to another one.
Now I get speeds of 7.1-7.3 Mbps. However my connection drops out a lot more frequently, sometimes 15-20 times per day. In one extreme instance recently (when we were in the middle of a thunderstorm), the connection was down more than it was up and I had to give up because it was unuseable.
I'm not sure what I should do. Do other users get disconnected a lot? Is there a problem with my new line? Should I ask for a One Shot Check?
Thanks in advance for your help,
NigelH
 

[#2]

Could you check your modem stats please and report back?

[#3]

Hi Mick,
I'm not sure how to do that. I have a Zoom ADSL USB Modem model 5510. I can pull up a panel telling me the current line rate and data rate but I don't think the modem keeps a log.
Can you explain to a complete dummy how to get the information you want.
Thanks,
NigelH

[#4]

According to this page you should:

From Start >>
 Programs >>
 Zoom USB DSL >>
 Click Zoom USB DSL Autolog.
This will save a file to your desktop which contains your line stats.

Hope this helps.

[#5]

Hi again,
I've been in touch with Zoom support to ask why my modem software doesn't have that facility. I have a 5510 (and it's a UK-only special version of the 5510 at that) whereas the article you pointed me at is the the later 5510A.
I might be asking something completely ridiculous here, but is it possible to download third-party software to accumulate modem stats? Otherwise I'm foiled.
NigelH

[#6]

I'd make a quick suggestion - ditch the USB modem and get yourself another modem from ebay.  People are literally throwing them away these days.  A speedtouch 585 v6, or a Billion BiPAC can be had for the equivalent of a couple of pints.  Ethernet modems/routers perform better than USB modems which eat up CPU cycles.  Then use something like DMT-tool to download and graph your connection performance, check trends and what not.  Just a suggestion to consider anyway.

[#7]

Thanks for the tip. I used to have a decent ethernet router but it got fried by a power surge down the telephone line following a nearby lightning strike, so I opted for quick and cheap and cheerful from my local PC World. Buying a new one to test my telephone line seems a bit much, but I'll think about it. I tried downloading a video from a slow server and the first six times it failed because my broadband connection died before the download completed. The seventh time it miraculously stayed up for the 2.5 hours necessary for completion.
I hope BT install fibre optic cable in my area. NTL/Telewest gave us a swerve so I'm stuck with copper landline for the moment.
Thanks for your help. If I get a new modem/router to accumulate stats, I'll post the numbers here.
NigelH

[#8]

Given that this may take sometime, let me try to answer your original question - albeit without the information that your line's stats would give us:
The sync rates you are getting are good.  6-7Mbps indicates a strong signal.  So, the question is why is the line resync'ing all the time?
1. Dodgy modem.
2. Intermittent noise on your line because of electromagnetic interference from an internal or external to your home source (it can be anything from a sewage pump, to a dodgy CRT monitor, or TV, power supply, your neighboor's central heating pump or thermostat, etc.)
Swapping the router with another make/model would at least eliminate a dodgy modem as the cause of your resyncs.
Identifying the cause of noise on the line is rather more difficult - because it is intermittent and because it could be at any point between your telephone drop wire and the BT exchange.
Can you check if you're getting hissing or crackling on the line when the resyncs occur?  If yes, then you may be able to raise an error with BT for a telephone line fault (don't mention broadband!).  Otherwise, we need to see if there is a pattern there and try to identify the cause of noise on the line.
HTH.

[#9]

Hi Mick,
Thanks for the further reply. I share the house with a disabled person. The original phone line has answerphone, emergency alarm etc attached so I had another line installed specifically for broadband. It doesn't normally even have a phone connected, and I believe BT have bumped me to a 'no phone calls' tariff, so not mentioning broadband might be difficult.
The line wasn't too bad yesterday, dropping out 3 or 4 times, until yesterday evening when a thunderstorm came our way. My connection then dropped 12 times in 31 minutes so I gave up for the evening. I hooked up a phone but the dialling tone sounded crystal clear, not a hint of a crackle. The line seems fine this morning - I've been using it half an hour with no problems.
NigelH

[#10]

In the case of thunderstorms it is better to switch off the router completely, as a flapping line will cause the IP profile to plummet.