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Connection/loading issues: nothing wrong with OpenReach line

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tj
Grafter
Posts: 41
Thanks: 2
Fixes: 1
Registered: ‎08-11-2011

Connection/loading issues: nothing wrong with OpenReach line

Hi all. Apologies for a lot of words coming up!

I've been experiencing some connection (eg. page loading) issues for some time, on and off. I had previously (c. Nov23) improved things by switching from Plusnet's DNS to Google... possibly when there were errors others were also seeing with this. Now the issue doesn't change regardless of the DNS server. 

The problems I'm noticing are with webpages or services loading: sometimes they won't load at all (eg. can't be found) with responses suggesting DNS errors, connection errors, or "can't be reached" (eg. ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT) messages. These had been occasional and usually temporary, but are now full time.

In some "real world" tests, when attempting to visit a range of 10 websites (plus.net, bt.com, ee.co.uk, freeagent.com, apple.com, google.co.uk, bbc.co.uk, etc) some pages will (almost) always fail to load and others will be intermittent, but unusually slow (at least 30-60 seconds to begin loading) -- and often, when a page or service does load, it doesn't complete the process - leaving me with webpages not fully loaded and progress indicators still spinning, perhaps with stylesheets or images missing from the not-fully-loaded page or service. 9Some of these partial loads do finally complete, several minutes later).

Plusnet Support have run tests and listened to everything, resulting in an OpenReach engineer visit this morning. They have found nothing wrong with my line and have excellent, clear & stable test results for everything their end. They have, however, still changed the port/equipment I'm connected to on their network, just in case - and then further tested to show same excellent, clear & stable line and connection.

I usually use my own router, with the PB Hub 2 in Bridge Mode as modem only. In the last couple of days though, to ensure this ain't my fault, I have removed all my own equipment, have factory reset the PN Hub 2 and am connected to it by ethernet cable... exactly the same problems.

I have the same trouble over wifi, whether from PN Hub 2 or my own router and on all equipment - a mac laptop, an android phone, a windows pc and smart TVs etc. The OpenReach engineer also replicated the issue on his own laptop.

OR engineer called PN support to advise no fault on my line or their equipment, but they say they are still seeing connection drops on my broadband, though they agree line test is clear. Does this all suggest there's a problem somewhere the other side of my line, eg. between the exchange and Plusnet? I'm not seeing other posts here, but are other people having any similar issues?

Right now, everything is the worst its been - and has been like that for 24h. Some website, like coop.co.uk, won't load at all. Others, as mention above, have variable and intermittent results. Services like BBC iPlayer, Netflix and ITVx do nothing. I'm also (mostly) unable to update my phone apps via Google Play Store and my smart devices are useless!

OR engineer persuaded PN support to send me a new Hub 2, in case there's something up there - but the tech logs on my existing one show nothing and PN support see nothing either; their tests keep showing them it's an OR broadband line issue... so I'm not hopeful that after waiting a few days for the new Hub 2 to come, things will be any better.

Any thoughts - or especially similar experience tales - very much appreciated. Thanks!

17 REPLIES 17
tj
Grafter
Posts: 41
Thanks: 2
Fixes: 1
Registered: ‎08-11-2011

Re: Connection/loading issues: nothing wrong with OpenReach line

Also unable to connect to “imap.plus.net” meaning I'm not receiving email updates from PN support!

Dan_the_Van
Aspiring Hero
Posts: 2,931
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Registered: ‎25-06-2007

Re: Connection/loading issues: nothing wrong with OpenReach line

I think a good place to start if you can share the Advanced setting >Technical log page of the Hub Two, either a screen shot or exported file attached to a post. Which ever method you choose make sure you obscure your broadband username.

Is the broadband user yours or something else or setup@plusdsl.net

For the DHCP in IPv4 settings is the Hub being used for the DNS server (Auto) or something else?

Does the command nslookup resolve anything?

nslookup imap.plus.net for me resolves to

 

nslookup imap.plus.net
Server:  UnKnown
Address:  192.168.10.1
Non-authoritative answer:
Name:    imap.plus.net
Addresses:  217.46.26.23
          217.46.26.43
          217.46.26.28
          217.46.26.38
          217.46.26.13
          217.46.26.33
          217.46.26.48
          217.46.26.18

 

If that does not work try nslookup imap.plus.net 8.8.8.8 (this forces the request to use google DNS)

 

nslookup imap.plus.net 8.8.8.8
Server:  dns.google
Address:  8.8.8.8

Non-authoritative answer:
Name:    imap.plus.net
Addresses:  217.46.26.18
          217.46.26.48
          217.46.26.13
          217.46.26.38
          217.46.26.23
          217.46.26.33
          217.46.26.43
          217.46.26.28

 

Edit: Please also share the the TCP/IP information from  Advanced settings >Broadband

tj
Grafter
Posts: 41
Thanks: 2
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Registered: ‎08-11-2011

Re: Connection/loading issues: nothing wrong with OpenReach line

Thanks @Dan_the_Van - Tech Log info export attached.

Yes, the broadband username is my own account.

Yes, DNS server set to auto.

NS Lookup returns correct details / very similar looking to your example, but connection from my Mail app is still permanently timing out. Attempting to ping imap.plus.net shows every result as 'request timeout'. In case it matters, it's using the ip 217.46.26.18 for those, but I get the same from two of the other results from NS Lookup.

TCP/IP information shows:

Broadband IP address: 212.159.45.XXX (hidden, owing to having a static IP address!)
Default gateway: 195.166.130.254
Broadband primary DNS: 212.159.13.49
Broadband secondary DNS: 212.159.6.9

LMK if any of that means anything to anyone!?

Thanks again Smiley

Dan_the_Van
Aspiring Hero
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Registered: ‎25-06-2007

Re: Connection/loading issues: nothing wrong with OpenReach line

None of the imap hosts respond to ping, you can check the ability to connect using either telnet

telnet imap.plus.net 993 

or using a windows power shell command Test Network Connection

tnc imap.plus.net -Port 993

I take it the 9 hour uptime is when Openreach visited?

As you say the connection looks healthy it just having some connection issues.

I note we share the same default gateway for our static IP addresses but different DNS hosts, I have Primary DNS:212.159.6.9 Secondary DNS:212.159.13.50

 

 

tj
Grafter
Posts: 41
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Registered: ‎08-11-2011

Re: Connection/loading issues: nothing wrong with OpenReach line

Thanks. I don't think telnet is available on my mac, but not sure how it would help my mail client anyway...

Yes, OR were here this morning and after they changed my equipment/port at exchange was the last reconnect.

Looking here https://www.plus.net/help/broadband/about-dns-server-and-website-settings/#:~:text=settings%20you%27... seems we each have correct / official DNS settings 👍

greygit1
Aspiring Pro
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Registered: ‎26-06-2023

Re: Connection/loading issues: nothing wrong with OpenReach line

"I don't think telnet is available on my mac, but not sure how it would help my mail client anyway..."

 

It's a troubleshooting step that can determine whether the three-way handshake of an initial TCP connection between two end points on a IP network can complete on a specific TCP port. It is very basic and very 'old school'.

 

Dan_the_Van
Aspiring Hero
Posts: 2,931
Thanks: 1,404
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Registered: ‎25-06-2007

Re: Connection/loading issues: nothing wrong with OpenReach line

@tj

I am not an apple mac user so I can not help with that OS.

If you use nslookup does the site name resolve quickly, is there a delay or something else?

Are you still unable to retrieve email?

There could be a routing issue here, trace route might help identify that, be warned some sites do not respond to ICMP so you will get timeouts or no response reply

Pity the last post did not having anything useful to post.

tj
Grafter
Posts: 41
Thanks: 2
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Registered: ‎08-11-2011

Re: Connection/loading issues: nothing wrong with OpenReach line

Yes, nslookup is fast.
Yes, still unable to access PN mail.
Everything's still rubbish!
Currently, somewhat encouraged that no-one else here is experiencing anything similar... gives me some hope the replacement router might make a difference.
Praying it arrives quickly!
Meanwhile, a little annoyed about a message I had telling me I'd be charged £7 for postage -- and that the 4g on my EE mobile is on a massive go slow today, so that backup plan is no good 😞
Dan_the_Van
Aspiring Hero
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Thanks: 1,404
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Registered: ‎25-06-2007

Re: Connection/loading issues: nothing wrong with OpenReach line

Afternoon,

Did you removed the unused router from your network?

Are you able to ping sites such as bbc.co.uk, google.co.uk or 8.8.8.8 (google dns) from you MAC or windows PC? These hosts should respond

In a terminal window try traceroute 8.8.8.8 what do you see? Something like

Tracing route to dns.google [8.8.8.8]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

  1     1 ms     1 ms     1 ms  192.168.10.1
  2    44 ms    10 ms    50 ms  254.core.plus.net [195.166.130.254]
  3    10 ms    10 ms     9 ms  84.93.253.119
  4    10 ms     9 ms    10 ms  195.99.125.138
  5    94 ms     9 ms     8 ms  peer7-et-4-0-2.telehouse.ukcore.bt.net [194.72.16.124]
  6   179 ms     9 ms     9 ms  109.159.253.189
  7    12 ms    12 ms    12 ms  192.178.97.49
  8    11 ms    12 ms    11 ms  172.253.65.211
  9    10 ms     9 ms     9 ms  dns.google [8.8.8.8]

192.168.10.1 is my Hub two IP Address I would expect 192.168.1.254 for a plusnet hub using default IPv4 configuration

tj
Grafter
Posts: 41
Thanks: 2
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Registered: ‎08-11-2011

Re: Connection/loading issues: nothing wrong with OpenReach line

Who or what do I need to tag here to get any input from Plusnet team, please?

Their support people called me this morning but said they were unable to access the Community space, so couldn't help look at what's been discussed here...

willcutforth
Plusnet Help Team
Plusnet Help Team
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Registered: ‎27-11-2020

Re: Connection/loading issues: nothing wrong with OpenReach line

@tj thanks for bringing this to our attention. I have tested it all and it looks ok as expected but we are going to have to wait for the new router to see how it is after that.

If this post resolved your issue please click the 'This fixed my problem' button
 Will Cutforth
 Plusnet Help Team
greygit1
Aspiring Pro
Posts: 411
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Registered: ‎26-06-2023

Re: Connection/loading issues: nothing wrong with OpenReach line

I know you're not supposed to talk to BT, but what is it with BT recalling routers they have despatched after failed migrations? And why does the Hub2 apparently have a reason for replacements to be sent out?

tj
Grafter
Posts: 41
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Fixes: 1
Registered: ‎08-11-2011

Re: Connection/loading issues: nothing wrong with OpenReach line

Hi Will. New router arrived today and I've connected it successfully and connected to it (without adding any other gear yet) okay. However, although possibly slightly improved, the problem I originally described in detail here, still appears present.

I understand from your front line support teams their only option is to make a further OpenReach engineer appointment, btu as you know, OR have confirmed the line is okay and there's no benefit in them coming back to say the same again.

What can you suggest? Are any of your senior colleagues able to offer any insight to the issues I describe?

Yours hopefully, TJ. 🙏

tj
Grafter
Posts: 41
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Registered: ‎08-11-2011

Re: Connection/loading issues: nothing wrong with OpenReach line

Hallelujah! I've found the right person on the Faults team and between us we've understood and fixed the problem! Someone please give Mani a pay rise... and maybe get him to share his insight with the rest of the support staff 🙏

 

I'll post below what he wrote in the ticket update so anyone else having similar issues can try the same. Thanks Mani! 💙