cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Connection problems - Connection drops / web pages back time out

xuanohxuan
Newbie
Posts: 4
Registered: ‎13-05-2017

Connection problems - Connection drops / web pages back time out

Hi there,

I'm having connection problems using a Technicolour TG582N router.The router appears to work ok and no problems connecting to it.The main problem is that when loading web pages the connection frequently times-out or certain types of content won't load.

 

This usually happens on pages with high data content. Even if the page appears to be loading properly, pages that require a medium connection speed and stable connection quite often will not actually function properly, i.e certain content won't load at all.

Some recent examples of issues I've experienced accessing websites with higher data content (I use 2 different pcs - One running on Windows 10, the other Windows 7) :

- Pages on bandcamp.com, eg https://onra.bandcamp.com - This web page should have buttons to stream audio, but won't load the buttons 

- Using Microsoft Onedrive file cloud storage - Accessing my file storage folder webpage slow and frequently times out - Also, when trying to download multiple files the browser will start to load but will eventually time-out and not download

- Streaming audio from bbc radio website programs eg http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p051zl91 - The page won't fully load and so the audio player won't function

I've tried resetting the router, using both wireless and direct connections to the router, changing to different channels on the router, as well as trying various different web browsers, all latest versions and updated with latest plugins and adobe flash etc,  but the same issue still occurs.
 
Can anyone please advice what the problem it could be?
15 REPLIES 15
jab1
Legend
Posts: 16,815
Thanks: 5,339
Fixes: 248
Registered: ‎24-02-2012

Re: Connection problems - Connection drops / web pages back time out

Have a look at the ADSL - speed faults sticky at the top of this board.

Sight of your router stats would also be useful - details of how to get them are in that sticky.

FYI - I tried accessing both those site - using W7 on a TG router and had no problem.

John
ejs
Aspiring Hero
Posts: 5,442
Thanks: 631
Fixes: 25
Registered: ‎10-06-2010

Re: Connection problems - Connection drops / web pages back time out

It could be the DNS spoofing bug. Either change the setting using telnet as described in this post, or set the DNS server addresses on the computer.

xuanohxuan
Newbie
Posts: 4
Registered: ‎13-05-2017

Re: Connection problems - Connection drops / web pages back time out

Hi, thanks for the response.

 

 

I had a look at the ADSL - Speed faults  post and have the following results:

I logged into the router and got the below stats information from the 'Home > Technicolor Gateway > Information':

 

DSL Connection

Link Information

Uptime: 28 days, 2:08:44

DSL Type: ITU-T G.992.5

Bandwidth (Up/Down) [kbps/kbps]: 1,082 / 6,713

Data Transferred (Sent/Received) [GB/GB]: 5.58 / 45.49

Output Power (Up/Down) [dBm]: 12.9 / 0.0

Line Attenuation (Up/Down) [dB]: 20.0 / 36.5

SN Margin (Up/Down) [dB]: 6.2 / 6.3

System Vendor ID (Local/Remote): TMMB / ----

Chipset Vendor ID (Local/Remote): BDCM / IFTN

Loss of Framing (Local/Remote): 0 / 0

Loss of Signal (Local/Remote): 0 / 0

Loss of Power (Local/Remote): 0 / 0

Loss of Link (Remote): -

Error Seconds (Local/Remote): 91,970 / 0

FEC Errors (Up/Down): 6,557 / 1,268,548,581

CRC Errors (Up/Down): 206 / 100,128

HEC Errors (Up/Down): 119 / 50,278

 


Going to the current line speed page https://portal.plus.net/my.html?action=data_transfer_speed resulted in the following:

Estimated line speed:
There's no speed estimate currently held on your account.
Current line speed:
5.9 Mb

 

The test results from http://speedtest.btwholesale.com/ :

Download speed (Mbps): 5.71
Upload speed (Mbps): 0.32
Ping latency(ms): 31.75

Then, after this, the results from the test in further diagnostics :

 

plusnet_response_thing1.pngI hope this helps identify any issues. Thanks again.

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

Re: Connection problems - Connection drops / web pages back time out

For your line those stats look fine and our tests aren't showing any issues.

Is this on more than one device?

If this post resolved your issue please click the 'This fixed my problem' button
 Matthew Wheeler
 Plusnet Help Team
Townman
Superuser
Superuser
Posts: 22,916
Thanks: 9,534
Fixes: 156
Registered: ‎22-08-2007

Re: Connection problems - Connection drops / web pages back time out

What version of firmware is the TG582n using?

When you see this problem again, try pinging the failing URL. If the pinged address is similar to 198.18.1.x then you have the known spoofed IP address issue ejs pointed you to above.  This needs a fix to the router configuration, which you can attempt yourself, or possibly @bobpullen might be able to apply for you.

Superusers are not staff, but they do have a direct line of communication into the business in order to raise issues, concerns and feedback from the community.

xuanohxuan
Newbie
Posts: 4
Registered: ‎13-05-2017

Re: Connection problems - Connection drops / web pages back time out

Thanks for the reply. 

Yep I'm using 2 pcs - One on windows 10, the other on windows 7.

What is strange is this connection problem has been routinely occurring the last month and few weeks, but right now the connection seems fine and stable and the websites as mentioned in my first post are loading all ok. I've not changed anything except turning the router off and on right before doing the tests in my previous post. When I restarted the router on other occasions the problem was still occurring..

xuanohxuan
Newbie
Posts: 4
Registered: ‎13-05-2017

Re: Connection problems - Connection drops / web pages back time out

The firmware is version 10.2.0.B. Ok thanks for that, I'll give it a try that if the problem occurs again.

Townman
Superuser
Superuser
Posts: 22,916
Thanks: 9,534
Fixes: 156
Registered: ‎22-08-2007

Re: Connection problems - Connection drops / web pages back time out


@xuanohxuan wrote:

 

Yep I'm using 2 pcs - One on windows 10, the other on windows 7.

 


And therein could the the devil in the detail.  The spoofed IP address issue (which your description has a good fit to) is predominantly found with Win 8 and Win10, not Win 7 machines.

There is some complex interaction between the PN DNS services, the TG router's DNS server and Win8 (and above) OS.

I would wager that you will not ever see the issue in the Win7 machine.  When you do see it on the Win10 machine, the Win7 machine will be fine.  Indeed if you open a new browser window (not tab) on the Win10 machine it will work fine ... whilst the existing one continues to fail.

It is a complex problem and took 18 months to profile the symptons ... the root cause remains unknown.

Superusers are not staff, but they do have a direct line of communication into the business in order to raise issues, concerns and feedback from the community.

ejs
Aspiring Hero
Posts: 5,442
Thanks: 631
Fixes: 25
Registered: ‎10-06-2010

Re: Connection problems - Connection drops / web pages back time out

It's really not that complex. It's a bug in the router firmware that other ISPs already knew about!

Townman
Superuser
Superuser
Posts: 22,916
Thanks: 9,534
Fixes: 156
Registered: ‎22-08-2007

Re: Connection problems - Connection drops / web pages back time out

We might agree to differ.

However if it takes...

  • Something to go wrong between the router's DNS server and the PN DNS server
  • AND then some interaction  between the router's DNS and the OS's DNS resolution client

...then in my books it is complex.

Eliminate any one of the above...

  • Point the router to a non-PN DNS server
  • Point the PC away from the router's DNS (including direct to PN's DNS)
  • Change the OS

...and the problem goes away.

Yes I agree that the SYMPTON can be corrected by altering the way the router functions (disable spoofing), but it only fails if all of the "contributing factors" are present.  On the same network at the same time, it not impacting Win7 platforms whilst blighting Win8 and above does not suggest it is entirely a router issue.

I am not convinced that the CAUSE is yet understood - in the many long discussions of this topic, how this occurs has never been explained - just how to mask it.  OK Win8 and above might do DNS look ups differently and cache the results differently (to WIn7), but non of that explains why the router spoofed the address resolution ONLY when using the PN DNS servers upstream.  If you know different, I'm open to enlightenment. Cool_smiley

Superusers are not staff, but they do have a direct line of communication into the business in order to raise issues, concerns and feedback from the community.

ejs
Aspiring Hero
Posts: 5,442
Thanks: 631
Fixes: 25
Registered: ‎10-06-2010

Re: Connection problems - Connection drops / web pages back time out

Townman
Superuser
Superuser
Posts: 22,916
Thanks: 9,534
Fixes: 156
Registered: ‎22-08-2007

Re: Connection problems - Connection drops / web pages back time out

Hi @ejs,

Yes I have.  It does not identify the cause but examines symptoms.  In parts it blames "the change in the way Win8 (and upwards) manages DNS".  It also mentions a "race condition" within the TG582n which gives rise to addresses being spoofed.  It does not however explain why the "race condition" arises when the router is using the PN DNS server (or something similar) but not when it is using another DNS such as Google's.

Equally many of the posts speak of a firmware change, just one post correcting the assumptions advising that it is a configuration change - one imagines the same as the one recommended in the link you pointed to.

I suggest that SPOOFING is INCORRECTLY occurring in some undefined circumstances when using the router's upstream DNS server is PN's.  The router having decided to spoof an address, Win8 (and above) machines get given the spoofed address and do not re-resolve (or cache the resolution) as do Win7 and below.  Together they make a "perfect storm".

Superusers are not staff, but they do have a direct line of communication into the business in order to raise issues, concerns and feedback from the community.

ejs
Aspiring Hero
Posts: 5,442
Thanks: 631
Fixes: 25
Registered: ‎10-06-2010

Re: Connection problems - Connection drops / web pages back time out

A race condition is a type of programming flaw. If that race condition bug were not in the firmware, nothing else would matter, there would be no problem. The particular circumstances required to hit the bug are not really important.

Townman
Superuser
Superuser
Posts: 22,916
Thanks: 9,534
Fixes: 156
Registered: ‎22-08-2007

Re: Connection problems - Connection drops / web pages back time out

Hey, we agree on principle and disagree on semantics!

I do understand what a "race condition" is.  It might not be a flaw but simply a matter of which option wins when two are applicable.  I suspect that is just a "throw-a-way comment" anyways.

As for if the flaw were not there, nothing else would matter, one might equally say "if Microsoft had not change the way Win8 works ... nothing else would matter" or "if what ever goes wrong between the PN DNS server and the router did not happen ... nothing else would matter".

We know the symptoms here but not the cause.  We can circumvent the symptoms, but not eliminate the cause - which we might agree to be semantics in terms of delivering a resolution? Cool_smiley.

Superusers are not staff, but they do have a direct line of communication into the business in order to raise issues, concerns and feedback from the community.