DSL Light Out Due To Service 'Upgrade'?

[#1]

A couple of weeks ago, I received a message from Plus telling me they were going to upgrade my service to IPStream Max if they didn't hear from me within 7 days. I responded asking if I would lose my static IP address as a result, and whether my T&C would change. The response was no to both questions.
I thought nothing more of this until yesterday, when my connection failed. Now, being an IT Professional, and understanding a bit about troubleshooting IT problems, the first thing I did was to swap out my Linksys WAG354G for another modem. That included swapping cables and filters. In all instances, the DSL light flashed at a steady rate, indicating sync problems.
At the announcement on the support line stated that there was a 10 minute queue, I opted to open a ticket online. I explained what I had tried, stated that a Linksys WAG354G was in use, and asked if the upgrade of my service had just taken place, as I was suspicious that a service which has been working for 5 years without fault, suddenly failed, when an upgrade was due.
I'm not happy with the response, which suggests to me that my ticket was either not understood, or that support aren't familiar with hardware.
If I state that I've tried 2 modems, would that not imply that the cabling has also been changed, and that the power has been cycled?
If I give the model of modem, I would expect a company dealing in Broadband to know it's wireless, and thus rebooting my PC is not going to help.
If I state that the DSL light is flashing, how is rebooting my PC going to help?
Clearly someone was just going through a script, without consideration for the information I had already given.
Oh, and they didn't say whether my service had been 'upgraded'.

[#2]

Hi there,
Whilst I understand your frustration at being asked what seem simple questions they really are necessary in trouble shooting, before we raise a fault through to BT we have to make sure that the tests you were asked to do had been run.

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If I state that I've tried 2 modems, would that not imply that the cabling has also been changed, and that the power has been cycled?

Yes, it should, however you may have used the same cables on a different modem/router.

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If I give the model of modem, I would expect a company dealing in Broadband to know it's wireless, and thus rebooting my PC is not going to help.

Potentially yes, there are literally 100's of routers out there and different members of the support team may be proficient in different routers.

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If I state that the DSL light is flashing, how is rebooting my PC going to help?

It really isn't unless you are using a USB modem, then this would powercycle the router.

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Oh, and they didn't say whether my service had been 'upgraded'.

Yes it has. The order completed on the 9th.

[#3]

I have the same linksys router V1.  For about a year i connected at 8128 Kbps and speed was 5000 to 6000 about a year ago it reduced to max sync at 4000 to 4500 kbps, pn advise that there's nothing can be done.
The routher does work on maxdsl. When you are connected try going to linksys.com/uk and download the latest drivers.
http://www-uk.linksys.com/servlet/Satellite?c=L_CASupport_C1&childpagename=UK%2FLayout&cid=117523403...
Are you using xp or vista? I had hassle with my linksys with vista as it would no longer connect to pn dns and for a while i had to use the a free dns server to get the net to connect. Have you tried setting up pn dns server details in the router the primary and secondary dns are here:
http://portal.plus.net/support/customer_service/using/settings.shtml
When it would not connect the green light would flash but nothing would happen but after adding the dns servers manually everything worked.
P

[#4]

Quote from: Chris

modem, then this would powercycle the router. Quote Oh, and they didn't say whether my service had been 'upgraded'. Yes it has. The order completed on the 9th.

Guess what date my service stopped working on.
That's right. The 9th.
Any chance of being downgraded to the service I had pre 9th, as that was far better 

[#5]

I've a feeling that I am banging my head against a brick wall here.
I've just had the following response to my ticket
Dear Mr Scott,
Please try removing your username and password from your connection hardware and reentering these ensuring they are correct. If you still continue to receive username/password errors please follow the following advice.
So that we can further investigate your issue and get this resolved as quickly as possible, can you please try connecting to the internet with the following 2 test logins.
You will need to change the username and password in your connection settings to each of the following test logins, then try connecting.
Once you have tried both test logins, then put your own account details back into the connection and test connecting with your own login details.
If the problem continues, then if you could please reply to this ticket confirming if any of the test logins worked.
Test 1
Username:
Password:
Test 2
Username:
Password:
Kind regards,
Can anyone confirm whether an incorrect username and password will cause the DSL light to flash on and off and on and off?
I'll be in a position to try this when I get home later, but I'm holding out no hope.
And why did the problem occur on the day my service was 'upgraded'? Why are the tech support people ignoring that fact. The only reason I know the upgrade took place is as a result of the post above from Chris.

[#6]

I've just had a look at the fault ticket and the tests we've performed on the line are showing it as being in sync but not authenticating.

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Major Findings No BT fault - Circuit in sync on NSC fault Conclusion Non BT Fault Recommendation NO BTW FAULT - Circuit is in sync. Please resolve the issue with your customer directly. Any further BTW involvement may incur a charge

Our RADIUS logs show that a very brief connection was made last night at 19:51.
I'm quite happy to go place a modify order to move you back to fixed speed if you wish, however as it's a Friday this won't complete until Monday.

[#7]

Cheers for your responses Chris. You're far more helpful than the ticket route.
I just tried the 2 test accounts, and neither worked.
The reason you saw my connection at 1951 last night is because I had taken my modem from home to another location, so as to eliminate the possibility of the modem being faulty. I guess that proves the modem is not faulty. I'm not sure if the number that the connection is made from is logged, but if it is, it will no doubt end with 6251 (my Air Cadet Squadron), and not 1765 (my home).
I am going to post more details about this on my ticket.
I would really appreciate going back to the service that I had, because clearly my hardware is not at fault, if it connected on a different line.

[#8]

OK, I'll place an order to move you back on to the fixed rate product. Be warned that this will stop any investigation into  a potential fault on your line because an order will be going through.

[#9]

Quote from: willscott

Can anyone confirm whether an incorrect username and password will cause the DSL light to flash on and off and on and off?

I can confirm that on two friends lines (AOL) and on mine (PlusNet) entering the wrong username and, or password results in a flashing light.  The router tries every few seconds to authenticate and it fails.  This may also occur if your modem settings VPI and VCI are incorrect.  Leave the IP address and DNS server names to be obtained from the server, rather than setting these manually.
Have a look at this page.
Good luck.

[#10]

Have you checked the settings for the dns and vpi vci.
attached is a copy of my router setting front page which works without problem on max service.
Podman

[#11]

I'm starting to become a little bit frustrated now.
I've been 6 days without a service, following a free upgrade, that I didn't actively ask for.
I'm not sure if I've been moved back to the fixed rate service, but I don't have a connection.
I understand that kit does go belly up, but it's too coincidental that I've had no problems in the 5 years that I've been on Plus.Net, yet the day my service is ugraded all fails.
I've tried 3 adsl modems at home, none of which connects. Those 3 work on a line I have at another location. Plus even saw a connection from one of the devices as it passed the incorrect login details.
I just feel like I'm banging my head against a wall here.

[#12]

As I have had my account disconnected when I asked for a simple regrade (from Metronet) I can sympathise with you.
I'd pick up the phone (because this may be the quickest way to resolve this) call PlusNet support and ask them to walk me one by one through the settings on the router.  If there's still an authentication failure and the PlusNet logs show that to be the case and this is repeated with another router, then clearly the fault is with PlusNet and they should resolve it pronto.
I can't think that the move from from a fixed rate to DSLMax caused this, yet someone may have locked you out of the radius server for some reason . . . If your end is troubleshooted and all is clear then PlusNet ought to do some homework for sure.

[#13]

Hi Will,
I'm afraid that I can't check right now, but if Chris said that he placed the order on Friday, it should have completed today.
I have a slight incling what may have happened during the upgrade process but I'd ask if you could possibly pm me the username and password that you usually use to connect to your broadband service?
I'm just wondering if your realm name may have changed during the upgrade.

[#14]

I received a message via the ticketing system last night to say that the order to revert back to Fixed 2 Mbps was cancelled 
I'm an Officer in the Royal Air Force Reserves. Two years ago my squadron took up a Plus.Net account, so last night I changed the account details on the squadron modem to my details. It connected with no problem, which was proved by the fact that it took on my static IP address, rather than the one assigned to my squadron. I did this using my hardware from home.
As far as I am concerned this proves there isn't a problem with my account authenticating, nor with my hardware. The only thing I can put this down to is a problem at the exchange.
One thing I have noticed is that my squadron router has a DSL Path Mode as FAST, whilst at home it's INTERLEAVED

[#15]

@willscott
With the stats you've just posted in the other thread, can't understand why you would want to be on 2M when it looks as though you might get 8M.
You may have an intermittent/permanent router problem. Also can you hear any noise on your phone line when you pick up the phone?