More ADSL2+ disconnects

[#1]

After 18 months of solid connectivity* the same disconnects are back only this time 4 or 5 an evening. Nothing has changed in the house and the router is fine. Exactly the same XTM message is in the log.

I suspect another exchange fault, hopefully not PN.

Roll on FTTP!

*for the background:-

https://community.plus.net/t5/Broadband/Intriguing-ADSL2-behaviour/td-p/1997227/page/2

[#2]

@Mardler 

Are you still using the same Billion 7800DXL ?, and if so have you adjusted the 'hidden' SNR tweak value ?

I'm wondering whether it is worth 'tweaking' the target margin to increase the SNR which will improve line stability.

---

@Mardler wrote:

Roll on FTTP!

---

Have you checked recently to see if you can get anything better than ADSL2+ ? - BT Broadband Availability Checker

Do you still use your landline phone ?

I'm asking because it is my understanding that because BT Openreach will be retiring the analogue telephone system on 31st January 2027,  that ADSL connections like yours will be downgraded to be "SOADSL" (i.e. broadband only).  The problem with that is, as far as I know, that Plusnet will NOT be supporting SOADSL connections,  so unless you move to a non-ADSL broadband, or change ISP,  then the removal of the phone service will shut down your Plusnet account,  with the knock on effects of losing your email, webspace, etc ....

If I were you, can I suggest that you look for alternatives to ADSL2+ sooner rather than later, as January 2027 is getting closer !

If you need any help looking for non-Openreach networks in your area, then tell us your postcode and I'll take a look for you.

[#3]

@Mardler 

I'm wondering whether it is worth you setting up a free ThinkBroadband Broadband Quality Monitor (BQM)

This will create a 24/7 monitor that displays the patterns of latency and packet loss on your ADSL broadband, which might visually give a clue as to what is going on with your disconnections and what was happening at the time.

If your Plusnet connection has a dynamic IP address, then you will also need to configure your router and the BQM settings with a dynamic DNS service - so that the remote ThinkBroadband server can track your router's WAN IP if it changes.

I believe that your Billion 7800DXL router supports the following free DDNS services -

• ChangeIP DDNS 
• No-IP DDNS

Once you have the chart working, go to - https://www.thinkbroadband.com/my-profile/broadband-quality-monitor 
find and press the [Share] button under your chart,
look in the "Share Live Graph" section and copy the <Direct Link> URL,
then paste that URL in your reply here - so we can all see what is going on with your connection.

Make sure that you allow your router's WAN interface to reply to ping requests !

Find in the router's GUI's "Security Settings", the "Block WAN Ping" and uncheck the [Enable] box next to it,

then press [Apply] , then go to "Save Config" and press  [Save].

[#4]

Exforce9

First of all thanks for your responses. Here are mine:-

Yup, still using the Billion and it's set to Auto i.e. 6db & no SNR tweaking. I could set it higher but am keeping an eye on it for now.

FTTP is available. I'm aware of the problems, currently considering giving up the fixed line altogether. The biggest issue is my main email account which is with PN running IMAP from my iPad (since the PC died with a corrupt boot sector: don't ask why I haven't rebuilt it!). Losing the current email will be nightmare: I haven't found an alternative let alone anything near as good as Outlook, enterprise version. My secondary account is Gmail and it's beyond dreadful.

Another big problem is the FTTP installers here, neighbours have had to get builders in after installation to repair the structural damage!

I'll reply to next message separately.

[#5]

ExForce9 (2)

Thanks for that though with FTTP imminent it'll remain on the back burner for now.

[#6]

@Mardler 

Is "SOGEA" available to you ?

If it is, then you could carry on using your copper landline broadband for a few years (with a VDSL2+ router - e.g. Billion 8800NL-R2 if you wanted something like your 7800DXL), and at least doing that would get you off the imminent ADSL disappearing deadline and keep your email going until it is transferred to Greenby.

If you are intending to live in your house for the foreseeable future, then you might as well bite the bullet and have FTTP installed now (and deal with any damage), as full fibre will become inevitable when the copper lines are decommissioned starting around 2030.

---

@Mardler wrote:

I haven't found an alternative let alone anything near as good as Outlook, enterprise version

---

I've been using IONOS email for nearly 20 years now, and it does everything I want.

.

[#7]

SOGEA is not available here.

Looked at the IONOS website but there's nothing on its design and structure. Am guessing it's a Gmail etc lookalike which doesn't suit me at all.

[#8]

---

@Mardler wrote:

... since the PC died with a corrupt boot sector: don't ask why I haven't rebuilt it!

---

Take a look at   https://www.system-rescue.org/   and  https://www.supergrubdisk.org/rescatux/ 

According to Grok -

TestDisk (best run via a bootable USB of SystemRescue or Rescatux) is the strongest choice for a corrupted boot sector on a former Windows PC.

Why TestDisk

• It is purpose-built for exactly this problem: recovering lost/damaged partitions and making non-booting disks bootable again when the issue is a faulty partition table, corrupted MBR/GPT, or damaged boot sector (including NTFS).
• Specific capabilities that match a Windows boot-sector problem:
  • Rebuilds NTFS boot sectors (from the backup copy near the end of the volume, or from scratch by locating the MFT/$MFTMirr).
  • Restores FAT32 boot sectors from their backup (usually sector 6).
  • Fixes partition tables and recovers deleted partitions.
  • Works with the common Windows filesystems (NTFS, FAT32, exFAT).
• It is free, open-source, command-line (with clear interactive menus), and does not require a working Windows installation. Official documentation and many recovery guides show the exact steps: select the disk → Analyse/Advanced → choose the partition → Boot → Backup BS or Rebuild BS.

Best way to run it from USB

Use a dedicated Linux rescue distribution that already includes TestDisk (and related tools) so you do not have to install anything:

1. SystemRescue (recommended overall)
   • Lightweight Arch-based live environment with Xfce desktop.
   • Includes TestDisk, PhotoRec, GParted, ddrescue, ntfs-3g, smartctl, and many other recovery utilities.
   • Excellent for both data backup and structural fixes (partition table, boot sector, filesystems).
   • Easy to write to USB (Rufus, balenaEtcher, or dd). Supports UEFI/Secure Boot.
   • Frequently cited as the go-to “tiny Linux USB tool that can save almost any broken PC.”
2. Rescatux (best for less experienced users)
   • Debian-based with a simple graphical Rescapp wizard.
   • Explicitly supports restoring the Windows MBR, repairing bootloaders, running TestDisk/PhotoRec, fixing filesystems, and even Windows password resets.
   • More point-and-click than pure SystemRescue while still providing the same core tools.

Practical workflow

• Create the USB on a working computer.
• Boot the broken PC from the USB (adjust BIOS/UEFI boot order or use the boot menu key).
• In SystemRescue (or Rescatux) launch TestDisk as root.
• Follow the menus to inspect the disk, restore the boot sector from backup if available, or rebuild it.
• Optionally copy important files first (ntfs-3g mounts Windows partitions read-write) or image the drive with ddrescue if the disk is also physically failing.
• Reboot and test. If the OS still won’t start, you can then use a Windows installation USB for bootrec /FixMbr, /FixBoot, or /RebuildBcd.

[#9]

Both SoGEA and FTTP dictate that the voice service be moved to VOIP.

If the Plusnet mail service has not been moved to Greenby a move to FTTP with Plusnet will not impact email operations.

If the mail service has moved to Greenby the broadband service can be moved to whoever leaving the mail service intact free for two years from the migration date.

Whatever changing broadband connection has no bearing on which email client you prefer to use.

Moving off ADSL + PTSN should be seen as an urgent imperative if FTTP or SOGEA is available.  Where neither are available the only option available is to move to BT Retail for one of their exception / transitional products which provides for phone and ADSL over two lines.

Procrastinating over tweaking ADSL is an unwise strategy.

[#10]

Townman, I most definitely am not tweaking ADSL.