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Random broadband drop outs

Sio
Dabbler
Posts: 11
Thanks: 2
Registered: ‎31-08-2018

Random broadband drop outs

Hi there.

 

Since two days ago, I've started getting short, random dropouts. They never last longer than a couple of minutes, but are happening a few times a day.

EDITED TO ADD: This evening the connection is now dropping on average every 15 minutes. It goes to the state of the power light being orange, and the broadband light flashing red. That goes on for 1-2 minutes, until it reconnects. Rinse and repeat 5-25 mins later.

 

Cutting to the chase though -- I have an active fibre order taking place, due to go live 5th of September. So could these dropouts simply mean that OpenReach are doing their thing (whatever that is) at their end, in preparation for the fibre going live? And/or setting up stuff at the fibre cabinet, or similar. Or should none of that interfere with my current broadband?

 

For information, I haven't done any changes to my router, or the cables. The router's connected to a single socket through a micro-filter. The internet speed in itself is fine.

 

Thanks in advance!

8 REPLIES 8
EmilyD
Plusnet Help Team
Plusnet Help Team
Posts: 2,032
Thanks: 357
Fixes: 117
Registered: ‎26-03-2018

Re: Random broadband drop outs

Hi @Sio,

 

I'm sorry to hear that you've been experiencing connection drops over the last few days. I can confirm that this will be unrelated to your fibre upgrade order.

I've tested your line today and the test is picking up a high number of underlying errors on the line. It appears that this is due to a setting on the line (the signal to noise ration margin) that has dropped too low for the level of interference on the line. I've increased this setting now and your connection should now stabilise. Please keep an eye on things over the next few days and let us know if you continue to experience the connection drops.

 

For reference, today's test result is as follows:

 

xDSL Status Check
Circuit ID: CBUKXXXXXXX Service ID: BBEUXXXXXXXX
Telephone NO.: NA Test Executed On: 31-08-2018 19:36:14
xDSL Status Test Summary
Sync Status: Circuit In Sync
General Information
NTE Status:   NTE Power Status: Unknown Bypass Status:  
 
  Upstream DSL Link Information Downstream DSL Link Information
Loop Loss: 16.5 30.5
SNR Margin: 6.4 6.1
Errored Seconds: 0 1
HEC Errors: 0  
Cell Count: 33406 80069
Speed: 1160 12951
 
Maximum Stable Rate (KBPS): 12480 Fault Threshold Rate (KBPS): 9984
Mean Time Between Retrains (Seconds): 2671 Mean Time Between Errors Upstream (Seconds): 994
Indicative Line Quality: R Mean Time Between Errors Downstream (Seconds): 49
Custom Thresholds
MTBR_RED: MTBE_RED:
MTBR_GREEN: MTBE_GREEN:
If this post resolved your issue please click the 'This fixed my problem' button
 Emily D
 Plusnet Help Team
Sio
Dabbler
Posts: 11
Thanks: 2
Registered: ‎31-08-2018

Re: Random broadband drop outs

Awesome, thanks. The drops seemed to have stopped now! Between my first post and your post, they suddenly began happening very frequently, every 5-10 mins, so I'm glad you were able to help so quickly.

 

All fine now! I'll let you know if there are any further issues.

Sio
Dabbler
Posts: 11
Thanks: 2
Registered: ‎31-08-2018

Re: Random broadband drop outs

Hi again. Thanks again for the help earlier. The good news is that the drop-outs have become much more infrequent after you changed the setting, but the bad news is that I can now confirm that they are still happening, just not nearly as often. Three hours after your fix, I got another drop-out. As before, the connection was offline only a minute or two, then reconnected automatically.

Edit: Cut off again just now, 40 minutes later.

Edit2: And again, 20 min later.

 

Not a massive deal, but it can be pretty disruptive when watching a streaming service or gaming online, because everything stops and will need restarting / rejoining.

 

Any chance you could have another look when you can? Thanks in advance!

Gandalf
Community Gaffer
Community Gaffer
Posts: 26,563
Thanks: 10,265
Fixes: 1,599
Registered: ‎21-04-2017

Re: Random broadband drop outs

Hi there.

Sorry to hear you're still having connection problems.

It looks like there's more of an underlying issue somewhere, so I'd recommend running through the troubleshooting steps Here.

If you're still experiencing problems could you report the fault to us Here letting us know when you've completed it so we can pass this on to our suppliers. 

That said the problem may go away by itself when your line is upgraded to fibre.

From 31st October 2022, I no longer have a regular presence here as I’ve moved on to a new role.
Anoush Mortazavi
Plusnet
Sio
Dabbler
Posts: 11
Thanks: 2
Registered: ‎31-08-2018

Re: Random broadband drop outs

Hi, thanks for the reply.

 

I've followed the troubleshooter and tried to locate the test socket in my house, but after removing the face plates for each one (3 in total) it looks like none of the sockets have one. I think the master socket is the one that's behind a combined aerial face plate, but again, there's no test socket.

 

This house is only 5 years old, so I find it odd that there wouldn't be a test socket anywhere!

 

Any ideas? Thanks!

 

See photos below.

 

Master socket (?):

 

IMG_20180901_172342.jpg

IMG_20180901_171958.jpg

 

 

The extension socket (there are two of these in total, in two different rooms):

IMG_20180901_172649.jpgIMG_20180901_172946.jpg 

Gandalf
Community Gaffer
Community Gaffer
Posts: 26,563
Thanks: 10,265
Fixes: 1,599
Registered: ‎21-04-2017

Re: Random broadband drop outs

Thanks for getting back to us.

The top image doesn't look like a telephone point but more like a data port hardwired into the wall(Could be wrong on the specifics but it's definitely not an Openreach master socket).

The bottom one does look like an extension or a really old master socket.

It may be worth getting an engineer out there to investigate this further but there may be a call out charge of £65 if the problem is with the sockets or wiring in your property though the engineer would usually provide an up to date master socket.

Considering your upgrade to fibre is imminent it may also be worth waiting it out to see if the problem goes away? Though fibre is generally always best in a master socket which it doesn't look like you have.

If you do want to go ahead with an engineer visit let me know and I'll be happy to call you back to arrange this.

From 31st October 2022, I no longer have a regular presence here as I’ve moved on to a new role.
Anoush Mortazavi
Plusnet
Sio
Dabbler
Posts: 11
Thanks: 2
Registered: ‎31-08-2018

Re: Random broadband drop outs

Hi Gandalf, thanks for the reply!

 

 

I'd be happy to have an engineer come over. It does also sound like it would be good to have proper Openreach sockets installed at the same time (while the engineer's here), especially due to the upcoming fibre. Having a master socket will probably make any future troubleshooting easier (?), considering I'll then have that test socket to test the connection on, etc.

 

Will wait for your call then, ref. engineer booking. Thanks! Smiley

 

PS. On a side note, earlier today I changed the socket the router's connected to, and still getting random and very irregular drops (anything between 20 min to 3 hours). So at least the problem doesn't seem to be the socket itself.

Gandalf
Community Gaffer
Community Gaffer
Posts: 26,563
Thanks: 10,265
Fixes: 1,599
Registered: ‎21-04-2017

Re: Random broadband drop outs

Thanks again for your time on the phone.

As discussed, I've booked the appointment for an engineers visit and confirmed the details to you via email.

I'll follow up afterwards as I'm in the office that day too.

From 31st October 2022, I no longer have a regular presence here as I’ve moved on to a new role.
Anoush Mortazavi
Plusnet