Work VPN occasionally dropping

[#1]

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@MisterW wrote:

3) the current PPPoE connection stays up via the DSL connection while it also attempts to setup PPPoE via the ethernet port ( light stays blue - PADI attempts in log ) 

I would have thought that 1) or 2) is the most likely , my GUESS is 2) . TBH when I started writing this I only had 1) & 2) but then I thought is 3) possible ? I don't think so, I can't see how it can try to setup (what is effectively) a 2nd PPPoE connection 

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I started to write "Sorry my friend, that's exactly what happens..." - I moved the LAN cable on port 3 to the WAN port - blue light stayed on, was still on when I shot back up to the study to reply...

I grabbed the router log as above and was initially confident that I had confirmation.  Then I noticed a connection glitch when I went to create this post.  Looking more carefully the existing xDSL session did get ripped down.  111 day connection lost and a slightly slower speed now - see SU thread!

Log now full of sending PADIs... time to put things back as they were.

[#2 · Accepted solution]

To wrap up this detour, I also confirmed what I had suspected: plugging an ethernet cable into the WAN port is enough for it to start throwing PADIs.  I removed the remote end of the ethernet cable and PADIs were still observed until the cable was removed from the WAN port.

xDSL connection remained intact.

There is a remote possibility that the xDSL wire was disturbed on moving the router (I have had this before) in spite of taking care to avoid such.

[#3]

Thanks @Townman 

So to be clear , connecting to the WAN port whilst there's an active DSL connection , the DSL and PPPoE connection stays up but PADI attempts are made on the WAN port.

Your DSL drop was due to cable disturbance ?

If that's the case, that sounds like what @stef12 has done with the laptop ethernet cable BUT that would mean the connection isnt full fibre at all ?

[#4]

Difficult to be 100% sure ... I turned my back on the router...

The router is down stairs the active computer is up stairs.

I checked my router log BEFORE doing anything as reported in the SU space.

I very carefully moved the router with my finger firmly on the xDSL cable to access the ethernet ports.  I moved the port 3 cable to the WAN port.  I re-sited the router, removed my finger from the xDSL cable.  The light remained blue.

I extricated myself from behind the sofa (big curved thing in front of the under stairs alcove where the router is located) ... and the light was still blue when I set off up the stairs.

It was only on attempting to send a reply to here that I realised something was not quite right - a sluggish page load.

I do not think that the xDSL session was disturbed physically ... but happened subsequently ... in the time it took to get upstairs.  If you think it helps, I will repeat the test, but stay and watch the router.

[#5]

The message "WAN connection WAN2_INTERNET_PTM disconnected.[ERROR_NO_CARRIER]" suggests a xDSL disconnect, maybe cause by the WAN cable being connected prompting WAN auto sensing

A active WAN port connection is reported as "WAN connection WAN1_INTERNET_ETH connected"

[#6]

The main thing that confuses me is the light staying blue. From the log , it starts sending PADI on the ethernet almost as soon as it sees a connected cable. It doesnt drop the existing connection ( WAN2_INTERNET_PTM ) for around 45 seconds, but surely , once its done this there is now no PPPoE connection and the light should be orange!

Anyway, I think we need to wait for @stef12 to come back , because if the connection isnt really full fibre , then it makes a difference to fault finding 

[#7]

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@MisterW wrote:

... for around 45 seconds, but surely , once its done this there is now no PPPoE connection and the light should be orange! 

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Perhaps I should have waited longer!!

I will retest!

[#8]

OK Ultra careful re-test.  This time I stood and watched the router for 5 minutes - solid blue light.  Maybe on the first attempt I did disturb the xDSL connection; perhaps the router had a hissy fit ... but I think that this test proves that scenario 3 is indeed viable (as I thought it was).

See attached log extract.

[#9]

@Townman thanks for the re-test.

That does confirm scenario 3 as the likely situation that @stef12 is seeing when connecing an ethernet cable.

I'm just a tad surprised that the Hub can start a 2nd PPPoE client without tearing down the original one.

[#10]

 Hi,

I'm currently logged on to my personal computer and I've just attached the event log. I haven't reset the router or anything, I've just downloaded the event log straight after logging on.

I can confirm that the light remains solid blue - happy to provide video evidence if you don't believe me! The only time I can recall it turning orange is when I reset the router.

Apologies, I'm not this IT savvy, but from reading your previous posts, are you saying I've potentially got the cables connected incorrectly?

The WAN is attached to my Sky box and the other cable is connected to my cat flap hub.

[#11]

I’m so sorry, but I’ve actually got a part fibre connection. I was just looking at my order confirmation to triple check and it does say part fibre.

Apologies, I could’ve sworn I read or heard it was full fibre.

[#12]

unplug the sky box from the WAN port and plug it into 1,2 or 3, whichever one is free. Nothing must be plugged into the WAN.

[#13]

Ah heck, please don’t tell me that the reason for all of this was because of a wire in the wrong place?

[#14]

I doubt that is the reason, @stef12 , but it may be contributory. Let's see what the experts make of your log file, although I can't see anything unduly weird in there - apart from loads of PADI entries.

[#15]

Ah heck, please don’t tell me that the reason for all of this was because of a wire in the wrong place

Very likely I'm afraid

Don't know about a Hub2  but I've seen a hub 1 do very strange things with a device connected to the WAN port