Poll: Those with slow speeds and line instability issues

[#1]

What firmware "from the manufacturer"? All the firmwares are specially made for Openreach!

Or read this: http://forum.kitz.co.uk/index.php/topic,18414.0.html - apparently Openreach are going to be updating the firmware for (presumably) their other type of modem next year.

[#2]

A further update for anyone still experiencing slowness, might benefit from my experiences. Any questions let me know.

I have now passed my first weekend since reflashing my fiber modem with the custom "unlocked firmware" dated september 2014 and the connection has been a stable 70/20 since approximately maxing out at 6mbyte a second. Still not the 7.8 mbyte a second that I have been used to but I can accept it, if its stable.

Any one who has the option 1 in the poll, it is definitely worth trying to reflashing your modem with the updated firmware and then setting the connection to PPPoE bridge in the web interface.

If this is now resolved then it is definitely the case that open reach is causing further problems by remotely "updating" the firmware on the open reach modems, as they flashing it with a firmware that appears to have issues with certain configurations on their own cabinets.

Once open reach has confirm no line issue, then from that point on, the VDSL connection should be stable and at full speed. Given you are on rj45 and in test socket...

[#3]

---

Gregg wrote:

If this is now resolved then it is definitely the case that open reach is causing further problems by remotely "updating" the firmware on the open reach modems, as they flashing it with a firmware that appears to have issues with certain configurations on their own cabinets.

---

This conclusion is completely illogical. The problem would be caused by the out of date firmware, not the updated firmware.

You are also supposed to check to see if the issue if with your equipment - including the firmware - before getting Openreach out. If you flash your modem with unlocked firmware, then it should be your responsibility to keep it updated.

[#4]

EJS, I will repeat it because maybe you struggle with understanding for some reason.

I flashed the open reach modem in 2014 with the unlocked firmware. You understand that part right?

Since then open reach have flashed my modem remotely with an unknown version of the firmware. Because the web interface is not available, I can only assume that the firmware version that they flashed remotely was the same firmware that the manufacture originally released prior to 2013. Do you understand this right?

You have provided no evidence that open reach has developed newer firmware or paid another company to write newer firmware.

Seeing as after flashing the firmware the connection started working, this shows that the latest and best version of the firmware is still the unlocked version released in 2014. It also points to open reach restoring the factory default firmware on the modem, basically restoring the firmware that was originally on the modem when it was produced by the manufacture.

If you can show me evidence that open reach is pushing out firmware to modems with a newer version that supports G.INP then I am happy to change my mind.

To then claim some how that it is my fault for not updating the unlocked firmware makes absolutely no sense. There is no new version of the firmware since the one that was released in 2014 that can be found anywhere. So how am i meant to update it when it doesn't exist?

[#5]

http://forum.kitz.co.uk/index.php/topic,14262.0.html

Each different version now has it's own subdirectory and the following filename format:

-   <version>_original is the original, unmodified (locked) build as extracted.

-   <version>_unlocked is the basic unlocked build. The only changes to this have been to restore local telnet access.

-   <version>_webgui is identical to the unlocked build above with the web interface restored.

Every unlocked firmware was created from an Openreach firmware. The only changes made are to add the telnet and web interfaces.

So you have:

bcm96368MVWG_fs_kernel_HG612V100R001C01B030SP08_original - the most recent Openreach firmware, featuring G.INP support enabled

bcm96368MVWG_fs_kernel_HG612V100R001C01B030SP08_unlocked - the most recent Openreach firmware, featuring G.INP support enabled, modified with the telnet interface enabled

bcm96368MVWG_fs_kernel_HG612V100R001C01B030SP08_webgui - the most recent Openreach firmware, featuring G.INP support enabled, modified with the telnet and web interface enabled

Each unlocked firmware is based on an Openreach firmware. The fact that there is an unlocked firmware that supports G.INP means there must be an Openreach firmware with G.INP support from which it was created. The Openreach firmwares, used to create the unlocked firmwares, were extracted from the device itself. So, after Openreach remotely upgraded the firmware on their HG612, someone then extracted the updated firmware from the device, and created the equivalent unlocked firmware.

You, however, seem to have assumed that Openreach have not ever updated the firmware on their modems only because you have no evidence that they have done so. Well, the firmware updates were done remotely, and they didn't really announce it much when they did, so I'm not sure what evidence you're expecting to see.

[#6]

There is no newer firmware than the one that was released in 2014 and released on the net as unlocked that is my point.

If open reach are in fact remotely flashing modems with the latest version (B030SP08 ) and not an older version. Then the only explanation is that the default configuration that they have on their firmware is causing the issues. I doubt that open reach are flashing modems with B030SP08, they are probably pushing out an older version or resetting the modems to the factory default. Which i think is B028SP10.

Which is why when i flash with the webui firmware and modify the settings to pppoe bridged, I stopped having problems. It looks like the default setting might be IP Bridge, instead of PPPoE bridged. This i gathered from the configuration that is in place after flashing with the webui.

[#7]

---

@Gregg wrote:

The problem with this sort of issue, is that it is temperamental, it might work for a month then go back to 3mbit and disconnecting the whole time.

It's been less than a month, can you even be sure your problem is fixed yet?

[#8]

Ok well time will tell. If I start to have issues, I will return and point out how wrong I was.

[#9]

It has now been another month since my last update and I have not had a single issue. Solid 80/20 with not a single line drop or disconnection.

I urge everyone with the old open reach modem to reflash it with custom firmware and set it to Bridge PPPoE to solve your issues.

[#10]

---

@Gregg wrote:

I urge everyone with the old open reach modem to reflash it with custom firmware and set it to bridge IP to solve your issues.

---

I have an 'old' HG612. I don't have and haven't had any issues anyway.

[#11]

Yes, i never had issues until I moved house. If you don't have issues then no point messing with your configuration.

If you are having issues with disconnecting and slow speeds and you have option 1 and they have done line tests and said no issues. Then try and connect directly to your hg612 and if there is no web interface then it is the default firmware. It might be contributing to the problem and reflashing it and setting it to bridge PPPoE might solve the issue.

[#12]

Sometimes, when you do something, and then something else happens, it doesn't necessarily mean the thing that you did caused the other thing to happen.

Of course, for someone who never installed any custom firmware on their Openreach modem, then the firmware on it isn't likely to be a problem. It will have been automatically updated successfully by Openreach.

[#13]

For all those with constant drop out connection issues that have the HG612 modem. Definitely read this thread because the solution is to change the bridge mode type in the modem settings to resolve your line stability settings.

I hope this helps someone.

Although my speeds are still not fast enough my line stability has been solid for 3 months with not one issue, since flashing my hg612 and fixing the bridge mode setting.

Also take no notice of EJS, although he has 5000 posts, he is a bit of a know it all and won't admit that open reach is causing the issues for everyone with flashing the modems remotely with the wrong setting.

[#14]

@Gregg

Have you considered the possibility that you made a mess of flashing or configuring your own modem the first time you did it? Who is the "everyone" you are referring to? As far as I can see, it is only you having the problem with your modem

[#15]

Here we go again.

EJS i am only trying to help people with line stability problems. As I said I work in IT and moved house and started having problems. The solution was to reflash the hg612 and change the bridge mode setting. Simple as that.