Router connected by ethernet to Plusnet router but sites blocked by Sky Broadband shield?

[#1]

I have Plusnet fibre unlimited and when I re-signed up I was sent what I was promised was a fantastic new router (the one with all the flashing lights - looks like a homehub)

Since then everything has been erratic, to say the least. Regular drops of signal, wifi absolutely appalling, regular resets, websites slow to open etc. have reported it twice but there is no problem with the line.

In the last couple of weeks a new problem has started getting more common (happening as I write) - many websites are blocked by Sky Broadband Shield. The only sky I have is a Sky Q box in the same room but the same thing happens even when that is unplugged and a wifi analyser shows the Sky router concerned to be 100 metres away.

I cannot log into the Plusnet router home page - it simply times out, and the only router shown in my network is a Sky ADSL router, which I do not have.

I reiterate - my connection is by ethernet, not wifi. I have raised a ticket with Plusnet and they tested the line which was fine.......final advice came down to changing channel (did it, no difference) and connect by ethernet (I already am!!).

Any final ideas to try or diagnose this before I cancel?....I really have had enough by this stage and simply want a stable connection.

[#2]

Bizarre. tech teams repeatedly unable to help or actually appreciate the actual problem I am having. Asked to cancel without fees and initially refused, but when manager saw that I was online but not using the Plusnet connection (been the same for about two weeks apparently) he eventually agreed to release me from the contract without any penalty.

Now for another provider. Still the weirdest of problems though. It's also intermittent, the Sky connection suddenly drops in without warning and then can't find the Plusnet connection.

All over ethernet as well, not wifi.

Possibly a mixup in cabling in the cabinet?

Still these symptoms might be familiar to someone else.........Any other decent providers anyone can suggest?

[#3]

It sounds like an intermittent short circuit in the copper feed to your home linking you to a neighbour. What does your phone do when this is happening? If I remember correctly if you ring 17070 you will automatically be told your telephone number. Worth checking when you have a sky connection? If the number.is correct it could be in the fibre cabinet.

[#4]

Nope. Just tested it. Still getting blocked by Sky Broadband Shield but 17070 gives me my correct number.

I have told tech this and suggested that as a possible cause but they simply tested the line overnight and said it was fine.

As a result I have eventually managed to speak to a very nice man who has agreed to waive the fees and remove me from contract so I can move provider (probably going to try Zen).

Problem remains unsolved but I can't wait so I'm off. PN told me might be three weeks for an engineer and if nothing found I would be liable. As its an intermittent symptom I'm not willing to wait that long or risk being charged if nothing being found.

[#5]

Fair enough. Whilst Zen will probably be more proactive in answering the phone and chasing Openreach, unfortunately you are still going to have to wait for Openreach to fix the problem.

[#6]

I don't understand how you could change WiFi channels without logging into the router?

A cabinet problem is unlikely, but not impossible. 

Changing suppliers may not cure the problem, lthough you may get better and more technical support from Zen.

The fact that you can't get into the router may suggest that you have some kind of local network or PC issue.

[#7]

Hi -

you say you are / were connected by ethernet cable between your computer and the Plus Net router, but it sounds to me as though you have wifi turned on on your computer / laptop/ or whatever, and you are therefore intermittently connecting to an insecure nearby wifi channel owned by a SKY customer. Otherwise what you describe is simply impossible.

The first test will be to turn off and unplug your PN router and see if you can still pick up - and get blocked - by SKY Broadband shield. if so then that is proof yourve been piggy backing on someone elses wifi

The next test is to turn off wifi on your computer and then see if you are still blocked by SKY Broadband shield.

Let us know the outcome please!

[#8]

Hi Mustrum & gpsmout . As I said, the problem is intermittent, normally at peak times. I am able to log into the router for a lot of the time, such as right now, and I'm sitting there with the Hub page open and no sites blocked. The Plusnet Hub shows up as the only router on my network page so all is fine and dandy. That is how I could change channels.

Opening websites is easy quick and fast and no problems whatsoever.

If I turn my router off then I have no net connectivity whatsoever so there is no wifi capability.

I reiterate, I have no wifi card/chip/capability on board my computer - it is a desktop PC wired straight into the router by an ethernet cable.

Later on, when the Sky monster reappears, if I turn my router off I still have no connectivity either by ethernet or wifi connection to the router. The Plusnet router disappears from my network and is replaced by as Sky ADSL router on that page. I can open the network device page but cannot access it due to not having a password etc. All wifi access point that show up on my mobile are locked down and I do not have the password.

If I try to open the Plusnet Hub page direct from the 192. link it just times out, although the Hub is just sitting there in front of me with blue lights a'glowing. Resetting it makes no difference.Eventually, when I've turned it off and on again normally in the morning or during the day, it will reset nack to the PN router.

Even PN said that although the line was OK, they could see that apparently I went from being a heavy user of the internet last month to zero usage over the past two weeks. Even though I have been correctly on the PN router a lot of the time, no usage is showing to them.

I appreciate it seems impossible, but just forget the wifi bit, because there is no wifi on board my PC.

Bizarre situation, and basically that's what Tech said. it's impossible so we can't help you.

[#9]

Sounds to me like you're using Powerline adapters, and inadvertently connecting to the network of somebody else in the vicinity (Sky customer) that's doing the same.

[#10]

I do indeed have powerline adapters going out from this router into a plug, and the second powerline adapter is three floors up.

I'll disconnect them and see if the problem reoccurs. Certainly a posibility. I'll let you know.

Thanks.

[#11]

If you definitely have no wifi capability on the PC the only other possibility I can think of is the use of Ethernet over mains network connections commonly known as Homeplugs. These have been known to connect to a neighbours router which would appear to be happening in your case. Do you have any of these devices in use?

edit: I see Bob Pullen came up with the same theory.

[#12]

I'm fairly confident that's the cause.
Does this sound familiar? 😉
https://community.plus.net/t5/Plusnet-Blogs/Powerline-Adapters-Make-Sure-you-use-Encryption/ba-p/131...

[#13]

Very familiar.

Mine are encrypted (TP-Link AV1200 Gigabit passthroughs). So is it the neighbours adapters that might not be encrypted and therefore mine are jumping onto that?

I still don't understand however, how the main desktop PC that the router is directly plugged into, and the router can be redirected, when the main connection is straight from outside, into the faceplate, then router then PC.

I'll see how this goes but really need to use PoE adpters because the wifi range is so dire.

[#14]

Powerline Adaptors would have been my next explanation. If possible replace them with a long ethernet cable and use that instead of the powerline adaptors. My guess is you will then see all your connectivity problems disappear. Powerline adaptors  can - and do - interfere badly with all routers as they can give off nasty RF frequencies interfering with both wifi and the broadband signal . I've known them cause routers to crash at random times and  of course  have the same issue as you are having .

[#15 · Accepted solution]

If your router is plugged into a Powerline adapter, which it presumably is, then it makes no odds that your computer also has a direct connection to the router. Everything connecting to the hub, via whatever means, is all part of the same network.
There should be a way to separate your Powerline network from the neighbour's. As a start, I'd suggest using a TP-Link utility to change the name of your Powerline network to something other than the default.