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Web pages stall when loading

redhedgehog42
Grafter
Posts: 51
Registered: ‎19-12-2014

Web pages stall when loading

Since having Plusnet FTTC installed at the beginning of December I have had a rock solid connection with download speeds of 72 Mbps and uploads of 17 Mbps however, from time to time I have noticed that some web pages stall on loading, load slowly or don't load completely. The incidence of this is quite random and intermittant as to the frequency and actual web sites involved. Re-loading the web page often solves the problem or sometimes it is necessary to try another site and then go back to the troublesome one. If the web page really gets "stuck"  and reloading doesn't work then closing the browser and re- opening it will usually allow instant access to the web site in question. A web page displaying the problem will, on other occassions load perfectly normally.
I generally use a Mac running OSX Mavericks and the problem manifests itself on both my Macs (iMac and laptop). It also manifests itself whether I use Firefox or Safari (fully updated versions). It is not a wireless issue as it also occurs with a direct ethernet connection to the router and if connected via "homeplugs".
I also have a windows laptop (running windows 7) and have seen it happen there too, although I rarely access the internet via that machine so I have no idea whether it is more, or less, frequent when using windows.
I have noticed that a similar problem is being reported by many BT Infinity customers and it has been troubling them since the beginning of December and BT seem to have been investigating the situation but have not resolved it yet.
My question is: Is what I am seeing on Plusnet FTTC the same as BT Infinity customers are seeing, and if so, what do I do about it?
64 REPLIES 64
rongtw
Seasoned Hero
Posts: 6,973
Thanks: 1,541
Fixes: 12
Registered: ‎01-12-2010

Re: Web pages stall when loading

Must admit i have noticed a slow down over the last few days  Sad 
FF34 all pages feel a lot slower to load ?? on  ptw-bng01.
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smh
Grafter
Posts: 27
Registered: ‎13-11-2014

Re: Web pages stall when loading

I have noticed the same issue for a few weeks, just as you describe it in your OP, indeed your description of this problem is spot on to my experience. 
It occurs here with an iMac using Firefox (version 34.0.5), but also using Safari to test for comparison.  I moved from an ADSL to a Plusnet FTTC connection on 04/11/14,  with what is now a steady download connection at around 37 Mbps, so it has puzzled me that with a steady and fast sync speed via FTTC, currently I experience  more intermittent problems in connecting to what seems random web pages, than I had with the ADSL connection. 
I had concluded it must either be a browser problem, or some slowness fault with my computer, but had not been able to sort it out either way.
Can you indicate where else you saw this problem reported, in respect of BT Infinity users for instance, and please will anyone update this thread if you come across a solution, or explanation.
tonycollinet
Grafter
Posts: 1,140
Thanks: 5
Registered: ‎14-08-2007

Re: Web pages stall when loading

I'd suggest trying some non plusnet DNS servers.
Try google, or open DNS.
This page explains how to with the plusnet router. Other (better) routers can normally put the DNS ip addresses into the web interface much more easily.
http://petesentme.com/plusnet/changing-dns-servers-on-a-technicolor-tg582n-fttc
redhedgehog42
Grafter
Posts: 51
Registered: ‎19-12-2014

Re: Web pages stall when loading

In response to smh:
Look at these websites/forum pages:
http://www.ispreview.co.uk/index.php/2014/12/bt-infinity-fttc-broadband-users-suffer-week-slow-websi...
https://community.bt.com/t5/BT-Infinity-Speed-Connection/DNS/td-p/1418137
https://community.bt.com/t5/BT-Infinity-Speed-Connection/BT-Infinity-issues-for-the-last-few-days/td...
also in respose to a Question I posed to Plusnet they have replied:
Reply 1:
It is quite a strange and intermittent issue that you are experiencing and it sounds like you have done some thorough diagnostics and it is happening across all your devices, it would appear that the issue is either going to be an external one or maybe an issue with the router.  I have run some checks on your line to see if i can find any issues and everything appears to be function perfectly from what i can see and your connection has been extremely stable for the last 23 days.  If BT are having problems with their infinity service it is likely that these could be effecting us as well as the lines and equipment are rented from BT themselves. But i cannot see any issue that they have reported to us regarding this.  If the problem persists or gets worse do not hesitate to contact us and we can try some more diagnostics to try and resolve the issues.
Reply 2:
Firstly, to answer your question; Yes, it will be the same culprit causing your connection problems that BT Infinity users are seeing. Sadly, due to the complexity of the situation, I couldn't really offer any diagnostics to try.  You've well and truly ruled out anything within your home network that would cause the problem, and the fact it's happening to BT Infinity users shows it's not the Plusnet side of the network either, otherwise it would just be us. I would keep monitoring the forums that you've seen, and also try our forums.
That is the latest info I have as of today.
redhedgehog42
Grafter
Posts: 51
Registered: ‎19-12-2014

Re: Web pages stall when loading

In response to tonyAtplus:
Thanks for your suggestion, may well try out your idea if nothing improves once BT Infinity users confirm their similar problem is solved and I am monitoring their forum every day or so.
smh
Grafter
Posts: 27
Registered: ‎13-11-2014

Re: Web pages stall when loading

Many thanks for this information Seahog. 
At least it's good to know it is a general ongoing problem, and is not only my end  -  I had run out of things to do to try to resolve it.
I'm almost certain the issue first arose with my Plusnet connection at around the same time as the first post in that long BT Infinity thread, three weeks ago now, around 8th December.  It was not a problem before this, for the four weeks or so since my FTTC connection went live in early November.
It will take me some time to read all the long BT thread, however so far in reading it, I saw several people have posted that trying alternative DNS servers hasn't resolved it. 
I wonder how many other people are trying all sorts of things, trying to resolve this, not realising it is a generalised problem.
smh
Grafter
Posts: 27
Registered: ‎13-11-2014

Re: Web pages stall when loading

Quote from: tonyAtplus

This page explains how to with the plusnet router.

Thanks for this tonyAtplus.
AndyH
Grafter
Posts: 6,824
Thanks: 1
Registered: ‎27-10-2012

Re: Web pages stall when loading

@ Seahog - Which sites are you having issues with in particular?

redhedgehog42
Grafter
Posts: 51
Registered: ‎19-12-2014

Re: Web pages stall when loading

in response to AndyH.
As I mentioned in original post, the incidence is quite random and intermittant as to the frequency and actual web sites involved. Re-loading the web page often solves the problem or sometimes it is necessary to try another site and then go back to the troublesome one. No specific site is more troublesome than others on average. Sometimes an individual site will hang or stall several times in a day, sometimes only once and sometimes not at all. Most of the sites are "major" ones such as BBC.
Of course there is always the chance that sometimes it could be a website's own server being very busy that holds things up but in most cases I believe  this is not the cause because sites which have never hung or stalled before can now do so quite at random.
Like any intermittant problem it is almost impossible for a single user to reach a proper diagnosis or even prove there is a problem. However, as smh also reports an identical problem, rongtw  indicates something similar, together with the posts on the BT forum and the responses I have had from Plusnet a pattern emerges which points to a genuine problem outside of any one individual's own equipment/setup.
I will come back to this forum thread if either I get any more information, the problem resolves itself or I find a solution by trial and error.
AndyH
Grafter
Posts: 6,824
Thanks: 1
Registered: ‎27-10-2012

Re: Web pages stall when loading

Can you download Chrome and go View > Developer > Developer Tools? Make sure Network is selected in the Developer Tools and then try to load some sites. When a site is slow/doesn't load, look in the log which component and address isn't loading.
smh
Grafter
Posts: 27
Registered: ‎13-11-2014

Re: Web pages stall when loading

Posting an update to report a marked improvement on this issue, on my connection.  The problem of web pages not resolving properly has been progressively less noticeable over the past two days, and testing a wide variety of websites today, most web pages are now loading fine, at expected speeds  -  one or two still don’t resolve fully until refreshed a couple of times, but it’s a far rarer occurrence today, than over the past few weeks.
I hope it lasts Smiley  will report back if the problem recurs.
p.s. not altered DNS in any way since earlier posts
redhedgehog42
Grafter
Posts: 51
Registered: ‎19-12-2014

Re: Web pages stall when loading

In response to AndyH.
Thnaks for suggestion but really don't want Chrome on my set up. May look at it as a last resort.
In response to smh.
Yesterday did seem to be a bit better but could not say it had gone away, several times pages loaded slowly or hung. Happened once so far today. I will keep monitoring.
By the way there are still a good number of new posts on BT Forum relating to this.
smh
Grafter
Posts: 27
Registered: ‎13-11-2014

Re: Web pages stall when loading

Still a problem and deteriorating again today.
Long delays and stalling on loading random web pages, on and off this has included both Plusnet and Thinkbroadband websites.
Now considering a new router, as at least it would be simpler to experiment with DNS changes.
redhedgehog42
Grafter
Posts: 51
Registered: ‎19-12-2014

Re: Web pages stall when loading

The problem still persists, like smh I did have a better day a couple of days ago but now about the same as before. Randonly web pages stall or won't load first time. No pattern to this at all. Frustrating!