ADSL Connection Constantly Dropping - Please help!

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AlexL

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Hi folks,

I'm sending out a plea for help!

I'm running a 4mb ADSL line, with MWEB as my ISP. Very happy customer, not seeking to stir trouble either.

Got a problem with resets though.

When I upgraded to the 4mb uncapped option, I started using a ZyXel 660HW router so I could broadcast wirelessly throughout my house. However, it eventually stopped allowing any wireless devices to connect. So I was already angry with the thing. Recently, or at least it seems more noticeably recently, I would be in the middle of something and the internet would drop. Any website would route to the config fail page and ask you to log into the router. After maybe a minute, the connection would fix itself and you could go on.

There are no patterns to the disconnects, ie: it's not any particular activity. I figured it was a router problem.

So I bought the Billion 7300W a few days ago. Like the router, was a breeze to install and it's interface is very intuitive, which is useful as I'm hardly an expert. However, if anything, the disconnects seem to be worse. During one map of BF3, I had three disconnects. Other times I can go hours. Each morning, I wake up, log in and check the sytem log, and it's never (even through the night) maintained a connection for more than 3 hours at a stretch.

I am at work (shhh!) so dont have access to the log, but can post it if needed. I've done a lot of reading around, but sadly it can get a little confusing and each person's experience is a little different. So appealing to the experts here: please help me!

Is this a router problem, or a line/ISP problem? Are there ways to narrow down what the problem could be?

I tried an 'isolation test' where I disconnected the phone and the fax from the splitter, to see if it was that. It still dropped, but I realised this morning that the ADSL line was still going through the same splitter, I had just disconnected the other phone cable. Will that skew the findings?

Any help or advice would be really useful? If you need more info with which to help me, I'll gladly do my utmost to get it. Playing, for example, with Ubisoft and EA's draconian DRM policies means being online constantly. Each time the conn. resets, you undo the hours of work you've already done. To say nothing of it making me think some very evil thoughts.

Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi! You're my only hope!
 
Some additional info I just thought of:

The Billion resets the connection must faster than the ZyXel, so it's hard to see what lights are flashing, and what messages are shown etc.

It seems that when the connection is down, the DSL light is off.

Logging into the router, the message Link Down is displayed, and the log mentions LineSync Lost (if memory serves) though I will post a more comprehensive log when I'm home.

Don't know if any of that helps.
 
Does the syslog say "sync lost" when the connection drops? If so it's either noise/interference on the line, or the line quality itself is too low for a 4mb sync.
Run the isolation test properly - have only the ADSL router on the line - and see if things improve. If not you'll have to call telkom and ask them to set your line to a lower speed profile.
 
Thank you for your reply, Sinbad.

Here's a selection of the log:

Nov 10 12:07:26 kernel: (Wireless) MacTableDeleteEntry1(1) - 00:20:00:9f:49:22
Nov 10 12:07:28 kernel: (Wireless) MacTableInsertEntry(1) - 00:20:00:9f:49:22
Nov 10 12:12:28 kernel: (Wireless) MacTableDeleteEntry1(1) - 00:20:00:9f:49:22
Nov 10 12:12:30 kernel: (Wireless) MacTableInsertEntry(1) - 00:20:00:9f:49:22
Nov 10 12:14:41 kernel: Linesync lost
Nov 10 12:14:41 PPPoE: Hangup (SIGHUP)
Nov 10 12:14:41 PPPoE: ipcp_down:start
Nov 10 12:14:41 PPPoE: ipcp_down:always
Nov 10 12:14:41 PPPoE: ipcp_down:script
Nov 10 12:14:41 PPPoE: ipcp_down:end
Nov 10 12:14:46 kernel: Linesync lost
Nov 10 12:14:47 PPPoE: Connection terminated.
Nov 10 12:14:47 PPPoE: Connect time 29.2 minutes.
Nov 10 12:14:47 PPPoE: Sent 132034 bytes, received 170744 bytes.
Nov 10 12:14:47 PPPoE: Doing disconnect
Nov 10 12:15:11 kernel: Linesync achieved
Nov 10 12:15:11 kernel: near-end interleaved channel bit rate: 0 kbps
Nov 10 12:15:11 kernel: near-end fast channel bit rate: 4096 kbps
Nov 10 12:15:11 kernel: far-end interleaved channel bit rate: 0 kbps
Nov 10 12:15:11 kernel: far-end fast channel bit rate: 512 kbps
Nov 10 12:15:18 PPPoE: Using interface ppp0
Nov 10 12:15:18 PPPoE: Connection start.
Nov 10 12:15:21 PPPoE: add ci req netmask 1
Nov 10 12:15:21 PPPoE: add ci netmask 0.0.0.0
Nov 10 12:15:22 PPPoE: 1 ack req netmask 0
Nov 10 12:15:22 PPPoE: 1 ack netmask 0.0.0.0
Nov 10 12:15:22 PPPoE: ipcp_up:start
Nov 10 12:15:22 PPPoE: local IP address 41.133.***.***
Nov 10 12:15:22 PPPoE: remote IP address 41.133.***.***
Nov 10 12:15:22 PPPoE: primary DNS address 196.28.***.***
Nov 10 12:15:22 PPPoE: secondary DNS address 196.28.***.***
Nov 10 12:15:22 PPPoE: ipcp_up:always on
Nov 10 12:15:22 dnsmasq[163]: using nameserver 196.28.***.***#53
Nov 10 12:15:22 dnsmasq[163]: using nameserver 196.28.***.***#53

It seems it's what you describe then. I'll do another isolation test and see if it improves. Assuming it's that the line quality is too low, does that mean going back to a 512kb line? Or do they just down it a notch? (how much of a notch are we talking?)

Really appreciate your help!
 
Go down to 3Mbps and then check stability.

You should post your line stats here too. It is useful to know what the SNR and Attenuation is. SNR will change as you drop the sync speed...it will go up the lower the speed. (High SNR is good...<9db is bad mkay)
 
It should be just a notch - maybe 3MB as saliehendricks says. Maybe even 3.5. It's a matter of trial and error to see what works.
 
But also consider getting Telkom to check your line.

I had a bastard tech splice into my line to get cores for a neighbour. He cut the overhead line, but then it was too short to keep anchored at the pole box. So he spliced in a new section, twisted the wires together (no wire nuts or anything!) and left the whole cable draped along the neighbour's wall, with the bare twisted wires exposed to the elements.

I could connect at a decent rate, but I disconnected all the time, and my stats were all over the place!

I finally got a tech to inspect the line, only to find the above. Replacing the dodgy section gave me my 10Mbps line sync back, with no drops not of my own making.
 
Hi again folks!

Once again, thank you kindly for the help! I'll get on Telkom immediately and get them to try 3.5 and see if that doesn't improve things.

It just dropped again, during the middle of a BF3 map, and I checked. My DSL light stayed on, and the Internet light went dead.

As requested, these are my stats on the 4mb line:

SNR Margin (Upstream) 14.0 db
SNR Margin (Downstream) 14.0 db
Line Attenuation (Upstream) 23.0 db
Line Attenuation (Downstream) 43.5 db
 
AlexL said:
Hi folks,

I'm sending out a plea for help!

I'm running a 4mb ADSL line, with MWEB as my ISP. Very happy customer, not seeking to stir trouble either.

Got a problem with resets though.

When I upgraded to the 4mb uncapped option, I started using a ZyXel 660HW router so I could broadcast wirelessly throughout my house. However, it eventually stopped allowing any wireless devices to connect. So I was already angry with the thing. Recently, or at least it seems more noticeably recently, I would be in the middle of something and the internet would drop. Any website would route to the config fail page and ask you to log into the router. After maybe a minute, the connection would fix itself and you could go on.

There are no patterns to the disconnects, ie: it's not any particular activity. I figured it was a router problem.

So I bought the Billion 7300W a few days ago. Like the router, was a breeze to install and it's interface is very intuitive, which is useful as I'm hardly an expert. However, if anything, the disconnects seem to be worse. During one map of BF3, I had three disconnects. Other times I can go hours. Each morning, I wake up, log in and check the sytem log, and it's never (even through the night) maintained a connection for more than 3 hours at a stretch.

I am at work (shhh!) so dont have access to the log, but can post it if needed. I've done a lot of reading around, but sadly it can get a little confusing and each person's experience is a little different. So appealing to the experts here: please help me!

Is this a router problem, or a line/ISP problem? Are there ways to narrow down what the problem could be?

I tried an 'isolation test' where I disconnected the phone and the fax from the splitter, to see if it was that. It still dropped, but I realised this morning that the ADSL line was still going through the same splitter, I had just disconnected the other phone cable. Will that skew the findings?

Any help or advice would be really useful? If you need more info with which to help me, I'll gladly do my utmost to get it. Playing, for example, with Ubisoft and EA's draconian DRM policies means being online constantly. Each time the conn. resets, you undo the hours of work you've already done. To say nothing of it making me think some very evil thoughts.

Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi! You're my only hope!
Click to expand...

Good morning AlexL,

You must be at your wits end I take it but not to worry I'll do my best to assist you with your connection nightmares.

Please send me your MWEB account details and I'll do some digging for you. No need to send me more info, your post is a novel on it's own.

Regards,

MWEB Guy
 
Garyvdh said:
In which area are you Alex? I am on the Eastern side of the Joburg CBD and ours is also dropping all the time just as you describe.

We are on the New Doornfontein Exchange.
You can look yours up here...
http://www.broadbandstats.co.za/search/phone/
Click to expand...

Hi Garyvdh,

Please inbox me your MWEB account details and I'll have a look into your connection.

Regards,

MWEB Guy
 
MWEB Guy said:
Hi Garyvdh,
Please inbox me your MWEB account details and I'll have a look into your connection.
Regards,
MWEB Guy
Click to expand...

Oops, no sorry. I'm not with Mweb.
I'm just wondering if he was on the same exchange as me.
I've tried several different accounts here, OpenWeb, Afrihost, and WebAfrica, and they all drop the same.
I've reported it to Telkom.

Thanks,
G.
 
That attenuation looks a little high? Lower profile should sort it.
 
You are all so wrong!!! :twisted:

1. The issue is NEW, therefore its an Exchange Issue. More and more people getting ADSL means that exchanges get more traffic.

2. Log your issue with TELKOM, and make sure that you TELL THEM TO CHANGE YOUR DSLAM.

3. I had exactly the same issue, TELKOM resolved it, you must just keep on bugging them untill they fix it.
 
AlexL:
Could you please post your ADSL statistics (SNR margins + line attenuation values) again, as well as posting your actual line speed (not the attainable rates)?
 
Sigh, lost my whole reply. Let's try again!

MWEB Guy: Thanks very much for your offer of help, I really appreciate it. My info is in your inbox :)

Garydvh: I'm in the Little Brak area, Western Cape: Exchange data: http://www.broadbandstats.co.za/exchange/EKBV

Sinbad: I went to Telkom and asked the lady there about changing my line down a notch. She had no idea what I was talking about and said I should phone it in and log a fault. Quite annoying as last time I tried to call in a problem, they said to go into the shop. Anyway. Will take your advice (again) and phone it in this time and get them to try fix it like that.

sscholle: Thanks for posting your advice - I appreciate your help :) I've heard DSLAM mentioned many times on the forums I've looked at, so will definitely mention it 14 times when I phone Telkom. Hopefully they will get the message :)

Pada: I'm not 100% sure that I know how to get you that info, but I will try my best. At the moment, my SNR and line attenuation are:

SNR Margin (Upstream) 14.0 db
SNR Margin (Downstream) 17.0 db
Line Attenuation (Upstream) 23.0 db
Line Attenuation (Downstream) 43.5 db

As for actual line speed: my steam shows a peak download rate of 425.5kb/s from a day or two ago. I then went and ran a test on speedtest.net

It took 3 tries to get it to finish, and the results were:

Ping 31ms (was a Newlands Cape Town server)
Download: 1.53 mbits/s
Upload: 0/38 mbits/s

Is this helpful?

Thanks to everyone helping me resolve this issue. I can't tell you how much I appreciate it!
 
AlexL:
The download rate is completely different from the actual line speed, due to protocol overheads & network congestion/shaping.

The actual line speed should be shown (in kbps units) on the same page as the rest of the ADSL statistics, unless you have like a Netgear DG834 ADSL modem, in which case it would be on the page that has the link to the ADSL statistics.
 
Pada: roger that.
From my main page, the info is as follows: (just got off the phone with Telkom, and they've put me on at 3meg to try it for testing)

Upstream 512 kbps
Downstream 3072 kbps
SNR Margin (Upstream) 14.0 db
SNR Margin (Downstream) 19.0 db
Line Attenuation (Upstream) 23.0 db
Line Attenuation (Downstream) 43.5 db
 
Those SNR margins at 3Mbps are all good.
At 4Mbps you should still have SNR margins above 12dB. Generally I advise people to downgrade their line speeds until their SNR margins are 10dB or higher.

If you're still having issues, it might be worth while to borrow a friend's D-Link/TP-Link/Siemens ADSL modem.
Like I've had an issue where the Netgear DG834GUv5 reported good SNR margins, but the connection was still unstable. I downgraded from 6Mbps to 2Mbps and the connection remained unstable, until I plugged in my D-Link DSL-2500U and I haven't had any issues since.
 
If I don't come right with any of the other advice, Pada, I'll get one of those modems. Sadly, online reviews are only helpful to a certain point. Actually need some person-to-person advice.

Would you recommend the D-Link DSL-2500U should I need to buy one very soon?
 
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