ADSL issues & Telkom

A

arf9999

MyBroadband Member
Joined
Jul 5, 2004
Messages
6,791
Reaction score
14
Location
South Africa.
Maybe someone can give me some advice.

Since the end of September I have been having hassles with my ADSL connection. Initially it was periods of very slow speeds (4-8kB/s) which would resolve themselves and then drop off again (usually immediately after the Telkom fault was cleared).

I have reported this to Telkom at least 5 times and the current fault has been logged since the 20th of November. At present my router will not even sync for more than two minutes and when it does it gives me an SNR margin of anything between 3 and 8 dB, however usually 6 or less. I am convinced it is the line that is the problem, but when the Telkom techie (who has been to my place a few times now) uses his Telkom USB modem it syncs with no problem.

Thinking it was my router, I have convinced D-Link to replace my router (DSL-G604T), upgraded firmware, moved the router from the extension in the study to the main connection point in my entrance hall, replaced the modem link cable - all to no avail. The router has been tested on another ADSL line and is working perfectly.

The techie is unable to tell me what the SNR margin is when he connects (evidently their software does not give them that detail :mad: ). He now suggests that an "ADSL specialist" must come to my place to test the line, but if it is my modem that is the problem, I'll be charged. I'm not too concerned about that (I just want the damn thing to work), but I'd like to check something. Obviously the Telkom USB modem is a lot more forgiving than my router, and thus syncs. Do you think Telkom could use this as an excuse as to make it my problem rather than theirs? I am pretty sure that the ideal downstream SNR Margin should be a lot more than 6dB, but can I argue that with Telkom? Do Telkom publicize the line requirements for ADSL?

<edit>PS: ADSL has been running on the line since October 2004.
 
Last edited:
I would recommend you ask Telkom to install a brand new line and ask for a new ADSL account on the new line. We had a similar problem (techie would come out and everything would work fine on their modem) and after months and months of grief we ordered a new ADSL line, and cancelled the old one.

It will cost you extra and you will now have an extra telephone line, but at least it will save you time in the long run.
 
arf - what is your line speed? if you are too far from the exchange you may have problems above 512kbps.

Also, Netgear DG834's amongst a few others are known to tolerate low SNR better than D-Links.
 
jacobstone said:
arf - what is your line speed? if you are too far from the exchange you may have problems above 512kbps.

Also, Netgear DG834's amongst a few others are known to tolerate low SNR better than D-Links.
Click to expand...

I'm on 384... so I can't go slower... My issue is that I've had the ADSL on this line for 2 years, why is it only a problem now? I don't see why I must change modem 'cos their line has degraded.
 
If it were me, I would plead with Telkom to bring one of those fancy line testers of theirs that shows if there are any dodgy places in your line and what distance they are from the tester. Maybe there is a bad join that could be fixed without a whole new cable. Also - often the wire coming into your house has more than one pair in it - maybe ask them to swap pairs and see if that helps.
 
pip said:
If it were me, I would plead with Telkom to bring one of those fancy line testers of theirs that shows if there are any dodgy places in your line and what distance they are from the tester. Maybe there is a bad join that could be fixed without a whole new cable. Also - often the wire coming into your house has more than one pair in it - maybe ask them to swap pairs and see if that helps.
Click to expand...
Yup, well I'm waiting for the "specialist"...hopefully he's got one of those testers...
 
I had the exact same thing, and it took me 3 months to get it sorted and maybe 50 - 60 calls to Telkom. I told them all the time to make my line sync at 1mbit, not 4, since my line couldn't handle it and would drop like your line does.

They came and changed the cable from the house to the telephone pole twice etc. I told them just pleeease make my line sync at 1mbit and everything would be ok (i had this line for 2-3 years as well with no problem). Well eventually last week they locked it at 1mbit. Apparently the magic keyword that made everything happen was that i wanted to "downgrade" my line to 1mbit. Now it doesn't drop at all anymore.
My line is semi far from the exchange, but with these figures i have no disconnects at all:
SNR Margin 6/ 14 dB
Line Attenuation 59/ 31 dB
Data Rate 1152/ 384 kbps
Dlink 504T
 
Last edited:
1152kbps is the maximum your line is capable of.

My stats for example

SNR Margin 27.5 / 18.0
Line Attenuation 15.5 / 8.5
Data Rate: 4096 / 384

This shows my line is still capable of even more speed (If Telkom allowed)
Max Downlink: 8bit
Max Uplink: 1Mbit

for my line

Your line shows
Max Downlink 1152kbps
Max Uplink: 645kbps
 
Update: My friendly techie just called, he says that they have replaced lots of cables and that my modem is syncing again. I'll see when I get home... hold thumbs.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X