ADSL light on - No internet - Afrihost

[nmccullo]

Hi

Something strange has happened to my ADSL/internet connection.

For the last 2 days I have been connecting to the net using the following setup:

My telkom wall socket has two jacks. I connect my filter to one jack on the wall socket and then my ADSL and phone to the two filter jacks. I.e I leave one jack on the wall socket open. This worked fine. I synched at 4mb - line attenuation 16, noise margin 22.

Earlier tonight the router was unplugged. When I switched it back on - The adsl was active and synching at 4mb at the same stats as listed above, but my afrihost account (internet) is not working. The same applies to the telkom guest account.

I have plugged the router directly into the wall jack (i.e bypassing the filter and with telephone unplugged) and still the same issue as above.

Now for the strange part... As soon as I plug the telephone into the one wall jack and the router into the other jack, my internet connection is working, but my line speed drops to +-3mb and my noise margin to 6 (because I'm using no filter). Whenever I unplug the line connected to the phone, I loose my internet connection. If the problem is the filter, why is connecting straight to the wall socket and bypassing the filter not working?

I can live with the 3mb connection and low noise margin for now, but something definitely went wrong and I can't figure out what...

In all instances the DSL connection is active and synching. Telkom has confirmed my line is "perfect".

 

[InTheCube]

Doesn't sound like a problem with your filters. To me, the problem sounds more likely to be your modem, or a problem at the exchange. It could also be faulty wiring inside the jack on your wall since plugging in your telephone to the jack somehow "fixes" the problem.

Does your "internet" light on your modem flash at all, or is it red, or just completely off? What modem do you have? And what is your attenuation when the modem and telephone are plugged into the dual wall jack with no filters?

 

[nmccullo]

Doesn't sound like a problem with your filters. To me, the problem sounds more likely to be your modem, or a problem at the exchange. It could also be faulty wiring inside the jack on your wall since plugging in your telephone to the jack somehow "fixes" the problem.

Does your "internet" light on your modem flash at all, or is it red, or just completely off? What modem do you have? And what is your attenuation when the modem and telephone are plugged into the dual wall jack with no filters?

I have a telkom netgear DG834.... The internet light goes red when the Internet connection dies. Plugged into the dual jack my line attenuation is +- 19 and noise margin is 6.

The other strange thing I saw is: I plug filter into wall jack 1 and connect modem to adsl jack on filter. I plug phone line into wall jack 2 and connect to phone. The one jack on the filter is open. Internet works.If I unplug the phone line at the phone end -no Internet. BUT as soon as I connect the loose phone end connection to the open jack on the filter (I.e I create a loop connection)- Internet works!??!

In all instances the modem synchs and DSL light is green.

 

[InTheCube]

I have a telkom netgear DG834.... The internet light goes red when the Internet connection dies. Plugged into the dual jack my line attenuation is +- 19 and noise margin is 6.

The other strange thing I saw is: I plug filter into wall jack 1 and connect modem to adsl jack on filter. I plug phone line into wall jack 2 and connect to phone. The one jack on the filter is open. Internet works.If I unplug the phone line at the phone end -no Internet. BUT as soon as I connect the loose phone end connection to the open jack on the filter (I.e I create a loop connection)- Internet works!??!

In all instances the modem synchs and DSL light is green.

This leads me to believe that the problem is either with the wiring in your wall jack, or your modem is faulty, or there is something wrong at the exchange.

Try a different modem. Borrow one from somebody. And open up the Telkom Wall jack. See what is going on inside their. Maybe you have a short/loop inside their. The wiring is pretty basic and should be able to pickup a problem on your own, if there is one.

Do you have any other extensions in your house for this telephone number? Perhaps connected to a fax machine, dial-up modem, or alarm system?

 

[nmccullo]

This leads me to believe that the problem is either with the wiring in your wall jack, or your modem is faulty, or there is something wrong at the exchange.

Try a different modem. Borrow one from somebody. And open up the Telkom Wall jack. See what is going on inside their. Maybe you have a short/loop inside their. The wiring is pretty basic and should be able to pickup a problem on your own, if there is one.

Do you have any other extensions in your house for this telephone number? Perhaps connected to a fax machine, dial-up modem, or alarm system?

I tried opening the jack, but I can't really see anything. I fiddled round with the wires inside the jack at one stage and then immediately afterwards I removed the phone line from the jack. The line resynhed at 4mb and at a much better noise margin of 35. The internet was also working, but after switching the router off and on I couldn't replicate the result and internet was off again...

Everything was working fine yesterday morning. It was only after my wife pulled the plug on the router that I started getting these issues - so it still leaves the router as a potential problem as well. I rebooted/restored the router as well.

I have no clue where to get a router to check. Will phone telkom and have a chat with them.

I have no other extensions connected to the line.

 

[Prof.Merlin]

Browsing through this thread quickly, phone telkom and ask them to reset the port on the exchange. May solve your issue

 

[nmccullo]

Browsing through this thread quickly, phone telkom and ask them to reset the port on the exchange. May solve your issue

I asked them to do that last night - same issue. Telkom says my adsl line is fine.

My line was installed last week. Fiber runs to the exchange and brand new copper is installed to my house (about 100m from the telkom box, outside our complex, to my unit). I would expect to have a very good signal quality. My attenuation is excellent.

Ill check the router and wall jack again.

 

[TonyA]

If you have one of the Telkom Filters with 2 ports, then only phone should be plugged into filter and adsl modem direct to wall plug (adls does not go through filter, that is for phone line only). Other filters have one port marked adsl and 2 nd port marked phone. The adls port on these filters is just a pass through.

 

[InTheCube]

If you have one of the Telkom Filters with 2 ports, then only phone should be plugged into filter and adsl modem direct to wall plug (adls does not go through filter, that is for phone line only). Other filters have one port marked adsl and 2 nd port marked phone. The adls port on these filters is just a pass through.

I think he tried this already. In fact, he unplugged everything, bypassed the filter completely, and went straight from ADSL line to Telkom wall jack, and still it didn't help. This eliminates the filter and telephone as potential culprits. However, when he plugged the telephone into the 2nd port on his dual port Telkom wall jack, he could get internet. No filter involved at all.

So I'm thinking either the modem is bust, or the wiring in the Telkom jack.

Dude - one more thing to try - use a different cable from your modem to telephone jack. Perhaps the pins on your current cable (at either end) are not making good contact. Or perhaps the pins inside your Telkom wall jack are bent. Make sure that they are all perfectly straight, and that the cable plugs in easily and smoothly. Check that both ends of the telephone cable are not damaged.

Borrowing a modem - don't you have a friend/relative/colleague that has ADSL? Ask him if you can swap modems for a day or 2 to test. Let him try your modem as well.

 

[nmccullo]

TonyA - that's how I'm currently connecting. I have internet access - but something is still wrong. Internet only works if something is plugged into both wall jacks and connected to both the phone and router. If I remove the cable plug connected to the phone it doesn't work. If I make a connection between the wall jack and the filter phone outlet (a loop that serves no purpose), internet works. Its like I have to complete a circuit to get the internet working.

I'm more concerned/curious what went wrong.

I have swapped lines and checked pins. Same issue.

 

[InTheCube]

TonyA - that's how I'm currently connecting. I have internet access - but something is still wrong. Internet only works if something is plugged into both wall jacks and connected to both the phone and router. If I remove the cable plug connected to the phone it doesn't work. If I make a connection between the wall jack and the filter phone outlet (a loop that serves no purpose), internet works. Its like I have to complete a circuit to get the internet working.

I'm more concerned/curious what went wrong.

I have swapped lines and checked pins. Same issue.

Try swapping modems, and failing that, get a Telkom techie to come out. If the problem is on Telkom's side, they won't charge you. If the problem is with your filter (which we know it's not), your telephone, or your modem (we need to verify this) then they will charge you like R500 for the call out.

 

[Tim the Techxpert]

Hi Nmcullo,
If you got your router through Telkom their local offices may be able to test it for you. You could always also try one of your local IT stores like Matrix. Those guys are usually very helpful in testing equipment. From the threads I would firstly suspect the wiring around the plug and then the router.

Regards and let us know the resolution

Tim

 

[Hiro ZA]

i am having a similarly bizarre problem, but unfortunately none of the tricks which nmcullo tried are working for me. I signed up for 1MB line and the techie phoned home earlier today to say that the line had been converted.

router is a TP-LINKW8960N. ADSL and INTERNET lights are both on. The router stats show a perfect SNR and primary DNS. nothing appears to be wrong. but my laptop, ipad, bb, xbox cannot access the internet. laptop shows yellow exclamation mark saying "No Internet Access". i have tried afrihost and IS accounts and same problem. i phoned afrihost and they say that they can see i am connected to them via my account.

could the problem be the router? i have tried connecting just the DSL via port filter and without filter, along with combinations of filter and phone and dsl. no dice :-( has anyone heard of reports of these routers having this type of issue ?

 

[FNfal]

i am having a similarly bizarre problem, but unfortunately none of the tricks which nmcullo tried are working for me. I signed up for 1MB line and the techie phoned home earlier today to say that the line had been converted.

router is a TP-LINKW8960N. ADSL and INTERNET lights are both on. The router stats show a perfect SNR and primary DNS. nothing appears to be wrong. but my laptop, ipad, bb, xbox cannot access the internet. laptop shows yellow exclamation mark saying "No Internet Access". i have tried afrihost and IS accounts and same problem. i phoned afrihost and they say that they can see i am connected to them via my account.

could the problem be the router? i have tried connecting just the DSL via port filter and without filter, along with combinations of filter and phone and dsl. no dice :-( has anyone heard of reports of these routers having this type of issue ?

Have you verified your line ??
https://secureapp.telkom.co.za/ADSLVERIFY_NEW/verifyRequest.do
You need to do this the first time you get ADSL
Have you tried with just the ADSL modem connected (no filter and no phone )
Have you made sure the settings in the modem are correct
PPPoE
Multiplex method = LLC-BASED
VPI 8
VCI 35

 

[Hiro ZA]

Have you verified your line ??
https://secureapp.telkom.co.za/ADSLVERIFY_NEW/verifyRequest.do
You need to do this the first time you get ADSL

you sir, are my HERO! verified it on the link above and all is well now. my bad, as i made a rookie mistake. i had previously had DSL at this location, so assumed i would not need to reverify. i had actually totally forgotten about it. the fact that both lights were on threw me off track with my investigations.

thanks dude!

 

[FNfal]

you sir, are my HERO! verified it on the link above and all is well now. my bad, as i made a rookie mistake. i had previously had DSL at this location, so assumed i would not need to reverify. i had actually totally forgotten about it. the fact that both lights were on threw me off track with my investigations.

thanks dude!

No problem i made the same error before

 

[nmccullo]

Took my router to a friend's house. Internet works perfectly with my router - with or without a filter. I don't have to pull any 'tricks'... Bought a brand new filter and cables to test at home. Same problem.

Spoke to high level telkom tech support yesterday and they suggested a wiring issue. A tech will come out tommorow to test my line. Will let you guys know if it's fixed. I'm just so tired explaining to telkom what the issue is ..

 

[JonesY]

Pick up the phone and don't dial anyone. Whilst the phone is off hook, restart the modem and see what sync speeds you get. Leave it off hook and during the time that it's off hook you shouldn't get any reductions in sync speed.

The fact that there is such wild variations suggest that it is a high open fault, which temporarily brings the line back to spec, due to the current present during a phone call.