ADSL Line disconnects every 16mins

[ebendl]

Hi all,

I'm doing remote-family-tech support for a couple of dentists (gotta love the lockdown). They complained that their ADSL "breaks" very often.

Upon logging in via TeamViewer, I proceeded to get into the Telkom issued Netgear N300 ADSL 2+ router (model DGN2200Mv2)'s admin side.

The line stats looks fine:


However, I then looked at the logs:

[Internet connected] IP address: <deleted>, Monday, Apr 20,2020 00:02:28
[Internet disconnected] Monday, Apr 20,2020 00:02:16
[Internet connected] IP address: <deleted>, Sunday, Apr 19,2020 23:45:46
[Internet disconnected] Sunday, Apr 19,2020 23:45:35
[Internet connected] IP address: <deleted>, Sunday, Apr 19,2020 23:29:00
[Internet disconnected] Sunday, Apr 19,2020 23:28:46
[Admin login] from source 10.0.0.3, Sunday, Apr 19,2020 23:23:18
[DOS Attack] : 1 [STORM] packets detected in last 20 seconds, source ip [102.65.178.187]. Sunday, Apr 19,2020 23:21:38
[DHCP IP: (10.0.0.8)] to MAC address <deleted>, Sunday, Apr 19,2020 23:19:03
[DHCP IP: (10.0.0.5)] to MAC address <deleted>, Sunday, Apr 19,2020 23:15:54
[Internet connected] IP address: <deleted> Sunday, Apr 19,2020 23:12:47
[Internet disconnected] Sunday, Apr 19,2020 23:12:34
[Internet connected] IP address: <deleted>, Sunday, Apr 19,2020 22:56:34
[Internet disconnected] Sunday, Apr 19,2020 22:56:21
[DHCP IP: (10.0.0.5)] to MAC address <deleted>, Sunday, Apr 19,2020 22:43:08
[Internet connected] IP address: <deleted>, Sunday, Apr 19,2020 22:40:21
[Internet disconnected] Sunday, Apr 19,2020 22:40:08
[Internet connected] IP address: <deleted>, Sunday, Apr 19,2020 22:24:09
[Internet disconnected] Sunday, Apr 19,2020 22:23:55
[Internet connected] IP address: <deleted>, Sunday, Apr 19,2020 22:07:56
[Internet disconnected] Sunday, Apr 19,2020 22:07:43
[Internet connected] IP address: <deleted>, Sunday, Apr 19,2020 21:49:43
[Internet disconnected] Sunday, Apr 19,2020 21:49:30
[Internet connected] IP address: <deleted>, Sunday, Apr 19,2020 21:33:31
[Internet disconnected] Sunday, Apr 19,2020 21:33:17
[DHCP IP: (10.0.0.5)] to MAC address <deleted>, Sunday, Apr 19,2020 21:19:11
[Internet connected] IP address: <deleted>, Sunday, Apr 19,2020 21:17:18
[Internet disconnected] Sunday, Apr 19,2020 21:17:05
[Internet connected] IP address: <deleted>, Sunday, Apr 19,2020 21:00:36
[Internet disconnected] Sunday, Apr 19,2020 21:00:22
[Internet connected] IP address: <deleted>, Sunday, Apr 19,2020 20:44:23
[Internet disconnected] Sunday, Apr 19,2020 20:44:10
[Internet connected] IP address: <deleted>, Sunday, Apr 19,2020 20:27:40
[Internet disconnected] Sunday, Apr 19,2020 20:27:27
[Internet connected] IP address: <deleted>, Sunday, Apr 19,2020 20:11:58
[Internet disconnected] Sunday, Apr 19,2020 20:11:45
[Internet connected] IP address: <deleted>, Sunday, Apr 19,2020 19:55:15
[Internet disconnected] Sunday, Apr 19,2020 19:55:02
[Internet connected] IP address: <deleted>, Sunday, Apr 19,2020 19:39:03
[Internet disconnected] Sunday, Apr 19,2020 19:38:53
[Internet connected] IP address: <deleted>, Sunday, Apr 19,2020 19:22:54
[Internet disconnected] Sunday, Apr 19,2020 19:22:41
[Internet connected] IP address: <deleted>, Sunday, Apr 19,2020 19:06:41
[Internet disconnected] Sunday, Apr 19,2020 19:06:28
[Internet connected] IP address: <deleted>, Sunday, Apr 19,2020 18:50:29
[Internet disconnected] Sunday, Apr 19,2020 18:50:15
[Internet connected] IP address: <deleted>, Sunday, Apr 19,2020 18:34:16
[Internet disconnected] Sunday, Apr 19,2020 18:34:03
[Internet connected] IP address: <deleted>, Sunday, Apr 19,2020 18:18:03
[Internet disconnected] Sunday, Apr 19,2020 18:17:50
[Internet connected] IP address: <deleted>, Sunday, Apr 19,2020 18:01:51
[Internet disconnected] Sunday, Apr 19,2020 18:01:38
[Internet connected] IP address: <deleted>, Sunday, Apr 19,2020 17:46:08
[Internet disconnected] Sunday, Apr 19,2020 17:45:55
[Internet connected] IP address: <deleted>, Sunday, Apr 19,2020 17:29:56
[Internet disconnected] Sunday, Apr 19,2020 17:29:46
[DHCP IP: (10.0.0.6)] to MAC address <deleted>, Sunday, Apr 19,2020 17:19:11
[DHCP IP: (10.0.0.7)] to MAC address <deleted>, Sunday, Apr 19,2020 17:14:54
[Internet connected] IP address: <deleted>, Sunday, Apr 19,2020 17:13:16
[Internet disconnected] Sunday, Apr 19,2020 17:13:03
[Internet connected] IP address: <deleted>, Sunday, Apr 19,2020 16:57:04
[Internet disconnected] Sunday, Apr 19,2020 16:56:50
[Internet connected] IP address: <deleted>, Sunday, Apr 19,2020 16:40:51
[Internet disconnected] Sunday, Apr 19,2020 16:40:37
[Internet connected] IP address: <deleted>, Sunday, Apr 19,2020 16:24:38
[Internet disconnected] Sunday, Apr 19,2020 16:24:25
[Internet connected] IP address: <deleted>, Sunday, Apr 19,2020 16:08:26
[Internet disconnected] Sunday, Apr 19,2020 16:08:12
[Internet connected] IP address: <deleted>, Sunday, Apr 19,2020 15:52:13
[Internet disconnected] Sunday, Apr 19,2020 15:52:00
[Internet connected] IP address: <deleted>, Sunday, Apr 19,2020 15:36:06
[Internet disconnected] Sunday, Apr 19,2020 15:35:48
[Internet connected] IP address: <deleted>, Sunday, Apr 19,2020 15:19:48
[Internet disconnected] Sunday, Apr 19,2020 15:19:35
[Internet connected] IP address: <deleted>, Sunday, Apr 19,2020 15:03:36
[Internet disconnected] Sunday, Apr 19,2020 15:03:23
[Internet connected] IP address: <deleted>, Sunday, Apr 19,2020 14:47:23
[Internet disconnected] Sunday, Apr 19,2020 14:47:10
[Internet connected] IP address: <deleted>, Sunday, Apr 19,2020 14:31:11
[Internet disconnected] Sunday, Apr 19,2020 14:30:58
[DHCP IP: (10.0.0.6)] to MAC address <deleted>, Sunday, Apr 19,2020 14:18:11
[DHCP IP: (10.0.0.5)] to MAC address <deleted>, Sunday, Apr 19,2020 14:18:04
[Admin login] from source 10.0.0.3, Sunday, Apr 19,2020 14:17:12
[Time synchronized with NTP server] Sunday, Apr 19,2020 14:14:57
[Admin login] from source 10.0.0.3, Sunday, Apr 19,2020 14:14:48
[Internet connected] IP address: <deleted>, Sunday, Apr 19,2020 14:14:47
[DHCP IP: (10.0.0.4)] to MAC address <deleted>, Sunday, Apr 19,2020 14:14:42
[Initialized, firmware version: V1.0.0.55_1.0.55] Sunday, Apr 19,2020 14:14:25
[System boot up] Sunday, Apr 19,2020 14:14:25
[DHCP IP: (10.0.0.3)] to MAC address <deleted>, Sunday, Apr 19,2020 14:14:24

I coped the values over to a spreadsheet and noticed that it disconnects every ~16 to 17 mins, most of the time after 16 mins 13 seconds.

Does anybody know what this could be? Bad router? Telkom? ISP (They're with VOX)?

 

[SauRoNZA]

POTS filter has failed most likely, or there isn’t one.

Plug out all analog phones and test the modem directly on the line and see what happens.

 

[FNfal]

Had the same problem it was the Modem .Changed the Modem all was good .
Same Netgear .

 

[Geoff.D]

Vrot PSU for the modem/router probably a failed capacitor that discharges drops power recovers rinse and repeats.
Left over LS effect that is now noticeable or has now appeared.

 

[RonSwanson]

How is the PPPOE connection set up? To connect permanently or to disconnect when idle (every 15 mins)?

 

[ebendl]

Will

How is the PPPOE connection set up? To connect permanently or to disconnect when idle (every 15 mins)?

Will double check again, but I recall the idle timeout was set to 0 mins.

 

[ebendl]

Vrot PSU for the modem/router probably a failed capacitor that discharges drops power recovers rinse and repeats.
Left over LS effect that is now noticeable or has now appeared.

The router itself didn't lose power, I had a ping from the one machine to the gateway on the router and it never failed. The logs were also able to keep online and just showed that it connected/disconnected.

But still, could very well be related to load shedding damaging something. I had one of these N300's too at some point and it was pretty crap.

 

[ebendl]

POTS filter has failed most likely, or there isn’t one.

Plug out all analog phones and test the modem directly on the line and see what happens.

They are going to try this, thanks!

 

[ebendl]

Had the same problem it was the Modem .Changed the Modem all was good .
Same Netgear .

Last resort since the lockdown makes reconfiguring a new router for them much much harder (unless I bill myself as an essential service?)

 

[Geoff.D]

Another thought. Aggressive power saving settings which shut down the interfaces

 

[nitroyetevn]

This isn't the advice you probably wanted, but I see Telkom router, which means they are probably getting adsl from Telkom.

Pro-tip: if there's fibre in the area, just order fibre (not from Telkom! - use Cool Ideas or whoever).

They're allowed to install fibre during lockdown. It'll take maybe 1 week, will be cheaper, faster, and better quality. And you'll never have to troubleshoot anything with Telkom again.

 

[SauRoNZA]

Another thought. Aggressive power saving settings which shut down the interfaces

Never seen such a thing on any router or switching device.

There isn’t any power to be saved really.

 

[SauRoNZA]

OP something to check is that the WAN connection keep alive settings aren’t timing out the connection.

Especially if this problem didn’t just start suddenly and is part of a new setup. Some routers have this silly setting that doesn’t quite work as it takes so long to re-dial on demand.

 

[ebendl]

This isn't the advice you probably wanted, but I see Telkom router, which means they are probably getting adsl from Telkom.

Pro-tip: if there's fibre in the area, just order fibre (not from Telkom! - use Cool Ideas or whoever).

They're allowed to install fibre during lockdown. It'll take maybe 1 week, will be cheaper, faster, and better quality. And you'll never have to troubleshoot anything with Telkom again.

Nah you're right it would be a much better idea.

Will forward to them.