ADSL losing sync constantly

[rsd]

Last night my adsl started acting up. I've never had any issues before, but suddenly it is losing sync with the exchange every 10 to 15 minutes.

I'm in Rondebosch, Cape Town.

Stats straight after losing and regaining sync:

Connection Speed 384 kbps 128 kbps
Line Attenuation 33.0 db 17.5 db
Noise Margin 5.4 db 12.0 db

Stats now, after its been synced for a while:

ADSL Link Downstream Upstream
Connection Speed 384 kbps 128 kbps
Line Attenuation 33.0 db 15.5 db
Noise Margin 22.2 db 13.0 db

Can anyone help shed some light on what might be causing this or what I can do about it? I don't really know where to start. Should I just (please no...) call Telkom and report a line fault?

 

[Pada]

The change in SNR usually goes hand in hand with bad weather (rain).
Of course there are hundreds of other reasons / interferences that could affect it as well.

Usually the first thing to check is the Line Attenuation, and yours is fine (below 50dB).
Secondly, check the ADSL filters. Remove them and only connect the ADSL modem to the Telkom line and see if your SNR margins improved & stays fixed.

If neither of those 2 really affected your SNR margin / line stability, then you should try and gather as much information as possible.
eg. does the instability issues occur during bad weather? Does it occur during peak hours? Does it occur at specific time slots? Does it occur only when the lights or other devices in the vicinity are switched on?

You could have Telkom look into the matter, but if the Telkom technicians inspect your line on a day/period that your line is 100% stable, then they might not find the fault.
Luckily for me, they came just after it rained and then my connection was in a horrible shape and they've managed to solve the problem quickly.

 

[rsd]

I've downloaded routerstats lite which I'm now using (for the past few hours) to monitor the SNR. It was fine and constant (28dB) for quite a while, but then dropped to zero suddenly around 8:40 and has been all over the show since.

It's pretty windy but that's about it, so don't think its the weather.

Thanks for the advice though, I'll try removing everything else that's connected to the line and bypassing the filter.

 

[ichigo]

I've downloaded routerstats lite which I'm now using (for the past few hours) to monitor the SNR. It was fine and constant (28dB) for quite a while, but then dropped to zero suddenly around 8:40 and has been all over the show since.

It's pretty windy but that's about it, so don't think its the weather.

Thanks for the advice though, I'll try removing everything else that's connected to the line and bypassing the filter.

Wind could cause line problems or aggravate them, does it happen when theres no wind also?

 

[rsd]

Have not had a loss of sync (that I have been aware of) since I moved here in March, despite some reasonably nasty storms in winter. Has started happening very suddenly. Only change is new neighbours have just moved in - maybe they have recently got a phone line installed or something along those lines that could have an impact.

 

[Spooner]

I've been having the same issue since Tuesday. My line isn't synching at all and now my voice line is dead too. To get hold of telkom is like trying to draw blood from a stone. Eventually I do get hold of them and they say "eish...I don't know...let me transfer you to someone else" (litarally those exact words I swear), then I hold for another 10 min tonly to hear them say "no everything is fine our side". Load of crap. Going in to see them today. Think that would be your best bet too

 

[elL0L]

I've been having the same issue since Tuesday. My line isn't synching at all and now my voice line is dead too. To get hold of telkom is like trying to draw blood from a stone. Eventually I do get hold of them and they say "eish...I don't know...let me transfer you to someone else" (litarally those exact words I swear), then I hold for another 10 min tonly to hear them say "no everything is fine our side". Load of crap. Going in to see them today. Think that would be your best bet too

My line also don't want to sync this morning.

 

[davemc]

You could also try: Switching off your equipment and then plugging in a normal phone before the filters and listening for noise on the line.
Of course, you have to do this when you're experiencing the problems.

 

[CruizD]

Same for me actually since last night, I think.

International viewing drops constantly.

 

[BigAl-sa]

I've been having the same issue since Tuesday. My line isn't synching at all and now my voice line is dead too. To get hold of telkom is like trying to draw blood from a stone. Eventually I do get hold of them and they say "eish...I don't know...let me transfer you to someone else" (litarally those exact words I swear), then I hold for another 10 min tonly to hear them say "no everything is fine our side". Load of crap. Going in to see them today. Think that would be your best bet too

What I found works best up here is to log a fault on their website:

http://www.telkom.co.za/general/customercentre/faults.html

 

[rsd]

What I found works best up here is to log a fault on their website:

http://www.telkom.co.za/general/customercentre/faults.html

Thanks for the advice. I did that on Thursday afternoon and the guy rocked up Friday morning 10am! Great service from Telkom... suspicious.

He found noise on the line and buggered around in my roof for a bit and claimed it was sorted. An hour after he left it started acting up again. I've been away all weekend, so will have to wait and see if its stable. Is working fine now, but it has always been fine for 2 hours+ followed by broken on and off for an hour.