ADSL router keeps on crashing

[portcullis]

Please excuse the fact that my knowledge of ADSL isn't that great. Please also excuse the fact that I'm probably going to sound like a n00b, but this really isn't what I deal with on a day to day basis.

We have client who has an ADSL as a backup to their wireless connection.

The ADSL connects to a Getnet router running in bridge mode and then to a MikroTik RB1100AH. The PPPOE connection resides on the MikroTik. I've got a simple little routing table. If the router can't ping our high site, the default route changes over to the ADSL.

These guys have been with us for a long time. They started with a 512Kb connection and now have a 5Mb full duplex 1:1 connection. The ADSL's only there "in case". They've passed less than 1GB of traffic over it this year.

They moved premises this past weekend.

Telkom did a great job and moved the ADSL without any problems today.

We moved their server room, wireless connection and ADSL modem on Saturday. We watched it on our SNMP system all weekend and even though it wasn't syncing (there was no phone line) the adsl router stayed up.

Then Telkom moved the ADSL over.

Now, the adsl router keeps crashing.

What exactly happens? I haven't got a clue.

The router's IP address just disappears.

The ADSL light stays solid and the network light on the Getnet also stays solid. The MikroTik shows the port as being up and connected.

It's as if the router's been given a bitchslap of old and has crashed. If somebody then switches the router off, waits a couple of seconds and switches it on again, it will work for a while, then repeat as above for no reason.

Does anyone have any idea what the problem could be?

Could it be a surge of some kind on the phone line?
Could the unit's power supply be on it's way out?
Could the POTS filter be on it's way out?
Is there something that I'm missing?

 

[HavocXphere]

Sounds like a heat issue to me.

Alternatively, how is the earthing in the new place? Gear can build up weird charges when not properly earthed.

 

[portcullis]

It's a very nice, air conditioned server room. I don't think the problem is heat related.

I knocked an earth spike into the ground and ran a 25mm earth cable into the server room. I then bolted it to the one cabinet. All the cabinets are connected with earth straps. There's continuity between all of them.

The electrical supply also has a good earth.

The only thing that hasn't been done yet, is there are no lightning arrestors on the Krone block where Telkom enters the building. Thing is, if there's a surge coming through the phone lines, why would it just knock out the ADSL router and not also knock out the FXO cards in their voip server?

 

[HavocXphere]

Dunno then.

But I'll contribute a (relevant) cool story in the mean time until someone knowledgeable rocks up here.

http://catb.org/jargon/html/magic-story.html

 

[portcullis]

http://catb.org/jargon/html/magic-story.html

http://thedailywtf.com/

 

[DrJohnZoidberg]

Have you eliminated the possibility that the router is maybe flaky?

 

[portcullis]

I'd like to think the router's good. If it goes apesh... again, I'll replace it with a spare.

 

[bekdik]

have you had Telkom reset the port & check the line? It's a new installation, so bad connection/wiring is a possible

 

[DrJohnZoidberg]

have you had Telkom reset the port & check the line? It's a new installation, so bad connection/wiring is a possible

Oh hey bekdik, congrats on winning the Nexus 7 Lucky bugger.

 

[portcullis]

1:15am and the thing's just gone down again.

We'll swop out the modem and power supply in the morning and see how things go from there.

This is just so very, very weird.

 

[portcullis]

I don't want to jinx this, but I think I may have found the problem.

Seems somebody may have connected the wrong power supply to the ADSL router when we moved the equipment over.

This morning when I had the PSU in my hand, I saw it is a 12V 2A unit. I replaced it with a 12V 500mA unit. So far so good.