Help with intermittent line...

[superjuice]

I have a big problem that has been causing me headaches for the last 4 months. I have logged numerous calls with telkom, they have run all sorts of available tests and I have had 3 different tech/fault teams try and solve the problem, all to no avail.

The problem seems to be getting worse and it seems that Telkom have no idea what is causing it and how to fix it, so maybe someone here either can help or has had the same problem and can solve mine.

I have a Netgear DG814 Router. When I go into the Netgear Gateway interface through my web browser and access my stats (see below), under the status it will say 'link down'. The link will stay down for a couple of seconds and then go 'link up' to a maximum of 14 seconds and then go down again. During those 14 seconds of 'link up'I can browse, send/recieve mail etc. This happens quite a couple of times during the day and can take anywhere between 2 mins and 1 hour to hold the link up status for a reasonable amount of time befroe resorting back to the link down status. While this happens I still retain my WAN IP address.

www.tracx.co.za/files/status.jpg
www.tracx.co.za/files/stats.jpg

I have tried everything and so has Telkom's techies, but to no avail. If anyone has had a similar problem or know what the problem is please post... I'm desperate and it seems to be getting WORSE!!!

 

[DarkSkies]

What is your idle timeout set to under basic settings? Default is 5 mins.

What cable are you using to connect the DG814 to the Telkom ADSL port? I use the flat white four wire cable that came with the DG814. Plugs straight into the ADSL line and into the DG814.

Are you using the filter that came with the DG814? Personally I don't use it and plug my DG814 straight into the line, and use a Telkom filter for my phone.

If the line is working properly there is an "i" symbol withe a cirle around it on the front panel that should be lit in green.

If you try and change the cable or any of the connections on the DG814 make sure you switch it off, make the changes and then switch it on again. Took me forever to get the "i" symbol lit, simply because I was "hot" plugging the cables.

The portion that is disturbs me is the section entitled modem on the status.jpg. Mine always displays the downstream and upstream speeds and has Fast Connect listed next to Connect Mode.

Hmmmm decide against posting of the config here, too much secure information that could be used to mess with your account if it gets screwed up.

 

[ItalicBold]

I have exact same problem, connected to the westville echange. When I use raspppoe, I get exactly the same senario. However we are usualy connected via router mode and not raspppoe, in which case the modem just doesn't sync at all when the line does this.

We have also logged numerous complaints to no avail. We were offline the whole day today because of this problem. Yet the line seems to be fine as when I connect the adsl line to a phone, I can dial out crystal clear. I am certain it is something to do with the dslam or the exchange.

 

[ItalicBold]

Well telkom has hopefully fixed our problem now. They apparently "reset the software on the exchange", no idea wtf that means.

 

[superjuice]

Uhh, firstly, DarkSkies, thanks m8, but those are pretty elementary and I don't think that my problem lies there. I have connected it properly and I have an excellent working knowledge of routers and modems...

Well it's the 4th day running know and telkom have replaced every line they can from here to the exchange and guess what... The problem still persists.

So they say now that the problem could be lying with the exchange. ItalicBold I'll try and relay the solution your techies reached to the guys here. Maybe it will work, but I'm beginning to give up hope.

But what really pissed me off is 2 things.

1. One of the Telkom techies asked me whether I would be willing to go back to ISDN if they can't fix the problem. No WTF is that?

<i>Sorry sir we don't have the necessary expertise to solve your problem and we have no competition, so that if we don't solve the problem you have no other choice...</i>

2. Apparently, Telkom has had ADSL available (not publically) for a long time, way before they made it public. And they say 512 is the lowest speed they can actually offer. <i>Conspiracy theorists unite...</i>