loss, & drop in sync

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fragtion

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Hey guys

I got ADSL when it first came out, and until about December 2007 I could swear I had the most stable dsl connection possible. But recently i've been experiencing some problems with packet loss, especially during foggy weather or after rain. Quite a bit of jitter and loss and every few minutes the modem loses sync for a few seconds.

Now obviously I should phone Telkom, but first I'd like to know if anyone has had this problem and how you recommend I report this to those not always so bright folk at the support desk.

I've heard that initially they just send someone to do a basic inspection which passes as "Your line is fine" and you have to keep calling to convince them to get a proper technician to come in and do a full phone line probe to see where the connection in the line is faulty so they can do some repairs...
 
[OUPA]MrNutz;1440641 said:
-check your line health specs
Click to expand...
How exactly do I do this? You talking about the attenuation stats etc, or a physical check of the line? What equipment do i need and how do i do that?
Stats all seem fine and then bang out of nowhere the modem just loses sync as if I unplugged the phone cable from it.

[OUPA]MrNutz;1440641 said:
-try another router
Click to expand...
I'm using a Telkom Mega 100WR which is supposed to be a good router? before this I had a Linksys AG241 which was absolutely awesome, until it got nailed by the forces of nature here in the Highveld...
[OUPA]MrNutz;1440641 said:
-check your filters
Click to expand...
? Only 'filter' between my end of the line and the pole outside is the lightning/suge protector but it doesnt seem to have any impact. In fact I get the same problems going direct without it.
[OUPA]MrNutz;1440641 said:
-disconnect everything except adsl
Click to expand...
This is a dedicated line for the dsl. no phones, pots filters, fax, nothing.


I guess I'll just have to try get through to Telkom. What's the best number to call? 0800 375 375 still a good choice? Is the support desk open 24/7?
 
Hey Fragtion

Im having the same problem and it started at the same time as you.
 
Rainy, any chance you live in Helderkruin or anywhere near there (on the rrba-ip-esr-3/Rosebank exchange)? ;)
 
mega100 has got line specs yes... attenuation down and SNR down that i am interested in..

attenuation should not exceed 60 and SNR should not be below 6.
 
# cat /proc/avalanche/avsar_modem_stats said:
AR7 DSL Modem Statistics:
--------------------------------
[DSL Modem Stats]
US Connection Rate: 384 DS Connection Rate: 4096
DS Line Attenuation: 22 DS Margin: 12
US Line Attenuation: 15 US Margin: 12
US Payload : 1666800 DS Payload: 17888928
US Superframe Cnt : 37740 DS Superframe Cnt: 37740
US Transmit Power : 3 DS Transmit Power: 14
LOS errors: 0 SEF errors: 0
Errored Seconds: 0 Severely Err Secs: 0
Frame mode: 3 Max Frame mode: 0
Trained Path: 0 US Peak Cell Rate: 905
Trained Mode: 2 Selected Mode: 65535
ATUC Vendor Code: 54535443 ATUC Revision: 1
Hybrid Selected: 2 Trellis: 1
Showtime Count: 18 DS Max Attainable Bit Rate: 8032 kbps
BitSwap: 1 US Max Attainable Bit Rate: n/a
Annex: AnxA psd_mask_qualifier: 0x0000
Power Management Status: L0 DS HLINSC: 0
US ACTPSD: -345 DS ACTPSD: -419
Total init. errors: 0 Total init. timeouts: 0
Showtime init. errors: 0 Showtime init. timeouts: 0
Last showtime init. errors: 0 Last showtime init. timeouts: 0
ATUC ghsVid: b5 00 54 53 54 43 00 00
T1413Vid: 00 00 T1413Rev: 00 VendorRev: 00
ATUR ghsVid: b5 00 54 53 54 43 00 00
T1413Vid: 00 00 T1413Rev: 00 VendorRev: 00

[Upstream (TX) Interleave path]
CRC: 0 FEC: 0 NCD: 1
LCD: 0 HEC: 0

[Downstream (RX) Interleave path]
CRC: 0 FEC: 0 NCD: 0
LCD: 0 HEC: 0

[Upstream (TX) Fast path]
CRC: 1 FEC: 136 NCD: 0
LCD: 0 HEC: 68

[Downstream (RX) Fast path]
CRC: 1795 FEC: 0 NCD: 0
LCD: 0 HEC: 0

[ATM Stats]
[Upstream/TX]
Good Cell Cnt: 34725
Idle Cell Cnt: 546329

Tx Packets Dropped Count: 0
Tx Bad Packets Count: 9989

[Downstream/RX)]
Good Cell Cnt: 372686
Idle Cell Cnt: 5822703
Bad Hec Cell Cnt: 2504
Overflow Dropped Cell Cnt: 0
Rx Packets Dropped Count: 0
Rx Bad Packets Count: 0


[SAR AAL5 Stats]
Tx PDU's: 2465082
Rx PDU's: 2346972
Tx Total Bytes: 414359660
Rx Total Bytes: 566449312
Tx Total Error Counts: 0
Rx Total Error Counts: 9554


[OAM Stats]
Near End F5 Loop Back Count: 0
Near End F4 Loop Back Count: 0
Far End F5 Loop Back Count: 0
Far End F4 Loop Back Count: 0
SAR OAM Ping Response Drop Count=15
Click to expand...

Modem status page said:
Modem Status

Connection Status Connected
Us Rate (Kbps) 384
Ds Rate (Kbps) 4096
US Margin 12
DS Margin 11
Trained Modulation ADSL_G.dmt
LOS Errors 0
DS Line Attenuation 22
US Line Attenuation 15
Peak Cell Rate 905 cells per sec
CRC Rx Fast 1965
CRC Tx Fast 1
CRC Rx Interleaved 0
CRC Tx Interleaved 0
Path Mode Fast Path
DSL Statistics

Near End F4 Loop Back Count 0
Near End F5 Loop Back Count 0
Click to expand...
If I constantly monitor the DS Noise Margin i can see it drop even as low as like 3.. so i'm guessing the problem is being caused by some kind of noise interference? ..

Here's a 60 minute ping-plotter graph showing the loss (ping fluctuations are because I was on skype and browsing etc.):
ftp://ftp.uunet.co.za/pub/incoming/fragtion/dsl-241-192-01.telkomadsl.co.za.png
 
Last edited:
try a program called routerstats (freeware) - try plotting a graph and sharing it ...

sounds like you have an intermittend sync loss problem.
 
if you have the SNR plots - and you can dispatch a tech - ask him to bring the sunrise sunset tester (black) or dynatel tester (yellow) ...those two units can CLEARLY show SNR/attenuation/loop problems.
 
will do, thanks! :)
my attenuation stats dont seem all that bad, but the fluctuating noise margins mean something's obviously not right somewhere. gonna do some routerstats graphing and assuming i dont have any loadshedding, i'll post it up this afternoon. Seems i'm inevitably & ultimately going to land up having to call Telkom tech anyway though :'(
 
My ADSL line is a separate phone line used exclusively for the DSL, but used to be a fax line for my dad's business. I wanted to get the fax working again today, and noticed that there's no voice/dial tone at all on the line, even with POTS filters installed. This really convinced me that there's something wrong with the line, and I'm actually even surprised DSL works..

An interesting thing I noticed is that having a phone which is off-hook attached to the line without a pots filter stabilized the noise a bit and stopped the sync drops! But of course this isn't practical, the problem should be fixed.

Anyway, so I called 0800 375 375 and reported the fault. They did some kind of test from their side while I was on the line with them, and they CONFIRMED something was wrong, gave me a reference number, and said they'd send a technician to sort the problem out.

I'll post the results, any issues they give, and time they took to come repair here as soon as it happens..
 
arghhhh

I am having similar problems to what you mentioned. However out of my 5 DSL lines 3 are suspect. Keep on losing sync every 15-50 minutes.

I have had Telkom rocket scientists out to my office for the last week, they come in, call the test centre, tell me everything is fine and leave. I have requested they reset the ports at the DSLAM which has supposedly been done.

When looking at my cables outside my office at the first pole its a complete mess ! I insist that the problem lies there but they just dont seem to do anything about it.

whats next ?? How can I call the cabling division myself ??

Failing all that I;m going to get myself a ladder and cable joiners and do the job myself !!

Any ideas would be more than gladly appreciated.
 
I have had the same problem (and I suspect its back again since last night). This problem with my line was/is, moisture is creeping in at the exchange. It happened to me last year...my line would disconnect at around 8:30 in the evenings and then start synching at around 6 in the morning when the sun would be shinning down.

After 4 seperate calls to telkom, they finally sorted it out.

Well until last night, and so far my line is still down, dont know if this is still moisture or if there is load shedding somewhere in centurion/midrand where the exchange is located
 
Gothan said:
I have had the same problem (and I suspect its back again since last night). This problem with my line was/is, moisture is creeping in at the exchange. It happened to me last year...my line would disconnect at around 8:30 in the evenings and then start synching at around 6 in the morning when the sun would be shinning down.

After 4 seperate calls to telkom, they finally sorted it out.

Well until last night, and so far my line is still down, dont know if this is still moisture or if there is load shedding somewhere in centurion/midrand where the exchange is located
Click to expand...

Im having the exact same issue ... yesterday it seemed fine though ... but still the tech is gonna come out tomorrow ...
 
When I called Telkom yesterday to check fault status, they'd cleared my fault and nothing had been repaired. So i re-opened it and got a new reference number.
Today the problems were worse than ever. Sync was dropping at least every 2 minutes. Then suddenly... perfect. And no telkom van near my house????

My stats before:
US Margin 11
DS Margin 6
DS Line Attenuation 23
US Line Attenuation 16

My stats now:
US Margin 14
DS Margin 22
DS Line Attenuation 13
US Line Attenuation 6

And dial-tone has been restored to the phones!
No more packet loss or sync problems now of course, so I'm guessing they've fixed it? Obviously the fault was on their side seeing as nothing Telkom came to my premesis?
 
fragtion_ said:
Hey guys

I got ADSL when it first came out, and until about December 2007 I could swear I had the most stable dsl connection possible. But recently i've been experiencing some problems with packet loss, especially during foggy weather or after rain. Quite a bit of jitter and loss and every few minutes the modem loses sync for a few seconds.

Now obviously I should phone Telkom, but first I'd like to know if anyone has had this problem and how you recommend I report this to those not always so bright folk at the support desk.
Click to expand...

Odds are it is the line. I would check with Telkom whether they think it is weather related and if they can do something. Just phone and ask them... They can test while you are on the line. If they don't detect an issue and it persists ask them to come out...

First check your own equipment though...

A client of mine is having this problem atm. Have to go through same crap...
 
antowan said:
Odds are it is the line.
Click to expand...
it is - check my previous post, seems sorted.. hope it lasts, because i havent received any confirmation from telkom (sms/call) and no techies have come to my house, so i hope it isnt just a loose line that reconnected itself only to be later giving problems again :( and i'll look like the ***** when the tech comes here and sees there's no problems at the moment.
 
I had the most astonishing experience a while ago:
My speed was half of what it should be.
Logged a fault.
Tech guy came along next morning, listened to my story and drove off in his van.
2 hours later I get a call asking me to test the line.
It was fixed. They had found a short down the road.
I am still speechless.
 
they gave me some "Ver code 28" .. meaning a short on my line .. tech came out says ther is a fault and most prob a wet cable and nothing they can really do about it ... needless to say i am stuck with this problem ... what can i do??? ... the line is fine in the morn ... at night like now it syncs and looses sync every couple of seconds ... struggled typing this message out ... im really annoyed!!! ... i even dropped my line speed form 4meg to 2 meg ... someone help me pleeeeeeeeeeeese
 
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