Chorus DSLAM / ISAM Firmware upgrades

Forums › Spark New Zealand (including Skinny and BigPipe) › Chorus DSLAM / ISAM Firmware upgrades

raytaylor

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#85892 27-Jun-2011 23:15

Hi all

Just wondering if anyone else is having the same issue i am having with a few of my customers.
They did use Dlink modems, and a couple had v6 thompsons.

Chorus seem to have been upgrading firmware around hawkes bay, stopping some common modems from being able to sync up.

Its happened to 3 of our customers that we know of, in different suburbs.

For one of our customers, I wrote a letter for them to pass on to telecom and had a chorus technician come out with an old nokia and found it definitley was a firmware issue. That particular customer recieved a free v8 thomson.

However i have since found out that 2 other customers of ours have had to pay to get a new v8 thomson which is now branded telecom, when they had perfectly good D-Links before.

So I have a number of questions about this process

1) If its a telecom customer, why are they being charged?
I realise they are seperate companies but not even the chorus tech that visited the second customer could not get them a free one from his supervisor or wherever he called. The tech said my second customer was his 3rd that day that had the issue. The reason for not issuing a free modem: the modem was out of warranty.

2) If its a customer that is on another ISP that uses the chorus dsl network, does the ISP get reimbursed from chorus so they can provide their end customer a new working modem?

3) Why dont telecom or Alcatel (as i understand are the ones that manage the dsl network) test common modems in NZ with their new firmware?

For all 3 of my customers, they each had a chorus technician visit, who in their job notes said it was a firmware issue, at the exchange or dslam.

Ray Taylor

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#486667 27-Jun-2011 23:49

Several legacy chipsets (conexant, texas instruments and others) used in older modems have problems with the new IKANOS line cards they using now.

From what I gather the problem is with the old modem firmware not the line cards. Cyril knows a bit more about it and may be able to comment.

I think you have a snowballs chance in hell of getting firmware fix from the modem manufacturer for old models, so basically the only option is to replace the modem, if you can get a free one out of Telecom I would consider that lucky.

How long should a free ISP provided modem last... I'd say if it's older than 2 years you have no practically no come back.

The TP-LINK TD-W8960N is <$100 and uses a solid broadcom chipset
http://www.computerlounge.co.nz/components/componentview.asp?partid=12370

Edit:

Hmm with the D Link's depending on the model you can try flashing Router Tech firmware
http://www.routertech.org/faq/firmware/compatible-routers/

sbiddle

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#486695 28-Jun-2011 07:51

The issue won't be so much new firmware, but upgrades to the new Ikanos VDSL2 linecards in the ISAM's. There have been various discussions about dlink modems on here over the past year or so, many such as the 500 series actually choking a few years ago, they stopped working properly when Telecom started deploying ADSL2+ upgrades.

At the end of the day Ikanos are one one of the worlds biggest DSL chipset supplier in the world for line cards, and I'd be contacting the modem vendor to ask what they're going to do about the problem.

wreck90

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#486701 28-Jun-2011 08:05

Ragnor: Several legacy chipsets (conexant, texas instruments and others) used in older modems have problems with the new IKANOS line cards they using now.

From what I gather the problem is with the old modem firmware not the line cards. Cyril knows a bit more about it and may be able to comment.

I think you have a snowballs chance in hell of getting firmware fix from the modem manufacturer for old models, so basically the only option is to replace the modem, if you can get a free one out of Telecom I would consider that lucky.

How long should a free ISP provided modem last... I'd say if it's older than 2 years you have no practically no come back.

The TP-LINK TD-W8960N is http://www.computerlounge.co.nz/components/componentview.asp?partid=12370

Edit:

Hmm with the D Link's depending on the model you can try flashing Router Tech firmware
http://www.routertech.org/faq/firmware/compatible-routers/

I reckon you'd have a shot under the consumer guarantees act.

These people purchased modems that worked perfectly. Telecom have altered their network so these modems no longer work.

My point of view, is that telecom should consider the customers already on their network.

Imagine, if telecoms upgrade disabled ALL modems and you had to buy a 'new' modem from telecom.

It would of course be unacceptable.

cyril7

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#486713 28-Jun-2011 08:34

Hi, as Ragnor and Steve have said, there seems to be an issue with the new VDSL2 capable IKanos cards and some modems, I also understand its not fault with IKanos or the ISAM but more the fact that it deals with certain training situations in a more rule book manner than other implementations.

Most newer modems with current vendor support can have the modem pump firmware upgraded to suit, I understand Cisco/Linksys have provided this to an extent, doubt you will get it on a 8yr old Dlink.

Get yourself some TP-Links, they are not expensive and work very well with Broadcom and IKanos ports, problem solved. Reasonable chance you will provide a major speed boost as older Dlinks were stuck in ADSL1 anyway.

Cyril

jonb

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#486742 28-Jun-2011 09:44

You would have had more luck getting a free thomson modem if the customer contacted telecom directly and offered to re-sign for another 12 months, as a customer retention-type bonus. Chorus would have no incentive at all to give anyone a new modem.

raytaylor

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#486784 28-Jun-2011 11:16

Okay so I accept that the old Dlink 502's etc will have an issue,
but really a v6 Thomson that is maybe 1 or 2 years old (im not sure exactly) surely wouldnt have any issues?

I would have thought that ANY thomson failing would have caused telecom to find another supplier with VDSL cards that were compatible since there must be so many thomsons issued and in working order.

Ray Taylor

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cyril7

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#486804 28-Jun-2011 11:43

Hi, I would have to agree there on the Thompsons, I have not seen issues with them on IKanos cards, maybe something else at play.

Cyril

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techmeister

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#486846 28-Jun-2011 13:00

Here's a cut and paste from Telecom wholesale maps website :

Please note that following any upgrade it is possible that some older modem types may experience connectivity issues. Please contact your service provider if you have problems accessing the Internet after your exchange or cabinet has been upgraded.

So no nobody should be surprised.

The Thompson V6 should be alright though?

You can get a rock solid and fast TP-Link for about $55 + so not really a big deal.

antoniosk

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#486883 28-Jun-2011 13:55

cyril7: Hi, I would have to agree there on the Thompsons, I have not seen issues with them on IKanos cards, maybe something else at play.

Cyril

TCL was struggling for a while there with the Thompson789 modems we deploy when connected to UBA, but that has been fixed via a firmware upgrade to the cpe.

________

Antoniosk

MorganV

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#497877 26-Jul-2011 09:21

Here's an email we've received from Dove NZ in regards to some issues with D-Link routers. Please note these aren't 8yr old models :)

Would love to hear what other routers people have been having issues with.

Subject: Dove Electronics - Tech Bulletin: Broadband Connection IssueGood Evening,
We have spoken to a number of resellers who have begun experiencing problems connecting to ADSL broadband in various parts of NZ.
This relates both to new router installations and to lost connection on existing routers.
The common factors appear to be new DSLAM equipment installed in local exchanges and routers using the very common Broadcom chipset. This chipset is used in many brands of ADSL routers including our D-Link DSL-526B, DSL2642B and DSL-2730B/R routers.
If you are experiencing issues with ADSL connection with one of our routers please refer to your internet provider in the first instance or call Dove for advice on the issue. From what we have seen it appears the issue can be resolved by getting the service provider to switch the DSLAM connection to ADSL1 (as opposed to ADSL2/2+).
Note that we have not seen the issue with our Netcomm routers to date, so an interim solution for new connections may be to use the Netcomm routers until the network issue has been resolved. For existing installed connections that stop working the resolution will come from the ISP changing the local DSLAM setting as above.

Morgan V.

[Mod Edit :BH: Removed link drop and company details]

MorganV

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#497997 26-Jul-2011 13:13

A bit more information that has come to light, please do correct me if I am wrong as I like getting my facts straight :)

- Telecom/Chorus use 3 different VDSL2+ cards in their exchanges which is making it harder for them to diagnose/pinpoint the problem. Seems though that only the new Ikanos card is causing the problem as per above posts.

- All D-Link new ADSL2+ modems use the Broadcom chipset, and the only current workaround is to either force the modem to use ADSL1 standard only or get Telecom to force your connection to ADSL1 at their end.

- NetComm has released a new firmware for their ADSL2+ modems using the Broadcom chipset but it doesn't seem to fix the issue in all cases.

- No ETA from Telecom/Chorus on a resolution from their end.

Morgan V.

[Mod Edit :BH: Removed link drop and company details]

richms

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#498096 26-Jul-2011 16:10

So I guess all that telepermit testing etc that importers have to pay for has proven to be totally worthless then.

IMO, ISP supplied router, and ISP supplied service then its up to the ISP to sort out. That is one good thing with getting the free router from them, it puts any and all faults into their to-do list.

If its a customer supplied router then IMO, customer to try to get resolution from supplier, but the supplier should have no requirement to sort it out as the gear is not faulty, just no longer compatible.

Richard rich.ms

Behodar

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#498104 26-Jul-2011 16:24

MorganV: The common factors appear to be new DSLAM equipment installed in local exchanges and routers using the very common Broadcom chipset.

I thought Broadcom was *less* likely to have problems. Can anyone confirm?

MorganV

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#498123 26-Jul-2011 16:59

Telepermit only really says that the device can safely operate on the copper wire network, and that its not going to blow up the exchange or your house.

The D-Link ADSL2+ routers (DSL-2642B and DSL-2730B, but I am sure there are others) we have been having issues with do say on the box: "This unit complies with ADSL standards worldwide". We are up to 5 complaints regarding these issues, including our own router.

Now as far as I understand standards you can either comply or not comply, it shouldn't 1/2 comply or comply in all but some cases.

Still waiting on an actual answer from D-Link NZ regarding possible firmware upgrades to fix this.

richms

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#498139 26-Jul-2011 17:51

MorganV:
Still waiting on an actual answer from D-Link NZ regarding possible firmware upgrades to fix this.

Yeah good luck with that one ;) IMO set them on fire and buy a netgear ;)

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