Chorus DSLAM / ISAM Firmware upgrades

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Ragnor

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#498163 26-Jul-2011 18:34

Behodar:
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?

The most common factor is probably D-Link hah, but seriously most previous problems have been really old modems using conexant or other chipsets.

Haven't seen any problem with the following modems at home on cabinet with ikanos line cards, which all use broadcom...

Dynalink RTA1320 (Broadcom BCM6338)
TP Link TD 8840 (Broadcom BCM6338)
TP Link TD-W8960N (Broadcom BCM6358)

Pretty sure Netcomm/Dynalink and TP Link use similar chipsets and firmware customization is just look and feel (skinning) of OEM firmware. Maybe D-Link started with different versions of the OEM firmware.

Also Linksys AM300 (Texas Instruments) seemed fine

richrdh18

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#498181 26-Jul-2011 19:09

Hi,
I've had two issues with two clients recently upgraded to the DSL-2730B/R routers having disconnection issues. It wasnt until it rang Dove to confirm issues with the router and then read their email.

Today i visited both clients and downgraded the routers back to ADSL1. (not that they will know the dif anyway) Routers detected the DSL signal and connected again within seconds.

cyril7

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#498199 26-Jul-2011 19:37

If you observe the TP-Links, Dynalinks, Netgear modems have a similar firmware/web_admin feel, I suspect these all drive the data pump/DSL subassembly from a common library thats Broadcom provided, where as Dlink and others would roll their own, hence the reason that others have potential issues and that a firmware upgrade can fix the issue.

No firm knowledge, just speculation.

Cyril

MorganV

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#498369 27-Jul-2011 09:56

Ragnor:
Behodar:
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?

The most common factor is probably D-Link hah, but seriously most previous problems have been really old modems using conexant or other chipsets.

Haven't seen any problem with the following modems at home on cabinet with ikanos line cards, which all use broadcom...

Dynalink RTA1320 (Broadcom BCM6338)
TP Link TD 8840 (Broadcom BCM6338)
TP Link TD-W8960N (Broadcom BCM6358)

Pretty sure Netcomm/Dynalink and TP Link use similar chipsets and firmware customization is just look and feel (skinning) of OEM firmware. Maybe D-Link started with different versions of the OEM firmware.

Also Linksys AM300 (Texas Instruments) seemed fine

The D-Link DSL-2642B uses the Broadcom BCM6338 Chipset, as found in the syslog:

Jan 1 00:00:10 (none) user.warn kernel: bcmxtmrt: Broadcom BCM6338A2 ATM Network Device v0.1 Oct 6 2010 20:44:36
Jan 1 00:00:10 (none) user.warn kernel: Broadcom BCM6338A2 Ethernet Network Device v0.3 Oct 6 2010 20:44:30

Which as Cyril is speculating points to a Firmware issue and not a Hardware one.

Back to D-Link...

Bung

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#498391 27-Jul-2011 10:29

MorganV: 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.

Standards are funny things. Years ago it used to be the norm that modem manufacturers were advised to ensure compatibility with the Alcatel chipset that was common then worldwide in various DSLAM line cards even if they thought they complied.

2011tv

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#499019 28-Jul-2011 16:13

Ok I am going to email ikanos that produce the line cards but I need to know the following:

Which routers/modems(including model numbers) have problems(list the problems) with the ikanos vdsl line cards. And which ikanos line cards are the problems with?

I have found a contact for ikanos at their website ikanos.com

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cyril7

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#499105 28-Jul-2011 20:11

Might not help, Ikanos produce the chipsets, but ALU will have produced the firmware that controls the chipsets.

Cyril

sbiddle

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#499107 28-Jul-2011 20:12

2011tv: Ok I am going to email ikanos that produce the line cards but I need to know the following:

Ikanos don't make the line cards so it's no good contacting them.

GerardL

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#504078 9-Aug-2011 21:15

Hi team -we've read the discussion and this is the lowdown: Telecom Wholesale have been running a standard programme of ISAM software upgrades combined with VDSL2 card introduction over the past six months.

They've identified a connectivity issue that can happen with certain modems having trouble synching with the DSLAM under certain line conditions – todate we've had around 200 reported instances of this occurring.

To sort this out, we're getting a patch for the software - it's been successfully tested against most known modems that have had the problem. Once we receive the patch later this month, we'll introduce it onto some live nodes that have had incidences of this problem. If that's successful, we intend to upgrade all ISAM software to the patched version.

If you think you're affected, the best thing to do is contact your ISP.

matt45

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#504113 9-Aug-2011 22:51

^ the above pretty much answers the real question

but just coz I'm picky and these are common misconceptions i wanted to point out:

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.

It is the end ISP's responsibility to deal with the end customer re: modems and credits for said modems, they could probably then seek compensation from telecom wholesale if they wanted to.

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?

Chorus DOES NOT have a DSL network they actually own next to nothing in terms of active network (only lines, buildings, power and air con) all DSLAM etc are owned by telecom wholesale (obviously some carriers have their own DSLAMs also). and therefore chorus has nothing do with any ISP/Modem reimbursement.

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?

Almost everything has to go through a lab based environment before it hits the real world, unfortunately testing isn't always 100% foolproof.

raytaylor

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#504120 9-Aug-2011 23:15

matt45:

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?

Chorus DOES NOT have a DSL network they actually own next to nothing in terms of active network (only lines, buildings, power and air con) all DSLAM etc are owned by telecom wholesale (obviously some carriers have their own DSLAMs also). and therefore chorus has nothing do with any ISP/Modem reimbursement..

Replace 'chorus' with 'telecom wholesale' then?

So

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

Ray Taylor

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matt45

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#504127 9-Aug-2011 23:29

raytaylor:
matt45:

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?

Chorus DOES NOT have a DSL network they actually own next to nothing in terms of active network (only lines, buildings, power and air con) all DSLAM etc are owned by telecom wholesale (obviously some carriers have their own DSLAMs also). and therefore chorus has nothing do with any ISP/Modem reimbursement..

Replace 'chorus' with 'telecom wholesale' then?

So

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

By default i would say no, i would think that this kind of thing the larger carriers would normally absorb themselves rather than bother chasing a couple of hundred $ credit on a monthly account which is likely in the hundreds of thousands.
(i don't work for telecom wholesale tho)

Ragnor

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#504285 10-Aug-2011 12:08

raytaylor:

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

It's likely they would say actual fault is with the modems firmware and that patching their isam/linecard firmware is a workaround to help out not an admission the linecard firmware is at fault.

Truth is probably somewhere in-between, compatibility issues happen - that's life

akia

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#504427 10-Aug-2011 14:51

The below is from the Telecom Wholesale team:

Hi team - we've read the discussion and this is the low down: Telecom Wholesale have been running a standard programme of ISAM software upgrades combined with VDSL2 card introduction over the past six months.

They've identified a connectivity issue that can happen with certain modems having trouble synching with the DSLAM under certain line conditions ? to date we've had around 200 reported instances of this occurring.

To sort this out, we're getting patch for the software - it's been successfully tested against most known modems that have had the problem. Once we receive the patch later this month, we'll introduce it onto some live nodes that have had incidences of this problem. If that's successful, we intend to upgrade all ISAM software to the patched version.

If you think you're affected, the best thing to do is contact your ISP.

vtr

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#505192 11-Aug-2011 20:36

hi All,

have been reading this subject with interest. Around 6 weeks ago our local exchange was "upgraded" I guess for the ADSL2 service due to be implemented in a few weeks time ..At the same time as the upgrade our DLink DSL-502T stopped working every night from around 6.30pm to 6.30am, constantly dropping out of sync. ADSL help desk tech guys ran a log over a period of time and there were typically up to 800 drop outs during a typical evening. We spent the first 5 weeks with the usual dog and pony show about its your line, its the local interference situation (there isnt any except some dogs that yap nightly!) The poor old Chorus guys were being stonewalled themselves until on one visit (we had multiple visits as our multiple request to repair ..fix, created yet another Chorus call out etc..) one of the chorus guys did some extra homework and informed me basically in simple language the compatability issue that upgrading exchanges has been creating and that there was " a list" that some engineers had access to which nominated these modems. As our DSL was already rated, and approved by Telecom at the time of purchase, as compatible with their adsl2 service, I couldnt imagine a scenario where any firmware/hardware modem package could recognise the time of day and start acting up for 12 hours then revert back to more normal behaviour seven days a week. Normal behaviour was around 7.0am to 6.30pm of total reliability, good speed, no problems! Anyway to cut out the to and froing that many have reported in earlier posts because i couldnt get any actual commitment out of Telecom to do anything , they were simply waiting for us to cave in and get another modem I guess, I decided to approach DLink tech support in Aus.

There response follows:
Response 1.We are aware of Telecom rolling our new telecommunication equipment in New Zealand. Unfortuently there is no solution to this problem with your DSL-502T. My only advise would be to update your old hardware with a more current model. The DSL-502T is no longer in active development and has been phased out for some time now.
Response 2.
There are several DSL modem / modem + wifi router available,example DSL-526B, DSL-2642B,etc. Majority of our current DSL products are running on Broadcom chipsets. There is an issue with New Zealand DSLAM with communicate with Broadcom chipsets and New Zealand Telecom is aware of the problem with their DSLAM and currently working on fixing the problem.

Having received that I have decided to purchase a current Thomson modem from a telecom shop , on the basis if they were selling it to the public it should work..the TG585V8 in this case and install it. I just cant afford to have our business down every day for 12 hours any longer. Ethically Im with a number of replies on this subject about if telecom by way of exchange upgrade make an end users modem unreliable/unuseable effectively, then they should simply replace it at their cost and get on with life. I think what sucks is that everything I found out they already know but were happy to keep us hanging for now nearly 6 weeks and see if we would give up and get a modem under our own steam, We asked for a replacement to be sent to us at no cost that they recommended on the basis that we didnt believe we should have to pay for it however if it was found that a replacement modem resolved the issue we would pay for it and get on with our business, which is actually not to do with solving broadband issues. We have had 2 guys from Chorus being stuffed around, ourselves, and a lot of ill feeling surrounding what is "cards on the table" a technical issue well documented and known to some but hidden from others. We work in an allied tech field and we strike this all the time with software incompatabilities hardware upgrades etc which we all hate but its out there and has to be fixed.. Pretending it isnt occuring has helped no one. Anyway thats my 5 cents worth, the modem has been running on both ethernet and wireless on a mixture of PC and Mac platforms and at 8.30pm as im writing this we are still connected with reliability and good speed for our rural location, which hasnt been the case for nearly 6 weeks ill come back to the forum if it all turns to custart again

cheers

BTW Results on speedtest a few minuteas ago were

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