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Yortw

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#139014 24-Jan-2014 22:49
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Hi,

I am hoping someone can help me solve this, either directly by providing things I can try, or by putting me in touch with someone useful at Telecom. Sorry the post is so long, but it has been going on a long time and I have tried lots of things, so there is a lot to document.

On the 23rd of December we had our broadband connection upgraded to VDSL. Previously we had ADSL, and everything was fine. There have been no deliberate changes to any part of our networking since the upgrade, except for the new modem Telecom supplied (a Technicolor unit). At this point, our broadband is effectively unusable *for browsing the web*.

Our basic problem is that all web pages fail to load/timeout when we try to load them. This happens on at least 4 devices (Win8 desktop PC connected to router by cable, two Win 8 tablets and a Win8 laptop connected via WiFi). It happens with all browsers we've tried - IE 11, Chrome, Firefox. Oddly, I have no problems connecting to my office or customers via VPN (standard Windows PPTP VPN), and usually (though not always) I am able to download game updates via Steam. It *seems* like it is only web traffic that is 'broken'.

I should mention that the problems with accessing the web are intermittent, though 98% of the time nothing works, and most of the rest of the time it only 'sort of works'. By sort of I mean that often when we can get a site to load at all, only a single page will load. Any links we try to follow or form posts we attempt usually fail. For example, when we can get to google dot com it often fails to bring up search results. If we are able to get a results page, usually none of the linked sites come up. Sometimes only the html for a page loads, all the images, css and script files appear to fail - leaving the page unreadable/usable. This occurs with both national and international websites. It even occurs with the Telecom NZ site.

My work laptop still works fine when I take it to my office and connect there (wifi or cable), but has the same problem as my other devices when on my home network. I believe that, and that multiple devices are affected indicates the problem is not on the devices themselves (i.e software blocking connections, bad windows networking setup etc). We are only using the standard Windows firewall (unchanged from when everything was working) and we do not have any security software installed that should be affecting the connection (i.e no Norton/Mcaffee internet security suite etc.)

We show VDSL speeds of around 10mb/s up and about 38mb/s down. The modem lights and status pages indicate the modem is ok, connected ok, and NOT dropping the line. These speeds are shown both by the modem and, when we can access the site, speedtest dot net. In addition Telecom put monitoring on our line after we initially reported the problem to them, and they show no drops either. For traffic that does work (VPN connection, steam game downloads) we get several mb/s depending on the server and time of day, so speed and latency etc. do not seem to be the issue, at least not directly.

My modem configuration shows the DNS server addresses configured as being the same as those published by Telecom on their support pages for non-Telecom modems.

Today a technician left a card in our door saying he had visited, checked the line and it was all fine. The connection still doesn't work for us.

Telecom have also provided us with a second modem (another Technicolor one). That didn't help either. Obviously neither has resetting the modem, or even a factory reset on the original unit. I actually don't think it is a hardware or wiring problem at this point. I suspect something funny with my Telecom account setup, or maybe the wiring at the cabinet/exchange/whatever.

Finally, the best piece of evidence I have is some tracert results. I'm not an expert in networking etc. so maybe this isn't conclusive, but to me it seems to show a problem at the Telecom end. When the problem is occurring, tracert to any site shows I get two hops beyond my modem, then everything times out. It is always the same - my modem -> Jetstream server -> global gateway server, then timeouts.

Here are some tracert results to different sites, some on the same day, some on other days;

Tracing route to www.gmail.com [198.18.1.8]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

1 1 ms <1 ms 1 ms dsldevice.lan [192.168.1.254]
2 54 ms 123 ms 115 ms 122-60-8-1.jetstream.xtra.co.nz [122.60.8.1]
3 * 30 ms 29 ms mdr-ip20e-int.msc.global-gateway.net.nz [203.96.
66.22]
4 * * * Request timed out.
5 * * * Request timed out.
6 * * * Request timed out.
7 * * * Request timed out.
8 * * * Request timed out.
9 * * * Request timed out.
10 * * * Request timed out.
11 * * * Request timed out.
12 * * * Request timed out.
13 * * * Request timed out.
14 * * * Request timed out.
15 * * * Request timed out.
16 * * * Request timed out.
17 * * * Request timed out.
18 * * * Request timed out.
19 * * * Request timed out.
20 * * * Request timed out.
21 * * * Request timed out.
22 * * * Request timed out.
23 * * * Request timed out.
24 * * * Request timed out.
25 * * * Request timed out.
26 * * * Request timed out.
27 * * * Request timed out.
28 * * * Request timed out.
29 * * * Request timed out.
30 * * * Request timed out.

Trace complete.

Tracing route to www.telecom.co.nz [198.18.1.18]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

1 1 ms <1 ms <1 ms dsldevice.lan [192.168.1.254]
2 659 ms 111 ms 28 ms 122-60-8-1.jetstream.xtra.co.nz [122.60.8.1]
3 30 ms 29 ms 29 ms mdr-ip20e-int.msc.global-gateway.net.nz [203.96.
66.22]
4 * * * Request timed out.
5 * * * Request timed out.
6 * * * Request timed out.
7 * * * Request timed out.
8 * * * Request timed out.
9 * * * Request timed out.
10 * * * Request timed out.
11 * * * Request timed out.
12 * * * Request timed out.
13 * * * Request timed out.
14 * * * Request timed out.
15 * * * Request timed out.
16 * * * Request timed out.
17 * * * Request timed out.
18 * * * Request timed out.
19 * * * Request timed out.
20 * * * Request timed out.
21 * * * Request timed out.
22 * * * Request timed out.
23 * * * Request timed out.
24 * * * Request timed out.
25 * * * Request timed out.
26 * * * Request timed out.
27 * * * Request timed out.
28 * * * Request timed out.
29 * * * Request timed out.
30 * * * Request timed out.

Trace complete.

Tracing route to www.outlook.com [198.18.1.215]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

1 <1 ms <1 ms <1 ms dsldevice.lan [192.168.1.254]
2 41 ms 30 ms 32 ms 122-60-8-1.jetstream.xtra.co.nz [122.60.8.1]
3 * 29 ms 29 ms mdr-ip20e-int.msc.global-gateway.net.nz [203.96.
66.22]
4 * * * Request timed out.
5 * * * Request timed out.
6 * * * Request timed out.
7 * * * Request timed out.
8 * * * Request timed out.
9 * * * Request timed out.
10 * * * Request timed out.
11 * * * Request timed out.
12 * * * Request timed out.
13 * * * Request timed out.
14 * * * Request timed out.
15 * * * Request timed out.
16 * * * Request timed out.
17 * * * Request timed out.
18 * * * Request timed out.
19 * * * Request timed out.
20 * * * Request timed out.
21 * * * Request timed out.
22 * * * Request timed out.
23 * * * Request timed out.
24 * * * Request timed out.
25 * * * Request timed out.
26 * * * Request timed out.
27 * * * Request timed out.
28 * * * Request timed out.
29 * * * Request timed out.
30 * * * Request timed out.

Trace complete.

I have called Telecom 5-6 times now. For the last 3-4 times I have immediately be escalated to tier 2 support, but still no one has been able to help. I believe they are miscommunicating at their end - the last person I spoke to said as much. Apparently the previous person had sent the problem to another team but told them I only had problems with specific sites, so that team just came back and said not our problem - we don't even investigate this kind of issue. He (the last person I spoke to) said he would send it back to that team and make sure they understood it was any site, but I haven't heard anything for a couple of days now. This is the second time they have said it is a problem on my end - but have not given me anything useful to do or check. I can accept it might be on my end - but given the multiple devices, occurs on wifi or cable, at least one device still works on another network etc. I can't really see any evidence that the problem is with my equipment. Also, everything worked before the VDSL upgrade.

I didn't call them for the first 10 working days after the upgrade as I had been advised it would take them that long to 'optimise the line', but the problems have only gotten more frequent, not better. The first person I spoke to also seems to have incorrectly logged the problem as the line being dropped, even though I have explained every time I call the line IS NOT being dropped. Every time I call I have to re-explain the problem and all the things we've tried, all the evidence again etc. because either it's not all written down, or they aren't reading it. I'm not sure they're listening when I explain it again - we seem to go round in circles with them suggesting the same things time and again.

Thanks in advance.

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PeterReader
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  #973849 24-Jan-2014 22:49
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Hello... Our robot found some keywords in your post, so here is an automated reply with some important things to note regarding broadband speeds.

 



 

If you are posting regarding DSL speeds please check that

 



 

- you have reset your modem and router

 


 

- your PC (or other PCs in your LAN) is not downloading large files when you are testing

 

- you are not being throttled by your ISP due to going over the monthly cap

 


 

- your tests are always done on an ethernet connection to the router - do not use wireless for testing

 


 

- you read this topic and follow the instructions there.

 



 

Make sure you provide information for other users to help you. If you have not already done it, please EDIT your post and add this now:

 



 

- Your ISP and plan

 


 

- Type of connection (ADSL, ADSL2, VDSL)

 


 

- Your modem DSL stats (do not worry about posting Speedtest, we need sync rate, attenuation and noise margin)

 


 

- Your general location (or street)

 


 

- If you are rural or urban

 


 

- If you know your connection is to an exchange, cabinet or conklin

 


 

- If your connection is to a ULL or wholesale service

 


 

- If you have done an isolation test as per the link above

 



 

Most of the problems with speed are likely to be related to internal wiring issues. Read this discussion to find out more about this. Your ISP is not intentionally slowing you down today (unless you are on a managed plan). Also if this is the school holidays it's likely you will notice slower than usual speed due to more users online.

 



 

A master splitter is required for VDSL2 and in most cases will improve speeds on DSL connections. Regular disconnections can be a monitored alarm or a set top box trying to connect. If there's an alarm connected to your line even if you don't have an alarm contract it may still try to connect so it's worth checking.

 



 

I recommend you read these two blog posts:

 



 

- Is your premises phone wiring impacting your broadband performance? (very technical)

 


 

- Are you receiving a substandard ULL ADSL2+ connection from your ISP?




I am the Geekzone Robot and I am here to help. I am from the Internet. I do not interact. Do not expect other replies from me.

 

These links are referral codes: Sharesies | Mighty Ape 




plambrechtsen
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  #973865 24-Jan-2014 22:59
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Are you sure your dns settings haven't been hijacked as that seems quite weird. Try setting your local dns server to the Google ones 8.8.8.8 and see how that goes.

Yortw

13 posts

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  #973868 24-Jan-2014 23:03
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Thanks for the reply and suggestion, I appreciate it.

 

 

Yes, it does seem weird.

 

 

Re the DNS settings, I understand with the Technicolor modems that can only be done via Telnet and I've been a bit loathe to try that in case I mess it up. I presume that is what I need to do though, and just setting the DNS settings on my devices in Windows won't help even if the DNS is the problem ?

 

 

The modem currently shows this;

 

 

Primary DNS: 122.56.237.1

 

Secondary DNS: 210.55.111.1

 

 




freitasm
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  #973870 24-Jan-2014 23:07
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You can set the DNS in your PC and that will bypass the router. Set to 8.8.8.8 as suggested and if doing that works then it's certainly the DNS settings in the router.




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Batwing
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  #973875 24-Jan-2014 23:27
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Is it Windows 8.1 rather than 8? If so its a known issue, I contacted Telecom some time ago (a few months) and was told an update for the Technicolor modem was being worked on. This topic keeps coming up hopefully the update appears soon.

 

Edit: Link http://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumid=39&topicid=129101&page_no=2

Yortw

13 posts

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  #973876 24-Jan-2014 23:32
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Hi Guys,

Thanks to both of you for the help. You're the first people I've spoken to about the problem who have even suggested checking the DNS.
I have now set the DNS servers on 3 devices, and touch wood so far all three are able to browse the web fine (hopefully that continues), so it definitely looks like a DNS problem.

I am confused about what this means though. I've had two different modems from Telecom with the same problem, and both modems showed what I thought were the correct DNS server addresses in their settings.
I don't so far as I know, have anything else on my network that should be acting as a DNS server. I also did "ipconfig /all" on one of the devices before I changed it, and it was pointing to the modem's local network address as the DNS server, which I believe to be correct.

Does this sound like something on my network is somehow interfering with the DNS, or is it more likely a problem with the modem(s), or the Telecom DNS servers I'm pointed at ? If it's likely something on my end, would there be any way to find it ? Seems odd this all started when I moved to VDSL - only the wiring/connection and the modem were changed as far as I know, none of the PC settings or other network devices.

Thanks again for all your help, I really appreciate it (and my wife even more so) !




Yortw

13 posts

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  #973878 24-Jan-2014 23:40
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Actually, yes, they are all 8.1 devices. We don't have any other OS' left in our house now. I did search the forums before posting (though not specifically for Win 8 keywords), and I didn't find a problem that seemed similar, sorry if this is effectively a duplicate thread.

*VERY* annoying that it seems to be a known issue, reported to Telecom, and yet no one there though of it, mentioned anything or even asked what OS I was running. I guess I will have to call them tomorrow with the case number and tell them what the issue is.

I hope that firmware fix comes soon, but I am now wondering if I just shouldn't buy my own modem. I've always bought my own in the past, not trusting the Telecom supplied ones, but I decided this time I was just being cynical and that I didn't need to spend the money so I'd trust the supplied equipment. Lesson learned I guess.

Thanks very much for your reply, and the link to the other thread. Much appreciated.





 
 
 
 

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Yortw

13 posts

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  #973879 24-Jan-2014 23:42
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I can't believe this was solved in about an hour of posting to this forum, but I have spent ages on the phone with Telecom, over an elapsed period of weeks now trying to resolve it.

Go GeekZone !

Batwing
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  #973882 24-Jan-2014 23:47
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Glad you got it solved, but was a bit disappointed myself in Telecom that they supplied the equipment that they already knew didn't work with windows 8.1, and this was back in November.

Yortw

13 posts

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  #973884 24-Jan-2014 23:51
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Yeah, disappointing all round. Supplying the equipment knowing there were issues, with no warning/documentation etc., then not being able to diagnose it at tier two support with multiple people involved... not good service at all.

l43a2
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  #973886 24-Jan-2014 23:59
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the modem is at fault here, there is a fix you can apply to the modem to fix it... if you want to use proper Telecom DNS servers. You do need telnet enabled https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/27411242/dnsissues.bat





Batwing
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  #973887 25-Jan-2014 00:02
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Could ya please explain what magic this batch script works, and how?

insane
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  #973891 25-Jan-2014 01:26
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Surly the large ISPs are looking into using TR-069 to push such fixes out? WxC have been pushing config updates to my voice ATA for years so I'm just surprised its not done for modems too.

Shoes2468
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  #973949 25-Jan-2014 07:39
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yes this issue can be very frustrating for people who don't know, the inlaws were having this exact issue, it was only because I had read about the issues here I was able to diagnose the problems, telecom are still distributing this modem with this issue it has been months now, and the type of people who are ordering vdsl for faster speed are the type of people who have newer devices like windows 8.1 devices

Shoes2468
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  #973950 25-Jan-2014 07:39
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yes this issue can be very frustrating for people who don't know, the inlaws were having this exact issue, it was only because I had read about the issues here I was able to diagnose the problems, telecom are still distributing this modem with this issue it has been months now, and the type of people who are ordering vdsl for faster speed are the type of people who have newer devices like windows 8.1 devices

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