Spark issues last two weeks VDSL

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andrewk

48 posts

Geek

Topic # 182525 19-Oct-2015 17:29

Are these issues Spark had today ongoing problems?

I have vdsl and static IP, and internet has been out for much of the day. Only having come back on in the last hour.

However we have been having frequent internet dropouts last couple of weeks, most days in fact. for usually an hour or more at a time, notably was dead when I got up to watch the ABs play (on sky) and didn't come back till after the final whistle...

Basically modem shows connected, but no pages load, tried other computers, all the same. Restarted, factory reset modem last week, still the same. Modem is only a few months old, Netcom NF4V.

Had a similar experience some time back from an apparent DOS attack, which was assisted in this forum, and resolved by changing the IP. This feels very similar but I do not have the same excessively large data usage s this time (other than my own).

Rang and booked call back with technical support which duly arrived after hour and a half, only to be transferred through, then silence then disconnected. Not real impressed...

Other info

Other info
Other info

Downstream Upstream
Line Coding(Trellis): On On
SNR Margin (0.1 dB): 122 193
Attenuation (0.1 dB): 136 0
Output Power (0.1 dBm): 186 -66
Attainable Rate (Kbps): 37520 17192

located in Neill street Hornby CHCH
500gb VDSL Plan with Spark

Now Internets finally back, will it last?
Anyone able to check out the account pls?

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Reply # 1409384 19-Oct-2015 17:29

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.

andrewk

48 posts

Geek

Reply # 1409412 19-Oct-2015 17:56

@talkiet - with reference to the sticky.
http://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumid=39&topicid=171109

I had heard that there were two different pools of data, one for capped, one for uncapped, so that the uncapped plans would not adversely affect the capped plans. Any substance to that or is this another urban myth?

quickymart

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Reply # 1409420 19-Oct-2015 18:19

One person supports this post

No, that's incorrect.

Jase2985

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Reply # 1409461 19-Oct-2015 19:52

One person supports this post

andrewk: @talkiet - with reference to the sticky.
http://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumid=39&topicid=171109

I had heard that there were two different pools of data, one for capped, one for uncapped, so that the uncapped plans would not adversely affect the capped plans. Any substance to that or is this another urban myth?

Urban myth

andrewk

48 posts

Geek

Reply # 1409580 20-Oct-2015 08:21

Well apparently it was not related to the static IP issue, once again no internet this morning. Very frustrating to say the least.

Anyone from Spark able to check this out for me?

and now that i have been able to log into the myspark and check out the broadband usage I am seeing rather high usage on days that we have been unable to use the damn thing, so not sure what the heck is going on there. Normal usage is 10-15gb a day but this is showing 30+gb on days we couldn't even use it.

andrewk

48 posts

Geek

Reply # 1411714 23-Oct-2015 11:32

Does no-one from Spark actually frequent Geekzone anymore?
Frequent drop outs up to 4 hours at a time, every day, and the best I can get on the help line is " We can call you back later today"

Not good enough Spark...

andrewk

48 posts

Geek

Reply # 1412922 23-Oct-2015 17:00

well bit the bullet and went out and bought a new TPlink modem for $180. Unsurprisingly it is still doing the same thing...

Requested yet another callback, lets see if they can do that without hanging up on us again.

Both my wife and I have businesses to run and we just cant put up with this any longer.

If there is no resolution by Monday, Spark & I will be going our separate ways.
I have had an account with SPARK since I moved out of home 25 years ago - very disappointing.

Talkiet

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Reply # 1412945 23-Oct-2015 17:45

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You've done the right thing by requesting a callback. While there are some unofficial reps here, we don't get paid to monitor GZ and not all of us have access to systems that are useful in trying to troubleshoot issues like this. Generally the helpdesk people are the ones that have access to the right systems.

If it's an issue related to Chorus (there's not really a lot of info provided so far so I'm not sure if it would be) it's unlikely to be resolved by Monday (especially as that's a Public holiday).

Next time the connection apparently drops out, please try pinging 219.88.188.134.

Are you using the automatically assigned DNS servers? Do you have any Geounblockers installed? Tried from a different PC? Tested over wired connection? Can you see how long the VDSL connection has been up in the modem? Is the PPP or DSL session dropping or is there just no throughput? (Sounds like that but not entirely clear)

Cheers -N

andrewk

48 posts

Geek

Reply # 1412965 23-Oct-2015 18:13

Talkiet: You've done the right thing by requesting a callback. While there are some unofficial reps here, we don't get paid to monitor GZ and not all of us have access to systems that are useful in trying to troubleshoot issues like this. Generally the helpdesk people are the ones that have access to the right systems.

If it's an issue related to Chorus (there's not really a lot of info provided so far so I'm not sure if it would be) it's unlikely to be resolved by Monday (especially as that's a Public holiday).

Next time the connection apparently drops out, please try pinging 219.88.188.134.

Are you using the automatically assigned DNS servers? Do you have any Geounblockers installed? Tried from a different PC? Tested over wired connection? Can you see how long the VDSL connection has been up in the modem? Is the PPP or DSL session dropping or is there just no throughput? (Sounds like that but not entirely clear)

Cheers -N

Sorry its been quite frustrating as I have been hung up on by the callback system twice. Don't get me wrong I want to stay with Telecom, but given I couldn't actually get hold of anyone I saw little choice. BUT finally got one to call back and connect me to a rep and have just finished on the phone with them.

Answers
Do you have any Geounblockers installed? no
Tried from a different PC? Yes, no difference
Tested over wired connection?yes, no difference
uptime is 1.5hrs at the moment but that was my power cycle.
PPP or DSL session: stays connected - just no throughput of data
pinging 219.88.188.134: haven't actually tried, will do next time but pretty sure it will fail
automatically assigned DNS servers? Yes, but have tried googles and no difference

helpdesk are doing a 24 hour monitoring so I guess we wait.

Talkiet

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Spark NZ

Reply # 1412967 23-Oct-2015 18:16

That's ok, I understand the frustration. At this stage the most important thing to diagnose is if there's something wrong with the line... Just having the Internet drop out but having the access stay up would be very very odd, especially just to one customer.

Report back what they tell you about the line test... Oh, I presume you have a master splitter installed when the VDSL went in? How long had VDSL been working ok before you noticed the problems?

Cheers - N

andrewk

48 posts

Geek

Reply # 1412978 23-Oct-2015 18:46

Talkiet: That's ok, I understand the frustration. At this stage the most important thing to diagnose is if there's something wrong with the line... Just having the Internet drop out but having the access stay up would be very very odd, especially just to one customer.

Report back what they tell you about the line test... Oh, I presume you have a master splitter installed when the VDSL went in? How long had VDSL been working ok before you noticed the problems?

Cheers - N

will do, been on VDSL for approx 1.5yrs, master filter was fitted

(IGNORE THIS - WAS ON ADSL AT THE TIME)
only had one other major issue
http://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumid=39&topicid=143075

Was soon after this event I went to VDSL

and yes up until couple weeks back has been running normal.

Appreciate your input

andrewk

48 posts

Geek

Reply # 1413137 24-Oct-2015 11:55

in the middle of another outage on the VDSL, did the pings and results are surprising

C:\WINDOWS\system32>ping www.google.co.nz

Pinging www.google.co.nz [122.56.115.24] with 32 bytes of data:
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.

Ping statistics for 122.56.115.24:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 0, Lost = 4 (100% loss),

C:\WINDOWS\system32>ping 122.56.115.24

Pinging 122.56.115.24 with 32 bytes of data:
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.

Ping statistics for 122.56.115.24:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 0, Lost = 4 (100% loss),

C:\WINDOWS\system32>ping 219.88.188.134

Pinging 219.88.188.134 with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 219.88.188.134: bytes=32 time=16ms TTL=61
Reply from 219.88.188.134: bytes=32 time=16ms TTL=61
Reply from 219.88.188.134: bytes=32 time=17ms TTL=61
Reply from 219.88.188.134: bytes=32 time=16ms TTL=61

Ping statistics for 219.88.188.134:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 16ms, Maximum = 17ms, Average = 16ms

C:\WINDOWS\system32>

If it was purely a DNS issue I would have thought the ping to 122.56.115.24 would work OK
And as above replacing DNS servers with 8.8.8.8 still fails. What is different about 219.88.188.134

andrewk

48 posts

Geek

Reply # 1413141 24-Oct-2015 12:04

tried it again changing the dns server on the laptop to 8.8.8.8. / 8.8.4.4 . This is on a ethernet cable BTW

C:\WINDOWS\system32>ping www.google.co.nz
Ping request could not find host google.co.nz. Please check the name and try
in.

C:\WINDOWS\system32>ping 122.56.115.24

Pinging 122.56.115.24 with 32 bytes of data:
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.

Ping statistics for 122.56.115.24:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 0, Lost = 4 (100% loss),

C:\WINDOWS\system32>ping 219.88.188.134

Pinging 219.88.188.134 with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 219.88.188.134: bytes=32 time=17ms TTL=61
Reply from 219.88.188.134: bytes=32 time=16ms TTL=61
Reply from 219.88.188.134: bytes=32 time=16ms TTL=61
Reply from 219.88.188.134: bytes=32 time=16ms TTL=61

Ping statistics for 219.88.188.134:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 16ms, Maximum = 17ms, Average = 16ms

C:\WINDOWS\system32>

andrewk

48 posts

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Reply # 1413142 24-Oct-2015 12:09

was just trying 219.88.188.134 in the browser address bar when the internet came back on, so not sure whether it was going to load up or not...

Talkiet

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Reply # 1413146 24-Oct-2015 12:13

That ip is from a chch based Google cache node. I chose it because I know how traffic for chch vdsl users is routed there. It's interesting that other places aren't visible. I'm out and about only on mobile at the moment so can't do any more troubleshooting right now sorry.

N

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