Spark router keeps dropping WAN connection over fibre

Forums › Spark New Zealand (including Skinny and BigPipe) › Spark router keeps dropping WAN connection over fibre

PJ48

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#320035 28-Jun-2025 22:10

Be grateful for any advice.

Over the last few months my wife who works from home has been complaining that Microsoft Teams will periodically freeze, then drop the connection at random times. I thought it was something to do with her work PC, but have finally worked out that it is actually the router dropping the WAN. Everything is over ethernet so no wifi involved. Spark Modem 3 system log reports that the WAN had dropped. This can occur once a day, several times a day, or sometimes we will get lucky and have 2 - 3 days with no dropping. I tried a 3rd party router (Unifi) and exactly the same thing is occurring. I have tried getting the router to connect over DHCP instead of PPPoE, and it still happens.

Unifi reports look like this

Internet connection WAN1 (Spark New Zealand) on port 5 is restored. Jun 24, 2025 at 16:17

Internet connection WAN1 (Spark New Zealand) on port 5 is experiencing packet loss. Jun 24, 2025 at 16:16

Spark reports look like this

Jun 25 11:09:12 Modem 3 user.info arc_link_state: WAN Link Down

Jun 25 11:09:12 Modem 3 daemon.info pppd[25740]: session_disconnect Send a PADT PPPoE:25740

Jun 25 11:09:12 Modem 3 daemon.info pppd[25740]: PPPoE main handle_events got_sig term

Jun 25 11:09:12 Modem 3 daemon.info pppd[25740]: PPPoE main handle_events got_sig usr1

Jun 25 11:09:12 Modem 3 daemon.info pppd[25740]: PPPoE client Exit. 25740

Jun 25 11:09:12 Modem 3 user.info arc_link_state: WAN Link Down Stage2

Jun 25 11:09:15 Modem 3 user.info arc_link_state: WAN Link Down

Spark help have asked me to plug the Chorus ONT (it is an original Model Type 100) into a different power outlet for a few days, as they wonder if it is a faulty power outlet to the ONT. But all my network switches, and the actual router are on the same outlet (4 outlet hard wired power board) and they don't fault.

Could this be a faulty ONT, or is there something else I haven't thought of here?

Thanks

Peter

Goosey

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#3387892 29-Jun-2025 07:36

Could be the actual power supply for the ONT. If it was the power outlet, then you would loose everything else on the same power strip. (What else is on the power strip)?

but ultimately, once spark stop mucking you about with troubleshooting, I’d be hoping they just book the local fibre company to check the connection.

how old is the fibre connection? Is the fibre lead to the ont secure?

if a chorus fibre area, I think you can go on their webpage and find a way to get them to send you a new power supply.

PJ48

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#3387896 29-Jun-2025 08:27

Goosey:

Could be the actual power supply for the ONT. If it was the power outlet, then you would loose everything else on the same power strip. (What else is on the power strip)?

but ultimately, once spark stop mucking you about with troubleshooting, I’d be hoping they just book the local fibre company to check the connection.

how old is the fibre connection? Is the fibre lead to the ont secure?

if a chorus fibre area, I think you can go on their webpage and find a way to get them to send you a new power supply.

thanks for that. See original post for info on what else is plugged in. Install was done in 2013. The fibre lead seems secure.

muppet

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#3387938 29-Jun-2025 12:04

Could be:

Faulty ONT - this could be the ONT itself, or its power supply, the optic in the ONT
Fibre fault - unlikely, but if there's a kink/bad join it's possible light levels are low enough that it's causing errors/drops
Faulty Port/Card on the OLT - Usually would be noticed if other people in the area report similar issues
Fault cable between the ONT and your CPE (router) - Have you replaced the copper cable?

In terms of things there you can check, really only a replacement cable between your CPE and the ONT is all you can do. Everything else will need Spark to liase with Chorus to get investigated/looked at.

PJ48

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#3388002 29-Jun-2025 14:33

Good thought - I will replace the ethernet cable between ONT and router, and see if that makes a difference.

shk292

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#3388087 29-Jun-2025 18:25

I randomly get similar disconnections, using a Smart "modem" on Skinny fibre. Sequence of events is normally lost internet connection with WiFi still live, light on modem goes red, and after maybe 60 sec, goes green again and connection is restored. Quite annoying of on a Teams call etc, or if streaming.

Unfortunately my Smart modem consistently refuses to display its system log, so fault finding is difficult (Skinny denies there is a problem, and without the log, it's difficult to argue).

I think I'll need to reconfigure my Deco mesh system to act as the router, so I can take the Smart modem out of the system and see the Deco's system log.

PJ48

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#3400501 7-Aug-2025 08:08

Further update on a recurring very frustrating problem - I am hoping someone from Chorus might be able to confirm if the ONT does or does not have a problem.

Brief recap - randomly get router reporting WAN disconnects from Chorus ONT type 100. Stable connection for days then can drop the connection 8 times in a day. Happens with SM3 and with Unifi Gateway Max. Have changed the ethernet between router and ONT.

Finally managed to capture on a security cam what happens to the ONT light when the internet goes down.

My description is as follows - optical light briefly goes solid green then both it and the LAN orange light go off. Power light then starts flashing green, and LAN light flashes orange, for a few seconds then power light goes solid green, and LAN light continues to flash orange, but the whole time the optical light stays off. Yesterday the Optical green light stayed off for 2 min while the power light continued to either flash green or be solid green, and the LAN light either flashed orange or stayed orange. Finally reconnected after 2 min with optical light coming back on again.

Spark support desk response is as follows

Hello, it's ####### from Spark. Thanks again for your patience I know this has been a bit of a journey.

I’ve run a check with Chorus, and the results came back as follows: • IN SERVICE • IN RANGE • GOOD

This confirms that the fibre connection itself is working as expected. The optical light on the ONT can turn off and on by itself this usually happens when the ONT isn’t detecting the modem or if there’s a temporary issue with the modem connection.

I have no idea why I have 2 Modems (routers) that would do this!! Is the advice from Spark correct and there is truly nothing wrong with the ONT?

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CYaBro

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#3400505 7-Aug-2025 08:36

I would be asking for another power adapter for the ONT.
If that doesn’t fix it then a replacement ONT.

Opinions are my own and not the views of my employer.

MaxineN

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#3400506 7-Aug-2025 08:50

Chorus PSUs can be self serviced

https://www.chorus.co.nz/help/ont/request-a-replacement-cable

But I take issue with "The optical light on the ONT can turn off and on by itself this usually happens when the ONT isn’t detecting the modem or if there’s a temporary issue with the modem connection."

This is outright wrong. This has nothing to do with the CPE, this is either the ONT rebooting (power loss, update etc etc) or you do have a faulty ont.

I imagine there should be some dying grasp logs as well.

@Wheelbarrow01 are you able to double check this? And @cbrpilot perhaps some feedback on the wording?

Ramblings from a mysterious lady who's into tech. Warning I may often create zingers.

BMarquis

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#3400511 7-Aug-2025 09:03

The optical LEDs on those ONTs do flash with activity (i.e dont expect it to be solid)

Regardless - please PM me your address.. Or, if you are brave enough, the serial number of the ONT (its on the back, so required you to unclip it. Be very careful with the fibre and that you don't pinch it when putting the ONT back on). The serial starts with ALCL.

PJ48

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#3400619 7-Aug-2025 12:15

BMarquis:

The optical LEDs on those ONTs do flash with activity (i.e dont expect it to be solid)

Regardless - please PM me your address.. Or, if you are brave enough, the serial number of the ONT (its on the back, so required you to unclip it. Be very careful with the fibre and that you don't pinch it when putting the ONT back on). The serial starts with ALCL.

Thanks PM sent now.

I can confirm that the Optical LED was completely off for the 2 minutes of WAN disconnect, while the power/LAN LEDs either flashed or were solid briefly.

PJ48

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#3401797 11-Aug-2025 16:01

Update - Chorus arrived today and replaced out Type 100 ONT with a new Type 400. So far everything looks good!

Lessons I have learnt - When Spark support keep telling me that there are no network issues that can be seen from their end, and the issue is with my equipment, I need to ask them to get Chorus to check the actual ONT log, as apparently our one was rebooting itself repeatedly, when Chorus looked at it - thanks @BMarquis for your support

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nztim

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#3401805 11-Aug-2025 16:17

Nice work @BMarquis

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