Broadband regullarly dropping out

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aarhap

3 posts

Wannabe Geek

Topic # 31008 1-Mar-2009 15:07

Hi everyone.

I'm new here so I'm sorry if this problem has already been raised before (No doubt it has).

For the last two or three weeks my broadband connection has been dropping out like crazy. It happens intermittently (It actually happened twice while I was trying to make my Geekzone account). Some days I could be browsing websites for an hour or two without any problems and some days it will happen every 20-30 minutes.

I am on Telecom's unlimited usage plan and have been for about a year and a half and have had no problems. I have had this computer for almost 3 months now and have only started experiencing this problem in the last few weeks, as I previously mentioned.

I'm runing Vista Home Premium and my browser is Internet Explorer. We have a wireless router (Belkin G Router 2.4Ghz) but this computer is connected via cable from that router, not by wireless. One laptop and an iPod Touch use the router usually every day for around an hour.

At first I thought the problem might have been Skype, which is installed on both my desktop and the spare laptop, but the internet still seems to drop out even when Skype is not running on either computer.

Please help!

mickmok

25 posts

Geek

Reply # 198868 3-Mar-2009 01:27

I am having similar annoying problems with my Belkin Router. I have had wired devices disconnect from the internet for no apparent reason, being connected wirelessly but not able to get internet.

I also have been having major problems with internet slow down when someone on the network uses video chat in IM's.

I am seriously considering returning the thing and getting something else. Its amazing how many shining reviews some of their products get and then just end up being useless.

Sorry I couldnt help with your specific problem, but if my experience is anything to go by then the Belkin product is most likely to blame.

KShips

147 posts

Master Geek
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Reply # 200044 9-Mar-2009 10:56

Same problem here but have a Dynalink RTA1335 modem that is dropping the interenet. Can be running fine for ages and then can be dropping out every 5-10mins.

Have not had a chance to look into it but has been a problem for the last few weeks.

I'm on XNet naked VFX service.

Out if interest where are you guys based?

I'm running on the Palmerston North Maxwell's Line exchange.

cyril7

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Reply # 200050 9-Mar-2009 11:17

It would help if all you guys posted the DSL status pages from your routers so that we can check your line attenuation, sync rates etc.

As for Belkin modems, I have a collection of them here, all of them started dropping connections after a few months use, currently they are either sitting power less and unused or simply used as WiFi APs. The modems in these things are flakey to say the least. I have had very good results with Broadcom based modems, which are the same chipset manufacturer as Telecoms current Alcatel ISAMs and as such are the chipsets used in the modems that Telecom sells. I regularly supply DSE modem/routers XH9949 and XH9950 (both Broadcom based) and have had no issues with them. My only proviso on that is as with any domestic grade router, if you start pumping lots of torrents on them they can get sad, but show me a domestic grade router that wont baulk and 5-600 connections being opened through it.

Cyril

mickmok

25 posts

Geek

Reply # 200058 9-Mar-2009 11:41

Well it seemed to have sorted itself out from what I can tell. I turned the priority setting back on so things like streaming video etc. get priority. Not sure if that helped.

I got another reply from Belkin and they just said to upgrade to the latest firmware version which was a pre release. I had already done this when the problems started.

So who knows, maybe it will be on a junk pile soon from what people have been saying.

Oh well.

cyril7

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Reply # 200061 9-Mar-2009 11:51

One of my Belkin modems, which started having issues, was upgraded to the lattest firmware (this was a couple of yrs ago) at Belkins CSR instruction. This immediataly made it useless as a bug in the firmware set the MTU to 1200 which caused some sites to not load. In an attempt to sort this I tried putting the old code back in it and the new firmware refused to retro grade.

When I contacted Belkin they apologised and informed me that thousands of modems worldwide had been bricked as a result of the bug and at no cost replaced my modem that was well out of warrenty. The replacement modem went well for a few months then the modem in that started going flakey. Fortunately the first modem that was bricked still works ok as a Wireless AP as does the replacment. Needless to say I will never, ever purchase from Belkin again.

Cyril

KShips

147 posts

Master Geek
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Reply # 200233 9-Mar-2009 20:09

This was stats 5mins ago (9mins after internet dropped and reset modem)

No idea what this all means although there are some errors??

Thanks

Line Mode	G.DMT	Line State	Show Time
Latency Type	Interleave	Line Up Time	00:00:09:38
Line Coding	Trellis On	Line Up Count	1

Statistics	Downstream	Upstream
Line Rate	7616 Kbps	768 Kbps
Attainable Line Rate	9152 Kbps	944 Kbps
Noise Margin	15.3 dB	12.0 dB
Line Attenuation	24.0 dB	21.0 dB
Output Power	19.8 dBm	11.9 dBm
K (number of bytes in DMT frame)	239	25
R (number of check bytes in RS code word)	16	16
S (RS code word size in DMT frame)	1	8
D (interleave depth)	64	8
Super Frames	34041	34039
Super Frame Errors	5	58
RS Words	2314854	289331
RS Correctable Errors	9	48
RS Uncorrectable Errors	207	0
HEC Errors	4	54
OCD Errors	1	4
LCD Errors	0	2
Total Cells	10395073	0
Data Cells	64806	0
Bit Errors	0	0
Total ES	2	0
Total SES	0	0
Total UAS	26	0

KShips

147 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 14

Reply # 200241 9-Mar-2009 21:23

Modem has now been running for an hour and line up count is at 6

Line Mode	G.DMT	Line State	Show Time
Latency Type	Interleave	Line Up Time	00:00:02:25
Line Coding	Trellis On	Line Up Count	6

Statistics	Downstream	Upstream
Line Rate	7616 Kbps	768 Kbps
Attainable Line Rate	9056 Kbps	948 Kbps
Noise Margin	15.6 dB	12.0 dB
Line Attenuation	24.0 dB	21.0 dB
Output Power	19.7 dBm	11.9 dBm
K (number of bytes in DMT frame)	239	25
R (number of check bytes in RS code word)	16	16
S (RS code word size in DMT frame)	1	8
D (interleave depth)	64	8
Super Frames	8553	8551
Super Frame Errors	0	0
RS Words	581670	72683
RS Correctable Errors	0	0
RS Uncorrectable Errors	0	0
HEC Errors	0	0
OCD Errors	0	0
LCD Errors	0	0
Total Cells	2612649	0
Data Cells	4750	0
Bit Errors	0	0
Total ES	18	0
Total SES	13	0
Total UAS	94	0

coffeebaron

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Reply # 200244 9-Mar-2009 21:32

Ya stats look good, could be a dying Dynalink

Chorus has spent $1.4 billion on making their xDSL broadband network faster. If your still stuck on ADSL or VDSL, why not spend from $150 on a master filter install to make sure you are getting the most out of your connection?
I install - Naked DSL, DSL Master Splitters, VoIP, data cabling and general computer support for home and small business.
Rural Broadband RBI installer for Ultimate Broadband and Full Flavour

Need help in Auckland, Waikato or BoP? Click my email button, or email me direct: [my user name] at geekzonemail dot com

KShips

147 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 14

Reply # 200254 9-Mar-2009 22:05

Thanks for the feedback. My sisters away for a couple of weeks so I'll try and pinch her modem and test this weekend and go from there

KShips

147 posts

Master Geek
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Reply # 200930 12-Mar-2009 22:56

Well found the issue. This issue must have been going on since we moved into the house in Jan (thought it hadn't been issue for that long).

Anyway did some investigating on what we had been told was a fully rewired house (inc phone). Well for starters no cat wiring although already knew that and not star configuration. Least to say does not look that good install.

Long story short cut the wire feeding the rest of the house and so far rock solid internet (including jumping 2000Kbs download attainable :) ).

Now to start planning the rewire for network throughout the house....

KShips

147 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 14

Reply # 200931 12-Mar-2009 22:59

Should also mention that the Noise Margin was what I noticed was dropping slowly to -4.9 and loosing the line. I have read in couple of places that temperature can also effect the Noise Margin (not to this extent) which would explain the increase in line drops over the last few days to a point where it had occured 35 times in 5 hours today.

Someone else may be able to confirm this for others future reference.

aarhap

3 posts

Wannabe Geek

Reply # 200943 13-Mar-2009 07:16

Sorry for the late reply. I actually haven't been able to get onto the internet at all in the last week or so due to it not working.

The wireless router has been replaced but out connection is still regullarly dropping out on this desktop and also on the laptop. Last night it dropped out 10 times in the space of 30 minutes while on a Skype call.

Now I'm thinking it's our D-Link modem....Any suggestions?

webwat

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Reply # 201798 18-Mar-2009 01:14

cyril7: It would help if all you guys posted the DSL status pages from your routers so that we can check your line attenuation, sync rates etc.

Also take note of whether the speed and/or noise margin (sometimes called SNR) varies much. Then try a different router to see whether you get similar behaviour. Another useful thing to take note of — does the LAN have problems at the time your internet stops and does restarting the router solve the problem at all?

Qualified in business, certified in fibre, stuck in copper, have to keep going ^_^

aarhap

3 posts

Wannabe Geek

Reply # 202533 21-Mar-2009 19:05

webwat:
cyril7: It would help if all you guys posted the DSL status pages from your routers so that we can check your line attenuation, sync rates etc.

Also take note of whether the speed and/or noise margin (sometimes called SNR) varies much. Then try a different router to see whether you get similar behaviour. Another useful thing to take note of — does the LAN have problems at the time your internet stops and does restarting the router solve the problem at all?

I'm not quite sure how to post my DSL status so if somebody would like to guide me through that process then I'd be extrmely greatful.

@webwat: Both the cable and wireless drop out at the same time. Restarting the router fixes this but then it happens again shortly after.

While looking through my Local Area Connection details I came across this:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix:
Description: NVIDIA nForce Networking Controller
Physical Address: 00-1C-25-84-54-4B
DHCP Enabled: Yes
IPv4 IP Address: 10.1.1.5
IPv4 Subnet Mask: 255.0.0.0
Lease Obtained: Saturday, 21 March 2009 6:33:55 p.m.
Lease Expires: Saturday, 21 March 2009 7:02:44 p.m.
IPv4 Default Gateway: 10.1.1.1
IPv4 DHCP Server: 10.1.1.1
IPv4 DNS Servers: 202.27.158.40, 202.27.156.72
IPv4 WINS Server:
NetBIOS over Tcpip Enabled: Yes
Link-local IPv6 Address: fe80::c58b:31dd:6222:7d7%8
IPv6 Default Gateway:
IPv6 DNS Server:

I notice that the "lease" (Whatever that is. Can you tell I'm a noob yet?) expirse an hour and half after it starts. Is that normal?

cyril7

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Reply # 202535 21-Mar-2009 19:47

Hi, sorry the info you posted is not what important, you need to find the ADSL setup and status page that details sync rates, line attenuation and S/N. What you have posted is the LAN and DHCP status.

Cyril