Advice on hacking the 2degrees helpdesk human process

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TactualRain

29 posts

Geek

#182544 20-Oct-2015 16:31

Hey all.

We've recently been switched to 2degrees after the Snap buy out.

This is not going well.

Recent issue with 2degrees occurred whereby their DNS stopped reporting the correct details for Sony's PSN service, taking it offline. Simple workaround is to use Google's DNS servers, but I figured it'd be nice to use the local, and hopefully faster, local DNS. It's a part of the service, right?

2degrees are giving me no end of run-around on the problem. First call to their helpdesk they said they "couldn't fix the issue" and said it was my problem - I had a fit, and they kept the call open. I've tried working with their online system, where I got a response back saying that they "don't offer support for routing issues."

It kind of boggles the mind, I mean, they are a layer 3 provider, it's their prime function to do routing - except, this isn't a routing problem, it's a (hopefully simple) DNS problem.

Anyway: I'm interested in seeing if there's some mechanism to bypass the CSRs at the front. I'm sure that there's competent engineers at the back of the service, and it'd be nice to know if there's some method of gaining access to them without having to try and drive Level 1 techs to arrive at the right response (escalation, rather than avoidance).

Thoughts?

slingynz

154 posts

Master Geek

#1409956 20-Oct-2015 16:59

Yes... https://xkcd.com/806/

TactualRain

29 posts

Geek

#1409962 20-Oct-2015 17:06

I tried the code word, it didn't work :(

2degreesCare

1537 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

2degrees

#1409984 20-Oct-2015 17:55

Hi TacticalRain,

That doesn't sound good at all! I suspect that this could be a firmware problem, if you have a 7390 running version the retail release of 06.20 and connecting via WiFi there can be intermittent issues similar to this (regardless of DNS provider)

Can you please PM me with a broadband username or customer number, and we'll check it out for you and make sure everything is running up to date firmware at your end.

Thanks,

Ralph ^JOB

TactualRain

29 posts

Geek

#1410038 20-Oct-2015 18:58

Thanks Ralph, I've dropped you a PM :)

TactualRain

29 posts

Geek

#1410209 20-Oct-2015 22:33

...for those keeping watch at home, 2degrees have suggested I remove a switch from my network. Because, as we know, switches are related to the operation of DNS.

/facepalm

I guess I'm really hoping that I'll eventually find someone there who thinks it might be their problem and not my problem. The above message about modem firmware was the best thing I've seen in a long couple days, and I suspect that it's a little disconnected from the tech support email I'm seeing.

2degreesCare

1537 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

2degrees

#1410357 21-Oct-2015 09:58

TactualRain: Thanks Ralph, I've dropped you a PM :)

Hey TacticalRain,

We don't seem have received this as yet

Thanks

Ralph ^JOB

Lorenceo

904 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted

#1410368 21-Oct-2015 10:14

PS4 or PS3? What does the network test on the PS say when run?
I'm using the 2degrees DNS servers on VDSL and both my PS3 and PS4 can connect to the PSN fine. There's also a switch between them and the router. Not using a Fritzbox.

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TactualRain

29 posts

Geek

#1410407 21-Oct-2015 11:09

2degreesCare:We don't seem have received this as yet

Ok, let me resend..!

Lorenceo: PS4 or PS3? What does the network test on the PS say when run?
I'm using the 2degrees DNS servers on VDSL and both my PS3 and PS4 can connect to the PSN fine. There's also a switch between them and the router. Not using a Fritzbox.

I think Ralph's comment above about the FB being a problem might be the go. It's a work-the-problem answer and I like that, it's not trying to tell me that they don't support e.g. networks or routing :)

It's a PS4, which can surf the web and so on fine. I ran the usual checks (which if memory serves said that the Internet was fine but PSN wasn't, which kind of confirmed what I was seeing). My connection is UFB through a Fritz!box.

I guess for me the issue here isn't what the problem is, but the approach. The standard helpdesk responses all seem to be focused on going through a checklist of items without working the problem. E.g., changing my WPA settings is not going to fix the problem, because there's no WPA involved in a wired connection. Recabling the device, when it can access other Internet services, similarly doesn't make sense (especially when changing DNS providers does fix it - shows that the layer1/2 is working just fine).

Ralph's response is, IMO, great - it's cogniscant of a diagnosis approach. "Yes, we've seen something janky with a firmware, let's try and fix that," is not trying to solve a problem that doesn't exist, unlike the standard helpdesk responses and general runaround. Ralph is, at this point, my personal hero.