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jlight
01-04-2009, 01:57
Broadband was working fine at the beginning of last week and then around Wednesday I started suffering problems which have been getting progressively worse until in the last couple of days they've got pretty unbearable, resulting in my losing about 8 hours to try and figure something out. All this being time I should be spending working (from home using the internet!)

I've was originally with NTL and have been on their medium package since it was 512k using a belkin f5d5239-4 router and the ntl:home series 120 modem (both very old I know!)

I'm on the now L package which is 10mb (seem to have been moved over to the smallest package now!)

My set up has always been modem to router, out of router to 3 ethernet cables wired to various parts of the house for hardwiring and 1 output to apple airport express for wireless, running 3 macs and a pc on the network.

Problem is that the internet connection keeps being dropped, sometimes staying on only for a couple of minutes before going again.

Having tried connections hard wired out of the modem which worked ok, i thought it might have been the old router, so I updated the firmware and did a factory reset, which seemed to fix the issue for a morning, until it happened again.

Having all ready lost too much time, simply hard wired the modem into macbook and continued working fine (though limited to one laptop)

Thinking it was an old router problem, this evening I tried wiring from modem to airport express and simply running everything from the wireless network. Again this worked fine for a couple of hours until the constant disconnections started again, getting to the stage where I sat and watched the modem rebooting itself every 5 minutes!

So now I'm back to having ethernet straight out of the back of the modem into the laptop and connection is perfect... fast 9.8mb from a 10mb connection and very stable!

I've read a lot of things about VM updating systems to cope with 50mb roll out. Are these updates affecting the signal to my ancient modem and causing issues or are there other gremlins in the works?

I seriously not a happy chap at the moment and any help is greatly appreciated!!

Thanks
James

---------- Post added at 23:57 ---------- Previous post was at 23:15 ----------

Thought I should add the following... it might help

Type : Ambit ETH/USB Combo Cable Modem
Cable modem : Ambit Cable Modem

Downstream Receive Power Level : -17.47 dBmv
Downstream SNR : 28.45 dB
Upstream Transmit Power Level : 61.00 dBmv


Network Access : Enabled
Maximum Downstream Data Rate : 10240000 bps
Maximum Upstream Data Rate : 512000 bps
Maximum Number of CPEs : 1
Software Upgrade File Name : ntlhm120_ntl0002.cpr
Software Upgrade AdminStatus : allowProvisioningUpgrade
Software Upgrade OperStatus : failed

graf_von_anonym
01-04-2009, 03:39
Having checked the sticky at the top of the forum, your downstream power level looks too low to me and your upstream power level looks to high. As such, you may need a technician out to you.

That said, youv'e got a lot of machines on your network, and I notice that the airport express is a common factor in your two setups that experience disconnection. That wouldn't cause the modem to reboot (that points to signal issue that the modem is attempting to cope with), there's sometimes a risk that it will be overwhelmed by certain kinds of traffic within your network. I don't think it's necessarily the cause here, but it's something to keep your eye on.

Stabhappy
01-04-2009, 03:51
Those power levels are both completley out, and will be the cause of your issues. You need to contact VM I'm afraid.

jlight
01-04-2009, 11:40
Thanks for the replies guys. At least now I'm armed with some information for when I call.

Ronnie H
01-04-2009, 11:45
This sounds exactly like my problem, everything working fine up until a couple of days ago, then a whole bunch of random disconnects. At the time I thought it was just a dodgy router, as I had tested the internet connection straight out of the back of the modem with my laptop and it worked fine. Anyways I purchased a new router yesterday, and stuck it in between the modem and my network, and still had the same problem. After much messing about, testing network cables, to see if they were faulty, and various combinations of powering down the modem/router, I managed to get a connection back. This lasted 30 mins, and d/c me again. Another hour or playing around with various things and I'm now back online, hoping this lasts more than 30 mins now.

I thought maybe virgin had updated something in my modem to make the connection between my router and modem unstable, so after searching I found this thread and seeing this posted here, I had to add that this is my problem as well.

EDIT

Well just checked something, and this problem seems to coincide with 50 meg being available at my address, as last week I wasn't eligible, as of checking now, I am! Coincidental? Or part of my problem?

jlight
01-04-2009, 12:08
sat on the phone to support now and he tells me that he doesn't know where I am getting those figures from! Tried to tell me that it's the router (which isn't plugged in!) Now tries to frighten me by saying that I'll get charged for the engineer if they can't find anything wrong!

moaningmags
01-04-2009, 12:56
If you still have the power levels that you posted at the top, then an engineer is required. Could be that your modem is on the way out causing the extreme power levels or it could be something else, the wiring, the street cables etc, this can only be fixed by an engineer.

The Installer
01-04-2009, 12:59
Now tries to frighten me by saying that I'll get charged for the engineer if they can't find anything wrong!

I wouldn't worry as you have something very wrong with your signal levels, they are way too weak, just tell the tech when he comes that your net keeps on dropping and show him the signal levels on screen and he'll sort them for you.

I think its standard practise just to say that they will charge if there is no fault found to put off the pointless callouts and help to get to the people who really do have a fault ;)

jlight
01-04-2009, 13:20
Thanks guys...

currently getting the following

Downstream Receive Power Level : -17.60 dBmv
Downstream SNR : 28.39 dB

Ironically having just run a speed test, I'm getting 9.8mb!

Having voiced my displeasure was also just advised about switching to being a business user direct with ntl:telewest business so have just spoken to them too. Sounded quite interesting to be honest.

Thanks again!

Stabhappy
02-04-2009, 00:44
You will use the same hardware, channels, connection etc with business broadband - the same exact issues will occur.

jlight
03-04-2009, 14:05
engineer came out (early!) and sorted me out with a new modem and confirmed that the signal strengths were well out.

Now getting the following:
Downstream Receive Power Level : -4.5 dBmV
Downstream SNR : 34.0 dB
Upstream transmit Power Level : 58.5 dBmV

Everything's seems to be working fine now so thanks for everyone's help and comments.

(though having gone from 9.8 when ethernet direct to 4.5 when everything else is plugged back in is a bit of a dissapointment! time for a new router me thinks... )

Apparently 50mb will be coming to the Blackburn / Darwen region in a couple of weeks

Stabhappy
03-04-2009, 18:38
Your upstream is still too high: if you're getting speed issues you need to report it again.

Martyn
03-04-2009, 20:54
i've eben getting problems lately an imo n XL

jlight
14-04-2009, 13:25
Your upstream is still too high: if you're getting speed issues you need to report it again.

hmmm it's been working fine when ethernet into back of computer

slow when wireless network all set up

now it's back to being intermittent and terrible, but the phone centre has just told me indignantly that there's nothing wrong at all with the service and has just made me pretty mad to be honest!!

ok so new level readings are...

Upstream transmit Power Level : 56.5 dBmV

Downstream Frequency : 330750000 Hz
Downstream Modulation : QAM64
Downstream Symbol Rate : 6952 Ksym/sec
Downstream Interleave Depth : taps12Increment17
Downstream Receive Power Level : 0.7 dBmV
Downstream SNR : 35.7 dB

I just want to know if I'm still right to be really very annoyed at my service here!

Stabhappy
14-04-2009, 18:32
If it's intermittent, you have every right to complain until something gets done. I'm not sure about the paticular modulation's requirements on the Upstream Transmit Power level, but from personal experience and other users pointing it out: anything over 55 dBmV is too high.