New static IPs not working for weeks

Paid for a static IP and new line 3weeks ago.
Just off support phone line second time in 10days and been advised there are multiple reports static IPs are not working since sometime in August. Could not give any fix details etc. Ordered this line with static IP and good Plusnet reputation in mind. Also their page on static IP gives link to raise a ticket and after following it getting "We're sorry, but you can no longer ask a question through the Help Assistant.".

Is Plusnet reputation going downhill by any chance or this is just a one off?

Thanks

I don't have an answer but this is the opposite of my situation. I gave up my fixed IP some years ago as I had no particular use for it and I knew they were in short supply.

Over the last couple of months or so I've come to the conclusion that I have somehow got a fixed IP again. It has survived countless re-syncs including a 4 hour downtime last night (I have an abysmal long line currently on 15dB SNR downstream!).

I wonder if there were some network changes made by PlusNet a while back with unexpected consequences.

p.s. I'm not particularly interested in my IP but I do keep an eye on my BQM which I used to have to edit every day or two but not any more.

Edited by longedge (Fri 01-Oct-21 20:03:41)

In reply to a post by utis:

"Ordered this line with static IP and good Plusnet reputation in mind.

Who told you they have a good reputation. They certainly have a reputation...

In reply to a post by utis:

Is Plusnet reputation going downhill by any chance or this is just a one off?

This would be their reputation as the cheap arm of BT? I'm not sure how much further downhill they can go.

They lost their reputation as a quality ISP several years ago. I'm actually surprised that they still even offer static IP addresses.

Back when dial up was a think then random dynamic IP addresses made sense. With the advent of ADSL and 24x7 connected routers it is somewhat pointless. It survives so that ISP can charge for static IP's and because they are lazy. It is similar to PPPoE still being used by the majority of UK ISP's for xDSL/FTTP connections instead of IPoE. They do it because they used to do it and are to bone idle and lazy to change.

As regards PlusNet my static IP is just fine, as is my mothers and sisters.

In reply to a post by jabuzzard:

Back when dial up was a think then random dynamic IP addresses made sense. With the advent of ADSL and 24x7 connected routers it is somewhat pointless.

I assume that not everyone leaves their router on 24/7 and that some still only switch the router on when they know they are going to use it. The older generation in particular (talking as a 54 year-old, lol) tend to see the internet as something they do occasionally rather than a continuous part of their life. If there are enough people who only switch their router on two or three times a day they might represent a worthwhile saving to the ISP.

Also some ISPs are now using CGNAT which is incompatible with most of the purposes for which a static IP address is intended.

Edited by Andrue (Sat 02-Oct-21 21:29:37)

In reply to a post by jabuzzard:

Back when dial up was a think then random dynamic IP addresses made sense. With the advent of ADSL and 24x7 connected routers it is somewhat pointless.

Not really, having dynamic IP addresses rather than one IP address which follows you to every website you visit has privacy advantages, assuming one also clears cookies periodically.

In reply to a post by Andrue:

I assume that not everyone leaves their router on 24/7 and that some still only switch the router on when they know they are going to use it. The older generation in particular (talking as a 54 year-old, lol) tend to see the internet as something they do occasionally rather than a continuous part of their life. If there are enough people who only switch their router on two or three times a day they might represent a worthwhile saving to the ISP.

Turning an ADSL router on and off is not recommended, it is seen as line instability and the equipment in the exchange is likely to lower your sync speed to compensate. Best to leave it on all the time.

If you have a VDSL connection turning your router on and if is completely stupidity as the equipment in the cabinets is almost certain to lower your sync speed in response to what it would see as line instability. It would only be done by someone who is ignorant of the underlying technology.

Changes with FTTP technologies but frankly your ISP won't thank you for it.

I very much doubt any significant proportion of the population only turns their router on when needed. I don't and I am only a few years younger than yourself. My mother does not and is in her 70's.

"It would only be done by someone who is ignorant of the underlying technology."

Excuse my ignorance but I was under the impression that turning the router off and on again was an issue only if it was done a few times in a short space of time. Am I wrong?

In reply to a post by broadband66:

"It would only be done by someone who is ignorant of the underlying technology."

Excuse my ignorance but I was under the impression that turning the router off and on again was an issue only if it was done a few times in a short space of time. Am I wrong?

No, you are correct. I'm afraid it's the poster you are replying to who appears somewhat ignorant of the technology. You have to disconnect or power cycle the router several times during a short time period (I think for VDSL it's 15 minutes) before DLM will take notice. I forget what it is for ADSL but it will be similar. What gets DLM's attention is a flapping line. One that is on for an hour then off for several hours is of no concern to it.

That's somewhat true.
Resyncing a line once won't have any negative impact on the DLM settings.

It can still negatively affect the line by having it off for long periods like overnight.

The DLM works out its average resync and average ES count based on the lines uptime.
If a line is allowed 8 resyncs or 500 ES in a 24 hour period (not actual DLM figures) then if a line is only synced for 6 hours it would only be allowed 2 resync and 125 ES in that time.

Only turning a modem on a few times a day when the broadband is required would give a much higher chance of the DLM taking action on a line to stabilise it.

"It can still negatively affect the line by having it off for long periods like overnight."

I can't recall that being mentioned on any forum previously.

In reply to a post by broadband66:

I can't recall that being mentioned on any forum previously.

That doesn't mean it isn't true.

As I said in my post the DLM uses MTBR/MTBE (mean time between errors/resyncs) when determining if a line needs intervention.

If you have a line that is very noisy during the day (very common on FTTC particularly with nearby industry) then the quiet/low errors at night lower the daily average errors.
The same goes for a line that loses sync a few times a day in the middle of the day.

Kitz wrote about MTBE/MTBR many years ago. The error/resync thresholds have changed since then but the exact same type of system still applies.

https://kitz.co.uk/adsl/DLM_system.htm#Element_Manag...

For many/most lines turning the modem off overnight will make no difference. For other lines it will.

In reply to a post by jabuzzard:

Back when dial up was a think then random dynamic IP addresses made sense. With the advent of ADSL and 24x7 connected routers it is somewhat pointless. It survives so that ISP can charge for static IP's and because they are lazy. It is similar to PPPoE still being used by the majority of UK ISP's for xDSL/FTTP connections instead of IPoE. They do it because they used to do it and are to bone idle and lazy to change.

As regards PlusNet my static IP is just fine, as is my mothers and sisters.

I dislike PPPoE as well but I think it makes wholesaling easier, and much of the UK BB market is done via wholesaling.

Not really. Openreach support both and don’t dictate to ISPs using their platform what authentication they should use. The two largest residential ISPs outside of BT - Sky and TalkTalk use IPoE without issue.

Tend to agree that PPoE is still used because ‘its there’ and it’s a known quantity, rather than making wholesaling any easier or for any other technically superior reasoning.

In reply to a post by Pheasant:

Tend to agree that PPoE is still used because ‘its there’ and it’s a known quantity

Yep, it made sense when Openreach were going around screwing VDSL2 modems to peoples' walls, but in the era of all-in-one VDSL2 routers being ubiquitous, not so much.

Edited by Oliver341 (Tue 16-Nov-21 13:07:10)

Didn't even make sense then. TalkTalk happily worked without VDSL without PPPoE with a separate Openreach supplied modem for example.

The continued use of PPPoE with VDSL and GPON based networks is just dumb. Ultimately it reduces your usable bandwidth, increases latency, and the ISP's have to spend many many thousands of pounds on equipment to terminate the PPPoE sessions rather than let the network switches they already have take the strain. As a consumer it is only a detriment.

You can say many things about TalkTalk and Sky as ISP's but there ditching of PPPoE shows that those designing the network are actually competent and know what they are doing.

In reply to a post by jabuzzard:

You can say many things about TalkTalk and Sky as ISP's but there ditching of PPPoE shows that those designing the network are actually competent and know what they are doing.

Mostly! When I was with TT on ADSL2+ they capped MTU at 1492 despite it being PPPoA which is capable of 1500.

In fact googling brings up an old post of mine which reminded me of their bizarre default router MTU of 1432:

https://forums.thinkbroadband.com/talktalk/t/4463342...

Openreach maybe but what about BT Wholesale, they have requirements about rate limits and the info been tacked on during BRAS authentication, which is part of a PPPoE setup.

Yes the point I was making above was in response to yours about PPPoE "makes wholesaling easier". In terms of actual wholesale networks, the two largest such networks in the land, Openreach and CityFibre support both flavours of authentication and as far as I know don't dictate to or impose any recommendation on either to their customers. That's up to them. Some will use both - TalkTalk Biz use PPPoE on Openreach whilst TalkTalk resi use IPoE.

BTW are a customer of and a provider to their CPs customers under Openreach. I don't think that sways the argument one way or the other for PPPoE making wholesaling easier. That just what they have decided.

In my opinion deciding to use PPPoE doesn't necessary make wholesaling any easier or harder. It just a business/technical decision the particular ISP/CP makes.

Why in particular do you think it makes it easier?

Also, how many significant providers these days use exclusively BT Wholesale?

There used to be a 100, maybe 150, tiny ones with a dozen or so friends and family and neighbours served in ADSLx days, but now? Even the plethora of Entanet-based providers has shrunk dramatically as far as we can tell. Of the bigger ones of those, isn't Aquiss now the only survivor?

Come PSTN switch-off expected in 2025 "up to 8Mbps" and the spread of Openreach and other full fibre providers ADSL cannot survive for long, and most of its end users will also be approaching end of life.

Back to the OP, I wonder if Plusnet has finally run out of IPv4 addresses and the availability of them on the "pre-loved" market. But nobody has told sales and marketing.

Edited by pluralist (Tue 16-Nov-21 18:22:24)

In reply to a post by pluralist:

isn't Aquiss now the only survivor?

I believe so. I certainly know we pick up a large amount of custom from defunct other companies.

If you an ISP who buys connectivity from BTw and BTw require to use PPPoE?

Does it make your life easier to match your suppliers policies?

Now I dont know if BTw actually require PPPoE, Sky and TT consumer use IPoE, they both have their on networks, but do they have any customers also on BTw in non LLU areas, which I think they do, and I assume they still use IPoE for those customers, maybe someone who knows can confirm.

I do agree with you that PPPoE is annoying, so not sure what the issue here is with my comments..

Edited by Chrysalis (Wed 17-Nov-21 19:19:44)

I think exclusivity BTw probably doesnt matter.

If you was an ISP and you had to use PPPoE for one of two suppliers, it would likely mean you also use it for the other so you have a consistent setup. Otherwise it adds headaches for tech support and as well as pre configured routers sent out.

Yeh look it was just a genuine question why you thought PPPoE made it easier to wholesale. I don’t particularly think it makes a difference. I don’t actually think it’s annoying at all. It’s just another protocol. No big deal.

You keep quoting BTW but they are just one of many CP (admittedly big) but then again look at TalkTalk not exactly insignificant- they provide on both OR and CityFibre wholesale networks and use both PPPoE and IPoE. They’d have more customers on the latter as resi subs outnumber Biz subs by some margin.

In reply to a post by pluralist:

Back to the OP, I wonder if Plusnet has finally run out of IPv4 addresses and the availability of them on the "pre-loved" market. But nobody has told sales and marketing.

I asked for and was given a static IP address during November. The address worked immediately, and was somewhat different from the dynamic address I had.

I've just realised the OP has disappeared. (And previously hadn't posted since the latest archiving of posts some time in 2011).

It's a long time since 1 October.

Edited by pluralist (Thu 18-Nov-21 11:24:32)

Standard modus operandi for some folks!? Post a question then [censored] off, never to be heard from again until the next question arises in a few months or years. 🤣

It has been couple months I have not received any contact from Plusnet.
Now decided to check again and potentially move to another ISP and this time they fixed the static IP address.
For now.
Lets wait and see.
Thanks all.

Post deleted by utis

In reply to a post by Pheasant:

Standard modus operandi for some folks!? Post a question then [censored] off, never to be heard from again until the next question arises in a few months or years. 🤣

Harsh, no?
What happened to tell nothing if got nothing nice to say? smile
That what I was doing. Lots(95%) of offtopic btw in the thread, offtopic flame frown
Thanks all

Edited by deleted (Fri 26-Nov-21 14:35:09)

Just as a matter of interest, how many times has your IP changed since you first posted.

Mine was the first reply after your OP and I still have the same IP that has persisted through very many re-syncs since then. Still feels odd that I don't want a fixed IP but can't get rid of it

In reply to a post by utis:

In reply to a post by Pheasant:

Standard modus operandi for some folks!? Post a question then [censored] off, never to be heard from again until the next question arises in a few months or years. 🤣

Harsh, no?
What happened to tell nothing if got nothing nice to say? smile
That what I was doing. Lots(95%) of offtopic btw in the thread, offtopic flame frown
Thanks all

Nothing personal.

It was a post in response/agreement with pluralist above - plenty of OP's simply go AWOL and are never to be heard from again.

Glad you circled back. 👍