Connection dropping on Netgear DGN1000

Hi all,

When I moved into the place I'm currently living, I signed up with Virgin Media, who provided me with a Netgear DGN1000 router. I had non-stop problems with what I thought was Virgin (they were pretty rubbish anyway), but six months ago I moved to IDNet, hoping for better broadband.

The broadband got better, but I'm still having connection issues. IDNet say there's nothing wrong with my line from what they can tell, but the connection drops about 5 times an hour at the moment (and has done for the past week). For some reason I find that plugging my laptop into the router with an ethernet cable restores wifi connectivity (why? This one baffles me!)

When I was with Virgin Media they advised me to plug the router into the BT test socket, which stabilised the connection somewhat. Is that right? Should I be doing that?

I'm wondering if it's the router that's to blame. There are countless reviews on the web of the DGN1000 suffering major connection dropping issues, which is exactly what mine's doing. Can anyone recommend a new ADSL router that's reliable and below £60?

Thanks,
Matt

If the test socket is working better, then suggests the telephone wiring in your home is the issue.

The DGN1000 should have a page that gives your the router stats see http://www.coolwebhome.co.uk/stats/routers.html#netgear

which should be the same for most Netgear ADSL2+ modem/routers. post the results and we can advise, best to gather a set of figures in the normal location and the test socket and play spot the difference.

If you feed the figures into http://www.coolwebhome.co.uk/calc you will get an idea of how you are performing compared to the norm.

Hi Andrew,

Here are the stats:

Connection speed:
Downstream 7064 kbps
Upstream 1068 kbps

Line attenuation:
Downstream 39.4 dB
Upstream 23.5 dB

Noise margin:
Downstream 8.4 dB
Upstream 5.3 dB

I don't have access to the normal location at the moment, but when I was with Virgin Media the downstream was no higher than ~2000 kbps, and switching it to the test socket brought it up to ~7064 kbps.

The calculator you linked to show that the line is 'very good' for ADSL and ADSL2, but poor for ADSL2+. As far as I know I'm only on ADSL or ADSL2, but I don't actually know. Samknows says my exchange is enabled for ADSL2+. IDNet says on its line checker that my line has an estimated download speed of 6mpbs.

Thanks,
Matt

Upstream Sync speed shows shows it is not standard BT Wholesale ADSL, but their ADSL2+ product.

What the modem negotiates is another matter.

It will be interesting to see if the figures are different from the test socket, if they are then have a read of http://www.thinkbroadband.com/faq/sections/radsl.htm... and lift the ring wire from the back of the faceplate which can improve speeds by reducing influence of your home wiring.

I've managed to try out the normal socket and it's returned the following:

Connection speed:
Downstream 1912 kbps
Upstream 900 kbps

Line attenuation:
Downstream 41.3 dB
Upstream 23.9 dB

Noise margin:
Downstream 10.4 dB
Upstream 6.7 dB

As you can see there's quite a big difference in line speed!

I've also removed the ring wire just now.

Any ideas?

For internal wiring to add 2dB attenuation is very unusually, unless you live in a 0.5km long warehouse.

Suggestion is that the extension is only worth its small weight as scrap metal, perhaps 2p.

Photo's are needed really so people can see what you already have, or otherwise the suggestions are:

1. Get an ADSL/VDSL faceplate and run the modem from the master socket
or
2. Do as per 1 but run a dedicated data extension using new decent cable
or
3. Rip out all your phone wiring and just place ADSL modem at the master socket with no extensions
and many more combinations

Is there a line in those stats called Mode? Or one that has a G.992 number?

Not that I'm aware of. I cannot find anywhere in the settings that relates to that

I was thinking that you were getting those stats through telnet, in which case it is a couple of lines above what you are posting .

This may be completely unrelated, but the LED on the router to show there being an active internet connection no longer lights up (green or red). It used to light up green when there was an active internet connection.