Can ISPs restart FTTC connections?

Can ISPs restart VDSL connections, much like a user can do with a modem-router?

It depends what you mean.

At the basic level they hsve no direct control of the connection between your modem and the modem in the FTTC cabinet. Only Openreach have that. However there are ways an ISP can get Openreach to cause a re-sync but this is not routine.

At the higher level, your ability to access the internet is generally via a PPP session established between your router, (not the modem component), and one of the ISP's routers. That is obviously under their direct control, just as your modem/router is under yours.

Then of course some ISPs have forms of remote control of your modem/router if it is one they have supplied to you. Allowing them to install later versions of its firmware and software, and re-sync it.

An intrusive GEA test should cause the sync to drop.

Thanks for the replies. I have a router at a remote unoccupied location which I rebooted. Unfortunately it has not reestablished the connection and I would like to get it going again. I was just wondering if there was anything that the ISP could do.

I used to use one of these http://www.technotrend.co.uk/pages/ss_products/phone...

I also installed one of these http://www.adelos.co.uk/electrical-accessories/433-m... to reboot the router regularly so that if it failed to connect it would get another go after a few hours.

Thank you. Speaking to the ISP it appears that the router has establised a DSL connection but has not logged in. The ISP mentioned something about Zen so maybe the router has used some old default configuration, it is a 2nd hand Zyxel VMG8924-B10A, which is a router that Zen do supply!

Have you ever tried connecting two routers, but only having one powered up?

If it is an ex-Zen device, it may well have been set up to auto-configure. You can reconfigure it with your own settings, but it may revert - particularly if you do a reset-to-defaults on it.

I have an ex-Zen router, and it could quite happily connect using its ex-owner's account! The key to this is the device's serial number, and it would be a good idea to ask Zen to remove it from their auto-configure database. I explained the situation and they did that for me with no problems.

John

No I've not tried that

I am using the router with Vodafone. I don't think there was a reboot option in the menus, but I found a reboot command in the CLI so I decided to use that. The last thing I saw was 'reseting' so I was not then surprised when the connection did not restart.

Since then I bought another VMG8924-B10A on ebay to use as an 'AC' wireless access point where I am now. I loaded it with the configuration for the Vodafone one, and then used the CLI reboot command, nothing changed and there is a reboot option in the menus. That made me think that there might be a way to get the remote Vodafone one going by calling them. The person I spoke to was quite helpful but when he mentioned Zen, it dawned on me that I might be onto a loser. I will find out more when I visit the remote site in about a months time.

I am hoping that I can overwrite the Zen settings in the router.

To overwrite the settings on a ZyXEL router you need to clear ROM-D to get rid of the Zen stuff. Also the supervisor login has the option to do this and also enable menu items such as the reboot menu item and remote management.

Kitz has an unlocking forum where you can ask how to get the supervisor password and clear ROM-D for the 8924.

Thanks, yes I have been reading the Kitz stuff. I have been trying to use ftp to get the rom-d file from the router I have at home, but so far without success!

In reply to a post by lee111s:

An intrusive GEA test should cause the sync to drop.

No it doesn�t. Again, where do you get this stuff from?

You can do any test on the FastTest GEA platform or WOOSH sand sync won�t drop on FTTC.

In fact, sync is advantageous to the Brandeburg tests in diagnosing faults.

I�m pretty sure there�s a test that causes sync to drop, there was when I worked for BT retail 5 years ago.

I�m Curious as to why you say �again�, as if I�m a regular of posting misinformation?

Edited by deleted (Mon 25-Sep-17 17:46:44)

It can, and does.

ISP's can run a test through KBD that also runs a copper pair test to be run that causes the line to lose sync

GEA (Generic Ethernet Access) Service Test (E2E Test in standalone menu) � Fibre products only

This fibre-based test is the equivalent of the copper line test, Status Check, Local Access Network and DLM Data checks seen for
WBC copper. It is also referred to as the SFBB (Super Fast Broad Band) test to BT Wholesale users.
The following criteria may be displayed within the test:

� The overall GEA test outcome returned as a result of the diagnosticsran
� A description of the fault should a fault be found
� An indication if the circuit was in sync when the test was ran
� Downstream and Upstream sync rates
� DSLAM profile
� Circuit performance parameters.
� Fibre based RRT style results
� If an appointment is required or not for any �Fail� results

All GEA Service Tests run via New KBD are set to intrusive. This allows a copper pair test to be run for the copper section of Fibre to the Cabinet (FTTC) circuits.

What exactly does the test do? The person I spoke to was able to tell me something about the router's logon attempt which did explain why the connection was not fully working. The router had DSL sync but no internet access.

Thank you. Good to know my memory isn�t as bad as I thought!

A GEA test on its own is non-intrusive.
I'm no expert but I know there are intrusive tests the ISP can run.

All GEA Service Tests run via New KBD are set to intrusive. This allows a copper pair test to be run for the copper section of Fibre to the Cabinet (FTTC) circuits.

KBD = Knowledge Based Diagnostics

Yeah I used KBD for a few years but can�t remember the specifics.

If you say so. But I run these tests actually looking at the router or my handheld tester and sync doesn�t drop. Believe what you like though!

ADSL/ADSL2+ does drop sync from a copper line test but a VDSL connection over FTTC doesn�t!

The test you�re describing does give you a GEA result and a copper line test result (as you say). It�s intrustive only in the sense that dialtone would cease while the test is running, NOT VDSL sync. Zarjaz would back me up on this I�m sure.

In reply to a post by j0hn83:

A GEA test on its own is non-intrusive.
I'm no expert but I know there are intrusive tests the ISP can run.

All GEA Service Tests run via New KBD are set to intrusive. This allows a copper pair test to be run for the copper section of Fibre to the Cabinet (FTTC) circuits.

KBD = Knowledge Based Diagnostics

You say you�re no expert (I am though) - the copper pair test as you call it is run from the test heads inside the telephone exchange. That cannot cause the VDSL sync to drop which (as you well know) it coming from the DSLAM in the FTTC cabinet.

Edited by deleted (Mon 25-Sep-17 19:01:16)

I never said the Line loses sync when an OpenReach engineer runs WHOOSH tests.

I said they can, and do lose sync when am ISP runs an intrusive GEA test via KBD. Also known an E2E test.

KBD are tests which replaced the WHOOSH test suite for ISP's.

I'm no expert, but obviously neither are you with regards to ISP run tests, which is what the OP is asking about.

In reply to a post by j0hn83:

I never said the Line loses sync when an OpenReach engineer runs WHOOSH tests.

I said they can, and do lose sync when am ISP runs an intrusive GEA test via KBD. Also known an E2E test.

KBD are tests which replaced the WHOOSH test suite for ISP's.

I'm no expert, but obviously neither are you with regards to ISP run tests, which is what the OP is asking about.

An ISP run test could cause the PPP session to drop.

But I stand by what I said. There�s no way ANY copper test being run via the test heads in the exchange would cause sync to drop. Even a Pair Quality Test can be run (by using the telephone port of an SSFP or microfilter) without VDSL sync dropping and a PQT is the most intrusive test that can be conducted if you think about it.