Strange Broadband Problems

Hi All
I'm having a strange problem with my internet connection and wondered if this is common or unusual....
I contacted my ISP (Orange) due to low speeds and broadband cutting out. A BT engineer attended and carried out various tests and found no problems. However, on an occasion when I use my livebox router, the Livebox Status connection shows connected, however the PC shows no internet connection, same on other devices (mobile/laptop). When I changed to a different modem, the internet connected. Then sometime later this modem lost its connection (still showed connected) but computer received nothing again. I changed back to livebox and that works.
Resetting the modems doesnt work, even turning off for a while doesnt work. Im wondering if there just 2 poor quality modems. Annoying because at my previous address I had no problems.

Read through what you've posted, seems to be home networking/rubbish wifi problem.

try using an ethernet cable.

I had this problem for a while with TalkTalk - kept losing connection/slow speeds. When I swopped routers (D-Link and Netgear) all worked OK for a while, then did the same thing - slow speeds etc. I bought another router second hand from eBay - Netgear 834 GT, and it's been fine ever since. The other routers would work for a while and then give trouble - I assumed it was some sort of problem at the exchange with automatic adjustment on the line - it's a long one. I now get the right speed for my line and it's stable. There's discussion on the forum about matching chipsets with router/exchange - I'm not technical enough to comment on that, but there could be something in it for long lines? I use cable for connection not wireless.

Ruling out any wireless issues is one thing, and checking you can access the routers web status pages is another.
Also what is the target noise margin when this happens?

Have had modems behave like this before, and usually an off/on fixes it. Happens when a line has a very variable amount of noise and modem crashes usually.

First step to a solution is check your normal connection speed is correct for the line attenuation you have.

Post your router stats and results from http://www.speedtester.bt.com/ (not Betas).

Is PC connected by wireless? If so connect by cable.

Test under wireless connection
Download speed 6.73
Upload 0.38
Ping Latency 42.50

Ethernet connection test:
Download speed 6.75
Upload 0.32
Ping Latency 52.63

In reply to a post by MrSaffron:

Also what is the target noise margin when this happens?
I wouldnt know how to check this to be honest. I had no problems at my previous address, however Ive had problems at my new address and BT cant find any problems. I've tried two different modems and they both seem to develop the same problems

I never asked for your bare speedtests but

In reply to a post by XRaySpeX:

Post your router stats and results from http://www.speedtester.bt.com/ (not Betas).

else we can't help you.

The router/line stats XRaySpeX asked for, when taken immediately after connecting, give us the "target" noise margin and many other important things. With luck, this link tells you how to get them from the Orange Livebox.

What's your other router please?

Edited by RobertoS (Tue 28-Aug-12 14:56:06)

In reply to a post by johnfower:

I wouldnt know how to check this to be honest.

How to get your router line stats

I think this is the stats you requested:

ADSL firmware version : A2pBT009c1.d17d
Connection mode : G.DMT
Type : Interleave
Noise margin (dB) : 7.8
Attenuation (dB) : 37.0
Attainable download rate (kbps) : 9344
ADSL status : Connected [0]

That's some of it, thanks . Was that just after reconnecting to the internet, or just how things are at the moment?

There has to be a line with the actual connection speeds, like the 9344, but probably either 8128 or 7616. And an upload speed to go with it.

Did we establish your exchange. Given those stats that becomes important. The link to what samkows says would be ideal.

In reply to a post by Anonymous:

ADSL firmware version : A2pBT009c1.d17d
Connection mode : G.DMT
Type : Interleave
Noise margin (dB) : 7.8
Attenuation (dB) : 37.0
Attainable download rate (kbps) : 9344
ADSL status : Connected [0]

Below that is similar to:

Downstream Upstream
Rate (kbps) 3071 1243

which we need to see.

+ the BT Speedtester results?

My local exchange is Conisbrough, the first stats were posted after re-connection. Heres the full stats from the modem:

ADSL firmware version : A2pBT009c1.d17d
Connection mode : G.DMT
Type : Interleave
Noise margin (dB) : 7.8
Attenuation (dB) : 37.0
Attainable download rate (kbps) : 9216
ADSL status : Connected [0]

Downstream 8096
Upstream 448
Rate (kbps)

WAN IP address : 95.150.69.225
Gateway : 217.47.73.144
Primary DNS server : 193.36.79.100
Secondary DNS server : 193.36.79.101

Internet protocol : pppoa
Encapsulation : VC-Mux
VP : 0
VC : 38

Mode : Permanent [1--1]


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wireless Top Refresh

Enable Wireless LAN : Enabled
Device address : 00:16:CE:7F:59:2F
Card type : bcm
Channel number : 9
Maximum pairing time (minutes) : 10
Livebox Name : : Livebox-1168

In reply to a post by johnfower:

Connection mode : G.DMT

You should be on ADSL2+ (G.992.5) at your exchange. Have you forced it to G.DMT in your settings?

No, i've not forced the change. I've logged in to the livebox settings and tried to change it to adsl2+ but theres no option to change this.Im not sure if you have to press one of the 2 buttons on the livebox to make changes?

I've contacted Orange who say I have to upgrade to be able to receive ADSL2+. Interestingly this afternoon, my Livebox was showing connected to internet, however no internet would work on any devices connected to the livebox (mobile phones/laptop/PC. After disconnecting the connection and re-connecting, the internet worked fine. Annoying problem!

After reconnecting are you still on: Connection mode : G.DMT ?

Do you know if you are paying extra (£5?) for being out of Orange's network area?

Ye, still on G.DMT. I pay nothing. I joined Wanadoo just before Orange took over, then took out a mobile phone contract which gave free broadband if you had a phone with a £30 (or more) a month contract.
Not too fussed on the speed (cant grumble, its free), its just the annoyig problem with the router saying connected but then no internet is available on any device (keeps happening) even with a netgear router i was given. Frustrating.

I hear the Orange is discontinuing free BB in Oct: http://forums.thinkbroadband.com/freeserve/f/4150030...

Looks like i'll be moving then, oh well cant grumble, 6 years of free boradband cant be bad. Im sure this will solve my problem.