Thanks for the input and the clarification on the ' DSL connection and PPP link down' being completely separate. As I am a 'non techie' female I don't really know about these things ! but I do try and believe the only way to learn is to ask others who know far more than I do. At least when I speak with my ISP I will be in a better position to understand what they say and query if necessary.

Will just bide my time now with the aid of RouterStats and try and see if there is anything in my property causing the possible noise issue - if not back to my ISP.

Thanks to everyone else for their responses and help

On a couple of occasions I've lost the internet (PPP link down) for several hours but the router has retained the DSL connection and I have remained sync'd to the exchange. Sometimes rebooting the router can start a new PPP session (usually I would give it 30 minutes) and other times the internet refuses to link for a considerable amount time. Seems to be just one of those things that can mysteriously happen from time to time.

The fact that you don't have access to a master NTE5 box and test socket does tend to make your situation a little tricky and hence it is impossible to rule out problems with the premises wiring. If you had an engineer visit and she/he found a fault exchange side of the test socket then we could fairly safely say that you would not be charged for any diagnosis/repair. However unfortunately this is not the case in your situation and if a problem was found within your premises then you may be liable for any costs.

I would still request that the ISP run tests on your line though and it is just possible that a remote fault may be discovered that way...

In reply to a post by MrSaffron:

For the DLM to reduce target noise margin you are looking at the system wanting to see you as stable for two weeks.

I was wondering what the maximum reduce target noise margin will be ? I think it will be 3.0dB no more than that !

Edited by adslmax (Mon 01-Apr-13 22:57:59)

In reply to a post by 4M2:

On a couple of occasions I've lost the internet (PPP link down) for several hours but the router has retained the DSL connection and I have remained sync'd to the exchange. Sometimes rebooting the router can start a new PPP session (usually I would give it 30 minutes) and other times the internet refuses to link for a considerable amount time. Seems to be just one of those things that can mysteriously happen from time to time.

Well I'm back. Yet another loss of connection today. Checking the RouterStats log it shows that I did not have an IP address - I suppose hence the disconnection. I can see the RX Noise rose from 10.9 to 95 db, TX Noise from 4.5 to 12.37 db and stayed that way for over 30 mins until I went into the Netgear settings and just pressed reconnect What is really strange is that whilst it was disconnected (red light) RouterStats did not show any drop in synch on the graphs during this time!!! with the PPPoA session timer continuing on from when it disconnected???

I don't know if this is relevant or not but at the time it disconnected the Netgear reported the time in its log as Jan 1 2003. I know Negears do lose their time settings from time to time can be rectified by a resynch to the time server. I did this once was up and running and sure enough it showed my fresh PPPoA session . I apologise in advance if this a stupid remark but I'm a firm believer in if you don't understand - ask!

Spoke with my ISP the other day and told them about the dropped PPP sessions but with no disconnection and they could not understand this as they said to lose the PPP would only be as a result in a loss in connection and subsequent noise on the line. Obviously what has happened today is as they have said but does not explain the other occasions. Anyhow, they have said they will reset my line if I wish so I'm just going to wait a bit longer and see if anything else happens.

Edited by deleted (Sun 07-Apr-13 19:44:06)

In reply to a post by maggiej:

they said to lose the PPP would only be as a result in a loss in connection and subsequent noise on the line.

I can't help with the problem, else I would, but that is bilge.

Since when did an effect (disconnection) trigger its cause (noise)?

How come many routers have the facility to stop the PPP session and start a new one without loss of sync?

Thinking a little further, ISPs are well known for not seeing disconnections on their logs as the re-sync can complete before they have detected the loss of connection. In which case the PPP session continues - wrongly.

In Routerstats the expected giveaway is a change in the sync speed.

Another symptom on BT Wholesale links is that if the sync changes with no loss of PPP session the IP Profile will not get reset, whether up or down.

Looking a bit deeper, I see your profile says you are on Newnet. It was when I was with them I first discovered the re-sync not being seen when it had clearly happened. But it does occur with others as well. This was years before they were taken over, but allied to their inability to get a target noise margin reset done with loads of diagnostic evidence for its validity was one of the contributory factors to my leaving rather than upgrading when my allowance became insufficient. (In the end the noise margin was sorted out through MrSaffron's back door and things were fine thereafter).

the time thing is an artifact of losing the internet connection I think - the netgear updates its time from internet ntp servers.

I think it's got to the stage where you really need to check out the condition of your premises wiring if the BB performance is still giving reason for concern. If the wiring is found to be in good order and you are not likely to get a downstream SNRM of 6dB and sync of ~20000Kbps then there is probably an issue with the line from your premises to the exchange which is Openreach�s responsibility to repair.

Why would something change that much time just dropping from an NTP server? I would expect something unreliable to lose/gain a few seconds over many weeks, but not just to give up all hope and reset to some arbitrary date years ago?

Or is this a netgear bug?

Nick

If a router misses a scheduled "SNTP Synchronised again to server" event due to the PPP link being down then it may revert to a default time until SNTP is synchronised again.

BTW. Installing generic firmware can result in a time server having to be specified manually after any router �factory� resets otherwise the log will just show the duration of the current powered-on time.

Edited by 4M2 (Mon 08-Apr-13 14:26:26)

Since when? I never heard so much nonsense.

All the NTP code does is poll a (NTP) time server and use gradual calculations to keep the time correct. If there is no NTP server available, the on board clock will still keep time to whatever accuracy the code/electronics are capable of - why does it just reset to some unknown date/time - that makes no sense at all.

I think perhaps people are too used to running MS stuff.

Nick