Constant connection drops? Any ideas?

Hello

I'll try keep this as brief as possible.

I've essentially been experiencing issues with my connection dropping, so unable to anything properly (banking, streaming, shopping etc). A couple of engineers have been sent out and apparently the line tests fine up to the master socket.

My router normally locks in at 55 DOWN and 10 UP - anything other than this and I know I've got issues on the line.

The normal sync rates I get now are 51s, 52s, 53s, but when it drops, it will almost always resync at 19 ish before dropping again after a few minutes and resync at the higher rate but never at 55? Also, when it syncs at the low 50s, it can be for 30 minutes, an hour, maybe a few or 6 - 7 hours - there's no particular pattern I can see.

Does anyone know what the issue might be? Surely it's not a router problem if the ISP has identified the issue to be external / network?

I’d suggest it is either an HR fault on your line (but the engineers’ tests ought to have picked this up, or, the router is on the fritz…. definitely worth getting it replaced, and is one likely culprit ticked off.

Does your line provide dial tone still ? If so, is it clear, and nose free ?

Could be a failing DSL filter (either faceplate or dangly filter depending on what you have)?

Or could be another device on the phone line - had a similar issue with a Sky box that was plugged in to a phone line that caused poor signal periodically.

Edited by ian72 (Thu 08-Jun-23 08:37:57)

Or could be another device on the phone line - had a similar issue with a Sky box that was plugged in to a phone line that caused poor signal periodically.

Except the OP has had a couple of engineer visits, what you describe is the simplest of VDSL faults to identify and fix, an internal bridge tap.

We had a fault and it took the engineer nearly 2 hours to find/fix it. The connection tested good for 10 minutes then it was very bad then good again.

Was a dodgy connection in the cabinet.

In reply to a post by Zarjaz:

I’d suggest it is either an HR fault on your line (but the engineers’ tests ought to have picked this up, or, the router is on the fritz…. definitely worth getting it replaced, and is one likely culprit ticked off.

Does your line provide dial tone still ? If so, is it clear, and nose free ?

Thanks for your reply.

Yes, the line gets a dial tone and sounds fine - I don't think there's any noise.

In reply to a post by ian72:

Could be a failing DSL filter (either faceplate or dangly filter depending on what you have)?

Or could be another device on the phone line - had a similar issue with a Sky box that was plugged in to a phone line that caused poor signal periodically.

Thanks for your reply.

There are no new devices connected to my socket, other than the phone and router.

I used to have a dangly micro-filter, but that was replaced a year or two ago with a faceplate all-in-one.

I'm wondering - do engineers use the test socket on that faceplate to perform line tests (which apparently tests fine up until the master socket)? Is it possible the faceplate is defective if not using the test socket?

The ISP states their diagnostics are saying there's an issue on the line before the master socket; effectively ruling out a problem behind the master socket - that is router. I have also used another RJ11 cable to rule that out.

In reply to a post by broadband66:

We had a fault and it took the engineer nearly 2 hours to find/fix it. The connection tested good for 10 minutes then it was very bad then good again.

Was a dodgy connection in the cabinet.

Thanks for replying.

I did mention this to one of the engineers but they basically said the way they're designed, it is hard to be accidently dislodged by another engineer.

Take the faceplate off and plug into the test socket to rule out any issues with the faceplate.

funny to read comments like that in 2023. UK is technologically impaired country when it comes to internet.