Zen updating the router every couple of hours

I am getting logs of the following every couple of hours:
The service provider successfully transmitted settings to this device.

This has been going on day and night since June.
Zen support say it is normal, but won't say what is constantly being update.

Does anyone know why? Router is Fritz!Box 7530 with latest software.

Regards
David

Edited by ukwiz (Thu 10-Aug-23 15:13:43)

If it's the TR-069 it's a standard CPE protocol whereby a modem or router can poll the ISP's management system for any config updates required for the WAN interface connectivity.
I assume it can also supply the right settings if for example your contract is amended to incorporate the Digital Voice service as part of the PSTN switch-off work, which would allow for a more seamless overnight swapover.

For a different ISP that was bundling IPTV services, this would enable remote provisioning of IP multicast if necessary to deliver the channels to a particular LAN port assigned to a set top box or integrated Digital TV capable of receiving that way.

Once per night should be enough though rather than every few hours, unless they increase the frequency when they know service migration work in a particular exchange area or subset of customers is about to start.

This service runs on my Fritz!box as well while the
Internet > Account Information > Internet Connection > Internet Service Provider (drop down list)
is set to Zen Internet, since I assume that feature is configured by that template.

Edited by prlzx (Fri 11-Aug-23 13:52:51)

The log entries on mine are clickable, a sample result is this:

https://fritzhelp.avm.de/help/en/FRITZ-Box-7530-avme...

The service provider successfully transmitted settings to this device.
This is an event message from the System area.

The status message informs you that your service provider transmitted to the device the settings for the services you ordered. Now you can use the services you ordered (like an Internet connection or a VoIP account).

Which is broadly consistent with what I was trying to describe in the previous reply.

In reply to a post by prlzx:

Once per night should be enough though rather than every few hours, unless they increase the frequency when they know service migration work in a particular exchange area or subset of customers is about to start.

But not every hour or two all day and night since June, perhaps?

I would imagine it's set to poll frequently in case you order digital voice for example so that it gets provisioned promptly. as the router has to pull settings from the Automatic Configuration Service platform, looking at the videos on their YouTube channel, they are pushing DV heavily.

To go off on a slight tangent, where I work we use Microsoft Configuration Manager to deploy software and the agents that run on the client machines are set to poll for updates every couple of hours.

Yes, I think you are right. This is the reply I got from Zen support:

I have asked the Hardware team at Zen, who have mentioned the occurrence happens every few hours due to specific reasons, but we would not share these reasons, Zen have ownership and management of the routers we supply, and this involves tasks like deploying new firmware updates or optimizing its connection frequency with our platform.

Regarding the migration process, it's another aspect that we're handling internally and wouldn't provide insights to customers about the technicalities. Our focus is on ensuring a seamless process for services, such as the provision of a digital voice service.

Seems that the attitude is "We own the router, so we do what we like"

In reply to a post by ukwiz:

In reply to a post by prlzx:

Once per night should be enough though rather than every few hours, unless they increase the frequency when they know service migration work in a particular exchange area or subset of customers is about to start.

But not every hour or two all day and night since June, perhaps?

Umm that's what I said. It should not need to be every few hours.
As to me that would only make sense as part of an imminent service changeover then it should go back to normal.

Anyway, no I don't know why yours is doing this and my Zen Fritz!box averages every other day at the moment, and it looks like my Digital Voice switchover happened on the 8th, rather sooner than I expected.
Now do I have a a spare RJ11 tucked away for the FON socket …?

Just a suggestion but have you checked in your logs if your router is actually having connectivity problems on the line, and if that is then causing it to look to refresh its WAN config?

It sounds similar to an organisation where I was part of a Networks team, ahead of a planned change such as IP renumbering, we would decrease the DHCP lease time in the days approaching the change so that any connected devices would renew during the change window, and have less to check manually during verification.

Regarding DV, I note it was initially a Marketing drive, but they promoted it using service announcements which some of us objected to.

This time it has been stated that it will happen anyway as service change as ahead of the PSTN switchover. I don't mind that it happens earlier than being last minute as long as it is not then charged as an elective regrade or taking an additional service.

We've been given assurance that we will be put onto a PAYG equivalent with no inclusive minutes or additional monthly fee and that in the context of the price guarantee it is not treated as us requesting a new contract since we are not the instigators.

There was a 1 off automated charge followed by a matching credit listed so I will have to check next month is correct.

In reply to a post by ukwiz:

Yes, I think you are right. This is the reply I got from Zen support:

I have asked the Hardware team at Zen, who have mentioned the occurrence happens every few hours due to specific reasons, but we would not share these reasons, Zen have ownership and management of the routers we supply, and this involves tasks like deploying new firmware updates or optimizing its connection frequency with our platform.

Regarding the migration process, it's another aspect that we're handling internally and wouldn't provide insights to customers about the technicalities. Our focus is on ensuring a seamless process for services, such as the provision of a digital voice service.

Seems that the attitude is "We own the router, so we do what we like"

I think in terms of new connections they provide the router free ao they may have a point on the basis that it's their network endpoint though I bought my Fritzbox from them for half price as an existing customer.


Mine seems to be registering it every couple of days though it says it has received 26 messages over the last coule of days though I don't have DV, if you have this it may increase the occurrence.

You can switch to other provider but that will probably break DV and while they don't force you to use their router, I don't think they share configuration details so you can get it working on your choice of hardware so it's going to become more and more difficult to do and might well lose them custom among power users, a number of other providers are happy to do so.

Am in the process of leaving Zen as despite being a customer for 9 years they wouldn't do me any sort of deal on a speed upgrade despite a sales rep telling me a couple of months ago they could but they'd have to wait until the contract was near the end.

Anyway. it looks like I might be going back to work in the office for some portion of the week so I decided to save a few quid and downgraede it a bit so am off on Wednesday but the about face on whatt I was told left a sour taste in my mouth so don't think I'll be going back which is a shame as the majority of the 9 years have been great and have been happy to recommend them.

Not decided yet whether I'll keep the Fritzbox or buy my own router.

Edited by techguy (Sat 12-Aug-23 17:18:52)

I have hundreds of these in my log too, but they're all collated together (xx messages since yy).

I find it odd that Zen wouldn't share their reasons. Does anyone know what the settings are, or how we might view them? I do know that one of them is the firmware update option - always gets set back to install automatically.