Simply put if the end-user router was handing the full thoughput without issue before any migration, then its not part of the problem, after the migration.

From the very convoluted history on this thread; the root of the problem lies somewhere in the new Zen GEA backhaul and/or interaction with (certain?) Openreach L2S/OLT.

However other than one faulty Huawei L2S line card in one exchange, no one from Zen has been able to explain the issue and whether its incidence is much wider.

From the very convoluted history on this thread; the root of the problem lies somewhere in the new Zen GEA backhaul and/or interaction with (certain?) Openreach L2S/OLT.

I am 100% in agreement as to the cause of the problem, but I also know that the way different TCP stacks handle (admittedly faulty) connections is a major source of confusion. All I am saying is that with my Fritz pre - migration it was fine, after migration, it was rubbish, and after being back-migrated, it was fine again. The problem is that Zen (like most) ISP's insist that if the connection is fine with PPPOE, then all is fine, which it IS NOT! I am just saying that the falloff in performance that people notice LAN-side is going to depend on the 'router' or PPPOE connections implementation. All my results point to that being the case.

it can also enable the user to carry out Ookla Speed tests from inside the router itself which is handy when you have speed issues.

The Fritz also allows speed tests from inside the router, but to a German site, and apparently (so Zen say) it used UDP not TCP, and when I carried out tests it always showed full speed, even with the disconnections (UDP more tolerant than TCP? I don't know)

Yes I agree and take your point.

However if the standard issue ISP-supplied CPE suffers the worst possible degradation before and after - then its fairly difficult proposition for them too argue that it's "all really OK" surely?

Correct, and Zen didn't (in the end). Just that the standard 'support' script seems to say 1) Try PPPOE, 2) if that's OK, then it's your end. In my case (and I suspect in the case of others experiencing this problem) it is NOT an indication all is well. I find it really interesting that the is the first case of someone using a different router experiencing what I experienced for months, and had to hammer away at Zen to take my point. Of course all is well here now, that I have been back migrated, and still using the same kit exactly. I am just encouraging other people who seem to have the same (or related) issues to not be fobbed off.

Interesting.
I'm loath to go near the Fitzbox as a router, as while it does the DECT job nicely, it wasn't impressive at all while I was initially testing the 900mbps FTTP. Though I'm sure I'll probably get no-where with the tech support guys without using it, so I'm probably doomed. I should say all my test machines are hard wired via Ubiquiti gigabit switches. My favourite speedtest device is actually the AppleTV4k, as I have 4 of them darted around the place, and their lean Unix based OS and Speedtest.net app is impervious to the vagaries of Windows configuration disasters.

Most of my speed tests are well below 500mbps this afternoon, including Zen's own server on Speedtest.net and nearly every other server there, too.. There is on Speedtest.net though one server that is up in the 800's - VeloxServ Communications - not quite what it should be, but much better.. It seems to me to be a possibility that wherever these GEA connections end up is poorly connected with some significant contention in some directions, and some routes are working better than others.

Routing shouldn't affect speed! Latency, sure, but not speed. Yes, I am sure there will be some questions around routers from the support people, but Tell Brandon or Andrew at Zen that you are experiencing the same issues as Jake and I, and they 'should' understand, and I am certain your router is better than the Fritz, but at the end of the day, it's down to the disconnects I suggest (rather than the route). You sound to have a good setup there, and know what you're doing, just keep plugging at Zen, and mention this thread, they DO know we're here, and read posts! Likewise here, all is wired gigabit, and a managed switch to do LAG (link aggregation) to my Synology NAS, with 4 Gbit connections off to the different segments around the house. I haven't found the Fritz wireless to be too bad, I have one by the ONT downstairs by the front door, and a second one in the loft at the back of the house, this gives me pretty consistent 500Mbit service right from one end of the garden at the front, to the other end at the back, and seldom below 300Mbits anywhere in the house, BUT I hate WiFi, and only use it for phones, tablets and visitors!

Edited by SteveBushell999 (Sun 03-Jul-22 15:03:36)

I've not had any issues with the Fritzbox handling the connection (when said connection is working properly). I've actually been pretty impressed. It's the only ISP supplied router I've never had a need to replace.

Obviously your ubiquity setup can do more than the fritzbox can when it comes to features, so if you're used to that, it's understandable that downgrading will be annoying.

I agree, but only when the connection in not in the GEA migrated mess, then the Fritz router is much worse than PPPOE or some other routers (I can only personally vouch for Apple). I just want to make that clear ie: The Fritz or Technicolor routers work REALLY badly with a GEA migrated connection that has failed, otherwise they are fine. In addition, I suspect other routers than Apple will perform differently to the Fritz on a broken migrated line (either better or worse), but that you will still have a FTTP connection that is broken, will go off and on, and likely have poor latency under load.

And I full agree with FakeJake that the Fritz is actually a pretty decent box compared to most other isp supplied routers, I particularly like the voip features, and the built in mesh as well as the port forwarding being pretty clear.

Edited by SteveBushell999 (Sun 03-Jul-22 15:41:47)

I guess that is something to be thankful for then at least, that the Fritz sounds unlikely to work better than one I use day to day. At least I have a reasonable chance of hooking it up and it still being sub-par so they can see it failing with their gear. If it's that bad though I'm unlikely to want to leave it connected for extended troubleshooting, mind.

I'm sure it is pretty good overall compared to some of the stuff ISPs give away, the DECT base station function was a nice bonus that saved me a few quid when I migrated to VOIP - I kept my existing DECT handsets that were previously connected to a POTS base station,, and use SIP to AAISP to do voice. I use the Ubiquiti devices to have a transparent site to site VPN between my office and home, which works brilliantly.