This topic

Internet Dropping Issue

eme172 — Sun, 31 Jan 2021 09:10:58 GMT

Hi there,

We have had an ongoing issue with our broadband for over a month now. We have tried to get a resolution but BT is making it very very hard.

Some info:

Internet goes off every few days, mostly we have the internet from 1600-early hours of the morning. Then it's generally off from early hours-1600 (if we're lucky). This happens until once a week the internet is off for 2+ days straight, then the 1600-early hours ON cycle continues. Twice a week we have internet all day. My favourite days of the week. There is a definite pattern here.
BT have honestly been a nightmare to deal with, booking the wrong engineer tickets multiple times. Hence the one month+ without resolution. The hours I have spent on the phone...
Important to note that we had NO ISSUES for the first month we lived here (almost to the day), then the second month it was like something changed and all of a sudden our internet was non-existent most of the week.
BT engineer suggested it's possibly because we live too far from our local village for FIBRE.
So, we opted to change to copper because of his suggestion.
Order was cancelled 3x by BT. No explanations from them.
BT engineer came round to our house this time to confirm it's the above FIBRE issue.
However he couldn't even do his checks because it caused our internet to drop apparently? So he suggested the above resolution, aka change to copper for a more stable connection. We had internet that day, his check prompted it to drop, then for the rest of the day we had no internet.
So we call to do this order AGAIN and we then get told our copper was activated all along... (I do not believe this as the pattern remains the same, nothing has changed about our connection, no more stable, no more drop outs, it's the same pattern).
We were told no line issues this entire time.
We did a million troubleshooting checks with the customer service agents, ridiculous at this point, no we do not use a filter thank you.
The engineer did not mention any concerns with our wiring or phone line. Simply our location from the local village. 3km or so.

All this being said, we have internet right now. Please can someone tell me how to check on the technical log if we're operating on fibre or not. Surely the engineer would've seen that we were no longer on fibre when he came over to the house. I feel like BT have a huge issue on their end with viewing our account details or something. The customer service agents have done us dirty numerous times. Any help or advice would be so appreciated. We work from home and we cannot right now, for over a month. We obviously have nowhere else to go to work and we have no phone signal here to make matters worse. Thank you in advance.

Some stats from WifiMan as of right now:

3.0Mbps Download

1.0Mbps Upload

Our internet has been on for about 4 hours today, it's 9am ish now.

I do not know what to post from the technical log so please let me know.

Re: Internet Dropping Issue

Keith_Beddoe — Sun, 31 Jan 2021 09:16:53 GMT

@eme172

Welcome to this user forum.

Enter your phone number into this form and display the results here, but edit out your phone number before you post the results.

https://www.broadbandchecker.btwholesale.com/#/ADSL

Which BT Home hub are you using?

Re: Internet Dropping Issue

eme172 — Sun, 31 Jan 2021 09:31:44 GMT

Hi Keith,

Thank you for your reply. Results above. Hope they're visible.

Technical log product code: Smart Hub 2

Thank you.

Re: Internet Dropping Issue

Keith_Beddoe — Sun, 31 Jan 2021 09:37:42 GMT

Thanks.

I assume you are on an ADSL 2+ connection, with a connection speed between 4.5 and 11Mbs?

Is there any noise on your phone calls? Dial 17070 and select option 2, there should be no noise between the announcements.

What is the connection information from the home hub?

As you are using the BT Smart hub you can get your connection stats by, Opening a new web browser on your connected device and type 192.168.1.254 or bthomehub.home into the address bar. This will open the Hub Manager. Click ‘Advanced Settings’ and then ‘Technical log’

Re: Internet Dropping Issue

eme172 — Sun, 31 Jan 2021 09:46:26 GMT

Product code:Smart Hub 2

Serial number:+091298+2036018197

Firmware version:v0.24.04.11017-BT

Firmware updated:Wed Jan 6 16:49:52 2021

Board version:R01

GUI version:1.71 05_06_2020

DSL uptime:0 days,04 Hours37 Mins33 Secs

Data rate:800 Kbps / 4.2 Mbps

Maximum data rate:1.160 Mbps / 9.847 Mbps

Noise margin:15.3 / 17.2

Line attenuation:15.2 / 36.3

Signal attenuation:15.2 / 39.6

VLAN id:101

Upstream error control:Off

Downstream error control:Off

Data sent / received:194.8 MB Uploaded / 560.2 MB Downloaded

BT Wi-fi:Activated

2.4 GHz wireless network name:BT-Z5AKJK

2.4 GHz wireless channel:Smart (Channel1)

5 GHz wireless network name:BT-Z5AKJK

5 GHz wireless channel:Smart (Channel36)

Wireless security:WPA2 (Recommended)

Wireless mode:Mode 1

Firewall:On

MAC address:E4:75:DC:19:CF:14

Software variant:-

Boot loader:0.1.7-BT (Thu Nov 30 09:45:22 2017)

Called the number and no noise.

Thank you.

Re: Internet Dropping Issue

Keith_Beddoe — Sun, 31 Jan 2021 09:55:04 GMT

Then you are still on a VDSL (fibre) connection, and not an ADSL, that is confirmed by the VLAN id:101 in the log. Its possible that ADSL is no longer available as an option, as its being removed from many exchanges.

You are only showing a DSL uptime:0 days,04 Hours37 Mins33 Secs Why is that?

Did you disconnect or restart the home hub, or did it disconnect on its own?

What does your master phone socket look like?

Re: Internet Dropping Issue

eme172 — Sun, 31 Jan 2021 09:58:45 GMT

Hi there,

So we never got switched to normal broadband, thank you for confirming. I told the guy on the phone my suspicions due to the ongoing order cancellations but no, he 100% guaranteed we got switched from fibre to normal. So much for that. Appreciate you drawing my attention to this.

Our internet only came on this morning, we did not have internet for 2+ days prior to this morning. We did not restart the hub today at all. Or yesterday for that matter. It never benefitted us to restart it or reset it because it didn't make a difference to our connection sadly.

Our master socket is number 7.

Thanks again.

Re: Internet Dropping Issue

iniltous — Sun, 31 Jan 2021 10:15:06 GMT

AFAIK, BT will not sell ADSL where VDSL is available , and it’s been that way for a little while , and athough there is a policy to offer ADSL to VDSL upgrades practically for ‘free’ , it needs the customer consent, so someone on ADSL can, if they want, remain on it for the time being, but once someone leaves ADSL , getting back to it ( with BT ) is going to ‘difficult’. In your case , where it’s been suggested by an Openreach engineer , moving back to ADSL may improve stability, albeit at a slower speed , may run into these problems as the ordering process may well just see you requesting a product that BT don’t sell anymore in your area, hence the order being cancelled.

If VDSL/FTTC cannot be made to perform adequately by OR , and BT ADSL is unavailable, you may have to consider a company that still does offer ADSL, but accepting that if it’s a problem on the D side cable , that may well affect ADSL as well as VDSL, so similar problems and slower speed

Re: Internet Dropping Issue

Keith_Beddoe — Sun, 31 Jan 2021 10:12:12 GMT

@eme172 wrote:
Our internet only came on this morning, we did not have internet for 2+ days prior to this morning. We did not restart the hub today at all. Or yesterday for that matter. It never benefitted us to restart it or reset it because it didn't make a difference to our connection sadly.

Our master socket is number 7.

Thanks again.

That master socket is known to give problems, and is most likely the cause of the problem

As mentioned https://community.bt.com/t5/Landline/2019-Master-Socket-kit-loose/m-p/1985566#M6775

You need to connect things up as shown below, and see if you still get disconnections. Leave it like that for a few days.

NTE 5C Test socket check

Re: Internet Dropping Issue

eme172 — Sun, 31 Jan 2021 10:09:36 GMT

Thank you for your input.

We live in the Highlands and Islands, so it's fairly standard but I will admit the times I spoke to BT about switching from fibre, the reaction I got on the phone was as if I had asked them for a miracle. I will definitely look into other companies if this continues because thus far, it's been a total mess, not to mention a waste of my time and money, minus my income. Much appreciated, thanks.

Re: Internet Dropping Issue

eme172 — Sun, 31 Jan 2021 10:13:30 GMT

Thank you Keith, I will definitely try this on a day when we do not have internet because as of right now, I have a lot to do online before it goes off again.

Thank you for all of your help. I will try and report back.

Re: Internet Dropping Issue

imjolly — Sun, 31 Jan 2021 10:15:19 GMT

can you try using the test socket with a filter to see if that helps your stability and maybe your connection speed. the front of your master just unclips ( no screws) and test socket is visible so just connect filter

if you are able to use test socket can you repost your hub stats please

Re: Internet Dropping Issue

Keith_Beddoe — Sun, 31 Jan 2021 10:19:14 GMT

@eme172 wrote:

Thank you for your input.

We live in the Highlands and Islands, so it's fairly standard but I will admit the times I spoke to BT about switching from fibre, the reaction I got on the phone was as if I had asked them for a miracle. I will definitely look into other companies if this continues because thus far, it's been a total mess, not to mention a waste of my time and money, minus my income. Much appreciated, thanks.

@eme172 You would be very lucky to find an ADSL connection, unless another company has installed equipment in the BT exchange, which seems unlikely, based on your location, as they are probably trying to close the exchanges.

Personally, I would suspect the master socket as being the cause of the long disconnections, as its been reported many times before.

Just today, causing speed loss.

https://community.bt.com/t5/BT-Fibre-broadband/Please-help-broadband-speed-lowered-by-50/td-p/2136539

Re: Internet Dropping Issue

Keith_Beddoe — Sun, 31 Jan 2021 10:37:52 GMT

@eme172 wrote:

Thank you Keith, I will definitely try this on a day when we do not have internet because as of right now, I have a lot to do online before it goes off again.

Thank you for all of your help. I will try and report back.

You may find that even someone walking past the socket, or even a temperature change, is causing the connection to go off. Its probably affecting your connection speed as well, so I would check it as soon as you are able.

If you could please update this thread with the results, it would be helpful.

Re: Internet Dropping Issue

eme172 — Tue, 02 Feb 2021 12:16:58 GMT

Hi there,

We had internet for two days (Sun-Monday night).
I had a lot to do online so I made use of it while it lasted.
This morning (Tues) woke up to no internet.
This morning at 7:30am I put the filter directly into the test socket as indicated.
12pm ish we just got internet, this does not usually happen. If it's off in the morning it generally does not come on until late afternoon if at all.
Posting hub stats below from now.

Product code:Smart Hub 2

Serial number:+091298+2036018197

Firmware version:v0.24.04.11017-BT

Firmware updated:Wed Jan 6 16:49:52 2021

Board version:R01

GUI version:1.71 05_06_2020

DSL uptime:0 days,00 Hours12 Mins58 Secs

Data rate:800 Kbps / 3.399 Mbps

Maximum data rate:1.167 Mbps / 9.698 Mbps

Noise margin:15.5 / 18.4

Line attenuation:15.2 / 36.3

Signal attenuation:15.2 / 39.6

VLAN id:101

Upstream error control:Off

Downstream error control:Off

Data sent / received:8.0 MB Uploaded / 84.7 MB Downloaded

BT Wi-fi:Activated

2.4 GHz wireless network name:BT-Z5AKJK

2.4 GHz wireless channel:Smart (Channel1)

5 GHz wireless network name:BT-Z5AKJK

5 GHz wireless channel:Smart (Channel36)

Wireless security:WPA2 (Recommended)

Wireless mode:Mode 1

Firewall:On

MAC address:E4:75:DC:19:CF:14

Software variant:-

Boot loader:0.1.7-BT (Thu Nov 30 09:45:22 2017)

Re: Internet Dropping Issue

Keith_Beddoe — Tue, 02 Feb 2021 12:23:36 GMT

@eme172

Well if it stays connected, you could eventually get a faster connection, but the fact that it did not come up right away, would indicate a problem with your line, which needs to be sorted.

Re: Internet Dropping Issue

eme172 — Tue, 02 Feb 2021 12:38:54 GMT

Ok - I will pass that info along. Thank you very much. Will post updates.

Re: Internet Dropping Issue

Keith_Beddoe — Wed, 17 Feb 2021 09:23:25 GMT

@eme172

Is your problem now resolved?

Re: Internet Dropping Issue

eme172 — Mon, 22 Feb 2021 10:52:01 GMT

We found out that everyone in our immediate area has the same issue with BT connectivity, so it's not at all isolated to our home. The perks of living rurally. Something we have to live with for now.

Thank you for your help.

Re: Internet Dropping Issue

pompey1898 — Mon, 22 Feb 2021 15:46:22 GMT

Hi @eme172 ,

It won't help you solve you problem but I have to say it is a pleasure to see your pictures posted at a reasonable size instead of having to use a magnifying - well done you !!