This topic

Internet connection dropping

niktre — Mon, 26 Dec 2022 13:27:00 GMT

Hi, our internet connection drops daily for a few minutes. We have a smart hub 2 and 150 full fiber connection to our property. I have ethernet and WIFI connections and approximately 30 devices ( Alexa, tapo, blink , mobiles tablets etc.).

I have contacted BT and they have sent around Open reach and predictably they have found nothing although BT admits that my line does drop daily but say 2 drops are allowable. I transferred to BT service from sky FTTC as the same drops were happening and thought FTTP would resolve.

Please has anyone got any suggestions to have a reliable connection? I have been suggested by a friend to purchase a better router which I would do if it works as I have a lot of devices but also I would like to keep digital voice as I have some of the BT digital voice phones.

Thanks

Re: Internet connection dropping

dan_rekt — Mon, 26 Dec 2022 13:31:22 GMT

I'm having the same issue at present. Connection keeps dropping randomly but line checks say there is no issue. I've turned my Smart Hub 2 on and off, power cycled and factory reset to no avail.

Re: Internet connection dropping

niktre — Mon, 26 Dec 2022 13:36:32 GMT

Hi dan_rekt , yes this is very frustrating. I forgot to add that most of the time the SH 2 still has a blue ring lit although devices say no internet connection.

Re: Internet connection dropping

Les-Gibson — Mon, 26 Dec 2022 14:25:57 GMT

I certainly don't consider two drops a day acceptable for FTTP.

Check the lights on the ONT (the white box that the hub connects to), PON should be on and it should be absolutely rock solid, even one momentary flash indicates a problem.

Likewise the LOS light should be permanently out and be rock solid, again even one momentary flash indicates a problem.

Re: Internet connection dropping

niktre — Mon, 26 Dec 2022 14:41:01 GMT

Thank you Les-Gibson, I agree I do not think two drops is acceptable especially as I decided to get FFTP to stop the dropping.
I will look at the lights on the ONT and see what they do.

Re: Internet connection dropping

Anonymous — Mon, 26 Dec 2022 15:12:22 GMT

@niktre

If the Hub is staying purple that suggests that the connection isn't dropping, so maybe it's just WiFi that is. The logs in the Hub should show any issues with the ONT connection dropping. If you have Tapo cameras, maybe set one up to constantly record the ONT to SD card. You can then see if the drops you experience are matched by any anomalies with the LEDs.

Re: Internet connection dropping

niktre — Mon, 26 Dec 2022 15:17:52 GMT

Hi rbz5416, thank you for your reply. Good idea about the tapo camera recording ONT. Unfortunately one of my connections that regularly drops is to a smart tv which has its connection via ethernet cable-ethernet switch-SH 2. This is what leads me to think it is either the SH2 which cannot cope with all devices running or from outside the property.
Thanks

Re: Internet connection dropping

gg30340 — Mon, 26 Dec 2022 19:09:05 GMT

If you had FTTC from Sky and now FTTP from BT and the broadband is dropping the same as it was with FTTC from Sky that would tend to rule out it being the broadband connection to your property or the router/hub that is being used, as the broadband is delivered by entirely different infrastructure and the router/hubs are different.

Because Full Fibre connections do not suffer from REIN/SHINE interference this would rule that out being a problem outside your property so in my opinion it points to the problem being inside your property that is causing the router/hub to drop the connection.

It may be an electrical problem/device within your property that is affecting the router/hub.

You should try to establish what electrical devices are either switching on or off when the drop outs happen and through a process of elimination by having the device turned off in turn to see if you can locate the problem device.

Assuming your network set up was the same with Sky FTTC as it is now with BT FTTP I would start with your Ethernet Switch to your TV even although it does not get turned on and off they can cause problems.

Re: Internet connection dropping

niktre — Tue, 27 Dec 2022 11:58:32 GMT

Hi gg30340, thank you for your reply.

I will try and investigate like you have suggested. My switch was a new tp link unmanaged poe but I may buy a netgear managed to see how that goes and maybe monitor.
What is everyone's thoughts on getting a higher end router after the SH 2 to handle all my devices ?
Thank you.

Re: Internet connection dropping

pippincp — Tue, 27 Dec 2022 13:07:45 GMT

I would always recommend a third party router over an ISP supplied one. Don't forget ISP supplied equipment is "one size fite all" and ferquently doesn't, especially high end useers.

NB you won't be able to use Digital Voice with a third party router, you will have to switch to an independant VoIP provider is homee phone is needed.

Re: Internet connection dropping

gg30340 — Tue, 27 Dec 2022 14:57:00 GMT

Getting a new router won't necessarily fix your problem, given that you gave said you had the same problem with both the Sky router and the BT hub so that would tend to rule out the router being the source of the problem, but it's your money so if you think it will help get one. It shouldn't make things worse.

Re: Internet connection dropping

gg30340 — Tue, 27 Dec 2022 14:59:27 GMT

@pippincp wrote:

NB you won't be able to use Digital Voice with a third party router, you will have to switch to an independant VoIP provider is homee phone is needed.

The OP said "getting a higher end router after the SH 2 to handle all my devices "?

Re: Internet connection dropping

pippincp — Tue, 27 Dec 2022 20:10:44 GMT

@gg30340wrote:
@pippincpwrote:

NB you won't be able to use Digital Voice with a third party router, you will have to switch to an independant VoIP provider is homee phone is needed.
The OP said "getting a higher end router after the SH 2 to handle all my devices "?

Did the first sentance of my post suggest keeping the SH2? Context matters.

Re: Internet connection dropping

gg30340 — Tue, 27 Dec 2022 20:45:15 GMT

@pippincp wrote:

@gg30340wrote:

@pippincpwrote:

NB you won't be able to use Digital Voice with a third party router, you will have to switch to an independant VoIP provider is homee phone is needed.

The OP said "getting a higher end router after the SH 2 to handle all my devices "?

Did the first sentance of my post suggest keeping the SH2? Context matters.

No it did not, where as the OP stated he was, therefore your post about not being able to use DV is not relevant to him unless you were just posting "random information" about 3rd party routers and DV.

Re: Internet connection dropping

pippincp — Tue, 27 Dec 2022 22:10:24 GMT

@gg30340 Come on now, you admit I was advocating using a third party router rather than the SH2 in my reply to the OP.

We have both been on this forum long enough to know that other (perhaps new) users jump on a thread to say say "the same as me ".

Are they not worthy of the "Random Information" that DV will not work with a third party router?

Would you prefer I didn't mention it and someone droped in, thought it could be a solution and came back and said DV wouldn't work? I wouldn't.

Re: Internet connection dropping

gg30340 — Tue, 27 Dec 2022 22:30:03 GMT

I was pointing it out per chance that the OP, and having " been on this forum long enough to know that other (perhaps new) users jump on a thread to say say "the same as me ". would have thought that he would not be able to use DV because you had stated that he could not when using a 3rd party router, when in fact as you are no doubt aware, he could given what he had said about using it after the SH2.

As this is going nowhere I'll leave it now.