topic Re: Broadband Dropouts in Broadband

Broadband Dropouts

opticfibre — Mon, 20 Feb 2023 17:02:59 GMT

I'm hoping to get some thoughts or suggestions on my problem. I've been with TT for 20 years or so, and have regularly upgraded my broadband service and equipment, currently on their 70 Mbps package using a Sagemcom Fast 5364.

My problem is intermittent broadband dropouts, full or partial, any time of the day, which has been ongoing for 12 to 18 months or more. The symptoms are frequent poor or no wifi connection on our mobile phones and laptops in the house together with streaming problems on our smart TV (eg BBC I-Player). Important to note that the TV is connected to the router via an Ethernet cable. I live in a smallish 4-bed detached house, standard construction, about 40 years old. I've been in communication with the TT technical service countless times to no avail. About 6 weeks ago they suggested and supplied a Sagemcom Wifi Extender, which I installed half way between my router and the living room. It's supposed to show White-Green-White lights, but half the time it's White-Red-Green or just White-Red.

More recently TT said they would send a TT Engineer round; he came, looked at my setup, switched his laptop on and within 10 minutes said there was nothing wrong with the house equipment, the problem was categorically at the nearby street BT Cabinet. He said he'd contact them and they should respond within 72 hours. Needless to say, they didn't.

A week later I rang TT technical help again, who didn't seem to know a TT Engineer had been to the house (not too sure if they did or didn't). They then, to my astonishment asked me to wait while they did more tests, after which they said they would send a BT Engineer round, but only if I agreed to a £65 payment if the fault was not BT's!! The BT Engineer came to the house today, did some tests, etc, and said the TT Engineer didn't know what he was talking about, and the fault was definitely NOT with their lines or Cabinet !!

I'm at a complete loss to know where to go now, when faced with such conflicting information. I'm not at all confident TT are going to resolve this matter.

Re: Broadband Dropouts

Skynet_TX — Mon, 20 Feb 2023 21:33:55 GMT

Hi @opticfibre,

What does the LED on the router do when you have these issues, does it always remain solid white, or does it flash amber/white.

The support team here will be back tomorrow and will be able to help further.

Re: Broadband Dropouts

Anonymous — Tue, 21 Feb 2023 06:45:45 GMT

Morning,

I'm sorry to hear this. I've run a test on the line now which hasn't detected a fault and the connection looks stable. Can I just confirm, when did the connection last drop? Did you notice if any of the lights change on the router when this happens?

Thanks

Re: Broadband Dropouts

opticfibre — Tue, 21 Feb 2023 07:58:03 GMT

Hi, it's very difficult to say exactly when the dropouts occur, because they are intermittent and not 100% . Using my mobile phone information as an example in "settings", then "wifi networks" and selecting Talktalk from the list it shows a range of signal strengths from "not connected", to "fair", "good" and "excellent". As a write this I am 60cm away from my router and my phone shows a signal strength of only "good".

I would say that in general the router does not change from solid white to orange. However, as I explained above, the new wifi extender, which is only about 7 metres from the router, shows white-red-white many times.

Re: Broadband Dropouts

opticfibre — Tue, 21 Feb 2023 07:59:03 GMT

Hi, see above response to Michelle.

Re: Broadband Dropouts

Anonymous — Tue, 21 Feb 2023 08:07:12 GMT

Morning,

Ok, would you like us to try switching off the wifi optimisation so you can choose the best wifi channel to see how the connection compares?

Thanks

Re: Broadband Dropouts

opticfibre — Tue, 21 Feb 2023 08:11:24 GMT

Hi, I think it's important to focus on the non - Wifi aspect of my problem. As I said initially, there is a streaming problem which shows up when we use BBC I-Player on the TV - which is connected to the Router by an ethernet cable, NOT Wifi.

Re: Broadband Dropouts

Debbie-TalkTalk — Tue, 21 Feb 2023 08:20:13 GMT

Hi opticfibre

The line tests are clear and your router has the latest firmware version.

The sync speed looks good - 76mb and the connection appears to be stable, no re connections showing.

Would you like me to send a replacement router for testing so we can rule out any potential issues with your router?

Thanks

Debbie

Re: Broadband Dropouts

opticfibre — Tue, 21 Feb 2023 08:45:30 GMT

Hi Debbie, yes I think a new router would be a very good idea! Thank you.

Re: Broadband Dropouts

Debbie-TalkTalk — Tue, 21 Feb 2023 08:54:26 GMT

Hi opticfibre

No problem. The router is on its way, please allow 24-48hrs for this to arrive.

Let us know how the connection compares with this router.

Thanks

Debbie

Re: Broadband Dropouts

Debbie-TalkTalk — Mon, 27 Feb 2023 12:13:43 GMT

Hi opticfibre

How are you getting on, have you received the replacement router?

Re: Broadband Dropouts

opticfibre — Tue, 28 Feb 2023 15:28:58 GMT

Hi Debbie,

Thank you, I’ve received and installed the replacement TT router. My first impression is that it is definitely better! The main reason I say this is because I’d previously received a TT Wifi extender which has given trouble – refer to my posts on the Community. Anyway, once I’d factory reset the extender it is working fine, showing white-Green-white LEDs with no interruptions, unlike when I was using the original router.

So far so good, and I wanted to continue to evaluate the new router to confirm that the previous faults have been eliminated, maybe over a couple of weeks.

BUT, this morning when I switched on my desktop PC (connected by ethernet cable to router) it wouldn’t connect to the internet!!! I had a wifi signal for my mobile though. The only think I could think of was to restart my PC, then switch off and restart the router. Thankfully the internet was restored and my PC has worked fine since. There’s just that element of doubt, though. So as I said I will continue to see how it all goes for a couple of weeks before shouting Whoopee!

Regards

Opticfibre

Re: Broadband Dropouts

Debbie-TalkTalk — Wed, 01 Mar 2023 06:45:41 GMT

Hi opticfibre

Thanks for your reply.

Yes no problem, please let us know how the connection is over the next couple of weeks.

Thanks again.

Debbie 🙂

Re: Broadband Dropouts

opticfibre — Fri, 10 Mar 2023 09:28:56 GMT

Debbie, I'm sorry to say that the broadband problems persist, despite my earlier optimism. Just to recap, the replacement TT router is installed and (sort of) working, and I have a TT wifi extender, apparently working.

But, we continue to have intermittent broadband dropouts. For example, this morning when I switched on my desktop PC, which is connected via ethernet cable to the router, there was no internet with the message "This site can't be reached", and www.bbc.co.uk's server IP could not be found. Once again I had to switch off and then back on my router to regain an internet connection. On another occasion when my PC wouldn't connect i went to 'Troubleshooting', and it came back with "Problem found. The DNS server isn't responding."

I've also had different messages on my PC, eg "Network Adaptor. Issues found - Wifi doesn't have a valid IP configuration, Re-set the Wifi adapter".

I'm not an expert and none of this means much to me. All I do is switch the Router off and back on.

Other issues; my wife's mobile is continually switching to 4G (and using up all her data) because of unreliable wifi - this is in the house. I'm being blamed for this!!

Our laptops lose the internet intermittently.

I've had 2 engineers visits. The first - a TT engineer - said categorically the problem was in the BT cabinet in the street, not in the house. The 2nd visit - an Openreach engineer - said that the TT engineer's diagnosis was complete rubbish and his equipment showed the cabinet was working.

I hope you can appreciate the situation. I need more help, perhaps another engineer, perhaps a better router, to sort it all out.

Alexa drops out, then announces to us that because of intermittent wifi I should restart my router!

Re: Broadband Dropouts

Debbie-TalkTalk — Fri, 10 Mar 2023 09:38:39 GMT

Hi opticfibre

I'm really sorry to hear this.

I can't see a high number of re connections on the line.

Are any wired devices also losing connection?

Re: Broadband Dropouts

opticfibre — Fri, 10 Mar 2023 09:44:55 GMT

Yes, as I said at the beginning my PC is connected by ethenet cable.

Can we discuss by email?

Re: Broadband Dropouts

Debbie-TalkTalk — Fri, 10 Mar 2023 09:47:15 GMT

Hi opticfibre

Apologies, we can only reply on the Community or by Private Message.

Would you like me to arrange another Openreach engineer visit? I will need to send you a Private Message to confirm some details.

Thanks

Debbie

Re: Broadband Dropouts

opticfibre — Fri, 10 Mar 2023 09:50:32 GMT

Yes, sorry, don't really understand, I'm getting your posts by email already. Are you not seeing my replies?

Re: Broadband Dropouts

Debbie-TalkTalk — Fri, 10 Mar 2023 09:52:37 GMT

Hi opticfibre

I only see your replies on this thread not as an email. You will see my replies by email if you have subscribed to your thread.

If you reply back by email then I wont see your replies, only posts directly on the Community.

Hope this helps.

Thanks

Re: Broadband Dropouts

Debbie-TalkTalk — Fri, 10 Mar 2023 09:53:12 GMT

Hi opticfibre

I'm just sending you a Private Message.