Poor Internet Service

[Richard_F]

For between four to five weeks, I have been experiencing a below par internet service. Some days it's just about tolerable and I'm able to progress with what I need to do and access those websites required. On others, like today, Sunday 23rd April, it's deplorable and my progress is seriously hampered.

I do not leave my laptop and router permanently powered up. These are started up/booted as required which is at least once daily. I am connected to the router by ethernet, a cable connection, not Wi-Fi. Sometimes the first indication of what service I can expect is when I open MS Office Outlook and am notified 'Outlook cannot synchronize subscribed folders ..'. This is a worst-case scenario but fortunately isn't that common. Proceeding to open Firefox, my preferred browser, whatever website I try to open will inevitably result in an error message '.. We're having trouble finding that site. We can't connect to the server at ..' or perhaps I'm informed 'Connect to the internet. You're offline. Check your connection. No internet connection'. I must stress it never is any one particular website, all sites are unresponsive.

I have no option other than to persevere trying to open the website and eventually, usually after several minutes, I'll be successful. Everything's then usually fine until I need to access another website and the saga begins again. Imagine how it is when I've Googled a topic and I'm trying to follow up on the proffered links; chronic frustration.

When in this poor service predicament I've tried using MS Edge as a comparison but it is no better. Running the Windows Network Diagnostics leads to a diagnosis of 'Windows can't communicate with the device or resource (primary DNS server)'. I have also tried using another device, Samsung phone, which has similar issues accessing the internet. I've cleared the cache from within Firefox. Firefox is up to date at version 112.0.1 (64 bit).

This fickle behaviour with accessing the internet leads me to conclude the problem is external to my equipment and the premises. Help appreciated.

[Michelle-TalkTalk]

Morning,

I'm glad to hear this and thanks for confirming 🙂

Thanks

[Richard_F]

Thanks Chris that's me sorted then! My case has beeb resolved and can be closed.

Richard

[Chris-TalkTalk]

Hi Richard,

If you don't have a router to return and have never been given one then that's fine, you don't need to worry about returning a different router

Chris

[Richard_F]

Hi Debbie,

I came to TalkTalk via its acquisition of Pipex several years ago. Neither Pipex or TalkTalk ever provided me with a router; I have always had to purchase these myself. Since I don't have a TalkTalk router to return/exchange I don't know what my position is.

Richard

[Debbie-TalkTalk]

Hi Richard

I'm so glad to hear this 🙂

If you have an old TalkTalk router then please can you keep the new router and return the old one using the pre paid returns bag.

Thanks

Debbie

[Gliwmaeden2]

Ah, thank you,  @ferguson.

 However, @Richard_F, Talktalk does also offer to recycle any old equipment that doesn't work, in just the same way.

https://community.talktalk.co.uk/t5/Articles/Returning-your-TalkTalk-equipment/ta-p/2348381

 

[ferguson]

@Gliwmaeden2 

Not sure if OP has a suitable "old" router as they were previously using a third-party device?

[Gliwmaeden2]

Check for a returns bag in the new / old box. There should be a prepaid label.

If not, staff can get a returns bag sent out for you to post back the old router.

Keep a certificate of posting as a record of posting, which should also show the tracker number, @Richard_F.

[Richard_F]

Hi Debbie,

My impressions are good. With the new router my internet access has been restored and is behaving impeccably. Thank you so very much for your support and successful resolution of the issue.

Now what?

Richard

[Karl-TalkTalk]

Hi Richard,

No Problem, just report back here when ready and let us know how things are going.

Regards,

Karl. 

[Richard_F]

Hi Debbie,

The router turned up sometime yesterday afternoon. I connected it late this afternoon. I will reserve judgement for the timebeing but will update you with my impressions on Wednesday evening. Thanks for now.

Richard

[Debbie-TalkTalk]

Hi Richard

Sorry for the delay. The replacement 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

[Richard_F]

Hi Debbie,

At around 20:45 I was having trouble accessing these websites amongst others. Usual We can’t connect to the server at www...:

uk.finance.yahoo.com
www.google.com
community.talktalk.co.uk
www.facebook.com

I also recieved transient notifications of being offline from within Firefox

[ferguson]

You don't need to configure a TalkTalk router, it's just plug and play. I think the intention here is to find out whether the issue is with your current third-party router, or elsewhere. 

[Richard_F]

Hi Debbie,

Regarding a test router, sure, more than happy to try it. Will you include configuration requirements if at all possible please.

I booted up my laptop just five minutes ago at 16:45. The router has been powered since 08:00 this morning. Reloading browser tabs is slow. MS Office Outlook reporting error as shown in attached file.

[Debbie-TalkTalk]

Hi Richard_F

Would it be ok if I send a router for testing to see how the connection compares?

[Richard_F]

Hi Debbie

From 18:50 this evening for a period of 5 to 10 minutes I couldn't access any websites. Things improved from then but reloading tabs took an extended period of tme and I had at least one occurence of

Hmm. We’re having trouble finding that site.

We can’t connect to the server at www...

As I write (20:30) things are okay again.

[Richard_F]

Hi Debbie, thank you for your efforts. Router is: TP-LINK Technologies

Product Description: AC1900 Wireless Dual Band Gigabit ADSL2+ Modem Router
Model No.: Archer D9

I don't know if you or someone else has already tweaked something but my internet access yesterday evening and so far this evening is not quite back to its normal state but it is pretty good.

[Debbie-TalkTalk]

Hi Richard

I've checked the connection stats and I can see that the line is in sync at just under 25mb.

Which router are you using? (make and model)

[Debbie-TalkTalk]

Hi Richard

I will check again just after 9am today.

Thanks