Sagemcom FAST 5464 not connecting to ONT

[DRJCam]

I have been using Fast Fibre 65 for quite some time without issue, but at the start of November 2024 I kept getting connection drop-outs. My PC is wired to the router so this is not a WiFi issue. The Internet would drop out for a minute or so, then return. However, this would kill off Teams  and other meetings / calls, and generally cut off connections to remote locations. Come the start of December 2024 it was getting to be a few times a day. When this occurs, if I go through to the where the router is, I can see it flashing amber, and the Ethernet light on the ONT (black box on the wall) is off. After 30 seconds or so the router connects to the ONT and the service is up and working - the flashing amber light turns solid white.

I have had a nightmare trying to talk / chat with support, and the 'experts' just run off a script and keep asking the same pointless questions I had already answered in the chat. Hint to TT: don't think outsourcing to under-trained, under-skilled services is saving you money.

Anyhow, after one 'expert' decided they could fix it remotely it stopped working entirely. I won't dwell on the Kafkaesque series of events (still ongoing) but I have now discovered something interesting. Note also that I did find a few similar stories on the Internet and even in this community, but no explanation or solution that works for me.

The router (Sagemcom FAST 5464) sits flashing either slow or fast amber. The flash speed reflects whether the green Ethernet light on the ONT is on or off (I forget which way round) - and the router will quite happily sit there for days repeating the slow, then fast flashing without ever connecting. I have had two texts from Talk Talk a few days apart saying "Good news! We have applied a solution...", but of course it wasn't a solution to the problem I am having. They don't explain what they have done, which may be helpful to know for long-running issues.

Several things come to mind

- The old router could be on its way out?

- TalkTalk have implemented some upgrade without telling me, and it broke things

- The fibre connection is broken

Apparently, the fibre connection reported itself working. However, connecting the PC directly to the ONT I could get no connection... at least for the first 6 days of the 'no connection' problem, and I was repeating the router and PC connection testing daily. Then on Monday 16th Dec, even though the router could not connect, the PC could. This is a change in behaviour, and a possible step in the right direction. So the ONT / fibre connection was truly working - so it must be the router? I borrowed a similar router from a friend, and yes, that just connected and produced a WiFi network  etc. etc. Trying my original router again it was just flashing amber lights, so I managed to get TT to send a new FAST 5464 router - I set it up but it did the same as my old router. This is when I looked more closely and realised the friend's router was a Huawei DG8041W (not now in front of me but sure that was the code).

So the questions are

- What changed to stop the FAST 5464 working? (it wasn't me!)

- Why would the Huawei router (much older I believe) work fine?

- Why is there no easy-to-find answer to either of the above?

I am still without a working router (hmm, define 'working'), and therefore no usable data service from TalkTalk. If the Huawei routers work, can TT send one of those instead of the Sagemcom? How do I get that to happen before Christmas?

TIA

DRJ

PS I may only be able to check replies intermittently, when I have access to the Internet

[Chris-TalkTalk]

That's great news, glad to hear that it working now, have a great Christmas 🙂

Chris

[DRJCam]

Hi Chris,

I've just had a call from Shahbaz in Case Management and he suggested sending out a slightly different model router. He didn't say which, but from the conversation I'd guess the FAST without the VOIP socket (is that the FAST5364?). This sounded a sensible idea.

UPDATE - WORKING ROUTER!

Shahbaz just called back with a new test. He suggested the issue is with the power supply/transformer. Apparently, this is a known issue, that sometimes plugging it into an extension can cause problems. Doesn't seem real, but as a first test I tried the spare power supply with the new router, and after a minute it connected fine. I've tested the basics and it seems that the connection is ok. I have WiFi and Internet. He will call be back on Boxing day to find out how it is behaving (my original issue over the past 7 or so weeks has been drop outs with the connection).

So weird that the router is happily flashing and seems to have power, but for whatever reason it affects the way the router talks to the ONT. Doesn't seem possible.

After all this, the problem is about the power supply being somehow temperamental and affecting the connection!?

He was saying it may need to be plugged directly into a wall socket for power from the mains rather than an extension lead (which almost everyone does I'm sure!)

At the moment things are looking good. Thank you for all your help with this. Bizarre solution - but maybe needs to be publicised more widely.

Cheers

DRJ

[Chris-TalkTalk]

I can send another router to test with just to make sure, would you like me to arrange this?

Chris

[DRJCam]

They just have the Huawei - that is their current router, which is why I could only borrow it for testing.

(I just asked them, and their account just calls if Fibre 65, but they do have the black box just like mine).

[Chris-TalkTalk]

If they had a black ONT then it will be Full Fibre on a City Fibre circuit. Did they have a sagemcom too or an eero?

Chris

[DRJCam]

One other house - the person who had the Huawei router. That was a '65' connection via a black box ONT, but I'm not sure if it was called Fast Fibre or Full Fibre - is that a difference you mentioned (FTTC and FTTP)?

[Chris-TalkTalk]

The other houses that you tested at, where they on TalkTalk Full Fibre too?

Chris

[DRJCam]

Something did strike me overnight. As Holmes would say "When you have eliminated all which is impossible, then whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth."

I know we've not yet eliminated all... but since I have not been able to demonstrate either of the Sagemcom routers working, even though both were tested at two different houses with a TT connection, it is possible that both are faulty. Unlikely, I know, but possible.

[Chris-TalkTalk]

No problem, have a great Christmas 🙂

Chris

[DRJCam]

ok - thanks for your help on this, Chris. At least they (Future Fibre team) can check this thread to see what has been tested.

Cheers

DRJ

[Chris-TalkTalk]

OK thanks. I'll pass this over to our Future FIbre team and ask them to take a look as I'm out of ideas. We'll let you know when we receive an update or they may contact you directly

Chris

[DRJCam]

three different ethernet cables

- the original

- one I'd been using perfectly with another bit of kit

- a brand new one

All 3 worked ok with the PC, and I think I tried 2 with the Huawei and they worked fine

I have been rotating which I use when I test the Sagemcom

[Chris-TalkTalk]

Thanks for the information. Are you using the same ethernet cable with each device? Have you tried a different one? (please respond whenever it convenient, don't feel under pressure to keep responding if you have other things to do)

Chris

[DRJCam]

I'm going to have to concentrate on getting some of my tasks done before Christmas is upon us, but I will come back to this thread whenever I can.

[DRJCam]

Does the ONT store any information about what is connected to it? Could it have switched off connecting to the FAST5464 type of router for some reason? Doesn't sound likely, but this is all very odd.

[DRJCam]

That's right. 

My original one had worked fine for ages (years?), but about 6-7 weeks ago I started getting drop-out where it lost all connection, blinked amber for about 30 seconds, then reconnected (and the ONT green ethernet light came on again) and all was ok other than cutting off my live chat etc. About 2 weeks ago I contacted support and an engineer / tech person said they could do something their end, and for a short period it was still working and then stopped - as it is now.

I had a new router of the same type sent out, but that does exactly the same thing.

A friend said theirs was the same and did I want to try it, so I did, and it worked, which was when I realised it was a different make.

Two Sagemcom routers are not working (one of them having been ok originally), but the Huawei one does.

Mad!

[Chris-TalkTalk]

And you've tested with two Sagemcoms and they both have the same issue?

Chris

[DRJCam]

The amber flashing alternates between fast and slow, so clearly the router has 2 states, and these match whether the ethernet light on the ONT is on or off. Not sure if Sagemcom have any information about that - perhaps it is telling us something?

Obviously, now the PC is connected and data is passing through the ONT then that ethernet light is effectively on all the time (other than the usual data flickering you would expect). 

[Chris-TalkTalk]

Thanks, this is really strange, I can't understand why the Sagemcom's wont connect but your PC will. When you connect the Sagemcom is the Ethernet light (on the ONT) off? Presumably it's on when the PC is connected?

Chris

[DRJCam]

No, the router still not working. 

Flashes slow for about 26 seconds, with the green Ethernet light on the ONT off, then

Flashes fast for about 45 seconds, with the green Ethernet light on the ONT on

This just repeats ad infinitum

So it seems to be trying to handshake, but failing.

What on Earth does my PC and the older DG8041W router do or not do that gets through, that the Sagemcom doesn't or does do?

Not sure how this is going to be fixed any time soon, not even sure what happens next.

Presumably the issue for my line is still open and live.

But what about my contract? Compensation? Do I get updates about these?

Thanks

DRJ