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Hi All,
I'm fairly sure my current router (Netgear DGN2000) is giving up the ghost. Our household has several devices which are all regularly dropping wireless connection to it. Several restarts of the router get it going again but the problems are getting more and more frequent.
Anyhoo, I think it's time to look for a replacement.
I've seen the Linksys WRT1900AC which looks like a nice router but tbh there are so many choices out there that I may well be chucking good money at a spec I don't really need.
We're not really heavy data users although we do have SKY and fairly regularly use on-demand stuff. There are two laptops and a couple of mobiles too but there's no real need for anything other than to handle normal internet use.
Any advice from the more knowledgeable Freeolarers would be greatly appreciated.
JTD
I'm fairly sure my current router (Netgear DGN2000) is giving up the ghost. Our household has several devices which are all regularly dropping wireless connection to it. Several restarts of the router get it going again but the problems are getting more and more frequent.
Anyhoo, I think it's time to look for a replacement.
I've seen the Linksys WRT1900AC which looks like a nice router but tbh there are so many choices out there that I may well be chucking good money at a spec I don't really need.
We're not really heavy data users although we do have SKY and fairly regularly use on-demand stuff. There are two laptops and a couple of mobiles too but there's no real need for anything other than to handle normal internet use.
Any advice from the more knowledgeable Freeolarers would be greatly appreciated.
JTD
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Yep, it's certainly left a dent in my wallet! The thing was after 6 months of intermittent unusable speeds, web pages constantly hanging/partially loading and then constant dropouts with the new router I was getting really fed up with it TBH. The only real way of finding out which (if any) of my equipment was causing these issues was to replace everything (which initially still didn't do the trick). Still think there is some issue on my line/connection to be honest as I can't really see why 3 makes of router (and 3 makes of ADSL filters) would all react differently, a D-Link model I tried wouldn't stay up for anymore than 30 seconds even with the phone not in use. Anyway, in my new role as level 10 telecoms engineer I am currently working away in my secret laboratory on a device that should sort out even the worst of these issues. Can't go into specifics but the first prototype of the Octo-ADSL filter should be ready for taking on Dragons Den very soon...
Glad you seem to be sorted pete, but at a price ;¬)
Glad to hear you are all sorted :¬)
Hopefully you've tested thoroughly.
Yes you can 'double filter'.
Different makes of filter cope with different frequencies better than others. It's worth knowing that the ADSL side of your connection is 'straight through' (i.e. NOT filtered) - which is why I mentioned testing without a filter.
Shame things have taken so long to sort out though! The first thing to do with BB problems is to disconnect ALL other equipment - this is what the TEST socket does. If you haven't a modern socket then still remove all phones/SKY boxes etc. etc.
Anyway it sounds like things are better for you now.
Hopefully you've tested thoroughly.
Yes you can 'double filter'.
Different makes of filter cope with different frequencies better than others. It's worth knowing that the ADSL side of your connection is 'straight through' (i.e. NOT filtered) - which is why I mentioned testing without a filter.
Shame things have taken so long to sort out though! The first thing to do with BB problems is to disconnect ALL other equipment - this is what the TEST socket does. If you haven't a modern socket then still remove all phones/SKY boxes etc. etc.
Anyway it sounds like things are better for you now.
[s]Hmmm...[/s]
Right, my head hurts!!! Firstly thanks to Chas for pointing me in the right direction yesterday, here's how things panned out... My issue (with the Netgear router) was identical that shown in the You Tube clip. Chas suggested trying a £5 bog standard wired phone and this worked...initially. So I binned off my expensive Panasonic cordless phones and went off to Argos to buy a shiny new set of equally expensive 'official' BT ones which did EXACTLY THE SAME FFFFFF THING!!!!!! Utterly bemused I pulled all of my equipment to pieces and tried this... I installed one crappy no-name eBay special clip-in ADSL filter which I connected the router directly to. I then fitted the new Netgear ADSL filter for the phone only into it and this surprisingly seems to have worked! I've no idea if there is any such thing as double filtering phones or whether in practice it does anything whatsoever, all I know is that it seems to have done the trick?!! So in the end I have replaced my router, filter (+additional filter!), all cabling, my phones and also I ended up buying a new wireless network card as my old one kept disappearing out of windows when the Netgear router started playing up (was fine with the Belkin?). Cost a bit in the end and I've still no idea what was really causing the fault but hopefully I've just found a workaround which if successful is surely a contender for bodge of the century! :)
pete_21 wrote:
Right, might be onto something here...? BTW all my equipment (cables, filters etc.) are all new and the router is connected to the main BT socket (only have one in my house).
I wouldn't fault the DGND3300 as I've had no problems since it's install, but no doubt Hmmm would suggest otherwise. My router is stood up as well, due to space restraints, as it's larger than the previous Netgear router.
However, your comment above, made me wonder ... all my telephone cables and main socket (not a faceplate model) are old, circa 1984. The filters are at least 8 years old, D-Link filters infact, as they were the only ones to give a satisfactory result. Are your internal cables and connections guaranteed?
My initial router supplied by Freeola was a D-Link with one D-Link filter and additional 'OEM' filters. These 'OEM' filters didn't work so I sourced another D-Link filter ... it's worked ever since! Even having changed the router twice, 2 x Netgear, the Netgear supplied filters don't work either!
So for me ... DGND3300 and D-Link filters ... works a treat and the household are happy ... one member back on BF4, one on Bingo and one trying to rescue Emily, who steadfastly refuses to be rescued (cue chas) :¬)
Right, might be onto something here...? BTW all my equipment (cables, filters etc.) are all new and the router is connected to the main BT socket (only have one in my house).
I wouldn't fault the DGND3300 as I've had no problems since it's install, but no doubt Hmmm would suggest otherwise. My router is stood up as well, due to space restraints, as it's larger than the previous Netgear router.
However, your comment above, made me wonder ... all my telephone cables and main socket (not a faceplate model) are old, circa 1984. The filters are at least 8 years old, D-Link filters infact, as they were the only ones to give a satisfactory result. Are your internal cables and connections guaranteed?
My initial router supplied by Freeola was a D-Link with one D-Link filter and additional 'OEM' filters. These 'OEM' filters didn't work so I sourced another D-Link filter ... it's worked ever since! Even having changed the router twice, 2 x Netgear, the Netgear supplied filters don't work either!
So for me ... DGND3300 and D-Link filters ... works a treat and the household are happy ... one member back on BF4, one on Bingo and one trying to rescue Emily, who steadfastly refuses to be rescued (cue chas) :¬)
pete_21 wrote:
Thanks for the responses guys, I will try that software when I get in and raise/revive support ticket. I'm hoping that as the Netgear router appears to react more severely to this issue that it may finally be a little easier to pinpoint...
Could be. It might also be worth us giving you a call on your landline and running the first part of a test whilst the call is in progress. Perhaps that'll show some relevant errors.
Thanks for the responses guys, I will try that software when I get in and raise/revive support ticket. I'm hoping that as the Netgear router appears to react more severely to this issue that it may finally be a little easier to pinpoint...
Could be. It might also be worth us giving you a call on your landline and running the first part of a test whilst the call is in progress. Perhaps that'll show some relevant errors.
Thanks for the responses guys, I will try that software when I get in and raise/revive support ticket. I'm hoping that as the Netgear router appears to react more severely to this issue that it may finally be a little easier to pinpoint...
Hi Pete,
When we've discussed your broadband problems in the past I've suggested running RouterStats to try to get an idea of where the problem may be. This works great for problems like this. When the phone rings you'll no doubt see massive spikes in noise etc. using up all your 'noise margin' so the line drops. Or if it doesn't quite drop it still allows you to see what's going on.
To prove it's not an internal problem I would try plugging your router directly into the TEST socket behind the removal faceplate. Don't connect anything else (you don't even need to use a filter if you've got the right cable) - then ring your own number using a mobile and either watch the router lights or use RouterStats to see what happens.
If the connection still drops then it proves the problem is a line or external fault. Anything from the TEST socket backwards isn't your responsibility. You can repeat this test with a spare router just to be sure it's not 'you'.
I've had similar issues in the past and they've all turned out to be damage on the overhead drop wire. Last time it was the smallest nick in the insulation causing the problem.
These types of fault are often called 'HR faults' (High Resistance).
A problem with the line, joints or Master Socket etc. only comes to light when the phone rings. The opposite is more common. i.e. Things only work when the phone is in use. It's all to do with the voltage changing when the phone is in use.
When we've discussed your broadband problems in the past I've suggested running RouterStats to try to get an idea of where the problem may be. This works great for problems like this. When the phone rings you'll no doubt see massive spikes in noise etc. using up all your 'noise margin' so the line drops. Or if it doesn't quite drop it still allows you to see what's going on.
To prove it's not an internal problem I would try plugging your router directly into the TEST socket behind the removal faceplate. Don't connect anything else (you don't even need to use a filter if you've got the right cable) - then ring your own number using a mobile and either watch the router lights or use RouterStats to see what happens.
If the connection still drops then it proves the problem is a line or external fault. Anything from the TEST socket backwards isn't your responsibility. You can repeat this test with a spare router just to be sure it's not 'you'.
I've had similar issues in the past and they've all turned out to be damage on the overhead drop wire. Last time it was the smallest nick in the insulation causing the problem.
These types of fault are often called 'HR faults' (High Resistance).
A problem with the line, joints or Master Socket etc. only comes to light when the phone rings. The opposite is more common. i.e. Things only work when the phone is in use. It's all to do with the voltage changing when the phone is in use.
[s]Hmmm...[/s]
pete_21 wrote:
Right, might be onto something here...? Netgear still disconnecting (unsurprisingly the stand up thing didn't work but it was worth a try) but I have noticed a strange pattern, it seems to drop out when someone uses the landline. Other routers I tried ran stupidly slowly or appeared to stay connected but this one actually dumps the connection altogether. I was trawling the net when I stumbled on a topic on another ISP's forum where a guy was experiencing what sounded like a very similar problem to mine. He also changed his original router for the Netgear DGND3300v2 and result was extremely interesting... BTW all my equipment (cables, filters etc.) are all new and the router is connected to the main BT socket (only have one in my house).
Might be worth you re-opening your ticket with us.
Did you try the test settings I sent you for running the BT test? Seems far more likely to be a line issue if your phone knocks out the broadband connection (or, possibly the phone equipment itself!) but if you want me to run any tests for you, no problem.
Right, might be onto something here...? Netgear still disconnecting (unsurprisingly the stand up thing didn't work but it was worth a try) but I have noticed a strange pattern, it seems to drop out when someone uses the landline. Other routers I tried ran stupidly slowly or appeared to stay connected but this one actually dumps the connection altogether. I was trawling the net when I stumbled on a topic on another ISP's forum where a guy was experiencing what sounded like a very similar problem to mine. He also changed his original router for the Netgear DGND3300v2 and result was extremely interesting... BTW all my equipment (cables, filters etc.) are all new and the router is connected to the main BT socket (only have one in my house).
Might be worth you re-opening your ticket with us.
Did you try the test settings I sent you for running the BT test? Seems far more likely to be a line issue if your phone knocks out the broadband connection (or, possibly the phone equipment itself!) but if you want me to run any tests for you, no problem.
Right, might be onto something here...? Netgear still disconnecting (unsurprisingly the stand up thing didn't work but it was worth a try) but I have noticed a strange pattern, it seems to drop out when someone uses the landline. Other routers I tried ran stupidly slowly or appeared to stay connected but this one actually dumps the connection altogether. I was trawling the net when I stumbled on a topic on another ISP's forum where a guy was experiencing what sounded like a very similar problem to mine. He also changed his original router for the Netgear DGND3300v2 and result was extremely interesting... BTW all my equipment (cables, filters etc.) are all new and the router is connected to the main BT socket (only have one in my house).
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