TalkTalk cr4p, what to do?

[Asterix, the former Gaul.]

For much of this year we have been experiencing minor problems with wifi broadband because our laptops lose connection and we than have to disconnect/reconnect.  At first it happened once or twice a day but it got worse over time. 

On 14 Nov I opened a complaint and TalkTalk offered us an upgrade, saying it would probably fix it.  It didn't fix anything and on 23 Nov we lost the internet and landline completely.  TalkTalk said Openreach were fixing the line and we should get full service by 2 Dec meanwhile we had very poor service or none at all.  On 2 Dec we got back to laptop normal speed but connections to mobile phones or our Youview box were still rare events and on the 11 Dec I complained again to TalkTalk who said they were awaiting a report from Openreach promised for 5 Dec. 

An engineer visit was arranged for 16 Dec and the line was found to be working properly.  Still no connections to mobiles or Youview so I called TalkTalk and as a result connections were somehow restored (something they did? The fault manager's accent was hard to understand).  Yesterday however back to square one with no mobiles and the Youview box has packed up totally despite discussions withTalkTalk.  A TalkTalk engineer is coming to 'fix' Youview on Friday. 

Anyone got a clue what the problem might be?  One thing TalkTalk hasn't checked is the router performance.

Given the inconvenience - long periods on the phone, lack of internet, engineer visits - we are thinking we should go to another ISP.

[DrMekon]

When I had that problem, it was the router. Talk talk sent out a new one, but you'd be better off going and getting a nicer one from Amazon / Argos / wherever is near, as they'll take a week.

I've since binned the cinema package and gone to their cheap fibre deal. Their new fibre router is better than their old ADSL router, such that I've not felt the need to upgrade. I get 20Mbps down and 1.41Mbps up on speedtest.net

[Asterix, the former Gaul.]

Thanks but I'd really like TalkTalk to sort it out!  We get 14Mbps normally and the router is c. 5 years old having worked perfectly for 4 of them.  If it needs replacement they should do it.

Anyway they are sending an engineer whom I will probably hold hostage until it's fixed.  I have been out to get the zip ties.

[andyoxon]

Our TT Youview recorder box, which worked fine for 3yrs, packed in (not just an internet connection issue) earlier this yr, and TT simply send a new one through the post. 

How is your box connected to the internet? Our box is connected to router through powerline adaptors, and I have needed to reset/powercycle them on occasions.

If the 2Dec work fixed the laptop wifi connection, I wonder why your phones still don't connect... maybe it is some router issue??  Sounds like they should send one out for you to try.

[Asterix, the former Gaul.]

Yes it's powerline adapters which like yours need to be reset (increasingly often) and our box is also about 3 yrs old! 

I can't understand why TT have no inclination to replace the router or box but will strongly suggest both options to the engineer.  I will also write on paper to TT to request compensation, more if we lose the facility over xmas.

[Afasoas]

Forget the routers that the ISPs provide. They are terrible and vulnerable (...mirai worm, DNS changer and other nasties)

The YouView box seems  like a separate problem. Sounds like they're trying to sort that.
If you find certain devices are not connecting to your router (Wi-Fi access point) yet other devices are fine, then it doesn't sound like it's a line issue.

I would recommend putting Wi-Fi anlyser on your smart phone and checking to see whether there are many Wi-Fi connections contending with yours. You can also see what type of Wi-Fi signal strength is available in different parts of your home. Resolving your Wi-Fi issues could be as simple as moving your Wi-Fi onto a less congested channel. I find I have to do this dance every few months to ensure optimal Wi-Fi connection in furthest reaches of our home. If the 2.4 G spectrum is congested, a dual band router will at least give you the choice of 2.4G and 5G band - the 5G band as yet tends to be less congested.

If it's just the case the Wi-Fi signal doesn't penetrate the walls in your home very well, or your home is too large, you might consider a second Wi-Fi access point, connected to the existing router ideally via Ethernet Cable (Cat 5e/6) or if they work, Powerline adapters to shunt packets over your electrical wiring. They don't always work and there are always security risks with doing this - neighbours might be able to sniff traffic from your network for instance.

If you still think your Internet might be the issue, you can always connect a device directly to the router using a Cat 5e/6 Ethernet cable and run whatever tests you like. Personally, I like to run mtr from a linux box to 8.8.8.8 (to Google's DNS Servers) but if you run Windows, could at least open a comand prompt (Windows key +R, "cmd", <enter key>) and then type "ping /t 8.8.8.8" and press <enter>. Look out for any dropped pings. <ctrl> + <c> will stop the continuous pings (1 a second) and give a summary of results. With each ping, you should have a round trip time (latency) of < 45ms.

If you are a Mac user, then you can open a terminal and just type ping 8.8.8.8 <enter>. No need for the "/t".

(A ping is a single packet sent to another device. When that device receives it, it sends a packet back. The results will show whether any packets are lost and how long the round trip usually takes. Ideally on an ADSL connection, this should be no more than 45 milliseconds. Don't be afraid to open a command prompt and try this out. It will give some indication of your broadband connection quality..)

You can also run speed tests, but be aware that speedtest.net (ookla) is really only a good test of your circuit as the test servers used are only a few hops away. Try the thinkbroad band speed test instead, it's a little more realistic: http://www.thinkbroadband.com/speedtest.html

I hope this helps.
Unfortunately with TalkTalk, it takes quite a lot of patience to get results with them. I spent every other evening on the phone to them for months and although the line was fixed, we moved to Virgin Media for the main connection (effectively FFTC) and a new aDSL provider for backup. The aDSL is still shocking - connection is lost and resynced at least once each day and I've had to downgrade the connection from ADSL2+ to ADSL to ensure a reliable connection. I've not got the energy to take it up with the new ISP - I suspect the line is corroded somewhere and TalkTalk / OpenReach for all their investigations couldn't locate it. ...well to tell the truth, the termination of the connection in the cabinet was corroded, badly reterminated and then reterminated again. That at least got rid of the crackle from the line and stopped it disconnecting us for hours on end.

It seems with TalkTalk, you need to be at least capable of diagnosing the problem yourself - whether it's the Wi-Fi, the router, the line or something upstream.

Good luck.
Let us know how you get on. I might be able to offer further help if needed.

[Asterix, the former Gaul.]

Thank you for your in-depth reply.

Quite a bit to think about/try out there!

Our house is a compact 30's semi type with solid walls and we have used the current set up for over 2 years, mostly trouble-free. 

The engineer phoned late last night to say he couldn't make it this morning and would I be around in the afternoon.  If I'd done that to TalkTalk their T&cs say they would raise a charge.  Being the last w/day before xmas I am prepared for his non-appearance.

[hubner]

I've had 2 Talk Talk routers which stopped working properly. They both started to drop the wifi connection, but still work with the ethernet cable.

AFAIK ISPs tend to charge you if they send an engineer (actually a technician) and the fault is with your equipment and not the line.

[Asterix, the former Gaul.]

Sorted.

The engineer, due between 9 and 12 arrived at 16:15 and replaced the Youview box.  The hard disk had packed.  We've lost all  our recordings which is probably a good thing really, we can do something more useful and there's always catchup.

The router is apparently ok, it's everything else that wasn't!  Except our own equipment, mlud.

[Afasoas]

TalkTalk's peering with LINX in Manchester and London has been congested, with packet loss of up to around 25% recorded. I suspect DDOS traffic.

We don't directly lease this particular line from TalkTalk, the landlords do. I thought I'd try giving TalkTalk a call to find out whether they were aware and whether we could expect any mitigation, as it was causing some minor issues. I could give them the effected IPs and ASNs but without a circuit number,  the phone drone wasn't willing assist I'd like to think they were already aware of the problem and doing all they can, but I've no faith in them at all.

[Asterix, the former Gaul.]

Today we had several of our devices fail to connect AGAIN.

Phoned TalkTalk and it appears that our router password had reverted to 'factory setting', me having changed it after revealing it to a contract engineer during 'repairs'.

TalkTalk say I must check my password every month to ensure it does not happen again.  Seriously?  What sort of security is that?

[Afasoas]

Use your own router and turn off TR-069 (the protocol ISPs used to update them)

[Asterix, the former Gaul.]

I am very tempted to try my own router.  The one I use is a type reported to have been hacked easily.  TalkTalk's helpline contractor also told me I should change its connection ID so it does not show up as a TalkTalk device!

[devriae]

I had continuing problems with Talktalk ISP using two different Huawei routers supplied by TT. I was about to swich ISP but in desparation I read the talktalk forum and found a suggestion to try a Netgear router. I bought a new, but cheapie, Netgear D1500 router on ebay. It was easy to install using their guide and I have had no further problems with service "drop outs". I would add that I'm 1.6km from my exchange and over Cu lines I get a modest 4-5 Mbps as measured by Ookla. This seems OK to power BBC iplayer and my normal web browsing.

[Afasoas]

If you are using a Netgear router, do make sure the firmware is up to date.

https://www.theregister.co.uk/2017/01/31/major_security_hole_in_netgear_routers/

[devriae]

Thanks, updated to latest firmware V1.0.0.23_1.0.1UK

[Asterix, the former Gaul.]

Sorted.

The engineer, due between 9 and 12 arrived at 16:15 and replaced the Youview box.  The hard disk had packed.  We've lost all  our recordings which is probably a good thing really, we can do something more useful and there's always catchup.

The router is apparently ok, it's everything else that wasn't!  Except our own equipment, mlud.

So 3 months later, at the end of March we get debited £65 above normal.  My efforts to check the on line billing don't work so I start a 'chat'.  This is an absurd process where I get passed from pillar to post before eventually being told it's the engineer call out fee.  We had the engineer on the basis if the problem was not our fault it'd be free.  It wasn't our fault, it should have been free.  They say I must raise a formal complaint; I say this is a formal complaint; they tell me a number to phone.

I phone the number and after a long call 'Talktalk' tell me they will waive the charge.  Sounds like a scam to me.

[Kim]

They've learned that trick from our-favourite-telco.

[vorsprung]

Sorted.

The engineer, due between 9 and 12 arrived at 16:15 and replaced the Youview box.  The hard disk had packed.  We've lost all  our recordings which is probably a good thing really, we can do something more useful and there's always catchup.

The router is apparently ok, it's everything else that wasn't!  Except our own equipment, mlud.

So 3 months later, at the end of March we get debited £65 above normal.  My efforts to check the on line billing don't work so I start a 'chat'.  This is an absurd process where I get passed from pillar to post before eventually being told it's the engineer call out fee.  We had the engineer on the basis if the problem was not our fault it'd be free.  It wasn't our fault, it should have been free.  They say I must raise a formal complaint; I say this is a formal complaint; they tell me a number to phone.

I phone the number and after a long call 'Talktalk' tell me they will waive the charge.  Sounds like a scam to me.

Just switch from TalkTalk to someone else.  I don't know why you are sticking with them

[Asterix, the former Gaul.]

Sorted.

The engineer, due between 9 and 12 arrived at 16:15 and replaced the Youview box.  The hard disk had packed.  We've lost all  our recordings which is probably a good thing really, we can do something more useful and there's always catchup.

The router is apparently ok, it's everything else that wasn't!  Except our own equipment, mlud.

So 3 months later, at the end of March we get debited £65 above normal.  My efforts to check the on line billing don't work so I start a 'chat'.  This is an absurd process where I get passed from pillar to post before eventually being told it's the engineer call out fee.  We had the engineer on the basis if the problem was not our fault it'd be free.  It wasn't our fault, it should have been free.  They say I must raise a formal complaint; I say this is a formal complaint; they tell me a number to phone.

I phone the number and after a long call 'Talktalk' tell me they will waive the charge.  Sounds like a scam to me.

Just switch from TalkTalk to someone else.  I don't know why you are sticking with them

I'm looking at it but the termination charges may be steep.  Try as I might I can't find any details about how long my contract has to run on my accounts page.  Are other providers a whole lot better?