Router Probs?

[Martin109]

Broadband is very intermittent.  It's been somewhat intermittent for some time, usually sorted by switching the router off and then on again.  The situation was then complicated by the fact that there was a definite landline problem (PlusNet piggybacking on BT copper).  That problem was a crossed wire and has been sorted.

The internet connection is still very dodgy.  Admittedly, we have rather an old NetGear router, which we have decided to replace anyway in a few weeks' time with some flavour of FritzBox, and in the meantime the ASDL splitter box has been changed twice, but we're still getting this problem.  Internet fine for a while, then drops out.

I do suspect the aging router, but could there be any other explanation?  The connection to the router is fine, but the connection from the router to the outside world is what's causing the problem.

Any suggestions?

[Jaded]

Does sound like the router. Some thing to try

Different DNS settings
Ask the neighbours if they are having problems.

We get the same and it seems to be somewhat town-wide. Is BTs backbone creaking...?

[Martin109]

Thanks, J.

Strange thing is, PlusNet say testing from their end shows no fault.

[Kim]

If the ADSL is losing sync then it's either a fault with the router, the wiring (possibly interference), or some of BT's local loop infrastructure.  The automated line test will pick up many but not all of these faults.

If it's staying in sync but losing the PPP session, then it's probably an ISP/BT problem.

DNS has no bearing on either - a DNS problem would stop sites resolving, but you'd still have a working internet connection.

[Martin109]

Thanks, Kim.

How could I test which one of these scenarios applies?

[Kim]

Router logs, if it has any.

[Polar Bear]

Thanks, J.

Strange thing is, PlusNet say testing from their end shows no fault.

Our Plusnet router has become unreliable in recent weeks.   I think it's their way of saying that you need to upgrade your package and give us more money!   

[StuAff]

Combined VDSL modem/router is the way to go. Quite a few times after getting fibre (2013) I had to ring up Plusnet to get my connection rebooted due to stale session faults, and troubleshooting problems my end was complicated by having two boxes to deal with. I bought a TP-Link TD-W9980 in Feb 2015, and apart from the couple of network outages PN have suffered I don't think I've had to ring them once. Excellent bit of kit.

[Martin109]

A helpful guy from PlusNet suspects the NetGear router, as it is almost 8 years old, and has sent a replacement PlusNet one for just the cost of postage.

Meanwhile, I have plugged in the one ethernet cable (this connects to 4 TP-Link units to distribute) into another of the four sockets on the NetGear router, and broadband seems to be working better!  No dropouts since! 

I also noticed via the software accessible via 192.168.0.1 that the router thinks it's 2002!