AOL using BT Voyager (USB) modem

A neighbour is using AOL ADSL, and in the last couple of weeks has been
regraded from 576/288 to 2272/288 but now cannot get connected reliably.

Last week he spoke to AOL and on Friday they talked him through doing a
re-installation of the USB drivers and he was able to connect. However
his PC (Dell) didn't shut down properly and he assumed he lost settings
which made it work, as next time he tried it still failed. It stops at
'Step 3' with error 24-04-00-000

AOL next told him to uninstall his firewall (which we did, though it is
probably a rather bad idea!) and the next time we spoke, then talked me
through removing entries from the registry for Winsock and Winsock2, to
then re-install the USB driver.

Still no joy and at that point the support guy indicated that we should
"contact the computer vendor" claiming it is now a Windows XP problem.

I had a check of the settings and could see no problems, (VPI=0, VCI=38
etc) but the diagnostic tests sho pass for interface test and modem test
and then fail on the Line test.

Any clues about checking for PPPoA / PPPoE (one place it said PPPoA but
on the Network Connections it mnetioned PPPoE !) or any other hints ?


--

E-mail + files - 30 day free trial - <http://web.vfm-deals.com/runbox/>
Can be added as an MX record, so your domain mail gets stored safely,
with IMAP / POP / SMTP (not locked to port 25) facilities.

USENET news service ? <http://tinyurl.com/3rjw4> (plans from under US$5)

On Tue, 09 Aug 2005 12:47:43 +0100, Peter <us-(E-Mail Removed)>
wrote:

>Any clues about checking for PPPoA / PPPoE (one place it said PPPoA but
>on the Network Connections it mnetioned PPPoE !) or any other hints ?

AOL use PPPoE, and have their own driver for the 105

the sad thing is this is probably a line length signal problem not the
drivers at all.

http://www.aol.co.uk/about/help/faqs...s_install.html

Phil
--
Remember - Global Warming is only a weather forecast :-)

On 09 Aug 2005 13:53, Phil Thompson <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>this is probably a line length signal problem not the drivers at all.

I'll have to take a PC and a router over... The cheap router I'm using
is working fine and distance is likely to be similar - it is quite a
small estate, with all cabling underground.

>http://www.aol.co.uk/about/help/faqs...s_install.html

I'll try that again... was getting no joy earlier. Thanks. Peter M.

--

UK ADSL <http://tinyurl.com/5jpa4> - Happy to save cash with Plus.Net!!

On Tue, 09 Aug 2005 16:01:53 +0100, poster <us-(E-Mail Removed)>
wrote:

>I'll try that again... was getting no joy earlie

http://download.newaol.com/uk/drivers/btvoyager105.zip is the file

Phil
--
Tiscali - dialup speeds at Broadband prices, see
http://bbs.adslguide.org.uk/postlist...&Board=tiscali

AOL - the unlimited ISP of choice for heavy downloaders.

Peter wrote:
> A neighbour is using AOL ADSL, and in the last couple of weeks has been
> regraded from 576/288 to 2272/288 but now cannot get connected reliably.
>
> Last week he spoke to AOL and on Friday they talked him through doing a
> re-installation of the USB drivers and he was able to connect. However
> his PC (Dell) didn't shut down properly and he assumed he lost settings
> which made it work, as next time he tried it still failed. It stops at
> 'Step 3' with error 24-04-00-000
>
> AOL next told him to uninstall his firewall (which we did, though it is
> probably a rather bad idea!) and the next time we spoke, then talked me
> through removing entries from the registry for Winsock and Winsock2, to
> then re-install the USB driver.
>
> Still no joy and at that point the support guy indicated that we should
> "contact the computer vendor" claiming it is now a Windows XP problem.
>
> I had a check of the settings and could see no problems, (VPI=0, VCI=38
> etc) but the diagnostic tests sho pass for interface test and modem test
> and then fail on the Line test.
>
> Any clues about checking for PPPoA / PPPoE (one place it said PPPoA but
> on the Network Connections it mnetioned PPPoE !) or any other hints ?
>
>
We have just being going through something like this problem with a friend.

He has just had a 2Mb Plusnet connection provided and was trying to use
the BT Voyager USB modem supplied.
We went round to set it up for him and it was continulosly disconnecting.
I took my Dreytek Vigor proper ethernet modem/router around and found it
worked OK. However it shows signal to noise on the line as only between
2 and 6dB. This is accepted generally to be REALLY bad!!

I think your friend's problem may be that when he had the 576, the ADSL
signal took up less bandwidth on the line and so line quality over that
part was better and the Voyager could cope.

Now it is trying to get data off a far greater bandwidth and that data
may well be distorted by the line quality, it just gives up and after a
few tries at re-getting the data, disconnects.

Talking to the very helpful Plusnet Customer Service guys, they seem to
agree that the Voyager is really only reliable on good lines.

At the moment we have left him with my Dreytek and are using the Voyager
OK on our line until BT can sort his out.

Try and borrow a proper ethernet modem from somewhere and try that.

However you need to be aware that AOL use a different MTU (Maximum
Transmission Unit) from everyone else so you may need to adjust that in
a different modem not supplied by AOL (I think it is 14000 but check
here from someone)

Mike

Peter wrote:
> A neighbour is using AOL ADSL, and in the last couple of weeks has been
> regraded from 576/288 to 2272/288 but now cannot get connected reliably.
>
SNIP
>

Hi again Peter

Just found the correct MTU for AOL should be 1400 NOT 14000 as I posted
- sorry

Mike

On Fri, 12 Aug 2005 23:17:57 +0100, Mike <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>Talking to the very helpful Plusnet Customer Service guys, they seem to
>agree that the Voyager is really only reliable on good lines.

urban legend - BT ADSL engineers use Voyager 105s as pass/fail devices
on end user's lines.

If the margin is that bad the connection will be dodgy, best try to
improve it (filtered faceplate) or downgrade to a lower speed.

>However you need to be aware that AOL use a different MTU (Maximum
>Transmission Unit) from everyone else so you may need to adjust that in
>a different modem not supplied by AOL (I think it is 14000 but check
>here from someone)

1400

Phil
--
Remember - Global Warming is only a weather forecast :-)

"Phil Thompson" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> On Fri, 12 Aug 2005 23:17:57 +0100, Mike <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
> >Talking to the very helpful Plusnet Customer Service guys, they seem to
> >agree that the Voyager is really only reliable on good lines.
>
> urban legend - BT ADSL engineers use Voyager 105s as pass/fail devices
> on end user's lines.

It would seem natural to choose the modem least able to cope with poor lines
for that purpose - if the Voyager works, anything else will .

Alex

>A neighbour is using AOL ADSL, and in the last couple of weeks has been
> regraded from 576/288 to 2272/288 but now cannot get connected
> reliably.
>
> Last week he spoke to AOL and on Friday they talked him through doing
> a
> re-installation of the USB drivers and he was able to connect.
> However
> his PC (Dell) didn't shut down properly and he assumed he lost
> settings
> which made it work, as next time he tried it still failed. It stops
> at
> 'Step 3' with error 24-04-00-000
>
> AOL next told him to uninstall his firewall (which we did, though it
> is
> probably a rather bad idea!) and the next time we spoke, then talked
> me
> through removing entries from the registry for Winsock and Winsock2,
> to
> then re-install the USB driver.
>
> Still no joy and at that point the support guy indicated that we
> should
> "contact the computer vendor" claiming it is now a Windows XP problem.
>
> I had a check of the settings and could see no problems, (VPI=0,
> VCI=38
> etc) but the diagnostic tests sho pass for interface test and modem
> test
> and then fail on the Line test.
>
> Any clues about checking for PPPoA / PPPoE (one place it said PPPoA
> but
> on the Network Connections it mnetioned PPPoE !) or any other hints ?
>
>
> --
>

An easy way to check for a line fault is by checking if the modem is in
sync. If the DSL light on the modem is on solidly - the modem is in
sync. If not, there is an issue with the physical connections at your
end or a line fault. (Assumming that the drivers are okay etc). Some
things to try - (Assuming the modem is in sync)

Do the DUN tests - Double click the arrows in the systray, and do Test 1
and 2. If these both pass, the line is fine. If not, post your error
codes here!

Check your line anntenuation - Double click the arrows, click status,
press CTRL + F1, select DSL link. For a 2Mb/s line the local
anntenuation should be below 43db. If it is above this contact AOL with
this information - You have a respeed fault.

If your modem is not in sync, make sure you are connected to the main
telephone socket, with NO extensions. Disconnect everything else from
the line, except one telephone which should be connected to the same
filter as the modem. Then call AOL again. Make sure you have done a
spyware scan before you call - Spyware gets the blame for anything
unexplained these days, including USB modems loosing sync. They WILL ask
you to do this! The tech agent will go through a troubleshoot with you.
Insist on speaking to second level support - they are the only ones who
can test your line, and the only ones who can report a fault to BT
Wholesale. Another tip, when phoning, select the home-networking option
on the voice menu - this means you will go through to the Glasgow or
Waterford call centre rather than India. The guy on the end of the phone
won't know which option you pressed - the home-networking team are just
selected broadband tech support who happen to get networking calls too.
Lastly, don't be abusive or impatient - you'll probably get the phone
put down on you!

Best of luck

Geo

On 13 Aug 2005 18:33, "George" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>>A neighbour is using AOL ADSL, and in the last couple of weeks has been
>> regraded from 576/288 to 2272/288 but now cannot get connected
>> reliably.

>Check your line attenuation - Double click the arrows, click status,
>press CTRL + F1, select DSL link.

Thanks for that - I learn something useful each day from newsgroups :-)

Took a router over yesterday as I wanted to put in something I have used
happily for years to check the line and for PPPoA / PPPoE settings since
I was getting conflicting information from the PC. Fortunately there's
no problem (attenuation is in the lower 30s, SNR in the upper teens).

Got router online quite quickly, using one of my PCs (and then installed
a NIC in his PC, and got his machine online again... gave it a chance to
pick up AV updates, etc.

>Make sure you have done a spyware scan before you call - Spyware gets
>the blame for anything unexplained these days, including USB modems
>losing sync. They WILL ask you to do this!

Yes, had done that, but was dismayed they would suggest disabling the
firewall (OK, so Tiny Firewall isn't one they were familiar with, but
putting a PC online with a USB modem and no firewall is crazy IMHO)...

Now he's behind a router there's a degree of protection, and the Tiny
firewall can go back into place soon.

>Insist on speaking to second level support - they are the only ones who
>can test your line, and the only ones who can report a fault to BT
>Wholesale. Another tip, when phoning, select the home-networking option
>on the voice menu - this means you will go through to the Glasgow or
>Waterford call centre rather than India. The guy on the end of the
>phone won't know which option you pressed - the home-networking team
> are just selected broadband tech support who happen to get networking
> calls too.

Thanks - my neighbour had asked for second level support but when I was
talking to AOL last Saturday, it back to India, and the final comment
was 'get in touch with your vendor' so they were washing their hands
of it as a problem, unfortunately... and that after an hour or so.

>Lastly, don't be abusive or impatient ...

I was a bit impatient when it seemed like 'Sam' was reading 3 pages of
notes between *words* when giving me some command to enter in an MS-DOS
window and managed to hit enter too early :-) Now I've weaned him off
having to use the AOL application to get online, and Firefox will serve
him well as it'll block pop-ups etc, etc... Thanks, for suggestions, to
yourself and Phil. Peter M.