Broadband never worked! SNR problem?

Hi,

Can anyone help? About four weeks ago I supposedly had Pipex broadband
installed. I have an Applemac (new) and two new routers, one Netgear.
Since the installation the brodband link has never worked. The 'i' lamp
on the Netgear router flickers on amber about every 30s and that is
alll it does. It never stays on solid green. Occasionally it goes green
for only a second or two. The same sort of thing happens with my other
brand new router. I have spent about 25 hrs on the 'phone to Pipex
(including waiting for te calls to be answered) and seem to be getting
nowhere. The got a BT engineer out, but 'tragically' I was not in when
he called. However my partner says he checked the line, put a router on
the end and it is fine.

I have no problems configuring my routers, the cables/filters etc have
all been changed, there is nothing else installed on the circuit at
home.

I have finally had to resort to getting in touch with Oftel/Otel etc.
and they advise writing to Pipex. But all I want is the think to
work!!!!

Can anyone advise on the best thing for me to do? NTE5(?) box worth
giving a go?

Thanks, Mark.

Mark, Devon wrote:
> Hi,
>
> Can anyone help? About four weeks ago I supposedly had Pipex broadband
> installed. I have an Applemac (new) and two new routers, one Netgear.
> Since the installation the brodband link has never worked. The 'i' lamp
> on the Netgear router flickers on amber about every 30s and that is
> alll it does. It never stays on solid green. Occasionally it goes green
> for only a second or two. The same sort of thing happens with my other
> brand new router. I have spent about 25 hrs on the 'phone to Pipex
> (including waiting for te calls to be answered) and seem to be getting
> nowhere. The got a BT engineer out, but 'tragically' I was not in when
> he called. However my partner says he checked the line, put a router on
> the end and it is fine.
>
> I have no problems configuring my routers, the cables/filters etc have
> all been changed, there is nothing else installed on the circuit at
> home.
>
> I have finally had to resort to getting in touch with Oftel/Otel etc.
> and they advise writing to Pipex. But all I want is the think to
> work!!!!
>
> Can anyone advise on the best thing for me to do? NTE5(?) box worth
> giving a go?
>
> Thanks, Mark.
>
If you have a BT master socket with the removable bottom half of the
faceplate have you tried removing it and connecting to the socket
behind the faceplate ?

JP

"Mark, Devon" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed) oups.com...
> Hi,
>
> Can anyone help? About four weeks ago I supposedly had Pipex broadband
> installed.

Either you did or you didn't. If you didn't then there is no point
continuing!

>I have an Applemac (new) and two new routers, one Netgear.
> Since the installation the brodband link has never worked.

Has it worked with a standard ADSL modem ?

>The 'i' lamp
> on the Netgear router flickers on amber about every 30s and that is
> alll it does. It never stays on solid green. Occasionally it goes green
> for only a second or two. The same sort of thing happens with my other
> brand new router.

Probably because you haven't put your correct user name and password in to
the settings.

>I have spent about 25 hrs on the 'phone to Pipex
> (including waiting for te calls to be answered) and seem to be getting
> nowhere. The got a BT engineer out, but 'tragically' I was not in when
> he called.

Hopefully they took you through the settings for the router and you were
able to connect to the router in order to check them.


>However my partner says he checked the line, put a router on
> the end and it is fine.

Did he/she tell you what the BT man did? He could obviously detect the ADSL
carrier but unless your "partner" give him your user name and password he
would not have been able to connect to the ISP.


> I have no problems configuring my routers, the cables/filters etc have
> all been changed, there is nothing else installed on the circuit at
> home.
>

So yours don't work but the one the BT man used did?

You have a few things to check. Is there any ADSL carrier? In your case
there is because the BT man detected it. Is the router connecting with the
correct user name and password? Can you access the router from the computer
and configure it?

> I have finally had to resort to getting in touch with Oftel/Otel etc.
> and they advise writing to Pipex. But all I want is the think to
> work!!!!
>
> Can anyone advise on the best thing for me to do? NTE5(?) box worth
> giving a go?
>
> Thanks, Mark.
>

Log in to the router via Internet Explorer, phone the ISP for the correct
user name and password and enter them, save and exit. Set the security to
WPA-PSK. Rstart the router and PC. Your PC will detect the wireless
network, connect and input the WPA-PSK key. If you have no Internet
connection available, log in to the router again and check the status. It
will show if you have been able to connect. The fault log will show any
problems.

Mark, Devon wrote:

> Can anyone advise on the best thing for me to do? NTE5(?) box worth
> giving a go?

plug the router into the test socket behind the lower master faceplate
and put bt_test@startup_domain in as the username and then see if it
connects and you can access www.bt.net

This is the equivalent of what the BT engineer did.


Phil

Norm wrote:
> "Mark, Devon" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed) oups.com...
> > Hi,
> >
> > Can anyone help? About four weeks ago I supposedly had Pipex broadband
> > installed.
>
> Either you did or you didn't. If you didn't then there is no point
> continuing!
>
> >I have an Applemac (new) and two new routers, one Netgear.
> > Since the installation the brodband link has never worked.
>
> Has it worked with a standard ADSL modem ?
>
> >The 'i' lamp
> > on the Netgear router flickers on amber about every 30s and that is
> > alll it does. It never stays on solid green. Occasionally it goes green
> > for only a second or two. The same sort of thing happens with my other
> > brand new router.
>
> Probably because you haven't put your correct user name and password in to
> the settings.
>
> >I have spent about 25 hrs on the 'phone to Pipex
> > (including waiting for te calls to be answered) and seem to be getting
> > nowhere. The got a BT engineer out, but 'tragically' I was not in when
> > he called.
>
> Hopefully they took you through the settings for the router and you were
> able to connect to the router in order to check them.
>
>
> >However my partner says he checked the line, put a router on
> > the end and it is fine.
>
> Did he/she tell you what the BT man did? He could obviously detect the ADSL
> carrier but unless your "partner" give him your user name and password he
> would not have been able to connect to the ISP.
>
>
> > I have no problems configuring my routers, the cables/filters etc have
> > all been changed, there is nothing else installed on the circuit at
> > home.
> >
>
> So yours don't work but the one the BT man used did?
>
> You have a few things to check. Is there any ADSL carrier? In your case
> there is because the BT man detected it. Is the router connecting with the
> correct user name and password? Can you access the router from the computer
> and configure it?
>
> > I have finally had to resort to getting in touch with Oftel/Otel etc.
> > and they advise writing to Pipex. But all I want is the think to
> > work!!!!
> >
> > Can anyone advise on the best thing for me to do? NTE5(?) box worth
> > giving a go?
> >
> > Thanks, Mark.
> >
>
> Log in to the router via Internet Explorer, phone the ISP for the correct
> user name and password and enter them, save and exit. Set the security to
> WPA-PSK. Rstart the router and PC. Your PC will detect the wireless
> network, connect and input the WPA-PSK key. If you have no Internet
> connection available, log in to the router again and check the status. It
> will show if you have been able to connect. The fault log will show any
> problems.

Pipex broadband was installed, but it has never seemed to work. It's
not a question of whether it was installed or wasn't. Yes, the router
configuration is fine, and this has been checked with Pipex. I can talk
to and configure the router fine.

The point though, surely, is this?......the 'i' light flashes amber
every 30s or so....surely even if the router wasn't configured at all
this would not be the case? If the ADSL link is right the router light
would be on a steady green?

As others have suggested I will have a look at the BT box etc. I am
considerign an NTE5 faceplate in the hope that this will help, if the
problem is to do with a poor SNR.

Mark, Devon wrote:
> The point though, surely, is this?......the 'i' light flashes amber
> every 30s or so....surely even if the router wasn't configured at all
> this would not be the case? If the ADSL link is right the router light
> would be on a steady green?

depends. Does it have an ADSL light to say it has a sync to the
exchange and a separate Internet light to say it has a PPP session, or
just the one light ?

The web interface should show if it has a modem sync speed / Showtime
status. The bt_test@startup_domain login (no password) would bypass any
SNAFUs with username or config of the Pipex service.

Phil

Mark, Devon wrote:
> Hi,
>
> Can anyone help? About four weeks ago I supposedly had Pipex broadband
> installed.

Its amazing what they can put in those caravans now.............

> I have an Applemac (new) and two new routers, one Netgear.
> Since the installation the brodband link has never worked. The 'i' lamp
> on the Netgear router flickers on amber about every 30s and that is
> alll it does. It never stays on solid green. Occasionally it goes green
> for only a second or two. The same sort of thing happens with my other
> brand new router. I have spent about 25 hrs on the 'phone to Pipex
> (including waiting for te calls to be answered) and seem to be getting
> nowhere. The got a BT engineer out, but 'tragically' I was not in when
> he called. However my partner says he checked the line, put a router on
> the end and it is fine.
>
> I have no problems configuring my routers, the cables/filters etc have
> all been changed, there is nothing else installed on the circuit at
> home.

Ok, have you tried logging into the router?
Go to 192.168.0.1
admin password

What does it say in the initial summary?
Go to the bit that says adsl port or such like, doe it have an ip address??
Go to 'show statistics' and copy and paste it into a post so we can see what
it says, nothing there is sensitive.

Also, go to the 'logs' section, and have a look what it says, does it keep
on saying 'line up line down'? or does it mention 'chap authentication
failure'?

To check to see if a master socket face plate would help, go to the master
socket, unscrew the two screws and plug the line directly into the phone
socket offset to the right, this effectively simulates what a faceplate
would do...

report back

Gaz

Gaz wrote:
> Mark, Devon wrote:
> > Hi,
> >
> > Can anyone help? About four weeks ago I supposedly had Pipex broadband
> > installed.
>
> Its amazing what they can put in those caravans now.............
>
> > I have an Applemac (new) and two new routers, one Netgear.
> > Since the installation the brodband link has never worked. The 'i' lamp
> > on the Netgear router flickers on amber about every 30s and that is
> > alll it does. It never stays on solid green. Occasionally it goes green
> > for only a second or two. The same sort of thing happens with my other
> > brand new router. I have spent about 25 hrs on the 'phone to Pipex
> > (including waiting for te calls to be answered) and seem to be getting
> > nowhere. The got a BT engineer out, but 'tragically' I was not in when
> > he called. However my partner says he checked the line, put a router on
> > the end and it is fine.
> >
> > I have no problems configuring my routers, the cables/filters etc have
> > all been changed, there is nothing else installed on the circuit at
> > home.
>
> Ok, have you tried logging into the router?
> Go to 192.168.0.1
> admin password
>
> What does it say in the initial summary?
> Go to the bit that says adsl port or such like, doe it have an ip address??
> Go to 'show statistics' and copy and paste it into a post so we can see what
> it says, nothing there is sensitive.
>
> Also, go to the 'logs' section, and have a look what it says, does it keep
> on saying 'line up line down'? or does it mention 'chap authentication
> failure'?
>
> To check to see if a master socket face plate would help, go to the master
> socket, unscrew the two screws and plug the line directly into the phone
> socket offset to the right, this effectively simulates what a faceplate
> would do...
>
> report back
>
> Gaz

Thank you. I have done most of what you say, but when I get chance will
try some of the other ideas. From memory the Netgear router tells me
'connected' about 0.001% of the time (and during these moments the 'i'
lamp flickers green for a brief period, the other 99.999% of the time
it says 'connecting', and the 'i' lamp flashes amber.

BTW I have another brand new router (different make) which gives the
same symptoms.

All the cabling I used has been new (Belkin) and so was the filter
unit. However they have been swapped out just in case. The router has
been placed as close physically to the BT socket as is possible. I have
removed the faceplate and connected there as well. The router details
(IP address, primary and secondary DNS) have been entered correctly and
this has been confirmed with Pipex on more than one occasion.

A poor SNR is the only thing I can think of. But I ask you this - would
you not expect the Netgear router 'i' lamp to stay on green whatever
the router's IP address is set at anyway? To my way of thinking the
lamp simply indicates that the router can 'see' and 'sync with' an ADSL
line. In other words it is pointless even trying to set the router up
if the 'i' lamp is not a steay green.

I am more than willing (indeed wanting!) to be proven wrong!!

Mark, Devon wrote:
> Gaz wrote:
>
> Thank you. I have done most of what you say, but when I get chance will
> try some of the other ideas. From memory the Netgear router tells me
> 'connected' about 0.001% of the time (and during these moments the 'i'
> lamp flickers green for a brief period, the other 99.999% of the time
> it says 'connecting', and the 'i' lamp flashes amber.

Which clearly means, it cannot hold a sync with the exchange.

> BTW I have another brand new router (different make) which gives the
> same symptoms.
>
> All the cabling I used has been new (Belkin) and so was the filter
> unit. However they have been swapped out just in case. The router has
> been placed as close physically to the BT socket as is possible. I have
> removed the faceplate and connected there as well. The router details
> (IP address, primary and secondary DNS) have been entered correctly and
> this has been confirmed with Pipex on more than one occasion.

There is no ip addrfess or primary /secondary dns to enter, have everything
set to automatic, your mac will pick up the necessary from the 'dhcp server'
that the router will run.

> A poor SNR is the only thing I can think of.

What is the SNR? You know the snr changes depending on what speed you sync
at... What speed does it sync at (if only temporarily)?

But I ask you this - would
> you not expect the Netgear router 'i' lamp to stay on green whatever
> the router's IP address is set at anyway?

Yes. The routers ip address is irrelevant, it is not something you need to
set. To set up the router you only need the following:
your broadband username and password and the proper adsl settings.

This router will automatically select the proper settings for you, if you
choose uk, and autoselect, you do not need to at any point either on the
router or your machine, enter manual ip addresses. Reset the router to
factory settings, and try setting up again.

To my way of thinking the
> lamp simply indicates that the router can 'see' and 'sync with' an ADSL
> line. In other words it is pointless even trying to set the router up
> if the 'i' lamp is not a steay green.

True, but if you have the incorrect adsl parameters (ie. you didnt go
through the adsl auto config for ppoa on uk adsl) it could also fail to
sync.

> I am more than willing (indeed wanting!) to be proven wrong!!

If you follow all the above, and have tried doing so with the router plugged
into behind the faceplate, then their is a fault on the line.

It might be something simple that your isp can sort. If you are on a LLU or
dslmax service, you can get your provider to up the snr level at which the
connection will try to sync....

Good luck

Gaz

Mark, Devon wrote:

> A poor SNR is the only thing I can think of. But I ask you this - would
> you not expect the Netgear router 'i' lamp to stay on green whatever
> the router's IP address is set at anyway? To my way of thinking the
> lamp simply indicates that the router can 'see' and 'sync with' an ADSL
> line. In other words it is pointless even trying to set the router up
> if the 'i' lamp is not a steay green.

You could determine the router is OK and/or has the correct ADSL
parameters set, by taking it to a friend's house (who has an ADSL
service with any other supplier) and see if it syncs to that.