Broadband problem

Sorry to be asking such vague questions to a technical newsgroup.

My friend has been having ongoing problems with TalkTalk broadband.
It's just not working at all. She has tried resetting and it works
for a short time then goes faulty again. She was advised to replace
the microfilters because they are 'short life components'.

I wondered:

1 Is a microfilter needed at all for broadband? I thought they
werefor the benefit of the phone.

2. Is there a known problem with TalkTalk broadband (apart from the
well documented reputational issues with the parent company)?

3. Any obvious diagnostic testing?

4. I believe there is a special IP address to log on direct to the BT
server to test the broadband connection. Can someone remind me what
it is?

5. Is there any point in logging on to the router to check its
configuration? How do you get the IP address for the router? (I know
mine but I cannot remember how I found it in the first place.) Can
this be done without broadband connection? What should she be looking
for?

Any ideas where my friend should go next? Don't say Singapore :-)

Scott wrote:
> Sorry to be asking such vague questions to a technical newsgroup.
>
> My friend has been having ongoing problems with TalkTalk broadband.
> It's just not working at all. She has tried resetting and it works
> for a short time then goes faulty again. She was advised to replace
> the microfilters because they are 'short life components'.
>
> I wondered:
>
> 1 Is a microfilter needed at all for broadband? I thought they
> werefor the benefit of the phone.

no. they stop the phone 'shorting out' the broadband.
>
> 2. Is there a known problem with TalkTalk broadband (apart from the
> well documented reputational issues with the parent company)?
>
not really same wires as eeryine else. TYhink they are generally LLU at
the exchange tho

> 3. Any obvious diagnostic testing?

see what the router says its connected at when you get a connection..
>
> 4. I believe there is a special IP address to log on direct to the BT
> server to test the broadband connection. Can someone remind me what
> it is?
>
not sure that works on an LLU setup...

> 5. Is there any point in logging on to the router to check its
> configuration?

yes.

How do you get the IP address for the router?

look at what the default route on your PC is. Thats the router


(I know
> mine but I cannot remember how I found it in the first place.) Can
> this be done without broadband connection?

yes.

What should she be looking
> for?
>
try and paste it all here.


> Any ideas where my friend should go next? Don't say Singapore :-)

On Wed, 07 Dec 2011 22:31:53 +0000, The Natural Philosopher
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>Scott wrote:
>> Sorry to be asking such vague questions to a technical newsgroup.
>>
>> My friend has been having ongoing problems with TalkTalk broadband.
>> It's just not working at all. She has tried resetting and it works
>> for a short time then goes faulty again. She was advised to replace
>> the microfilters because they are 'short life components'.
>>
>> I wondered:
>>
>> 1 Is a microfilter needed at all for broadband? I thought they
>> werefor the benefit of the phone.
>
>no. they stop the phone 'shorting out' the broadband.
>>
>> 2. Is there a known problem with TalkTalk broadband (apart from the
>> well documented reputational issues with the parent company)?
>>
>not really same wires as eeryine else. TYhink they are generally LLU at
>the exchange tho
>
>> 3. Any obvious diagnostic testing?
>
>see what the router says its connected at when you get a connection..
>>
>> 4. I believe there is a special IP address to log on direct to the BT
>> server to test the broadband connection. Can someone remind me what
>> it is?
>>
>not sure that works on an LLU setup...
>
>> 5. Is there any point in logging on to the router to check its
>> configuration?
>
>yes.
>
> How do you get the IP address for the router?
>
>look at what the default route on your PC is. Thats the router
>
>
> (I know
>> mine but I cannot remember how I found it in the first place.) Can
>> this be done without broadband connection?
>
>yes.
>
> What should she be looking
>> for?
>>
>try and paste it all here.
>
>
>> Any ideas where my friend should go next? Don't say Singapore :-)

Thanks for the helpful reply. I am visiting at the weekend and will
try to assist then. She is guaranteed to ask if there is any
privacy/confidentiality concern about pasting this data in an open
forum.

Scott wrote:
> On Wed, 07 Dec 2011 22:31:53 +0000, The Natural Philosopher
> <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>> Scott wrote:
>>> Sorry to be asking such vague questions to a technical newsgroup.
>>>
>>> My friend has been having ongoing problems with TalkTalk broadband.
>>> It's just not working at all. She has tried resetting and it works
>>> for a short time then goes faulty again. She was advised to replace
>>> the microfilters because they are 'short life components'.
>>>
>>> I wondered:
>>>
>>> 1 Is a microfilter needed at all for broadband? I thought they
>>> werefor the benefit of the phone.
>> no. they stop the phone 'shorting out' the broadband.
>>> 2. Is there a known problem with TalkTalk broadband (apart from the
>>> well documented reputational issues with the parent company)?
>>>
>> not really same wires as eeryine else. TYhink they are generally LLU at
>> the exchange tho
>>
>>> 3. Any obvious diagnostic testing?
>> see what the router says its connected at when you get a connection..
>>> 4. I believe there is a special IP address to log on direct to the BT
>>> server to test the broadband connection. Can someone remind me what
>>> it is?
>>>
>> not sure that works on an LLU setup...
>>
>>> 5. Is there any point in logging on to the router to check its
>>> configuration?
>> yes.
>>
>> How do you get the IP address for the router?
>>
>> look at what the default route on your PC is. Thats the router
>>
>>
>> (I know
>>> mine but I cannot remember how I found it in the first place.) Can
>>> this be done without broadband connection?
>> yes.
>>
>> What should she be looking
>>> for?
>>>
>> try and paste it all here.
>>
>>
>>> Any ideas where my friend should go next? Don't say Singapore :-)
>
> Thanks for the helpful reply. I am visiting at the weekend and will
> try to assist then. She is guaranteed to ask if there is any
> privacy/confidentiality concern about pasting this data in an open
> forum.

Don't show the phone number or login or password.
heres mine at the moment:

Upstream 448000
Downstream 5696000

Downstream Upstream
SNR Margin 10.0 dB 17 dB
Line Attenuation 48.5 dB 25.0 dB
CRC Errors 25 0
Latency Interleave Interleave

Scott wrote:
> Sorry to be asking such vague questions to a technical newsgroup.
>
> My friend has been having ongoing problems with TalkTalk broadband.
> It's just not working at all. She has tried resetting and it works
> for a short time then goes faulty again. She was advised to replace
> the microfilters because they are 'short life components'.
>
> I wondered:
>
> 1 Is a microfilter needed at all for broadband? I thought they
> werefor the benefit of the phone.
>
> 2. Is there a known problem with TalkTalk broadband (apart from the
> well documented reputational issues with the parent company)?
>
> 3. Any obvious diagnostic testing?
>
> 4. I believe there is a special IP address to log on direct to the BT
> server to test the broadband connection. Can someone remind me what
> it is?
>
> 5. Is there any point in logging on to the router to check its
> configuration? How do you get the IP address for the router? (I know
> mine but I cannot remember how I found it in the first place.) Can
> this be done without broadband connection? What should she be looking
> for?
>
> Any ideas where my friend should go next? Don't say Singapore :-)

In addition to what others have said:

For step 5, open a command window (search for CMD), then type in

ipconfig /all

You might get one or several windows's-worth of information, depending
on the operating system. Scroll back through it to find the line marked
"Default Gateway" and note the IP address shown there.

Now open a web browser at that address. It will ask you for a username
and password. These will depend on the make and model of router, so
find this out and google for them before you go to the site. If the
password has been changed (it should have, for security) then your
friend should have a note of it; if not, slap her wrists.

Report what the router says about line speed, SNR margin, and loop
attenuation. It might show this for both upstream and downstream, or
simply for downstream.

Other points:

1. As far as you are concerned the microfilter is essential, and should
be fitted where the instructions show. They have been known to fail, so
take a replacement with you.

--
Graham J

On Wed, 07 Dec 2011 22:14:17 +0000, Scott
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>Sorry to be asking such vague questions to a technical newsgroup.
>
>My friend has been having ongoing problems with TalkTalk broadband.
>It's just not working at all. She has tried resetting and it works
>for a short time then goes faulty again. She was advised to replace
>the microfilters because they are 'short life components'.
>
>I wondered:
>
>1 Is a microfilter needed at all for broadband? I thought they
>werefor the benefit of the phone.
>
>2. Is there a known problem with TalkTalk broadband (apart from the
>well documented reputational issues with the parent company)?
>
>3. Any obvious diagnostic testing?
>
>4. I believe there is a special IP address to log on direct to the BT
>server to test the broadband connection. Can someone remind me what
>it is?
>
>5. Is there any point in logging on to the router to check its
>configuration? How do you get the IP address for the router? (I know
>mine but I cannot remember how I found it in the first place.) Can
>this be done without broadband connection? What should she be looking
>for?
>
>Any ideas where my friend should go next? Don't say Singapore :-)

Thanks for all the help. I tried some of this but the Internet
connection kept failing then resuming for occasional short periods. My
friend was not keen on me downloading any configuration details. She
prefers to talk to TalkTalk support tomorrow. She says the lights on
the router keep going off.

It seems to me that there is nothing wrong with the laptop or the
wireless connection. The problem is either the router or the ADSL
line or configuration.

Sorry about the basic question but, if the router is faulty, can she
buy a router of her choice and set it up or does the router have to be
supplied by TalkTalk?

Scott wrote:
> On Wed, 07 Dec 2011 22:14:17 +0000, Scott
> <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>> Sorry to be asking such vague questions to a technical newsgroup.
>>
>> My friend has been having ongoing problems with TalkTalk broadband.
>> It's just not working at all. She has tried resetting and it works
>> for a short time then goes faulty again. She was advised to replace
>> the microfilters because they are 'short life components'.
>>
>> I wondered:
>>
>> 1 Is a microfilter needed at all for broadband? I thought they
>> werefor the benefit of the phone.
>>
>> 2. Is there a known problem with TalkTalk broadband (apart from the
>> well documented reputational issues with the parent company)?
>>
>> 3. Any obvious diagnostic testing?
>>
>> 4. I believe there is a special IP address to log on direct to the BT
>> server to test the broadband connection. Can someone remind me what
>> it is?
>>
>> 5. Is there any point in logging on to the router to check its
>> configuration? How do you get the IP address for the router? (I know
>> mine but I cannot remember how I found it in the first place.) Can
>> this be done without broadband connection? What should she be looking
>> for?
>>
>> Any ideas where my friend should go next? Don't say Singapore :-)
>
> Thanks for all the help. I tried some of this but the Internet
> connection kept failing then resuming for occasional short periods. My
> friend was not keen on me downloading any configuration details. She
> prefers to talk to TalkTalk support tomorrow. She says the lights on
> the router keep going off.
>
> It seems to me that there is nothing wrong with the laptop or the
> wireless connection. The problem is either the router or the ADSL
> line or configuration.
>
> Sorry about the basic question but, if the router is faulty, can she
> buy a router of her choice and set it up or does the router have to be
> supplied by TalkTalk?

If ***ALL*** the lights on the router keep going off then it may be that
its power unit is faulty.

It's virtually impossible to help somebody over the phone who is that
unwilling to be helped - or maybe she has doubts about your competence?
You will have to go there ...

TalkTalk may be able to help - if she has the patience to get through to
their helpline. They might send a replacement router for free if she
threatens to ditch them.

You can use any router, but the TalkTalk help personnel only know about
the models they supply. So your friend would be better getting one of
them if she expects to rely on their technical support.

Probably the best thing is to put her in touch with a competent person
locally. Where does she live?

--
Graham J

Scott wrote:

> Sorry about the basic question but, if the router is faulty, can she
> buy a router of her choice and set it up or does the router have to be
> supplied by TalkTalk?


No it doesn't.

Its not hard to set up a router as long as you know the name/password
that talktalk expects..


http://help.talktalk.co.uk/app/answe...p-my-router%3F

BUT if ALL the lights keep going off, that's almost certainly a dodgy
power supply. At least the power light should stay on.

At which point shipping it all back to talktalk and asking for one that
works, is indicated.

Isn't that a D-link for talktalk?

Generally good routers I have found.

On Thu, 15 Dec 2011 22:59:45 +0000, Graham J <graham@invalid> wrote:

>Scott wrote:
>> On Wed, 07 Dec 2011 22:14:17 +0000, Scott
>> <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>>
>>> Sorry to be asking such vague questions to a technical newsgroup.
>>>
>>> My friend has been having ongoing problems with TalkTalk broadband.
>>> It's just not working at all. She has tried resetting and it works
>>> for a short time then goes faulty again. She was advised to replace
>>> the microfilters because they are 'short life components'.
>>>
>>> I wondered:
>>>
>>> 1 Is a microfilter needed at all for broadband? I thought they
>>> werefor the benefit of the phone.
>>>
>>> 2. Is there a known problem with TalkTalk broadband (apart from the
>>> well documented reputational issues with the parent company)?
>>>
>>> 3. Any obvious diagnostic testing?
>>>
>>> 4. I believe there is a special IP address to log on direct to the BT
>>> server to test the broadband connection. Can someone remind me what
>>> it is?
>>>
>>> 5. Is there any point in logging on to the router to check its
>>> configuration? How do you get the IP address for the router? (I know
>>> mine but I cannot remember how I found it in the first place.) Can
>>> this be done without broadband connection? What should she be looking
>>> for?
>>>
>>> Any ideas where my friend should go next? Don't say Singapore :-)
>>
>> Thanks for all the help. I tried some of this but the Internet
>> connection kept failing then resuming for occasional short periods. My
>> friend was not keen on me downloading any configuration details. She
>> prefers to talk to TalkTalk support tomorrow. She says the lights on
>> the router keep going off.
>>
>> It seems to me that there is nothing wrong with the laptop or the
>> wireless connection. The problem is either the router or the ADSL
>> line or configuration.
>>
>> Sorry about the basic question but, if the router is faulty, can she
>> buy a router of her choice and set it up or does the router have to be
>> supplied by TalkTalk?
>
>If ***ALL*** the lights on the router keep going off then it may be that
>its power unit is faulty.

I will ask her to check that point (if she has not done so already
after her planned call to TalkTalk).
>
>It's virtually impossible to help somebody over the phone who is that
>unwilling to be helped - or maybe she has doubts about your competence?
> You will have to go there ...

Doubts about my competence would be entirely justified as I am not a
'competent person' in the technical sense having no IT qualifications.
I thnk the bigger issue is that she has concerns about 'the Internet'
and does not want any data posted that she does not understand - then
says she does not understand any of it! Her computer - her decision -
nothing I can do.
>
>TalkTalk may be able to help - if she has the patience to get through to
>their helpline. They might send a replacement router for free if she
>threatens to ditch them.

I think she has had the benefit of this experience at least twice so
she knows what to expect.
>
>You can use any router, but the TalkTalk help personnel only know about
>the models they supply. So your friend would be better getting one of
>them if she expects to rely on their technical support.

I used to be with Virgin and it was a bit more flexible. The script
was 'We don't officially support that router so I can only give you
general advice' but the 'general advice' turned out to be just what
was needed. I left Virgin (ADSL) because of slow speed and
deteriorating customer service. I am now with Zen - fibre to the
cabinet. Spectacular speed. Expensive undoubtedly. Little need to
call them as I never have any problems!!!
>
>Probably the best thing is to put her in touch with a competent person
>locally. Where does she live?

I have suggested this also. I know a computer shop where the
technician is absolutely excellent. I suggested she take the router
in and ask him to test it.