Ebuyer Router Problem

I recently set up my (non-techie) sis / bil with broadband from PlusNet.
SamKnows website indicates a 2Mb speed should be possible, though BT found
the signal at the house was half a db over their official threshold for 2Mb.
Long story short, the c2Mb connection was patchy so BT reduced speed of
connection to 1Mb.

They were and still are using an 'Ebuyer 1 Port SPI Firewall Combo Ethernet
ADSL Modem Router'

http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/produ...duct_uid=48448

Since the changeover by BT to a 1Mb connection speed on 6th of June, the
connection is *still* giving problems.

Since that day, PlusNet report 100's of 'User Request' disconnects although
the connection was solid for a substantial part of 06 and 07 June.
Apparently 'User Request' indicates an issue *at* the user property rather
than up to the property.

PlusNet suggest initially disabling Firewall and Antivirus (ZoneAlarm Free /
Avast Free) to see if this permits a solid connection. They think it's
likely to be a software rather than hardware issue based on what their
connection logs indicate.

Reading the router reviews on the Ebuyer site, a couple of posts suggest
altering the 'Idle Timeout' to the maximum setting. Have not done this so
far, could this be the reason? Supplied cables I guess could be faulty so
will try switching those as well.

I may as a last resort decide to ditch the Ebuyer router and install a BT
Voyager 205 as this is a model that PlusNet recommend and support.

Any advice or thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.
--
aa

On Thu, 9 Jun 2005 10:11:58 +0100, "aa" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>Reading the router reviews on the Ebuyer site, a couple of posts suggest
>altering the 'Idle Timeout' to the maximum setting. Have not done this so
>far, could this be the reason? Supplied cables I guess could be faulty so
>will try switching those as well.

the LEDs would tell you if it was losing sync ie an exchange or line
problem.

sounds like its logging itself out, remove any "dial on demand"
settings or set the idle timeout to zero to disable it ?

Phil

In uk.telecom.broadband, aa wrote:

>PlusNet suggest initially disabling Firewall and Antivirus

Which just goes to show that they are fuckwits.


--
Nigel M

"Time may be a great healer,
but he's a lousy beautician"

Phil Thompson wrote:
> On Thu, 9 Jun 2005 10:11:58 +0100, "aa" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>
>>Reading the router reviews on the Ebuyer site, a couple of posts suggest
>>altering the 'Idle Timeout' to the maximum setting. Have not done this so
>>far, could this be the reason? Supplied cables I guess could be faulty so
>>will try switching those as well.
>
>
> the LEDs would tell you if it was losing sync ie an exchange or line
> problem.

IME the 'ADSL' LED on this router flashes when there is a locked link, so
intermittentcy of connection might be difficult to spot ?

--
Mark
Please replace invalid and invalid with gmx and net to reply

In news:(E-Mail Removed),
Phil Thompson wrote:

> On Thu, 9 Jun 2005 10:11:58 +0100, "aa" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>> Reading the router reviews on the Ebuyer site, a couple of posts suggest
>> altering the 'Idle Timeout' to the maximum setting. Have not done this
>> so far, could this be the reason? Supplied cables I guess could be
>> faulty so will try switching those as well.
>
> the LEDs would tell you if it was losing sync ie an exchange or line
> problem.
>
> sounds like its logging itself out, remove any "dial on demand"
> settings or set the idle timeout to zero to disable it ?
>
> Phil

Thanks Phil. Will take a close look at those settings.

180 miles separate me and the router/PC in question so I'm hoping (having
done the round trip twice already to set things up / sort issues out) that
this time I can hopefully fix it once and for all in one hit.

I'll try out an identical replacement Ebuyer router first, but would still
be keen to hear recommendations for a robust and reliable *alternative*
router also.

TIA
--
aa

In news:(E-Mail Removed),
Mark Carver wrote:

> Phil Thompson wrote:
>> On Thu, 9 Jun 2005 10:11:58 +0100, "aa" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>>
>>
>>> Reading the router reviews on the Ebuyer site, a couple of posts
>>> suggest altering the 'Idle Timeout' to the maximum setting. Have not
>>> done this so far, could this be the reason? Supplied cables I guess
>>> could be faulty so will try switching those as well.
>>
>>
>> the LEDs would tell you if it was losing sync ie an exchange or line
>> problem.
>
> IME the 'ADSL' LED on this router flashes when there is a locked link, so
> intermittentcy of connection might be difficult to spot ?

Yes agree. Does anyone have experience of this particular router? Should
the ADSL light be permanently 'on'? Again, does anyone have a better router
recommendation (ideally with Firewall built-in) ?

I'd also be pleased to hear any further comments from PlusNet in case
they're following this thread. Thanks.
--
aa

aa <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

: 180 miles separate me and the router/PC in question

: I'll try out an identical replacement Ebuyer router first, but would still
: be keen to hear recommendations for a robust and reliable *alternative*
: router also.

Can you not connect to the ebuyer router remotely?

I can connect to and alter settings on my (Netgear DG834G) home router
from work (it only accepts connections from a highly limited IP address
range so there are no security issues!)

This router had been 100% reliable for me (uptime >500 hours) - but YMMV!

In news:d89mk4$d54$(E-Mail Removed),
Brian McIlwrath wrote:

> Can you not connect to the ebuyer router remotely?
> I can connect to and alter settings on my (Netgear DG834G) home router
> from work (it only accepts connections from a highly limited IP address
> range so there are no security issues!)

Didn't know that was possible. The link is presumably going to have to be
*up* for that to happen. I shall take advice from one who I think may know
how to do that. Thanks for the tip.

> This router had been 100% reliable for me (uptime >500 hours) - but YMMV!

Yes most of the reviews I've seen on the Ebuyer site have given it glowing
reports. I'll happily hang on to it if I can get it to work reliably.
--
aa

aa <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

: > Can you not connect to the ebuyer router remotely?
: > I can connect to and alter settings on my (Netgear DG834G) home router

: Didn't know that was possible.

It may not be for the ebuyer one!! Did you spot that I am using a Netgear
router? This feature will not be universal in all makes.

One that *DID* accept remote management might be useful for your range!

In news:d89nmh$dk0$(E-Mail Removed),
Brian McIlwrath wrote:

> aa <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>>> Can you not connect to the ebuyer router remotely?
>>> I can connect to and alter settings on my (Netgear DG834G) home router
>
>> Didn't know that was possible.
>
> It may not be for the ebuyer one!! Did you spot that I am using a Netgear
> router?

Oops (adjusts glasses)

This feature will not be universal in all makes.
>
> One that *DID* accept remote management might be useful for your range!

Yes indeed. Thanks for yor input Brian.
--
aa