BT Broadband Nightmare

[greendykes]

Help I am at my wits end and stressed out. No doubt by the time I finish this I will have reconnected every 5 mins. My problem is I lose connection every 2 to 5 mins. I have had this problem since the start of my contract, now 12 months (I know change contract!) I have had 2 modems of course the crap Voyager 105..even the poor Indian Guy I spoke to told me they were crap! I have done every test required several times over, had an engineer out who said my line was fine and have complained in writing to BT who have basically fobbed me off. I was told I needed a new modem because the other one was faulty..I asked for a replacement..when told I had to pay for it I complained. The poor Indian guy then pleaded down the phone not to make a complaint as it would go against HIM. I found myself trying to persuade him that I wasn't complaining about him but the service..to no avail. Anyway I did complain and got fobbed of again. So I bought a new modem a Zoom ASDL. Now I can't get connected to the internet with this, I have tried Zoom customer service but no joy there. They said it must be BT..BT said they can't help me because its not one of their modems..ANYBODY STILL AWAKE OUT THERE!! I then asked BT for my MAC code which I was informed that I couldn't have so I sent them a copy of the new rules..I then was informed if I wanted my MAC code I needed to contact the Cancellation Department..I had informed them that I did not want my contract cancelled! HELP HELP and more HELP please.
Q. Why can't I get my Zoom Modem to hook into BT Broadband
Q Why when I am meant to be on broadband does my computer show it as a dial up network. AND I need to click on dial every time my connection goes down.
Q How can I get some sense from BT without having to talk to somebody in India who is reading a script.
Q Why do they people think by switching on my computer 20 times or more will fix a problem.
Q How can I really check my line is working ok.

Finally for information purposes..I live in a rural place and I can only get 1.1mbps. My next door neighbour who had to get a new line put in gets 2mbps and is never disconnected. Any help would be appreciated. Sorry about the long winded account but it is only a summary of my misery LOL Off to connect again.

[Spiceskull]

Hiya,

I am also having problems with BT broadband, and you could follow some of my steps here (ignore all the unfunny posts by other people who think that my lack of connection is a blessing on the world!!!):

First step is to see just what speed you are getting (assuming you can get online) by trying the BT Speed Tester here:

Next up send them an email (or six - they will answer with absolute drivel...) with your results, and keep on at them until they confirm, by email, that they will get an engineer to test the line. This should result in there being a fault on the exchange, and therefore negating everything they have told you to date...

At the moment I am waiting for confirmation that the exchange problem will be fixed...hopefully tomorrow...

[greendykes]

Thanks for your response. I have read your article with interest and intend trying your suggestions. I have already sent 3 emails so far. My reading when connected is 889 kilo bits per second but its the fact that I disconnect so regularly and then get error 721 or something to do with my PPP. I don't know, losing the will to live here and the thought of talking to their call centre again makes me want to cry lol. I do want to change contracts but want to make sure it is not a line fault 1st. Is that too much to ask?

[Advoc8]

If you want advice on any of the technical side of your problem I'd register at thinkbroadband.com :: Viewing list of forums - that forum is frequented by a lot of ADSL experts, BT engineers etc and they'll be able to give you more solid advice and talk you through the right steps to take to investigate and hopefully resolve the problems that you're having.

[Spiceskull]

Originally Posted by Advoc8

If you want advice on any of the technical side of your problem I'd register at thinkbroadband.com :: Viewing list of forums - that forum is frequented by a lot of ADSL experts, BT engineers etc and they'll be able to give you more solid advice and talk you through the right steps to take to investigate and hopefully resolve the problems that you're having.

That is a useful bit of advice - I for one will be visiting there today...thanks...

[greendykes]

Thanks Advoc8
I have looked and registered at the thinkbroadband.com site. It looks like I may get some good advice from there. Strangely I thought I already posted a thankyou to you but on visiting today its not here. Either I was dreaming or my connection got lost just as I was posting..thanks again.

[Advoc8]

Originally Posted by Thermometer

I too get disconnected quite frequently but changing broadband providers has made no difference and changing router/modem makes no difference.

I have learnt to live with it but it is only once or twice an hour - not every 2-5 minutes - so I can understand your frustration!

If you do get your MAC code and change providers maybe you will at least be able to eliminate some possibilities as to the cause.

I think in relation to your situation it might be worth looking at your router connection stats at signal to noise ratios, especially if you're on a MaxDSL (upto 8 megabits) type package. Because of the way that MaxDSL works to try to get the best speed out of your connection it does run at the borderline of acceptable figures. There are ways to adjust the connection that swaps a little bit of speed for more reliability. thinkbroadband.com :: Viewing list of forums is the place to investigate further (not on commission, I just know it's where the experts live )

Likewise to the OP this may also be the case if you're on MaxDSL but I get the impression you're on a fixed line speed.

[Advoc8]

If you're on an 8Mb package you're on MaxDSL. You could have issues with internal wiring and/or filters developing a fault. If you've got a BT master socket with a removeable frontplate and if you can get your router close enough to it there's an engineers test socket under the user-removeable frontplate. Connecting here and seeing what speed your router syncs at will remove your internal wiring from the equation.


The essential problem is that if your signal/noise ratio (snr) falls below about 6dB your connection will drop. It's possible that your snr is borderline. The noise levels on the line do change (for example often are worse at night), and your router loses synchronisation and then needs to reconnect. Some routers will let you change your target snr to one that's higher, alternatively your ISP can request that BT set a higher target to reduce disconnections.


Most routers will give a signal/noise ratio (snr) somewhere - what make and model is it?

[Advoc8]

15.5 - 16.0 shouldn't cause any problems although it would be interesting to monitor this to see if it does drop at any time - particularly after your connection drops.

I think running the connection off the master socket (preferably the engineers test socket) should be the next step.

[Delboy01]

Just a quickie If you are a long way from your broadband serving exchange it will error and drop out. I am on the limit edge of my telephone exchange, it kept dropping out and erroring. Engineer checked line etc then advised I dropped down from 2M to 1M. wired comp straight to i/coming main socket No problems since

Delboy (ex BT)

[greendykes]

Right all you lovely people out there who gave me advice. I don't know what happened, I don't know why it is fixed BUT for the past 2 days my Broadband has remained connected!!!!!!! Schh don't want it to drop again. So thks one and all for advice and help! Though I am still going to leave BT. One last thing..I received a marketing call from a company regarding BT Broadband..I answered all the questions and explained about the problems I was having. I told them I intended leaving BT and they said what would change my mind? I said test my line and fix my broadband modem...eerily 4 days later my broadband worked beautifully. Is this just a coincidence.......who know! Thank you!