Ok, so here's the deal. I've got a Belkin Wireless Router setup with Freeserve/Wanadoo/Orange broadband. This has worked pretty well for the last year or so. However, as of last Wednesday, I can't get any form of connection at all. IE just says 'Internet Explorer cannot display the webpage'.
All the wireless connection stuff is fine and no changes have been made to the computers, the router or the telephony setup (ie filters etc...).
I've contacted Orange Tech support 3 times. Basically, they immediately blame the router and suggest that I check the settings, which I have done. Then they say they can't do a Line check without their own modem (livebox or similar) being connected. This is not what they've said previously. I've never received a modem from Orange/Wanadoo/Freeserve as we didn't need one.
The Belkin Connection Status page has 'FAILS' for all test including ADSL & PPPoE. I've got just the 2 lights on the Router (the ADSL one is not lit), which suggests to me that the line is no longer ADSL capable, but hey what do I know??.
Orange tech support suggest that I talk to Belkin about the problem. Even with the best will in the world I don't believe this will resolve anything but I might have to try it.
Rate adaptive (250k and 500k) : Green
Fixed Rate (1000k and 2000k) : Green
MAX speed (upto 8000k) : Green (8000 kbps)
250k, 500k, 1000k, 2000k and 8000k are all available on this line.
Line status
This line has ADSL fully installed on it. There are no open orders currently on this line.
Current Service Provider : <Please login for this feature>
Exchange status
This exchange is fully enabled for rate adaptive (500k) ADSL, fully enabled for fixed rate (1000k and 2000k) ADSL, and fully enabled for Max ADSL (upto 8000k).
There are 2 DSLAMS in the BARMING exchange
DSLAM name ADSL enabled SDSL enabled Daily port usage Spare ADSL ports Spare SDSL ports Short term available ports Long term available ports Available bandwidth (Mbps) In service date
BGO_DSL_101 Yes No 1 6-10 0 0 0 70-80 Now
BGO_MSAN_301 Yes No 0 151-175 0 576-600 1151-1175 120-130 Now
Notes
Daily port usage - DSL port uptake per day, trended over the last 4 weeks.
Spare ADSL/SDSL ports - ports which are equiped and ready to be used
Short term available ports - indicates the amount of ports realised when line cards are added into existing racked capacity within the DSLAM
Long term available ports - indicates the amount of ports realised if the racked capacity was to be increased to the DSLAM maximum.
Available bandwidth - indicates how much bandwidth is currently unallocated for the connection between the DSLAM and the rest of the BT network.
but that doesn't mean an awful lot to me apart from suggesting the line is ADSL capable.
Any pointers (apart from ditiching Orange) would be gratefully received,
Dave
PS. When I did have a similar problem previously, they attempted a Line Check (even with the Belkin router) and the connection started working shortly after. I wonder if I wait long enough the same will happen!.
I have a speedtouch 330 modem supplied to me from freeserve sitting in a drawer . I am not using it as I now have a linksys wireless router .You are welcome to try it so that Orange could do a line check.If you decide that you would like me to send it to you reply here or send me your address via email
Last edited by llith on Sun Apr 01, 2007 7:17 pm; edited 1 time in total
Then they say they can't do a Line check without their own modem (livebox or similar) being connected.
PILE OF CRAP !
you DO NOT require their equipment to connect to the internet. Steer WELL clear of it .... its the biggest pile of pooh you have ever seen.
They only tell you that you require their "naffbox" cos they dont have enough knowledge to help if you use anything else.
SUGGESTION.........
Ask them for a MAC code and go to an ISP who care and has enough knowledge to assist with your problems, im sure once you migrate to another ISP all your problems will disappear.
That lot do not deserve any business with their attitude to customers problems.
Chances are they wont know how to solve your problems anyway, they havent solved THOUSANDS in here ..... get away while you can.
They can do line tests for any router or modem you wish to use, it's actually a requirement. Of course there is the problem of they don't know your router. Really what they want is for you to confirm what the router is saying about the problem, as you don't seem too familiar with the specifics thats why they'll have referred you to belkin.
From the sounds of it though it appears to be a sync problem, the router just can't connect to the signal anymore. Could be a number of causes including the setup or the router itself even though nothing's actually changed directly. They will be able to put the test through as a flashing ADSL/fast flashing @ light equivilent issue which should hopefully get things moving.
I more than agree with raybo, sort out a MAC and leave asap. Slow speeds and disconnections pi**ed me off no end when with Orange, moved to a different isp less than a week ago and what do you know, stable, fast and reliable. Orange are full of s***, every single customer they have should up and leave, it's the least they deserve.
One other thing, once you do get a decent connection with someone else you'll realise just how truly awful your connection was with Orange.
you DO NOT require their equipment to connect to the internet. Steer WELL clear of it .... its the biggest pile of pooh you have ever seen.
The majority of customers, including myself, have no problem with their livebox and it serves adequately the purpose it was designed for. Lets not confuse those on here that complain about the livebox as they represent only a small minority of Oranges customers. I think when things go wrong our natural reaction is to attack all aspects of Orange at every opportunity and in over emotive terms.
Much of what you say rings true but I often feel you are on a personal crusade against Orange. Do they care? No. Do they care that that you are attacking them at every opportunity in such an agressive manner? No. Lifes to short. You appear to have gotton away from Orange. Get any outstanding payment issues sorted and moved on before they engulf you.
Let me explain something to you (and anyone else willing to read this post).....
If you had to put up with the s**t ive had to put up from Orange im fairly sure you would feel exactly the same way as i (and thousands of others) feel.
They have no intention of sorting out the majority of these problems, if they did they would have done it LONG before now, (i recall the "Orange man" saying he would have them sorted within 5 days ----- 5 days from when exactly?) and im actually not even sure if they have the skill and/or knowledge to sort out most of them, its apparent they couldnt sort mine but as you have already said whatever anyone says in here Orange DONT CARE.... its their normal attitude.....
they couldnt give a stuff quite frankly but it doesnt stop people expressing their feelings towards a company and a service which is rubbish and i believe nowadays its normally the only way to get anytihng done unfortunately as most companies once you have purchased their product dont want to know afterwards.
Maybe you can explain to me why all of a sudden when people leave the so-called "service" of Orange that they get a stable connection and a speed far exceeding anything Orange can provide? I could explain why but wont patronise you or anyone else in here, its not why im in this forum....my reason for being here is to warn current AND future customers of Orange to steer well clear until Orange find the ability and knowledge AND EQUIPMENT to solve all these problems... ive had quite a few people ask me if its worth "upgrading" when they receive the standard "we can save you money and give you a faster speed" telephone call.....and my answer is, and will always be, the same. Until Orange can learn to provide the service people are paying for then dont touch them. All you will get is a 12 month contract tyeing you into a service which does not work. Great eh?
Additionally, the Livebox is also tyeing you into their service and with a slow connection using it for telephone calls is a waste of time unless you like sounding like Norman Collier of course
Im not saying EVERY customer of Orange has a problem or slow speeds but dont you think Orange should be concentrating on solving the problems of THOUSANDS of their customers who DO have problems instead of taking their money when they cannot provide then with either a stable connection or even a connection at all?
Come on Orange, wake up to the real world and actually solve these problems instead of making false promises and giving ridiculous answers to peoples questions, train your staff, give them the knowledge they need to HELP your customers instead of making all these false promises.
I for one am happy i left, but also sad that i HAD to leave, its just a shame Orange could not have made the effort and found the ability and knowledge to solve my problems but were happy of course to send me an invoice for something that DID NOT work.
From the sounds of it though it appears to be a sync problem, the router just can't connect to the signal anymore. Could be a number of causes including the setup or the router itself even though nothing's actually changed directly. They will be able to put the test through as a flashing ADSL/fast flashing @ light equivilent issue which should hopefully get things moving.
Thanks. I'm downloading the manual for the router now (on dial up!). Do you think that the ADSL light should be on on the router though?, Can you elaborate on what a sync problem is?. I've managed to get my hands on a netgear router so I might try that. However, as the Belkin has been working fine for months and no config settings have been changed I'm more inclined to believe that this is a BT/Orange problem.
Also, what is a MAC code and what does it allow you to do?. I assume it's not the same as a MAC address?.
Joined: 13 Aug 2006Posts: 1689Location: Marylebone Central London
I honestly can't see it being your set up for it not to sync all of a sudden but the only way is to try the netgear then you will know for sure netgears are renown for being stable and holding sync.
_________________ ex Freeserve/Wanadoo/Orange Blog
Ok, so here's the deal. I've got a Belkin Wireless Router setup with Freeserve/Wanadoo/Orange broadband. This has worked pretty well for the last year or so. However, as of last Wednesday, I can't get any form of connection at all. IE just says 'Internet Explorer cannot display the webpage'.
All the wireless connection stuff is fine and no changes have been made to the computers, the router or the telephony setup (ie filters etc...).
I've contacted Orange Tech support 3 times. Basically, they immediately blame the router and suggest that I check the settings, which I have done. Then they say they can't do a Line check without their own modem (livebox or similar) being connected. This is not what they've said previously. I've never received a modem from Orange/Wanadoo/Freeserve as we didn't need one.
The Belkin Connection Status page has 'FAILS' for all test including ADSL & PPPoE. I've got just the 2 lights on the Router (the ADSL one is not lit), which suggests to me that the line is no longer ADSL capable, but hey what do I know??.
Orange tech support suggest that I talk to Belkin about the problem. Even with the best will in the world I don't believe this will resolve anything but I might have to try it.
Rate adaptive (250k and 500k) : Green
Fixed Rate (1000k and 2000k) : Green
MAX speed (upto 8000k) : Green (8000 kbps)
250k, 500k, 1000k, 2000k and 8000k are all available on this line.
Line status
This line has ADSL fully installed on it. There are no open orders currently on this line.
Current Service Provider : <Please login for this feature>
Exchange status
This exchange is fully enabled for rate adaptive (500k) ADSL, fully enabled for fixed rate (1000k and 2000k) ADSL, and fully enabled for Max ADSL (upto 8000k).
There are 2 DSLAMS in the BARMING exchange
DSLAM name ADSL enabled SDSL enabled Daily port usage Spare ADSL ports Spare SDSL ports Short term available ports Long term available ports Available bandwidth (Mbps) In service date
BGO_DSL_101 Yes No 1 6-10 0 0 0 70-80 Now
BGO_MSAN_301 Yes No 0 151-175 0 576-600 1151-1175 120-130 Now
Notes
Daily port usage - DSL port uptake per day, trended over the last 4 weeks.
Spare ADSL/SDSL ports - ports which are equiped and ready to be used
Short term available ports - indicates the amount of ports realised when line cards are added into existing racked capacity within the DSLAM
Long term available ports - indicates the amount of ports realised if the racked capacity was to be increased to the DSLAM maximum.
Available bandwidth - indicates how much bandwidth is currently unallocated for the connection between the DSLAM and the rest of the BT network.
but that doesn't mean an awful lot to me apart from suggesting the line is ADSL capable.
Any pointers (apart from ditiching Orange) would be gratefully received,
Dave
PS. When I did have a similar problem previously, they attempted a Line Check (even with the Belkin router) and the connection started working shortly after. I wonder if I wait long enough the same will happen!.
Did you have a thunderstorm the day before the router failed?
Did you have a thunderstorm the day before the router failed?
Errr, well actually I was away on holiday so I don't know. Doesn't Orange like thunderstorms?. This is interesting though as the last time I had this trouble, there had been a power cut in the area and I did wonder whether something at the exchange had got reset.
Why do you ask about a Thunderstorm? - what's your thinking?.
Did you have a thunderstorm the day before the router failed?
Errr, well actually I was away on holiday so I don't know. Doesn't Orange like thunderstorms?. This is interesting though as the last time I had this trouble, there had been a power cut in the area and I did wonder whether something at the exchange had got reset.
Why do you ask about a Thunderstorm? - what's your thinking?.
Hi
I live in a rural area with overhead telephone lines and we have lost phones, modems, routers, ethernet cards/adapters to power surges during storms. What you describe sounds like the sort of situation I have experienced in the past after such an outrage. I am no expert here but I have been told by people who are supposed to know what they are talking about that if you have overhead phone lines then a lightning strike to the ground can cause a power surge in telephone cables. Apparently this earths via equipment that is connected to both the telephone system and the house electricity supply. Unfortunately in my case a burned out router usually means a burned out motherbord ethernet adaptor.
I honestly can't see it being your set up for it not to sync all of a sudden but the only way is to try the netgear then you will know for sure netgears are renown for being stable and holding sync.
Well yeah usually if the setup hasn't changed it isn't down to that but I've seen that be the cause so many times that it needs to be checked. Anyway Orange will ask to check that before putting through a line test as it's standard procedure.
Davey-Dave wrote:
Do you think that the ADSL light should be on on the router though?, Can you elaborate on what a sync problem is?.
Basically the router and the exchange have to be in sync when talking to each other, if they're not it's like trying to have a conversation where both people are speaking at the same time. Using that analogy your friend could have wandered off and you're still trying to talk to him, or the band have just started playing and you're stood next to their speakers.
Quote:
I've managed to get my hands on a netgear router so I might try that. However, as the Belkin has been working fine for months and no config settings have been changed I'm more inclined to believe that this is a BT/Orange problem.
No way to be sure where the problem lies until you test things to find out, I'd recommend trying them both from the main phone socket with everything else disconnected from the line. Rules out as much as possible at your end in one go that way.
Quote:
Also, what is a MAC code and what does it allow you to do?. I assume it's not the same as a MAC address?
Thats a Migration Authorisation Code as opposed to a Media Access Control address. It allows you to move your service to a different ISP with the minimum of downtime, a lot of the time you won't notice any downtime and just at once point have to swap over to a new username and password to reconnect.
Though if you're on a non-LLU connection, then as it's a problem between the BT exchange equipment and your router migration often doesn't help, sometimes it can get things reset and kickstarted back up though. I've seen things happen both ways before, people migrating away and still having the same problems and people migrating to Orange to escape a problem but again still in the same position.
Things can be better when it's between connection types as when that happens you get a completely new connection made rather simply the old one being retagged to the new ISP.
What do you think? and does it make a difference to my views.
Quote:
they couldnt give a stuff quite frankly but it doesnt stop people expressing their feelings towards a company and a service which is rubbish and i believe nowadays its normally the only way to get anytihng done
Thats precisely my point. All the ranting and you appear to have achieved nothing apart from maybe a few grey hairs.
Quote:
Maybe you can explain to me why all of a sudden when people leave the so-called "service" of Orange that they get a stable connection and a speed far exceeding anything Orange can provide?
Maybe they do, maybe they don't. They could have gone to an excellent IPS like BE or to someone like Tiscalli or Talk Talk. We only hear from the few that have migrated and come back reporting on their good speeds. Who's to say that those who moved have not ended up with an equally poor service. Making generaised comments does not tell the full story. In reality we just don't know from a few report backs.
Quote:
Additionally, the Livebox is also tyeing you into their service and with a slow connection using it for telephone calls is a waste of time unless you like sounding like Norman Collier of course
Again, another generised answer that is just not true. There maybe many customers who are getting good download speeds and more than acceptable talk quality but we just don't hear from them. Infact I have read many posts where talk customers have said the quailty is comparable or better than BT. Because of these unknown customers, not experiencing problems, the 12 month contract issue is somewhat irrelevant. Infact to relate to the technical problems just clouds the issue.
Quote:
dont you think Orange should be concentrating on solving the problems?
On this we can be agreed, but not with the same approach. I actually believe that no matter how peeved off, angry or annoyed someone is then the best way of achieving nothing is to use that approach when trying to get something from them. Yes, I had problems getting Orange to upgrade me to an 8 meg service with no new contract as previously agreed under Wanadoo. Yes I had problems with my talk service not fully functioning. Both sorted by remaining calm but being assertive with them. Result - both problems resolved to my satisfaction. There is a very fine line between being assertive and being agressive. I'm convinced that had I used the latter in my approach I would have gotton nowhere.
Thats precisely my point. All the ranting and you appear to have achieved nothing apart from maybe a few grey hairs.
Actually you'll find Raybo's 'ranting' does achieve something. Not only does his posts serve to highlight the misgivings of Orange but also serves to inform the general public that the problem has not gone away. His voice is one of many that have exposed what Orange is doing and continues to do so- to dismiss his views as rants is insulting.
Ok, if you don't 'like' his style of expression, well we all can't be as eloquent as some now can we?...
Quote:
Maybe they do, maybe they don't. They could have gone to an excellent IPS like BE or to someone like Tiscalli or Talk Talk. We only hear from the few that have migrated and come back reporting on their good speeds. Who's to say that those who moved have not ended up with an equally poor service. Making generaised comments does not tell the full story. In reality we just don't know from a few report backs.
As far as I have read (which is alot), there are NUMEROUS reports of people leaving Orange and getting the service they expect from other ISPS, not only here but other forums too . LOL, Orange was not voted the worst ISP by watchdog on a whim- its proof. These 'general' comments are actually based on facts. Now, if you have data on the contrary, then I'm sure we will be corrected, but you don't you only have your opinion, while we have proof.
Quote:
Again, another generised answer that is just not true. There maybe many customers who are getting good download speeds and more than acceptable talk quality but we just don't hear from them. Infact I have read many posts where talk customers have said the quailty is comparable or better than BT. Because of these unknown customers, not experiencing problems, the 12 month contract issue is somewhat irrelevant. Infact to relate to the technical problems just clouds the issue.
Quality might Be Broadband, care to comment on its reliability? And why people are being advised to use the service just for outgoing calls? Its one thing saying they're not experiencing problems, but are they actually getting the service they are paying for? And to say the 12 month contract issue is somewhat irrelavant LOL. You know this is not the case Tvman- its VERY relevant.
Quote:
On this we can be agreed, but not with the same approach. I actually believe that no matter how peeved off, angry or annoyed someone is then the best way of achieving nothing is to use that approach when trying to get something from them. Yes, I had problems getting Orange to upgrade me to an 8 meg service with no new contract as previously agreed under Wanadoo. Yes I had problems with my talk service not fully functioning. Both sorted by remaining calm but being assertive with them. Result - both problems resolved to my satisfaction. There is a very fine line between being assertive and being agressive. I'm convinced that had I used the latter in my approach I would have gotton nowhere.
Sometimes its takes alot of noise for someone to be forced to take note. Especially in the case of Orange who have acted appallingly to customers. If all this 'rant' sways someone not to join Orange, then serves Orange right- thats profit lost for a substandard service. I do hope this continues because then, and only then will they realised their attitude has to change.
Until I get the service I am paying for, I personally will continue to tell it as it is- which is Orange is at the bottom of ISPs for valid reasons. Can you give valid reasons why people should join Orange? Thought not...
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