<Livebox Issues? ~ Livebox Rebooting Itself and random PPP Server Down Problems
Alex_UK
Posted: Thu Mar 04, 2010 2:36 pm
Joined: 04 Mar 2010Posts: 5Location: Sunny Suffolk
Hi guys (I'm assuming mostly guys on here!?) - well, I'm currently experiencing Livebox/connection problems, but I guess you expected that as not many people join this sort of forum just to say that their broadband is 100% do they?
OK, for about 4 years I have been with Wanadoo/Orange, on a Livebox. Ever since I have had it, the Livebox has randomly "rebooted" itself, several times a day - by this I mean I lose the wireless connectivity on my laptop, and by the time I check the Livebox the >> light is solid, then the ! (Triangle) light starts flashing, eventually the Wireless light and then everything is back on again. I just assumed this is what they do, so I have never reported it as a fault, but I now understand they shouldn't do this.
Anyway, the last 6-8 weeks, about 25% of the reboots (they average around 8 a day that I know of) I get no internet and the dreaded "PPP Server Down" message in the admin pages. As of tomorrow I will have been trying for a month to resolve this with the Tech guys at Orange, so far without success, I think there are two different problems (the rebooting and the PPP Server Down) with the latter being the most frustrating. So far we have replaced the Livebox, the filter, all cables and the power supply, and I have relocated the Livebox to the master BT socket, and a different mains outlet in the dining room from the study. I have the new style BT box, and have tried the test socket but makes no difference when the internet is down. Also unplugged everything else (Sky, phones) still PPP Server Down. After a while, usually an hour or so, the internet will just come back by itself, until the next time. We have also tried a Siemans Orange Router, and this got the same PPP Server Down error when the service was down, though I haven't tried it long enough to see if it stops the rebooting problem (both Liveboxes reboot.)
The last I heard was Tuesday, they have finally conceded they need to send an engineer to test everything, I should get a call to arrange. Nothing heard, emailed Customer Services and they have asked me to call Tech Support again, because they now believe the problem is the internal wiring in my house???
Well, I guess that will be the next step, but just thought I would throw this out to see if anyone has any suggestions for my 2 problems. Having written this I think I will try the Siemans router again, because at least that may not reboot, but it is the intermittent internet connection which is really getting me down.
Here are some details from the System page, when connected:
1. You're on a BT IPStream connection via Orange routers/servers.
2. "PPP Server Down" error means that you are connected to your local exchange but the exchange is not connecting to Orange routers/servers
3. By using the test socket with a different router you have proved that one of the problems is between your NTE5 main linebox and the exchange......noithing to do with the phone wiring within your house.
4. Your SNRM of 14.6dB is high....the default is 6dB which indicates a possible line fault outside of your house.
5. The attenuation of 43dB should get you a sync of around 6000kbps whereas yours currently is 3968kbps.
Joined: 04 Mar 2010Posts: 5Location: Sunny Suffolk
Many thanks for a) reading my rather long post (sorry!) and b) replying.
I have tried the test as asked - this is what it came back with:
Download speedachieved during the test was - 2760 Kbps
For your connection, the acceptable range of speeds is 400-2000 Kbps.
Additional Information:
Your DSL Connection Rate :3968 Kbps(DOWN-STREAM), 448 Kbps(UP-STREAM)
IP Profile for your line is - 2000 Kbps
Typically it has been ok the last 5+ hours, so waiting for the next drop before reconfiguring the Siemens router to see if that stops the reboots.
For a sync of 3968kbps your IP Profile should be 3000kbps so there has been a recent noise incident which has caused the IP Profile to drop down to 2000kbps.
If there's no further noise then within 5 days the IP Profile will increase.
But as I have indicated, you should be syncing at near to 6000kbps so there is another problem.
Can you plug the router into the test socket....the one inside behind the faceplate....and run the BT speedtester again. It's probably best to do this if possible tomorrow sometime between 10am and 2pm, if not then do it Saturday morning. When you unplug it, wait 3 minutes before you plug it into the test socket.
Joined: 04 Mar 2010Posts: 5Location: Sunny Suffolk
Many thanks, and sorry for the delay, just had 4 hours of downtime... Well, I have had enough, I have asked Orange for my MAC code. I waited for the (inevitable) outage, and configured the Siemens router, which didn't work again either, ("PPP Dial Timeout" which I guess is the same as PPP Server Down,) but in that time I called Tech Support and had to jump through all the same hoops again, re-entering my username and password, only to be told it would be passed back to the engineers and I would get a call back in 48 hours - well, I think it is time for someone else to have a go - probably BT, as at least then they should "own" the problem, wherever it may be. I did get put through to someone in the UK who confirmed this issue is affecting a lot of people and they are working on it, but can't guarantee when it will be resolved.
I will try and do the test socket speedtest as suggested, as I would still like to get to the bottom of this problem... Thanks again.
I work for Orange and would like to offer my help.
If you can email your landline number/broadband account number and best contact number to customer.services@orange.co.uk, I'll give you a ring to discuss.
So I can pick up your mail quickly, please add 'Jonathan Orange Response' in the first line.
Joined: 04 Mar 2010Posts: 5Location: Sunny Suffolk
Well I'm not sure if I am tempting fate, but I've had no "PPP Server Down" messages since Monday lunchtime... I'm wondering (hoping) that may have finally been fixed...?
But, (and bearing in mind this was always happening before) the new Livebox is still rebooting itself fairly regularly, and I'd still like to get to the bottom of why... (given that it is a complete replacement I think it is safe to rule out the actual Livebox itself.) I've ruled out my Sky HD box (disconnected it from the phone line) and wireless video sender (turned it off) - everything else I can think of has come into the house since the broadband and therefore after the problem. Could it be something daft like the heating system I wonder?
Is it possible that the sheer number of devices can cause the problem (I usually have 4 or 5 laptops/pcs active at any one time, plus occasionally PS3, Xbox360 or Roku music player, or iphone,) - I read somewhere else on the forum that the a/g standard isn't really meant to handle a large number of devices, but would that cause a router to reboot itself?
Is it possible that the sheer number of devices can cause the problem (I usually have 4 or 5 laptops/pcs active at any one time, plus occasionally PS3, Xbox360 or Roku music player, or iphone,) - I read somewhere else on the forum that the a/g standard isn't really meant to handle a large number of devices, but would that cause a router to reboot itself?
I presume you're talking wireless connections in which case the harder you work the wireless connection the more likely you are to get a failure between the devices and the router but I'm not sure if that would cause a disconn from the internet. Certainly it can cause a loss of wireless connection.
Joined: 04 Mar 2010Posts: 5Location: Sunny Suffolk
Thanks again borednow, but think I am there - finally! There have been no "PPP Server Down" messages since Monday, so (fingers crossed) I think they have solved that problem, hopefully for everyone out there with the same issue.
I received an email from Jonathan from Orange, promising I'd get a call and I did - they are calling back again today to check progress. Basically, Wednesday night I decided to try the Siemens router again, so configured it and connected all my devices - all appears to be working fine, and it has stayed connected ever since (1day 9hrs 35mins so far) - I'm quietly confident therefore that the Siemens router is working properly in my environment. Apart from the conclusion that 2 Livebox's were faulty, something in the house must have been interfering with them causing them to reboot, which isn't affecting the Siemens router. Must say, it has been great to finally have a stable connection - you just don't realise how much you rely on it these days until you lose it!
Guess I'll stick with it for a while and see how it goes - I hear horror stories about every broadband supplier, so maybe better the devil you know...
I'm quietly confident therefore that the Siemens router is working properly in my environment. Apart from the conclusion that 2 Livebox's were faulty, something in the house must have been interfering with them causing them to reboot, which isn't affecting the Siemens router.
The Siemens may have improved your connection in a general way but the PPP error is nothing to do with that or anything within your house.
To get a PPP error you must be connected to your local exchange but the connection from the exchange to Orange's routers/servers was failing....that's what Orange have repaired.
Glad it's all sorted and back to "normal"...what are the router stats and BT speedtester showing now ?
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