Has the local broadband been patchy lately?
Sometimes everything works smoothly, and other times pages take an age to download, or don't download at all.
I keep getting the message about the server not responding, although the signal indicator on the mac, shows full strength.
Broadband
Thanks Lee
We're Mac too, on an Airport Express wireless network.
Weirdly enough, if we switch from Safari (which is generally rubbish anyway) to Firefox, then it starts to work for a while, then goes dead slow again. Switch back to Safari, and it will work again.
We are with BT, but Im sure they all use the same network anyway, dont they?
Anyway, its infuriating.
We're Mac too, on an Airport Express wireless network.
Weirdly enough, if we switch from Safari (which is generally rubbish anyway) to Firefox, then it starts to work for a while, then goes dead slow again. Switch back to Safari, and it will work again.
We are with BT, but Im sure they all use the same network anyway, dont they?
Anyway, its infuriating.
My 8 meg broadband was upgraded to ADSL2+ on 31 March 2010.
Using http://www.speedtest.bbmax.co.uk/ as a gideline I get approx 15,678kbps download and 788kbps upload which I am happy with; however SINCE upgrading there are times when it will not connect to SOME websites (e.g google, bbc); it will just hang for a minute then I get the 'Can't Connect Page'. All the lights remain lit on the router and it is not my PC. In fact just to double check it I changed the router and also used a different PC, the problems still exist.
I have BT working on this at the moment, I would suspect it is something in the exchange.
Using http://www.speedtest.bbmax.co.uk/ as a gideline I get approx 15,678kbps download and 788kbps upload which I am happy with; however SINCE upgrading there are times when it will not connect to SOME websites (e.g google, bbc); it will just hang for a minute then I get the 'Can't Connect Page'. All the lights remain lit on the router and it is not my PC. In fact just to double check it I changed the router and also used a different PC, the problems still exist.
I have BT working on this at the moment, I would suspect it is something in the exchange.
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sydenhamboy
- Posts: 264
- Joined: 8 Oct 2006 10:33
- Location: sydenham
Absolutely found the same thing. I've got a mac and safari has been sporadic of late but recently ridiculous. Now in firefox but it's been 'being naughty' all day and this last week or two it is very unpredictable and slow. THought it was just me but must be a local server thing (not that I really understand these things). I too have BT 'checking' out the line but it seems too much of a coincidence. (Broadband wireless and ethernet both been crap).
Interesting to read your texts - should I let BT know that it might be an 'area' thing .. ?
Interesting to read your texts - should I let BT know that it might be an 'area' thing .. ?
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sydenhamboy
- Posts: 264
- Joined: 8 Oct 2006 10:33
- Location: sydenham
sydenhamboy wrote:
Interesting to read your texts - should I let BT know that it might be an 'area' thing .. ?
After all the thorough tests I have carried out internally and this problem only developed minutes after they upgraded me to Up To 20meg I am convinced it is a fault in the exchange ................probably a faulty card of some sort.
Any case BT are coming to me Sunday morning!
I'm glad that it's not just me.
This has been going on, for me, since March 17. On the evening of March 16 BT sent an e-mail saying that they were about to upgrade the exchange to 21st-century (I think this is ADSL 2). As a consequence our broadband would be unavailable for a maximum of 10 minutes the next day.
On March 17 it went off. And stayed off.
2 1/2 weeks later I am still on the phone to BT every single day. I've had two engineers to the premises and a new broadband hub. I've lost count of the number of times I've been told that something has been changed at the exchange, or at the server level, and the problem is now 'fixed'. It never is.
The broadband connection is completely random. It doesn't actually disconnect fully (i.e. the line to the server stays open). What is happening is a series of micro-drops. I get endless error messages saying a particular server cannot be found. But it will stay up for half an hour, or 10 seconds, or even two seconds -- literally the time it takes to go from one page to the next. One minute it will load a particular web page, but not another. Then one minute later the opposite will be true. It's infuriating and baffling. Sometimes you can ping a website, but it will not load in any browser and I used Safari, chrome, Mozilla, Firefox.
Yesterday a BT engineer remotely accessed my computer and controlled it for over an hour. He experienced exactly what I have experienced: A non-/dysfunctional broadband service. Needless to say he didn't fix it.
I'm running a business from home and have four Macintosh computers connected to the Internet. They are all completely different ages, and are running versions of OS 10 from 10.3 to 10.6. They all behave in exactly the same way. The problem is not with them, it's with the server or exchange at BT.
Both the engineers I've had said the same thing: since the 21st century upgrade there have been a rash of these problems.
I've been forced to order virgin media broadband as I have absolutely no idea if or when this will ever be fixed.
Just to put into context: since I started writing this I have lost access to the Internet three times.
This has been going on, for me, since March 17. On the evening of March 16 BT sent an e-mail saying that they were about to upgrade the exchange to 21st-century (I think this is ADSL 2). As a consequence our broadband would be unavailable for a maximum of 10 minutes the next day.
On March 17 it went off. And stayed off.
2 1/2 weeks later I am still on the phone to BT every single day. I've had two engineers to the premises and a new broadband hub. I've lost count of the number of times I've been told that something has been changed at the exchange, or at the server level, and the problem is now 'fixed'. It never is.
The broadband connection is completely random. It doesn't actually disconnect fully (i.e. the line to the server stays open). What is happening is a series of micro-drops. I get endless error messages saying a particular server cannot be found. But it will stay up for half an hour, or 10 seconds, or even two seconds -- literally the time it takes to go from one page to the next. One minute it will load a particular web page, but not another. Then one minute later the opposite will be true. It's infuriating and baffling. Sometimes you can ping a website, but it will not load in any browser and I used Safari, chrome, Mozilla, Firefox.
Yesterday a BT engineer remotely accessed my computer and controlled it for over an hour. He experienced exactly what I have experienced: A non-/dysfunctional broadband service. Needless to say he didn't fix it.
I'm running a business from home and have four Macintosh computers connected to the Internet. They are all completely different ages, and are running versions of OS 10 from 10.3 to 10.6. They all behave in exactly the same way. The problem is not with them, it's with the server or exchange at BT.
Both the engineers I've had said the same thing: since the 21st century upgrade there have been a rash of these problems.
I've been forced to order virgin media broadband as I have absolutely no idea if or when this will ever be fixed.
Just to put into context: since I started writing this I have lost access to the Internet three times.
If you are using the Sydenham TX then your ISP is giving you incorrect information. This exchange was upgraded to 21CN last year. This, apart from a short outage, will not have effected your broadband link.
ADSL2+ requires 21CN but is not the same. Here is a thread on it: http://sydenham.org.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4258
It sounds as if they were doing an ADSL2+ regrade. Did they ask you if you wanted this? While faster speeds are a good thing there are risks which a responsible ISP will have made you aware and it should be your choice. Indeed a good ISP will allow you to degrade back if it doesn't work for you.
Basically ADSL2+ requires an ADSL2+ compliant modem/router. Not only that but some models require you to change the settings. So if you have an older modem, or old firmware you will have issues. Also some people have suspicions that some chipsets are better than others.
Finally everything is working closer to the limits than before. It is more prone to both electrical and line interference. We had problems with a noisy PSU which stopped the service completely. Turn that bit of equipment off and everything worked perfectly.
It is possible to have an excellent high speed ADSL2+ service on a BT line. Indeed where such downtimes are unheard of with excellent and knowledgeable support. Just not from BT Broadband IMHO.
HTH
Stuart
ADSL2+ requires 21CN but is not the same. Here is a thread on it: http://sydenham.org.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4258
It sounds as if they were doing an ADSL2+ regrade. Did they ask you if you wanted this? While faster speeds are a good thing there are risks which a responsible ISP will have made you aware and it should be your choice. Indeed a good ISP will allow you to degrade back if it doesn't work for you.
Basically ADSL2+ requires an ADSL2+ compliant modem/router. Not only that but some models require you to change the settings. So if you have an older modem, or old firmware you will have issues. Also some people have suspicions that some chipsets are better than others.
Finally everything is working closer to the limits than before. It is more prone to both electrical and line interference. We had problems with a noisy PSU which stopped the service completely. Turn that bit of equipment off and everything worked perfectly.
It is possible to have an excellent high speed ADSL2+ service on a BT line. Indeed where such downtimes are unheard of with excellent and knowledgeable support. Just not from BT Broadband IMHO.
HTH
Stuart
Hi Stuart, thanks for the info.
That's what I was told. 21C upgrade. Repeatedly. I'm in Girton road.
No, I wasn't given a choice.
No, I haven't been told I have a choice to un-upgrade.
I had an original white BT HUB. I now have the latest whizzy black HUB. Doesn't make a blind bit of difference. Just as bad.
Completely bemused.
HAve had BT broadband since they first (day one) started offering the service. In those years have had maybe 2(?) days of outage, and no mystery hanging.
Since the 'upgrade' have had 16 days of randomness.
That's what I was told. 21C upgrade. Repeatedly. I'm in Girton road.
No, I wasn't given a choice.
No, I haven't been told I have a choice to un-upgrade.
I had an original white BT HUB. I now have the latest whizzy black HUB. Doesn't make a blind bit of difference. Just as bad.
Completely bemused.
HAve had BT broadband since they first (day one) started offering the service. In those years have had maybe 2(?) days of outage, and no mystery hanging.
Since the 'upgrade' have had 16 days of randomness.
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southernmoose
- Posts: 52
- Joined: 9 Jan 2009 18:06
- Location: London
Broadband problems
This sounds very familiar. We live on Sydenham Road and have BT Broadband which has started dropping regularly since Thu 25th March, although it appears 'connected'.
We've been ringing BT on an almost daily basis who haven't been able to resolve the problem, and when pushed finally provided a 'status number' which gives a recorded message to says that there are problems reported in the area.
Don't know what more to do for now as I'm worried that if we change providers, that we'll be without broadband coverage at all for a few days, and it's a studying lifeline...
We've been ringing BT on an almost daily basis who haven't been able to resolve the problem, and when pushed finally provided a 'status number' which gives a recorded message to says that there are problems reported in the area.
Don't know what more to do for now as I'm worried that if we change providers, that we'll be without broadband coverage at all for a few days, and it's a studying lifeline...
Eventually (next 5 months???) all BT (BT Broadband) customers will eventually be switched over to ADSL2+. This will happen when they migrate Sydenham on to their new billing system.
Any NEW BT customer will automatically get ADSL2+
There are a FEW of us that for one reason or another have been migrated across early................ Mine was done because of a complaint to the Chairmans Office.
It seems we all have the same problem.
On Tuesday I will be straight through to the Chairmans Office again if the engineer doesn't sort this tomorrow.
ps My connection (lights still on hub ) down for last 45 minutes. I use PC
Any NEW BT customer will automatically get ADSL2+
There are a FEW of us that for one reason or another have been migrated across early................ Mine was done because of a complaint to the Chairmans Office.
It seems we all have the same problem.
On Tuesday I will be straight through to the Chairmans Office again if the engineer doesn't sort this tomorrow.
ps My connection (lights still on hub ) down for last 45 minutes. I use PC
Just had another mind-mangling conversation with yet another Complaints manager in India. Told them it wasn't just me.
They weren't interested.
Manager admitted (after trying to pass the problem back at me – yet again, despite the one hour remote access session by BT Mac broadband tech yesterday) that there is a problem on the line. Then promptly refused to do anymore about it. Engineers say the line and exchange are working perfectly therefore they've done everything they can. THey're washing their hands.
Tough. Sorry. Get over it. Nothing to see here.
Rather Kafka-esque moment when they suggested I might want to get in touch with the SPecial Investigations Unit myself.
Me: How do I do that?
Complaints Manager: You can't.
Me: Will you do it then?
Complaints Manager: No.
Unbelievable.
Contacting the Chairman as advised earlier.
They weren't interested.
Manager admitted (after trying to pass the problem back at me – yet again, despite the one hour remote access session by BT Mac broadband tech yesterday) that there is a problem on the line. Then promptly refused to do anymore about it. Engineers say the line and exchange are working perfectly therefore they've done everything they can. THey're washing their hands.
Tough. Sorry. Get over it. Nothing to see here.
Rather Kafka-esque moment when they suggested I might want to get in touch with the SPecial Investigations Unit myself.
Me: How do I do that?
Complaints Manager: You can't.
Me: Will you do it then?
Complaints Manager: No.
Unbelievable.
Contacting the Chairman as advised earlier.