# SBC DSL blues



## ingeniero1 (Mar 30, 2005)

Hello,
I am new here, and as you can imagine, I have a problem.

• Subject: SBC DSL
• Geographical location: Bridgeton, Missouri
• Problem: Interrupted Connections
• DSL installed date: January 2003
• Equipment: SpeedStream modem, Lynksys 4-port router, 3 PC’s
• Other equipment: Five telephones, only one with a filter, the one closest to the modem
• Frequency and duration of instances of 'dropped connections' (approximate):
. Jan – Feb 2003: Twice a week, one to four hours
. Mar- Jun 2003: Twice a month, few minutes to an hour
. Jul ’03 – Jan ’05: Once every 3-months, few minutes to an hour (pleased with performance)
. Feb – Early Mar 2005: Twice a week, one to several hours
. Late Mar 2005: Once to three times daily, minutes to hours
• Changes in equipment: 
. Early March: added filter to all telephones, changed cable to modem from 20-ft to 6-ft.
• Noticed performance change due to equipment change:
. None

I have talked to SBC and their service division (they do seem to know a lot more) at least 20 times, have done everything they have recommended, but they continue to say that the signal to my house is fine so the problem is with my equipment and wiring. 

BUT MY EQUIPMENT AND WIRING DOESN’T CHANGE!

A couple of weeks ago, when I couldn’t connect (DSL) for several hours, I took the modem outside and connected it directly to the feed from SBC and established a DSL connection. I called SBC and they said that the signal was fine, of course, so the problem must be in the house. Immediately, I reconnected the modem inside, just as it had been a few minutes earlier, and it established a DSL connection right away! I called SBC back, and they said that the signal was still fine - see?

One more thing that I am ready to try is a direct Cat-3 cable from the box outside the house to the modem (inside the house). I wired an RJ11 connector to the four appropriate wires of the Cat-3 (even if only two are needed) and can connect it this way to the modem. I know it works, because I tried it once, but when I did the DSL connection was fine. Now I have to try it when the DSL connection has dropped off.

Questions:
1. Has anyone else experienced SBC DSL persistent connection drop offs?
2. If so, have these increased lately?
3. Could the modem be going bad?
4. Any suggestions?

Thanks!

Alex


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## johnwill (Sep 26, 2002)

When I install DSL, I run a quality twisted pair cable (I just use CAT5) from the telco service entrance directly to the modem. Use NO flat extension wire to connect to the modem. I split all the other telephone equipment at the telco entrance and use a single filter to isolate all the phones, rather than multiple filters.

This is as good as it gets for interior wiring for DSL IMO. If you do this and you still have drops, I'd have to conclude that it's either the modem or the ISP.

One problem with multiple phones and lines is that the DSL signal is affected by all the stray paths, it's much more touchy than POTS.


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## ingeniero1 (Mar 30, 2005)

johnwill,

"_I split all the other telephone equipment at the telco entrance and use a single filter to isolate all the phones, rather than multiple filters._"

I had been planning to do this and had wondered two things.

1. Will one filter ahead of the line that feeds all the telephones suffice? Based on your experience, I guess the answer is yes. Correct?

2. Where to split off for the phones: 
a. At the entrance box, as in parallel with the Cat-3 (or Cat-5 in your case) that goes to the modem, as you did, or
b. Split off at the modem itself, which is how the telephone in my office/computer room presently is connected, with a filter.

What do you think?

BTW, the SpeedStream modem I have is model 5360. Do you know if that is good, bad, or indiffeent?

Thanks for your help.

Alex


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## johnwill (Sep 26, 2002)

Yes, one filter does the job, and is actually the most desirable configuration. You split off for phones right at the telco service entrance, and put the filter there. I usually crimp a connector on and make it so you can plug the filter in. That way, you can replace it easily if lightning ever takes it out. This configuration results in a straight shot of twisted pair right to the DSL modem with no other stubs to cause problems with the DSL signal.

I know nothing about the relative quality of the various modem brands, I suspect it's as good as anything else, but that's only a guess.


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## JamesO (Mar 30, 2005)

Alex,

See this link for some possible information

http://www.efficient.com/subscriber_networks/support.shtml#

Look at firmware upgrades and also the issues of overheating!

You also need to see if this modem has a web interface that will give you signal levels and error statistics. Some vendors even that special utilities to access the modem statistics. 

You DSL link should not be dropping. 

It could be a caused by a Telco line impairment, but you also need to see what the modem lights indicate as well?

From the DOS prompt run:
"ipconfig" and make sure you do not have a 169.x.x.x address. Document what address you have when the link is working.
Perform a "tracert" to someplace like the Telco's .net or .com website. Document the hops and addresses.
When the link does not work try to "ping" the first few hops and see what happens. 

Do not forget, the ISP's DNS may be part of the problem. Try getting the IP address for Google, Yahoo, CNN and Cisco and see if you can bring these sites up by IP address vs. using a browser.

You may be able to get the DSL Support group to also run a "RCL" test to your house and verify the "Current" line conditions. 

Verizon even has a Web utility to test your (Verizon) DSL link? Not much help if your are at home without service, but you might be able to get a friend to try this if your DSL provider has such a utility on their Website. I assume this is a basic PING utility?? 

Good luck.

JamesO


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## ingeniero1 (Mar 30, 2005)

Well, sure enough, about an hour ago the DSL connection dropped out.

This time I didn't bother to remove anything and simply connected the ready-to-go Cat-3 cable to the Telco box, in parallel with the existing feed to the phones. I did this by the light of a flashlight, so I didn't attempt to do any filter simplification yet, a la *johnwill*, but I will.

It worked. :sayyes: 

The modem established connection immediately, and the phones are fed as before, by their own 'supply' line. They still have individual filters - for the time being.

Let's see how well and how long this works.

*James,*
I will follow up on your suggestions anyway. 

Thanks guys!

Alex

(I have cables running to five rooms in the house; basement, first floor, and second floor. The Cat-3 goes from the outside, half-way through the basement, and up to the second floor to my computer room.)


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## JamesO (Mar 30, 2005)

Next time the DSL link drops, try disconnecting your LAN connection for a few minutes then reconnect it and see what happens. 

If this does not correct the problem then disconnect the DSL input at the DSL modem for 1-2 minutes and then reconnect in the same configuration. If this works, then there more than likely is some fundamental "DSL System" configuration, clocking or firmware issue. Could even be a problem with the DSLAM at the Telco CO if you can ping the other side of the Telco network, but cannot access the net. It appears that in my area the Telco side of the DSL link is addressed 10.x.x.x, a "pingable" but un-routable address. This address shows up in the "tracert" and I know it is on the Telco CO side based upon some troubleshooting I have performed.

But beware, the DSL modem may? regenerate the local Ethernet DHCP connection once the DSL modem has reacquired the DSL network. This is why it is important to perform: "ipconfig", a "ping" test to the DSL modem and DSL equipment at the Telco CO to see how far your network connection is functional once the DSL has "dropped". 

What are the status lights on the DSL modem indicating when the DSL link has been "dropped"? If the DSL light is solid, the modem is communicating with the DSL network or "thinks" it is communicating with the DSL network. If the DSL light is blinking, the DSL modem is searching for the DSL network. In other words there is no Carrier Detect.

JamesO


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## ingeniero1 (Mar 30, 2005)

JamesO,
I really thought I had it licked this time, but wrong again.  
The connection dropped twice yesterday, each time for about an hour, and it was out again this morning as I was getting ready to come to work - gotta hurry.

Yes, when I say that the connection drops, I mean that the DSL light, which up to that point was on, has started to blink for a few seconds, then goes off for perhaps 15-20 seconds or so, and then blinks again, as it is trying to re-establish the connection. This has always been the case for dropped connections. 

I tried again all of what you suggested (had done so before - many times) but does not make any difference. BTW, I know (and have verified many times) that the modem needs just to be powered up and the Telco line to establish connection. The presence or absence of the LAN connection has made no difference.

I'll call SBC again and see what they have to say now that I have everything as they have suggested: Filters on every phone (have not yet switched to one filter for all) and a dedicated Cat-3 from the Telco box directly to the modem.

Alex


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## JamesO (Mar 30, 2005)

Alex,

Could also be some wierd intermittent software or firmware issue with the Telco or the DSL modem. Is the Telco in the process of any upgrades, maybe ones customers are unaware of? Also keep in mind the DSL modem overheating issue, I have seen a number of complaints about this for the SpeedStreams.

I looked around and cannot seem to find a monitoring utility for this animal. I included some of the links I did find, not sure if they will be of any help? Seems like a number of folks are having problems in different areas of the country. Maybe there has been some system software upgrades going on at the Telco's??

Here are a few more links on info I found:

http://www2.dslreports.com/faq/eff/6 5360

http://support.iglou.com/fom-serve/cache/549.html

http://www.dslmechanic.com/#5360Modemtop

http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,12817127

http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,13015693

http://www.broadbandreports.com/forum/remark,13004834

http://www.broadbandreports.com/forum/remark,12955260

Not sure if I can offer any other suggestions.

Good luck, I understand your frustration!

JamesO


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## ingeniero1 (Mar 30, 2005)

Solved! Well, at least we know what the problem is...

After many more conversation with their Advanced Technologies support group, and another technician dispatched to troubleshoot the connection, they finally came honest and clean. The problem is not my wiring, or modem, or filters, etc. *IT IS THE DISTANCE!*

This I have known since day-one, over two years ago, and I questioned it then. But they said that it would not be an issue. Well, unfortunately it is.

The maximum recommended distance is around 17,000 feet, but my house is over 21,000 feet from their substation. Hence, some days it will be not so good, and as it gets warmer, it may get worse. Funny thing is that I had no problem to speak of for about 1-1/2 years.

Anyway, they said that they 'may', 'someday' install fiber-optics to my neighborhood, and then this will cure the problem. For the time being, however, I am stuck with the copper line and at the mercy of the environment.

Had they said or admitted this from the very beginning, I could have saved hours upon hours of rewiring, re-filtering, relocating the modem, in addition to all the hours spent on the phone with them.

Seems like they owe me for sub-par DSL connection, and sub-sub-sub par customer service.

Alex


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## JamesO (Mar 30, 2005)

Alex,

I am not sure I would take this "it's too far" as a final answer, yet! This may be part of the issue, however, it appears you have months of service to prove this may not be the case.

Like you said, it worked well for quite a long time. Disconnects may or may not be caused by low signal levels or distorted data waveforms. 

The real question is what kind of signal levels and CRC/FEC errors do you "typically" have at your DSL modem at your house? Also what is the typical link performance when the link is solid and working? If the distance is really the problem, when the link is solid and working, you would probably see errors and/or slow network performance. 

I am still learning (quickly) about DSL and have found that most DSL modems have some form of signal statistics available either by a web interface on the DSL modem (use the default gateway address in your web browser) and/or have some other form of monitoring. I have even found that some of the DSL providers can see the stats remotely. This is the case with Verizon, as I am hammering out some issues with a link and they could remotely monitor the same signal levels as I was able to see with the DSL modem web interface.

It appears that the DSL modem you currently have may have limitations on monitoring, it also appears to have a history of overheating. I would possibly replace the DSL modem with a new or used replacement. Not sure I would use the same brand you have, not sure if these are really "universal". Check with SBC and see if which brand of DSL modems they send out for new services now. May be worth the $50-$100?? to get the circuit working again?

Additionally, on long runs, I have heard the DSL providers can reduce the data rates to give more reliable service. But I am not sure you need to request this until you really know what the problem is??

Do you know what your Upstream and Downstream data rates are?

Run a speed test when the link is working and provide the download speed. Use this link: http://bandwidthplace.com/speedtest/

Choose ADSL (asymetrical DSL) and see what your download speed is. A typical good DSL download speed should in the range of 600-800 kbps.

You disconnects may be caused by something wrong on the DSL side or some thing being changed on the DSL network? Sloppy service upgrades or network changes without notifying the end user?

Let us know what you decide to do.

Keep up the fight!

JamesO


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## johnwill (Sep 26, 2002)

I'd see if you can get them to change the wire pair to your house. Since it worked for as long as it did, and I'm assuming the Telco CO or your house didn't move, I suspect something has happened to the lines.


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## MD_Willington (Jan 11, 2005)

"Additionally, on long runs, I have heard the DSL providers can reduce the data rates to give more reliable service."

I have a similar "flavour" of DSL, it is usually proprietary, mine is called "Paradyne Reach DSL", I would not recommend it, the service is slightly better than dialup and many ISP's do not support it.

The part that sucks about my DSL is that I am within the 13,000Ft range yet they still have me on the Paradyne system (good for 26,000 - 32,000ft)  The Telco is 2 miles down the street from me, and I have a fiber trunk line in my backyard...LAME  

MD


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## ingeniero1 (Mar 30, 2005)

For a few days since my last post, the connection had continued to drop off occasionally; some days were awful, while others were fine – without any incidents. I had long conversations with SBC service, and they decided to send a technician out (again). This was a highly contentious issue, and I don’t want to get into it now, as it is not relevant to the problem.

Anyway, the technician came out to my house when I was at work and checked the line. I knew that it was OK when I left the house, as well as when I returned home that afternoon, so it did not surprise me when they called me to let me know that the technician had found everything to be OK.  

Not long after that conversation, the DSL connection dropped. A few minutes later, it re-connected, on its own, as usually is the case. Well this went on constantly – except much worse than before. So I called them again and talked to another person (BTW, I have all the names, times, etc. written down.) When I called this time the connection was established, but was slow as molasses. :sad: 

The man ran some tests and told me that there were a lot of errors being generated. We talked about my situation and installation for a while, and he then asked me if I would mind connecting the modem directly to the Telco box outside the house. I told him that I would be glad to do so, as I had the extension cord, patch cords, screwdriver, etc. ready to go from previous times. :wink: 

So with the man still on the phone, I opened the Telco box, and what do I see? The Cat-3 cable that I had added a few days before had been rerouted inside the box, and two of the wires, to which I had added crimp-on fork terminals, were just ‘resting’ against the terminal posts!!!!! :upset:  :upset: 

I told the service man on the phone what I was looking at, and sort of let him know how mad I was - though not his fault. Evidently, in an effort to make my new Cat-3 run look better (I hope) the technician had rerouted ‘my’ Cat-3 cable but failed to tighten or to make sure that these two terminals were properly attached. I connected the wires and the connection was fine, and there were no more errors detected by SBC. 

(BTW, I have pictures of the wiring before and after, and it is obvious that I could not have done what the technician did when he rerouted my Cat-3, as he made it exit from the Telco side of the box, to which I have no access! Why did I take pictures? Because when I first added the Cat-3 cable I wasn't 100% sure of all the connections, and just in case something went wrong, l could revert to the way it was before any changes.)

That was last week, the DSL connection was fine for several days (that I detected anyway), and I thought that maybe we had a fix.

Wrong! :sayno: 
The connection starting to drop off again last Friday, and continued to do so over the weekend. 

*Then Sunday afternoon I did something that makes no sense but that for some reason has caused the connection to stay on and healthy. I know, it is too soon to tell, but you won’t believe what made it work this time.*  :wink: 

I gotta go now, so I’ll write about this afternoon. :sayyes: 

C-U later!

Alex,


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## ingeniero1 (Mar 30, 2005)

Selected items -


JamesO said:


> Alex,
> 
> (1) Check with SBC and see if which brand of DSL modems they send out for new services now. May be worth the $50-$100?? to get the circuit working again?
> *A: I found out that the SpeedStream 5100, about $80 at BestBuy, will work. I may try this - soon. *
> ...


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## johnwill (Sep 26, 2002)

Let us know how you make out here. It's really not supposed to be this hard. :smile: 

FWIW, I had a problem a couple years ago with Comcast that was similar. My broadband would drop out about 11-12 in the middle of the day, and it wouldn't be back until around 8-9 in the evening. It seemed clear that it was when it got hotter out that it was failing, but they sent a tech to my house 4 times, and finally I got on the horn and really lost it with the service center. The only concession was I told the girl I realized it wasn't her fault, but she was the only one that they'd let me talk to. I finally got them to realize that it was one of their gateway boxes, and I even pointed out the likely suspect. The next day, it was fixed.

Hang in there, you'll eventually beat them into submission.


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## JamesO (Mar 30, 2005)

I was just working some Verizon DSL issues recently and it appears they have been doing a significant upgrade. A few weeks ago the ip addresses were 10.x.x.x between the telco and the house, now I checked today and they were public IP's. Guess they are trying to get an address scheme in place that they can actually start using RIP vs. static routes!!???? Oh I love the amateurs that run large networks with static routes.

I think someone is in the process of reconfiguring the network addressing and they are causing disruptions that are not known publicly!

I agree, it should not be this hard. If the link is dropping there is either signal impairment or a network problem!

JamesO


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## ingeniero1 (Mar 30, 2005)

This is what my installation/wiring looked and looks like.

Top diagram: How it was and worked fine for over 1-1/2 years. Notice that only one of the five phones had a filter, and Cat-1 cable and flat wires were used.

Middle: How it was a several weeks ago after SBC sent me the filters that I should have had from the beginning. The filters did not solve the problem, BTW.

Bottom: How it is now, with a dedicated Cat-3 cable running directly to the modem and all the phones with filters. But as you know, DSL still drops off...










One thing that I cannot explain:
If I lose DSL, take the modem outside to the Telco box, and connect it to the Telco side of the box, it establishes DSL connection either immediately or shortly thereafter (why not right away each time?). But each time, when I bring the modem back inside the house, it always works fine - for a while anyway. WHY?

Alex


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## JamesO (Mar 30, 2005)

Are those actually 5 telephones? How many are cordless phones? Or do you have a Tivo Box, Satellite Receiver, Fax machine, Answering machine?

Suggestion, why not configure a RJ-11 jack at the NID or just outside the NID, so when the DSL drops rather than moving the DSL modem, you just pull connection to all your telephones and see what happens. 

What does your telco line sound like, any hum, hiss, static, radio stations?

Maybe the DSL modem is overheating and by the time you take it outside it cools down?

JamesO


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## johnwill (Sep 26, 2002)

I suggest you put a single filter right at the telco junction box for all the telephone equipment. If you send the DSL signal down a "Y" like that, it can cause reflections and problems. I always put the filter right at the box, one does the trick for the whole house.


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## ingeniero1 (Mar 30, 2005)

James
1. Are those actually 5 telephones?
• Yes, they are.
2. How many are cordless phones?
• Two.
3. Or do you have a Tivo Box, Satellite Receiver, Fax machine, Answering machine?
• One answering machine connected to one of the cordless phones.
4. Suggestion, why not configure a RJ-11 jack at the NID or just outside the NID, so when the DSL drops rather than moving the DSL modem, you just pull connection to all your telephones and see what happens. 
• Yes, it sure would make it easier. See my ‘Today’s Question’ at the end.
5. What does your telco line sound like, any hum, hiss, static, radio stations?
• Nope – no noise or anything of the sort. Even when my wife and I get on the phone at the same time with one of the kids or grandkids. I’ll be on one of my two PC’s on the internet, she’ll be on her PC on the internet, and we’ll be talking to ‘the kids’ about stuff that we are seeing on the tube – no static or anything else. Remember, this was the case when we had no filters on four of the phones!
6. Maybe the DSL modem is overheating and by the time you take it outside it cools down?
• Yes – a definite possibility. But I have disconnected the modem completely for 10-15 minutes, reconnected it, and it wouldn’t not establish DSL. See my ‘Today’s Question’ at the end.

John
1. I suggest you put a single filter right at the telco junction box for all the telephone equipment. If you send the DSL signal down a "Y" like that, it can cause reflections and problems. I always put the filter right at the box, one does the trick for the whole house.
• Good point. I asked one the SBC service guys about this a few weeks sago, and he said that it wouldn’t work with the filters that I have. But, they have a filter for this purpose, and IIRC, he called it a ‘Home Run’. However, they have to install it themselves and it would cost. I may ask them to do this for free.

Update:
• Sat, Sun, Mon: No problems at that I could tell. 
• Tuesday: No DSL when I got home (blinking light). I turned it off, waited one minute, turned it back on and it reconnected. Go figure. 
• Wednesday: Dropped at 4:35 PM, I turned it off for one minute and on again, but it didn’t reconnect. I turned it off and removed all connections for about 10 minutes, but it didn’t work, so I left it on. It reconnected sometime between 4:45 PM and 6:00 PM. 
• Wednesday: Dropped again at 8:45 PM, and it reconnected sometime between 11:45 PM and 5:30 AM today.

Today’s Question: Which should I do first?
a. Move my SpeedStream 5360 and Linksys DSL 4-port router (switch) to within 15 feet of the Telco box, and connect the PC’s to the router with Cat-5 (as they are now anyway)
Or
b. Make the cable that feeds the phones a quick connect, just inside the house, as James suggested?
Or
c. Buy a new SpeedStream 5100 at Best Buy (~$80) set it up where the 5360 is presently, remove it, reconnect the 5360 and wait until the 5360 fails and jump in with the 5100?

I prefer to do one at a time so I can tell what the problem was if we solve it. 

Thanks!

Alex


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## JamesO (Mar 30, 2005)

Well the 5100 may be the shortest path to limiting your frustration. It appears the 5360 appears to an older legacy product that may not have a web interface or good support from Siemens??

The cut sheet for the 5100 indicated it has a web interface:
"Management
• Web-based graphical user interface
• Instant operation from an operator-defined
service profile"

Not sure what the web interface will actully give you? Hopefully something useful!

If your DSL link drops, these are some of the main reasons I can think of:
Signal quality
Hardware problem at Telco side (DSLAM)
Hardware problem at customer end (DSL modem)
Firmware problem on either end
Someone disrupting the network on the Telco side

You have no control over the firmware or telco side of things. You can only change your DSL modem, possibly identify a telco signal quality problem and only fix this if it is in your house.

One question that may be been lost in all the posts, is the link either up or down, or is there bad or marginal performance at times with the link is up?

I prefer to verify the link signal quality to rule this out as a problem before I chase other gremlins like firmware problems and telco side problems. 

I would push the DSL provider to perform a remote "RCL" test if they can. This should be a no cost thing that a DSL support person can do from a keyboard. This should give some indication of the signal line quality. You may need to do this when the link is good for a baseline and then again when the DSL modem has dropped? Also find out if they can monitor your DSL modem stats remotely. If they can you need the noise margins, FEC and CRC info. They should be willing to share this with your, but you may need to push!

You may need to move to a 2nd or 3rd level support at the DSL provider help desk. You may need to be bullish about speaking with someone that knows whats up.

I can disconnect and re-connect a working DSL modem all day and it will link up in less than 1 minute without issues.

Your current DSL modem is probably out of warranty anyway, so if you replace your modem and still have problems, you have done just about everything on your end. If you replace you modem and you still have problems, then it is more likely not on your end.

Make sure you are getting trouble tickets opened by the DSL provider, get these trouble ticket numbers and follow up on the status. These ops centers tend to close trouble tickets with bogus info, just to close them!! Verizon has a way on their web site to see trouble ticket status and how many have been opened in the support section.

See how many, if any trouble tickets have been opened on your account. This way you will have some record of all your problems when it comes time for esculation, outage credits or what ever.

Good luck.

JamesO


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## johnwill (Sep 26, 2002)

FWIW, I think they're pulling your leg about the filter. I normally use the plain $6 filter for the job I mentioned, and it works just fine. Even if you need a better one, it's cheap to purchase, I've just never needed anything better. Before you buy new modems and the like, I really think I'd clean up the wiring, it's something that will benefit you anyway, and you may save the expense of buying yet another DSL modem.


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## ingeniero1 (Mar 30, 2005)

Yesterday I received the SBC bill, and it had several errors.
Let me make a long story short.

I called DSL billing and talked to "Paul". 

What he said:
1. I am on a fringe area that they had classified as 'DSL starter' because it is too far away, and the quality of DSL service always had been questionable.
2. SBC no longer offers DSL in my neighborhood; that is, no new customers. Existing customers are grandfathered-in.
3. They will be installing fiber-optic cable, but it will be another couple of years. He said it will be in the order of 15Mb, and will offer service beyond telephone and internet.

What he will do:
1. Issue a credit to correct the billing errors/over-charges. <OK>
2. Reduce the DSL charges to the minumum 19.95. <Actually, that is what they had told me a month ago but the change had not taken effect.>
3. He will send me a new modem at no cost other than $12.95 S&H and perhaps this will improve my DSL some. He can justify this since I have entered two new contracts (2004 and 2005) since the original contract in 2003. <Alright!>

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hey, maybe the new modem will help - I'll keep you posted either way.

What other options are there for fast internet service? I don't have cable TV nor a dish, so anything I add will be from scratch.

Thanks

Alex


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## JamesO (Mar 30, 2005)

Shipping on the new modem is not bad.

I get back to a question that I do not think has been answered. Is your service either on or off, or when on is it impaired at times?

What do the bandwidth speed tests indicate?

JamesO


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## johnwill (Sep 26, 2002)

The fact that you're on a fringe area adds credence to my idea of making your wiring installation the best it can be. You have NO signal to throw away, why not try to keep it all?


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## handydad (Apr 23, 2005)

*SBC dsl*

Hi folks, I was scanning the posts and I came across this one. I to have been having trouble with my dsl modem dropping off and on for a few weeks. I have also had my dsl for several years and had no problems. I do have a couple of buddies who let me use their modems to trouble-shoot and the same thing happens on the other modems. So I don't think a new modem will help. I have also re-wired using cat-5, and even hooked the modem to the drop at the sni/demarc on the side of the house-same thing. It works when the SBC techs are here. The next step is to have an mpoe meet with the SBC techs and the dsl group techs(which are seperate from the p.o.t.s. side of the company) and have them check for bridgetap. What sometimes happens is a dsl line is working fine, and then a tech somewhere between the central office and your house inadvertantly adds a section of wire on to your pair--this is called bridgetap. It can happen accidentally when a tech is working a trouble ticket on another line and "cuts to clear" without realizing what he is doing. After they verify that there is bridgetap they can have a cable-maintenance tech cut the bridgetap out. The problem is: unless its obvious what & where there is a problem, if the line is 'in' sync when the SBC tech comes out, then they won't do anything. If the line is "out/down/no sync" when the tech is physically there, then he can work backwards from your house to locate where the trouble starts. I'll keep you posted and I hpoe this helps.


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## JamesO (Mar 30, 2005)

I understand the "fringe" area issue, however, it is hard to believe that the service works without impairment, then drops out for extended periods. Sounds more like a system problem on the DSL side or a bunch cowboy operators doing something with the equipment.

Now I may not have the full picture on this whole mess, but if this was my service and I needed signal info and was at the end of my rope, I would try getting a Westell 2200 modem. I have worked with the Westell DSL modem and it has some really good features, gives all kinds of line stats, signal levels, error info via the web interface and Westell even has a utility that you can download that will log all these stats to a text file every 2 seconds. This will allow you to create a log file while you are away and you can then see exactly what is happening to you DSL line. Things like: do you have a solid signal that then drops or does the signal slowly degrade until the modem drops. The Westell modems also appear to work well on marginal signal levels from some of what I read. I assume a new modem is probably around $50-$60, however, I have seen them on ebay for as low as $15.

http://search.ebay.com/Westell-2200_W0QQfkrZ1QQfromZR8

Now heres the deal, I do not know everything about DSL, I do not now how specific some of the DSLAM equipment is, but I assume that DSL has standards and most DSL modems will operated with the Telco side equipment. There are a number of specific firmware releases for certain DSL operators so there is a chance taking this approach. There is a possibility that it will not work with your provider, however, if it can at least sync with the DSLAM and give signal levels, this would be a good piece of test equipment. I also know the providers that use the Westell equipment can remotely gather the signal statistics without any issue. Probably some special software M&C package from Westell?

Just my take, but unfortunately sometimes the end user has to solve the service provider’s problem. This in my opinion is not the way it should work, the service provider should have trained staff with proper tools to monitor and investigate problem circuits. It is really not rocket science if the DSL modem can provide stats back to the operator! It just takes someone with a brain on the DSL provider side to take interest and ownership in a problem, even if it turns out to be on the customers end.

I have worked for a number service providers (not DSL or Telco) and I have solved customer end problems and vendor equipment problems many times over. Its all in the name of customer satisfaction, additionally in the process of sorting tough problems, you learn an quite a bit about the good and bad of your own network, sometimes finding problems your Network Ops folks were not even aware of!!

JamesO


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## ingeniero1 (Mar 30, 2005)

*James*,
Regarding the service on and off, etc.
• It is overwhelmingly *ON or OFF*; i.e., either I have a DSL connection, or I don’t.
When I have the connection, it is fine (read: very acceptably fast). Only two or three times have I had a connection but noticed that its was slow. The last time I noticed this was a couple of weeks ago when I discovered that the technician had rerouted my Cat-3 cable and had not tightened one of the terminal posts.

Over the past few days the connection has dropped off once for about an hour, and once for several hours. Again, I only monitor it between 5:30 AM and 5:45 AM, and then from about 4:00 PM until 11:30 PM. Today it has been on (that I know) for over 24 hours.

*Handydad*,
The possibility that something may have inadvertently been done to the line, such as what you termed a ”bridgetap” would certainly explain why I had DSL for over a year with no problems, and then the problems started. If that is the case, although a different modem may not help, it wouldn't do any harm to try it, especially since it would be at very low cost. As *Johnwill* said, let’s get the house-installation part of the equation the best that it can be, and maybe it may overcome some line deficiencies on the other side.

You also said, “_The problem is: unless its obvious what & where there is a problem, if the line is 'in' sync when the SBC tech comes out, then they won't do anything._” Precisely! That has happened here twice recently. 

BTW, does anyone know whether SBC reads or monitors this forum? If they did, they may be able to help. (Or would they?)

Alex


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## johnwill (Sep 26, 2002)

ingeniero1 said:


> BTW, does anyone know whether SBC reads or monitors this forum? If they did, they may be able to help. (Or would they?)


Dream on! :grin: I really doubt they monitor all the on-line forums, and I double-doubt that they'd react if they did.


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## JamesO (Mar 30, 2005)

You really need to escalate this within SBC if you are certain the problem is not on your end. You need to ask to speak with the DSL Network Ops Center manager. Lay out your case with the details you have, they should be interested in sorting out the problem.

I would put the burden on proof on them to verify it is not on their side. You pay for service that does not work, they should take an interest in fixing it, or at least figuring out how to make you go away, hopefully happy (DSL Network Ops group view of the world!).

The problem is multi-layered. If SBC is your DSL provider and also your Telco provider, unfortunately, SBC DSL and Telco are probably 2 different animals. This is the case with Verizon. So someone needs to determine where the problem is and then address it with the group that is responsible. Verizon DSL washes their hands if the problem is a Verizon Telco issue. You have to call and start from the beginning.

Without any signal values for your end, it is hard to be absolutely sure you are not in a borderline signal area. But if you indicate that when the service is good, it works well, and then it just drops out, I would doubt it is a marginal signal problem? If it may be the modem you have does not re-sync well?

I would probably download a network monitoring Ping tool and ping the Telco side device and gather stats on when the link is up and down. This way you have some idea of what is going on when you are not trying to use the service. This way you may have data that shows what is going on and if there is a specific pattern to the outages. Perform a tracert and figure out what the first hop is beyond your equipment and ping it if it responds. 

Something like the WS Ping Pro Pack evaluation might work? I used to play with What's Up a long time ago and it worked pretty well. There are probably others that you could find by doing a web search. 

Like I always say, if you do not use the phone and it is not ringing, how do you know it is actually working? 

There is no incentive for the service provider to proactively sort problems, unless they have a management group that really understands networks and cares about customer service. Most of the Network Ops folks sit and react to alarms or phone calls; they take no interest in understanding the network and resolving issues that are below the radar. 

Most Operations groups sit around and clear alarms and close trouble tickets just to close trouble tickets, but not when I am in charge!

Keep us posted.

JamesO


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## handydad (Apr 23, 2005)

*Sbc Dsl*

Well, here's the thing. I used to install DSL for SBC. 90 % of the time we had trouble with an exisiting ckt(and we ruled out customer wiring) the problem was that some POTS tech(Plain Old Telephone Service) had grabbed the pairs to fix another customer's trouble. ie-someone calls in with static on a line and they send a tech out to fix. The tech goes to a b-box somewhere out in the field and looks for 'clean' pairs. The tech grabs part of the DSL customers pairs & 'cuts-to-clear'. The tech cleans up one mess and causes another. Alot of times the pair they put the DSL line is good enough for regular dial tone, but isn't OK for data. It might sound good in the techs butt-set(handset telephone), but maybe it has bridgetap. DSL lines(and the corresponding pairs in the b-box) are supposed to be labeled, but even over time tags fall off. Another problem is having a T1(or higher) in the same cable count. Usually a T1 gets added when a new customer signs up, and they make alot more off of a high-cap line than a DSL. So, if the trouble is from a Hi-Cap(T1/T3) you're out of luck. If the Tech knows the problem isn't the customer's IW(inside-wiring), and the tech has no-sync when he is at the mpoe, then he can put his sunset or sunrise meter on the line and work backwords towards the central office. They look for bridgetap, check for hi-cap's in/near your cable count ect.


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## EJJT (Apr 25, 2005)

*I have the exaxt problem as you Inginiero...but i havent be able to connect for 3 months i called SBC an said i had a good signal but i still cant connect...i dont know what to do to fix this piece of ****...* :sayno:


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## JamesO (Mar 30, 2005)

So how exactly did SBC determine you had a good signal? 

Do you have a solid DSL/LinkConnect light on your modem?

I would also like to know if SBC has the ability to perform a remote "RCL" test on a line without an act of congress. Should only be a few keystrokes by someone that knows what they are doing. Additionally, I would be interested to know if SBC can remotely monitor the DSL modem signal levels?

JamesO


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## ingeniero1 (Mar 30, 2005)

UPdate:

(1) Received the SpeedStream 5100 modem from SBC a couple of days ago, together with five filters, cables, etc. I haven't set it up yet, but I will set it up, remove it, wait until the old modem can't connect, and then use the new one instead to see if it makes a difference.

(2) DSL connection has been solid for a week, and I have not done anything yet!

I will Alex


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## EJJT (Apr 25, 2005)

If you talking about the Light on the Modem well...Sometimes i have tu push the cable in so it would light up and saty solid...


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## ingeniero1 (Mar 30, 2005)

I wrote:
"_DSL connection has been solid for a week, and I have not done anything yet!_"

... and meant that the DSL connection has remained steady and fast.

BTW, it still is steady and fast... keeping my fingers crossed. Maybe SBC identified and fixed the problem?

Alex


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## JamesO (Mar 30, 2005)

Maybe there was a DSLAM firmware change that did not work well with the old modem? Maybe the old modem was overheating and/or failing?

Hope your problem is solved, I think there are others with similiar issues on the older modem, maybe if yours stays steady, they may want to try the same modem upgrade?

Keep us posted.

JamesO


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## Real_Bullet (May 2, 2005)

More then likely it was on SBC's end. Sorta had that problem on going with my internet except its a cable connection. What the problem was is the wiring outside on the lines and all, dunno if thats what your problem was with your DSL connection but most likely the way it sounds it was something they fixed on their end. 

I kinda also dont buy the excuse of the distance for the reason why your internet was crapping out like that, I mean I have pretty much used every internet there is except satellite.


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## ingeniero1 (Mar 30, 2005)

*You Won't Believe This!*

Yesterday, I reported that without having made any changes, including no modem changes, I had not experienced any problems for several days (yes, using the old modem.) :wink: 

Well, you guessed it - a couple of hours later, the DSL connection dropped! :sad: 

I was going to install the new modem, but I was (am) working on a design project at home and didn't really have time to mess with DSL. So I let it go. At 10:30 PM it reconnected on its own, as usual.  

But, it was off again (no DSL) today when I got home. I turned the modem off, unplugged things, etc. No change. So I decided to install the new modem. :sayyes: 

I remember going through the modem installation over two years ago, and then a month later for the router, and decided that since the router is the one looking at the addresses and communicating with the PC, I may not have to do anything to the modem - so I just 'plugged' it in. :wink: 

IT CONNECTED IMMEDIATELY! -razz: :grin: -razz: :grin: 

Perhaps the modem indeed was at least part of the problem (aside from too far away, bad signals, etc.)

I'll report back once a week for the next four weeks to let you know that it is OK. If it is not OK, I'll be back sooner. :wink: 

Alex


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## thomas_mullen (May 10, 2005)

*ingeniero1*

Ingeniero1 can you please update us - I'm having the exact same problem you are (Speedstream 5100a, SBC DSL Service over 18+ mos, service used to drop occassionally, now dropping everyday, when "on" works fine).

I like to know if you solved your problem and how ?

THANKS


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## ingeniero1 (Mar 30, 2005)

Thomas, glad to do so.

OK so far. Not quite a week yet, but no problems.

However, do keep in mind that it also went well over a year with just a handful of minor interruptions. 

As far as how I solved it? Hard to say. The new modem definitely helped; other than that, I would say that running a dedicated Cat-3 directly from the Telco box to the modem probably helps a lot. Cat-5 may be better?

Funny thing - When the problems started, I turned the modem so its front is towards the door for that room so I can see the lights when I walk by. Now, I have become used to checking the lights - frequently.

Alex


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## JamesO (Mar 30, 2005)

Download and install Alert Ping, http://www.psgsoft.com/, and set it to ping the opposite end address of your DSL link every 5-10 minutes and it will give you and idea how solid the DSL link is.

JamesO


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## ingeniero1 (Mar 30, 2005)

Please, don't ask again! (Just kidding...)

Why did I say that? You guessed it - when I got home, NO DSL!

The DSL light on the old modem used to just blink when it was trying to connect. The new modem's light blinks too, but it also has a 'red' mode.

Anyway, it was off from before 4:00 PM (can't tell how long before) and finally connected at 4:26 PM. When I first saw it, I turned off the modem, removed all the connections and let it set for about five minutes. Reconnected it and turned it back on, and it blinked in two colors for about 1/2-hr before it finally established DSL connection.

Alex


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## ingeniero1 (Mar 30, 2005)

... and it was off again from about 9:30 PM until 10:20 PM.


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## ingeniero1 (Mar 30, 2005)

DSL connection status update

Detected or known problems (nothing done if problem detected; just allowed to tke care of itself):

Sunday 15 May
@ 2:10 PM - - Dropped
@ 2:14 PM - - Restored
Wednesday 18 May
< 4:00 PM - - Connection dropped (don't know how long before it was off)
@ 4:20 PM - - Connection restored (appeared slow)
@ 4:35 PM - - Connection dropped
@ 5:20 PM - - Connection restored
@ 5:40 PM - - Connection dropped
@ 7:30 PM - - Connection restored

Alex


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## JamesO (Mar 30, 2005)

How are you monitoring the when the DSL link is up or down? Seems like some of the outages are short in duration.

Do you think the new modem helped the reduce your problem?

Time to keep this info and ask SBC the tough questions when presenting the outage data to the Customer Care Manager. Either SBC step up and fix the problem, or start giving you outage credits!! May only be $0.05 an hour, but if it got to the point your service was out 30-50% of the time in a month, I would expect a full refund for the month.

Wonder if SBC is upgrading or has cowboy Network Ops center employees that reset the DSLAM when problems come up with other customers? 

I would be to the point where I would purchase a used Westell 2200 modem, on ebay between $10-$20, to see if this works on your system. If it does, use the logging function in keep track of the drops including errors and signal levels. This will tell you if there are line impairments (signal related problems) or if the link is just dropping.

But before you go down this road, find out if the newer modem can be monitored by SBC. If so, ask them to provide the signal margins, FEC and CRC errors and drops.

JamesO


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## mangusta1969 (May 23, 2005)

*Try a 2Wire 1800HG Gateway Modem/Router*

I had the same intermittent connections for almost two years at two different DSL locations using the same SBC-supplied Speedstream 5100A modem. Sometimes the modem would not re-connect unless I cycled the power on it and my attached computer.

Last week, I purchased a 2Wire 1800HG Gateway DSL Modem/Router/Hub at Best Buy for $150. This unit came in an SBC Yahoo box, so I figured it might solve my woes in getting multiple computers hooked up to my DSL modem. I had long ago just assumed that DSL connections were just not as solid or reliable as cable modems. Like some others, my two houses were located at marginal connection distances for DSL service.

Since connecting the 1800HG up, I have not had a single DSL dropout and my speeds have improved to 700-800K per second, using the bandwidth test site recommended in this forum. I also have several computers hooked up to my my DSL access point for the first time.

I suspect the 1800HG is just much better at dealing with line noise than the older Speedstream 5100A modems. There are a lot of complaints on the net about connectivity with the 5100As. Mine is now in the junk/trade-in pile.

lf the 1800HG works for you, please let us know.


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## ingeniero1 (Mar 30, 2005)

James,
_"(1) How are you monitoring the when the DSL link is up or down? (2) Seems like some of the outages are short in duration.
(3) Do you think the new modem helped the reduce your problem?
(4) ... Either SBC step up and fix the problem, or start giving you outage credits!! May only be $0.05 an hour, ..."_

(1) During the week, both my wife and I use the PC quite a bit very early in the morning, and from about 4:00 PM until close to midnight; I use it for purposes other than for the internet, but I also listen to previously broadcasted radio talkshows, from the web, which last about two hours, and my Outlook Express is set to check mesage every 5 minutes. My wife uses hers at random after 7:00 PM, mostly to correspond via e-mail with our kids, grandkids, and her sisters. During the weekends our usage is very random throughout the daytime; hardly any use on Saturday, but quite a bit on Sunday.

We can tell when it goes off during these times, and when I know rather accurately when the connection drops, I record the time as "@". If it drops when I am not sure about the exact time, I record the time at "<", meaning 'less than' to denote before that time.

When it is off, I make a point of checking the modem very frequently and record the time when it reconnects. 

(2) Yes, many times it has been very short off times.

(3) So, far I would say yes.

(4) As a matter of fact, I wrote SBC (snail mail) in this regard; i.e., credit for off-time, about two weeks ago. No response yet.

BTW, no noticed connection problems since 18 May - that is one week trouble-free.

Alex


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## ingeniero1 (Mar 30, 2005)

Another week without detecting any DSL* connection problems. :smile: 

Last detected problem: 18 May, 15 days ago.

*SBC DSL in St. Louis, MO


Alex


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## ingeniero1 (Mar 30, 2005)

Another week without detecting any DSL* connection problems. 

Last detected problem: 18 May, 22 days ago.

*SBC DSL in St. Louis, MO


Alex


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## ebackhus (Apr 21, 2005)

The DSL down here in SA bites. It's as bad as being on AOL.


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## hank730 (Jun 15, 2005)

*dialing out when connection is dropped....*

Has anyone noticed that dialing SBC or any other telephone number, when DSL is down, "fixes" the DSL connection?

At home we switched over to Comcast.. Best move ever....!


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## spree17 (Jun 18, 2005)

I changed from cable to sbc dsl 5 days ago and I'm regretting it. The dsl works fine except its never synced when I start my computer. It has 4-5 lights on my speed stream modem that I leave on 24/7 but no connectivit till I reboot. I have to reboot my competer EVERY SINGLE time and then my dsl works fine. I just do not feel like rebooting my computer 2-5 times a day. Tech support has been clueless. Often putting me thru the same steps over and over.

I have seen this same problem elsewhere online but I havent found a solution. Can somebody please help me????


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## ebackhus (Apr 21, 2005)

What posessed you to go from cable to DSL? I hope it wasn't the seductive price. I'm sure that now you're seeing why it was cheap.

Do you know how far you are from the switching station? If it's 5+ miles then there's nothing that can be done as the signal simply can't travel that far. Dump SBC and get cable back.


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## spree17 (Jun 18, 2005)

Well i'm actually closer than 5 miles and my dsl works fast and perfect when I reboot. I just do not want to reboot every time I turn my computer on. I had dsl for years then went to cable for 3 years when I moved. RR and timewarner are no bargain. Cable was not even as fast as my current dsl and they were charging me 3 times as much. 

Anyway I'm hoping I fixed the need to reboot problem. I wont see until I turn off my comp


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## spree17 (Jun 18, 2005)

Well the reboot problem remains. Its pretty frustrating because once I reboot the computer the dsl works amazingly well. I got a feelings it a hardware problem. I changed the cable. That did not help. I might change the card but I doubt thats the problem.
Maybe the modem just has a bug that loses the sync when the comp powers off.


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## spree17 (Jun 18, 2005)

My Dsl works perfect now. It was a glitch in my zone alarm firewall. I'm very happy with my change to dsl now. If anyone has the same problems I had check your firewall


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## ingeniero1 (Mar 30, 2005)

UPDATE:

I missed my weekly update as of last Thursday, and lo and behold, this past Sunday, 19 June, our SBC DSL was on and off most of the day and into the night. 

A couple of times I turned the modem off, unplugged all connections, let it sit for a few minutes, and then turned it back on and it 'connected' fine. But it would only last for a few minutes, and then the light would again start blinking yellow and red. A couple of other times turning the modem off and then back on made no difference. 

The longest no-synch period I noticed was over an hour, and the longest that it stayed in synch (this day) was about 10 minutes. My wife and I were able to receive and send several e-mails during the up-periods.

Yesterday I noticed no problems, and it was OK this morning.

Alex


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## aaabad (Jun 22, 2005)

spree17 said:


> I have to reboot my competer EVERY SINGLE time and then my dsl works fine. I just do not feel like rebooting my computer 2-5 times a day. Tech support has been clueless. Often putting me thru the same steps over and over.
> 
> I have seen this same problem elsewhere online but I havent found a solution. Can somebody please help me????


======================

I read in you later posting that your problem was the firewall and it is now solved. I had the same problem for months and my problem turned out to be an incorrect connection of my home phone to the line filter - I got it inverted. What a shame! I did not know that the filter is for use of the DSL line too - I thought it was just a filter for the home phone line noise.


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## ingeniero1 (Mar 30, 2005)

Well, it has been a very frustrating experience again.

After having problems Sunday 19 June, my SBC DSL lost synch several times during the week, and just about all day the following two weekends, Saturday and Sunday, and then the same over Monday the 4th. It was off again most of the evening yesterday Tuesday.

I called SBC last week, and the lady with whom I spoke (from ASI) said that the speed was set at 384K to 1.6M (IIRC) and that it shouldn't be so since my connection will never be good enough to support that speed. 

I told her that I was under the impression that it had been set to a maximum of 384K. (I was told so several months ago.) She said she would "submit an order to get it changed". It used to be that this could be done by the person on the phone, immediately, but I guess not any more.

Anyway, the change is supposed to take place tomorrow, 7 July, so I'll let you know next week whether it made any difference. (I am not hopeful...)


Alex


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## ingeniero1 (Mar 30, 2005)

The expected change did not change anything. Worse yet, I called SBC and ASI, and they told me that the speed had just been set at 392K/1.5M! That is exactly what we did not want! Anyway, they said they would issue a new order to lower the speed to 192K/384K effective 18 July.

In the meantime, I have not been able to use DSL for two days; none- zero -nada - just the blinking green and red light.

Alex


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## ingeniero1 (Mar 30, 2005)

*Problem Fixed - For Good?*

You may recall that SBC/ASI's last diagnose was that there was a short somewhere along the telco line to my house, and that was the reason why I had not been able to connect at all for several days.

Two weeks ago an SBC ASI technician came, worked outside for a while, and was able to establish connection with his PC. Inside the house, however, he could not get the Speedstream 1500 modem to synch. He then tried his PC, and it would not synch either. 

He then went back outside, and this time he could not get his PC to connect. He called SBC, and after a short conversation, I heard him say something like, “I wonder why he did that, he did not tell me anything about it.” I had no clue of what he was talking about, and didn’t ask.

With whomever he was talking made some changes, and he was able to establish connection again with his PC at the telco box. We came back inside the house and the modem still wouldn’t connect, but his PC did. He then reconfigured (?) the modem, entered a new password, and then reset it back to how it was so it would work with the router. After that, it connected and synched right away, and everything worked fine. 

That was two weeks ago, and we have not detected any disconnects. It has been great! :grin: 

One thing the Tech said makes me wonder what actually happened. I told him that I knew that we were too far away, but before I could say the distances that I had been told, he said that we were at just over 14,000 feet!

I then told him that I had been informed that were at 22,000 feet or something like that, and that the maximum recommended was 17,000. He then said, "Well, I now have you at just over 14,000." :sayyes: 

Is it possible that he connected our line to a different source?

I really don't care, as it has been great to have DSL available everytime!

Alex


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## citizen j (Jul 29, 2005)

It sounds like the tech made a bit of headway. I had similar problems for 10 - 12 months, intermittent uptime, super slow speeds, etc.. (Florissant) The real issue was I'm being served out of a RT (Remote Terminal). The good and the bad:
_The good_: we can have DSL way out here. 32000 feet plus from the main switch.
_The bad_:the ASI techs couldn't access the RT... they had to coordinate with the telco to get one of thier techs to the RT at the same time....
of course everytime a tech came out to the house, the connection was fine.
more good, I got several months of free service and lots (5 - 6) free modems
this went on and on... I think once it was said and done I knew all the ASI techs by name.

Our solution... We have two phone lines so, we have our own dedicated "pair" once the lines were switched at the RT all was good... 

our only downtime has been due to lines being knocked down...


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## ang_hammarad (Aug 16, 2005)

*short on the line???*

I don't think that a short on the line was the problem...when you pick up the phone that puts a short on the line as well and the dsl connection does not drop. As far as getting you from 22kft to 14kft, the only way that could be possible is to change you from a co based dslam to litespan. And that would have put you out of service for 7-10 business days and isn't very likely to have happened. The other thing that could've happened is that the tech removed "bridge tap" or extra wire that is either before or after your terminal.


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## ang_hammarad (Aug 16, 2005)

spree17 said:


> I changed from cable to sbc dsl 5 days ago and I'm regretting it. The dsl works fine except its never synced when I start my computer. It has 4-5 lights on my speed stream modem that I leave on 24/7 but no connectivit till I reboot. I have to reboot my competer EVERY SINGLE time and then my dsl works fine. I just do not feel like rebooting my computer 2-5 times a day. Tech support has been clueless. Often putting me thru the same steps over and over.
> 
> I have seen this same problem elsewhere online but I havent found a solution. Can somebody please help me????


Are you RT based???


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## ang_hammarad (Aug 16, 2005)

ang_hammarad said:


> Are you RT based???


OOps didn't read far enough!


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## ingeniero1 (Mar 30, 2005)

Please see my latest (related) thread here:

http://www.techsupportforum.com/showthread.php?t=66120

thanks

Alex


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