Frequent and Prolonged Dropouts on nbn FTTN with Exetel

LPiratarzt on 16/04/2023 - 09:03
Last edited 16/04/2023 - 14:12 by 1 other user

Hi there

I have recently moved from a FTTP to a FTTN in the Newcastle area. Both are with Exetel. Whenever I am able to connect, my speeds are as advertised. The problem that I am at my wits end about is the drop outs. I never had these issues with FTTP. We have had practically daily drop-outs. They tend to occur in the morning/overnight and can persist for hours.

Current setup: Archer VR2100 modem router

Solutions we have tried:
a. Restarting and disconnecting all the lines to the modem.
b. Exetel tech support (almost 10 calls now). Somehow when the "reset" the connection on their side, it has some success with reconnecting.
c. NBN tech coming to the house x1. Didn't tell us what was the problem, but he changed all the "connections" outside the house and it worked without disconnection for about 3 days, then the drop outs occurred again.
d. As the house is on piers, we managed to trace the line all the way until it enters the ground. No breaks or corrosion noted.

Does the hive-mind have thoughts about this?

Internet Broadband FTTN nbn

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Comments

  • MS Paint on 16/04/2023 - 09:09
    +2

    Switch to Aussie broadband.

  • AndyC1 on 16/04/2023 - 09:28
    +2

    It's an NBN issue.

    How many tickets have been raised with Exetel? You need to ensure that Exetel know it's an intermittent issue.
    How did the FTTN line test go?

    • Piratarzt on 16/04/2023 - 12:08

      I have made multiple calls to Exetel tech support. The line just comes on and off seemingly at random. The modem, when unable to connect, tells me that a phoneline isn't connected/unable to sync.
      FTTN line test?

      • AndyC1 on 16/04/2023 - 14:35
        -2

        So the one ticket?

  • Wintry Golem on 16/04/2023 - 09:45
    +1

    Ask to increase the SNR ratio?

    There isn't that much you can do with FTTN.

  • deme on 16/04/2023 - 10:16
    -2

    tio.com.au

  • SBOB on 16/04/2023 - 10:22
    +5

    The joys of copper based, legacy outdated internet.

    Your issue will be somewhere in the copper line, possibly more prevalent during different weather conditions etc. All exetel or any provider can do is raise it with NBN, and its up to NBN techs to investigate and hopefully find an issue and resolve.

    Moving to another provider just changes who raises the issue with NBN, who may he more proactive in doing so, but unlikely to change the end resulting NBN investigation

    • Colin2905 on 16/04/2023 - 12:32
      +3

      Yep, this. My FTTN NBN service (with TPG) went to putty after the storm and rain we had on the evening of Good Friday (so, not such a good Friday).

      The OP has a TP-Link Archer VR2100. I have a VR1600V, so hopefully the GUI and options are much the same…..

      Looking at the modem stats, I could see that the Upstream stats (Current Rate, Max Rate, SNR Margin, Line Attenuation) were all over the shop and with Errors incrementing. Interestingly, the Downstream was OK, although still a few errors. It'd stay up for a few minutes at best, drop, take what seemed like forever to re-sync and come back up again, rinse and repeat.

      It was still shot the following morning, so I setup a 4G backup and logged a fault with TPG via their app. I received a text message from them later on saying that someone from their Tech section would get back to me within 24 to 48 hours. Fair enough, it was the Easter weekend after all.

      On Sunday, with nothing much else happening, I re-visited the modem settings. Under Advanced > Network > DSL Settings there was a setting that I hadn't noticed before: ROC/SOS. A bit of a search told me that it's supposed to help with crappy copper lines (my words), so I enabled it and the service has stayed up ever since. The Upstream stats are still varying a lot, suggesting that the underlying problem (probably water in a cable joint) is still there, but I can live with that for now. (To TPG's credit, they called me back on the evening of Easter Sunday.)

      TLDR: Look for a setting called ROC/SOS and enable it. Not guaranteed to solve your problem, but it's worth a shot.

      • Twix on 16/04/2023 - 13:56

        @Piratarzt check you have the latest Archer VR2100(EU)_V1_1.6.0 Build 220518 firmware for SOS and ROC support.

        Newcastle, Newcastle East and Newcastle West are being upgraded from FTTN to FTTP. When? I don't know. Check here and here every month.

        • Piratarzt on 17/04/2023 - 12:41

          It's on the latest firmware out of the box, and enabled. I can see how it stops dropouts. I cannot see how I cannot connect for more than 24 hours until I call exetel (where the reset the connection) because of ROC/SOC. My suburb is on the FTTP list, but not my property :(

  • Sinnerator on 16/04/2023 - 10:28

    Check to ensure ALL your hardware is not causing issues.

    Microwave ovens can also play havoc with wifi signals.

    The other day I was having problems so I started cursing all the wifi gods, then I did a simple network reset on my laptop and it fixed the issue.

    • Piratarzt on 16/04/2023 - 12:10

      It isn't the Wifi. The modem cannot even connect/synchronize with NBN whenever it randomly drops.

      • [Deactivated] on 17/04/2023 - 02:22

        Make sure that ROC/SOS are both enabled in your Routers settings and if not upgrade the firmware to the latest version. If ROC/SOS are still not supported by your router after doing that get a new router with ROC/SOS support as its an NBN Requirement for FTTN connections. Though your provider should of got you to check this.
        Also a line test needs to be done at the providers end and is quite easy for them to do.

  • mskeggs on 16/04/2023 - 11:21
    +1

    Also try a different modem.
    We have had several cases where the modem gets fried by lightning enough to have unpredictable performance, but still report as working.
    First time took me weeks to troubleshoot.

    • Piratarzt on 16/04/2023 - 12:09

      The modem was 2 weeks old. Then I went back for a swap. Same problem.

      • [Deactivated] on 17/04/2023 - 02:29

        ROC/SOS still needs to be enabled. Also what speed are you getting from speedtest.net. The download speeds you get affect if NBNCo bother doing anything as they have criteria around that.

        • Piratarzt on 17/04/2023 - 12:39

          The speeds are as advertised (50 down). As much as I can see how ROC/SOC (which is enabled) would help with drop-outs, it should not be the cause of being unable to connect for hours, sometimes days, until I call exetel to "reset the line", like I did this morning.

  • Almost Banned on 16/04/2023 - 12:09

    What is considered normal for FTN?
    I get pretty regular dropouts, but rebooting the modem fixes it fairly quickly.
    Is a drop-out every two to three days normal, or no?

    • Piratarzt on 16/04/2023 - 12:12

      We have an internet-based home security camera system. It is unreasonable to have the drop-outs. When I lived in Malaysia, 10 years ago, none of these issues occurred albeit with ADSL.

      • MS Paint on 16/04/2023 - 13:10
        +1

        Probably easier to move back to Malaysia than deal with NBN C°

      • AustriaBargain on 16/04/2023 - 13:16

        New versions of Wyze cam do the detection in the camera itself, so you'll still get event detections and alerts when it reconnects. In theory anyway, you never know what's going on with a Wyze cam.

    • [Deactivated] on 17/04/2023 - 02:35
      +1

      No a dropout isn't normal every 3 days but NBNCo need to see several per day before they will do anything. They have criteria.
      Check to make sure ROC/SOS is enable in your router and that its supported.
      ROC/SOS should prevent the majority of these issues.

  • AustriaBargain on 16/04/2023 - 13:15

    FTTN just sucks, for my house anyway. I also moved from FTTP which was faultless and always give me gigabit speeds, to FTTN which has like 50mbps limit and constantly stalls, and endless emails about NBN upgrades being done in the area which cuts it off for hours at a time. I'll never forgive the Liberals for what they did to our NBN. Every one of us in major cities should have FTTP by now.

  • Joshminey on 16/04/2023 - 16:18
    +1

    I live in the newcastle area and earlier this year upgraded from FTTN to FTTP for free try having a look to see if your area has it available. I'm also on Exetel didn't experience any dropouts while on FTTN or now that I am on FTTP. I suspect it is most likely the FTTN connection causing the dropouts I'd recommend getting an electrician out to have a look at your internal wiring because someone I know that is also in Newcastle had unreliable FTTN that now doesn't dropout after getting the wiring looked out. https://www.exetel.com.au/flip-to-fibre This is the scheme we got to upgrade from FTTN to FTTP for free incase you aren't aware.

  • MeesusEff on 16/04/2023 - 17:51

    We are on Fttn in WA, and exetel was pretty horrible for us. Speeds all over the place and drop outs galore. With Auspost broadband for the past few months and haven't noticed any drop outs so more inclined to think it was something to do with Exetel itself.

    I remember calling Exetel and all the bloody support told me to do after multiple speed tests was to factory reset the router. I did that and there was no change and I had to reset up all my smart devices after that so I was f'n annoyed. Try Launtel to see if it makes a difference and if it does then I would be looking to a new provider

  • AssociatedGlenn Ward @ Exetel on 17/04/2023 - 08:27
    +1

    As I advised on Whirlpool - make sure SOS/ROC is turned on in your modem GUI. The dropouts are a classic symptom of it not being enabled.

    If that doesn't fix it, the culprit is next most probably either the wiring - outside or inside your home, or WiFi (2.4GHz) issues.

    You could always buy our H1600 modem for $140 to ensure it's not CPE related.

    • Piratarzt on 17/04/2023 - 10:07

      SOS/ROC is enabled by default. Drop outs are one thing. Being unable to connect because the modem doesn't sync with NBN (24 hours now and counting since last dropout) only to magically and unpredictability connect again is another thing, and the issue, altogether.

      • [Deactivated] on 18/04/2023 - 00:00

        Have you got old phone sockets that are not in use anymore?
        If so get them removed by the NBNTech when they are onsite. Or if they don't have time to remove them totally at least get them to check they are all disconnected. Having more then one working phone socket can cause issues with FTTN connectivity.
        Failing that it will be an issue with the Copper cable or a join that has corroded.

        • Piratarzt on 18/04/2023 - 11:09

          The first thing the tech looked at when the came the 1st time, was an old socket just below the one we use. He said it's disconnected and not the cause.

          • [Deactivated] on 21/04/2023 - 12:20

            @Piratarzt: Sounds like an issue outside of your home network get your provider to escalate this with NBN Co.
            Or if your running a business from home you can get NBNEE Enterprise Ethernet which is full Fibre with symmetrical Same upload and download speeds up to 1GBPS but its expensive.
            But it will certainly fix your issue if you can afford it and if your running a business.

            • [Deactivated] on 21/04/2023 - 12:34

              @[Deactivated]: Just on this have you tried downgrading your speed to see if that makes a difference? try changing from 100/20 to 50/20Mbps and see if that fixes the issue. As some lines can not handle 100Mbps download plans.

  • numloxx on 17/04/2023 - 09:19

    99% of the time with fttn, it's the fault of the copper wire to the node from your house..

  • Karfaffel on 17/04/2023 - 12:17

    I have the Archer VR2100, FTTN, Leaptel, and had regular dropouts some weeks ago. Can confirm that enabling ROC/SOS has made a difference and things are a bit better now.

    This is of course, as stated by others, merely compensating for the real issue which is using last century, dilapidated infrastructure for our highway of the future.

    I do hope people remember this for a long time when it comes to voting, but it's by no means the worst offence by the Liberal Party. I'm always amazed how forgiving people are. It made no sense how long the Libs were allowed to get away with murder. Scotty was starting to become our own Donald there for a while.

    • [Deactivated] on 21/04/2023 - 12:29

      You can get Fibre everywhere even in Fixed wireless areas you just need to be running a business and be willing to pay over $300 a month for internet access.
      It actually works out cheaper to get Enterprise NBN then the old upgrade to Fibre program as over 3 or four years the NBNEE is cheaper. So if your running a small business and aren't eligible for the free Fibre upgrade you can get NBNEE installed for free in most cases on a 36 month agreement.
      But certainly if your not uploading huge amounts of data then you can get away with the Small business plans that don't have as larger upload speed.
      It all comes down to if your a business or residential user with NBN they are prioritized differently.

  • Piratarzt on 23/04/2023 - 20:14
    +2

    Just thought I would update everyone. Second tech came by and looked at the port in the wall again. This time he actually pulled it apart. He said it might be that the port has an older line with different insulation, that cannot handle VDSL speeds. Disabled the port and shortened the link by about 1.5m and now it has worked continuously without dropouts or speed loss. So far it has been a week. Fingers crossed it stays this way until FTTP comes to my area.

    Thanks for all the help everyone.

    • [Deactivated] on 24/04/2023 - 00:49

      This is great news glad your issues are sorted.

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