I have been with plusnet for my adsl connection for two years. I have at various points had trouble with my line. This week takes the biscuit My connection has been down every evening from approx 6.pm till 11.00 or later. My Router just flashes and yes folks I have tried another modem and all of the silly stupid things the tech guys tell you to do . The line comes back on later automatically just when plusnet has started to come of its peak download periods. For the tech minded I am using an origo router and my line runs at 57.8 line attenuation downstream and I am currently on a 1mb connection. (yes I know some people are on 8 mb but I live in Hackenthorpe and our exchange is at the lovely outpost of Westfield (no Pun or knocks intend my best mate lives there and he’s bigger than me).Why we are not connected to Intake is to me a mystery. The Exchange is scheduled to go ADSL max at the end of March for all you who like to know those things. So the tech guys are blaming the street lights or the central heating boiler or the space ship from Mars as long as it’s not Plusnet at fault makes a change from the neighbors’ Xmas lights I suppose. The nice man from BT is supposed to be coming to visit again to see why my line is going over the 60 db noise level for 1mb but he wont find owt so the point is should I move and if so who do you lads on the forum use and what’s your experience of the customer service. Please note if you post to this and it’s after 6pm I may not read it till the following day as my connection will most likely be down. Should have moved when they became main sponsors of the owls but never did::help:

When I was on ADSL I was with Freedom2Surf - it was a great service, think I only noticed one period of downtime in 15 months and that was for an hour. There was no monthly cap as well which was good. Regularly got a 1mbit connection when I was only paying for 512k and it was even 8mbit for a week or two while they were testing. On the one or two occasions we did actually speak to them they were fine - can't remember ever having to speak to tech support so can't say either way.

Only changed as I moved house to where Telewest was available so went back to cable :)

Personally I would stay WELL away from Plusnet. Have a look at www.adslguide.org at the message boards. They have a LOT of unsatisfied customers.

:suspect:

I've been on Plusnet ADSL from Woodhouse exchange for some 4 years now - getting 2 meg.

It's highly unlikely that it is Plusnet that is the cause of the problems you describe.


Presumably, as one of the "the silly stupid things the tech guys tell you to do" you tried connecting to the BT SpeedTester when you are having problems with your connection? It explains how to do it on the PlusNet site, at: http://usertools.plus.net/tutorials/id/27 .... and since you are signing on to BT and not to PlusNet you have take Plusnet right out of the loop.

Are there capacity problems at the exchange? There is an Exchange Checker inthe PlusNet usertools section.

Your line stats are pretty poor, how far are you from the exchange? If originally you were connected at 512 what were the stats like then?

Its unlikely that your exchange will go to DSL Max at the end of March, that is purely the "default" "estimate date" for the majority of exchanges.

Good luck!

Ray

In reply to it not being a Plusnet problem my neighbour is on with Bt not having any problems at all he is connected via the same exchange. The Bt enginer who comes says that my line should give me 1mb so who am i to disagree with him. I have agreed to downgrade to 512mb to try to cure my problems and guess what its nearly 7pm and i havnt been off once yet.

Have you tried connecting to the test socket found behind the BT NTE5 master socket, also have a look Kitz page (http://www.kitz.co.uk/adsl/adsl.htm)

I peronally wouldn't touch +net with a barge pole,since they destroyed what was was one of the finest isp last November.
F2S have gone downhill since been aquired by Pipex,so there will be soon very few good isp left.

It does sound like a BT problem, the thing with ADSL is that all you are getting is a BT service assentially through a reseller.

I'm with Plusnet and they are OK if you're not having problems. Sorry if this sounds dumb but on the few occasions I've phoned them I've been very unimpressed with their service. If you moved to someone like Zen you'd get better service, but pay more per month and crucially still have to rely on BT to sort out line issues.

I would suggest that you go onto ADSLGuide and make lots of noise (in a nice way) in the Plusnet forum so the people who actually know what they're doing can start chasing BT on your behalf.

B

Hi Savannah i have tried using the master socket at the back it makes no difference. The nice Bt man acutally rewired my phone line 2 years ago when i had problems at christmas time (xmas lights said plusnet) so i have tried this and loads of other stuff they asked me to do. The big fella at Westfield says that our exchage is full and not accepting new adsl subscribers www.samknows.com/broadband

The thing with the tech support is that they can only do what they can do read off a script. So when you tell them that you have alredy followed plusnets own fault procedure and tried another modem, filter, master socket, unplugged all usb devices and unplugged all of he phones they havent got any where to go. And of course left your computer modem/router on 24/7 for the full term of the fault

This is from The plus net tech support reply

Does the loss of connection occur only at certain times of the day or is it continuous? If only at certain times, please state when.

2. How long has the problem been occurring for and when did it start?

3. What are you doing at the time of the fault - e.g. downloading large files, or does it only drop when idle?

4. When you lose connection is sync lost on the modem/router - i.e. does the ADSL link light start flashing or does it remain solid green?

5. Does you have any other equipment on the line that may affect service, such as a fax machine and is the PSTN (voice) service OK?

6. Please connect your modem/router to the master socket, leaving all other equipment disconnected and see if the problem still happens.

7. Has another modem/router been tested on your line, or have you tested your modem/router on a line known to be working?

8. Has the micro filter being changed to prove if it is a problem?

9. Are you on a particular website when the connection drops?

10. Is the session actually disconnecting (requiring you to login again), or is it degrading to almost nothing (session stays up, but hardly usable)?

11. Can you reconnect again straight away, or do you have to reboot?

12. Do you use any other protocols and applications other than Web-browser, email and FTP?

13. Do you get an error code when you log on again?

14. Have filters been added to all used points?

15. Is there an alarm system on the property which utilises the phone line?

16. Have you anything else connected to your PC besides the modem/router?

So that we can further test and investigate this issue can you please confirm that your modem or router will remain plugged into the telephone socket and powered up

try here (http://www.plusnetters.co.uk/forums//) for an insight (no pun intended) at the +Net conspiracies

BTW I am the Big lad from Westfield Mr Blade so kindly mentions

Http://thestodge.tk

With regards to synch faults, which is what this one would appear to be, they are going to be caused by something between your house and the exchange. As synch only exists between your equipment and the BTw kit. There isn't anything that PlusNet, or any other ISP, could do to affect this.

Whilst it sounds strange, there have been cases of christmas lights and central heating causing intermittent synch problems. Though there's generally a fairly easy pattern to spot if this is the case. Likewise, it's most likly something specific to your connection, which is why your neighbour isn't having these problems.

The questions that you've listed above are the ones that BTw ask the ISP to ask you before any fault can be reported to them, as BTw need the information in a certain order so that they can handle the large number of ADSL faults in the UK.

With regards to , which is what this one would appear to be, they are going to be caused by something between your house and the exchange. As synch only exists between your equipment and the BTw kit. There isn't anything that PlusNet, or any other ISP, could do to affect this.

Whilst it sounds strange, there have been cases of christmas lights and central heating causing intermittent synch problems. Though there's generally a fairly easy pattern to spot if this is the case. Likewise, it's most likly something specific to your connection, which is why your neighbour isn't having these problems.

The questions that you've listed above are the ones that BTw ask the ISP to ask you before any fault can be reported to them, as BTw need the information in a certain order so that they can handle the large number of ADSL faults in the UK.


Nice to see a Plusnetter join the post or is it Inigo Montoya that has joined

:hihi:

you can always check here that John or Inigo is telling the truth about the sync probs...cant believe a comms man spelt it wrong.Bugger there goes my electronics degree should have took flower arranging

http://www.ukfsn.org/support/adsl.html

Seems it could be the dreaded BTw after all eh Mr Blade ?

Stodge

So not being able to log on during the evening i have not been able to see much of this. So heres an update i had a connection all day Saturday finally losing my connection on Sunday evening (45 mins wait time on Tech Support). I spoke to the tech team(sic ) on Saturday and requested they arrange a downgrade on my line to 512mb. On Monday morning b 4 8am i talked to Tech and they said that this would go through during the day and i should have this confirmed on my tech support ticket by 10.00am . No internet on Monday night. On Tuesday no sign of the downgrade so rung them and they said that it hadnt been done but they would do it now so its now on my tickets but could take upto 7 working days for someone to change. Its only a switch they also said that tech support had been very busy so it had been overlooked. I presume no Internet again tonight but i will try some of the stuff above seems strange though that plusnet still havent sent the Bt man to my house to check the line like thay said over a week ago.

The continuing saga of gazzas no internet continues long live dial up

Moving to the intake exchange may not solve your problem, i`m on the intake one and with bt for my broadband connection.
I lived about two and a half miles from the exchange and had trouble with my 512 connection doing the same as yours, gradually the speed was increased and when it hit 1meg it was fine, then it increased to 2meg and i was ecstatic.
Then i moved house and i kept the same phone number on the same exchange at intake, i moved about three quarters of a mile closer to the exchange and kept the same broadband provider, now i have only a supposed 1 meg connection which usually runs between 512 and 700 and no one can explain why i can`t have the same speeds as before, really it should be improved as i`m closer!

Just to update everyone I have a BT engineer coming tomorrow (why). The guy is going to check my line again and see if he can yet again get me a better connection. The only thing being my connection is okay during the day it’s only at night I have problems. Oh well perhaps they will take notice and put me down to 512 as requested sometime soon.

It’s been a while since I updated this so here goes. I am finally working okay my ADSL has now become constant but to resolve the matter I am now on 512 mb. This you may think ended all my problems but during the last week I have lost the connection twice but as my connection had run for a 3 day period before developing a fault it appears that it is not a fault. So we await the big switch over to adsl2 and my mate who is less than a km from exchange is licking his lips. Another person on the Intake exchange says she is on 8mb already me I will make do with 512 as long as it is stable although I may change isp soon as the wife says that pnet are taking the p out of me never mind I will still recommend them to whoever asks. Well I do get a reduction on the cost for that don’t I and I always will say to them to sign up for the monthly not the annual contract. So hopefully this will be my last update on this but you never know Plus net service Your HAVING A LAUGH!!!:cool:

I'm with force9 (plusnet) broadband and have constant problems connecting or the connection dropping. Only since I installed a netgear DG834GT router though.

I tried the F9 online trouble shooter and after answering loads of questions it advises me to try another router to see if that's the problem.

Haven't got another one to try, and even if I have it sounds like a pain in the @rse to do so I just put up with it.
Drives me mad, though. :(

You must be aware that if you use plusnet (force9) they will expect you to follow all the trouble shooting guide then blame it on the street lights mas lights etc etc. I luckily had a my modem to put back on so could prove it wasnt my route. Good luck with your connection though

hi, after 2 yers with plisnet dial up which kept dropping so hubby thought it would be a good idea to upgrade to Broadband!!!

at the moment I am online using old faithful ISP that I use for uploading the family website to.

Broadband connection was activated on the 22nd march but the modem didn't arrive till 24th march!

tried connecting earlier today and the line kept dropping! , now I'm not a computer whiz but I thought broadband was an always on connection! , I have to put in user name and p/word and dial up to use broadband with external voyager 105 USB ADSL modem, tried phonng plusnet up, what a waste of time, they seem to think its the extension ( the computer is upstairs in the spare bedroom , as lots of people's probaly are) and the advice was to take the computer downstairs and connect it directly in the phone line where it comes in the house!!
very pi**ed off at the moment, any advice would be very welcome, oh plusnet say i am in a 12 mth contract, i pay 14.99 a mth for broadband plus can i leave and go to another broadband supplier, eg tesco or Talk Talk?
thanx Jo

Have you tried connecting directly into the master socket which is behind the faceplate (http://www.clarity.it/telecoms/nte5_faceoff.jpg),does your modem give you any line stats, The stats you are looking for are:-

ReceiveAttenuation_dB=
ReceiveMargin_dB=
SendAttenuation_dB=
SendMargin_dB

I would personally stayaway from the likes of Tesco and Talk Talk and Tiscali and take a look in ADSLGuide (http://bbs.adslguide.org.uk/postlist.php?Cat=&Board=general&PHPSESSID=)

The thing i wondered is have you got a filter on all your phone outlets? they will tell you to do this if you have the old type socket without the built in filter .You do not need them if you have the new type with the face plate with two ports on one says adsl on it . Tech support will also tell you to try disconnecting all other equipment from the phone lines to see if that cures it. Also they will ask if you have had the central heating boiler changed and if your alarm system has a phone line connected to it. Have you actualy connected at any point to plusnet with your adsl if so is it like mine was that you couldnt get on during the evening. I ended up having a 512 mb connection instead of a gig see if your neighbours are on a lower connection speed than you are.

It’s been a while since I updated this so here goes. I am finally working okay my ADSL has now become constant but to resolve the matter I am now on 512 mb. This you may think ended all my problems but during the last week I have lost the connection twice but as my connection had run for a 3 day period before developing a fault it appears that it is not a fault. So we await the big switch over to adsl2 and my mate who is less than a km from exchange is licking his lips. Another person on the Intake exchange says she is on 8mb already me I will make do with 512 as long as it is stable although I may change isp soon as the wife says that pnet are taking the p out of me never mind I will still recommend them to whoever asks. Well I do get a reduction on the cost for that don’t I and I always will say to them to sign up for the monthly not the annual contract. So hopefully this will be my last update on this but you never know Plus net service Your HAVING A LAUGH!!!:cool:

3 days!! , your lucky , I've had a total of 20 mins!! since my b/band was activated on 22nd march , if i decide to leave plusnet, will I have to pay £72 as the man from plusnet support quoted considering i havn't had a decent service as yet

The thing i wondered is have you got a filter on all your phone outlets? they will tell you to do this if you have the old type socket without the built in filter .You do not need them if you have the new type with the face plate with two ports on one says adsl on it . Tech support will also tell you to try disconnecting all other equipment from the phone lines to see if that cures it. Also they will ask if you have had the central heating boiler changed and if your alarm system has a phone line connected to it. Have you actualy connected at any point to plusnet with your adsl if so is it like mine was that you couldnt get on during the evening. I ended up having a 512 mb connection instead of a gig see if your neighbours are on a lower connection speed than you are.

yes, using one of the two microfilters that came with the modem and even moved computer downstairs and between 10.16am and 1047am today re-connected and disconnected five times!!

yes connected the other day for a total of 20 mins!!

probably a stupid question but I know nothing about broadband, why do I have to still dial up to use broadband, plusnet sent an external modem, is that usual to connect to broadband in this way?

Hi Josie in your reply you say you are using one of the micro filters. You also say you are using the computer upstairs in the bedroom. If this is so and you do not have the modern telephone socket with the built in filter you should have a filter on all of your phone points not just where the computer is. When I had my USB modem I had mine connected that way but I think that there is an automatically connect setting you can clickon the settings for the connection. A friend of mine signed up to freeserve/wannado and never had a connection for any length of time and got the account disconnected without charge as it didnt work. Hope this is of some help

Just had a lovely email from pnet telling me that they will be testing my line and upgrading my connnection during the next ten days. Ive only just downgraded so that i can get a reliable service. Well i shall see what happens and udate you all here.

Hi Josie in your reply you say you are using one of the micro filters. You also say you are using the computer upstairs in the bedroom. If this is so and you do not have the modern telephone socket with the built in filter you should have a filter on all of your phone points not just where the computer is. When I had my USB modem I had mine connected that way but I think that there is an automatically connect setting you can clickon the settings for the connection. A friend of mine signed up to freeserve/wannado and never had a connection for any length of time and got the account disconnected without charge as it didnt work. Hope this is of some help

we disconnected the downstairs extension , which for some reason was wired up inside the main box coming in the house, then bought a gold standard extension wire which still didn't work upstairs and then we unplugged the existing extension which we used on the dial up account!!! and then using the gold standard extension on the upstairs extension with one filter , it worked!!! but somewhere in the settings for internet , we also unticked " disconnect if idle"

I'm a bit lost here.

First off, gold ADSL oxygen free super wizzy extension leads are a con. The ADSL signal gets to your house just fine over miles of crappy aluminium\copper waterlogged cables so a few metres round your house isn't going to make much difference.

Secondly, the 'try your PC at the master socket with all extension wiring disconnected' is the best starting point as most problems with ADSL that I see are related to incorrectly connected\missing filters and dodgy telephone wiring. By the sounds of it, you haven't got all your telephony devices (phones, faxes, dial up modems, Sky boxes etc...) connected to the line via filters so getting ADSL at all was an achievement.

Also, the 'ADSL dialling up' thing is because of the way Windows works with the crappy free USB modems you get. If you get a decent ethernet router it will sit there connected 24\7\365.

I left 'em last week. Now on the highly recommended 'Nildram' - very similar package to the one I had at plusnet, includes 500 free phone call minutes per month, on/off peak, local/national.

Must admit at first the connection with the new ISP was a bit dodgy at first, but is fine now :)