IDNetters Forums

Technical News & Discussion => IDNet Help => Topic started by: Moonshine on Apr 07, 2009, 15:58:09

Title: Outage
Post by: Moonshine on Apr 07, 2009, 15:58:09
Hi

Did anyone else notice a brief outage earlier this afternoon?  Since I don't have back up dial-up, nor any other way of accessing the net, I phoned IDNet to check what the problem was, and it was apparently connected to a couple of major BT outages (surprise!).  What I found refreshing was the fact that upon phoning Support, I received a clear idea of when to expect things to be up and running again, and had no cause to call back, since the service came back within the specified time schedule. 

My point is, I expect things to go wrong from time to time - the world is imperfect, and the internet is no exception - but what I appreciate most is being provided with details of when any issue is likely to be resolved - and that to date seems to have always been the case with IDNet (since I've been with them, at any rate!).  May that type of communication long continue.

Title: Re: Outage
Post by: Rik on Apr 07, 2009, 16:02:44
You must have been unlucky, Moonshine, I've had no outages - except, that is, at 2am when the UPS powering my router decided to fail!  :mad:
Title: Re: Outage
Post by: netgem21 on Apr 07, 2009, 17:01:16
<ignore>
Title: Re: Outage
Post by: Ray on Apr 07, 2009, 17:02:47
Not down for me but very slow to load the page.
Title: Re: Outage
Post by: netgem21 on Apr 07, 2009, 17:04:49
Quote from: Sheltieuk on Apr 07, 2009, 17:02:47
Not down for me but very slow to load the page.

It's back up for me, but slow as you say - Thanks :)
Title: Re: Outage
Post by: dlorde on Apr 07, 2009, 19:53:04
I've had two outages in the last 5 days - today's was around 9:45am.
Title: Re: Outage
Post by: David on Apr 07, 2009, 21:20:14
Nothing here at all.

There was a major problem for the Stratford and some surrounding areas where 75,000 lines were down due to someonedrilling through BT cables so far I think there is still disruption or no service to 25,000 homes or businesses,traffic lights were also badly afeected.

This may not be in your area but thought I would post it anyway for anyone else
Title: Re: Outage
Post by: Moonshine on Apr 07, 2009, 22:01:25


Well, I'm in Milton Keynes, so pretty sure it had to be another problem with BT.  Unless of course it was Stony Stratford!!!  ;D
Title: Re: Outage
Post by: David on Apr 07, 2009, 22:10:31
 ;D ;D I think you will have missed it
Title: Re: Outage
Post by: Rik on Apr 08, 2009, 04:10:27
Quote from: Moonshine on Apr 07, 2009, 22:01:25

Well, I'm in Milton Keynes, so pretty sure it had to be another problem with BT.  Unless of course it was Stony Stratford!!!  ;D

I'm also in MK (Wolverton), no outages here.
Title: Re: Outage
Post by: Moonshine on Apr 08, 2009, 06:58:57
Quote from: Rik on Apr 08, 2009, 04:10:27
I'm also in MK (Wolverton), no outages here.

That's odd.  Support even looked up my area and confirmed there was an issue here!  Oh well, MK is pretty big, so it does look as though I was one of the unlucky ones.  :(
Title: Re: Outage
Post by: David on Apr 12, 2009, 23:41:49
It did affect users as far away as Cumbria so it is possible Moonshine
Title: Re: Outage
Post by: Rik on Apr 13, 2009, 10:10:13
It was a failure of the management system of some 800 MUXes. From what I gather, you could be on one of the MUXes and not be affected, but if you happened to need to re-connect, you'd fail.
Title: Re: Outage
Post by: Moonshine on Apr 13, 2009, 10:27:41
Quote from: Rik on Apr 13, 2009, 10:10:13
It was a failure of the management system of some 800 MUXes. From what I gather, you could be on one of the MUXes and not be affected, but if you happened to need to re-connect, you'd fail.

I won't even pretend that I am able to interpret the aforementioned!!!
Title: Re: Outage
Post by: Ann on Apr 13, 2009, 10:30:20
I thought muxes were what television channels were on.  Didn't know that internet connections were too.  Confusing eh?
Title: Re: Outage
Post by: Rik on Apr 13, 2009, 10:35:12
They're muxing everything up these days. ;)
Title: Re: Outage
Post by: Sebby on Apr 13, 2009, 11:17:53
:rofl:
Title: Re: Outage
Post by: Moonshine on Apr 13, 2009, 12:35:04
Just had another brief outage!  Anyone else???
Title: Re: Outage
Post by: Rik on Apr 13, 2009, 12:38:11
Nothing here.
Title: Re: Outage
Post by: Moonshine on Apr 13, 2009, 12:42:27
I'm obviously having a bad month!
Title: Re: Outage
Post by: Rik on Apr 13, 2009, 12:47:34
Did the router lose sync, or did you just lose connection to the net?
Title: Re: Outage
Post by: Moonshine on Apr 13, 2009, 12:52:15
 :dunno: Sorry Rik, forgotten how to check that, and I know I should know by now, but I'm just incredibly dumb at this sort of thing.

All I know is it came up with message "looking up", and then nothing loaded.  So, I unplugged lead from modem, left it about five minutes, then plugged it back in, and hey presto!

Title: Re: Outage
Post by: Rik on Apr 13, 2009, 15:53:54
Don't do it that way, Moonshine. If you've not disconnected, the BT software sees it as a sign of instability, unplug the router from the mains instead. If you're using a USB modem, this doesn't apply, but might explain why you have been hit when I have not.
Title: Re: Outage
Post by: Sebby on Apr 13, 2009, 16:37:02
To me it sounds like it's a loss of sync, but we need to be certain.
Title: Re: Outage
Post by: Moonshine on Apr 13, 2009, 18:50:18
Oh dear.  I tend to panic when the internet doesn't work, and just do the only thing I know how to do  :(

I have a D-Link ADSL2+ ethernet modem, if that's any help.
Title: Re: Outage
Post by: Rik on Apr 13, 2009, 18:53:51
If you feel the need, then power it down, Moonshine. However, first look at the logs and indicator lights, to see if you can diagnose the state at the time.

See if you can find your router here (http://www.kitz.co.uk/adsl/frogstats.php) then follow the instructions to extract the stats.
Title: Re: Outage
Post by: Moonshine on Apr 13, 2009, 18:59:26
Is this what I should be looking at???

Sorry for logging off every few secs, then coming back.....keep having to check the dinner!

Item   Downstream   Upstream   Unit
SNR Margin   6   22   dB
Line Attenuation   51   29   dB
Data Rate   3040   448   kbps

Title: Re: Outage
Post by: Steve on Apr 13, 2009, 19:13:33
As they stand they look ok I think ??? If you were repeatedly dropping connection I think your downstream margin would have been raised by the BT software but its at the default of 6db. Could you do a BT speedtest @http://speedtester.bt.com/ that will show your IP profile. If you've been dropping sync you IP profile will not be related to current sync.
Title: Re: Outage
Post by: Moonshine on Apr 13, 2009, 19:26:35
These are the results from the BT speedtest:-


Test1 comprises of Best Effort Test:  -provides background information.
    Your DSL connection rate: 3040 kbps(DOWN-STREAM),  448 kbps(UP-STREAM)
    IP profile for your line is - 3500 kbps
    Actual IP throughput achieved during the test was - 2482 kbps

Title: Re: Outage
Post by: Sebby on Apr 13, 2009, 21:46:22
Things look okay. The sync is perhaps a little low, which suggests possible noise pickup. For now it's probably worth leaving things as they are, but next time you lose connection, let us have a look at the log. :)
Title: Re: Outage
Post by: Moonshine on Apr 13, 2009, 22:09:12
Will do.  Thank you everyone  :)
Title: Re: Outage
Post by: Lance on Apr 13, 2009, 23:23:07
Odd that the profile is higher than the sync though...
Title: Re: Outage
Post by: Rik on Apr 14, 2009, 08:15:49
I had a stuck high profile for a while, they are rare though...