Can only connect to Internet when making a call.

tampler

Hey guys.
So, we have been eircom broadband customers for just over 5 years, and we have never had a problem until this week.

Starting on Saturday, the 23rd of this month, our router (Netopia) could not connect to the internet. The DSL light just kept blinking. After making a phone call to someone, the router could then connect to the internet and remained connected for the entire day.

Since then, the problem has been getting worse. The Router can only connect and KEEP a connection while a phone call is ongoing. Ending the call in most cases ends the connection too.

While making a phone call, I can also hear noise on the line. Thinking that this was a line problem, I rang eircom, who later ran a test on the line, and said there was nothing wrong.

I then changed the current microfilters that were plugged in with newer ones. This did not fix the problem.

Plugging the Router straight into the phone socket (we only have one) also did not fix the problem.

As for the router, we have had it since we joined up with eircom broadband. As mentioned, its a Netopia. Not too sure which model it is. The sticker underneath it says its a 2247NWG while going to 192.168.1.254 says its 2247-02.

So yeah, thats it, I'm all out of idea's and could do with some assistance

Kind regards:
Noel.

eircom: Ant

tampler wrote: »

Hey guys.
So, we have been eircom broadband customers for just over 5 years, and we have never had a problem until this week.

Starting on Saturday, the 23rd of this month, our router (Netopia) could not connect to the internet. The DSL light just kept blinking. After making a phone call to someone, the router could then connect to the internet and remained connected for the entire day.

Since then, the problem has been getting worse. The Router can only connect and KEEP a connection while a phone call is ongoing. Ending the call in most cases ends the connection too.

While making a phone call, I can also hear noise on the line. Thinking that this was a line problem, I rang eircom, who later ran a test on the line, and said there was nothing wrong.

I then changed the current microfilters that were plugged in with newer ones. This did not fix the problem.

Plugging the Router straight into the phone socket (we only have one) also did not fix the problem.

As for the router, we have had it since we joined up with eircom broadband. As mentioned, its a Netopia. Not too sure which model it is. The sticker underneath it says its a 2247NWG while going to 192.168.1.254 says its 2247-02.

So yeah, thats it, I'm all out of idea's and could do with some assistance

Kind regards:
Noel.

Hi Noel,

Thanks for contacting eircom on Boards.

From what you say, it sounds like something has changed on your internal phone line system.

Have you got a sky box(s) upstairs, or are you using any long private extension phone cables.

If you changed the adsl splitter? Did you get one from eircom Technical Support or did you try to use a third party splitter.

How many phone sockets have you got? Are all your phone sockets filtered with correct micro filters supplied by eircom.

Before putting the onus on the modem I would advise the following. After all the modem is just basically a bunch of switches that react to the world around it : My advise first of all would be :

* Powercycle the modem:
Flick the power switch to the Off position on the back of the modem
Wait 30 seconds
Switch the modem back On
Wait two minutes for the modem to re-connect

* Disconnect everything from the phone line: phones, fax machine, Sky Digital TV, or any other equipment connected to the phone line which may interfere with the broadband connection. Remove the splitter and connect the modem directly to the main phone socket. Ensure you use adsl Filters on all your secondary phone sockets.

Test your modem on the Master Phone Socket (Mdp). If you need additional Filters, please let me know. Otherwise please contact eircom Broadband Sales : 1800 503 303 - and request new adsl Filters.

I use the same type of modem myself at home and would prefer to use this one. Some people would prefer the new Zyxel router, or they purchase their own higher end 'games router' etc.

We can certainly swap out the modem, though you're more than likely over warrantee if you received the modem a few years ago.

I can send you out a Free modem if you agree to continue your current account with eircom for the next 12 months. Alternatively, you can purchase a new modem at a reduced cost of approximately €50 from Broadband Sales.

I would recommend completing the checks which I have advised earlier, and if you require new filters, let Sales know. Once you have tested your modem and phone as advised, and if all else fails, I'd recommend changing the modem.

Let me know if you need additional help on this and if so PM me with your home phone number or eircom Account Number.

All the best,
Ant

tampler

Thanks for the response Ant. Greatly appreciated. I will double check all the connections again, like you advised, and will PM you if nothing works out.

Thanks again.

tampler

Hey again. I know you are all off for the bank holiday, so I will just leave this update here for when you get back.

We still have the problem described above. Gotten worse too, noise is much more noticeable on the phone and in some cases, the router wont connect, even when we make a phone call.

We also borrowed a router off my aunt (same Netopia router), still had the same problem, so its safe to say I don't think its the routers fault.

As for what you asked earlier:

If you changed the adsl splitter, did you get one from eircom Technical Support or did you try to use a third party splitter.

We got them off eircom a few years ago. Did not use them until this week. Didn't make a difference.

Remove the splitter and connect the modem directly to the main phone socket.

As mentioned earlier, we already did this. Same problem occurs. Worth mentioning, we also plugged the router we borrowed into the socket too. Same problem.

We also only have one socket. And no Sky box.

Are all your phone sockets filtered with correct micro filters supplied by eircom.

Yep. Everything was working up until the 23rd. No changes were made to the sockets, or the filters before that date. They were correctly plugged in, and as mentioned in this post, replacing them has not solved the problem.

So yeah, thats it for the moment. Enjoy the bank holiday

PandyAndy

Hey Tampler, work for a UK based ADSL provider. We see these types of problems quite a bit. We call them 'High Open' Faults. Basically your broadband signal works/connects when the PSTN (phone) signal is in use. However the first thing to check is that noisy line... that will cause problems with your broadband signal.

Have a spare corded phone connected to the master socket with absolutely everything else disconnected. No filters, sky, modem... nothing. Make a call and listen for that noise you mentioned. If there is noise then you have a line fault regardless of what the line test says. This is a PSTN fault. If this is the case ring Eircom and only tell them the line is noisy with a corded phone at the master socket with all other equipment disconnected from the phone line. Once you fix the noisy line you'll indirectly fix the broadband issue.

If however the line is clear, and is only noisy when you have a spare ADSL filter connected with the spare corded phone and spare modem connected, then that's a High Open fault, I'm not sure what Eircom call them. Still a line fault regardless of what the line test says.

tampler

PandyAndy, thanks for the advice. I borrowed a spare corded phone off my aunt (think shes getting tired of me borrowing all this stuff :P ), Plugged it in, and made a call. Could here noise on it too.

eircom: Tony

tampler wrote: »

PandyAndy, thanks for the advice. I borrowed a spare corded phone off my aunt (think shes getting tired of me borrowing all this stuff :P ), Plugged it in, and made a call. Could here noise on it too.

Hi tampler
if still getting noise on line with only phone connected it does sound like a possible line connection issue. Could you PM me your tel. no and I can investigate this issue for you.
Tony

tampler

Hey guys.

So, we had technicians come around yesterday to have a look around. Came back today for awhile and replaced some cables. Everything seems to be back in working order. Net hasn't Disconnected so far, and any noise that was on our line is gone.

Thanks again for the help and advice Ant, PandyAndy and Tony. Again, it was greatly appreciated. Hopefully nothing will go wrong now for awhile..(knock on wood :P)