Problem with Skype

hbr · 11-11-2005, 10:05

I wonder if anyone can help me with this?

I have a 2MB ntl broadband connection, that up until about 3 weeks ago has given me no problems.

Since that time, using skype has become impossible (no problem making a call initially, but once the call is connected then other party can only hear the odd snippit of what I say, and often the connection then drops out by itself).
The problem is very consistent.

Also, my VPN connection to work has now become very poor, with very long delays which occur spuriously from time to time (this link requires very low bandwidth - I'm using a text terminal most of the time).

Using the web is OK.

I have eliminated my router setup by connecting my laptop direct to the cable modem (teryon) and I get the exact same behaviour.

I have eliminated my laptop by taking it to a friend's (supposedly inferior) internet connection, and getting the same good performance I used to get with ntl. Also, no-one else at work reports any VPN problem (no-one else uses ntl, either).

Can anyone shed any light on this?

Both of the services that I have a problem with require some upload capacity (albeit pretty modest in the case of the VPN), and I notice that the upload rate using adslguide is not very high, but I think it has always been this way, and I've not always had these problems.

Paul K · 11-11-2005, 11:02

Have you tried a few pings or route traces to see if you have a packet loss type problem?
Also checking your signal levels might highlight any problems

jonbr · 11-11-2005, 12:18

I had a Terayon modem doing the same thing. NTL swapped it out and every thing has been fine since. I hope the new modem lasts as long as the Terayon did!

hbr · 11-11-2005, 13:25

I'm finding that if my connection is completely quiet, then pinging hosts on the internet rarely loses packets.

However, if I start using the VPN to the point where it freezes up, or alternatively I just have to start up Skype, I lose all packets for about 10 seconds, and then eventually they restart again.

I've also run the line quality tests on broadband reports (http://www.broadbandreports.com/quality/nil/1898747) and the same thing seems to happen.

My Terayon must be about 4-5 yrs old I guess.

How can I check my signal levels?

hbr · 11-11-2005, 16:18

OK, I found the instructions on how to interrogate the Terayon using docsdiag.

The downstream signal power seems to be outside the recommended range (if I understand the guidance post??). Might that have something to do with it?

Code:

DocsDiag v030720 Copyright 2001-3 Robin Walker rdhw@cam.ac.uk

Terayon DOCSIS Cable Modem: <

System up time					 = 4 days 08h 11m 00.32s
MAC address.1					 = 
...
IP address.192.168.100.1			 = 192.168.100.1
Ethernet single-collision errs.1	 = 98
Ethernet multiple-collision errs.1   = 36
Downstream channel ID				= 0
Downstream channel frequency		 = 402750000 Hz
Downstream received signal power	 = 17.4 dBmV
Upstream channel ID				  = 4
Upstream channel frequency		   = 25584000 Hz
Upstream timing offset			 = 9144 units of (6.25/64) microseconds
QoS max upstream bandwidth		   = 200000 bps
QoS max downstream bandwidth		 = 2048000 bps
SigQu: received without error		= 1854923289 codewords
SigQu: correctable errors			= 87228 codewords
SigQu: uncorrectable errors		  = 3090 codewords
SigQu: Signal to Noise Ratio		 = 32.1 dB
SigQu: microreflections			  = 20 dBc
Cable modem status				 = Operational
Upstream transmit signal power	   = 37.7 dBmV
Number of interface resets		   = 0
Downstream sync losses			   = 0
Invalid MAP msgs received			= 0
Invalid UCD msgs received			= 0
Invalid Ranging Responses rcvd	   = 0
Invalid Registration Resps rcvd	  = 0
T1 timer expiries				    = 0
T2 timer expiries				    = 0
T3 timer expiries				    = 3
T4 timer expiries				    = 0
Ranging Aborts					 = 0
Tx mini-slots used (contended).8041  = 0
Tx mini-slots used (dedicated).8041  = 2109855
Tx data re-tries.8041				= 0
Tx data retry limit exceeded.8041	= 0
Tx data retry limit exceeded.8041	= 0
Tx bandwidth req retries.8041		= 60993
Tx bw req retry lim exceeded.8041	= 3527
Date and Time					 = 2005-11-11,16:54:36.0+00:00
Configuration filename			   = cmreg-tera210x-mid.cm

hbr · 14-11-2005, 10:03

Called ntl saturday.

Got through to operator who did some tests and told me nothing was wrong and that my connection was very good.

But there is something definitely wrong!

She uploaded some new settings to my modem which made no difference.

I called again today and got to a much more sympathetic operator.

I demonstrated that I could basically wipe out his ping tests to the cable modem for up to 20 seconds simply by sending a small burst of characters upstream.

He contacted the next level of support who got me (through him) to disconnect all my equipment, and then he got all his tests to pass after which he said that the other support person said it was something to do with my router/virus/etc (it's no virus - I get this problem under both linux and xp, and it's not my router - I get the same problem when connect direct to the cable modem).

The operator said that he wanted to get the next level of support to call me back to do some more tests, but that their support system was currently not working correctly so he couldn't forward the request immediately.

ho hum...

hbr · 25-11-2005, 17:01

Still no response from ntl

. I don't think I can face wading through first line support again, modem rebooting, etc, perhaps I'll give them a ring tomorrow if I can find the time.

There has been no change with my connection. Downloading is fine, but any duplex activity results in a frozen connection.

Have already ordered a BT phone line, as I think I'm going to be giving ADSL a whirl before too long.

hbr · 12-01-2006, 09:52

Epilogue

After finally getting fed up with ntl customer support telling me how great my connection was working, I decided to switch to ADSL (nildram).

I finally got my new connection (BT line + ADSL activation, etc) just before Christmas, and from the moment I started using it, it worked fine for Skype and my VPN (just like my ntl connection used to!).

I then phoned in my disconnection request to ntl, at which point they suddenly became very interested in what my problem was (but it's a bit late then, after they forced me to go through the hassle to move to another provider

).

The upside of the whole process has been that now it looks as though I am going to cut my monthly phone+internet bills approx in half

(although there was a not insignificant cost in moving - new ADSL router required, etc) - this is partly to do with the fact that the tv part of the ntl package was worthless to me (the decoder sits idle mostly).

So I think that the only piece of wisdom that really came out of this is that if you can't get a sensible response from the normal customer services channel, they take you more seriously at disconnections!

My _guess_ is that the problem I was getting was due to a fault in the ageing terayon modem (as suggested by jonbr) that they could not detect remotely using their standard diagnostic procedures - it's a shame for ntl that they didn't send an engineer just to try a replacement.

**Chris** · 12-01-2006, 09:58

I had a Terayon which died in a way similar to yours by the sounds of it. They don't just quit working one day, they can just become patchy. However in my case they swapped the modem for a new one without any argument.

I know NTL managers do read these threads from time to time so I can only hope they take this as useful feedback. So often the weak link in the chain at NTL is the customer contact (as highlighted once again last night by Watchdog). It seems that once again a poor response from customer services has lost them a piece of business.