BT Broadband - lots of lost packets

[NeilF]

I've not been able to access my ISP mail server for my incoming emails, or access the Internet websites since late Friday evening. I've spent over 6 hours with the charming HelpDesk people in India, who can't get beyond blaming my cookies / firewall / Virus checker / Microfilter, or just heavy demand at bbc.co.uk or yahoo or wherever.

Anyone know how I can escalate BT Broadband fault diagnosis?

Two big clues (I think, but BT Helpdesk don't want to follow them) are the ping and tracert results I've seen:

C:\Documents and Settings\Neil>ping bbc.co.uk

Pinging bbc.co.uk [212.58.224.131] with 32 bytes of data:

Reply from 212.58.224.131: bytes=32 time=14ms TTL=115
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Reply from 212.58.224.131: bytes=32 time=13ms TTL=115

Ping statistics for 212.58.224.131:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 2, Lost = 2 (50% loss),


and

C:\Documents and Settings\Neil>tracert bbc.co.uk

Tracing route to bbc.co.uk [212.58.224.131]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

1 1 ms <1 ms <1 ms xxx.xx.xx.xx
2 13 ms 13 ms 12 ms 217.47.72.250
3 12 ms 13 ms 13 ms 217.47.72.161
4 * * * Request timed out.
5 * 13 ms 14 ms 217.41.169.78
6 13 ms 13 ms 12 ms 217.41.169.62
7 12 ms 13 ms 13 ms 217.41.220.82
8 * * * Request timed out.
9 13 ms 12 ms 13 ms core1-pos7-4.ealing.ukcore.bt.net [194.74.65.185]
10 14 ms 14 ms 13 ms core1-pos1-0-0.telehouse.ukcore.bt.net [62.6.201.82]
11 14 ms 69 ms 14 ms 194.74.65.6
12 14 ms 14 ms * 212.58.238.129
13 14 ms 14 ms 15 ms rdirwww-vip.thdo.bbc.co.uk [212.58.224.131]

Trace complete.


Any suggestions guys?


Cheers,

Neil.

 

[Tobers]

I had something similar over Xmas. To say that I could have nuked all of India is an understatement. They are totally utterly completely useless.

My problem was very similar - at a certain time each day the receiver side packet error count would shoot up. This was at 4:21pm precisely. Note that with a different router, the link just shut down, but with the D-Link one I'm using the router kept the link up (better error handling I guess) so I could see the error count.

The problem turned out to be in the exchange (surprise surprise!). However, it took 16 days and innumerable calls to sort it out. Eventually I just insisted on an engineer visit, though amazingly the problem cleared up the day he was due to arrive.

#1 check your local exchange with this cool tool: http://usertools.plus.net/exchanges/

#2 read this and weep: http://interactive.pcw.co.uk/2006/02/slow_broadband_.html

#3 email BT High Level Complaints ([email protected]) and complain

#4 email BT residential services [email protected]

When on the phone to India, insist on talking to a supervisor - they will try and fob you off saying "he is on another call" or suchlike. If they do, just say "OK, I'll hold on until he is free" and they get really confused, but you'll get him eventually. Insist on a home visit. Read out every name of every Indian call centre person you've spoken to and the date & time. Keep records.

They are tossers - good luck!

 

[Deleted account 220427002]

try this lot based in belfast helped me when the rest were crap or worse than crap


BT Broadband experience team on 0800 679 787

 

[NeilF]

try this lot based in belfast helped me when the rest were crap or worse than crap - BT Broadband experience team on 0800 679 787

alas - called them but got a recorded message "for Broadband faults call BT Broadband on 0845 600 7030" - which was where my experience began 48 hours ago! Thanks anyway, Tuned.

Cheers,

Neil.

 

[Deleted account 220427002]

alas - called them but got a recorded message "for Broadband faults call BT Broadband on 0845 600 7030" - which was where my experience began 48 hours ago! Thanks anyway, Tuned.

Cheers,

Neil.

only open normal hours

 

[cookieboy]

just had a problem with broadband which has gone on for approx 8 weeks. long story but it turned out that BT were blocking/slowing down ports between 16.30 to 02.00 the following day. this was stopping a remote access program I use every day and giving me a 25 mile round trip - it worked perfectly at all other times (a change of ports solved it) Apperently Tiscali are in negotiation with BT to solve the problem.

Don't know if this is related ?

shaun

 

[NeilF]

only open normal hours

tried them this morning - same voice menu result of "phone 0845 6007030 to report Broadband faults".

Now for Tobers' suggestion of "I want to speak with your supervisor!" . . . . .

Cheers,

Neil.

 

[Deleted account 220427002]

tried them this morning - same voice menu result of "phone 0845 6007030 to report Broadband faults".

Now for Tobers' suggestion of "I want to speak with your supervisor!" . . . . .

Cheers,

Neil.

it was a pilot scheme that BT were trying
... i just used the number and the girl said it was just NI based but to use the 0845 6007030 number and ask to speak to a manager

sorry

 

[NeilF]

Sorted! (sssshhhhh!)

It seems that I have had 3 concurrent problems, rather than just one!

Firstly, Broadband Internet webpage access was intermittent with terrible page-paint response times. This seems to have been solved by my bypassing the micro filter in the wall socket. I have now reinstalled the micro filter and it is behaving itself.

Secondly, my Black Ice firewall had latched on to the IP address for my incoming mail POP server at 10:06 on Saturday morning, and had blocked it! I have released this now, and emails are flowing in again.

And finally, my employer had "accidentally" disconnected my company email facility - now restored.


Peace at last!

Neil.

 

[NeilF]

Sorted (Not!)

So BT Helpdesk phone me - all the way from India - to ask if the problem is fixed. I say "Yes thank you".


30 minutes later the fault is back - unable to paint Internet webpages to the screen inside 3 minutes, or IE tells me there is no connection.

2 hours on the phone with BT Helpdesk today, to be told that the problem must be with my Belkin router ("Not supported by BT") as the line has been tested fine.


WTF!

Don't anyone ever think of getting BT Broadband! ! ! ! ! !


Neil.

 

[Deleted account 220427002]

So BT Helpdesk phone me - all the way from India - to ask if the problem is fixed. I say "Yes thank you".


30 minutes later the fault is back - unable to paint Internet webpages to the screen inside 3 minutes, or IE tells me there is no connection.

2 hours on the phone with BT Helpdesk today, to be told that the problem must be with my Belkin router ("Not supported by BT") as the line has been tested fine.


WTF!

Don't anyone ever think of getting BT Broadband! ! ! ! ! !


Neil.

When i first got india they said.... router i asked were they certain three times...
they said yes.....
I didn't believe them...
sounded like they hadn't a clue...
turned out i was right, stupid tech support was wrong

i was lucky i got the number for BT Broadband experience team they did know their stuff... sorry you can't get similar help

ask them to send you a new router and if they are wrong they can have it back.. if they are right you'll pay for it.

 

[shugie]

I'm near Reading and have a spare router and microfilter if you feel inclined to use them to check your line.