GFast Random Disconnects

[LOR21212]

Hi all,

I've been having this same nuisance issue for some time now and no matter how hard I try, I can't seem to get past the standard checklist steps of "unplug and replug" etc.

So... I have GFast. Had it with TalkTalk for over a year. A couple of months ago, the broadband started dropping randomly in the day for no reason. It started with once every 3-4 days, then creeped up to 3+ times a day over the course of a month. We tried talking with TalkTalk, but each time they would tell us to follow the same steps, over and over, before declaring that "everything looks good, but we'll send a fresh batch of signals down the line" - Whatever that means.

We got tired of their customer service and switched to Sky about 10 days ago. Everything's been fine, until today. The random disconnects are back with avengence, 5 times today and it's not even 6pm. The Sky router just disconnects from the WAN and restarts with the same messages (see below). Everytime Sky, TalkTalk, or even Openreach, test the line, they always report "everything's perfect". Clearly not if the line breaks multiple times a day for no reason. Anyone encountered similar issues with Gfast? Is there anything that can be done with this?

FYI, the Sky Router is plugged directly into the mains. We have tried different sockets to see if somehow that was affecting it. Resetting equipment has never worked, nor has any of the standard troubleshooting steps (i.e., turn off, unplug, crossing fingers).

1970-01- 00:00:21 syslog: [ 19.318000] eth3 (Ext switch port: 4) (Logical Port: 12) Link UP 1000 mbps full duplex
1970-01- 00:00:21 syslog: [ 21.342000] eth3 (Ext switch port: 4) (Logical Port: 12) Link DOWN.
1970-01- 00:00:24 syslog: [ 24.390000] eth3 (Ext switch port: 4) (Logical Port: 12) Link UP 1000 mbps full duplex
1970-01- 00:00:48 syslog: [ 42.459000] Line 0: xDSL link down
1970-01- 00:00:48 syslog: [ 47.467000] Line 0: xDSL G.994 training
1970-01- 00:00:54 syslog: [ 48.467000] Line 0: xDSL link down
1970-01- 00:00:56 syslog: Voice Configured
1970-01- 00:01:01 syslog: Voice Initialized
1970-01- 00:01:01 syslog: Voice Connecting
1970-01- 00:01:11 syslog: Voice Disconnected
1970-01- 00:01:17 syslog: [ 60.499000] Line 0: xDSL link down
1970-01- 00:01:17 syslog: [ 70.522000] Line 0: xDSL G.994 training
1970-01- 00:01:17 syslog: [ 75.525000] Line 0: G.fast started

[TimmyBGood]

@LOR21212 

Given the connection will be using exactly the same Openreach copper connection from the G.fast pod to your address when Sky is the ISP as it was with TalkTalk, it's unfortunately not surprising that the fault remains.

[mae-3]

@LOR21212 

For the log to show 1970 each time the line drops means it is likely a power supply issue, if it was the G.fast broadband line that was dropping and the supply stable then the time would report correctly at its current correct time.

[LOR21212]

Hi all,

Problem still persisting and no fixes yet from Sky. I have an Openreach engineer visiting again on Thursday, although the last few from TalkTalk couldn't get to the root cause. I've seen a few posts online of similar problems which were eventually found to be caused by faulty equipment down the road, but we'll see.

FYI, it says 1970 in the original post because I had restarted it. Sorry, bad example. Below is an example during the day. Also, as per below, we're currently on six outages today as of 17:30.

2024-04-O2 16:08:45 syslog: [170765.420000] Line 0: Rate Change, us=30103, ds=

2024-04-O2 16:14:11 syslog: WAN IPV6 UP

2024-04-O2 16:15:20 syslog: ptm0.1 - WAN link DOWN.

2024-04-O2 16:15:20 syslog: DHCP lease invalid(WANoE). Connection DOWN.

2024-04-O2 16:15:23 syslog: Clear IP addresses. IP connection DOWN.

2024-04-O2 16:15:24 syslog: Voice IP Connection Down

2024-04-O2 16:15:24 syslog: [171296.752000] Line 0: Rate Change, us=30103, ds=

2024-04-O2 16:15:24 syslog: [171306.184000] Line 0: Rate Change, us=30103, ds=

2024-04-O2 16:15:24 syslog: [171342.100000] Line 0: Rate Change, us=29851, ds=

2024-04-O2 16:15:24 syslog: [171342.520000] Line 0: Rate Change, us=30029, ds=

2024-04-O2 16:15:24 syslog: [171368.179000] Line 0: Rate Change, us=13687, ds=

2024-04-O2 16:15:24 syslog: [171368.446000] Line 0: Rate Change, us=13687, ds=

2024-04-O2 16:15:24 syslog: [171368.822000] Line 0: Rate Change, us=3459, ds=

2024-04-O2 16:15:24 syslog: [171370.278000] Line 0: xDSL link down

2024-04-O2 16:15:28 syslog: Voice Disconnected

2024-04-O2 16:15:35 syslog: sky dhcpc client (v0.0.1) started

2024-04-O2 16:17:09 syslog: [171402.702000] Line 0: xDSL G.994 training

2024-04-O2 16:17:09 syslog: [171408.723000] Line 0: G.fast started

2024-04-O2 16:17:09 syslog: [171479.486000] Line 0: G.fast link up, Bearer 0, us=29297, ds=

2024-04-O2 16:17:11 syslog: sky dhcpc client (v0.0.1) started

2024-04-O2 16:17:45 syslog: ptm0.1 - WAN link UP

Today's outage times...Lots of fun with a grumpy child:

2024-04-O2 06:02:08 syslog: ptm0.1 - WAN link DOWN.
2024-04-O2 06:15:03 syslog: ptm0.1 - WAN link DOWN.
2024-04-O2 06:28:02 syslog: ptm0.1 - WAN link DOWN.
2024-04-O2 10:00:27 syslog: ptm0.1 - WAN link DOWN.
2024-04-O2 10:41:54 syslog: ptm0.1 - WAN link DOWN.
2024-04-O2 16:15:20 syslog: ptm0.1 - WAN link DOWN.

[probablyTolley]

Did you get anywhere with this in terms of any fixes? I've been having the same error code and outage once per night, every night for months starting late last year probably. I was given a response that basically said it's due to the scheduled maintainance box or whatever due to weather conditions. Either way it's never happened before during any other winters or anything.

[kevinhardowar]

Same here for 6 months now,  multiple sky/openreach engineers, no idea what us going on..  to the  point where they are saying they cannot fix it and willing to terminate the contract.  Escalated in sky etc...  no resolution

sometimes 10 disconnects per day!  Been stable for 2 yrs though, probs started in Jan 2024

[Chrisee]

@kevinhardowar unfortunately we are hearing similar reports of cases where Openreach are not willing to go the extra mile to sort copper lines as the switch to full fibre. Sky are one of a decreasingly small number of ISPs still offering G.Fast as the technology looks to be being abandoned. Unfortunately unless you have access to another network like Virgin Media's or decent mobile speeds you are stuck.

I would suspect the drops are likely to be being caused by interference but finding the cause can be an absoloute pain. Assume you have already excluded the obvious suspects like powerline networking kit in your home?

[kevinhardowar]

Yes i have no powerline adaptors.  My setup hasn't  changed in few years, but problem have been occuring in last 6 months

[TimmyBGood]

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@kevinhardowar wrote:

  My setup hasn't  changed in few years, but problem have been occuring in last 6 months

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Unfortunately that's typical of copper broadband: unlike pure fibre, electrical signalling over a metallic bearer simply cannot be an entirely stable operating medium.

G.fast is essentially just FTTC delivered from a closer point to the address and so is subject to all the same potential fault conditions that standard 'Superfast' has plus a few more foibles of its own.