O2 Broadband Issues

ilove2shop

Hi,

Has anyone else had issues with O2 broadband?

When I'm at home, I'm getting disconnected up to 7 times an evening, there isn't any particular strain on the wireless with just the home PC and my kids laptop accessing the internet, but the box is constantly turning on and off with the lights going mad.

I ring O2 and they just tell me to turn the box off for a few minutes and then back on again, which helps for half an hour but not as it should. They don't seem to be willing to give me a new box either.

I got this on their 6 month free offer.

Thanks for any help.

macman

Are you on LLU or Access service?
First thing to try is a temporary ethernet connection to establish if it is just a wireless issue or a general connectivity issue.
Then plug your router into the BT test socket behind the master socket faceplate, this will eliminate any problems with your internal wiring. Then retest.
Do you have ADSL filters on every active extension (including Sky boxes, burglar alarms etc)? Have you swapped out your filters for known good ones?
If it's just a wireless issue, first thing to do is just change the wireless channel, as you are probably clashing with a neighbour.

jayjayuk

hi...
i also have the same problem....
the router can randomly reboot and im not doing anything special. there is only the 1 laptop on.... i was even on the phone to o2 at the time....

i was told it was down to the bad weather.... they said they could see that from their end that my o2 router has rebooted several time...

i have orderd my own router as well to give that a try just incase lol

i have only just had the broadband as well.... lol i have moved back down to the standard package as they havent upgraded my line from 9mb to 20mb yet which is due in june

to be on the safe side.... give o2 a ring, there customers services seem really good compared to any other provider and its a 0800 number

A2a

Had similar issues like this previously and proved very frustrating!

May be the result of the weather or local exchange works, but after troubleshooting much like the above, I gave O2 a call and they eventually identified a lot of noise on my line.

They had to increase the Signal to Noise ratio which seems to have worked... Only compromise is lower speed...

Hope this helps...

macman

Noise on the line is an issue for your line rental provider, not for your ISP-they can't solve any physical issue with the telephony side of the line. Report it as a line fault.

A2a

True, but O2 can adjust the SNR settings their end to compensate for it. This is what I had to since I used both BTs website tool for reporting a fault and called them, but the line was deemed FINE since I could make and receive and calls despite being able to hear static noise in the background.

I'm just living with it as my speeds are typically around 2.5-3Mb now, but did come down from ~4Mb. Hopefully BTs new Infinity service (offering speeds of up tp 40Mb) may be an option to consider in the near future, but I so wish Virgin Media would install Fibre cabling in the area.

We live in a fairly new build house and there are no VM cable services here despite living a stone throw away where the adjacent street (near the main road) has the services! Apparently VM aren't laying new cables, which puzzles me since the have a limited target customer group!

kwikbreaks

The first thing you need to establish is whether the router is rebooting itself, if the wireless connection is failing, or the sync with the exchange is lost forcing a resync.

Each has different probable causes and none of them are actually O2's fault apart from supplying a possibly duff router.

My own O2Box2 has never misbehaved but there are plenty of reports of it happening - especially with WiFi in use.

Losing sync with the exchange is usually attribuatable to poor internal extension wiring.

The first thing you need to do is establish exactly what has failed.

One very easy pre-emptive measure you can take is to make sure that the O2Box isn't overheating which it will surely do if you've just got it sitting on carpet. Mine is mounted on the wall but just propping it up vertically should be enough to help if this is causing problems.

macman

I repeat, if you have noise on the line then it will adversely affect your broadband speed. O2 may well be able to adjust the SNR, but it won't give you back the speed that a 'clean' line will.
You just have to insist to BT that there is still a problem-them just running a remote line test is not sufficient.
Make sure you report a fault on the voice side (i.e static, crackling etc). Do not say there is a problem with the broadband, or they will just refer you back to your ISP. It costs BT Retail money to get Openreach out to fix a fault, so they will always try and avoid doing so unless you push them.
VM are not expanding their cable network, they just use what they inherited from NTl/Telewest.

A2a

macman wrote: »

VM are not expanding their cable network, they just use what they inherited from NTl/Telewest.

Ah bummer - how do you know this? Just how do they manage to keep ticking over then if the have inhertied a fixed potential customer base?

Back to the SNR: Yes the broadband speed suffers, but the increase in the ratio means it at least helps stabilise the connection.

kwikbreaks: I think this is and has sadly been the case for me too - losing sync with the exchange down to poor internal extension wiring, which was probably done by sub contractor cowboys of the house/property builders!

mrtom21

It's pretty much widely known that Virgin Media have no plans to expand their network. Not sure on the reasoning behind this they tend to just make a steady profit on making sure they supply the fastest broadband on the market and having the highest call charges on the market.