ISDN2e Line Problems

[shillr]

We connect to our sites via ISDN2e and there are 2 sites within close proximity to each other that I am having trouble with gaining a solid connection. I have had the devices on the end of the ISDN tested by our 3rd party and they have no problems connecting albeit they are in Bolton and we are just north of Newcastle upon Tyne. The ISDNs are in service as the sites can perform card authorisations and etopup transactions that go out through the ISDN.

I have reported the lines and our ISDN and nothing out of the ordinary has been found. It seems I can only get a stable connection during certain times of the day although I am yet to prove this. There is nothing wrong with our equipment at our end because if there was we'd have problems connecting to more than these 2 sites. I'd like to avoid the charges for their 3rd line investigation and also wasting an engineers time going to site and finding nothing wrong. What can I do to prove that there is a problem of some sort and who can I prove this to? I had the same problem 2 years ago, nothing was done and it disappeared then, 2 years later it is back and I cannot resolve it.

Any advice will be gratefully taken on board.

[steph]

Hello shillr,

It seems, from the information provided, that the ISDN2e lines are working correctly, as:

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shillr wrote:

We connect to our sites via ISDN2e and there are 2 sites within close proximity to each other that I am having trouble with gaining a solid connection. I have had the devices on the end of the ISDN tested by our 3rd party and they have no problems connecting albeit they are in Bolton and we are just north of Newcastle upon Tyne. The ISDNs are in service as the sites can perform card authorisations and etopup transactions that go out through the ISDN.

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Did the 3rd Party test the "the devices" in situ, via the "problem" ISDN2e lines, or by taking them to their Bolton offices, and testing them there?

If the testing was remote, via the ISDN2e lines, then the 3rd party is fully testing the line. However, what hasn't been mentioned is either:

1) The specific CPE;

2) and the software release that the 3rd party is using compared to your own.

Could it be that the 3rd Party doing the testing have different CPE and/or different software running on the CPE ? 

How is your software managed ? 

Does the 3rd party provide software upgrades automatically via the ISDN2e line, or updates on CD, which the customer has to load manually ? 

Could it be that the software/hardware at the 2 "problem" sites has got out of step with the software/hardware at the other sites, but is compatible with the 3rd party equipment/software ?

Kind regards,

Steph

Message Edited by steph on 09-10-2008 03:04 PM

[shillr]

Our 3rd party tested the devices in situ via ISDN from their site in Bolton and received no connection loss.

To answer your questions hopefully correctly as I am unfamiliar with the CPE term....

1, The device at the other end of ISDN at the problem sites are Sarian IR2140 ISDN routers. We run the same devices at all of our sites, apart from the centre where a Cisco 1600 Series router is used.

2, The testing that was conducted was a simple ping test. The software on the router can be accessed via a web browser and is the same across all of our sites, no versioning difference. To my knowledge there has been no need for any firmware upgrades and the software at the centre has been fine. Our 3rd party has dial in access to our router and was able to perform the same test I did getting an inconsistent connection. 

We only get this problem if we are trying to pull information from the sites, we can send information to the sites without issue. I don't know if this helps but its the common denominator with the 2 sites in question. 

[steph]

Hi there,

I am sorry about the "technobable" there - CPE stands for "Customer Premises Equipment", so in this case it is the "Sarian IR2140 Routers".

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The fact that transmission to the site is ok but that it is sporadic when the sites transmit is strange.

If it can be established that the problem is linked to specific times, then it could possibly be the result of the switching on of some local machinery/processors, which may introduce interference either into the CPE or the line.

.

It may be worth the Business Unit checking to see if the line length/loss are close to the limit.

.

If the lines from your  premises to the Local Exchange are long, then it may be that (under some circumstances) due to external interference, they are suffering from excessive errors. This is why we try to have quite a high margin on the line length, to minimise the likelihood of this occurring !

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If the line length is good, and the link to specific times of day cannot be confirmed, then the only thing I can think of is to get Consultech in to take a detailed look at the signalling across the links and measure the error rate etc.

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If a problem is found with the line then you will not be charged but, if a problem with their equipment is found, then you would be required to pay.

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Consultech are not cheap, so the Business Unit should contact them to find out the charges and see if they think they can be of any help first of all.

.

If you choose to contact them, I have sent you via private messaging the contact details that you need.

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Kind regards,

.

Stephanie

Message Edited by steph on 13-10-2008 06:34 PM

Message Edited by steph on 14-10-2008 09:36 AM