Re: on 2nd 2701 HGV-C still freezing up - Page 2

kevinneal · ‎22-02-2012

I have just recieved a replacement BT Fibre Router and it is freezing intermittently exactly like our original one.

Basically what happens is all computers are unable to access websites for a few minutes (wired and wireless) then it continues working without any interation, the problem is it is dropping about 20 -30 times a day.

BT have done line tests and the line seems to be ok. Which is why we were sent a replacement router. When the websites are unreachable, the router admin is also unreachable. This has happened on a Network Connection, Wireless connection and direct wired connection.

I left a ping running to the router IP address while my laptop was directly connected to the router and still there were ping timeouts for a few minutes. While this happens the Internet light freezes on solid green, but there are no red lights. the router then just starts working again without power cycling and the router is not hot to the touch.

The fact that a direct connection ping timesout surely points to a router hardwear problem, but its very strange that we have exactly the same issue on both routers.

I have just done a full reset of the newest router and the only settings I changed from default were, username and password and the router IP address for 192.168.1.254 to 192.168.181.254 and turned off DHCP because our Xserve is providing DHCP for the network, and it has just frozen again!

kevinneal · ‎27-02-2012

Just finished another hour long phone call with BT, Lianna was very understanding but couldn't offer a solution, so they are now sending me my third 2701HGV-C in as many weeks!

I'm not optomistic that it will help, starting to think a Third Party router might be the way to go.

Looking at the Thinkbroadband Ping test, the router only cuts out a few times over the weekend when no one is using it (though even a few drop outs is surprising) but now when everyone is back in work it is dropping/freezing like crazy, (happened twice in the time it has taken me to write this!)

MHC · ‎27-02-2012

I wonder if you rnetwork topology has anything to do with the problem ...

Can you draw or describe what devices you have and how thery are connected and where they are connected to. And how much LAN traffic is there? Are any files transfer large/small/massive? Frequent/regular/occasional ...

kevinneal · ‎27-02-2012

I've just had another look at the thinkbroadband ping test graph and noticed a pattern, for both friday and monday the first freeze happens at around 5am (no one gets here till 8:30am) there are then 2 more freezes at around 9am and 10:30am then fine until 12:00. I realise that this is partly due to peoples browsing habbits, but the 5am can't be caused by users.

As for our network, we have the BT router which connects via ethernet to a HP V1810-48G 48Port Gigabit switch, which is connected (via 4 xlink aggregated ports) to a 3Com Switch 4200G 24-Port , the 3com switch has all our users connected to is plus it is connected (via 2 x link aggregated ports ) to an Xserve (last model) which in turn has two fibre channel links to an Xserve RAID, the HP switch has all other network devices such as printers, router, NAS.

LAN traffic can vary, being a design agency there can be large image files being transfered

kevinneal · ‎27-02-2012

Should also say our Xserves (we have 2) are running services such as Kerio Mail Server, Rumpus FTP server, Wiki Server

spank · ‎27-02-2012

Hello there,

Might be the line, have you had BT run a test and check for errors during the time of failure? Also check the broadband status tab, DSL Details section during this time as well, maybe post a screenie up for me to have a look. Thanks.

MHC · ‎27-02-2012

@kevinneal wrote:
I've just had another look at the thinkbroadband ping test graph and noticed a pattern, for both friday and monday the first freeze happens at around 5am (no one gets here till 8:30am) there are then 2 more freezes at around 9am and 10:30am then fine until 12:00. I realise that this is partly due to peoples browsing habbits, but the 5am can't be caused by users.

As for our network, we have the BT router which connects via ethernet to a HP V1810-48G 48Port Gigabit switch, which is connected (via 4 xlink aggregated ports) to a 3Com Switch 4200G 24-Port , the 3com switch has all our users connected to is plus it is connected (via 2 x link aggregated ports ) to an Xserve (last model) which in turn has two fibre channel links to an Xserve RAID, the HP switch has all other network devices such as printers, router, NAS.

LAN traffic can vary, being a design agency there can be large image files being transfered

That rules out my thoughts (I hope) that some devices were connected directly to the router and there was a large amount of traffic being pushed through the switch - hopefully the 3com and HP are switching correctly and all data is being managed at that level and only DHCP server requests and external network access uses the link to the router and out to the web.

Of teh overnight stalls - are there any automated processes, backup, imaging, caching mail sever dumps &c that are scheduled for those times?

JUst had a look at the current/live graph - and you certainly have a lot of network access going on during the day which obviously uses router resource - does make me wonder if there is an overload happening.

kevinneal · ‎27-02-2012

I can't think of anything happening at those times, backups are to a local NAS at 9pm.

I don't know if this makes any difference be DHCP is turned off on the router because our Xserve is providing DHCP.

As you can see for our graph the freezes have been really bad today, since about 12:30, I can see everyones desktop from my laptop and they have only been normal browsing nothing heavy and not all at the same time, and there hasn't been any FTP activity today so its not people downloading from us.

I'm reall at a loss to explain this, a line problem has been ruled out (the line has never gone down except when we have physically disconnected or reboot the router), our network has been ruled out because I pluged directly into the router with no other wired or wireless connection and it still froze, and we have swapped the hardware. I was going to request another modem but I don't think its that because why would the router web admin page become unresponsive

http://www.thinkbroadband.com/ping/share/cdbfc2e7a753be39e8eb29722fc7217d.html

MHC · ‎27-02-2012

So, you've blown my thoughts out of the water! At least you can be reasonably sure it is not connected with traffic levels.

A couple of other things to try.

Disconnnect the router from the modem - I know it is a busy time during the day but you need to find out what is happening. Leave it disconnected for an hour and see if there is any freeze on your local network. The TBB monitor might go fully red, if it does, ignore it, if it does not, see if there are any occurences. Monotoring your local netwrok will point to 2700 or modem.

How is the modem positioned? Flat or on edge or screwed to a wall? Is it warm/hot to the touch?

kevinneal · ‎27-02-2012

Ok disconnected modem from router for an hour, TBB graph went solid red, I left a contiuous local ping running to the router and it didn't freeze up while there was no internet activity. Modem is flat, router is in its stand sitting vertically, neither feel warm.

Just to clarify, our whole network doesn't freeze, just internet activitly and web admin connection / ping to the router.

And since reconnecting less than 2 minutes ago the local ping to the router has just timed out again, so it only happens when there is internet traffic by the look of it

kevinneal · ‎27-02-2012