tiscali [talk talk] connectivity..... june 2010

[vb303]

my mother has a connection problem, has existed on and off for a few weeks but now she has no broadband access.

the speedtouch usb modem seems to be working ok- both green lights on.

when she connects she either gets a notification that connection succesful and an indication of a 6 megabit connection but browsing is either painfully slow or non-existant or when she connects it sits at authentication for a minute before failing and then re-trying..... pop3 mail retrieval is either very slow or fails.

talktalk 'support' have been no help - i spent an hour on the phone last week to first line support who..

1: insisted i created a new dialer [even though the existing one worked] to the same settings as the existing one.
2: they did a line test and found no problems.
3: got funny with me when they asked me to turn off the modem, wait and then switch it back on again and i explained [again] it was a usb modem and had no switches!
4: during one of [many] reboots, and i explained my mums laptop wasn't as fast as modern windows 7 machines, the support person then went to great lengths to advise me that the modem wouldn't work on windows 7.... i pretty much had to tellthemtoshut up and listen and maybe take note that they had allready taken the details of the o/s fromme and it was xp!!.
5: tried a winsock catalogue reset via a dos prompt [why??].

after various other pointless tests [ping, for one, but not ipconfig!!] the support person said it was a job for 2nd line....

who then tried most of the above [fuming, but biting my lip at this point!!] and then said the modem needed re-installing using the tiscali disc...

i said why as the modem was connecting and showed correct lights,etc...

they insisted on sending a new install disc.

made no difference [suprise] when the modem was re-installed.

sorry for such a long post but basically, my mother has no broadband, and i do not believe the issue is with her laptop.

i looked at the talktalk official forum and it seems this problem is common at present?

p.s. it has all worked fine for 3 years until the past few weeks.

thanks.

steve g.

[tommy t]

From what i can gather you have been transfered from tiscali to talktalk,
have they not offered to send out a router foc?
As the speed touch st300 usb modem isn't the best device for receiving adsl signals,It without the dr speedtouch s/w will not show the line stats either user name and password may need updating,so may some other settings, that are associated with the connecting settings

[Austin_KW]

Try a different usb port.
You may want to try a new modem/router, these things do burn out, cables degrade etc.

Also new filter, and connect at master test socket, for same reason.

[vb303]

replies to the 2 responses...

hi - the laptop has only one port. the port is working fine, the modem is plugged in to the master socket - has been for 3 years - personally i believe it is fault at talktalk ends as many others reported same problem on official talktalk forum.

interested in your comment that when we were moved to talktalk, no router was supplied - was this the case for others?

thanks, steve.

[tommy t]

I don't know, but if you entered into a new contract term as a result then they should of supplied you with a router,it comes with the package to new customers, according to their unwanted mail shots ring their support and ask them for a router,surprised they haven't sent one out just to rule out the trusty speed touch, i still have mine from my unfortunate experience with tiscali, and it works! although it does not support adsl2 +

are you connected to tt 's llu network, upto24mb ? if so then that modem is not compatible as it will only support adsl g.dmt upto 8128kbps (8mb)speed, so that could be the reason, do you have your telephone with tt as well?
if so it maybe they have moved your connection onto their equipment at the exchange (LLU) and will be on adsl2+ by default

[vb303]

ring their support - aaarrgggh!!
seriously, thanks, tommy for the reply.
as far as i know it's not the llu network and definitely not 24mbit - max i've seen is 6mbit.
telephone is not with tt.
p.s. talktalk official forum is full of recent comments about line and authentication drops.
steve.

[silver]

it's a difficult one if you have just one laptop connected as it's harder to work out if the issue is with the laptop or with the connection itself

personally I would buy an adsl router / modem, that will take a load off the laptop as you can connect to the router via wireless or ethernet,. I guess it doesn't help much your problem but it does provide a nice firewall for the laptop and it will allow the laptop to run more smoothly (usb modems are not very efficient)

I guess to address your issue directly, I would get another laptop or PC and connect it to the usb modem (or something better) and see what happens,. then you can rule out the laptop if the issue persists

[tommy t]

as far as i know it's not the llu network and definitely not 24mbit - max i've seen is 6mbit.
telephone is not with tt

Well even their essentials package is upto 24mb(on LLU) but what the top speed is over the bt network, ? it still could be 21cn upto 20mb that is also adsl2+
just because to are not seeing speeds of more that 8mb doesn't 100% mean you aren't connected to such a service that can supply more than 8mb

Yes the auth (PPP session ) issues are fairly common knowledge,

[vb303]

cheers for the replies, guys.

last night i emailed their support and advised if i didn't hear back within 24 hours, we were moving to another supplier.

they suprisingly replied 3 hours later saying they were looking into it.

they still refuse to admit there are common problems on tt at present.

mmmmmmmm!

Hi

I'm not even with Talk Talk .. But still had to suffer the flamin ( PPP ) Authentication disconnections.

My ISP is AOL
After starting a new Upto 24mbps contract with AOL on the 21st April 2010... My Nightmare Began

How could I be suffering the authentication problem?
Coz...
Talk Talk owns AOL
We are all connected to the same Network.

See Here For Proof: http://www.talktalkmembers.com/forum...ad.php?t=45093


Talk Talk - Announcement : http://www.talktalkmembers.com/forum...ad.php?t=44910

Since 21st April 2010 ... Disconnections almost every day.

For the last 3 days...Constant Disconnections!
Then...
After the announcement on the Talk Talk forum... Disconnections Suddenly Stopped!
Until...
18:18:36 ( 6.18pm ) .. Had another Disconnection!

Also... Had a couple more since

Just hope these disconnections are a result of TalkTalk/AOL still playing around.

Just had another while typing this.
LCP Down | LCP Up
Internet Light On Router - RED

[vb303]

just spoke to tt - welcome to have a modemrouter freeif sign up for 18 months.

18 months of what though - 18 months of support calls??

steve.

[Austin_KW]

I would not sign up for 18 months if the problems are still outstanding.

I have seen on the support forums where they sent out "test" routers to people who were having problems.

[Zoejoe]

Hi

Although I can't log in coz I'm with AOL not Talk Talk...
I've spent enough time reading the Talk Talk forum this last few months Trying to figure out what's causing the disconnections.
But I can say a few good things that I've noticed about the Talk Talk forum...
1) The staff will do there best to help.
2) They will send you out a new router if they think you need one

As for them fixing the authentication disconnection problem...
Rebooted my router this morning just thinking it might help ( Not sure how like! )
Still... The Disconnections Continue

Zoe

[vb303]

hi zoe - tt are not helpful and they flatly refuse to send out replacement routers!
steve.

[vb303]

cheers austin - no intention of signing up to those idiots - funnt enough they did offer bb at 9.99 a month as opposed to 14.99 if we signed up!

[vb303]

update- managed to connect this morning for 10 mins - but when tried a download [wanted to upgrade av software] the connection dropped within seconds of the download starting.

no luck since, not even connection.

steve.

[Zoejoe]

Hi


Phoning up Talk Talk is very unlikely to get you a new router.
But...
Have you tried asking on the Talk Talk forum for a new router?

Just tell them your router is old and giving you problems.
If you read some of the threads on the Talk Talk Forum: http://www.talktalkmembers.com/forums/index.php
Have a read through the Broadband Connection & Stability section: http://www.talktalkmembers.com/forum...splay.php?f=37
You'll see that they're constantly sending new routers to people.

[vb303]

cheers zoe but we tried many times to join the forum but when we insert our account number [one that starts with a 'U' - as per instructions] it says number wrong and to use the account for our tt phone instead - we don't have their phone!!

i guess it is because we came across from tiscali.

steve.

[Zoejoe]

Hi


When you were transferred over from Tiscali to Talk Talk... Did Talk Talk send you New router settings?

Perhaps it would be worth just buying a new router
You don't have to have one supplied by Talk Talk.
In Fact! .. I always prefer to use my own that I've bought myself.

To make life just that little bit easier for you...
Might be worth getting a router that they already provide instructions for: http://help.talktalk.co.uk/app/answe...32/r_id/113152

[vb303]

hi zoe, thanks for the suggestions but..

1: everything was fine until 2 weeks ago.

2: there are no settings changes required for tiscali users on tt.

3: mum does not have a router, i appreciate the advantages including a hardware firewall and wireless but she has a great software firewall, does not need wireless, her laptop is on a desk next to her main bt socket and tiscali supplied modem [tust me,you wouldn't want my mum moving a laptop around the house - she would drop it, bless her, she's 70 but has always been clumsy!

4: personally i do not see why she should spend money on things she does not need and cannot afford - she is paying tiscali for the service but not getting it!

p.s. i could set up any router if needed, i actually work in i.t. and have even hacked locked bt routers for use on non-bt broadband systems i used in the past! this is another reason tt annoy me - i had to listen and try various pointless checks and changes when i spoke to themon my mums behalf.

cheers!

steve.

[Zoejoe]

Hi

Not sure what else to suggest then
However!
I can tell you that the disconnection problem that Talk Talk claim to have Fixed....
They certainly haven't fixed it here ( My Exchange ) where I live
Perhaps they have only fixed the exchanges they were told about.
No Talk Talk Members have reported my local Exchange - & - I can't tell them coz I'm with AOL and not able to join the Talk Talk Forum.
OR
Perhaps they are still rolling out the Fix
But if that's the case they shouldn't have said...

We have now fully rolled out a fix to address the authentication issues. Customers should have now noticed an improvement in service.

Mind You!
" Improvement In Service " .. Does not mean the same thing as... NO Disconnections

[tommy t]

My advice would be to firstly see here (if you are able to)>broadband checker enter the required details and have a look what is available to you in particular LLU providers in your exchange, the known good ones are Sky/Easynet o2/BE ( LLU only )if you are lucky enough to have them, (Don't take the 02 access or the sky equivalent package as they are not LLU and are bt based shaped and capped services) then i would give some serious thoughts to switching to any of those isp's they apart from BE all do telephone as well, sky fully unbundle (FMPF LLU) where as o2 don't your line would stay with bt, and Be is supposed to be launching home pone service in September this year, check their web pages for details, also with o2/be there are cash backs on offer with o2 it can cost you even less than you are paying ttt at the moment for the 1st year with the cash back, but if you are currently fully llu'd then you would need to have a bt line before you could get bb with those isp's so would have to return to donor (bt) first , but ttt are dire seriously getaway from them if you can ,asap as nothing will improve things will get worse, they have clearly too many customers, and a lack of even basic support

[vb303]

here's an update...

my mum called to say it was working - got her to send a remote help request and i remote controlled her laptop and did a quick check....

send and receive pop3 / smtp ok - web browsing ok.

but.... the moment i tried a download of a file from a secure site the link immediately dropped as soon as a few k of data was received.

modem still showing 2 greens - tiscali speedtouch icon indicated still connected!!

steve.

[vb303]

same today - it seems the minute any downloading of files other than a few k, the connection drops and it takes hours before can re-connnect.

steve g.

[Zoejoe]

Hi

Re...

cheers zoe but we tried many times to join the forum but when we insert our account number [one that starts with a 'U' - as per instructions] it says number wrong and to use the account for our tt phone instead - we don't have their phone!!

i guess it is because we came across from tiscali.

steve.

Originally Posted by vb303

Just Found This: http://www.talktalkmembers.com/forum...ad.php?t=45586

[silver]

hi zoe, thanks for the suggestions but..

1: everything was fine until 2 weeks ago.

2: there are no settings changes required for tiscali users on tt.

3: mum does not have a router, i appreciate the advantages including a hardware firewall and wireless but she has a great software firewall, does not need wireless, her laptop is on a desk next to her main bt socket and tiscali supplied modem [tust me,you wouldn't want my mum moving a laptop around the house - she would drop it, bless her, she's 70 but has always been clumsy!

4: personally i do not see why she should spend money on things she does not need and cannot afford - she is paying tiscali for the service but not getting it!

p.s. i could set up any router if needed, i actually work in i.t. and have even hacked locked bt routers for use on non-bt broadband systems i used in the past! this is another reason tt annoy me - i had to listen and try various pointless checks and changes when i spoke to themon my mums behalf.

cheers!

steve.

Originally Posted by vb303

that's cool, I would agree no new hardware is required if it can be made to work w/ the existing stuff, the next thing I would do (based on later posts about drops due to downloading stuff) is to split the problem space up by ruleing out which parts it cannot be

put in a router and an unrelated laptop, then download stuff etc and see if the adsl drops

if it works then you know the issue is with what is being connected to the adsl line, else it's something at the ISP causing the issue

[vb303]

interestingly, it's clear that tt have authentication issues, maybe due to being at full capacity but still allowing more to join....

i have set my pop3 mail client to receive my mothers tiscali mail on her n=behalf while the problems she has continue.

if i download pop3 mail from her tiscali account and then attempt to log onto her account via a web browser, to look at the webmail version, or to check her bill, etc, the authentication fails with incorrect password [it's not wrong, trust me!!] and only after a long delay, often 20 mins, will authentication succeed.

the same occurs if have logged into webmail and then later tried to download pop3 mail.

also, when my mother was successful connecting at home, and i then downloaded her pop3 mail, her session dropped.

i've never come across a system that allows only 1 session at one time with a long delay after logging off before a new session is allowed.

TRY RUNNING THAT ONE PAST THE MUPPETS AT TALKTALK, WHO ARE ''SO PLEASED TO BE HELPING ME'' or so their script goes!!!!

steve.

[vb303]

I contacted the CEO of TT last night and he emailed back very quickly -he put his ''Jeopardy Agent'' [what the ......?] who then got back to me saying was not in TT control as was a Tiscali issue [didn't TT buy Tiscali??] but would ensure it was escalated.

I received a call from a support person [without wanting to sound rascist, english was not his first language] who basically wanted to start again with details of mothers setup, etc... and ''try some things''.

That was it for me.

We are leaving TT.

Thanks for everyone on here's help.

Steve.