Broadband Fault Guide

Guide to submitting Broadband Faults

In order to submit a broadband fault we must provide the relevant information and cover the first line diagnostics. As a service provider in order to provide your customer with the best possible experience we would recommend you complete the relevant checks and obtain the required information at the earliest opportunity.

The first step with broadband faults is to establish if the fault is with the broadband service or the underlying Analogue Telephone line. If you test the line with an analogue telephone or other device and are unable to get a dial tone of detect noise on the line a WLR fault may need to be raised.

The key elements to assisting your customer is the most efficient way are as followsAsk the customer to reboot the router and check cabling is inserted correctly (also reboot the Openreach modem if this is a FTTC service)

Confirm the fault type - Check the Status of the lights on the router and the details of each fault type
Complete Troubleshooting
Request diagnostics from Nimans if necessary
Ensure all relevant information is provided and the fault template is included in your reply.
Nimans will either remotely resolve the issue or arrange the next available appointment for an engineer to attend site.

It is essential for faults to be submitted to us on a ticket to ensure we have all the information required to assist you and you can keep you updated on the issue.

The best way to resolve an issue with broadband is to perform all first line checks at the earliest opportunity with the customer failure to do so will likely cause delays.

Basic Troubleshooting

Questions

Make sure the customers PC, LAN or other devices are not preventing the customer from accessing their connectivity.

Does the connection work if plugged to a port directly on the router? It would indicate the Local network is at fault.

Are multiple devices having the issue or is it just one? If one device is having a problem and other are working it would suggest just this device has the issue and not the internet.

What is the light status on the router? Please indicate this on your ticket

Does a reboot clear the issue? First step should always be to reboot all equipment.

Tests

Can you ping the customers IP address? (Please note the router must be configured to respond to pings)
If the router allows remote access can you get to the admin page by tying the IP address in a browser? If so this would should the connection and router are still online and there is a problem with the customers LAN or devices connected.

Can the customer ping a website or an IP address from their PC? Is a DNS issue?
You can access more information on using the ping command in the article Using Ping To Test Connectivity

Confirm the fault type

There are four common fault types that can impact the Broadband connection

No Sync - A Broadband user isn’t able to establish a connection to the Exchange
No Point to Point Protocol (PPP) - The Broadband router is unable to establish a connection to the Network
Intermittent Connection - Dropping Sync or PPP
Performance (Speed Issues) - the user is not getting the speed expected

No Sync - A Broadband user isn’t able to establish a connection to the Exchange

In most cases the "ADSL" or "DSL" light on the Broadband router will either be off, flashing or solid red First Line Troubleshooting Dial tone Check there isn't a telephony line fault. Internal wiring Check the Broadband router is connected via the DSL filter or fitted face plate on the wall socket. Phone line Check that the Broadband router is connected to the correct telephone number. Router configuration Check the Broadband router has not been factory reset and lost the required configuration. Faulty hardware Replace the DSL filter and Broadband router.
Dial tone

Plug a standard analogue phone other analogue device such as fax or test equipment into the master socket to ensure there is a dial tone. If you do not get a dial tone a Voice – WLR – Fault should be logged.

Internal wiring

Ensure all relevant cabling and infrastructure between the router the line (e.g. Micro Filter, RJ11 patch cable) and also cabling to associated equipment (for example RJ45) is not faulty.
The article Testing Wiring for Broadband and Analogue Lines will help you diagnose issues on the customer’s internal wiring.

Phone line

Is a dial tone present? - If not then this should be logged as a Line Rental fault with the relevant provider.

Is the broadband connected to the correct line?
If you dial 17070 from a handset connected to the line it will confirm the phone number you are connected to or you can ring another phone with caller ID to confirm this the article Performing a Quiet Line Test or BT test service will provide more detail on this.

Router configuration

Check to ensure that the router has been configured correctly you are sent the correct configuration details when the service is handed over or you can log a ticket to us to obtain the information. If you need more guidance on accessing the router to check the config the article Broadband Passwords / Router Admin Access will help and also Router Emulators. Nimans network services do no offer technical support on the routers just the broadband service you can contact the manufacturer of the router for advice on how to access and configure.

Faulty hardware Router

We would recommend having a pool of routers you can arrange for a customer’s site and test you can also ask the customer to test another router if they have one available. If you are using a fibre connection which has a BT Openreach Modem you can test with a PC to confirm if the router is an issue the article FTTC Connections Diagnostics: Creating a PPPoE connection in Windows will help with this

No Sync – Fault Template

Following your troubleshooting if it leads to the conclusion you need to refer for an engineer visit or further diagnostics from Openreach then please complete the following form and paste this in your ticket.

No Sync – Fault Template

Circuit Details:

Telephone number:
Username:

Hardware Checks:

Has the customer got a Present and Clear Dial Tone?
Has the customer got a solid power light on their router?
What lights are currently on the router?
Is the router connected via a DSL filter? Are all other devices connected to the telephone line connected via a DSL filter?
Is the router connected at the Master Telephone? Or the Test Socket if available?
Has an alternate DSL filter been tried?
Is the customer using the supplied router?
Has an alternate router and cable been tried?

Customer Details: (For BT OpeanReach Purposes Only)

Contact Name:
Contact Telephone Number:
Any special customer requirements:
Site Availability:

Any additional information that would be helpful to resolve the fault:

No Point to Point Protocol (PPP) - The Broadband router is unable to establish a connection to the Network

The Broadband router is unable to establish a connection to the Network
The “ADSL” or “DSL” light should be solid green
The “Internet” or “PPP” light will either be off, flashing or red

Things to check Router configuration Check the router has the correct configuration information along with the correct username and password. Factory reset router Wipe the configuration and run through the router setup process. Faulty hardware Replace the Broadband router. Login status Make sure the username has not been incorrectly disabled. Circuit configuration Test the connection using the test login details: Username: bt_test@startup_domain Password: adsl Router configuration

Check to ensure that the router has been configured correctly you are sent the correct configuration details when the service is handed over or you can log a ticket to us to obtain the information. If you need more guidance on accessing the router to check the config the article Broadband Passwords / Router Admin Access will help and also Router Emulators. Nimans network services do no offer technical support on the routers just the broadband service you can contact the manufacturer of the router for advice on how to access and configure.

Factory reset router

This is usually done by inserting a pin into the reset hole or a button combination. You can obtain further guidance on this from the website of the router manufacturer.

Faulty hardware

We would recommend having a pool of routers you can arrange for a customer’s site and test you can also ask the customer to test another router if they have one available. If you are using a fibre connection which has a BT Openreach Modem you can test with a PC to confirm if the router is an issue the article FTTC Connections Diagnostics: Creating a PPPoE connection in Windows will help with this

Circuit configuration

Test the connection using the test login details:
Username: bt_test@startup_domain Password: adsl
If you need more guidance on accessing the router to check the config the article Broadband Passwords / Router Admin Access will help and also Router Emulators. Nimans network services do no offer technical support on the routers just the broadband service you can contact the
manufacturer of the router for advice on how to access and configure.

No PPP - Fault Template

Following your troubleshooting if it leads to the conclusion you need to refer for an engineer visit or further diagnostics from Openreach then please complete the following form and paste this in your ticket.
Circuit Details:

Telephone number:
Username:

Diagnostic & Hardware Checks:

Has the customer got a solid power light on their router?
What lights are currently on the router?
Has the router been checked for correct configuration, including correct Username and Password?
Has the router been factory reset and then reconfigured? (CARE this will wipe router configuration)
Is the customer using the supplied router?
Has an alternate router been tested on the connection?
Have the BT Test Username and Password been tested on the circuit?
- Username: bt_test@startup_domain
- Password: adsl
Please ensure that Test Username has been removed and standard username has been reconfigured in router.

Customer Details: (For BT OpenReach Purposes Only)

Contact Name:
Contact Telephone Number:
Any customer special requirements:
Site Availability:

Any additional information that would be helpful to resolve the fault:

Intermittent Connection - Dropping Sync or PPP

Intermittent sync is where the router will sync but is unstable and drops sync.
Could be happening due to any number of the following:

Dropping Sync
Dropping PPP
Dropping Wireless Network

Drop Patterns

Check what times or day of the week the service drops. It could help to identify the cause.
Try and get logs from the router or ask the end customer to make a note. Nimans can provide the RADIUS logs which will show you when the broadband service went down and you can compare this to the logs you have from the router or customer.

Idle Timeout

Routers can disconnect if the connection is idle. Ensure this option is disabled.
If you need more guidance on accessing the router to check the config the article Broadband Passwords / Router Admin Access will help and also Router Emulators. Nimans network services do no offer technical support on the routers just the broadband service you can contact the manufacturer of the router for advice on how to access and configure.

Electrical Interference

Devices which emit radio and electrical interference could cause a connection to drop. We have the article REIN and SHINE - Noise from Radio Signals which can assist you with these types of issue. An issue such as this cannot be resolved by Nimans or the broadband provider and the end customer may need to take steps to address the issue such as eliminating the source or moving the router and termination to a location where it is not subject to the interference.

Noisy Line

If the copper line has noise on it this can cause the broadband to drop. You can ask the customer to perform a quiet line test by calling 17070 the article Performing a Quiet Line Test or BT test service can help with this and you should also ensure customer wiring is not the issue by testing the master socket the article Testing Wiring for Broadband and Analogue Lines will help with this. Please bear in mind after changing the router/filter, cables etc you will need to leave a period of time to monitor we recommend at least 24hrs to ensure fault is resolved or not.

Intermittent – Fault Template

Following your troubleshooting if it leads to the conclusion you need to refer for an engineer visit or further diagnostics from Openreach then please complete the following form and paste this in your ticket.

Circuit Details:

Telephone number:
Username:

Hardware Checks:

Has the customer got a Present and Clear Dial Tone?
Has the customer got a solid power light on their router?
What lights are currently on the router?
Is the router connected via a DSL filter? Are all other devices connected to the telephone line connected via a DSL filter?
Could this possibly be a wireless connectivity issue?
Do the drops appear to be time related? Are there any patterns to the drops?
Is the router connected at the Master Telephone? Or the Test Socket if available?
Has an alternate DSL filter been tried?
Is the customer using the supplied router?
Has an alternate router and cable been tried?

Customer Details: (For BT OpenReach Purposes Only)

Contact Name:
Contact Telephone Number:
Any customer special requirements:
Site Availability:

Any additional information that would be helpful to resolve the fault:
Performance (Speed Issues) - the user is not getting the speed expected

If a connection speed is not performing as expected check to see if the customer is using the service as a wireless or wired service
Internal interference can slow down a wireless connection

Things to check

Speed Test

http://speedtest.btwholesale.com/ perform this speed test with a PC connected to the router from a LAN port with an Ethernet patch cable. You should disconnect any other devices from the router and turn wireless off to get a true measure of the speed. If a test is conducted whilst other devices are in use the speed test will only provide a measure of the bandwidth available to the individual device not the connection overall. Please include the results of the speed test on your fault ticket if possible a speed test will help.

Check the correct speed

You should search for the number on http://www.nimans.net/main/nimans-network-services/broadband-checker to confirm what speed should be expected if the customer is getting dramatically less speed than expected it may be possible to log a fault. If the speed is only slightly outside that expected it will most likely not possible to log a fault as For all ADSL and WBC Fibre to the Cabinet (FTTC or WBC SOGEA) services, the stable line rate will be determined during the first 10 days of service usage. Throughput/download speeds will be less than line rates and can be affected by a number of factors within and external to BT's network, Communication Providers' networks and within customer premises.

Issue onsite

The vast majority of speed issues are attributed to issues with devices onsite saturating the bandwidth one device is taking up all the bandwidth giving other users the impression of slow speed. Ensure the test is conducted with only one device connected to establish this as you can compare this to the customers speed when all devices are connected. Some routers allow you to see what individual devices are using.

Noisy Line

If the copper line has noise on it this can cause the broadband to drop. You can ask the customer to perform a quiet line test by calling 17070 the article Performing a Quiet Line Test or BT test service can help with this and you should do this using the NTE5 test socket as per the Faulty Internal Wiring section.

Faulty Internal Wiring

Ensure customer wiring is not the issue by testing the master socket the article Testing Wiring for Broadband and Analogue Lines will help with this. Please bear in mind after changing the router/filter, cables etc you will need to leave a period of time to monitor we recommend at least 24hrs to ensure fault is resolved or not.

Following your troubleshooting if it leads to the conclusion you need to refer for an engineer visit or further diagnostics from Openreach then please complete the following form and paste this in your ticket.
Slow Performance – Fault Template

Following your troubleshooting if it leads to the conclusion you need to refer for an engineer visit or further diagnostics from Openreach then please complete the following form and paste this in your ticket.

Circuit Details:

Telephone number:
Username:

Diagnostic & Hardware Checks:

Does the issue appear to be with Sync Speeds or with Throughput?
If the issue appears to be Slow Sync or Errors please complete standard hardware checks as per No Sync faults.
Is the customer connected wirelessly or via Ethernet cable?
Carry out a Speed Test from http://speedtest.btwholessale.com with an Ethernet connection. Please provide the result.
Is the router set to respond to external ping requests? Is there any packet loss?
Check the issue is not with the PC or device, e.g. Is there any software on the PC or device that might be slowing the connection down?
Is the customer using the supplied router?
Has an alternate router been tried?

Customer Details: (For BT OpenReach Purposes Only)

Contact Name:
Contact Telephone Number:
Any special customer requirements:
Site Availability:

Any additional information that would be helpful to resolve the fault:

Other Issues

Email

In some cases email can be treated as SPAM in error a good website to assist you with this is http://mxtoolbox.com/ two ways Nimans can assist is firstly to add an rDNS entry you can obtain further guidance on this from the article rDNS - reverse DNS entries

In some cases the server email is rejected due to the issues with the server resolving to the IP address. You can use the SMTP server we have set up for our primary broadband service of smtp.btbroadbandcomplete.com

Please note Nimans are unable to offer technical support of advice on email issues we would recommend you conduct some research or obtain advice from the company supporting email for you or your customer before electing any of the above options.

Quality of Service (QoS)

This will help you segment traffic on the customer’s connection and prioritise what is more important. For example you can say that all traffic for www.google.co.uk is prioritised. Any traffic going to the Directors PC’s IP address take precedence over other traffic. This can be done by protocol as well so for example traffic using SIP protocol commonly used for VoIP services.

Nimans Diagnostics

The diagnostics which are offered do not replace the first line diagnostics they can sometimes assist in confirming if the diagnostics you have already performed are correct or further validate your theory. We are unable to proceed based on these diagnostics solely in the decision to send an engineer. The diagnostics can help point you in the direction of the first place to check but in the vast majority of cases the quickest way to resolve a broadband issue is to perform all first line checks on the initial call with the customer.

Knowledge Based Diagnostics

The KBD, or Knowledge Based Diagnostic, is a group of tests designed to check every part of a connection. The KBD will run tests based on information you provide and the results of historical tests performed.
The results of our testing will show as follows
Here is an explanation of what the various Sub tests mean
Test Notes Local Access Network The Local Access Network check shows up to a month's broadband data. DLM Profile Data The DLM Profile Data check provides historical DLM profile and speed change information for a circuit. IP Connectivity The IP connectivity check shows which username, if any, is in use by the connection. Performance Test This displays performance test results run on the BT Speed test site (http://speedtest.btwholesale.com/) by the End User. Status Check The Status Check will show how fast a customer's modem/router and the exchange can communicate. IP Test The IP Check shows further details from the IP Connectivity check. Cu Line Test The Cu, or Copper, Line Test checks the telephone line. If a fault is found it needs to be raised to the telephony provider. TAM Network Test The TAM tests the connection between the exchange and the ISP. Manage Associates This test shows any outages which may have caused a customer's fault.
RADIUS Logs

Radius logs will show a history of the connection connectivity. Every time a connection connects or disconnects it is logged, and the Radius logs can be vital to determining the cause of connectivity problems.
Nimans can provide historical Radius Logs spanning custom date periods up to 60 days across 2 months.
Nimans will provide RADIUS logs in response to a fault you log with us if you request them through a data/broadband request
If you want to view historical logs please let us know the date 'From' and 'To' if you do not indicate a preference we will provide these based on the query you have submitted.

The Radius servers log connection activity and the logs will include a new row for every event.
Each row will include the timestamp of the event and various other bits of information about the event as detailed below:
Event: The event will be one of three types of event the Radius server's log:

Start events are logged when a connection authenticates with the Radius Servers. A Start event is logged every time a connection connects.
Alive events signify a connection is still connected; these events are logged every 1 hour if a connection is still online.
Stop events are logged when a connection disconnects. Stop events will include an accompanying message containing more information as to the cause of the disconnection.

Message: If there is a message accompanying the event then it will be displayed here. Messages can often give vital information about why an event has occurred, allowing you to determine what the cause of disconnects might be.
Duration: The duration column reports the time between this event and the previous one. Starts will always have this field blank as they indicate the start of a new session. Alive events should be 1hr apart. If you see multiple Alive events with alternating intervals it can indicate that the same username is connected twice.
Username: The username column will match the connection you are currently viewing. Radius logs show whether a connection username is authenticated, NOT if the line has a valid PPP session.
IP Address: The IP address column will show the WAN IP address assigned to the connection username. For connections with dynamic IPs you will see this change every time a connection disconnects and reconnects. For connections with a static IP set this should not change.
Subnet: The CIDR mask for the WAN IP range is displayed here.

DL MB (download): This column shows the total MB downloaded between the timestamp of this row and that of the previous row.
UL MB (upload): This column shows the total MB uploaded between the timestamp of this row and that of the previous row.

Below the Radius Logs there is a summary table which gives an overview of the results for the time period you have selected. Pay particular attention to the last two fields, 'Holding context' and 'Dual Sessions'.
If either of these fields say 'Yes', and are highlighted red then it indicates a major problem with the connection.
Dual sessions
This occurs when the same username is connected more than once - normally when you have accidentally connected a router with the same details to another line. This can cause problems with internet connectivity and will cause usage to count incorrectly.
Holding context
Holding context is when the router has repeatedly failed authentication. The connection is placed into a holding state and the connection will have no access to the internet.
The usage reported by Radius includes everything the BRAS sees including certain overheads so it may not match exactly with your primary usage reports.

ATTACHMENTS

nimans broadband fault guide.docx (206.04 KB)