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Engineer Still Unable To Fix Despite New Hardware..

For quickest resolution before the next engineer arrives you need to prove the issues still occur when a single device is connected over wired ethernet directly to the Linksys router. Then theres no further conversation needed on wifi performance/channels or local environment.
Can confirm this is an issue now. Hopefully still a problem when he arrives tomorrow morning!
 
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We are potentially in business...I explained everything that had gone before and why I thought it might be external, notably that the guy who came on Friday (who didn't impress me) changed all the hardware and checked cables and said it was fine and fixed...

He said he still wanted to check for himself and is his view, the cable was delivering power outside of the acceptable range. It was only just outside but he said if that's the reading the last guy got, he should have changed it, but it's a fiddly task and so maybe he couldn't be bothered. But it definitely should have been fixed, especially with the issues I was having. So, he respliced the optical cable in the wallplate a couple of times until he was happy with it - reading went from about -26.7 to about -19, with the acceptable range being above (below) -25. So, he is convinced this will fix it. It's only been a few minutes since he left, but the speedtest readings are already better than they were before (even when it was "working") so fingers crossed we are in business.

More than that he actually listened, didn't dismiss my testing and comments and explained why and what he was doing, which goes a long way to great customer service! He said he will personally message me on Friday to see how it has gone until then. Fingers crossed!!
 
We are potentially in business...I explained everything that had gone before and why I thought it might be external, notably that the guy who came on Friday (who didn't impress me) changed all the hardware and checked cables and said it was fine and fixed...

He said he still wanted to check for himself and is his view, the cable was delivering power outside of the acceptable range. It was only just outside but he said if that's the reading the last guy got, he should have changed it, but it's a fiddly task and so maybe he couldn't be bothered. But it definitely should have been fixed, especially with the issues I was having. So, he respliced the optical cable in the wallplate a couple of times until he was happy with it - reading went from about -26.7 to about -19, with the acceptable range being above (below) -25. So, he is convinced this will fix it. It's only been a few minutes since he left, but the speedtest readings are already better than they were before (even when it was "working") so fingers crossed we are in business.

More than that he actually listened, didn't dismiss my testing and comments and explained why and what he was doing, which goes a long way to great customer service! He said he will personally message me on Friday to see how it has gone until then. Fingers crossed!!
Great update, hope this is it! In fibre optics I always thought it either worked or it didn’t but I’m sure there is plenty scope for very weird / narrow issues. All the facts pointed to cable issue or issue at the pole so I think this fits the bill. As for the unpredictability of the fault and its comings and goings my educated guess is that it could have been a spec of dust affecting the light beam. Maybe it would heat up at times and move and that’s why it would come and go. Anyway good for you for sticking around and dealing with the “bad people” until you found a good one. It pays dividends to run things till the end. Not just in technical knowledge but also in sharing with others and making the world a better place!
 
in fibre optics I always thought it either worked or it didn’t
There's definitely an area at the low end of reception where errors are generated and throughput affected but the link remains connected.

On a 100km 10gig link a patch interface slowly deteriorated over the course of several months:
1707217870738.png

Towards the end with the link running at -26dBm before it got fixed, speeds on the 10gig were down to only about 600mbps.
After the patch lead was cleaned or replaced the signal went to -17dBm.
(The temperature on the EDFA (booster) also reduced from 50degrees C to 28degrees C).
 
There's definitely an area at the low end of reception where errors are generated and throughput affected but the link remains connected.
This might make sense as well because the router was still showing as a green light most of the time...despite upload being about 0.8Mbps and Internet pretty much unusable!

Still amazed it can cause that much of an issue!
 
Great update, hope this is it! In fibre optics I always thought it either worked or it didn’t but I’m sure there is plenty scope for very weird / narrow issues. All the facts pointed to cable issue or issue at the pole so I think this fits the bill. As for the unpredictability of the fault and its comings and goings my educated guess is that it could have been a spec of dust affecting the light beam. Maybe it would heat up at times and move and that’s why it would come and go. Anyway good for you for sticking around and dealing with the “bad people” until you found a good one. It pays dividends to run things till the end. Not just in technical knowledge but also in sharing with others and making the world a better place!
Yes, and thanks a lot again to everyone in here who has tried to help, I might still be getting people coming over and asking me to check my WiFi channels if it wasn't for ruling out a few things along the way!
 
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Having worked with fibre in the past, dirty connections, dodgy joints and SFPs can all impact the stability and speed of the connection. Usually these errors would be picked up by checking the OLT port but don’t think this capability exists at CF.

A signal of -20dBM or better will provide an optimum connection. So hopefully your issues are now resolved.
 
Just to add I have been using the new MS teams client and have had audio issues and dropped connections. Zoom on the other hand is rock solid.
 
Interesting, I was generally fine before changing but appreciate some of my more recent issues might be due to a new Teams update. I know most people don't like the software very much.

I've had a good couple of days since Tuesday lunchtime when the engineer left (though wasn't in yesterday). Consistent connection mostly, though a brief teams dropout. I am quite sure the only dropouts have come on WiFi which I don't think should be the case given I'm not that far from the router, but is interesting to note. I find the signal to be worse downstairs than upstairs (router is on the middle floor). I had a bit of a disappointing moment last night when Bet365 didn't open on my app when I was on WiFi (very close to router) but did on 5G. That said, it is not a well optimised app so I could give it the benefit if the doubt as a phone/cache issue. I've also had very small 5-10 second delays with some Webpages but it's a rare occurrence and I'm fine with accepting that if the rest works, but might mention to the engineer in any case. Generally I've found video streaming on my tablet to be solid, which is the best it's been since installation and one of the main reasons I realised something was a bit off, actually (before the first engineer made it worse last week).

I think I'm going to bite the bullet and go for a high quality mesh network, even if it's wireless it will improve the wireless position and should allow for 5Ghz in most places (Linksys router is pushing 2.4Ghz in a combined channel at the moment it seems) which I will wire up when I want to watch remux (say once a fortnight) but a better wireless will help for day to day usage.

I was eyeing up this. Possibly use my existing Asus router as a router, wired to this as the main node and then wireless to the second one of these. Bit pricy but I'm happy to invest if it helps. Anyone got any thoughts please? Thanks again for everyone's help!



Edit literally a minute after this I had the issue browsing (scrolling, sorry!) and did a speed test and got 0.01Mbps down. I moved 15 feet, dropped the WiFi and reconnected and within the space of 10 seconds got 960Mbps down and 920 up. I assume that sounds like a router or WiFi issue?
 
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