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NTL Dublin 15 - This might amuse you

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  • 27-03-2007 9:48pm
    #1
    CrazyRabbit
    Registered Users Posts: 8,659 ✭✭✭


    Just sent to NTL's sales email address:

    =====================

    I've tried 3 more times to get through to your 'helpdeksk'. The line is dropped each time. On the last try, I heard a person laugh before putting me on hold and finally hanging up on me.

    I also sent the below email to your 'customer support' email address 6 days ago and have had no reply yet. Oh what a surprise (please don't miss the sarcasm.)

    So I'm assuming that your helpdesk is staffed by circus clowns and won't bother with them again.

    Now, I'm also assuming that somebody actually works in Sales and is at least fairly competent, since you actually have customers. All I want to know from you is this:

    Who in your company do I need to contact to complain about the pitiful, god-awful, gut-wrenching broadband service and support offered by NTL?

    Never before have I seen such a pitiful excuse for a 'broadband' service and helpdesk. I setup commercial helpdesks for a living, and would be ashamed to the point of suicide if I was responsible for yours. Eircom. the right shower of ejits that they are, are able to offer a marginally better 'dialup' internet service that NTL's so-called 6mb broadband service. How can you sleep at night knowing that you are selling this crap to the public?

    Oh I give up. I'll just buy a carrier pigeon. It's certainly quicker than trying to open gmail using your broadband service...

    Anthony

    Forwarded message
    From: Anthony xxxxxxx <xxxxxxxxxx@gmail.com>
    Date: Wed, 21 Mar 2007 20:17:30 +0000
    Subject: Severe packet loss, slow DNS and non-existent helpdesk support
    To: customer.support@upc.ie

    Hello,

    I have tried 4 times today to call your helpdesk on 1800 321 321 & 01 245
    8600 (option 2, 2). Three times, the call was answered and the person
    immediately hung up. On the 4th try, the call was answered but nobody
    greeted me. Is this some attempt at humor or are you trying to manipulate
    call statistics for the helpdesk by abandoning calls?

    Anyway, back to the matter in hand. Can you confirm if there are any
    network issues in the D15 area, specifically the Roselawn/Delwood area? I
    am currently seeing excessive packet loss on the connection as shown in the
    pings below.

    Also, for several days now at least, the response times from your DNS
    Servers (see ipconfig details below) have been terrible. It is taking on
    average 2-3 seconds to resolve hostnames, either in a browser or a dos ping
    command. Overall bandwidth throughput has been quite varied. In off-peak
    times, the speed was over 5 Mbps, but during peek times, I was seeing speeds
    as low as 1 kbps, but averaging at around ISDN connection speeds (128 kbps).

    I have tried connecting directly to the cable modem instead of using the
    wireless router, but it has made no difference. I am well versed in PC
    Support and configuration, and am 100% sure the configuration settings are
    fine for the PC and the wireless router.

    What's going on?

    I don't know which is worse, the quality of the NTL broadband connection or
    your phone support desk. I never thought I'd say this, but your service is
    actually worse than IrishBroadband.ie, and they are really bad.

    Here is some pings/traces etc and my ipconfig details if you need them:

    Oh, and pings to the gateway are fine, so that rules out most problems on my end.

    C:\WINDOWS>ipconfig /all

    Windows IP Configuration (removed from post for obvious reason)


    Signal Strenght from Wireless router = Very good.


    C:\WINDOWS>tracert www.google.com

    Tracing route to www.l.google.com [216.239.59.99]
    over a maximum of 30 hops:

    1 2 ms 1 ms 1 ms 192.168.1.1
    2 40 ms 17 ms * 10.91.224.1
    3 11 ms * 24 ms 089-101-162065.ntlworld.ie [89.101.162.65]
    4 * * 30 ms dbln-t2core-a-ge-2-2-0-0.aorta.net [
    213.46.165.9]
    5 863 ms 18 ms * nl-ams-rc-02-pos-2-0.chellonetwork.com [
    213.46.160.17]
    6 49 ms 17 ms 22 ms 213.46.174.142
    7 39 ms 18 ms 18 ms 195.66.226.125
    8 24 ms 20 ms 17 ms 72.14.238.242
    9 54 ms 28 ms 32 ms 66.249.95.107
    10 30 ms * 119 ms 64.233.174.185
    11 * 1651 ms 949 ms 216.239.49.126
    12 53 ms 35 ms 28 ms gv-in-f99.google.com [216.239.59.99]

    Trace complete.



    C:\WINDOWS>ping -n 50 www.google.com

    Pinging www.l.google.com [216.239.59.99] with 32 bytes of data:

    Reply from 216.239.59.99: bytes=32 time=27ms TTL=244
    Request timed out.
    Reply from 216.239.59.99: bytes=32 time=29ms TTL=244
    Reply from 216.239.59.99: bytes=32 time=44ms TTL=244
    Reply from 216.239.59.99: bytes=32 time=30ms TTL=244
    Reply from 216.239.59.99: bytes=32 time=29ms TTL=244
    Request timed out.
    Request timed out.
    Reply from 216.239.59.99: bytes=32 time=38ms TTL=244
    Request timed out.
    Reply from 216.239.59.99: bytes=32 time=30ms TTL=244
    Reply from 216.239.59.99: bytes=32 time=31ms TTL=244
    etc
    Ping statistics for 216.239.59.99:
    Packets: Sent = 50, Received = 40, Lost = 10 (20% loss),
    Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
    Minimum = 27ms, Maximum = 72ms, Average = 39ms


    C:\WINDOWS>ping -n 30 www.o2.ie

    Pinging www.o2.ie [62.40.39.196] with 32 bytes of data:

    Reply from 62.40.39.196: bytes=32 time=77ms TTL=242
    Reply from 62.40.39.196: bytes=32 time=77ms TTL=242
    Request timed out.
    Reply from 62.40.39.196: bytes=32 time=2358ms TTL=242
    Request timed out.
    .
    .
    .
    Reply from 62.40.39.196: bytes=32 time=2083ms TTL=242
    Reply from 62.40.39.196: bytes=32 time=47ms TTL=242
    Reply from 62.40.39.196: bytes=32 time=1549ms TTL=242
    Request timed out.
    Request timed out.
    Request timed out.
    Request timed out.
    Request timed out.
    Request timed out.

    Ping statistics for 62.40.39.196:
    Packets: Sent = 30, Received = 21, Lost = 9 (30% loss),
    Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
    Minimum = 40ms, Maximum = 2358ms, Average = 494ms

    Anthony


Comments

  • Options
    #2
    BostonB
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18,056 ✭✭✭✭BostonB


    Check the signal strength on your modem. On the main page, you should see figures for D/S Power Level, D/S SNR and U/S Power Level.


  • Options
    #3
    Sponge Bob
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 25,234 ✭✭✭✭Sponge Bob


    See trace one with his ip in it

    Reply from 89.101.162.65: bytes=32 time=36ms TTL=245
    Reply from 89.101.162.65: bytes=32 time=33ms TTL=245
    Reply from 89.101.162.65: bytes=32 time=38ms TTL=245
    Reply from 89.101.162.65: bytes=32 time=34ms TTL=245
    Reply from 89.101.162.65: bytes=32 time=34ms TTL=245
    Reply from 89.101.162.65: bytes=32 time=32ms TTL=245
    Reply from 89.101.162.65: bytes=32 time=33ms TTL=245
    Reply from 89.101.162.65: bytes=32 time=35ms TTL=245
    Reply from 89.101.162.65: bytes=32 time=33ms TTL=245
    Reply from 89.101.162.65: bytes=32 time=34ms TTL=245
    Reply from 89.101.162.65: bytes=32 time=34ms TTL=245
    Reply from 89.101.162.65: bytes=32 time=36ms TTL=245
    Reply from 89.101.162.65: bytes=32 time=32ms TTL=245
    Reply from 89.101.162.65: bytes=32 time=40ms TTL=245
    Reply from 89.101.162.65: bytes=32 time=38ms TTL=245
    Reply from 89.101.162.65: bytes=32 time=35ms TTL=245
    Reply from 89.101.162.65: bytes=32 time=33ms TTL=245
    Reply from 89.101.162.65: bytes=32 time=31ms TTL=245
    Reply from 89.101.162.65: bytes=32 time=36ms TTL=245
    Reply from 89.101.162.65: bytes=32 time=34ms TTL=245
    Reply from 89.101.162.65: bytes=32 time=72ms TTL=245
    Reply from 89.101.162.65: bytes=32 time=118ms TTL=245
    Reply from 89.101.162.65: bytes=32 time=82ms TTL=245
    Reply from 89.101.162.65: bytes=32 time=104ms TTL=245
    Reply from 89.101.162.65: bytes=32 time=127ms TTL=245
    Reply from 89.101.162.65: bytes=32 time=36ms TTL=245
    Reply from 89.101.162.65: bytes=32 time=34ms TTL=245
    Reply from 89.101.162.65: bytes=32 time=35ms TTL=245
    Reply from 89.101.162.65: bytes=32 time=36ms TTL=245
    Request timed out.
    Reply from 89.101.162.65: bytes=32 time=140ms TTL=245
    Reply from 89.101.162.65: bytes=32 time=149ms TTL=245
    Reply from 89.101.162.65: bytes=32 time=60ms TTL=245
    Reply from 89.101.162.65: bytes=32 time=36ms TTL=245
    Reply from 89.101.162.65: bytes=32 time=38ms TTL=245
    Reply from 89.101.162.65: bytes=32 time=33ms TTL=245
    Reply from 89.101.162.65: bytes=32 time=38ms TTL=245
    Reply from 89.101.162.65: bytes=32 time=34ms TTL=245
    Reply from 89.101.162.65: bytes=32 time=37ms TTL=245
    Reply from 89.101.162.65: bytes=32 time=32ms TTL=245
    Reply from 89.101.162.65: bytes=32 time=36ms TTL=245
    Reply from 89.101.162.65: bytes=32 time=36ms TTL=245
    Reply from 89.101.162.65: bytes=32 time=33ms TTL=245
    Reply from 89.101.162.65: bytes=32 time=37ms TTL=245
    Reply from 89.101.162.65: bytes=32 time=35ms TTL=245
    Request timed out.
    Reply from 89.101.162.65: bytes=32 time=42ms TTL=245
    Reply from 89.101.162.65: bytes=32 time=49ms TTL=245
    Reply from 89.101.162.65: bytes=32 time=38ms TTL=245
    Reply from 89.101.162.65: bytes=32 time=45ms TTL=245
    Reply from 89.101.162.65: bytes=32 time=46ms TTL=245
    Reply from 89.101.162.65: bytes=32 time=41ms TTL=245
    Reply from 89.101.162.65: bytes=32 time=34ms TTL=245
    Reply from 89.101.162.65: bytes=32 time=44ms TTL=245
    Reply from 89.101.162.65: bytes=32 time=37ms TTL=245
    Reply from 89.101.162.65: bytes=32 time=35ms TTL=245
    Reply from 89.101.162.65: bytes=32 time=40ms TTL=245
    Reply from 89.101.162.65: bytes=32 time=43ms TTL=245
    Reply from 89.101.162.65: bytes=32 time=34ms TTL=245
    Reply from 89.101.162.65: bytes=32 time=32ms TTL=245
    Reply from 89.101.162.65: bytes=32 time=32ms TTL=245
    Reply from 89.101.162.65: bytes=32 time=42ms TTL=245
    Reply from 89.101.162.65: bytes=32 time=44ms TTL=245
    Reply from 89.101.162.65: bytes=32 time=47ms TTL=245
    Reply from 89.101.162.65: bytes=32 time=37ms TTL=245
    Reply from 89.101.162.65: bytes=32 time=39ms TTL=245

    Ping statistics for 89.101.162.65:
    Packets: Sent = 66, Received = 64, Lost = 2 (3% loss)
    Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
    Minimum = 31ms, Maximum = 149ms, Average = 45ms

    not as bad inbound but there is packet loss , I am sure their support will tell him so .They are intent on becoming the new IBB .


  • Options
    #4
    CrazyRabbit
    Registered Users Posts: 8,659 ✭✭✭CrazyRabbit


    BostonB wrote:
    Check the signal strength on your modem. On the main page, you should see figures for D/S Power Level, D/S SNR and U/S Power Level.

    Signal Strenght from Wireless router = Very good. Almost max. And I'm only 8 feet from the router. :)

    And which main page do you mean? On the router config screen?


  • Options
    #5
    watty
    Registered Users Posts: 32,417 ✭✭✭✭watty


    The Cable Modem. Always 192.168.100.1

    BTW a carrier pigeon can beat even good BB for download. Latency is high though and packet loss can be total if there are hawks around. Strap a pair of Micro SD cards to each ankle. You get about 8Gbyte easily per pigeon. So 4 Homing pigeons released at once is typically more than a monthly cap, "downloaded" in a few hours.

    Now if there was a good rural train service you could ship pigeons to the nearest fibre connected to INEX and easily have the equivalent of a DVD sent by courier the same day.

    A truck full of tapes / disks / DVDs etc has always beaten data communications and no doubt always will. To beat data cable to USA or Austrailia just make it a bigger shipment.


  • Options
    #6
    fatherdougalmag
    Registered Users Posts: 1,391 ✭✭✭fatherdougalmag


    Good old RFC 1149


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  • Options
    #7
    BostonB
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18,056 ✭✭✭✭BostonB


    Nothing to do with wifi strength.

    You should go to http://192.168.100.1 user admin, password admin (or root/root). On the main page, you should see figures for D/S Power Level, D/S SNR and U/S Power Level.

    http://homepage.ntlworld.com/robin.d.h.walker/cmtips/signal.html

    Basically the cable modem signal strength should be within certain parameters.


  • Options
    #8
    CrazyRabbit
    Registered Users Posts: 8,659 ✭✭✭CrazyRabbit


    BostonB wrote:
    Nothing to do with wifi strength.

    You should go to http://192.168.100.1 user admin, password admin (or root/root). On the main page, you should see figures for D/S Power Level, D/S SNR and U/S Power Level.

    http://homepage.ntlworld.com/robin.d.h.walker/cmtips/signal.html

    Basically the cable modem signal strength should be within certain parameters.
    Ah...didn't know there was a seperate config screen for the cable modem (never used one before)

    Downloads Signal Levels
    Power Level 2.2 dBmV

    Signal to Noise Ratio 37.1 dB


    Upload signal levels

    Power Level 37.0 dBmV


    Connection is not too bad at the moment...thankfully, but it is off-peak.

    Edit : the Signal to Noise Ratio keeps jumping from 20 to 39 approx. Not sure what this means though.


  • Options
    #9
    thund3rbird_
    Registered Users Posts: 866 ✭✭✭thund3rbird_


    CrazyRabbit:


    the problem nothing to do with wireless router or modem

    hop 5 - routing thru amsterdam and a time of 863ms = this is where your problem is on this trace

    hop 11 - waaaay too high as well but that's not on the ntl/upc network so you can't hit them with this one :D

    you had a packet dropped on ALL BAR ONE ( 2 - 5) of the ntl hops
    there's a lot of loss on your various ping results as well

    my trace to O2 has a high (13 hops) of 27ms - yours was 2358 ms
    can you trace to O2? - I bet yours goes on a european tour before getting there :rolleyes:


    compare your google trace to mine (3meg dsl , I just blanked some identifying info in the trace details)


    C:\Documents and Settings\XXXXXXXXXXX>tracert www.google.com

    Tracing route to www.l.google.com [66.249.93.147]
    over a maximum of 30 hops:

    1 1 ms 1 ms 1 ms xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx (my wireless router, connected ATM by enet)
    2 2 ms 2 ms 2 ms xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx (my DSL modem)
    3 17 ms 17 ms 17 ms ISP [xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx]
    4 20 ms 18 ms 20 ms ISP [xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx]
    5 30 ms 32 ms 31 ms xxx.xxx-x.xxxx.lhr1.uk.above.net [213.161.79.65]
    6 31 ms 30 ms 30 ms so-0-0-0.mpr1.lhr2.uk.above.net [64.125.27.225]
    7 29 ms 30 ms 30 ms 213-152-230-99.google.net [213.152.230.99]
    8 29 ms 30 ms 30 ms 66.249.95.130
    9 40 ms 41 ms 41 ms 72.14.233.63
    10 41 ms 44 ms 41 ms 209.85.248.79
    11 44 ms 42 ms 43 ms 72.14.233.83
    12 42 ms 48 ms 53 ms 216.239.47.229
    13 42 ms 44 ms 42 ms 66.249.93.147

    Trace complete.


    try here
    default when the applet loads should be from "This Server" to "your IP" (should auto detect)
    it will reverse trace and give you some info regarding the results


  • Options
    #10
    BostonB
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18,056 ✭✭✭✭BostonB


    I'm in D15 with NTL and mine isn't as bad as his.


    From
    http://homepage.ntlworld.com/robin.d.h.walker/cmtips/signal.html#goodlevs
    Downstream SNR: should be 30 dB or higher: the higher the better. As the SNR decreases below 30 dB, performance will steadily decrease, and errors will increase. The cable modem might stop working properly if the SNR drops below 23.5 dB. The upstream transmit power will lie within the range +8 to +58 dBmV, with many ISPs specifying a target commissioning level below +55 dBmV. Values in the forties are the most common. Many cable modems are unable to transmit any more powerfully than +58 dBmV. One cannot tell how far this is below the figure that the UBR would need to see a strong enough signal at its end to maintain satisfactory performance, so a figure as high as +58 dBmV is normally a sign of an unacceptable return path. If other problem symptoms are also present, an upstream transmit power of +58 dBmV would constitute valid supporting evidence for requesting technical support from a cable ISP.

    However, rapidly fluctuating power levels might be a sign of a failing amplifier in the ISP's network, or a bad cable connection, and should normally be investigated.

    I know I had a water damaged amp in the NTL junction box outside which causes a lot of my problems. Fixing it up actually fixed some of the weak TV stations too. I know there are routing problems with NTL there has been for ages. But keep an eye on the modem too.



    C:\>tracert www.l.google.com

    Tracing route to www.l.google.com [66.102.9.147]
    over a maximum of 30 hops:

    1 1 ms 1 ms 1 ms
    2 6 ms 6 ms 5 ms
    3 7 ms 7 ms 5 ms
    4 7 ms 8 ms 7 ms
    5 36 ms 38 ms 47 ms
    6 38 ms 37 ms 38 ms
    7 37 ms 63 ms 37 ms
    8 48 ms 48 ms 44 ms
    9 44 ms 44 ms 45 ms
    10 31 ms 31 ms 31 ms
    11 43 ms 41 ms 41 ms
    12 42 ms 41 ms 41 ms
    13 42 ms 41 ms 41 ms
    14 56 ms 54 ms 54 ms
    15 44 ms 42 ms 43 ms

    Trace complete.

    C:\>

    Thats a NTL 1MB.


  • Options
    #11
    CrazyRabbit
    Registered Users Posts: 8,659 ✭✭✭CrazyRabbit


    BostonB wrote:
    Downstream SNR: should be 30 dB or higher: the higher the better. As the SNR decreases below 30 dB, performance will steadily decrease, and errors will increase. The cable modem might stop working properly if the SNR drops below 23.5 dB. The upstream transmit power will lie within the range +8 to +58 dBmV, with many ISPs specifying a target commissioning level below +55 dBmV. Values in the forties are the most common. Many cable modems are unable to transmit any more powerfully than +58 dBmV. One cannot tell how far this is below the figure that the UBR would need to see a strong enough signal at its end to maintain satisfactory performance, so a figure as high as +58 dBmV is normally a sign of an unacceptable return path. If other problem symptoms are also present, an upstream transmit power of +58 dBmV would constitute valid supporting evidence for requesting technical support from a cable ISP.

    However, rapidly fluctuating power levels might be a sign of a failing amplifier in the ISP's network, or a bad cable connection, and should normally be investigated.

    .

    This might be my problem. The signal to noise ratio is dropping to about 20 every few seconds. It bounces rapidly between 20 and the high 30's. Also, the lights on the cable modem flicker on/off every few seconds

    So, any ideas on how to fix this? Is it something I can fix on my end, or does NTL need to be involved?


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  • Options
    #12
    BostonB
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18,056 ✭✭✭✭BostonB


    I had a very unreliable connection and the NTL cable team didn't want to know. I sent them ping.tracert logs till I was blue in the face. Tried for months to get them to look at it. All I got was support drones telling me it was a problem with my hardware or settings. At the time there was no other option for BB as my phone line failed the tests. When I sent them in the results of the modem signal which was just on the limits of the acceptable signal range they reckoned the cable to the house was faulty and there was nothing they could do.

    However the cable problem was also effecting the TV slighly. I had a weak signal on some of the channels I think it was BBC2 or CH4. So I reported that fault. So the TV repair people came out discovered the junction box/amp in the road outside was taking in water. So he replaced it with one with a different resistance. This however effected not just my modem but everyone else on the loop downstream from me. From my understanding all the resistances are relative to the next box/amp inline. So the TV guys put a call in for the Cable team to come out and sort it.

    I never heard from the cable team but it was sorted a few days later and I've not really had a problem since. other than routing error which you get when they get a fit of doing improvements.

    It would seem like your signal isn't great either. How you get NTL to resolve it I have no idea. They are worse than useless. Perhaps my own experience will give you some ideas.


  • Options
    #13
    CrazyRabbit
    Registered Users Posts: 8,659 ✭✭✭CrazyRabbit


    Well I'm going to try locate their helpdesk and go knock on their door...literally. Did that with Creative before. They were a bit surprised when I turned up at the call centre which I found was located in Blanchardstown. They took my phone number and I got a call less than 30 mins later.

    Hopefully they're not in India...


  • Options
    #14
    Sponge Bob
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 25,234 ✭✭✭✭Sponge Bob


    CrazyRabbit wrote:
    Hopefully they're not in India...

    Their call centre is the Chorus Callecntre at the back of O Malley Park in Limerick on Roxborough Road.

    Good luck and bring plenty of sangwiches.


  • Options
    #15
    CrazyRabbit
    Registered Users Posts: 8,659 ✭✭✭CrazyRabbit


    Yikes! :eek:

    Power Level
    -14.2 dBmV (yes that's a minus!)

    Signal to Noise Ratio
    14.6 dB (not quite the 25 and over I would hope for)

    Cable modem then rebooted.

    NTL still ignoring me. Think I'll make that trip down to Limerick...


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