One for the IT gurus out there.

[CraigHew]

Im an ex-IT manager so (should) know my way around PCs and networks.

 

We've just upgraded to fast fibre (38Mbps) and im having an infuriating problem.

 

Our modem connects to a homeplug (solwise 600av2: decent bit of kit) and my main windows PC is upstairs which too plugs into another homeplug.

(Its a bit more complicated than that as another homeplug serves a YouView PVR in a bedroom and a 4th homeplug serves a NAS box in the lounge)

 

I migrated from a tp-link WD-8970 adsl modem to the new Huawei DG8041w fibre modem.

 

Renamed our ssid and password to the previous settings and all our wifi gadgets connected easily.

 

I also run 3 ip cameras, one wired direct to the modem, the other 2 wifi.  Blue iris server installed on the above mentioned windows PC.

 

All wifi devices run great, fabulous speed and coverage split between 2.4 and 5 Ghz bands.

 

MY ISSUE

 

After about 30-45 minutes running the PC and (if switched on) the YouView box, both served through their homeplugs, loose internet connection.

Lights on the home plugs go red.....

 

Nothing has changed in my setup for over 4 years except the modem.

 

What on earth could be causing the dropped service???

 

Previous TP modem rated 300Mbps,

New Huawei 1000Gbps,

 

Cat 6 cables as patch leads

 

Any suggestions appreciated.....

 

Craig

[nice_guy]

19 minutes ago, CraigHew said:

Im an ex-IT manager so (should) know my way around PCs and networks.

 

We've just upgraded to fast fibre (38Mbps) and im having an infuriating problem.

 

Our modem connects to a homeplug (solwise 600av2: decent bit of kit) and my main windows PC is upstairs which too plugs into another homeplug.

(Its a bit more complicated than that as another homeplug serves a YouView PVR in a bedroom and a 4th homeplug serves a NAS box in the lounge)

 

I migrated from a tp-link WD-8970 adsl modem to the new Huawei DG8041w fibre modem.

 

Renamed our ssid and password to the previous settings and all our wifi gadgets connected easily.

 

I also run 3 ip cameras, one wired direct to the modem, the other 2 wifi.  Blue iris server installed on the above mentioned windows PC.

 

All wifi devices run great, fabulous speed and coverage split between 2.4 and 5 Ghz bands.

 

MY ISSUE

 

After about 30-45 minutes running the PC and (if switched on) the YouView box, both served through their homeplugs, loose internet connection.

Lights on the home plugs go red.....

 

Nothing has changed in my setup for over 4 years except the modem.

 

What on earth could be causing the dropped service???

 

Previous TP modem rated 300Mbps,

New Huawei 1000Gbps,

 

Cat 6 cables as patch leads

 

Any suggestions appreciated.....

 

Craig

 

 

"OEM"-ish broadband modems are, in my experience, utter crap at routing for more than "average people" needs.

The PC gets a significant amount of traffic from IP cameras, that tend to be versed in the dark art of crappy packets and broken frames.

I ditched any form of network over mains because they are usually coping with regular people needs (i.e youtube, netflix, facebook) and tend to defecate on themeselves if you use them for mundane things like extending network with an access point. Again, broken frames and funky packets were seen thanks to wireshark.

 

Red light might mean broken sync (at low level) or something benign as "cannot reach dns".

 

Long story short, I had great and reliable network performance on day two, when I used the operator provided device as a """modem"", and plugged it in something more serious, like a decent home router (with an alternative firmware for mundane things like VPN, QoS and ad cleaning, basic needs...).

 

So my advice would be "get a nice netgear or tp link router, with bgn / ac / WIFI 6, flash it with openwrt firmware, and plug the modem direct in it, deactivate any form of routing and wifi on the damn cable-operator-provided thing, oem devices are crippled with limitations that show up when you have more than two ipads at home"

[Lyonspride]

Modem is not the same thing as a router, some routers incorporate the modem (I personally don't like that).

ISP routers are junk, I use an Asus RT-AC66U.

Not sure why you're using powerline adaptors, I wouldn't unless I absolutely have to (I have one in my shed for Garden wifi), when I moved here the first thing I did was run Cat-6 throughout the house, with business grade 100/1000 network switches doing most of the work and I only use one LAN port on my router to stop the router having to handle general network traffic.

Are the powerline adaptors all connected as they were previously and on the same ring main? Does one of those powerline adaptors have a WiFi access point built in? (i've had DHCP issues / conflicts with my router before now)
Another thing which is less likely in your situation, but something I had throw me a curve ball a few months ago, i'd got 3 PCs fighting over which one was the master browser, and this was screwing up my streaming box, I had to change registry settings on all my PCs so that the router could remain as master browser.

[Blatman]

I'm betting something in there is using multi-cast and the Huawei router is bogging down OR the homeplugs are.

Does the issue occur only when both PC and YouView are running? Next time it happens, kill the YouView box and see if connectivity is restored.

Are the cameras using MPEG4 or motion JPEG (IE, normal IP traffic) to move images? Is there an NVR in there? Does that use multi-cast to keep track of cameras?

Can you use a looooooong cable and eliminate the homeplugs for testing purposes?

 

Changing the router depends on the ISP. Some (BT for sure) will let you hang any router off of their side. Sky and no doubt some others will not.

I have used homeplugs (TP LInk) with some success and currently have two LARGE domestic networks (3 VLAN's on each) up and running for well over 5 years with no issues including a lot of multi-cast traffic in the guise of Airplay.

 

My experience with a "crappy ISP supplied router" is that they're usually OK for around 10 to 15 devices (the Huaweii datasheet should say how many hosts it is likely to be able to support) but more than that number, as mentioned I'd want something aimed more at the SMB space to run the network. My preference is Draytek Vigors. I have a load of them out there and they have proved reliable and easy to manage.