Before you log any fault it is important to go through proper troubleshooting to rule out any possible CPE (Customer Premise Equipment) Faults.
If a upstream technician attends to site to resolve a fault and the issue is found to be inside the customers premises or caused by there equipment, an incorrect callout fee of will be charged.
No Sync
Also called :No Carrier Detect, ADSL Light off on Modem
If a customer has No Sync it indicated that there is a physical issue between the customers modem and the exchange. This issue could be interference a poor connection or break. It could also be a faulty modem or port.
The standard troubleshooting for a No Sync Fault is as follows.
No Auth
Also called : No Comms, Timeouts, Internet light off on Modem
If a customer has No Comms it indicates that there is a programming related issue. This could be caused by incorrect configuration in the CPE, A change of username or password or possibly a backhaul/port issue.
The standard troubleshooting for a No Comms fault is as follows.
Dropouts
Also called: intermittent sync, intermittent auth
Dropouts are where the customer's connection repeatedly connects and disconnects throughout the day. On a working ADSL connection one to three dropouts are not unexpected; the modem should reconnect within one to two minutes of dropping out. Disconnections can often be caused by interference to the ADSL signal, an incorrectly setup modem, or an application flooding the connection to the internet.
Sync Dropouts (Physical)
Sync dropouts are where the customers modem is not only dropping authentication but also dropping sync. this type of dropout is usually caused by faulty or badly filtered phone equipment or a possible faulty modem. the troubleshooting is similar to no sync
The standard troubleshooting for a Sync Dropout Fault is as follows.
Auth Dropouts
Also called: Programming Dropouts, Torrent bounces
Auth dropouts are where the customers modem is losing authentication but does not lose sync. This type of dropout is usually caused by a faulty modem or over utilization of the connection by allowing to many simultaneous connections (ie torrent based downloads can cause auth dropouts)
If this occurs a good way of checking if it is caused by over utilization is to unplug any network devices from the modem and get the customer to check radius to see if they continue to dropout.
Speed Faults
Where to start
Before processing to far with a sped fault its important to check all the basics before proceeding:
Is the customer shaped?
Are they having any dropouts in radius
Do they have high usage (indicating background programs)
What is the actual speed they are receiving? Is it within allowable limits of the product?
Once you have checked these things you can figure out what the cause of the problem is. The first task is to find out if the problem is a physical issue (Low Sync Speeds) or if it is a throughput issue.
Troubleshooting a Physical issue
if a members sync rates are low or poor this indicates that there is a physical line issue. The troubleshooting for this is quite simple and can generally be done in one sitting.
Troubleshooting a throughput issue
If a member is experiencing throughput related issues you should suspect that the issue is between the PC and the modem. It is very unlikely to be and issue with the line to the exchange. It could be an issue from the exchange backhaul
however this generally is not the case as it will normally affect a large volume of customers.
Isolating the network to 1 PC (in case a 2nd computer is over-utilizing the connection)