Curious PPP/CHAP Issue
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I’ve had a problem with my router now for 14 days since I have been with EE. It isn’t sorted and they haven’t been particularly good at resolving this to-date but I’m trying to understand where the problem might be. My username and password are correct according to EE and indeed, if I do a factory reset on my router, the first time it attempts to create a PPP connection the CHAPs authentication is successful and I get connected to the internet. This lasts for about 30 seconds and then the PPP connection is brought down. The next time the router attempts to create a PPP connection it always fails around the CHAPs authentication protocol. If I reboot or switch off and on the router, I never get a successful internet connection. However, if I do a factory reset then the connection is initially created but then 30 seconds later it stops and can never reconnect. I’m trying to get my head around where the problem might be. These observations lead me to think:
* The line is ok
* The user/password is ok
* The CHAPs authentication server is ok
Can anyone shed some light on this for me as I am quite confused?
Many Thanks.
* The line is ok
* The user/password is ok
* The CHAPs authentication server is ok
Can anyone shed some light on this for me as I am quite confused?
Many Thanks.
0
Comments
If you can lay your hands on a different router then how that behaves could give you a clue as to where the problem is. If the substitute router disconnects in the same way as your current router then chances are it is a problem at EE's end. Though odd you have to reset the router to re-connect. But if the substitute router stays connected then you can be fairly confident it's your current router that is the problem.
If the current router is an EE provided one then get them to swap it out. I would think using a non-EE provided router should work as long as you feed in the correct connection and log in details.
I did have an old router which I hooked up to the phone line at the weekend and attempted to establish a connection. I put in the user/password but unfortunately it didn't connect. It has no log file available on that router so I couldn't be sure if it was doing the same or not. My gut feeling is that it isn't the router but I can't be sure.
I just don't understand from a technical point of view what could be going wrong and where the issue is. I'm not sure at the exchange who is responsible for what i.e. BT or EE. Everything does connect up for about 30 seconds so it is really baffling me.
It does sound like you have a dodgy router. If it was something to do with EE's kit I would not think you would need to factory reset the router just to re-establish the connection, however brief that connection is. If you could get a substitute router up and running that would help. Or keep beating up EE to get them to send out a replacement router.
Openreach are responsible for the phone network infrastructure. EE may have their own plant at an exchange (if you have an LLU product - assuming they even offer LLU of course) or they may simply "rent" space on Openreach plant. But from your point of view it doesn't really matter. As far as you are concerned it is EE's responsibility to sort out problems regardless of who is actually at fault. That is after all what you pay them for.
I've been telling EE for 16 days now that this CHAPs authentication issue would appear to be a user/account problem but the initial success was throwing me. They have "deprovisioned/re-provisioned" my account and it doesn't work. They really are hopeless
Try your router on their line and their router on your line. Also you could try configuring your router with their details and vice versa.
If your router works on another line and another router does not work on your line it's likely the fault is the line.
If your router does not work on either line and the other router does work on both then it might be your router or account.
If your account details work when configured on the other router then chances are it is your router, especially if the other account details programmed into your router now fails to connect.
If your account details programmed into the other router fails to connect and the other account details programmed into your router does connect then chances are it is your account at fault.
Might not be the easiest of tests to do but could give you some valuable ammunition to beat up EE with.
Anyway, I think this is a red herring and perhaps this is some initial connection that the router does whatever the user/password is following a factory reset.
Update: I tried my friends user/password and it worked in my router! He tried mine and in his and it failed. This proves my hardware, line etc is fine (thanks chrisjr for the idea).
EE are now telling me that this problem is affecting a lot of users and not just me. They say the problem is with BT Exchange. This is clearly not what I understand by exchange ie. the box with lots of connection in it at the road side. They said that everything is ok at their end and that it is a BT problem because they look after the hardware/software that authenticates the user. Is that true? Doesn't seem right to me?
BT, or more correctly their Openreach subsidiary company, operate and maintain the phone network. They also operate and maintain a lot of the broadband infrastructure as well. Other companies like EE can rent space on that core infrastructure to operate their own services. Or they can install their own kit in the exchange to take control of the line to their customers (Openreach then maintain just the physical part of the connection, ie the copper wires).
It is entirely possible that BT systems are involved in authenticating users. They have all the infrastructure bits in place to do this. All providers like EE do is simply "rent" a chunk of that and let BT handle the basics of connecting the customer (ie you) to their sites and systems.
Mind you it is no real concern for you who authenticates your connection, BT, EE or the man in the moon, you pay EE to provide a service and it is up to them to sort it out. Which means they need to kick BT up the proverbials to get their systems fixed, not sit there and try to pass the buck and use that as an excuse to do sod all.
Does EE even own their own network? I remember reading about how they gave up on LLU and sold the equipment to BT, but I don't know if that extends to the rest of their network and they're paying BT Wholesale to run the lot.
IIRC on a connection that goes via the BT Wholesale network, BT servers are involved in the authentication and then the ISP's servers afterward. Remember that while Openreach do indeed own the copper network (and for FTTC, the DSLAMs), BT Wholesale owns its own DSLAMs in the exchange and sells access to ISPs
But I'd have thought that an issue at the "exchange" would potentially affect lots of users across multiple ISPs
EE should be able to get information from BT to see where it's failing and either way it's their issue as they are buying the service from BT Wholesale.
I'd suggest demanding a new username and password.