Vodafone Sure Signal

[rickfraser]

Thank you Lee for your "confirmed the issue is now resolved" from the topic "Re: Vodafone Sure Signal - If you've lost connectivity on 14/12/11, please post here". IT IS NOT

As per my posting in that post, repeated here......

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

Had mine since October 2010 and it's been great. But now it is very unsure of itself.

I need it for work - I could potentially lose a great deal of money without my mobile working, and I need the SS to ensure that, being located in a Vodafone dead spot.

I have reset everyrhing a great many times and followed all the troubleshooting guidelines but still no joy.

I have the SS1 type box attached to my BT Homehub, which tells me that the SS is connected fine. My internet connection is good. and the LAN connection to the SS shows a green light staedy, and the orange signal light pulsing.

The SS1 box seems to go through cycles....

No lights

Power Light, until steady

Connection light until steady

Flashing 3G light (as if updating).Eventually fails, and brings all the other lights back to all off, and cycle repeats (eventually).

The pathping gives the following:-

pathping 212.183.133.181

Tracing route to host212-183-133-181.uk.access.vodafone.net [212.183.133.181]

over a maximum of 30 hops:

  0  starting point [xxx.xxx.x.xx]

  1  api.home [xxx.xxx.x.xxx]

  2  esr3.miltonkeynes3.broadband.bt.net [217.47.74.142]

  3  217.47.74.13

  4  213.1.69.26

  5  217.41.222.50

  6  217.41.222.182

  7  acc2-10GigE-0-0-0-4.bm.21cn-ipp.bt.net [109.159.248.194]

  8  core2-te0-13-0-4.ealing.ukcore.bt.net [109.159.248.138]

  9  peer1-xe10-1-0.telehouse.ukcore.bt.net [109.159.254.110]

 10  LNDGW2.arcor-ip.net [195.66.224.124]

 11  85.205.116.2

 12     *        *        *

Computing statistics for 300 seconds...

            Source to Here   This Node/Link

Hop  RTT    Lost/Sent = Pct  Lost/Sent = Pct  Address

  0                                           starting point [xxx.xxx.x.xx]

                                0/ 100 =  0%   |

  1    0ms     0/ 100 =  0%     0/ 100 =  0%  api.home [xxx.xxx.x.xxx]

                                0/ 100 =  0%   |

  2   30ms     0/ 100 =  0%     0/ 100 =  0%  esr3.miltonkeynes3.broadband.bt.ne

t [217.47.74.142]

                                0/ 100 =  0%   |

  3   36ms     0/ 100 =  0%     0/ 100 =  0%  217.47.74.13

                                0/ 100 =  0%   |

  4   33ms     0/ 100 =  0%     0/ 100 =  0%  213.1.69.26

                                0/ 100 =  0%   |

  5  ---     100/ 100 =100%   100/ 100 =100%  217.41.222.50

                                0/ 100 =  0%   |

  6   34ms     0/ 100 =  0%     0/ 100 =  0%  217.41.222.182

                                0/ 100 =  0%   |

  7   34ms     0/ 100 =  0%     0/ 100 =  0%  acc2-10GigE-0-0-0-4.bm.21cn-ipp.bt

.net [109.159.248.194]

                                0/ 100 =  0%   |

  8   44ms     4/ 100 =  4%     4/ 100 =  4%  core2-te0-13-0-4.ealing.ukcore.bt.

net [109.159.248.138]

                                0/ 100 =  0%   |

  9   42ms     7/ 100 =  7%     7/ 100 =  7%  peer1-xe10-1-0.telehouse.ukcore.bt

.net [109.159.254.110]

                                0/ 100 =  0%   |

 10   43ms     0/ 100 =  0%     0/ 100 =  0%  LNDGW2.arcor-ip.net [195.66.224.12

4]

                                0/ 100 =  0%   |

 11   39ms     0/ 100 =  0%     0/ 100 =  0%  85.205.116.2

                              100/ 100 =100%   |

 12  ---     100/ 100 =100%     0/ 100 =  0%  starting point [0.0.0.0]

Trace complete.

Seems I am losing 100% of the path on 217.41.222.50  - anyone know where that is, and who owns it, and why it might no longer be working?

Serial = 21228233520

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

The only difference now is that I lose 100% at 217.41.222.58

And YES, I have been through the troubleshooting threads (AGAIN)

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

PLEASE RESOLVE THE ISSUE PROPERLY. I HAVE NO SIGNAL !!!

Better still, improve the coverage in my area (the coverage chart says it is good, but in fact is non-existant)

[Lee]

Hi there rickfraser,

Thanks for your post.

I've looked at your pathping and at hop 5, before it even reaches us there is 100% packet loss. Because this happens before it reaches our servers there's nothing we can do.

Instead you'll need to speak with your ISP.

IP Lookup is where you'll find information on the IP address

Cheers,

Lee

[rickfraser]

Well thank you Lee. Nice of you to wash your hands of a customer problem. Doesn't Vodafone practise any decent form of customer service?

How come I can ping both 217.41.222.50 and 217.41.222.58 IP addresses quite happily without problem? It only seems to be a problem trying to get to Vodafone?

As for speaking to my ISP - what am I supposed to say to them? (it's BT by the way). What would be the format of the description to tell them what the problem is?

My Broadband system is NOT having any problems - I have very good internet connection. The problem ONLY arises in trying to connect the Sure Signal box via the broadband (Which Vodafone makes a big thing of as a selling point, no?)

I got the SS because I did not want to change from Vodafone, as I had always had a good network connection wherever I went (until I movedd to my current home - signal black hole). The O2 signal here is fine on my wife's phone, it appears they have a mast somewhere nearby then with no room for a Vodafone repeater.

I do not want to change to O2, but my patience is wearing thin on this SS issue.

[rickfraser]

Just as I thought. BT don't want to know.

I am NOT having a problem with BT Broadband as my internet is great. So the support people do not (or cannot) help.

SO-- As I already said, and maintain - this IS a Vodafone Problem to resolve (one way or another) as it is VF that the SS is trying to connect to.

Please do something (even if it is contacting the owner of the failing service). I've tried but nobody wants to help (BT "home IT solutions" could possibly, but if they resolve the issue they will charge me!! What, for a problem that is nothing to do with me - I think not).

Please Vodafone, perform some practical customer service.

[Lee]

Hi rickfraser,

I'm sorry but the issue is not a Vodafone issue. The packet loss is present BEFORE it hits our servers. 

The traceroute and pathping you have provided us with shows that the path is over 12 hops. The loss at hop 5 is a route which your ISP uses and you need to explain to them that you're trying to set up a Sure Signal but at hop 5 of 12 there is 100% packet loss before it hits the Vodafone servers. They will need to investigate what is causing that loss.

I'm afraid there is nothing further I can help with until this loss is corrected.

Thanks,

Lee

[rickfraser]

That is a discraceful attitude to customer support Lee.

I am a Vodafone customer who bought the Sure Signal because it was advertised as solving all vodafone  connection problems where there is no, or poor, network coverage (As advertised by Vodafone).

The answer to poor network coverage is increasing signal strength at existing masts, or placement of new ones. Since neither of these are forthcoming where I am, VF's answer is to provide a signal via our own broadband connection - through the Sure Signal.

Note the term SURE signal - an advertisement that we customers can be asSUREd of connectivity to the mobile network.

We, as customers, are mostly unaware of just what goes into providing the broadband connectivity to Vodafone. In fact, we do not NEED to know. You advertise a solution, that you do not fully support. It is no answer to say the signal is being lost BEFORE it gets to the VF servers - you supplied me with a SURE signal box (well, I had to buy actually - on top of paying for my broadband service), that VF says is the solution to low signal coverage.

I will ask you once again please Lee, to provide some decent customer support. Even if you cannot fix the server in question (BT server in this case), you could at least as an organisation tell us exactly who to contact. Simply saying contact your ISP is not good enough - I have contacted the provider of my broadband system, and there is NO problem with my broadband, so they cannot help me.

Please provide a contact URL, phone number, email address (something) of someone who can actually help, and without charging.

[James]

Hi rickfraser,

I understand your frustration about the Sure Signal however, as I’m sure you have realised that the Sure Signal is designed to be used with every single make of router and every Internet service provider.

Due to the wide range of routers available and also the different IP addresses and set ups used by each ISP it is hard to have everything working from the word go for every customer.

Although you may see a number of people posting on the eForum with issues, you will never see people posting to say that they are not having issues which I can assure you that there a higher number of people without issues than those with.

When it comes to the Sure Signal there is sometimes a number of configurations that need to be done either by the ISP or the user on the router.

Lee has asked you to contact your ISP to get them to check for any blocks in the firewalls that is stopping the signal from being transmitted through the Sure Signal to our servers.

You will need to speak with your ISP technical support to see if they can check the firewall and security within the router or server setup that is preventing the link from your internet to our servers.

If they are unable or unwilling to help please let us know your IP address so we can see if there is anything more that we can do from our end.

In regards to you comments about us improving our network, we are currently millions of pounds every year into improving the signal in all areas of the UK, unfortunately due to planning permission restrictions and the amount of time it takes to upgrade a site or build a new site, these upgrades can not be done over night.

James

[rickfraser]

Thank you James

Yes, of course I do understand that worldwide, there are very many combinations of routable paths, via numerous servers.

But, we customers do not have access (or in some cases, understanding) to the world of networks. That's why we rely on you guys who are the experts to guide us (or better still, to fix the problem). It is no good saying "contact your ISP" as many people will not know what that actually means or who they should be speaking to. You are giving advice from a "technical" perspective, not from a "joe public" one.

As you can see from the earlier postings here, I have contacted my ISP (BT Broadband). But, there IS no problem with my broadband system. I have a good connection and my internet is fine. Because of that, there is nothing that BT Broadband technical support can do.

The issue (as we have all seen) is that a particular server owned by BT is causing a signal loss along the route from my SS to VF server. I know that you cannot physically 'mend' that server as it doesn't belong to VF, and as far as BT Broadband tech support is concerned, neither can they.

What I would like to see is better customer support from someone. Washing your hands of a problem is NOT the solution. You have access to far greater information regarding the networks and routings than we customers do. Why can't you just offer better support?

You can do the same as I did for any customer who reports a problem with Sure Signal and provides the "pathping" information, to look up the IP address details of the failing unit. In my case you would see that it is the BT box in Amsterdam. Why then can you not compile (starting from now) a database for yourselves of such servers, AND who owns them, AND who to contact in case of problems. Ok, you may not have fixed the problem for we customers, but you would have at least told us who EXACTLY we need to contact.

As it is, I still have NO (or very little at times) coverage on my mobile phone where I live after 12 days.

I was angry. I have since been going through the plateau stage, and am fast approaching the resignation stage. Looks like the next stage after that will be to contact O2 for a new contract to replace my Vodafone one.

[rickfraser]

Just to let you know, my Sure Signal connection is still not working. That's 20 days and no effective support

[Apple_Fanboy]

Hi Rickfraser

I dont think it is an issue with your ISP and here is why, below is your traceroute

Hop  RTT    Lost/Sent = Pct  Lost/Sent = Pct  Address

  0  starting point [xxx.xxx.x.xx]  0/ 100 =  0%   |

  1    0ms     0/ 100 =  0%     0/ 100 =  0%  api.home [xxx.xxx.x.xxx] 0/ 100 =  0%   |

  2   30ms     0/ 100 =  0%     0/ 100 =  0%  esr3.miltonkeynes3.broadband.bt.net [217.47.74.142] 0/ 100 =  0%   |

  3   36ms     0/ 100 =  0%     0/ 100 =  0%  217.47.74.13  0/ 100 =  0%   |

  4   33ms     0/ 100 =  0%     0/ 100 =  0%  213.1.69.26  0/ 100 =  0%   |

  5  ---     100/ 100 =100%   100/ 100 =100%  217.41.222.50  0/ 100 =  0%   |

  6   34ms     0/ 100 =  0%     0/ 100 =  0%  217.41.222.182 0/ 100 =  0%   |

  7   34ms     0/ 100 =  0%     0/ 100 =  0%  acc2-10GigE-0-0-0-4.bm.21cn-ipp.bt.net [109.159.248.194] 0/ 100 =  0%   |

  8   44ms     4/ 100 =  4%     4/ 100 =  4%  core2-te0-13-0-4.ealing.ukcore.bt.net [109.159.248.138] 0/ 100 =  0%   |

  9   42ms     7/ 100 =  7%     7/ 100 =  7%  peer1-xe10-1-0.telehouse.ukcore.bt.net [109.159.254.110] 0/ 100 =  0%   |

 10   43ms     0/ 100 =  0%     0/ 100 =  0%  LNDGW2.arcor-ip.net [195.66.224.124] 0/ 100 =  0%   |

 11   39ms     0/ 100 =  0%     0/ 100 =  0%  85.205.116.2     100/ 100 =100%   |

 12  ---     100/ 100 =100%     0/ 100 =  0%  starting point [0.0.0.0]

At hop 5 you hit a server (not sure who owns it but its UK based) and there is 100% packet loss but your route continues to its destination. This would indicate that the server is set up not to respond to pings. The same thing happens at hop 12 which is the Vodafone server which also shows 100% packet loss but for a different reason as the firewall here prevents you viewing anyfurther into the Vodafone network. If your trace route had hit hop 5 and ended there then it would have been an issue.

All of your hops have around 30-40ms latency which is well below the requirement for VSS. Now i see that you are a BT customer using a home hub, lots of customers are having no issue what so ever using homehubs with VSS but a few have posted that they have the exact same issue as you and one person posted this which has resolved it for him and others.

Take a look give it a try and let me know how you get on.

[Apple_Fanboy]

One other thing quickly you say "Had mine since October 2010 and it's been great. But now it is very unsure of itself." it way also be worth replacing the device as since it worked but then stopped it could be an issue with firmware on the device.

[rickfraser]

Thank you Apple_Fanboy

Yes, I tried that resetting of my surebox setup (as per your link) - didn't help.

As for the box itself, my son also has one. His works fine at his address, but we get the same results using it here, and was working again upon return to his address. So I don't think it's the box - it's the routing servers.

He lives in London, whereas I live in Bedfordshire, so a different route would have been followed to VF from either location, but both boxes would use the same route from here.

Still not working by the way