Sure Signal stopped working

[VickiN]

Hi, 

I have a Sure Signal Version 1 and it has decided to stop working.  It has been working fine since I first got it well over a year ago (can't remember exactly when I got it, but it has been a long time).  This is a real nuisance as I get no Vodafone coverage at home!!

It stopped working a couple of weeks ago and despite speaking to Vodafone and resetting it several times, as well as de-registering and re-registering also, still no joy. 

The lights on the back by the ethernet cable are steady yellow and steady or flashing orange.

Sometimes I have no lights, sometimes just the power light and sometimes lights 1 & 2 with 4 flashing.

I use a BT HomeHub 3.

My S/S is a Sagem and the Serial Number is 21230683613.

I hope you can help me.  I am having to use my landline all the time to call other mobiles and it is costing me a fortune!  As a household, we spend about £60 a month for calls we are unable to use!!!!  We nly chose Vodafone because of the Sure Signal, depsite having to pay for it!

I look forward to hearing from you. 

Many thanks. 

[Piratepete]

Hi,

I'm having issues with my Surestart. At the moment my mobile doesn't appear to be using it, and when it is I am getting a lot of dropped calls (usually after 15-20 minutes though). Please help as this is a business phone and its beginning to become a real problem.

Both the ready lights are working but the "in use" never comes up and the call quality indicates that the SS isn't being used. Also at random it resets to the orange light and has to be reset. I have checked the postcode and phone number association through the website and it all looks ok.

SS is plugged directly into a brand new ASUS router.

Speedtest. Down 18.8Mbps (35 at the router itself),  Up 7.23Mbps

Ping: Min 28ms, Max 33ms, Avg 30ms

External IP: 86.180.1.228

Traceroute

C:\Users\Pete>tracert 212.183.133.177

Tracing route to cluster4.vap.vodafone.co.uk [212.183.133.177]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

1 1 ms <1 ms <1 ms router.asus.com [192.168.1.1]
2 23 ms 25 ms 23 ms 217.32.140.65
3 23 ms 23 ms 23 ms 217.32.140.30
4 24 ms 27 ms 23 ms 212.140.235.54
5 24 ms 24 ms 24 ms 213.120.182.67
6 24 ms 24 ms 24 ms 31.55.164.107
7 27 ms 24 ms 24 ms acc1-10GigE-0-2-0-4.bm.21cn-ipp.bt.net [109.159.
248.104]
8 36 ms 31 ms 32 ms core2-te0-15-0-15.ilford.ukcore.bt.net [109.159.
248.36]
9 30 ms 31 ms 31 ms 109.159.252.63
10 30 ms 30 ms 55 ms t2c3-xe-1-2-1-0.uk-lon1.eu.bt.net [166.49.211.18
6]
11 31 ms 31 ms 30 ms 166-49-211-254.eu.bt.net [166.49.211.254]
12 * * * Request timed out.
13 * * * Request timed out.
14 * * * Request timed out.
15 * * * Request timed out.
16 * * * Request timed out.
17 * * * Request timed out.
18 * * * Request timed out.
19 * * * Request timed out.
20 * * * Request timed out.
21 * * * Request timed out.
22 * * * Request timed out.
23 * * * Request timed out.
24 * * * Request timed out.
25 * * * Request timed out.
26 * * * Request timed out.
27 * * * Request timed out.
28 * * * Request timed out.
29 * * * Request timed out.
30 * * * Request timed out.

Trace complete.

Serial number:40132613825

[Peter2D]

Gemma

I tried the Sure Signal at a neighbour's house, but only had around two hours to experiment.  It got further through the LED sequence but it did not appear to complete.  It got as far as the fourth LED flashing, but then it would go back to the first LED on and the second LED flashing.  In summary it looked more alive than in my own house.  I ran out of time to see if it would complete the set-up correctly.  This was between around 8.30pm and 10pm.

After that I returned to my own Internet Connection.  I never got past the first LED on and then the second flashing.  Once again the final steady state condition is ALL LEDs off and this was reached within 10 minutes.  

Can you answer my earlier questions in my original post please.  I want to get this resolved quickly.

Is my box connecting to your Servers?

Is my Firmware up-to-date?

Can you Ping my box?

Have you confimed if a BT Home Hub SW update has caused these problems?  There are many threads and reports of similar problems at the same time.  It is too much of a coincidence.

I have not changed any aspect of the configuration and the box has worked for years.

My BT Home Hub 3 SW version is 4.7.5.1.83.8.94.1.37.

Please provide a clear summary based on your best experience of what Ports and IP addresses and other settings need to be checked for a BT Home Hub 3.

What are your conclusions?

Many thanks.

[yellow160]

Hi Kay

I followed your reset procedure - something I've done many times over the last few days.

The first bit of feedback I'd give is that the instructions don't seem to match reality or be consistent across members of the tech team.

I hold the reset button for approx 30 seconds and the lights cycle 1,2,3,4 - no matter how long I hold the button they never all light up solid.

After that I followed your instructions.

I did this early evening yesterday and the unit seems to be still cycling through various different light patterns but still mostly solid power and flashing light2.

I have attached images of my port forwarding setup.

[yellow160]

There seem to me to be a lot of people whose SS (of various versions) seem to have been working fine until recently when they just "stopped working".

Doing a bit of digging I noticed that my BT HomeHub firmware was updated on the 13/4/14 which is not a million miles away from when I noticed that my SS was having issues.

This thread describes how the SS sets up a VPN between itself and the Vodafone Servers:
http://dataplumber.wordpress.com/2011/06/30/vodafone-suresignal-ports/

This thread describes how lots of people using BT HomeHub 3A are having VPN issues since the last firmware update (4.7.5.1.83.8.94.1.37 (Type A))
https://community.bt.com/t5/Other-Broadband-Queries/New-firmware-kills-VPN/m-p/1196385/highlight/tru...

So, in a community spirit, how about people who are having issues AFTER HAVING BEEN WORKING FINE PREVIOUSLY post in here their ISP and ROUTER and, if BT HomeHub, the firmware version (see http://bt.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/13073/~/how-can-i-check-the-firmware-version-on-my-bt...

For me:

ISP : BT Infinity

ROUTER : BT HomeHub 3

Firmware : 4.7.5.1.83.8.94.1.37 (Type A)

[yellow160]

Hi James

Gemma is helping me on another thread but I was interested in the traceroute thing I saw here.

The IP address we are asked to test (212.183.133.178) is presumably a SureSignal server farm of some kind.

For everyone who I have seen do a traceroute in these various threads where their SS has stopped working the trace route shows that they are unable to connect to that address. The fact that @followbox gets to cw.net which belongs to Vodafone doesn't change the fact that s/he doesn't get to cluster4.vap.vodafone.co.uk

For followbox there seems to be no route from cw.net the end address, for me and Vicki on another thread the route only goes as far as 166-49-211-254.eu.bt.net but gets no further.

Surely this is relevant?

[yellow160]

Hi Andy

Can you explain what is fine about the traceroute? It shows that the connection timed out before connecting to your servers doesn't it?

Mine is the same and like an increasing number of people my V1 SureSignal has stopped working.

[PeterALander]

I've just returned from a trip abroad and my Suresignal 3 has also stopped working.

The red bar is on permanently and the first (web) light is just permanently flashing slowly.

The other two lights are off

Ping: 19ms

Download Speed 6.92Mbps

Upload Speed 0.25Mbps

IP Address 213.123.13.200

Serial No: 40131959161

Tracing route to cluster4.vap.vodafone.co.uk [212.183.133.177]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

  1     2 ms     1 ms     2 ms  BThomehub.home [192.168.1.254]
  2    19 ms    19 ms    19 ms  213.1.173.250
  3    19 ms    18 ms    18 ms  213.1.173.145
  4    20 ms    21 ms    19 ms  213.1.69.66
  5    20 ms    21 ms    20 ms  213.120.178.65
  6    20 ms    20 ms    20 ms  217.41.168.107
  7    20 ms    20 ms    20 ms  acc1-10GigE-0-2-0-7.l-far.21cn-ipp.bt.net [109.1
59.249.103]
  8    20 ms    20 ms    21 ms  core1-te0-7-0-5.faraday.ukcore.bt.net [109.159.2
49.39]
  9    20 ms    22 ms    20 ms  62.6.201.213
 10    20 ms    40 ms    21 ms  t2c3-xe-1-2-0-0.uk-lon1.eu.bt.net [166.49.211.18
4]
 11    21 ms    21 ms    21 ms  166-49-211-254.eu.bt.net [166.49.211.254]
 12     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 13     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 14     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 15     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 16     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 17     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 18     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 19     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 20     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 21     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 22     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 23     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 24     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 25     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 26     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 27     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 28     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 29     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 30     *        *        *     Request timed out.

Trace complete.

[Gemma]

Hi all,

@Piratepete – Everything that you’ve posted looks ok.

Please perform a factory reset, to restart the configuration.

Reset your Sure Signal:

 For version 3:

-Locate the button on the base of the box next to the Ethernet ports.

-Press and hold the button for approximately 30 seconds.

-Once the lights come back on, release the button.

The Sure Signal will be back online in around 1 hour.

@Peter2D – Thanks for testing this.

Your Sure Signal is currently still running the old firmware, we’ve not been able to update this as we can’t ping your box.

We’ve seen some traffic on the BT support forums, where the software version you’re running on your router is causing the VPN connections to fail.

If you speak to BT, they’ll be able to remotely update the software for you.

Once this is done, you’ll need to perform a factory reset on the Sure Signal (please see above).

@PeterALander – Your upload speed is showing below the minimum required (0.35Mbps).

Please speak to your internet provider about your speeds.

Thanks,

Gemma

[Peter2D]

Gemma

Thanks for your helpful reply.  I include below detailed notes of my experience with BT to help other SureSignal users with the same problem.  At the end of my post I do ask some further questions of Vodafone so would appreciate you answering these, especially as it may be the weekend when I am trying to get things to work again, and you may not be open on the Forum then.

I have contacted BT and requested the Firmware update.

Note that there is now a fairly prominent message on the BT Broadband Forum web page acknowledging the 'VPN' problem.  For other readers the BT Broadband help desk (0800 111 4567) closes at 9pm but the online chat is available after that time.  There is a dedicated email address to request the update.  I chose to 'chat', however, as I wanted to interact with someone and get more confidence my request was being actioned.  It took 15 minutes to get through to the Chat, but they were helpful, and confirmed there is a new Firmware version.  They ordered this for me and stated it will take up to 48 hours to be sent.  You get no notification it has been sent.  All you can do is log in to the Home Hub and, apparently, if you get the password reset web page that indicates the new Firmware has been sent.  They warn you that all settings get reset, but I never made any changes to the Default settings to get the SureSignal to work anyway.  They could not tell me what the Firmware Part/Version Number would be so all I can do is confirm it is different to my current Part/Version Number.

Further Questions for Vodafone.

1.  I see several descriptions of the Reset operation and the expected sequence of lights I should get.  When I last tried this the observed behaviour of lights was not as described.  Please confirm the Reset procedure I should use and what sequence of lights I should expect.  I have the original Sure Signal 1.

2.  Once I have done the Reset will the SureSignal automatically receive its own Firmware update.  You indicate I need one.  Is there any way I can check myself what SureSignal Firmware version I have and if it has updated?  Or can a check of this only be done by Vodafone?  If I need to manually request a SureSignal Firmware update how do I do that?  Please advise.

3.  Can I sugest you further update the diagnostic guidelines for the SureSignal 1.  For example, my box went through several of the normal LED light sequences but settled in a Steady State of NO lights on at all, despite power being applied and the rear LEDs (amber and green) by the Cat 5 socket being lit.  This is not a state which is described in any of the guidance/diagnostic notes.

I look forward to receiving your answers to these three points.

Thanks in advance.

Peter

[PeterALander]

My Sure Signal 3, fimal solution:

Unplugged the router for an hour (I've heard anything from 11 minutes to an hour, so to be safe took the whole hour)

that started a new session on BT.

Pressed the reset button on the sure signal for 30 seconds. After that the orange LED flashed furiously as it clearly started a reload.

Took 2 hours then all came to life and my phone reconnected

Thanks for the help

Pete