Hi

If you look for my query about modem codes on this forum, you'll get Hornbyp's illuminating response on how modem codes work on Draytek routers.

You can select the other modem code and it can sometimes make a difference to your connection. It changed mine to B507 and got a bit more stable connection, although I still experienced disconnections.

You can also download other firmware types (MDM3) from Draytek's main website (the International one, not the UK one). Again, if you look for one of my posts about MDM firmware types, it'll shed a bit of light on which of them stand for what, as Draytek offers a range of modem codes to suit different technologies.

Although Draytek claim they have tested BT firmware on BT lines (which I believe is MDM1 firmware, but this would need to be checked), it seems to me that some further testing/tweaking should be done to Draytek DSL codes. My Fritzbox has an option to report DSL code issues on my line and there's also an option to upload more stable modem codes from previous firmware updates.

Both Draytek and Fritzbox have an Infineon/Lantiq chipset, though the latter has a different/newer one (VRX518; PSB 80518), supporting super vectoring. What's more interesting is that your 2862 has the same chipset version as my 2762 (PXB4369EL - V2.1), thus suggesting that it might also be a chipset issue on some Huawei cabinets indeed, despite both being approved by BT for FTTC, hence your and my problems being similar.

The above are just suggestions because I don't know anymore - Openreach are very secretive about their line quality in my area, giving us conflicting information, and I think one needs to try different routers to see which suits your line. Not environmentally friendly all that.

Hi,

Thanks for all of the pointers to information and similar postings on the Kitz forums.

Quick update on progress - I was ready to replace the PSU on the Draytek as part of the troubleshooting process, but I couldn't find a genuine replacement in the UK, though Dryatek did send me the spec I needed (2862Vac doesn't use the usual PSU across other models - this one is DRAYPSU17 - 12V 3.0A 5.5mm outer 2.5mm inner).

However, an OpenReach engineer visited a couple of days ago and after a little while he noted a high level of RF noise coming through all of the electric mains circuits. We switched off the power to the house at the consumer unit and he noted that the attainable line speed for the line jumped up. We switched everything back on and the attainable line speed didn't change.

Then I realised that the fish tank lights weren't on and as soon as I switched them on the RF noise returned. It was a simple matter of tracing the source of the RF noise to the PSU for the lights. So, one possible culprit found!

He then admitted that he had switched on his RF detector in his van which was parked around 10m away from the house and he could detect the noise - I guess the house mains wires were acting as one big aerial! :shock:

He noted that there are still a high number of FEC errors being recorded even with the PSU off, but that may be down to the line length to the cabinet which is around 1km, but until the dodgy PSU was replaced he was reluctant to spend more time on the problem. Not a problem I thought and promptly ordered a replacement which has just been installed... now noise free!

Next to switch back to the Draytek to see if there is still an underlying problem with the cascading CRC/ES/SES errors

Cheers!
Andy

Iceman wrote:
Hi,

Thanks for all of the pointers to information and similar postings on the Kitz forums.

Quick update on progress - I was ready to replace the PSU on the Draytek as part of the troubleshooting process, but I couldn't find a genuine replacement in the UK, though Dryatek did send me the spec I needed (2862Vac doesn't use the usual PSU across other models - this one is DRAYPSU17 - 12V 3.0A 5.5mm outer 2.5mm inner).

However, an OpenReach engineer visited a couple of days ago and after a little while he noted a high level of RF noise coming through all of the electric mains circuits. We switched off the power to the house at the consumer unit and he noted that the attainable line speed for the line jumped up. We switched everything back on and the attainable line speed didn't change.

Then I realised that the fish tank lights weren't on and as soon as I switched them on the RF noise returned. It was a simple matter of tracing the source of the RF noise to the PSU for the lights. So, one possible culprit found!

He then admitted that he had switched on his RF detector in his van which was parked around 10m away from the house and he could detect the noise - I guess the house mains wires were acting as one big aerial! :shock:

He noted that there are still a high number of FEC errors being recorded even with the PSU off, but that may be down to the line length to the cabinet which is around 1km, but until the dodgy PSU was replaced he was reluctant to spend more time on the problem. Not a problem I thought and promptly ordered a replacement which has just been installed... now noise free!

Next to switch back to the Draytek to see if there is still an underlying problem with the cascading CRC/ES/SES errors

Cheers!
Andy

Very good outcome and lucky you to have such a good Openreach engineer.

I can't say the same about our engineers (all 14 were characterised by the same defining feature: uselessness), who still haven't done much about line.