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No DSL Service when it rains...

I am aware that this issue has occurred for others before.

When it rains, my internet connection drops out. The interesting thing is it does not have to actually be raining at the location of my home for it to fail. If the connection starts to become spotty, I know it is raining or will rain within minutes without fail. I've deduced fairly scientifically that it is not coincidental. I don't have connection problems when it isn't raining or isn't about to rain. When I do have problems, if it isn't already raining, it will be raining within minutes.

What I'm interested in knowing is if my problem is resolvable considering this doesn't appear to be exclusive to when it rains on my own hardware.

Would my problems be the result of a nearby line being faulty for whatever reason? Do you think this is an issue that can be fixed?

Say, perhaps, that it is a problem exclusive to my own hardware. What would the problem be?

Here's my transceiver stats:

Transceiver Revision: 7.2.3.0

Vendor ID Code: 4

Line Mode: G.DMT Mode

Data Path: Interleaved

DSL Speed (Kbits/Sec)

Down: 2048

Up: 608

Margin (dB)

Down: 6.5

Up: 10.0

Line Attenuation (dB)

Down: 63.5

Up: 31.5

Transmit Power (dBm)

Down: 16.1

Up: 11.9

Comments

jmw1950

My own experience is that it is unlikely that Verizon will fix it. The main reason I went from DSL to FiOS as soon as it was available was that if I could hear thunder, my DSL service was down, and if it was raining, I lost about 500kbps on the downlink. Your transceiver stats look very much like mine did. Very simply you have a lousy pair, usually a result of age.

Copper wires last a long time, but the insulation and dielectric qualities don't age anywhere near as well as the copper. So what works find for Voice may not work very well at all for data. Unfortunately for many of us, Verizon's sole obligation is provide toll grade Voice Service. There is no regulatory requirement that the lines be suitable for any service above ISDN.

To fix your problem would require Verizon make a significant investment in upgrading the copper lines, and at this point I don't think there is a chance of that happening. DSL is not a tariffed service, which among other things means Verizon doesn't have to meet any service standard, or even offer it to every customer. So Verizon will put their money where they have to by order of the Public Utilities Commission or local equivalent, and where they can get the best return on their investment. That isn't in upgrading copper wire.

Anyway, FiOS service is completely immune to weather as best as I can tell (and I've had it for 18 months).

Zrock021

I apologize for the inconvenience you are having with your internet service, however there are a couple things you can try to see if it helps. 1) Clean the jack where you plug in to and repunch/mount it. The jacks can become corroded over time. You can use a brass wire brush to clean the terminals. 2) Have you checked the quality of the cables where you plug it in to make sure they have not been damaged? 3) Have you done a diagnostic test on your router to verify everything is functioning correctly?

Hope this helps.

mjdgoldeneye

The issue is not internal to the house. I only have problems when it rains. Clearly, the issue is not related to wall sockets... (Unless I've got water freely running down the inside of my walls. In that case I've got far more serious issues... Obviously I don't.)

It's the service itself being effected by the rain. If it isn't cost effective to fix the problem, then maybe it wouldn't be cost effective for me to keep my Verizon service.

By the way, my internet isn't working consistently today. It's pouring rain. The issue continues.

Seagulldudu

We have the same problem. It's been going on for YEARS here in Morristown, Indiana. I try calling

Service and I get some Idiot in India explaining to me how to turn the Router off and on. I believe

the problem is simply tired old copper lines that are good enough for phone, but not DSL. At least

not in the Rain!

The rain here normally comes in from the west and I can definitely tell by my Loss of DSL that it

will be raining within 10 minutes Max! Verizon simply isn't interested in fixing anything. Unfortunately

our options here are limited to Veri{please keep your posts courteous}, Satellite & Dial-Up. The second someone brings Cable

to town, Verizon will lose every single customer in Morristown, IN. Guaranteed!

egz_VPI

Bump.

I too have this problem where I live. Its not the house, because it works fine every other time, and its also new construction, only 3 years old. And like observed above, the storm doesn't have to be overhead, but somewhere else to kill it, convienently timed to thunder, so I know when to look up and see the light out. I've lost my connection over 20 times so far in the past couple of hours.

smith6612

Just a question to any of you; does your phone line receive static on the voice side of it while it is raining out, or do you hear any noise such as electrical interference/ingress coming onto the line when Thunderstorms are near? That is usually sign of a bad splice, a junction box that is in need of repair or an exposed portion of copper wiring (or with lesser than normal sheidling due to aging/animals). The same would apply to lines that receive static or DSL troubles when heat waves with high humidity come by. My line has somewhat lost the condition it used to be in even though it's 8 years old from my home to the remote. We've just had so many winter storms and scorching hot summers that it's taking it's toll on the line.

Lately, whenever we get temperatures shooting up into the 80s+ range and it's extremely humid out after a day of 50 degree and rainy weather (not during the summer though, only during spring and fall. During summer requires 95 degree temps and humidity), my phone line will receive static on it that takes roughly a half hour to clear up. Next time we get a heat wave showing up right after rain storms, I'll have to give Verizon a call to have them fix the line. I'm sure something got damaged in the last few years from a winter storm or human error.

redwolff929

Have that problem for years. First time I called it in, it was static on the phone. The tech checked every thing before coming in. He called from the truck to tell me "there was no problem" There was so much static when he did, he couldn't.

Said he had to check inside. There was no problem with my wires. He changed wires some where down the road. This was , may be 3 years ago. This march it started again, the static. Took me forever to get a real person on the phone. Had all kinds of static at the time. The tech came, no complaints just said he would change lines for me. Sooooo they know they have problems.

To this day the internet connection comes and goes as fast as ever minute or two when it rains or about to. Complain, complain, complain,complain you have static on your phone when it rains.

As a side note. We have a dedicated line at work between builds that has problems every year or so. We were told as long as there's another pair to switch to , they will . This is until the line is exhausted, then they'll change it out.

If they drop there Fios prices I'd change in a minute.

smith6612

When you are calling Verizon to report voice/loop trouble, are you dialing them from a mobile phone or from another line that isn't having the issue? They can perform an MLT test which will pinpoint where the problem is in most cases, and help the tech repair the issue (instead of just swapping line pairs left and right). If it is an issue with the entire trunk, it's probably time for the trunk to be replaced or retired in favor of FiOS.

As for cheaper FiOS prices, there is word going around that Verizon is cooking up an introductary tier for Internet service for FiOS. 3Mbps/1Mbps would be the speed for $30-35 a month (just like the old 5Mbps/2Mbps tier that was $32 from ages ago), maybe cheaper, and you should be able to bundle it with Phone and/or TV if you wish.

redwolff929

Both times I called from the line with the problem. If I remember correctly, the first time I got some one in the repair dept. Again if I remember correctly , they checked the line and said they had to send some one. They kept leaning to it being the in house wires.

This March when I called, could not get any one live in the repair area. It sent me to a "make a repair appointment" answering machine. I went to the "bill problem" to get a live person. I explained my problem through the static, which they heard too.

They connected me with repair, in California, I'm in NY. Finally got through to NY and again was told it might be in the house. I don't think they checked the line this time.

Like I said, the swapped things in March and I have problems again with it dropping the internet when it rains.

smith6612

Alrighty.The next time you hear static on the phone, give them a call from another line. They will be able to perform a complete set of tests which must be ran while the line is not in use. They may have done that in one of your calls, but their MLT test should pick up where the problem is.

switchtocable

I'm bumping this thread bc its still happening. Im in Queens, nyc & I know it is going to rain any minute when my internet goes out. Been living with this for over a year, verizon keeps promising to send a technician after spending over an hour testing my lines & having me turn modem off & on. Frustrating and a big waste of my time.

The cable guy is coming tomorrow & I signed up for vonage so verizon loses all of my service. Good job guys.

gotocable

bsd

was overcharged from 2/2011 to 12/2011 by about $20 a month (suppose to be charges $59.99 charges about $92 after taxes.

that was done on the phone

order number {edited for privacy}done online for 12 months at 54.99 plus taxes (have an email that i can FWD ) being charged $59.99 plus taxes .

Please make the right Ajustments.

Also been having problems with line every time it rains. Spoke to PUC,FCC about a year ago been in contact with someone in LI thats in charge of this area {edited for privacy} (think shes a district mgr.) for the last year or so getting nowhere.(all repair people that came here said the same thing that a "MAJOR CABLE" has to be changed but that verizon does not want to make that "MAJOR INVESTMENT. Major cable problem problem persists.

I will contact them again and this time will contact a few TV stations (7on your side,shame on you etc.) i don't think Verizon wants this publicity. Also no FIOS in my area eventough was promised it will be here over 2 years AGO.

Need a contact Email/fax info for a SR VP!!! i DAYTRADE from home and these interuptions cost me lots of $$$$

jmw1950

My voice service was completely unaffected by the rain, although lightning I could hear. The problem these users are experience is most likely due to old/deteriorating copper pair from their premises to the central office. Voice signals on the pair behave essentialy

like DC, and the quality or dielectric characteristics of the line insulation don't matter much. DSL service involves

frequencies where the copper pair behaves as a radio frequency transmission line, I'd be willing to bet that insulation

on the pair is very old, so it gets wet, and that alters the dielectric qualities of the insulation at the frequencies used for DSL

transmission to the point that the losses are too high. The original poster had a downlink loss of 63.5 db, that is apporaching

the limit for DSL operation to start with, so it won't take much more loss to stop DSL from working altogether.

As I pointed out much earlier, fixing the problem would involved Verizon replaces at least some portion of the copper pair. Since the voice circuit works fine. Verizon has no legal obligation to do any work on the line. Verizon isn't spending any money on wireline

services that they don't absolutely have too at this point. which is a polite way of pointing out that your are stuck with the problem.

There are alternatives, unfortunately they are all more expensive, and generally come with traffic limits (Sat and Wireless broadband).

scott429

Didn't see this thread, I just started a new one - same problem, flaky DSL with no static or other voice degradation (unless the lightning is real close, then you hear it), calling repair service on this is less satisfying than a root canal.

Anthony_VZ

@gotocable wrote:

bsd

was overcharged from 2/2011 to 12/2011 by about $20 a month (suppose to be charges $59.99 charges about $92 after taxes.

that was done on the phone

order number {edited for privacy}done online for 12 months at 54.99 plus taxes (have an email that i can FWD ) being charged $59.99 plus taxes .

Please make the right Ajustments.

Also been having problems with line every time it rains. Spoke to PUC,FCC about a year ago been in contact with someone in LI thats in charge of this area {edited for privacy} (think shes a district mgr.) for the last year or so getting nowhere.(all repair people that came here said the same thing that a "MAJOR CABLE" has to be changed but that verizon does not want to make that "MAJOR INVESTMENT. Major cable problem problem persists.

I will contact them again and this time will contact a few TV stations (7on your side,shame on you etc.) i don't think Verizon wants this publicity. Also no FIOS in my area eventough was promised it will be here over 2 years AGO.

Need a contact Email/fax info for a SR VP!!! i DAYTRADE from home and these interuptions cost me lots of $$$$

Since we haven't heard back from you or have received a form submission as requested on your private support case, it appears assistance is no longer required. If you need any future help with your Verizon service, please make a post here on the forums so we can assist.

Phylisrn

I have the exact same problem as listed above. Whenever it rains or gets cloudy my Internet service goes off and it stays on and off for days. I also have no phone service at this time as there is so much static I cannot hear anything. This has been going on for about two years. I call Verizon service and I'll talk to a rep for hours and hours nothing gets done. I am taking online classes and I cannot afford to not have Internet service. I will also be contacting the FCC. Verizon is aware that there is a bad cable in my area and they are not fixing it.

alexyar

I am having the same issue as well. My DSL connection drops all the time even when the weather is fine, but usually rebooting modedm a couple of times helps.

But when it's raining I basically get no internet at all, like the last few days in Pittsburgh. It is quite literally unusable, and I have to stay in my office until midnight becuase there's no internet at home

MysteryB

I have the same issue here in western MA. Started about a year ago still not fixed and I'm not the only one on my street with issues.

Pappy40

My DSL drop problem may be solved. My DSL dropped during storms nearly all the time. My original Verizon Westell modem developed a bad Ethernet connector so Verizon sent me a D-Link 2750. The Westell was at least 10 years old and only in the last year or so started dropping out during thunder storms.

The replacement D-Link was worse but it's one of the few Verizon provides "support" for. Considering it was a free replacement I went along. Now anytime there was any bad weather within 10 miles it dropped DSL and would take forever to reconnect. Sometimes it looked like it was up but had no PPPoE connection no matter how many times I reset or rebooted it. I love how when you call the help line they tell you "for faster service, log into Verizon web site" Geez, doesn't anybody at Verizon ever listen to how stupid they sound?

After fooling around for several weeks I decide to upgrade the DSL modem on my dime to something better. I got a TP-Link TD-W8980. Verizon offers no support for this unit so I struggled through learning how to set it up. It took a few hours comparing setup screens with the old unit and I got it running. **bleep** if it didn't start acting flaky the next storm that hit.

Now I'm thinking I wasted money on the new unit. So to eliminate the modem I went out to the Telco network interface box where the land lines from the local office tie into the house wiring. It says Telco use only on the right side, Yeah, sure! It was loaded with bugs and junk so I brushed all that out. Then I loosened all the screws on Verizon side wiring, sprayed them with Deoxit contact cleaner and snugged everything down. I guess that was the first time they had been serviced in 30 years. Then I did the same thing on my side. I had recently replaced the wires feeding my connector block inside the house so these weren't as crummy as the Telco side.

But all the screws on both sides were not as tight as they should have been. Then I moved down to the ground connection where the Telco ground wire joins the house ground. I loosened the screw on the ground wire clamp, sprayed the clamp and screw with the contact cleaner and made sure it was really tight.

Then to insure I had a good ground I scooped a small area of dirt away from the house ground wire and dumped half a cup of pellet salt (water softener type) into it, tamped it down and watered it. It's an old trick I learned working on mobile Air Force communications systems when out in the field to insure getting a good ground for radio equipment in hard rocky soil. We used rock salt in a pit where drove a ground rod through the salt deep into the soil then watered it down.

I'm sitting here typing this in a raging thunderstorm, lightning flashing all around. Not a single drop out on my DSL. I keep my iPod tuned into Weather Underground radar to track storms ever since we got flooded in fall of 2011. I used to get so irritated when the DSL dropped out and I had to turn on the TV for weather updates unless it was so bad my satellite also dropped out! Just for the record my satellite did lose signal for about 20 minutes a while ago.

Anyway I realize this is long since the last post but it may help some one else.

sher1264

I've had this problem for almost 6 years - ever since I moved into this house and got Verizon Internet. Had several techs come out and check but they cannot find anything wrong with the line. One time it was a bad jack that did get replaced - my problem is that the water leaks inside my outside box. The last tech that visited said that was definitely the problem because my box was so old but Verizon will most likely not replace it unless it is damaged beyond repair - so I guess it is okay for water to leak in and potentially cause a fire? That is insane! So everytime it rains, I get dropped or my dpeed slows so much it is like having a freaking dial up modem. I am sick and tired of dealing with this just about every month. And now I lost service last night around 9pm and it STILL is not back up and working. As soon as another internet service pops up where I live, I am getting rid of Verizon - oh and the tech just put electrical tape all around the edges of the box outside to seal it better and it didn't help.

mirrorlady

Sorry to hear that. I empathize. I'm not the only one in my community of 300+ homes. What they won't tell you is that if you have an issue after it rains, your cables are corroded. It isn't cost-effective for them to replace them, but they still charge me just as much as customers whose connection works. My issue is 5 years long. No hope in sight. If I had other options, I'd switch immediately.

Bedfordite

My service fails when it thunders. Modem/routers should be designed to reset themselves when connectivity is lost. Are you listening to your customers, Verizon?

[Deleted User]

As this thread is now over two years old, it will be locked in order to keep discussions current. If you have the same or a similar question/issue we invite you to start a new thread on the topic.

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