DSL acquires new IP address same minute after the hour....
Technical10
Enthusiast - Level 2

Let me start that our equipment has not  changed in almost 2-years and functioned correctly during that time. As expected over time the modem will lose signal and acquire a new IP address for whatever reason... power failure, equipment upgrade on Verizon's end, etc. All expected and acceptable. That was until 5-days ago.

When this all started the first day it dropped three times at random hours, but at ~14-minutes after the hour. The following day two more times at ~15-minutes after the hour. Day three... six times ~16-minutes after the hour. Day four and five.... ~17-minutes after the hour.... then it rained and it did not reset for almost 24-hours.... then it happened again at 54-minutes after the hour today.... notice a pattern? And it will last for ~1-2 minutes before it establishes a new connection.

So I called Verizon tech support and they said the line was clear and free of problems, but that my modem came up with an error.... so they wanted me to replace it since our Westell 6100G was ~5-years old. They then offered a modem/router combo for $150 or ~$4/mo.... I was shocked that they wanted to charge me for it (this is a business account and we have ~15 lines and 2-dsl services with Verizon) so I said I would call back on that one. They said I could also buy one myself locally as well.... so that is what I did.

Our original unit was the Westell 6100G that I ran in bridge mode with a Asus router. I had to do this as I needed to forward a couple of ports to control a piece of equipment. Again, nothing crazy, just what we have. So after picking up a Netgear DGN2200 and setting it up (minus the port forwarding for now) all was back online in under 15-min. 

So thinking that would solve the problem, I left for the day. Then it began... again and continued for 2-more days at the same rate. I run a program that sends me my new external IP address every time it resets. Daytime, nighttime... doesn't matter. 

Called Verizon again and this time they did the same line test--- again no found issues. They then offered to send me a new modem/ router at no charge... again surprised and purturbed as they should have done this in the first place. They also said to install it so that their upper tech support cannot complain that it is not their equipment..... at this point I just want the service fixed and I'll do it to satiate them. During the conversation the rep even insinuated that it resetting like this is more or less normal or not unacceptable.... 26-times in 5-days considering it has not reset more than 10-times in 3-years? I know otherwise.

What gets me is the timing of it... until we had rain yesterday when it seemed to make things better for a day--- it was on track to do so a minute later almost every 24-hours but reset in a random pattern as far as to which hours it does it. Sometimes three hours in a row, others an hour or a few apart.... that part is not consistent.

I also confirmed that the only devices on the line are our DSL and our fax machine of which has the approprite filter on it. With that, I had changed out the DSL filter with the new one that came with the Netgear unit. Internally everything maintains its IP address, only the external IP address changes. 

So that is what I have and any suggestions would be appreciated. Based on what I have to work with and what I know--- it is on Verizon's end. It makes it impossible to work and especially to work remotely as the connection is up and down. The problem really comes into play when I am attempting to do file transfers and remote diagnostics and... blip... I get the pleasure of having to start over again, and again. Definitely not acceptable and is completely counter productive.

0 Likes
1 Solution

Correct answers
Re: DSL acquires new IP address same minute after the hour....
Technical10
Enthusiast - Level 2

Well it looks like I may have found out what the problem is, and the problem with "I may" is that I prefer hard evidence of something not being right and figuratively be able to put my finger on it.

With Verizon making the changes on their end and checking from the pole, interface on our building, and from the cable inside---- all checked out perfect. So I decided over the weekend to disconnect all wired connections. Came in on Monday and my IP address was the same. I then proceeded to connect my wired connections.... within 2-minutes it dropped my WAN IP address. OK, so it appears that it is something in house that is causing the problem. Great, even more fun finding that.

I also talked to a friend that not necessarily deals with networks, but is in the IT field and he mentioned 8-bit subnet mask and 14-devices... Since that is not my forte.... I did some research and not much was explained in what I was looking for, so I just kept in mind the number of devices. With that said, we have close to 18 when everything is connected. Could that be it? Not sure, but had to march on.

So I took the next two days and disconnected parts of the network and had mixed results. At this time I also took the opportunity to switch over to the Actiontec modem/router that Verizon eventually supplied for no cost and returned the Netgear to the store. Setup was simple enough and I then proceeded to connect everything back to the router. When I did, there was one problem... I could not print to the Brother MFC printer/fax/scanner as the wired LAN was not active. Really? So how has it worked to this point since wireless was not setup and it was on a wired connection and it has worked this way for almost a year. So that I could not answer, but I did go through the settings and I did enable a wired LAN connection and as soon as I did, it was active.

I did find some documents on people having problem with HP printers and when they print--- the internet drops out. Not the same, but close. Add in we have a number of pieces of equipment and is it possible that we are fine normally, but when more than x-number of pieces are connected and the printer was possibly doing really weird stuff.... that it overloaded the connection and just got to a point and quit then reacquired IP and then went on its way for another bit. I am just not sure.

So a day later we have not had one hiccup and I have been making sure I am not doing anything out of the ordinary that would mask the problem. So at this juncture it appears that the multi function printer/scanner/fax was the culprit and the resolution was to clear its network settings and start over from scratch. If that is the reason, great! If not, well I have no idea what it was as for as bad as it was, it is back to normal.

Hopefully this can help someone somewhere along the line. For me it is also about getting the scenario out of my head and onto the computer/ paper.... it often sparks and idea or thought. For me it was to do the obvious and have Verizon comb through their end and then for me to do the same on my end.

View solution in original post

Re: DSL acquires new IP address same minute after the hour....
smith6612
Community Leader
Community Leader

By chance is there anything near or in your building that is firing up at approximately the time the DSL goes out? With how consistent it used to be, that would have led me to believe it was the PPPoE session failing to hold properly, or a light/motor kicking on regularly.

0 Likes
Re: DSL acquires new IP address same minute after the hour....
Technical10
Enthusiast - Level 2

I may have answered part of my question and that is I did not realize the program that I use checks every 60-minutes...so I changed that to every minute. That may answer part of it, but strangely the other day I was sitting in front of it and it did it exactly at that specific time after the hour. Then it just sparked the question of whether the program that I use (IP Notification by RebrandSoftware) could possibly be the cause.... Questions and inconsistency in the problem are mounting.

To answer your question directly, nothing has changed around or in the building. Access is restricted to 15-components with five of them on static IP's and the other ten are computers, printers, my iPad, my Windows phone, and two Android phones that the manager of the facility uses. Checked often and passwords all changed top to bottom so there are no uninvited guests. Also no equipment changes in the past couple of months so one day it just all started. Everything in terms of timing in this building is as random and normal as it can get. Plus where we are located nothing is close enough to our building to interfere.

I have also entertained the thought that some piece of equipment on our LAN is somehow causing the modem to get wonky and drop/ re-establish an WAN IP address by either being faulty and creating errors or sucking up bandwidth in such a way that it does it. Not my area of expertiese, but I do know my way around to ask a bunch of hard line questions. Of course internally everything runs like a top and never skips a beat every time this occurs.

In the middle of writing this it happened again.... slows down, drops, give it ~2-min and it is back up. My local Verizon technician was out here today and switched the wiring at our end and back at the central office. Very interesting that it has persisted and moreover he didn't find any issues except that the line did have a bit higher level of "stress" than normal. Just like my stress, higher than normal!!!

Since the router has a log in it, I am going to disconnect all of my equipment over the weekend.... if it does change IP's I will know by the log plus I will know the last known one I was on when I leave today. If that does happen, then it is the easy way to say it is Verizon's problem. Maybe me mentioning if this is not addressed quickly that I will have to entertain Comcast for internet access.... Don't want to, but may have to force the issue.

And lastly as far as Netgear.... tried calling for tech support, big waste of time. Needless to say I am going to return it simply because they do not properly support their product even though I like the way it works. Verizon did get me a wireless gateway and on Monday I will switch over to it just because it satisfies them on their end that it is "Their" equipment.

0 Likes
Re: DSL acquires new IP address same minute after the hour....
Technical10
Enthusiast - Level 2

Well it looks like I may have found out what the problem is, and the problem with "I may" is that I prefer hard evidence of something not being right and figuratively be able to put my finger on it.

With Verizon making the changes on their end and checking from the pole, interface on our building, and from the cable inside---- all checked out perfect. So I decided over the weekend to disconnect all wired connections. Came in on Monday and my IP address was the same. I then proceeded to connect my wired connections.... within 2-minutes it dropped my WAN IP address. OK, so it appears that it is something in house that is causing the problem. Great, even more fun finding that.

I also talked to a friend that not necessarily deals with networks, but is in the IT field and he mentioned 8-bit subnet mask and 14-devices... Since that is not my forte.... I did some research and not much was explained in what I was looking for, so I just kept in mind the number of devices. With that said, we have close to 18 when everything is connected. Could that be it? Not sure, but had to march on.

So I took the next two days and disconnected parts of the network and had mixed results. At this time I also took the opportunity to switch over to the Actiontec modem/router that Verizon eventually supplied for no cost and returned the Netgear to the store. Setup was simple enough and I then proceeded to connect everything back to the router. When I did, there was one problem... I could not print to the Brother MFC printer/fax/scanner as the wired LAN was not active. Really? So how has it worked to this point since wireless was not setup and it was on a wired connection and it has worked this way for almost a year. So that I could not answer, but I did go through the settings and I did enable a wired LAN connection and as soon as I did, it was active.

I did find some documents on people having problem with HP printers and when they print--- the internet drops out. Not the same, but close. Add in we have a number of pieces of equipment and is it possible that we are fine normally, but when more than x-number of pieces are connected and the printer was possibly doing really weird stuff.... that it overloaded the connection and just got to a point and quit then reacquired IP and then went on its way for another bit. I am just not sure.

So a day later we have not had one hiccup and I have been making sure I am not doing anything out of the ordinary that would mask the problem. So at this juncture it appears that the multi function printer/scanner/fax was the culprit and the resolution was to clear its network settings and start over from scratch. If that is the reason, great! If not, well I have no idea what it was as for as bad as it was, it is back to normal.

Hopefully this can help someone somewhere along the line. For me it is also about getting the scenario out of my head and onto the computer/ paper.... it often sparks and idea or thought. For me it was to do the obvious and have Verizon comb through their end and then for me to do the same on my end.

Re: DSL acquires new IP address same minute after the hour....
smith6612
Community Leader
Community Leader

Glad to hear you found the problem, and let's hope it remains stable.

0 Likes