August 1999 - USR-TC - mailman.xmission.com

(usr-tc) Need help with Netserver 8i
by Greg Coffey 21 Aug '99

21 Aug '99

We have been having a problem with a netserver 8i and flashed it remotely to the newest ver 4.2.0 today. Prior to this flash, it had been working but a modem was hanging on a regular basis. We thought the newer ver might fix the modem problem but it broke the dialup connections. We can still telnet to it and connect via modem but not login through the phone link. We flashed it back to an earlier ver 4.1.77 but still cannot establish a dialup link. Of course, it is in a town over 100 miles away and we are not able to resolve the problem. Anyone care to take a chance with it? Email me directly if you can help. Thanks, Greg Coffey <gcoffey(a)vcn.com> Visionary Communications V 307-234-5443 F 307-234-5446 ================================================== 142 S. Center St. Casper, Cheyenne, Gillette, Sheridan, Laramie Casper, WY 82601 Evanston, Rawlins, Powell, Rock Springs, Cody WWW.VCN.COM Douglas, Chugwater, Pinedale, & Lander, Wy - To unsubscribe to usr-tc, send an email to "majordomo(a)xmission.com" with "unsubscribe usr-tc" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message.

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long -- Re: (usr-tc) 3com not doing V.90 as well as Ascends
by Jeff Lynch 21 Aug '99

21 Aug '99

On Tue, 10 Aug 1999, Allen Marsalis wrote: > At 01:24 AM 8/10/99 -0400, Ed wrote: > >3com not doing V.90 as well as Ascend's..... > > > >We have tested and found it to be true that Ascend's authenticate and work > >at V.90 speeds much more often than 3com. It even happens when using a > >3com/USR modem. It takes certain a certain situation for this to happen but > >it does happen... > > > >Just wondered if others out there have noticed it or had their competitors > >using Ascend's have customers that say "Well I get 56K speeds on so and so > >Internet Service, why not yours?" > > We have been 100% USR/3COM for 3 years and we recently received a Max > TNT for eval to address the above problem.. Both chassis will be > at the same NOC. 2 new PRI's for the TNT should be up this week.. > I'll keep you posted as to the results and try to provide some statistical > data.. Sorry for the length here, but I think it's a good read, eventhough I did write it myself :) We did some churn analysis for customers that are no longer active or no longer customers. We looked at at customers lost since March 1999 because of: a) reported problems connecting, staying connected, or poor performance b) unexplained non-payers/dead-beats c) customers cancelled but did not give a reason (and did not return our calls when we tried to followed up). We had 103 total cancellations for these reasons since March 1999. We had enough data to determine that 57% of these 103 had problems were directly attributable to connection quality. Of these 59 (103*0.57) customers lost: 50% of them had not established a connection in 1999 (many of them reported this trouble) 40% had a large number of <1 minute connections, and showed a pattern of having to redial when they did stay on longer than a few minutes 10% had connect speeds that varied more than a few "rungs" between 2400-52000 Let's see...If we had an alternate modem pool with a different NAS type, we might have saved these 59 customers. That's about $1000/month at an average revenue of $17/customer/month. We are still likely to continue loosing more if we don't take action. Alternatively Scot Desort <scot(a)njaccess.net>, wrote: "When all else fails, pull $35 out of petty cash and send the customer a Paradise Winmodem (LT chipset, PCI), for free. These things are GREAT, will save you hours of tech support headaches, and inevitably win you over a customer that, in the long run, is worth a lot more than the $35 you spent on the modem. We even offer to install it for free if they bring the box in. Let's remember that the goal is to KEEP the customer a PAYING customer. And nothing makes them more warm and fuzzy then getting something for free." This is interesting. Upgrading these customer's modems would have cost us $2065 in hardware and perhaps $400-500 in labor estimated to retain the $1000/month in revenue if this actually fixed the problem. I can see several problems though. You could get a considerable number of calls from unhappy customers like "my friend got a free modem now he gets 52K but I only get 42K or 28.8K. I want one too." The customer's computer needs to be sufficiently powered to run with a winmodem. How much time is spent explaining that only certain customers qualify and how exactly are those qualifications set? This also doesn't account for telco line issues. Many customers now can't even tell you what kind of modem they have or what processor they have, others may guess or argue that their's _should_ qualify for the free upgrade. For the program to not piss off any other customers, it needs to be made available to everyone. Otherwise trouble seems inevitable. On the other hand, although it takes some capital (not much with eq leasing and zero install PRIs) and increases network complexity a little, it's not that big of a deal for a reasonably clued provider to add another NAS and move PRIs over to them in a separate hunt or just install a couple new PRIs and gradually grow the alternate modem pool. But really doesn't add much cost to the operation in the long run and the customers are retained as well. Also: 1) it's available to everyone, 2) it only takes a minute to help them change phone numbers 3) and in most cases, if this doesn't solve the problem, they're not likely to be satisfied with anyone else and helps prove the problem is theirs, motivating them to follow your recommedations. The main thing that tweaks me is having to take this action in the first place. Not to mention that we've got 7 or 8 hdsps from quad trades and arc upgrades and such that we are paying for but won't be using this year now, depending on the demand for the alternate pool. Cost of doing business. Time to get a MAX on eval and give it a whirl. ============================================================================ Jeffrey A. Lynch | JORSM Internet, Regional Internet Services email: jeff(a)jorsm.com | 7 Area Codes in Chicagoland and NW Indiana Voice: (219)322-2180 | 100Mbps+ Connectivity, 56K-DS3, V.90, ISDN Autoresponse: info(a)jorsm.com | Quality Service, Affordable Prices http://www.jorsm.com | Serving Gov, Biz, Indivds Since 1995 - To unsubscribe to usr-tc, send an email to "majordomo(a)xmission.com" with "unsubscribe usr-tc" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message.

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(usr-tc) allowing one user to auth on one channel...
by Rick 21 Aug '99

21 Aug '99

All, Was wondering if anyone has any idea's on whether this will work: we have gotten a single telephone number assigned to a single channel of one of our T1's. Then we used the "set switched interface Slot:x/mod:y user_name" and "set switched interface slot:x/mod:y password", commands in an attempt to allow ONLY that user to dial into that channel and authenticate on it. However, ANY valid user showing up in radius can authenticate on that channel as well. Should this work, as long as we have our call routing method set to fixed assignment? Anyone else ever do this? Thanks in advance, Rick - To unsubscribe to usr-tc, send an email to "majordomo(a)xmission.com" with "unsubscribe usr-tc" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message.

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Re: (usr-tc) Bad Modem monitoring
by Brett Murphy 20 Aug '99

20 Aug '99

Excuse my ignorance, but my perl doesnt have SNMP_Session, where can I get it from? All the best, Brett Murphy Technical Manager, Alphalink (Australia) PTY LTD ph: +61 3 9486-8844 fax: +61 3 9486-6822 email: me(a)murf.net The contents of this email message may not be quoted, copied, reproduced or published in part or in whole, without the written authorization of Brett Murphy, Director, Alphalink (Australia) Pty Ltd. -----Original Message----- From: Eric Billeter <ebilleter(a)cableone.net> To: usr-tc(a)lists.xmission.com <usr-tc(a)lists.xmission.com> Date: Thursday, 19 August 1999 3:27 Subject: RE: (usr-tc) Bad Modem monitoring >Here is an updated version with mail notification. > >I am using ntsendmail.pm which is available at >You will need to place ntsendmail.pm in your \perl\lib directory. > >http://www.alliancestudio.com/tk/ntsendmail/ > >Modify the values in the script for each site you want to monitor > >$ENV{"NTsendmail"} = "My.mailserver.com"; #Enter your Mail Server Here > >my $community="public"; # Your community String >my $router = "127.0.0.1"; # IP Address of NMC >my $outputfile = "modem-fail.htm"; # File to output to >my $location = "Phoenix"; # Location Descriptor >my $sender = "tech\(a)mycompany.com"; # Mail From (use \@ in mail >address) >my $recipient = "tech\(a)mycompany.com"; # Mail To (use \@ in mail >address) >my $subject = "$location modems"; # Mail Subject > >For errored status I'm using 15% for my threshold. You can change it on >this line. > > if (@callfail[$i-1] > (@callok[$i-1])*.15) { > > >Again.. if there are any perl guru's out there who could clean this up it >would be appreciated. > >Thanks > > >Eric Billeter >Internet Engineer >Cable One, Inc. > >eric.billeter(a)cableone.net >602-364-6462 > - To unsubscribe to usr-tc, send an email to "majordomo(a)xmission.com" with "unsubscribe usr-tc" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message.

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(usr-tc) Modem Failure monitor
by Eric Billeter 20 Aug '99

20 Aug '99

Modified version Includes call failure ratio on web page Single email per chassis rather than 1 email per modem failure better method of determining failed modems Failure ratio of 15% and more than 20 failures Any input or feedback is appreciated Eric Billeter Internet Engineer Cable One, Inc. eric.billeter(a)cableone.net 602-364-6462

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(usr-tc) Another dead ISDN link
by K Mitchell 20 Aug '99

20 Aug '99

ISDN connection with a Cisco 804 on a static IP address. He has the IP assigned to him, but the connection can't seem to pass any traffic. Terminated the connection and reconnected, still nothing. Actually there is traffic on the line per MON PPP, but pings aren't going either way and the customer claims to be unable to pass any http traffic either. Running DSP 1.2.60 ARC 4.1.59-6 Any ideas? Thanks, Kirk -- Kirk Mitchell-General Manager mitch(a)keyconn.net Keystone Connect Unlock Your World Altoona, PA 814-941-5000 http://www.keyconn.net - To unsubscribe to usr-tc, send an email to "majordomo(a)xmission.com" with "unsubscribe usr-tc" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message.

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(usr-tc) Modem errors.
by Brice Ligget 20 Aug '99

20 Aug '99

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(usr-tc) Link dead after 8 Days
by Dale Hege 20 Aug '99

20 Aug '99

Hello, Has anyone had problems with customers staying connected for more than 8 days straight? I have an ISDN customer that seems to not be able to pass any packets other than icmp after 8 days of being connected. I'm running on DSP 2.0.81 and 4.1.59 on the arc. Thanks, -Dale - To unsubscribe to usr-tc, send an email to "majordomo(a)xmission.com" with "unsubscribe usr-tc" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message.

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(usr-tc) Out Calling
by Sam Lowe 20 Aug '99

20 Aug '99

Ever since we have used out TCs I have been told the it is not possible to make on outbound ISDN call. One of my competitor's is touting this ability (using a "state-of-the-art Total Control") and I wonder if I have overlooked something. Any one with knowledge of how to do this? Samuel S. Lowe Director, Data Services UniversalCom, Inc. slowe(a)universalcom.net

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(usr-tc) ISDN callback
by Pete Ashdown 19 Aug '99

19 Aug '99

Has anyone managed to get ISDN callback on the HiPer to work in any form? Here is a RADIUS entry for our test account: techmgr Authentication-Type = Unix-PW Framed-IP-Address = 204.228.152.46, Framed-IP-Netmask = 255.255.255.255, Port-Limit = 3, Service-Type = Dialback-Framed, Dialback-No = 5551212, Idle-Timeout = 0 It dials back just fine, but getting the connection to work at that point is somewhat of a mystery. - To unsubscribe to usr-tc, send an email to "majordomo(a)xmission.com" with "unsubscribe usr-tc" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message.

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