1.6Gbit connection new smart hub (white, small box) sporadic issues? DNS MITM?

[allamavortex]

Hello all,

So I recently changed my service from 900mbit to 1.6Gbit and that involved a change of router and obviously the OR ONT on the wall.

Ever since having it installed there seems to be an issue with (most likely DNS issues). Whatever is loaded/playing/game continue to work, but I have spells where NO further DNS requests seem to make it through.

I totally forgot to nslookup during one of these issues, but I will the next time it happens (it's pretty frequent and annoying). I can ping 8.8.8.8 (google) whilst being unable to load any webpages on any device/browser. Thus removing the possibility of it being localised to a single machine/device as some were using the router, some were set to DNS over HTTPS and some were using Google's 8.8.8.8 etc. 

It is very much like the router is playing the MITM and intercepting the requests and then slowly, or failing to process these requests at all for a period of time which ranges up to about 45 seconds.

As I said, cached requests, or those already in process are fine, but even something as trivial as trying to watch a YT video is met with 45 seconds of nothing, totally unable to look up ANY address, but established connections and new connections not requiring DNS all work fine.

I'm not really one for conspiracies but I really feel like this new router is intercepting (MITM), attempting to do something with, and failing the DNS requests. This behaviour is only been present since getting the new Smart Hub (the tall, thing white one).

I did a quick google and it seems I'm not alone with this - is anyone else noticing this type of behavior?

Mixture of wired and wireless devices, same behaviour.

[rainman2871]

Yes I understand there is still a further issue regarding the stock router from EE but for the time being Im not getting any freezes or slow webpages or dns issues and yes the faults are still there imbedded in firmware EE will need  to reconfigure re-program the firmware a very long waiting game or it even might be the hardware thats when The EE tech support as asked me to return the smart hub pro back to them , so  EE higher tech team will have to send it back to the specialize department to test software and internal hardware.

[rainman2871]

I disabled my vpn opened command prompt ran a test with this tracert google.com, and yes you are correct 7 requests timed out but using and connecting my surfshark vpn I dont get any issues I think its because im using surfshark as a server and its directing all traffic then  the encrypted data, decrypts it, and then forwards the original data to its intended destination on the internet. so far all good and no more issues

Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.26100.4652]
(c) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\Windows\System32>tracert google.com

Tracing route to google.com [142.251.29.100]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

1 <1 ms <1 ms <1 ms 192.168.1.254
2 2 ms 1 ms 1 ms 172.16.15.85
3 * * * Request timed out.
4 7 ms 7 ms 6 ms 31.55.187.180
5 7 ms 7 ms 7 ms 213.121.192.134
6 9 ms 8 ms 8 ms 194.72.16.218
7 8 ms 8 ms 8 ms 109.159.253.71
8 8 ms 20 ms 8 ms 216.239.41.149
9 8 ms 8 ms 8 ms 192.178.98.4
10 8 ms 8 ms 8 ms 172.253.51.109
11 9 ms 9 ms 8 ms 142.251.76.204
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 8 ms 8 ms 8 ms 142.251.29.100

Trace complete.

C:\Windows\System32>

[bobpullen]

@rainman2871 - that traceroute is perfectly normal. All it's showing is that there are 'hops' along the way that choose not to respond to ping requests. As long as the final hop sees good latency (which it does), then it is not indicative of any problems.

The VPN trace will look different because it's going through the VPN tunnel, so your path to the Google servers is different (it will originate from wherever your VPN endpoint is based).

[spacedyemeerkat]

Finally! Some reference to this issue somewhere!

I've been on the fastest EE broadband since November. In the last week, I've started getting apparent breaks in connection when loading webpages. Vivaldi initially reports it as a DNS issue, then refreshes to no internet connection and then, finally, the webpage appears. This cycle usually takes about 15 seconds. It seems to be random but is often happening multiple times per hour. There is no ethernet (personal desktop) or WiFi (everything else) interruption.

EE sent a new router out yesterday and I'm having exactly the same issue. They also sent out a technician yesterday who, on arrivial, I explained the issue to. He shrugged and said, "I've no idea why they've sent me, this isn't something I'd be able fix." He then spent an 45 minutes telling me stories while poking around the router before he left. His theory was it's a bug in a firmware update.

I've noticed in the in the last 24 hours it doesn't appear to affect internet processes that are already running. So if, for example, I'm watching a YouTube video on my laptop already when it happens, it's fine. Same with Disney Plus on the television.

I'm just 'relieved' to see others are having the same issue, honestly.

[Bakelentil]

I've just changed to EE after 25 years with Virgin, I've got the 1.6GBit package and I'm getting the exact same problems described above on WiFi and on my wired PC. I'm not techy enough to understand details described and I really don't want to buy into different equipment as I'm seeing this as an EE problem that ought to be fixed! It seems that when I go to a 'new' website there are big delays or I get 'ee.co.uk DNS could not be found' messages. After a successful conection it seems to work OK on subsequent visits. I'm also getting occasional pauses in streaming (TennisTV etc). Speeds according to EE and Internet Speed Test seem fine. Is it worth phoning them or are they just going to tell me to reboot everything? Seems like a widespread problem (going by the dialogue here) with the 1.6Gbit service, can I get a downgrade?

[rainman2871]

We all need to keep phoning EE support and continue to complain the more customers complain about this the better outcome to a solution, I have been told you can not downgrade firmware as it is locked into the router settings if EE finally look into this hopefully they could roll back to a working firmware, again which firmware was working properly before the issues appeared who knows I have only been with EE just over 2 months transferred from BT to EE I have been using a vpn the last few days had no freezing issues or dns issues yet the guys on here say vpn wont help In my situation it has helped I agree the issues are still there but having my vpn connected and the data pushes through surfshark server probably does help,  I have purchased  a 3rd party router from amazon going to connect at the weekend which will fix the issue for now until they sort there dodgy firmware  on smart hub pro

[spacedyemeerkat]

Just spoken to someone in Belfast, mentioned this thread. He said it's becoming more of a known issue but also that it seems part of the company is in denial about it. Slightly contradictorily, he also said the team has been told to stop sending out replacement hubs and engineers. Finally, he said it appears to be affecting only 1.6 users. Lucky us.

Anyway, as rainman2871 said above, sounds like we need to keep the calls going into EE support.

[rainman2871]

spacedyemeerkat

  EE have sent me a replacement router yesterday installed it was working ok then I saw 2 firmware upgrades the last firmware has caused the issue again, but yes we all need to keep phoning EE up about the same issues the poor  service we are getting its just not right  your paying monthly to have a good connecting service . Andy from EE tech department is ringing me back today at 4pm for an update Im going to ask the question if customers on the 1.6gb service are experiencing poor service with freezing constant web pages and dns server issues for a long time, some customers are stating since February this year,  surely they need to temporarily reduce are monthly bill until they sort the major issue out, Im also going to ask to speak to the manager about it,  its just taking the **bleep** now 

[spacedyemeerkat]

Must admit I only really became aware of it towards the end of last week. Could be it was happening  before that but it never got to the point where it made it past my subconsciousness!

[rainman2871]

For me the First day or 2 it was working ok then I noticed the EE tv pro box loosing connection all the apps and recording greyed out then I started seeing errors Using edge browser latency issue - firewall issues - timed out , DNS issues and page freezing and delays on websites appearing even got the issue when I visited speed check website it was just hanging then so after 2-3 times refreshing page it eventually connected to speed test  click go took 25-30 seconds to respond then started the speed test then stopped with error latency, and then my wife was using her computer at home connecting to her work and using teams webcam  frozen not good, If I was EE I would be so embarrassed of the poor service   plus knowing there customers are using there own 3rd party routers to correct the issue, EE if your reading this get your act together doesn't look good for the future I just wished BT supplied the 1.6gb probably would stayed with them  I know there the same company and EE are looking after home user's where (BT are now  looking after business customers and still some old home customers for the time being)