Dear All

I'm trying to get to the bottom of what is going on with our old 2860 router. Recently it has started rebooting randomly, and the ADSL connection has become very unreliable. I think that the cable from BT to the master socket has developed a fault, it looks about 200 years old.
I've updated the firmware to 3.8.9.8_BT, and changed the ADSL filter but this has made no difference. Our ISP is checking the line but as far as they can see the problems are at 'our' end.

I have two what I hope are simple questions.
1 - Would a 'duff' cable from BT to the master socket cause the 2860 to reboot?
2 - If it's not the cable what else would be causing the router to reboot.

I plan to shorten the cable run to a new master socket over the weekend, I also have a new 2862ac to install just in case it is the router on it's way out.

If my recent experience is anything to go by, any deterioration in the connection to 'BT' may be visible in the 'Line Stats', available from your ISP.
See: https://forum.draytek.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=23952#p98076

(In my case, the connections in the master socket were so corroded, that a pin (for the inter-connecting sections) fell off when I touched it . The IDC connectors for the incoming line were a little "furry" as well. My temporary repair involved soldering a connection and I had to clean the stripped cable before it would solder.

Failing that, it could be an actual fault with the 2860 - maybe capacitors that are starting to break down...

Do you have a Router from your ISP? - if so, you could put it into Bridge mode and attach it to the 2860's WAN port. (In this scenario, the 2860 will definitely not 'reboot' in case of a line fault)

Thanks I've got a new router arriving tomorrow (hopefully) so I'll be swapping out the 2860. If the dropouts stop then we'll know who the culprit was.

If not, hey ho.

You can only reliably test a line from the consumers end (Your Home or Office) when your ISP does a test from their end it's a very simple test and results cannot be relied upon.

Ask for an engineers visit, they will say that if the fault is found to be within your property they will be a charge, if the fault is outwardly the visit is free. How confident are you that the fault is outwardly from your BT master socket?

From what you have described i would be confident enough to demand an engineers visit.

Have you tried connecting directly into the BT test socket (under the normal faceplate to eliminate any on site interference)?

Also is your WAN DSL mode set to Auto or locked to VDSL or ADSL. If the line is faulty and the Draytek thinks it's switching between the two this will cause a reboot of the 2860.

Thanks all - it was the 2860 that was in the process of dying - the new router has been solid now for 48 hours.

I can't really complain the 2860 was quite old.