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AT&T and Connectivity: Fast/Slow Odd Behavior
Just a quick post with an interesting anomaly. Personal/home network. Yes, I went with AT&T last year. Fiber to the house and 1GB up/down. So, here’s a new thing that occurred starting yesterday mid-morning:
Wife called saying everything is running slow. You know the generic stuff. I remotely checked what I could and I was having no issues seeing the modem. I did the AT&T speed test between them and the modem, >1GB up and down. Yes, that fast and symmetrical.
I get home and start poking around. First to note, the TV was working fine, without any issues. ????? I then have her demonstrate what she is seeing, and sure enough she goes to Quickbooks. Slow loading, and that was getting to the login page. Asked to try some other site, and the same result. Slow loading. I do a speed test and everything was as I expected. ????? The kiddo was on her phone and hitting that Tik Tok and was not having issues.
I have two AP (access points) for WiFi to cover the house. So I do the customary restarts of those. No change. I did the customary restart of the modem. No change. I poked around and tried to make things happen. I pulled out the laptop and I was able to duplicate the slow load of web sites. Once a site loaded, then navigating within the site seemed to be just fine. I did a couple of trace routes, one to Google, and one to Microsoft. Both took many hops, 25 and 26 respectively. Seems excessive to me.
Now I did a chat session with the AT&T gumby. Of course we do the modem reset, and yes, it reconfigured all my network information. It seemed to help, but not significantly. I asked if there was something going on with DNS or routing, and not to his knowledge. Typical response. Asked about the hops, and he says it is typical. I’ve done a few and it does seem typical, but I only get 18 hops at work to Google. I figured the big guys would have quick paths. Even the amazon app on my iPad was sloooooow. We scheduled a dispatch, but I think it is in the wild somewhere. During all this, I actually connected the wife’s computer directly to the modem, eliminating any other equipment, and I had the same results.
This morning it looks like things have settled down a bit, but I will not know until my wife starts work. Have anyone out there experienced this with AT&T? Other providers? I find this behavior odd as it was a pretty sudden onset, and we were not having such issues prior. Drop a note if you have, and if there was a solution, I would be very interested.
Cheers!
UPDATE: So, the day after all this mess with AT&T occurred, I received a text message saying the issue was identified and resolved. Apparently there was an issue out in the field that was not on their radar when I called. Still baffles me how companies continue to operate these days.
Break-Through, Breaking, Broke, Fixed
That sums up this week. Break a few things, get good news on an old issue, and fixing stuff. That’s my life.
Cleaning up is my number one To-Do this week and I can walk into my office now. Hall cleared, office cleaned up, and Station Logs files for 2013 are made. (year, really.) As we progress I got to cleaning up my remote control situation even more and creating automated tasks with macros. This turned into a 2 day exercise as I had a chat with my pals at Burk Technology with some questions when I find out they posted updates for the ARC Plus firmware, now at 3.0.0.37, and AutoPilot 2010, officially 2.8.4. Not resisting something “new” I had to update. All went well except for 2 ARC Plus units. The configurations I saved prior to the update messed them up when loaded back in! Doh! To quote Homer. I figured that out and loaded configurations I had saved last week when I made a couple of macro changes. Lesson learned: Save that configuration as soon as you make a change! Now I can proceed with some more macro building and some JET flowchart learning. Yeah, I’m lagging on that.
The break-through is from RCS and our on-going NexGen v. Sage Endec IP control issue. WE CAPTURED AN EVENT! I received and email and RCS is working on code to install within NexGen to more closely evaluate why NexGen did not respond to the incoming alert. We await this little update to the A-serves. I ask again, anyone else out there doing IP control between NexGen and Sage? I wish I knew a bit more of the inner workings of this system. On the other hand I would not want to see that internal road map as the software in its basic form has been around for years!
Broke: AT&T. Nuff said? We’ve had a series of T1 failures. Some responded to quickly, others just lie in wait to annoy us. I would suspect our Moseley equipment, but history proofs otherwise. I do wish Moseley had a better self monitoring system, but the equipment is older and we are looking at upgrading to newer systems. Bottom line is it sucks to not have line-of-site to transmitter sites so I can use a reliable microwave STL, I want a new 11GHz system so bad with a large bandwidth! I can dream, can’t I?
As things settle down, other than AT&T, I am now going to sweep the studios and clean up some dust bunnies. I think I have a battery replacement on an UPS due, too. Love the holidays!
Cheers!
PS: Glossary for those new to this stuff:
STL = Studio Transmitter Link. Conversely TSL = Transmitter Studio Link, the opposite path. In radio we are mostly concerned with getting audio to the transmitter site. In this modern world with data, along with monitoring/metering, the return path is for this information.
11GHz = 11 Giga Hertz microwave systems, is the band that carries audio, data. “Classic” STLs are in the 950MHz band with limited bandwidth. For comparison, 802.11 WiFi routers run in the 2.4GHz band with wireless N also in the 5GHz band. Wireless mice and keyboards are also in the 2.4GHz band.
Hell Week or Just Plain Busy
As promised a recap of a busy week. If you follow my tweets, your sure already know we had a busy week. Harris, RCS, AT&T, and the regular stuff just piled on.
My Harris Flexstar RF mute issues sprung up on me this week. It has been on hiatus for a couple of months and then an outage on Monday and two within 15 minutes on Tuesday. So, in answer to a phone call today, no there is nothing really to do but make sure the latest and greatest in software/firmware release is installed. If you do not have that, you will not get much in return from tech support. I updated the Flexstar to Exgine 4.40 and DSP to 8.33. Since this had to be done, I had to upgrade the Exporter to 4.3.1 and the Importer to 4.3.2. This now sets the clock on if I continue to have issues, and knock on wood I have not had an issue since the update. On that note I still need a good answer to why HD data should be able to knock me off the air? So if you have issues with your Flexstar, update it. Then document exactly what the issue is. Once you have all that ammunition, give tech support a shot and see what answers you get. Do not be surprised if you feel a bit helpless. The HTHD+ as an RF amplifier is great, they just need to fix the most critical piece, the exciter.
While transmitter issues were occurring we were hit with an RCS NexGen crash. All 3 station decided to play the game. Console control stopped, database communications became sketchy, and the whole system was just sluggish. No apparent reason. We noted it had to do with network traffic, so some box is flooding the network or we have a physical device that has an issue. On that assumption we changed out the brand new Cisco switch purchased from RCS with an old 1GB Dell switch used on the old DAD network. Everything began to run much more smoothly. IT and RCS check the switch and all seems good. We still have yet to switch back.
If this was not enough, concurrent failure of a T1 to a transmitter site happened. I was on the phone with AT&T when the Flexstar decided to drop off. It must have been a funny picture having me on the phone with AT&T while I was poking the remote control switching us to our Aux transmitter. Multitasking at its best. AT&T replaced a repeater and a snap-jack in the CO. No dispatch to the site. This particular CO seems to be having many issue of late. We seem to cycle through which T1 goes down. Annoying, but they were on it and problem is solved for now.
In addition to running around dealing with this, I still am working details on the Burk remote control system. I have the sites up and in theory they should all see each other. Reality is a different story. I can see one site from the shop, but not another. While at the “offending” transmitter site, I was unable to see the other sites from the ARC Plus. Here is the odd part. With AutoPilot I can see all the sites. I get readings and all the good stuff. With AutoLoad I can see all the sites. Even at the transmitter site I had to visit I was able to see all the sites. Why the ARC Plus does not see the others, and the site list is in it, is beyond me. I have an inquiry to Burk on that one. I am also going to contact Moseley to delve into a potential issue with the LanLink. I need something a bit more robust. A 6 mile shot should not be that difficult.
I can say at least I was busy and not bored. Mix this with home life and it was quite a week. I’m glad to be able to sit down and spew this out. If you have experience with any of the items discussed or have any items you wish to see a discussion, please drop a line, leave a comment, or give a call. Now let’s see what next week brings!
Cheers!
Tech Week Review: I’m Tired
This week was a full week if there ever was one. We managed to dodge a bullet in the power department, survived another AT&T T1 failure, rebounded from an RCS mess, and finished the first steps of a studio upgrade.
Power. We take it for granted. A normal facility would have enough available capacity to grow. Here we do neither. This is tied into our RCS NexGen installation where we had to add a server room to accommodate the hardware intensive system. (not our choice, but we do what we do.) The facility was built in the mid-80’s for two stations. Today it house 4 stations, a minimal amount of production space, and a tech center that was expanded to handle the PPM equipment. The tech panel is connected to a generator and is only capable of 40 Amps, max. The limit is the generator which we cannot do anything about, yet (future project and story will accompany it), at 12.5kW. We are max-ed out on the panel with only 5 Amps of headroom on two phases and 0 Amps on the third phase. With a bit of juggling and shedding non-critical equipment, racks, and even production rooms, we managed to fire up all 18 server class computers and their peripheral equipment. Mr. Goldberg would be proud of this accomplishment.
Since I dropped the RCS NexGen mess into this and it is associated with this hell, we received the equipment and it was NOT configured with IP addresses which we were told was done. We were also not given instructions on the Dell FX100 KVM extenders which even Dell does not support. We ended up finding out that Dell re-brands them under the model FX100 and they actually come from a Canadian company of which our IT dude contacted. We find they are obsolete and no longer manufactured. He did receive instructions and got them to work! We can now proceed on learning how this beast runs and begin to deploy such beast.
On that note, in conjunction with the RCS project we are upgraded a production room. It is finally getting equipped with a SAS Rubicon console. Finally all our main facilities will be on the same system. This was a project that has been postponed for 3 years! I had the furniture modified to accommodate the smaller frame, a PR&E/Harris Legacy console was removed, and a new Rubicon 16 installed. The console was up and running by the end of the day as I pre-configured it between the other headaches of the week. All we need to do is finish connecting peripherals and attend to details. I am the resident expert on SAS having installed 8 consoles in our facility, one configured as a split-console. One issue that has arisen in this installation is the Telos Console Director. The display starts out good, but then messes up. Operation is not an issue, just the display. Next week begins with a call to Telos to see what I can do to verify anything unusual. I know the cable from the I/O to the director is good and I know the Desktop Director works just fine. Interesting that I seem to have issues with Console Directors. I still have no resolve on my other two that just go stupid and shut down. A mystery that needs solving!
In the middle of this fun was our routine T1 outage from our friendly folks at AT&T. This came in the middle of our power management project. We finally got to deal with a tech that knew what he was doing. He was baffled by the fact that the circuit was down hard for 2 hours with no signs of problems before or after in the logs. He proceeded to tear out the circuit and test all the way back to the CO. He found 80 Volts of cross-battery and had new pairs assigned. Let’s see how long we go this time. This circuit has issues at least 3-4 months, and each time AT&T says it tests good.
I did manage to make it to the SBE meeting to hear what Nautel has to offer in the future. Now there is a company I have not problems with at the moment.
I continue the installation of the Burk ARC Plus system as time permits. All projects are running together now and two of our stations have gone into live broadcast mode. We do the best we can to cover everything, it just means we delay projects to accommodate them.
On that note, it was tiring this week. It took time off today and spent time with my daughter. We attack next week and fit all in everything in between 3 live broadcasts. Busy is good, it just makes it difficult to do it right and in the time allotted. Have a great weekend!
Watch Out for Defaults
I posted I did a software push for our Orban 8500s to 2.0.8.127. I got it in the shorts for a couple of days when I couldn’t put my finger on why one station just did not sound right. I dug a bit and found I was over-modulating. What? Turns out the update returned all the I/O levels to their defaults. Luckily it did not change my diversity delay settings. So I had to set all my outputs to FM+HD, and HD, and double check my AES output levels. You would think it not be an issue, but when you have to match “the other end” things get changed. Luckily I found it pretty quick. Anyone else run into this?
AT&T is our suspect again on a remote control circuit. It went away. It came back. It’s alive. That’s all there is on that one.
I don’t know about your facilities and spending, but we continue to be stagnant. March begins next week and no capital has been released, so it’s tough to start any new project. I am beginning to line up my ducks for a generator upgrade project. Being in the state of confusion, I mean California, this will be a wonderful can of worms. I bet there are some interested to see where this goes, so I’ll post as things progress.
Routine takes center stage again while we wait. We can only purchase what we need. I slipped in a few capacitors on a trip to the supply store and used and old Aphex Dominator as a training ground on dry caps in a power supply. A little before and after is such a good tool by which to learn. It’s almost like magic.
A morning show is to get bigger windows, so we taped out how it will go. Of course we had to take money out of another project to make this happen. Also, said morning talent a year later decides he wants a different microphone. The Blue Blueberry which he demanded and said was the best I guess is not. He now demands a Neumann TLM-103. I received and installed a loan. Next week I start the PO to purchase. One week and no complaints. Ironic that our standard microphone is a BCM-104 which I find sound a bit better. Anyways, I didn’t need that parts and supply budget for that station, good luck getting anything else repaired this/next month! Should I mention I have not mentioned to them how much a shock mount for that thing will be.
I received my first notice that we are entering license renewal season. We are not due until 2013, but it is always to get a jump on cleaning up them public files and making sure your facility is running in compliance. Take the time to do this. It will be easier to prepare your filings if you get the busy work done early. Here is a link to the FCC Renewal of License for Radio Broadcasts Stations.
Stay tuned for the next post whenever some interesting tidbit of fun comes my way!
Weekly Update: 1/21/2011
Yup, still no good idea on a title. Actually I really haven’t thought much about it! There, the truth. Mostly routine stuff again this week. I like it slow as I can spend a bit of time relaxing and getting ready for whatever big thing that may strike.
Had our Telos Console Director go batty again. Just doesn’t want to communicate with the Studio I/O. Emailed Telos. No response. I know they are busy and have bigger things to worry about like marketing the Omnia processor or Axia studio systems. I let it set for a few days and then reconnected. It works again. Hmmmm? As a new test I placed an in-line power supply on that sucker with the thought that if I buffer it from the I/O we may see less trouble. So far we are good this week. Well, I should say no reports as the folks are pretty much trained to disconnect and reconnect at will. We will not discuss the concept of using the Desktop Director through the console as this seems to go way over the operators’ heads. For those interested this issues has been with us for coming up on 3 years. No solution has ever been found. Very annoying.
AT&T bummed our remote control line again this week. False alarms have stopped, so maybe they fixed it again. Also spent some time checking and ISDN (yes they still exist) at a venue. I replaced the block. Have you tried to order ISDN recently? It is nearly impossible with AT&T. Lead time is 4 weeks. Good thing we do not use ISDN much anymore. IP is our main transport of remote audio now.
Had a timed relay replaced on the transfer switch at a transmitter site. It works for the time being. While that was done we dug a trench for conduit getting ready for a new STL line pull. The landlord is preparing to “organize” the site’s STL dishes. I’m looking forward to a less than 600-foot run and no more iso-coupler.
Sorry for the boring update. Seems that the start of the year is follows the end of a year: slow. I will give an interesting report of the new iMedia logger we just purchased as soon as it comes it. Should be interesting to see how that goes. After 8 years, the old system just can’t cut it any longer. Why iMedia? It is the system we currently have and we will be getting the Websecure feature.
Till the next update, have a good weekend.
4G, LTE, WTF
Verizon announces 4G rollout, but are any of these US systems really 4G? | ZDNet
So, is there really 4G networks? I saw a Verizon presentation and they call it LTE. Long-term. That is a good cover-up to “we will be expanding and this is expandable”. I look forward to it as the speeds advertised are compelling, but I remain skeptical until the system is rolled out. I really like this article as it references the ITU-R: “According to the ITU-R standard none of these current LTE, HSPA+, or WiMAX network technologies are truly 4G systems”. So, does 4G really exist? I am still not sure. “4G systems are supposed to support data transfer speeds on the order of
100 Mbps and the areas where we are just starting to see this is in
Japan and parts of Europe.” Have you seen 100Mbps on your cellular data network?
I look forward to the day of speed. I know the kids are too so they can get their music, videos, and send their pix and videos faster.
Being the Best….
AT&T. T-1 line issues.
1. Tests good.
2. Data slips lead to audio outage and AT&T documents they see an issue.
3. Dispatch. Tech tests OK, but states he did not like what he saw. Claims he will head back to the CO (central office) to test again and may refer it to “engineering design.”
4. One day later, no phone calls with results or plan of attack.
5. I call to check. Trouble ticket is closed. Open and new ticket called an “informational ticket.”
6. Return call4 hours later. Ticket was closed as the line tested good. No referral to engineering. No reason for not calling with status. We are back on the circuit. So far, so good.
I ask why we were never informed of the status of the circuit. If it was cleared, why did I have to make the extra effort to find out what happened? Why would a tech tell me it would most likely be referred to engineering design? I fell for this as the copper cable to this site is old. It is worn. It is susceptible to moisture and temperature changes. What else should I suspect?
I figure AT&T has a very high volume of calls, so it could let a menial thing as a status update to fall through the cracks. I also figure that any company which wishes to maintain customer loyalty and professionalism would have procedures to prevent this info loss.
I see this as a growing trend among companies, even within our own. No follow-through. No professional courtesy. The drive to be the best is missing. Oh, the commercials on T.V. and radio say otherwise, but actions speak loudly. I am going to personally act and be the best I can be. How about you?
Weely Roundup
Well, as the economy goes, so does the number of projects that get done. What do you do when things slow down? I like to catch up on documentation and one thing that really gets boring, inventory. I am also working on a couple of ideas that need to be researched before I make the budgetary plan. Sure it may not be for a couple of years, but it is fun to keep up and look into potential time-saving projects.
This week we had a Harris Flexstar exciter failure. Coincidentally, and if you have been following my tweets, it occurred about the same time our T-1 went down. The T-1 repair was at a B-box mid-span though AT&T testers showed it out our site. The tech dispatched showed it at the CO end. Go figure. Anyways, the XLR input board seems to have an issue on the exciter. No AES audio in the main nor the aux inputs. The analyzer says the audio is there and our axillary transmitter is on the air, but the Flexstar is not happy. My new parts should be here tomorrow. We’ll see if this is the only failure. I have a feeling I will be sending the box in for factory repair.
On the other side, I upgraded our Nautel NV20’s to version 1.3. Many of the minor things mentioned before are fixed. They even incorporated a screen saver. Some cosmetic changes makes the AUI look a bit better. One of these items is the Local/Remote button. It is not a split button and shows green on the half that is currently engaged, i.e the half that says Remote is green when in remote mode. Also fixed is the saving of profiles. The boxes will no longer put the profile being saved on the air.
Enco “fixed” their PADApult software and we are running PAD data on the older version of the Exporter. I don’t really know why the product was not compatible with the older versions as there are more out there than the the latest 4.2.
As for the Exporter 4.2, IBiquity has fixed the left/right channel swap and we await the software update from Nautel. Still have to wait for everything. Good thing HD is not that important.
DaySequerra has had our first M2.2R for over a week now. I still do not know if the fixed receiver board solves our RFI issue. When I know, you will know.
Phew. Have a good week!
Nautel NV20 Update
I’ve been able to spend almost 2 quality days on these boxes. I have AES audio to each exciter and control is connected to the remote. I’ve done some basic tests into the dummy load. We still await AT&T’s repair of our data T-1, so no HD as of yet. I can rant about AT&T as it is over a month since the trouble ticket was called in.
As I am working without manuals, I have a list of items I need to discuss with Nautel, so they will not be written about until I have a proper understanding of the situation. On one box, I do seem to have a PM, power module, with a bad power supply. Not a surprise as I’ve seen other transmitters with modules that go bad within weeks of installation.
I do have an interesting situation with my Bird sample slug and the level to a Daysequerra modulation monitor. Either the slug is bad, and that means at least 2 are bad, or the mod monitor is bad. I do not seem to get any RF level on the monitor yet the meter shows full forward power and the spectrum analyzer shows the modulated carrier using the same sample. It’s just another thing to look at.
All in all, we are having fun doing this project, though it is taking a bit longer than expected.
Tech Notes from the Field 