Hi,

Sunrise gave me a router (Zyxel P-660HW-D1) with the sunrise basic package (the 5000 one, the slowest of the three packages available).

Since receiving it, I have continuous audio drop-outs, but only on incoming audio.
This is occurring on several PCs connected to this router, so I ruled out that this is an internal PC issue.

Is there anyone out there with the same router and experiencing similar problems? This is a major frustration considering it's an important way to keep in touch with friends and family back home.

If this router supports QOS/shaping, you may want to prioritise your Skype Traffic, that is of course unless Sunrise are de-prioritising Skype traffic , which would not surprise me as Skype costs them money in lost revenue.

Skype without drop-outs does not exist.

Also, if the problem is the same with 3 PCs , it still may be a PC issue , if the OS is the same and the default settings are still in place. See if you can adjust the driver/IP stack to support QOS.

Hardwire a PC into the router, do the drop-outs stil occur ?
There may be dropouts on the WWW/WAN before they hit your WLAN. It may not be a wireless issue.

I'm with sunrise (15Mb line) and I assume I have the same router (definitely a Zyxel) & I have this problem but I'm afraid I don't have a fix for you. FYI my computer is hardwired to the router so it's not a wireless issue. I can't comment on skype over wireless because of a separate issue with my laptop crashing everytime I use skype.

For now when the sound is gone, I just say "sound's gone" a few times until it comes back (usually only for <15secs), then I say "sound's back" and then the other person knows he can keep telling his story from where the sound dropped out. It is a bit annoying but it's much better than no skype, and way better than skype on a 1Mb line.
I don't mind the drops in sound so much as the feedback where I can hear myself on the other end, that's just plain frustrating when you're trying to talk.

I'll try prioritising skype traffic and see if that makes a difference.

I am experiencing the same problems on my desktop which is connected with a LAN cable, so I believe the WiFi is not at fault.

This is why I'm interested in feedback from other users. If some ISPs are crippling Skype traffic, I would like to know about that.

yes.

Can't talk about Sunrise, but my Cablecom internet seems to die whenever I am on Skype. The rest of the time it is awful, but the problem seems to become worse when I am using Skype. I'm not sure if it's the wifi router or the actual cablecom internet. Sorry I'm not much help, but you have my sympathy. I'm pulling my hair out because my parents are clueless about internet and don't understand why "I go away" when we talk on Skype.

Hi!
I see the topic is old but I have exact same issue than you.
I made advance troubleshooting, I also displayed the "Call technical info" in Skype.
I don't have solution but I see we are suppose to do a NAT if you have a router, or a Port Forwarding for Skype.

Problem is their "config page" is buggy as hell.

Hi,
My problem is still occurring. Sometimes it gets worse and I get the "connection is too slow for video. switch video off?" message.
So far I've tried NAT, messing with the shaping parameters and port forwarding. I couldn't identify any of these settings as an improvement.
I wrote my original message in the hope that someone with better network administration knowledge than me has solved it already, but no luck so far

1)Display the "Call technical info" during a call.

checking in Tool>Options>Advanced>Display technical call info.

Then I think it's Call/view technical info.

Look for the number of Relays. The more, the less good!


2) have you done port forwarding?

3) Are you also using a router connected to sunrise Zyxel P-660 crap?

4) What's your "other side skyper" connection?

5) what version of skype both using?

Hi,
1) I have already displayed the Skype technical info, but it was difficult to analyze and come up with concrete steps to resolve. Perhaps some documentation could have helped, but I found none so far.
2) I have certainly forwarded the ports, and it had no effect.
3) No, the Zyxel is the only LAN/WiFi/DSL unit I use.
4) My other side's is actually many different Skype users, claiming it must be a problem with my setup because they can have perfect calls with other users.
5) We all use the latest Skype version.

what OS?
Look here:

http://forum.skype.com/index.php?showtopic=111608

Might be an issue with " the Wireless Zero Configuration-service ".

(not for me, i've win 7).


I agree for 1), there's really little infos- Skype staff are helpless as usual!
The only important detail I remember was relays- the number of servers between you and other skyper- Meaning possible lost packets, whatever bad.

I did show call tech info while calling SKYPE test. Then I did try the same while calling skype user. My relays goes from 0 to 4... Not too good!

Also, is there any "Problems" explained in the call tech info?
I have a FW_BAD (Firewall BAD), but all my firewalls are off, even routers...

Well, it can't be the zero configuration service because the desktop is connected with LAN and has the same issues as the Windows7 Laptop.
In any case the discussion is about completely different symptoms- disconnection after one minute and so on, whereas I have a problem with incoming audio cut-offs.

Clue number 1.- Sunrise suck with all its strenght. Sunrise customer speaking, cant wait for december to come so i freeggin' cancell. Already made my notice.

Have you checked in Skype's options area what port(s) are set for incoming connections and opened them up, or are you still using ports 80/443 (the "alternatives")?

Hm right... obviously yes if you use the Rj45 cable, then the wireless thing is out of question!

Yes I read your symptoms but "micro cut" might still impact the audio of the other end...

How about the MTU in your router or the other skyper router?


It must be a networking issue....


When that is happening have you tried the ping -t ?
1) to google
2) to skype server

That's probably true but dont expect better at swisscom... The only high thing you'll get is your bill

We connect with Skype, using Macs, to family using a variety of computers. I find my laptop (macbook) with a built in camera, is much more stable than the desktop with a USB camera. We're with swisscom ADSL.

But the main problem is still at the other end - my parents have a very dodgy ADSL/telephone line, which drops out completely in wet weather...

My girlfriend and I decided to switch from Swisscom to Sunrise internet as part of a deal with her getting her new iPhone, and let me tell you that the Sunrise internet situation has been a cluster from day one.

One day my internet went out, so while I was in town I stopped at the Sunrise store. They said it should be working today or tomorrow. I told the guy we had received no information in the mail, no user names, no passwords, no new hardware from Sunrise, and was there anything I needed to do? He said no, but if I wanted I could buy a wireless router for CHF250.

Right. So I wait for the next day, internet isn't working. I call Sunrise customer service and ask what the problem is. The guy I get is surly, impatient, and garbles his English badly. He asks me what is my "post date", when I try to guess what he's asking for, fail, guess again, fail, he starts barking at me, repeating louder and louder "WHAT IS YOUR POST DATE?" He's yelling, so I tell him that saying it louder won't help me understand.

After some time he succeeds in getting me off the phone, telling me it would be working by tomorrow.

Come tomorrow it isn't working. I call and get the same guy. After 20 minutes of him trying to get me off the phone again he figures out that Sunrise didn't send us the router we ordered as part of our contract. They just forgot to ship it. He says he will ship it and it will be here "maybe next week."

It comes in 8 days. I set it up. It's been a week, and the internet here just doesn't work very well and I'm having trouble isolating the problem.

Periodically everything just stops. No websites load, all internet connections are severed, and for 2-3 minutes all I can do is wait until the internet decides to come back.

An getting back to the topic at hand, Skype calls never have the same connection quality we used to enjoy with Swisscom. On call quality it never rates better than medium/yellow, often dropping below the point where video is possible. Voice drops out or gets choppy frequently. Again I say, using the same computer in the same apartment, Swisscom never did this.

When I'm hooked in wirelessly and things slow down I like to dial up the router configuration. Sometimes the router page lags - taking upwards of 10-20 seconds to load. This should not happen, and leads me to believe that the problem is with the router's wireless capabilities.

But I'm at a loss for what to do. I've tweaked with this and that, forwarded ports, tried different channels.

I'm so frustrated. Part of how I support myself is by tutoring online via Skype, and I've had to put my business essentially on hold for the two weeks while Sunrise was remembering to fulfill their contract.

Ugh.

</rant>

I should add that the router in question is a Zyxel P-660HN-F1Z.

When I'm hooked in wirelessly and things slow down I like to dial up the router configuration. Sometimes the router page lags - taking upwards of 10-20 seconds to load. This should not happen, and leads me to believe that the problem is with the router's wireless capabilities....


Their router is terribly, terribly crappy!
Even latest firmware don't change anything.

It takes me minutes for the admin router page to load. If it loads because sometimes it hangs and never load even after hours.
Yes I tried firewfox, IE, chrome, Opera. No differences.
Only workaround is to reboot the crap.