Forum Discussion

KingHoward's avatar
KingHoward
Tuning in
6 months ago

Hub 5x, 2gig up/down - packet loss / latency / disconnects every 30 mins

Hi, seems I am another victim of this disconnect and packet loss issue with 5x hub and 2gig fiber, which occurs every 30mins, which seems to be caused by 'RealSpeed' checking the speed of my connection (?!).

Can someone from support PLEASE stop this from happening to my service?

I need this resolved asap as I rely on the connection for WFH, competitive gaming and streaming with friends. The constant disconnects are making all 3 impossible to work with.

Here's the issue SOLVED by doing exactly that (getting someone to turn off the auto speed testing): https://community.virginmedia.com/discussions/Wireless/upgraded-to-2gig-and-see-ping-time-outs-and-youtube-buffering/5537915/replies/5546444

It's extremely worrying that I can find many threads nearly 2 years old with this same issue.

Waited nearly 6 months for the install due to 4 rescheduled installations - now this... feeling like I  should've waited for BT to reach my area. 😢

2gig
5x hub
disconect
packet loss

28 Replies

    • Anonymous's avatar
      Anonymous
      5 months ago

      One VM forum team member has claimed (so far without evidence) that this VM speed testing is an Ofcom requirement and therefore can't be stopped

       2gig user game freeze | Virgin Media Community - 5643591

       

      Which is odd, as others on here have reported that the (pointless) speed tests have been terminated on request. Which would imply that they can’t be ‘mandated’ by OFCOM. Come to think of it, why would OFCOM require this, and for only three months? Sounds odd!

      On  the other hand, I’m sure that if someone were to call it out and ask VM/Kath for the specific OFCOM requirements which mandate this, then they will be more than happy to oblige.

      Or not; again see the linked thread. Hint, Kath was simply lying, outright lying to customers, think of it, VM employees on here, deliberately lie to customers. Wow! 

       

  • Adduxi's avatar
    Adduxi
    Very Insightful Person
    6 months ago

    It is interesting this only occurs on the Nexfibre connections?  I'm wondering if this is outside of VM's control on this infrastructure.  Just a thought.

    • legacy1's avatar
      legacy1
      Alessandro Volta
      6 months ago

      How is it outside of VM's control when the hub is by VM and they control it!

      I hope RealSpeed get DDoS

      • Adduxi's avatar
        Adduxi
        Very Insightful Person
        6 months ago

        No, I mean the whole network is by Nexfibre.  I wasn't talking about the Hub.  At bit like Openreach own and manage the infrastructure.  

  • KingHoward's avatar
    KingHoward
    Tuning in
    5 months ago

    Same again today HOWEVER! - weirdly when I was watching a twitch stream (CS2 Major Final) from 8:30 onward and I had no latency/packet loss and was able to play Counter Strike at the same time uninterrupted with no disconnects. I stopped watching this just before the usual 30min latency spike at 11:30 and bam, the BQM is showing the spike again.

    I read on another thread that if you're actively 'downloading' RealSpeed doesn't do the auto speed testing. Potentially the twitch stream was enough data being streamed to interrupt the speed test?

    I will test this theory again in the coming days and report back, just incase it's a work around 

     

    • KingHoward's avatar
      KingHoward
      Tuning in
      5 months ago

      Today's update (23/06/2025)

      • 12:00am to 9:30pm, At work and wasn't on PC until evening. Packetloss and latecy every 30mins as expected.
      • 9:35pm, Forgot to have Twitch open to test the theory and began playing Overwatch with friends as I usually would
      • 10:00pm, unsure why but no latency/packet loss here
      • 10:30pm, usual packet loss / latency spike and disconnected right on cue mid game
      • 10:35pm, I opened a Twitch stream which was using 400mbps (50MB/s) bandwidth and had it running in the background on a second monitor
      • 11:00pm, as expected no packetloss/latency spike. My theory is no automated speed test occurs when actively 'downloading'
      • 11:30pm, stopped playing just before and closed the Twitch stream. Right on cue the latency spike occurs 

      I want to be clear this is NOT a 'solution' but seems like it may be a workaround for anyone else who games and gets these incredibly frustrating and unacceptable disconnects due to these automated speed tests. I will keep testing this theory to see if it's a reliable workaround even if ridiculous.

       

      • Odynson90's avatar
        Odynson90
        Joining in
        5 months ago

        Exactly the same here, the engineer reckons they only do linetesting like that if they find a fault on the line, which they haven’t. He’s called other engineers and they’re claiming they’ve never seen this before. God help us!

        Running a large download (Call of Duty for me) at 2.5Mbps also stops the line testing from occurring.

  • KingHoward's avatar
    KingHoward
    Tuning in
    5 months ago

    29/06/2025 Update - Still the same issue! Virgin Media support email just said to restart router.
    It's so annoying, disconnects all my devices. PLEASE stop this.

    • Akua_A's avatar
      Akua_A
      Icon for Forum Team rankForum Team
      5 months ago

      Hi KingHoward,

      Welcome back to our forums, and sorry to hear you are having ongoing issues with disconnections on your service. We can understand the inconvenience caused, and we want to do our best to help from here. To best look into this, we are sending you a private message. Please keep an eye out for an envelope at the top right corner of your Forum page. Let me know if you have any issues locating this.

      Thanks,

      • legacy1's avatar
        legacy1
        Alessandro Volta
        5 months ago

        Why a private message? Its clear as day what the problem is caused by VM tests

  • lindsaygi's avatar
    lindsaygi
    Settling in
    5 months ago

    Agreed, I'd like to see a public reply. I'm having constant internet connection problems which is really affecting my work A LOT. Not an issue late evening when I'm streaming TV, but a huge issue during the day when I'm working. I don't know how to do the tests posted on this thread, but it sounds like my same problem.

    • Carley_S's avatar
      Carley_S
      Icon for Forum Team rankForum Team
      5 months ago

      Hi lindsaygi 

      Welcome back to the Community Forums. 

      Sorry to hear you're also having service concerns. 

      I can see that you've a thread regarding this already and a Forums team member has responded to support you further. Please respond on your original thread and we'll be able to assist you further on there if you still need. 

  • KingHoward's avatar
    KingHoward
    Tuning in
    4 days ago

    5 MONTH UPDATE

    Whilst I did enjoy interruption free gaming and work calls for a period, the issue came back for me mid September.

    I thought I was going crazy or the new games I was playing were laggy - but I should've realised sooner the same issues was back.

    PLEASE VIRGIN MEDIA STOP SPEED TESTING FOR FAULTS ON OUR LINES
    WE ARE PAYING ALOT OF MONEY FOR 2GB UP/DOWN BUT DISCONNECTING US EVERY 30MINS - THIS IS INSANITY.

    Proof from my broadband quality monitor - 23rd of September when it was fine:

    Then the 24th September - look how awful that is, its not suprise I was lagging

    This is STILL going today - here's an image from 20/11/2025

    PLEASE STOP THIS. This is unacceptable considering the cost.
    I am already past the 3 month 'testing' period OFCOM supposedly need - why is this even happening again?!

    • Tom_W1's avatar
      Tom_W1
      Icon for Forum Team rankForum Team
      22 hours ago

      Hi KingHoward thanks for your reply here, sorry this remains ongoing for you.

      Upon checking the latest diagnostics, we can't identify the issues you've listed using our tools for this.

      We appreciate it's been a few days since you posted and apart from today we can't see a disconnection, so how have things been for you recently?

      Many thanks

      • KingHoward's avatar
        KingHoward
        Tuning in
        19 hours ago

        Hi, yes this this still an issue.

        Here's my Broadband Quality Monitor from 22nd November:

        And here is today, 23rd November 2025.

        It's every day on the hour.

        I want to re-iterate, this was already solved by the community support memeber (Akua-A) who contacted the company who test the XGS-PON lines and got them to stop testing the line (or at least, reduced it to 3 times a day). So the capability is there, it just needs to be sorted again.

        If you could help me sort this, it would be greatly appreciated. Apologies for the tone of the previous post, it is just greatly frustrating to have the issue return after previously having it solved.

        If there is any way to feedback to the relevant department too that this testing is not acceptable on a 2gig up/down line that disconnects every hour, please do pass it on, as the audience for this service is likely gamers. In hindsight If it were possible, I would refund and switch to BT for a more reliable connection, although I am locked into a minimum term contract.

        Thanks

  • legacy1's avatar
    legacy1
    Alessandro Volta
    4 days ago

    I vote for bring back modem mode problem solved! 

    • Anonymous's avatar
      Anonymous
      16 hours ago

      Yes, but won’t happen; sorry!

      • legacy1's avatar
        legacy1
        Alessandro Volta
        5 hours ago

        Don't stop believing.

        They likely said that for the super hub 1!