Intermittent Packet Loss and Latency Spikes while Gaming

[markjohndeluca]

Recently I have been getting some intermittent packet loss and latency spikes that make playing online multiplayer games impossible. The issue occurs over several different games, so the problem is common to me. It does not however affect any offline games, and thus I thought the problem was with my internet connection.

Everything was smooth until roughly a week ago, and then this fault started to happen. 

Attached is a BqM from the past 24 hours, along with some router status data

https://www.thinkbroadband.com/broadband/monitoring/quality/share/dd941657484d72ac8f09aaf5f2dc2322b7...

Network LogTime Priority Description

28/09/2021 09:59:48	notice	LAN login Success;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
01/01/1970 00:01:38	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
26/09/2021 12:07:59	notice	NOTICE ATOM is restarted as part of Self Healing Mechanism;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
25/09/2021 14:17:14	notice	LAN login Success;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
24/09/2021 20:46:55	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
24/09/2021 09:33:53	notice	LAN login Success;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
24/09/2021 09:32:35	Warning!	LAN login FAILED : Incorrect Username / Password / ConnectionType;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
24/09/2021 09:26:24	Warning!	RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
24/09/2021 09:26:9	Warning!	Lost MDD Timeout;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
24/09/2021 09:26:4	critical	SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Loss of Sync;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
24/09/2021 09:26:3	Warning!	RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
24/09/2021 09:26:3	critical	SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Loss of Sync;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
24/09/2021 09:26:3	Warning!	RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
24/09/2021 09:20:39	critical	SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Loss of Sync;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
24/09/2021 09:20:39	Warning!	RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
24/09/2021 09:19:24	critical	Received Response to Broadcast Maintenance Request, But no Unicast Maintenance opportunities received - T4 time out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
24/09/2021 09:18:38	Warning!	Lost MDD Timeout;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
24/09/2021 09:18:36	critical	SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Loss of Sync;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
24/09/2021 09:18:35	Warning!	RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
24/09/2021 09:18:35	critical	SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Loss of Sync;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;

Any help is greatly appreciated. A technician came to the property last friday to fix a fault, however the problem is still ongoing and has not changed.

[Molly_G]

Hey @markjohndeluca,

Welcome to the forums and many thanks for your recent post. I'm very sorry to hear of the latency and packet loss issues you've been experiencing, I can appreciate how frustrating this must be, especially when gaming.

I've been able to locate your account using your forums details and can see that you've managed to book a visit since this post.

Please continue to monitor how things go and do feel free to drop back if any issues return, we'll be happy to assist further.

Kind regards,

[markjohndeluca]

Yes, unfortunately the engineer was unable to find any problems either with my connection in home or the connection to the cabinet on the street level. The problem still persists and I'm beginning to think there is no solution other than trying another broadband provider. I have tried multiple devices, with various methods of connection (wired, 2.4ghz, 5ghz) and nothing has eliminated the problem

[Adduxi]

Your shared BQM still shows packet loss.  How are the power levels now?  The previous logs have sync errors etc, which I believe is an upstream problem?

VM technicians really need to sort this out, as there is a clearly an issue showing on your BQM.

[markjohndeluca]

Hi Adduxi, 

Just to clarify, the BQM and Network Status shown were prior to a visit by a 2nd technician, but a 1st did visit on the24th around 9am and examined the router, the times on the network log match the time he was here. On the 2nd technicians visit, he could not find any faults but did replace the hub. The Entries posted below around 29th, at 10am coincide with this visit.

Attached is also the same information as before, as well as BQM data from the date of replacement onwards. No changes to the problem since replacing the router. 

Network Log

Time Priority Description

30/09/2021 14:59:41	notice	LAN login Success;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
30/09/2021 02:10:32	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
29/09/2021 12:59:41	notice	LAN login Success;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
29/09/2021 12:22:26	notice	DHCP Renew - lease parameters tftp file-cmreg-vmdg505-bbt057+voc-b.cm modified;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
29/09/2021 12:22:26	Error	DHCP RENEW WARNING - Field invalid in response v4 option;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
29/09/2021 11:54:21	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
29/09/2021 11:25:7	notice	LAN login Success;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
29/09/2021 11:23:45	notice	DHCP Renew - lease parameters tftp file-cmreg-vmdg505-bbt057+voc-b.cm modified;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
29/09/2021 11:23:45	Error	DHCP RENEW WARNING - Field invalid in response v4 option;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
29/09/2021 10:54:0	notice	SW download Successful - Via Config file
29/09/2021 10:51:32	notice	SW Download INIT - Via Config file
01/01/1970 00:01:50	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
01/01/1970 00:01:48	critical	16 consecutive T3 timeouts while trying to range on upstream channel 3;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
01/01/1970 00:01:48	critical	Ranging Request Retries exhausted;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
01/01/1970 00:01:41	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
01/01/1970 00:01:27	Warning!	MDD message timeout;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
01/01/1970 00:01:27	Warning!	Lost MDD Timeout;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
06/09/2021 18:45:10	notice	Unit has been restored to factory defaults from a software issued command;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
06/09/2021 16:54:4	notice	SW download Successful - Via Config file
06/09/2021 16:48:12	notice	SW Download INIT - Via Config file

29th Sept:
https://www.thinkbroadband.com/broadband/monitoring/quality/share/4f396477556b52fc78433d5a5c0545c4fb...

30th Sept:
https://www.thinkbroadband.com/broadband/monitoring/quality/share/433ee78441a12e14e84e6cc704f03a71e9...

1st Oct:
https://www.thinkbroadband.com/broadband/monitoring/quality/share/5a2a1a4005c066645a1cae2853e62bede5...

The two points today showing 100% packet loss were myself unplugging and moving the router to different areas in my room to test for signal strength. The large amount of packet loss and high latency between these two periods was when I downloaded a 80GB file to my desktop.

Thank you for your response

Mark

[markjohndeluca]

Just as an update, I've now purchased an ethernet cable and tried a direct connection to the hub. The problem still persists, and occurs at every point of the day.

Thanks

[Adduxi]

Yes, the last BQM has massive packet loss, despite the engineers visit.  At a guess it's a issue outside of your property, at the cab perhaps?

Hopefully VM can identify this and get you sorted.

[markjohndeluca]

Both engineers who came out so far have checked at the cab and found nothing out of the order. Also, the last BQM shows two points where I unplugged the router from the wall to move it (Solid red bars) and then heavy download period in the middle.

In terms of validating the ethernet connection, am I right in assuming that a ethernet cable passing directly from the hub to my PC will allow for a proper signal, or should I put the hub into modem mode to be absolutely sure that there isn't an issue with the hardware?

Many thanks,

Mark

[Andrew-G]

Any faults in the network log or on the BQM won't be influenced by modem mode or cable changes - both log and BQM only take account of the connection from the external side side of the router to the the Thinkbroadband servers, and are primarily showing the performance between the cable modem and the CMTS at the head of the local coax network.  Wifi isn't involved at all, and unless running in modem mode (which won't help) it doesn't involve the ethernet cable, nor your own equipment.

Needs VM to have another look, and resolve, if they won't look or can't find it, then you either tolerate the performance or find another ISP I'm afraid.  For easy power or noise problems VM are usually good at fixing.  Tracing and resolving sporadic problems can be a lot harder, and sometimes the company never manage this, or it takes repeated visits, and a customer who is very persistent, and won't be fobbed off.

[markjohndeluca]

Is there any advice for how to get Virgin to address the problem? My experience with technical support seems to be a repetition of basic technical advice and then telling me to monitor the connection for 24 hours. I feel if I phone up again then they will just book another engineer to come out and investigate without addressing some of the points made by people in this thread.