Virgin Media Community

[SymTax]

Afternoon

I'm on the M200 package for a couple of months now. The speeds initially were very good, almost at the maximum of what my package could offer. Since then, everthing has slowly gone downhill and quite often speed tests I conduct are around the 75mbps range instead of the 200 of my package. 

I didn't really have the time to report it previously but I've started gaming a little more and noticed that the stability of my connection is atrocious. While I don't disconnect, sometimes I struggle to even load a youtube video or watch a livestream in 1080p without it buffering loads. I've also noticed that my ping in games is not stable at all. It suits around 35-40 before spiking to 150+ every few seconds, essentially causing me to 'rubberband' everywhere. 

I was previously with BT before switching to Virgin and while DL speeds were slower, the stability of the connection was perfect and never showed any issues like I'm having now. 

I will add that the virgin wall socket seems very old. The previous tenants had cables that looked like something from the 1990s. The socket itself has no virgin branding on it, although it had a loose 'box' inside to connect everything to. 

Any help would be appreciated, as I'm a little stuck on where to go with getting this sorted.   

https://www.thinkbroadband.com/broadband/monitoring/quality/share/7807a38621ad7b94ca16374ef083f6d04b61a482

Downstream bonded channels

Channel Frequency (Hz) Power (dBmV) SNR (dB) Modulation Channel ID

1	723000000	21.5	38	256 qam	40
2	539000000	19.6	37	256 qam	17
3	547000000	20	37	256 qam	18
4	555000000	20.3	37	256 qam	19
5	563000000	20.3	37	256 qam	20
6	571000000	20.4	38	256 qam	21
7	579000000	20.5	38	256 qam	22
8	587000000	20.3	38	256 qam	23
9	595000000	20.5	38	256 qam	24
10	603000000	21	38	256 qam	25
11	611000000	20.9	38	256 qam	26
12	619000000	20.9	38	256 qam	27
13	627000000	21.3	38	256 qam	28
14	635000000	21	37	256 qam	29
15	643000000	20.9	37	256 qam	30
16	651000000	21.1	38	256 qam	31
17	659000000	21.1	38	256 qam	32
18	667000000	21.5	38	256 qam	33
19	675000000	21.9	38	256 qam	34
20	683000000	22	38	256 qam	35
21	691000000	21.9	38	256 qam	36
22	699000000	22.1	38	256 qam	37
23	707000000	21.9	38	256 qam	38
24	715000000	21.4	38	256 qam	39

Downstream bonded channels

Channel Locked Status RxMER (dB) Pre RS Errors Post RS Errors

1	Locked	38.9	29	0
2	Locked	37.6	672	0
3	Locked	37.3	558	0
4	Locked	37.6	329	0
5	Locked	37.6	235	0
6	Locked	38.6	224	0
7	Locked	38.6	116	0
8	Locked	38.6	73	0
9	Locked	38.6	86	0
10	Locked	38.6	74	0
11	Locked	38.9	60	0
12	Locked	38.6	60	0
13	Locked	38.6	31	0
14	Locked	37.6	35	0
15	Locked	37.6	39	0
16	Locked	38.6	38	0
17	Locked	38.6	28	0
18	Locked	38.6	45	0
19	Locked	38.6	41	9
20	Locked	38.6	47	0
21	Locked	38.9	42	0
22	Locked	38.9	39	0
23	Locked	38.9	50	0
24	Locked	38.6	39	0

Upstream bonded channels

Channel Frequency (Hz) Power (dBmV) Symbol Rate (ksps) Modulation Channel ID

1	46200000	32.3	5120	64 qam	3
2	39400000	32.3	5120	64 qam	4
3	53700000	32.3	5120	64 qam	2
4	60300009	32.3	5120	64 qam	1

[SymTax]

Upstream bonded channels

Channel Channel Type T1 Timeouts T2 Timeouts T3 Timeouts T4 Timeouts

1	ATDMA	0	0	1	0
2	ATDMA	0	0	0	0
3	ATDMA	0	0	0	0
4	ATDMA	0	0	0	0

General Configuration

Network access	Allowed
Maximum Number of CPEs	1
Baseline Privacy	Enabled
DOCSIS Mode	Docsis30
Config file	sfd;kfoA,.iyewrkldJKDHSUBsgvc

Primary Downstream Service Flow

SFID	15144
Max Traffic Rate	230000061
Max Traffic Burst	42600
Min Traffic Rate	0

Primary Upstream Service Flow

SFID	15143
Max Traffic Rate	22000061
Max Traffic Burst	42600
Min Traffic Rate	0
Max Concatenated Burst	42600
Scheduling Type	BestEffort

Network Log

Time Priority Description

22/02/2021 18:40:26	Warning!	LAN login FAILED : Incorrect Username / Password / ConnectionType;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
20/02/2021 20:30:33	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
18/02/2021 18:58:5	notice	DHCP Renew - lease parameters tftp file-cmreg-vmdg505-bbt060+voc-b.cm modified;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
18/02/2021 18:58:5	Error	DHCP RENEW WARNING - Field invalid in response v4 option;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
15/02/2021 10:22:4	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
15/02/2021 06:58:3	notice	DHCP Renew - lease parameters tftp file-cmreg-vmdg505-bbt060+voc-b.cm modified;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
15/02/2021 06:58:3	Error	DHCP RENEW WARNING - Field invalid in response v4 option;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
12/02/2021 10:40:35	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
11/02/2021 18:58:3	notice	DHCP Renew - lease parameters tftp file-cmreg-vmdg505-bbt060+voc-b.cm modified;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
11/02/2021 18:58:3	Error	DHCP RENEW WARNING - Field invalid in response v4 option;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
08/02/2021 09:32:52	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
08/02/2021 07:29:48	notice	DHCP Renew - lease parameters tftp file-cmreg-vmdg505-bbt060+voc-b.cm modified;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
08/02/2021 07:29:48	Error	DHCP RENEW WARNING - Field invalid in response v4 option;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
05/02/2021 05:34:48	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
04/02/2021 17:26:19	notice	DHCP Renew - lease parameters tftp file-cmreg-vmdg505-bbt060+voc-b.cm modified;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
04/02/2021 17:26:19	Error	DHCP RENEW WARNING - Field invalid in response v4 option;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
04/02/2021 10:34:56	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
03/02/2021 04:08:20	Warning!	RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
03/02/2021 04:08:20	critical	SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Loss of Sync;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
03/02/2021 04:08:19	Warning!	RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;

[carl_pearce]

Downstream power levels double out of spec (-6 to +10 is in spec, 0dB optimal).

Upstream power levels near the lowest level considered 'OK'.

You also appear to be in an oversubscribed/utilized area, so fixing the above two issues, with an engineer visit, may not help:

[SymTax]

Appreciate your reply, thank you.

Would an engineer visit to correct the power levels make any noticeable difference, either now or in the future? 

I fully understand that not much can be done about being in an oversubscribed area, which is a shame.

[Andruser]

I've flagged your post for forum staff to advise - they should be able to book a technician to fix the dreadful power levels (or advise if there's a area fault).  But Carl is correct, with better power levels the connection should be more robust, but the poor latency will remain.  Chances are this is due home working and schooling etc during lockdown so the problem will hopefully resolve itself when we get back to some semblance of normality.  Because of the underlying technology and contention choices, VM are far worse affected than Openreach (although that isn't to say that there are no lockdown-related issues for Openreach).

[Megan_L]

Hi SymTax,

Thanks for your post, I am sorry you're having this issue with your broadband services recently. I can appreciate how frustrating this must be for you.
I have had a look at your services on my side and can see there is an area outage, which is regarding congestion on the lines. 
This is due to be fixed - 26th Feb 2021 - but please be aware this is just an estimate, it could change depending on what the engineers find. However, I am sure they will be working incredibly hard to get this fixed as soon as possible for you. You can continue to use the forums to get updates on this if you wish, we will be happy to help in anyway we can.
Thanks, 
Megan_L
 

[SymTax]

Thanks for the input from both of you, its very much appreciated.

Megan_L, is the area outage something that once fixed, I would see a noticeable change in internet quality and stability?

Also previous replies have mentioned dreadful power levels. Would this also correct those, or does that require a technician to visit the property and look fix separately to the area outage?

[Megan_L]

Hi SymTax, 

Thanks for coming back to me about this, once the outage has been completed - barring any other network issues - your services should be noticeably smoother and efficient. So if you can be patient and hunker down whilst the work is being done the reward will be good 🙂 

As for the power levels, it's hard to tell to be honest. You could have been having power level issues before this started, and the congestion is making the situation worse. Or it could just be solely down to the maintenance work. The only thing we can do with this is to wait until its completed and do a health check on your services. If you do still have these issues afterwards then it will certainly need an engineer visit to rectify, which we will happily pop in place!

I hope this clarifies things for you, if you have any more questions just fire away and I'll help as much as possible 🙂

Thanks,

Megan_L

[SymTax]

Thank you for such a prompt reply!

More than happy to hunker down and wait to see if the expected work resolves everything, not as if I can really go out anywhere in the meantime 😭

I'll update this thread in the near future if my issues still persist. 

[Megan_L]

Thanks SymTax, 

We will be here for you if you need further help or just an update 🙂

Your welcome and try to have a nice week ahead!

Thanks,

Megan_L