Ping, packet loss and Latency all over the place. Can we get some info please!

[CloudchaserXI]

Started 2 days ago - I'm assuming this is Covid 19 related? If it is PLEASE confirm Virgin.

380Meg fibre, all networked - pc direct to Hub 3.

All of a sudden: massive lag spikes, interruption, packet loss.

I have tried Modem mode. Tried to reset router. 

Software version

: 9.1.1811.401

Log below:

20/03/2020 20:32:56	notice	LAN login Success;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
20/03/2020 20:32:3	Warning!	RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
20/03/2020 19:53:3	notice	LAN login Success;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
20/03/2020 04:16:13	Warning!	RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
20/03/2020 02:44:21	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
18/03/2020 23:24:8	Warning!	RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
18/03/2020 22:15:12	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
18/03/2020 20:50:23	Warning!	RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
18/03/2020 18:58:29	notice	LAN login Success;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
18/03/2020 18:58:14	Warning!	LAN login FAILED : Incorrect Username / Password / ConnectionType;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
17/03/2020 12:32:22	Warning!	RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
17/03/2020 11:42:44	notice	DHCP Renew - lease parameters tftp file-cmreg-vmdg505-rtsxxl35016u+voc-b.cm modified;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
17/03/2020 11:42:44	Error	DHCP REBIND WARNING - Field invalid in response;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
17/03/2020 10:53:4	Error	DHCP RENEW sent - No response for IPv4;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
17/03/2020 10:24:27	Warning!	RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
17/03/2020 10:03:26	Error	DHCP RENEW sent - No response for IPv4;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
17/03/2020 09:52:42	Warning!	RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
17/03/2020 09:09:24	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
17/03/2020 08:24:10	Error	DHCP RENEW sent - No response for IPv4;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
17/03/2020 05:48:57	Warning!	RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;

PING google.com (216.58.210.238): 64 data bytes
72 bytes from 216.58.210.238: seq=0 ttl=55 time=20.000 ms
72 bytes from 216.58.210.238: seq=1 ttl=55 time=10.000 ms
72 bytes from 216.58.210.238: seq=2 ttl=55 time=4500.000 ms
--- google.com ping statistics ---
5 packets transmitted, 3 packets received, 40% packet loss
round-trip min/avg/max = 10.000/1510.000/4500.000 ms

[davidc01]

It's a wired connection. The virgin hub is in modem mode. I have ubiquiti/unifi devices (router/switch/wifi) connected to it, but most of my devices other than my phone are wired. It's the unifi gateway responding to the ICMP from BQM, but it's connected to the virgin hub by a very short (0.5 m) cable that I've tested.

Essentially I'm convinced without any doubt that the latency is in on the virgin side - this is further suggested by the fact that it's better at evenings and weekends (similar to the last 5 months when the connection was unusable during day, but got better after 10pm - I'm witnessing the same thing, just with a better connection now).

Yes, I agree that spikes into 160+ aren't disastrous, as working from home is now good for me. But the BQM for my 4G connection looks better (on same unifi/ubiquiti equipment), as does my neighbours cheap talk-talk fttc connection. Perhaps this is just standard for a Virgin connection?

[Paul_DN]

Hi David,

I have had a look at things our end and the first thing AI can see is you have not rebooted our hub for 119 days, this is something we advise to do every now and again, this could be adding to the issues you are having, 

Please unplug from the wall power socket and  leave 2 minutes then plug back in. 

Everything else is OK all the levels are where they should be which means there inst any issues showing with our router.

Regards

Paul.

[davidc01]

Levels etc have been checked many times already, and I've had the engineer visit etc. I was told to just wait for the area level upgrade, which took 5 months to get to this point - during which I was paying a lot of money for an unusable connection.

I've done the restart. We'll see how that impacts things - I'll keep an eye on BQM. However, I would suggest that this is the same issue as prior to whatever upgrade has taken place - that of contention (based on hours impacted etc). Its usable for WFH now, but its just a bit disappointing the latency isn't "good" (when compared to alternative providers). It would be nice if Virgin could focus more on the quality of their connections rather than the race to deliver gigabit poorly.

[davidc01]

I restarted it as asked, and again this week.

I've been keeping an eye on the BQM and it's still the same. Latency spikes through the day.

As I said before, I'm not so worried, since WFH is now finally possible after so many months, but I guess it's just a little disappointing that its not "good".

e.g. this is a standard day: https://www.thinkbroadband.com/broadband/monitoring/quality/share/8dc89fe6c0bc9b15fcf25bd83ea6f6ccee...

Again, compared the craziness before, this isn't bad, but if you're a gamer you're still not going to be very happy.

My question to forum staff is: is this considered standard for Virgin or is this something you would fix?

[John_GS]

Hello davidc01,

Thanks for posting. My apologies for the broadband issues. 

There is an SNR (signal to noise ratio), issue affecting the service. 

The fault number for your records is F008372360. The estimated fix date is the 8th September 2020.

Kind regards,

[davidc01]

It does seem to be looking a bit better now (over last few days).

e.g. 

https://www.thinkbroadband.com/broadband/monitoring/quality/share/064356308230014fba5c7b50b5ae5611bc...

or

https://www.thinkbroadband.com/broadband/monitoring/quality/share/eaae169f4b3e6ed6e0eb6792716268b715...

 Is this still an SNR issue with an open ticket or is this "done" now?

[Steven_L]

Hey davidc01,

I have just looked into this and the SNR issue has now been resolved. Is your connection still working better at the moment? 

Regards

Steven

[Lotharemas]

Packet Loss issues have returned to me since the 13th September, had a flawless connection for months prior with no issues ever since it was fixed last time for me, would really appreciate this getting sorted since it makes Online gaming incredibly problematic.

In Area 30, NG17 if that matters

BQM 

https://www.thinkbroadband.com/broadband/monitoring/quality/share/713af2c9e71218d237309cb262d57701583a0bb4-18-09-2020

[davidc01]

"better" yes. Considering it used to be entirely unusable for WFH, it is many times better.

I guess what I'm trying to understand is whether a BQM that looks like this:

https://www.thinkbroadband.com/broadband/monitoring/quality/share/6aa252e8d531d3d21a3104d9c76664a4fdbc3e2a-18-09-2020

is considered "good" by Virgin standards or if I should be expecting better. Luckily, I don't do any online gaming anymore, but if I did, I think this graph would concern me.

It's taken me over 6 months to get to this point, so I guess I'm happy to no longer need to pay for a backup 4G connection at last.

[Lotharemas]

Just when you thought the packet loss issues couldnt possibly get any worse, they do, fix this already this is impossible to play online games with

https://www.thinkbroadband.com/broadband/monitoring/quality/share/e810ea5eb1e3738720f7582d9283235563...