on 16-12-2021 09:32
Hi
Recently my latency has been getting gradually worse and my connection is now completely unusable for gaming. My PC is wired directly into the router and Hub3 is running in a modem mode.
I have a BQM running and things are not looking great.
Logs:
1 | 330750000 | 6.1 | 40 | 256 qam | 25 |
2 | 250750000 | 6.3 | 40 | 256 qam | 15 |
3 | 258750000 | 6.5 | 40 | 256 qam | 16 |
4 | 266750000 | 6.4 | 40 | 256 qam | 17 |
5 | 274750000 | 6.4 | 40 | 256 qam | 18 |
6 | 282750000 | 6.3 | 40 | 256 qam | 19 |
7 | 290750000 | 6 | 40 | 256 qam | 20 |
8 | 298750000 | 6 | 40 | 256 qam | 21 |
9 | 306750000 | 5.9 | 40 | 256 qam | 22 |
10 | 314750000 | 6 | 40 | 256 qam | 23 |
11 | 322750000 | 6 | 40 | 256 qam | 24 |
12 | 338750000 | 6.1 | 40 | 256 qam | 26 |
13 | 346750000 | 6 | 40 | 256 qam | 27 |
14 | 354750000 | 6 | 40 | 256 qam | 28 |
15 | 362750000 | 5.9 | 40 | 256 qam | 29 |
16 | 370750000 | 5.8 | 40 | 256 qam | 30 |
17 | 378750000 | 5.8 | 40 | 256 qam | 31 |
18 | 386750000 | 5.5 | 40 | 256 qam | 32 |
19 | 394750000 | 5.5 | 40 | 256 qam | 33 |
20 | 402750000 | 5.4 | 40 | 256 qam | 34 |
21 | 410750000 | 5.3 | 40 | 256 qam | 35 |
22 | 418750000 | 5 | 40 | 256 qam | 36 |
23 | 522750000 | 4 | 40 | 256 qam | 37 |
24 | 530750000 | 4 | 40 | 256 qam | 38 |
1 | Locked | 40.3 | 5 | 0 |
2 | Locked | 40.9 | 5 | 0 |
3 | Locked | 40.3 | 5 | 0 |
4 | Locked | 40.3 | 4 | 0 |
5 | Locked | 40.9 | 7 | 0 |
6 | Locked | 40.3 | 4 | 0 |
7 | Locked | 40.9 | 6 | 0 |
8 | Locked | 40.3 | 5 | 0 |
9 | Locked | 40.3 | 6 | 0 |
10 | Locked | 40.3 | 4 | 0 |
11 | Locked | 40.3 | 6 | 0 |
12 | Locked | 40.9 | 6 | 0 |
13 | Locked | 40.3 | 6 | 0 |
14 | Locked | 40.9 | 5 | 0 |
15 | Locked | 40.9 | 5 | 0 |
16 | Locked | 40.3 | 6 | 0 |
17 | Locked | 40.3 | 8 | 0 |
18 | Locked | 40.3 | 6 | 0 |
19 | Locked | 40.3 | 2 | 0 |
20 | Locked | 40.9 | 5 | 0 |
21 | Locked | 40.3 | 5 | 0 |
22 | Locked | 40.3 | 0 | 0 |
23 | Locked | 40.9 | 5 | 0 |
24 | Locked | 40.3 | 0 | 0 |
1 | 53700068 | 45.3 | 5120 | 64 qam | 2 |
2 | 39399991 | 45.3 | 5120 | 64 qam | 4 |
3 | 46199966 | 45.3 | 5120 | 64 qam | 3 |
4 | 60300070 | 45.3 | 5120 | 64 qam | 1 |
1 | ATDMA | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
2 | ATDMA | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
3 | ATDMA | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
4 | ATDMA | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
16/12/2021 08:29:46 | notice | LAN login Success;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0; |
16/12/2021 08:29:29 | Warning! | LAN login FAILED : Incorrect Username / Password / ConnectionType;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0; |
16/12/2021 08:28:37 | notice | LAN login Success;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0; |
16/12/2021 08:28:15 | Warning! | LAN login FAILED : Incorrect Username / Password / ConnectionType;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0; |
14/12/2021 10:49:45 | critical | No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0; |
13/12/2021 08:21:50 | notice | DHCP Renew - lease parameters tftp file-cmreg-vmdg505-bbt062-b.cm modified;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0; |
13/12/2021 08:21:50 | Error | DHCP RENEW WARNING - Field invalid in response v4 option;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0; |
11/12/2021 10:42:37 | critical | No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0; |
09/12/2021 20:21:50 | notice | DHCP Renew - lease parameters tftp file-cmreg-vmdg505-bbt062-b.cm modified;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0; |
09/12/2021 20:21:50 | Error | DHCP RENEW WARNING - Field invalid in response v4 option;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0; |
09/12/2021 11:43:50 | notice | LAN login Success;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0; |
06/12/2021 16:20:10 | critical | No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0; |
06/12/2021 08:21:50 | notice | DHCP Renew - lease parameters tftp file-cmreg-vmdg505-bbt062-b.cm modified;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0; |
06/12/2021 08:21:50 | Error | DHCP RENEW WARNING - Field invalid in response v4 option;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0; |
03/12/2021 10:19:16 | critical | No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0; |
03/12/2021 03:44:18 | notice | DHCP Renew - lease parameters tftp file-cmreg-vmdg505-bbt062-b.cm modified;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0; |
03/12/2021 03:44:18 | Error | DHCP RENEW WARNING - Field invalid in response v4 option;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0; |
30/11/2021 09:13:33 | critical | No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0; |
30/11/2021 07:29:18 | notice | DHCP Renew - lease parameters tftp file-cmreg-vmdg505-bbt062-b.cm modified;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0; |
30/11/2021 07:29:18 | Error | DHCP RENEW WARNING - Field invalid in response v4 option;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0; |
It's definitely not my setup because I had no issues prior to moving to Virgin about 6 months ago.
Could really do with some help please. If there's any more info required please let me know.
on 16-12-2021 09:56
Your power levels etc are all fine. However, your BQM is atypical of over utilisation in the area, and not much can be done about that.
All you can do is complain and see if you can get some sort of compensation for poor service.
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on 16-12-2021 10:07
Thank you for taking a look Adduxi. If the service is not fit for purpose, then compensation is not going to change things anyway. Unfortunately, my contract is not up for renewal for a good while. Would you happen to know if I can break out of it early because of the above?
16-12-2021 10:10 - edited 16-12-2021 10:13
I'm not too sure, but there is a process of complaint.
@Andrew-G has the process and I'm sure he will post his reply around the deadlock letters etc.
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on 16-12-2021 12:25
Quietly hoping that @Andrew-G or someone from the Forum Team is going to chip in.
on 16-12-2021 16:48
The BQM does look like a typical over-utilisation pattern - you see how it's very poor during normal waking hours, and then OK from about half past midnight to waking up time? Shows that the network and your hub are working OK when there isn't too much traffic, although there's still some suggestion of noise to my eye. Sometimes measured speeds may be good, what's causing the latency problem is that VM have more customers than their network can handle, and when the network is busy this creates brief queuing of data packets at the head of the local coax network, and the resultant delays in the 40-200ms range create the spikes you see on the BQM, and play havoc with gaming, live streaming, and Teams/Zoom/video call types of use which are critically sensitive to poor and erratic latency. Very rarely it is a transient fault as VM make changes to the network, but that's far less common than "systemic" over-utilisation caused by poor control of sales, and occasionally it is a network fault that isn't over-utilisation but is evident during busy times.
Nothing you can do to improve matters. In some areas VM do indeed undertake work to rejig the local networks to balance loads and eliminate over-utilisation, and the roll out of DOCSIS 3.1 is helping a modest amount (but not a panacea). But sometimes upgrade works are not possible, or judged uneconomic if there's a need to spend money on more equipment. And sadly VM won't ever admit the truth, so even if there is a fault reference and a "fix date", there's no way of knowing if that fix date is backed by an actual plan of action and programme of works. Quite often it seems not, and as the fix date approaches it is simply moved a month or two ahead. Over-utilisation is usually particularly Virginmediaesque tragedy - the problem is always self-inflicted, it could be having millions of pounds thrown at it and a permanent and glorious fix will happen tomorrow. Or, even if there is a fix date, it may be in the "we won't bother with this one" bucket, where no effort at all will be made to resolve the issue. Either way, you'll get no reliable and accurate information out of VM, and there's a good number of examples of similar situations in the forum. As far as the forums are concerned, there's only one example where it seems a customer has managed to bludgeon VM into fixing an over-utilisation fault, and this took many months of unbelievable persistence. Other customers have been almost as persistent but seen no improvement.
Raise a complaint using the online form in My Virgin Media, giving them thirty days to resolve the poor connection or to release you from contract without penalty, and state that if they can't agree to that, that you then require a deadlock letter for the purposes of escalation to CISAS. The grounds of your complaint is the poor performance in regard to reasonable uses of a residential broadband connection, and your request for release from contract without penalty is twofold: First the Consumer Rights Act 2015 that requires any consumer service to be provided with "reasonable skill and care", and second, the Ofcom Fairness Commitments that VM signed up to in 2019 (but seem rather careless in complying with), that state "Customers’ services work as promised, reliably over time. If things go wrong providers give a prompt response to fix problems and take appropriate action to help their customers, which may include providing compensation where relevant. If providers can’t fix problems with core services they have promised to deliver within a reasonable period, customers can walk away from their contract with no penalty. " If you have to go to CISAS, copy the complaint to Ofcom, and add in a request to the CISAS complaint for compensation for the poor connection, the time you've had to endure this and refusal to release you from contract.
One thing for anybody else reading this and thinking "me too". We've just flopped back into a near lockdown with extensive working from home. For reasons too long and technical to explain here, this puts an inordinate strain on the upstream side of things for VM's network, and causes a lot of areas to temporarily suffer upstream congestion problems, which is a real pain if you're trying to WFH and the online meetings keep glitching. This happened the same time last year, but as we came out of lockdown most of those problems went away. If the latency problems have appeared suddenly in the past week or so, you might want to sit it out and hope things resolve in the new year, or at least consider what your best strategy is for dealing with a problem that may only be temporary rather than leaping to complaints and demands to leave VM. If you're cheesed off with the consequences of Covid, take them up with a certain country's ambassador.
on 20-12-2021 09:29
Hi @ackblom.
Welcome to the Community and thanks for your first post, we're happy to have you with us 🙂
I'm sorry to hear you've been experiencing service issues, I appreciate this is frustrating and we apologise for any inconvenience caused.
I've managed to locate your account from your profile information and everything seems to be performing as it should on our end.
How have things been since posting?
Thanks,
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30-12-2021 09:33 - edited 30-12-2021 09:36
Hi Sophia,
It's gotten a lot worse and I've now completely given up on online gaming:
As you can see above, BQM proves over-utilisation in my area. My connection is a mess from 2pm, seems to get a bit better in the middle of the night and then becomes unusable from 2pm again.
on 03-01-2022 09:54
Hello @ackblom,
Thank you for sharing this BMQ chart.
What happens when you game using your wired connection? Can you try a pinhole reset for me?
Many thanks,
New around here? To find out more about the Community check out our Getting Started guide
03-01-2022 15:09 - edited 03-01-2022 15:33
Hi Hayley,
This is what I said in my first post:
"My PC is wired directly into the router and Hub3 is running in a modem mode. [...] It's definitely not my setup because I had no issues prior to moving to Virgin about 6 months ago."
Hard resetting Virgin hub was the first thing I did prior to posting here. No amount of resetting it is going to fix what magically fixes itself around 1-2am and gets worse again around 2pm.
Also, I'd like to thank @Andrew-G for his very insightful post. I was hoping that, at the very least, Virgin would offer to swap my hub for a newer Broadcom based version 5 which is not plagued by Intel Puma chipset issues or that DOCSIS 3.1 would alleviate some the issues I've been having but that doesn't seem to be the case.
Edit:
Please note the issue is still not solved despite me marking @Andrew-G's reply as Helpful Answer.