BB250 : Connection dropping frequently

[aminf]

Hi

Recently I've been experiencing constant drops of internet connection. The issue started after 6pm on the 16th of Nov and it's progressively getting worse. I had raised a complaint with VM on the 18th and had an engineer visit on the 22nd. The engineer informed me that the issue was probably because of my sockets not being isloated as recently my area has been upgraded to Gig Speeds. He updated the VM sockets however that too has not been helpful. Calling the call center just leads to disappointment as the only try to upsell and do not understand that the drop in connection is not between the devices and hub , but between the hub and VM network.

I have setup a BQM since day 1 of my service with VM and regularly check the same, it was a surprise to see that the connection is dropping off not just during the day (making it difficult to work remotely), but also between 2am and 4am.

3.0 Downstream channels
Channel Frequency (Hz) Power (dBmV) SNR (dB) Modulation Channel ID
1 331000000 7.7 41 QAM 256 25
2 211000000 8.3 41 QAM 256 10
3 219000000 8.3 41 QAM 256 11
4 227000000 8.2 41 QAM 256 12
5 235000000 8.1 41 QAM 256 13
6 243000000 8.1 41 QAM 256 14
7 251000000 8.1 41 QAM 256 15
8 259000000 8.2 41 QAM 256 16
9 267000000 8.2 41 QAM 256 17
10 275000000 8.1 41 QAM 256 18
11 283000000 8.2 41 QAM 256 19
12 291000000 8.3 41 QAM 256 20
13 299000000 8.2 41 QAM 256 21
14 307000000 8.1 41 QAM 256 22
15 315000000 8 41 QAM 256 23
16 323000000 7.9 41 QAM 256 24
17 339000000 7.8 41 QAM 256 26
18 347000000 7.8 42 QAM 256 27
19 355000000 7.7 42 QAM 256 28
20 363000000 7.4 41 QAM 256 29
21 371000000 7.1 41 QAM 256 30
22 379000000 7 41 QAM 256 31
23 387000000 6.8 41 QAM 256 32
24 395000000 6.8 41 QAM 256 34
25 403000000 6.8 41 QAM 256 35
26 411000000 6.8 41 QAM 256 36
27 419000000 6.7 41 QAM 256 37
28 523000000 6.3 41 QAM 256 38
29 531000000 6.3 41 QAM 256 39
30 539000000 6.2 41 QAM 256 40
31 547000000 6.2 41 QAM 256 41

3.0 Downstream channels
Channel Locked Status RxMER (dB) Pre RS Errors Post RS Errors
1 Locked 41 8 0
2 Locked 41 3 0
3 Locked 41 6 0
4 Locked 41 5 0
5 Locked 41 5 0
6 Locked 41 1 0
7 Locked 41 2 0
8 Locked 41 2 0
9 Locked 41 2 0
10 Locked 41 3 0
11 Locked 41 3 0
12 Locked 41 9 0
13 Locked 41 3 0
14 Locked 41 2 0
15 Locked 41 4 0
16 Locked 41 4 0
17 Locked 41 4 0
18 Locked 42 3 0
19 Locked 42 6 0
20 Locked 41 10 0
21 Locked 41 7 0
22 Locked 41 15 0
23 Locked 41 8 0
24 Locked 41 2 0
25 Locked 41 7 0
26 Locked 41 7 0
27 Locked 41 4 0
28 Locked 41 10 0
29 Locked 41 11 0
30 Locked 41 21 0
31 Locked 41 25 0

3.1 Downstream channels
Channel Channel Width (MHz) FFT Type Number of Active Subcarriers Modulation (Active Profile) First Active Subcarrier (Hz)
33 94 4K 1840 QAM 4096 1108

3.1 Downstream channels
Channel ID Locked Status RxMER Data (dB) PLC Power (dBmV) Corrected errors (Active Profile) Uncorrectable errors (Active Profile)
33 Locked 41 4.5 2553900385 12

3.0 Upstream channels
Channel Frequency (Hz) Power (dBmV) Symbol Rate (ksps) Modulation Channel ID
0 49600000 45 5120 QAM 64 1
1 43100000 44.8 5120 QAM 64 2
2 36600000 44.8 5120 QAM 64 3
3 30100000 45 5120 QAM 64 4
4 23600000 44.8 5120 QAM 64 9

3.0 Upstream channels
Channel Channel Type T1 Timeouts T2 Timeouts T3 Timeouts T4 Timeouts
0 ATDMA 0 0 0 0
1 ATDMA 0 0 0 0
2 ATDMA 0 0 0 0
3 ATDMA 0 0 0 0
4 ATDMA 0 0 1 0

3.1 Upstream channels
Channel Channel Width (MHz) Power (dBmV) FFT Type Modulation
10 11 40.2 2K QAM 256

3.1 Upstream channels
Channel Channel Type Number of Active Subcarriers First Active Subcarrier (Hz) T3 Timeouts T4 Timeouts
10 OFDMA 220 74000000 0 0

Network Log
Time Priority Description
04-12-2023 13:41:42 notice US profile assignment change. US Chan ID: 10; Previous Profile: 11 13; New Profile: 12 13.;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
04-12-2023 13:37:07 notice US profile assignment change. US Chan ID: 10; Previous Profile: 12 13; New Profile: 11 13.;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
04-12-2023 13:32:04 notice US profile assignment change. US Chan ID: 10; Previous Profile: 11 13; New Profile: 12 13.;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
04-12-2023 13:15:29 notice US profile assignment change. US Chan ID: 10; Previous Profile: 12 13; New Profile: 11 13.;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
04-12-2023 13:10:26 notice US profile assignment change. US Chan ID: 10; Previous Profile: 11 13; New Profile: 12 13.;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
04-12-2023 13:08:16 notice US profile assignment change. US Chan ID: 10; Previous Profile: 12 13; New Profile: 11 13.;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
04-12-2023 13:03:13 notice US profile assignment change. US Chan ID: 10; Previous Profile: 11 13; New Profile: 12 13.;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
04-12-2023 12:50:33 notice US profile assignment change. US Chan ID: 10; Previous Profile: 12 13; New Profile: 11 13.;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
04-12-2023 12:45:30 notice US profile assignment change. US Chan ID: 10; Previous Profile: 11 13; New Profile: 12 13.;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
04-12-2023 12:45:25 notice US profile assignment change. US Chan ID: 10; Previous Profile: 12 13; New Profile: 11 13.;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
The BQMs are below:
Yesterday :

Live Graph:

I am on the Hub 5. Any help would be grately appreciated.

[jbrennand]

Strange logs - not sure what that means !  

What devices have you got plugged into the Hub on ethernet cables ? 

You could do a quick check that all of your coax cable connections are in nice and "finger" tight - at the Hub and wall box and also at any connectors etc. Disconnect all the connections and reconnect to be sure. Ensure there are no “unterminated cable loose ends or loose wires on the connectors . Also check that the internal wiring is ok with no kinking or chaffing, check that all looks good with the outside cabling (no clips piercing, or broken sheathing) and the wall box. 

Also... Have you checked for any “known network faults in your location - Look in 2 places

1) Try the “check service,”Area status webpage (https://www.virginmedia.com/help/service-status)

2) Then also Try the “free & automated” Service Status number - 0800 561 0061 - which usually gives the most up to date info. and tells you of more local issues and fix estimates, down to street cab/ postcode level.

Finally,   you could try a Hub “pinhole reset” - first make sure the 2 passwords on the Hub sticker are still there and legible first ! With the Hub still "switched on" throughout, press the reset pin in firmly with paper clip/SIM tray tool or similar "thin thing" and hold it firmly for at least 60 (a timed sixty) seconds, release the pin, leave for 5’ to stabilise - dont manually switch it off at any time. Passwords and SSID’s will reset to those on the sticker so log in and change them back to what they were/want them to be.

[aminf]

Hi jbrennand,

Thanks for your reponse. The devices on ethernet are Laptops (WFH) , TV and NAS drive.  I have already carried out pinhole resets 3 times and n-number of restarts. It does not matter at all. According to the status line and auto checker , it just needs a pinrole reset, which as I have said before has been carried out and does not work. WRT loose cables - all tightened up and check by the VM engineer who upgraded the sockets with the new isolated wiring.

[jbrennand]

OK  see this....

There is another possibility, there have been several threads on here recently where similar BQM latency/packet loss problems were eventually pinned down to a dodgy piece of connected kit affecting the connection . Bad connectors on ethernet cables, NAS drives and faulty network switches being high on the list of culprits.

What I advised was... if you run the BQM for 24h to get a picture of the issues (you have done this) - and then unplug all the ethernet cable connections from the Hub and just let it run - overnight is best - then in the morning look at the BQM and see if it has cleaned up. If it has - plug the devices back in one at a time for an hour or two until the problem reappears and that should indicate where to look for what is causing the issues. Start by changing to new good quality ethernet cables, minimum of Cat6a.

Examples.
See message 21 in the first thread, 13 in the second and 5 in the third
https://community.virginmedia.com/t5/Networking-and-WiFi/Internet-connection-dropping/td-p/4781287/p...
https://community.virginmedia.com/t5/Networking-and-WiFi/Intermittent-Connection/td-p/5069984/page/2
https://community.virginmedia.com/t5/Speed/Issues-in-GU22-area/m-p/5400109#M307543

[aminf]

Thanks @jbrennand,

I will try that out, my network is all connected via either Cat6a or Cat7, so it should not be the cables. Everything was working fine on the same setup till 16th Nov and its only since then that this is happening. And it is not just the ethernet devices causing the issue but devices on wifi also face the same. Still I can carry out the process you have called out and check if there is any improvement.

[aminf]

Hi Jbrennand.

I did try and look into the ethernet cables and NAS bit. All looked fine, but then i seem to have noticed something which could be the reason for the disconnections.

I have noticed that a number of disconnections happen overnight, I happened to look into the logs for my NAS and have noticed that this drop was generally preceded by a FTP login failure. So I reset my FTP Server logs and then let the system run as before and it did happen again - not a disconnection but a peak. So I have temporarily closed down my port forwarding this morning and since then the connection seems to be stable.

So at the moment keeping an eye out to see if the issue could be due to DoS attacks on my FTP server and whether the requests are coming from a system internal or external to my network. 

[aminf]

Hi All,

Well it has been an eventful 48 hours or so. I had stable connection from 12pm Tuesday to around 3 am today (Thursday). Since then the disconnects are back, and they are back with a vengence.

Can anybody help resolve this issue please

BQM Today

[Molly_T]

Hi Aminf 👋 welcome back to the community! Thanks for posting!

Sorry to hear about these issues with your connection! It does look as though you have also been in touch with us offline since last posting so we could investigate further and offer support. 

Just in case you are still needing additional support I will send you a PM to confirm a few account details so I can help if needed! You can find the PM in the top right corner of the page in your Inbox. 📩 We can then return to this public thread with another update when possible

Thank you for your patience whilst we get things sorted!

Wishing you all the best. 🌞

[aminf]

Hi Molly_T,

Just posting that I have responded to your PM with the details requested and in depth case history.