Broadband Constant Lag Spikes

[pblyth67]

Hello,

For roughly the past 2 weeks or so, our broadband connection has been having some issues where every 5-10 minutes, there will be an incredible lag spike for a second or two, to the point where streams will buffer and games will disconnect temporarily or will fail to connect while searching for games.

It has become increasingly annoying to put up with and would like some help with the issue.

Thanks

[pblyth67]

I've done everything I can think of to try and fix the problem i.e. making sure all of the cables are plugged in properly, restarting the hub many multiple different times and even restoring the factory settings of the hub. Nothing helped unfortunately. It seems to be a universal issue, across both wifi and ethernet.

The only thing I can think of now is that its potentially an issue with the hub, although it is relatively new since we were sent out the latest one earlier this year/late last year, or an issue with the line to the house but perhaps there's some other explanation. 

[jbrennand]

Lets see it and the Hub data ... can you do this...
______________________________________

In your browser’s URL box type in http://192.168.0.1 (or http://192.168.100.1 - if in modem mode) (DONT click these links) - and hit return.

If you have a Hub4 or 5 then login on the first page up. If you have an SH2 or Hub3 - dont log in
just click on the “router status” icon/text at bottom-middle (Hub3) or top/right (SH’s) of the Login page.

Then Navigate to these “data pages” and just copy/paste the normal “Formatted Text” (not images) 3 FULL sets of data onto here – 2 tables from the Downstream, 2 from the Upstream, & the Network Logs page. Don't worry too much about the formatting it can be easily read & DON’T include personal data or MAC addresses - blank them out - if you copy/paste the data, the board software will do this for you (you may need to click the "submit" button again). If character limits are “exceeded” - just do two posts
________________________________________________
Also, If you haven’t already, set up a free, secure and “offlsite” - “Broadband Quality Monitor” to continually monitor the state of your connection and record any true network dropouts , latency issues, packet drops, etc - it will thus allow you to differentiate between those and simple wifi dropouts. It does it 24/7/365 and it keeps a visual record of any/all of your network disconnections, useful data to have to match to the Network logs (in your Hub settings) and also in discussions with VM - note it will take a few hours to start seeing a sensible picture - post up the “link” to the “share live graph”. Click the lower link (Share Live Graph) then, click generate. Copy the text in the Direct Link box, beware, there may be more text than you can see. On here click the Link icon (2 links chain to the left of the camera icon) In the URL box paste the link you copied and then click OK

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

[pblyth67]

Thanks for the reply. 
Here is all the info:

Downstream bonded channels

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

1	331000000	1.3	42	QAM 256	25
2	139000000	3.4	41	QAM 256	1
3	147000000	3.4	41	QAM 256	2
4	155000000	3.3	41	QAM 256	3
5	163000000	3.2	42	QAM 256	4
6	171000000	3.1	42	QAM 256	5
7	179000000	2.9	42	QAM 256	6
8	187000000	2.8	41	QAM 256	7
9	195000000	2.9	41	QAM 256	8
10	203000000	2.6	41	QAM 256	9
11	211000000	2.7	42	QAM 256	10
12	219000000	2.7	42	QAM 256	11
13	227000000	2.7	42	QAM 256	12
14	235000000	2.5	42	QAM 256	13
15	243000000	2.3	42	QAM 256	14
16	251000000	2.1	42	QAM 256	15
17	259000000	1.9	42	QAM 256	16
18	267000000	2.1	42	QAM 256	17
19	275000000	2.2	42	QAM 256	18
20	283000000	2.3	42	QAM 256	19
21	291000000	2.2	42	QAM 256	20
22	299000000	2.2	42	QAM 256	21
23	307000000	2	42	QAM 256	22
24	315000000	1.8	42	QAM 256	23
25	323000000	1.7	41	QAM 256	24
26	339000000	1.4	40	QAM 256	26
27	347000000	1.2	42	QAM 256	27
28	355000000	1	42	QAM 256	28
29	363000000	1	42	QAM 256	29
30	371000000	1.1	42	QAM 256	30
31	379000000	0.8	42	QAM 256	31

Downstream bonded channels

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

1	Locked	42	33	0
2	Locked	41	5	0
3	Locked	41	2	0
4	Locked	41	5	0
5	Locked	42	1035	1008
6	Locked	42	3	0
7	Locked	42	2	0
8	Locked	41	1	0
9	Locked	41	6	0
10	Locked	41	2	0
11	Locked	42	4	0
12	Locked	42	3	0
13	Locked	42	5	0
14	Locked	42	18	0
15	Locked	42	4	0
16	Locked	42	4	0
17	Locked	42	5	0
18	Locked	42	10	0
19	Locked	42	10	0
20	Locked	42	15	0
21	Locked	42	12	0
22	Locked	42	15	0
23	Locked	42	23	0
24	Locked	42	30	0
25	Locked	41	21	0
26	Locked	40	40	0
27	Locked	42	44	0
28	Locked	42	52	0
29	Locked	42	49	0
30	Locked	42	61	0
31	Locked	42	60	0

Upstream bonded channels

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

0	49600000	41.8	5120	QAM 64	1
1	43100000	41	5120	QAM 64	2
2	36600000	40	5120	QAM 64	3
3	30100000	39.5	5120	QAM 64	4
4	23600000	38.8	5120	QAM 64	5

Upstream bonded 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	0	0

[pblyth67]

Network Log

Time Priority Description

28-10-2022 10:25:55	notice	US profile assignment change. US Chan ID: 12; Previous Profile: 12 13; New Profile: 11 13.;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
28-10-2022 10:20:52	notice	US profile assignment change. US Chan ID: 12; Previous Profile: 11 13; New Profile: 12 13.;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
28-10-2022 09:50:38	notice	US profile assignment change. US Chan ID: 12; Previous Profile: 12 13; New Profile: 11 13.;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
28-10-2022 09:45:35	notice	US profile assignment change. US Chan ID: 12; Previous Profile: 11 13; New Profile: 12 13.;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
28-10-2022 09:45:26	error	DHCP RENEW WARNING - Field invalid in response v4 option;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
28-10-2022 06:45:24	notice	US profile assignment change. US Chan ID: 12; Previous Profile: 12 13; New Profile: 11 13.;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
28-10-2022 06:40:21	notice	US profile assignment change. US Chan ID: 12; Previous Profile: 11 13; New Profile: 12 13.;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
27-10-2022 21:46:39	notice	US profile assignment change. US Chan ID: 12; Previous Profile: 12 13; New Profile: 11 13.;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
27-10-2022 20:42:50	notice	US profile assignment change. US Chan ID: 12; Previous Profile: 11 13; New Profile: 12 13.;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
27-10-2022 12:53:30	notice	US profile assignment change. US Chan ID: 12; Previous Profile: 12 13; New Profile: 11 13.;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
27-10-2022 12:48:27	notice	US profile assignment change. US Chan ID: 12; Previous Profile: 11 13; New Profile: 12 13.;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
27-10-2022 11:09:29	notice	US profile assignment change. US Chan ID: 12; Previous Profile: 12 13; New Profile: 11 13.;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
27-10-2022 11:04:25	notice	US profile assignment change. US Chan ID: 12; Previous Profile: 11 13; New Profile: 12 13.;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
27-10-2022 10:53:18	notice	US profile assignment change. US Chan ID: 12; Previous Profile: 12 13; New Profile: 11 13.;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
27-10-2022 10:48:15	notice	US profile assignment change. US Chan ID: 12; Previous Profile: 11 13; New Profile: 12 13.;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
27-10-2022 10:44:09	notice	US profile assignment change. US Chan ID: 12; Previous Profile: 12 13; New Profile: 11 13.;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
27-10-2022 10:39:06	notice	US profile assignment change. US Chan ID: 12; Previous Profile: 11 13; New Profile: 12 13.;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
27-10-2022 10:33:34	notice	US profile assignment change. US Chan ID: 12; Previous Profile: 12 13; New Profile: 11 13.;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
27-10-2022 10:28:31	notice	US profile assignment change. US Chan ID: 12; Previous Profile: 11 13; New Profile: 12 13.;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
27-10-2022 10:24:49	notice	US profile assignment change. US Chan ID: 12; Previous Profile: 12 13; New Profile: 11 13.;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
27-10-2022 10:19:46	notice	US profile assignment change. US Chan ID: 12; Previous Profile: 11 13; New Profile: 12 13.;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
27-10-2022 10:15:02	notice	US profile assignment change. US Chan ID: 12; Previous Profile: 12 13; New Profile: 11 13.;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
27-10-2022 10:09:59	notice	US profile assignment change. US Chan ID: 12; Previous Profile: 11 13; New Profile: 12 13.;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
27-10-2022 10:09:56	notice	US profile assignment change. US Chan ID: 12; Previous Profile: 12 13; New Profile: 11 13.;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
27-10-2022 10:04:53	notice	US profile assignment change. US Chan ID: 12; Previous Profile: 11 13; New Profile: 12 13.;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
27-10-2022 10:00:49	notice	US profile assignment change. US Chan ID: 12; Previous Profile: 12 13; New Profile: 11 13.;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
27-10-2022 09:55:46	notice	US profile assignment change. US Chan ID: 12; Previous Profile: 11 13; New Profile: 12 13.;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
27-10-2022 09:29:53	notice	US profile assignment change. US Chan ID: 12; Previous Profile: 12 13; New Profile: 11 13.;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
27-10-2022 09:24:50	notice	US profile assignment change. US Chan ID: 12; Previous Profile: 11 13; New Profile: 12 13.;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
27-10-2022 09:17:36	notice	US profile assignment change. US Chan ID: 12; Previous Profile: 12 13; New Profile: 11 13.;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
27-10-2022 09:12:33	notice	US profile assignment change. US Chan ID: 12; Previous Profile: 11 13; New Profile: 12 13.;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
27-10-2022 08:33:22	notice	US profile assignment change. US Chan ID: 12; Previous Profile: 12 13; New Profile: 11 13.;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;

I recently set up another BQM just to make sure that it was still working fine, here is the live link:
https://www.thinkbroadband.com/broadband/monitoring/quality/share/a4a4e9c7b58a32ee7202b717a00416284d... 

[jbrennand]

That BQM is absolutely fine - better than mine - no evidence of any issues at all.

All Hub stats (bar one) are absolutely spot on. It may just be wifi interference in the channel 5 frequency range (see post RS errors) causing the issues you are seeing.

Can you reset the counters to 0 as below and see if they reappear. If they do then we would need to investigate what external equipment operates in that frequency range

Switch the Hub off and unplug it from the mains supply for five minutes. Whilst it's off, do a quick check that all of your coax and ethernet cable connections are in nice and "finger" tight - at the Hub and wall box and also at any connectors etc. Ensure there are no “unterminated cable loose ends. Disconnect all the connections and reconnect to be sure. Also check that the internal wiring is ok with no kinking or chaffing, check that all looks good with the outside cabling and wall box (no “staples, etc.,) piercing the cables. Then switch the Hub back on and leave ~5 minutes

When all done, check back in the settings and ensure that the RS error counts in channel 5 have reset to 0. Then check every hour or so to see if they start reappearing - they shouldn't. If they do you have a problem - probably noise from external equipment

[pblyth67]

I'll do that, thanks for the help! Hopefully it sorts everything out. 

[pblyth67]

Unfortunately, even though there are 0 Post RS errors, the issue does seem to be persisting. I could believe that it is simply interference (because our hub is really not in a good spot) but we've been with VM for 15 years now and the hub has always been in the same place. I don't remember having a problem so consistent as this before.

If anyone from VM does actually see this, I could do with someone coming out anyway, as the box on the outside of the house has been broken and the wire and connection (2 wires are connected) has been exposed for some time.

[legacy1]

Put hub in modem mode with a PC setup a new BQM and test how stable it is

[pblyth67]

Modem mode seems perfectly fine. I realise it wasn't exactly a long period of time for testing, but I changed back to router mode and almost instantly the issue was back.