Connection Issues

[Lister102]

Second time typing this out as now dropped connection 4 times in the last 10 mins been like this since yesterday. Only drops for a second but enough to break the connection. VPN seems to be worse with constant interruptions. Rebooted the router, as when you call VM they read through the standard script. Just waiting for the email to tell me to reset it. 

Called on the phone, was put on hold and then disconnected. Now raised a ticket online from my phone as 4G is actually more reliable at the moment. 

Recently upgraded to the 1GB service, wish I hadn't to be honest as at this moment in time I would switch to another provider and will definitely change when full fiber is installed in my area. 

[Client62]

Check for local faults on 0800 561 0061 - this is an automated service.

Does the Hub's Upstream and Downstream stats look to showing any issues.

Hubs also have a Diagnostic Test.

[Lister102]

upstream and downstream showing no issues

Network diagnostics saying that some wireless devices have low signal, which is correct as they are the other side of the house, computer is hardwired.

all the online checkers indicate that there are no issues with the service and nothing on the automated number. 

[jbrennand]

Can we check… what exactly are the issues you are experiencing - apart from a message on system checker?

Are the issues only evident on the wifi connections or do you see them at the same times on your hardwired computer connected on and ethernet cable? If you don't know, can you check to help diagnose whether it is just a wifi issue or it could be network connection/Hub related?

If its just wifi then see this...
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On a Hub3/4/5, you could first try separating the SSID's of the 2.4 and 5 GHz wifi bands by renaming them in the settings At the same time switch off "channel optimisation/Smart wifi” and “ apply and save the settings. All wifi devices will now need reconnecting to the best SSID at each location. Also use a wifi scanning App to find the best wifi channels to use (just select and use channels 1,6,11 on 2.4GHz) - this often helps Hub users get better wifi performance - so its worth trying - but its still no substitute for getting better kit 🙂

To address the wifi issues, VM now supply “wifi Pods” (no longer doing cheap and cheerless and poor value “boosters”). However, their Pods are only free to customers on the 1GB, Volt (or old Ultimate Oomph) packages - is that you? If so they are worth trying - they should work for you. VM Wifi is now “guaranteed” to 20 Mbps/room it’s now called… Wifi Max see.-

https://www.virginmedia.com/wifi-max & https://www.virginmedia.com/broadband/intelligent-wifi 

You call 0800 064 3850 to order the first one after scanning for blackspots using the connect App.- or just wait here for a VM person to respond in a day or two and they will sort the first one for you. If you do call dont get fobbed off by the offshore CS agents' saying you aren’t eligible it will be £5 or £8 month - you are… and it wont be - just look on the webpage.

If they are not free to you… you will be charged £8/month (note - BT charge £10/mo for their whole home wifi solution). It’s a simple solution and should work for you. However, you would soon pay off that cost by buying your own wireless solution that will be yours to own and use forever, although the VM Pods should be a simpler option.

If you do want to invest in better equipment, you would need to get either a… (1) Mesh System, (2) Wireless router, (3) Wireless access point (4) A combination of (2,3).

£30-100 (that’s ~4->12 months of Max Pod rental) should sort it for most customers with an average property and usage.

[Lister102]

Hi John,

I am experiencing the problem on both hardwired and WIFI. I am not concerned with WIFI at the moment. 

As for the issues I am experiencing, I use a VPN for work, periodically this will drop, it can stay up for an hour or it can drop 10 times in 5 mins its totally random. Sometimes during this VPN drop the HUB, will disconnect completely from the net this is why I believe this to be a connection issue, not being a network engineer my thoughts are these are very short disconnections to cause enough lost packets for the VPN to register but not enough to say you have disconnected most of the time,  I have now tried both WIFI and Hardwired same issue. This was happening yesterday as well on my personal computer (disconnections from the net) so I don't think this is computer related. 

I have rebooted the hub and now will reset it once that fails I will start disconnecting devices from the network but I am sure if someone phones me they will advise me to do this, but as the fault is random and unpredictable it will be a little difficult to determine if this has worked, but I don't see how they should affect the hub to disconnect from the Internet. 

Regards

Alan. 

[jbrennand]

There are many threads on here with issues when using a VPN - just search this forum for examples. The only consistent "fix" appears to come from users who put the VM Hub into modem mode and use their own routers.

So for starters... if you disable the VPN and just browse normally, what happens to the connections - do they stabilise - or are there still issues? If there are we can look at the connection data and stats. If it stabilises then its a VPN issue that needs sorting