Connection is unusable, but status says no fault

[Gerrond]

"Our tests show that your broadband and Hub are online and working. If you need help reconnecting your devices, or if you’re still experiencing an issue, tap a help option below."

OK, except that on any service, YouTube, ITVx, whatever,  WiFi or wired, the connection works for maybe 5 minutes then things start to freeze, subtitles, then sound, then picture. There are no faults in my area. Download speed test says anything from 19 to135Mbps.

Router status downstream shows Pre RS errors in the 10's of millions and Post RS Errors in the 10's of thousands.

The Network Log shows several "Warning  -  RCS Partial.".., and "critical - SYNC Timing ...failure", and "critical - No Ranging Response". At least one Software initiated FR. No mention of the user initiated one though.

This has been going on for several days. How do I report this to VM? Whatsapp does not seem to work for me.

[CantStandVM]

That's normal service for VM, that's why they're not showing a fault. 

[Gerrond]

Seriously?  The thing is always this bad? It is unusable.  

[jbrennand]

Check for known faults first.... 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.

Do this then post back the Hub stats after a while

_________________________

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. When its light, 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 and T3 errors have all reset to 0. Then check every hour or so to see if they start reappearing - they shouldn't. If they do (particularly the postRS and T3 ones) you have a problem (noise) that only a Tech visit will sort.
Also check the Upstream QAM’s are all at 64

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

[Gerrond]

Yesterday i was seeing pre- and post- RS errors in the millions and thousands respectively. This morning I am seeing a few and zero. 

However Youtube has been frozen on one of my Toshiba TVs for the past 10 minutes the video having run for 4:51. A couple of extra Pre- errors have appeared but still only a few and zero Post errors.

So check Youtube on another tosh - the same. Check on iPad, PC, LG TV, FireStick - all OK.

It appears that my Tosh TV's and VM do not like each other. These two TV's are similar, except one is 5 years old and one 3, have worked with several ISP in the past few years, and they were OK on VM for a couple of weeks after sign up. So what to do? I'll buy a couple of FireSticks but draw the line at a couple of 55" TV's

[Sephiroth]

Regarding the Tosh TV, is it connected wirelessly?  If so, anything could happen.  

[Gerrond]

Wired/WiFi, the same.

[Sephiroth]

How many spinning plates are there here?  For the two TVs & the other devices, is the same Youtube video being played?  And for the TVs, is it always 4:51 minutes?  This sort of thing is very difficult to debug remotely.

The Pre-RS count can be ignored if the Post-RS count is not increasing.  The Pre-RS errors are corrected in flight and there is absolutely no negative effect on your experience.   

The software initiated FR: are you sure it was an FR?  When new firmware comes down, a software initiated reset occurs.  If there's a FR, it reverts to old firmware and then calls down the latest firmware followed by a software initiated reset.

[Gerrond]

Tested one device at a time. 4:51 was the time into one Youtube ,on one Tosh TV, on one occasion

SSID & password defaulted. 01/01/1970 - Unix day zero I guess before time set by network.

10's of thousands of uncorrected errors is quite negative.

[Gerrond]

As of now, the Tosh TV's don't work.  The other devices work - sort of.  I watched ITVx last night using FireStick (WiFi obviously), as in actually watched rather than let the video play to see if it could. I noticed occasional black flashes and audible clicks so I guess that would be the point the Tosh would freeze.

There are currently maybe 200 Pre- errors (summed over the 24 channels) and zero Post-.

Since VM signup a few weeks ago, and prior to recent problems, the majority of streaming was to the Tosh TV's and there was never an issue.  Something has changed, and not for the better.