Constant Dropouts

[JamieHD]

My broadband keeps dropping out, every time I contact for advice I get different information most of which are crazy like I'm not paying enough for it to work properly and if I upgrade then it will fix it. I have also been told that I have too many devices (I don't have that many). Every time I run diagnostics it says there is a connection issue but the tech team are not interested. I'm pretty sure the Hub isn't working as it's a Hub3? I have reset the hub almost weekly. 

I just want my internet to be stable, and not drop out every hour. 

Can someone help me I'm at the end of my tether. 

[g0akc]

Can you confirm this is with wired, not just WiFi connections?

connect to hub3 - 192.168.0.1 [or 192.168.100.1 if in modem mode] - DON'T SIGN IN, click - click router status [centre of screen] - and post the downstream and upstream figures - to see those press on the grey buttons/boxes labelled - upstream - downstream

also set up a BQM

[JamieHD]

Hey,

so basically everything is on Wi-Fi except the Hub for my smart lights but because they are not connected to the internet all the time they don’t notice the drop out.

Because I have been asked to reset the router every week I haven’t logged in to the hub yet this “cycle” 

[jbrennand]

Can you check on an ethernet cable connected device to see if that remains connected when a wifi device drops.

[JamieHD]

I don’t have many devices that actually have Ethernet ports, all of my Mac devices are Wi-Fi only.

I have checked with my smart alarm, because that drops out and goes to cellular back up often and one weekend for a whole weekend 

[jbrennand]

I am Mac only and I can connect any of my multiple devices by using a RJ45-port adapter - depending on what ports the devices have.

I have them for USB3, USBc, Thunderbolt, Firewirewire and they all work perfectly well.

Post up the data requested above and also see this...
__________________________________________

If it does turn out to be a wifi only issue, then on a Hub3/4/5, you can try separating the SSID's of the 2.4 and 5 GHz wifi bands by renaming them in the settings and at the same time switch off "channel optimisation/Smart wifi” “ apply and save the settings. All wifi devices will 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 - 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 “boosters”). However, their Pods are only free to customers on the 1GB, Ultimate Oomph or Volt packages - is that you? If so they are worth trying - they should work for you.
You do have to call in to order them (cant do it online) - 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 not… you will be charged £5/month (note - BT charge £10/month 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, but it isn’t the simple plug and play option of the Pod(s).

[JamieHD]

Hi,

How do I set up a BQM?

Here is the requested data thank you in advance

Downstream bonded channels

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

1	331000000	5.5	40	256 qam	25
2	203000000	6	40	256 qam	9
3	211000000	6	40	256 qam	10
4	219000000	6.3	40	256 qam	11
5	227000000	6.1	40	256 qam	12
6	235000000	6	40	256 qam	13
7	243000000	6	40	256 qam	14
8	251000000	5.9	40	256 qam	15
9	259000000	5.8	40	256 qam	16
10	267000000	5.6	40	256 qam	17
11	275000000	5.8	40	256 qam	18
12	283000000	5.5	40	256 qam	19
13	291000000	5.8	40	256 qam	20
14	299000000	6	40	256 qam	21
15	307000000	6.3	40	256 qam	22
16	315000000	5.9	40	256 qam	23
17	323000000	5.6	40	256 qam	24
18	339000000	5.9	40	256 qam	26
19	347000000	5.6	40	256 qam	27
20	355000000	5.5	40	256 qam	28
21	363000000	5	40	256 qam	29
22	371000000	5.5	40	256 qam	30
23	379000000	5.6	40	256 qam	31
24	387000000	5.4	40	256 qam	32

Downstream bonded channels

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

1	Locked	40.9	167	0
2	Locked	40.9	188	170
3	Locked	40.3	132	0
4	Locked	40.9	62	0
5	Locked	40.3	82	0
6	Locked	40.9	65	0
7	Locked	40.9	73	0
8	Locked	40.3	105	0
9	Locked	40.3	160	0
10	Locked	40.9	155	0
11	Locked	40.3	122	0
12	Locked	40.3	109	0
13	Locked	40.3	53	0
14	Locked	40.3	66	0
15	Locked	40.3	74	0
16	Locked	40.3	147	0
17	Locked	40.3	165	0
18	Locked	40.3	89	0
19	Locked	40.9	86	0
20	Locked	40.3	78	0
21	Locked	40.9	78	0
22	Locked	40.3	88	0
23	Locked	40.3	112	0
24	Locked	40.3	87	0

Upstream bonded channels

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

1	46199988	44.8	5120	64 qam	11
2	39400002	44.8	5120	64 qam	12
3	53700007	44.8	5120	64 qam	10
4	60299998	44.8	5120	64 qam	9

Upstream bonded channels

Channel Channel Type T1 Timeouts T2 Timeouts T3 Timeouts T4 Timeouts

1	ATDMA	0	0	3	0
2	ATDMA	0	0	1	0
3	ATDMA	0	0	3	0
4	ATDMA	0	0	2	0

[JamieHD]

there was also loads of errors on there Network logs

Network Log

Time Priority Description

01/05/2022 06:23:33	notice	LAN login Success;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
01/05/2022 05:06:15	notice	DHCP Renew - lease parameters tftp file-cmreg-vmdg505-bbt057-b.cm modified;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
01/05/2022 05:06:15	Error	DHCP RENEW WARNING - Field invalid in response v4 option;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
29/04/2022 23:27:25	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
27/04/2022 17:06:15	notice	DHCP Renew - lease parameters tftp file-cmreg-vmdg505-bbt057-b.cm modified;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
27/04/2022 17:06:15	Error	DHCP RENEW WARNING - Field invalid in response v4 option;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
24/04/2022 20:50:24	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
24/04/2022 05:06:14	notice	DHCP Renew - lease parameters tftp file-cmreg-vmdg505-bbt057-b.cm modified;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
24/04/2022 05:06:14	Error	DHCP RENEW WARNING - Field invalid in response v4 option;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
22/04/2022 00:14:16	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
20/04/2022 19:14:20	notice	DHCP Renew - lease parameters tftp file-cmreg-vmdg505-bbt057-b.cm modified;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
20/04/2022 19:14:20	Error	DHCP RENEW WARNING - Field invalid in response v4 option;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
17/04/2022 06:29:21	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
17/04/2022 01:58:14	notice	DHCP Renew - lease parameters tftp file-cmreg-vmdg505-bbt057-b.cm modified;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
17/04/2022 01:58:14	Error	DHCP RENEW WARNING - Field invalid in response v4 option;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
13/04/2022 13:58:14	notice	DHCP Renew - lease parameters tftp file-cmreg-vmdg505-bbt057-b.cm modified;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
13/04/2022 13:58:14	Error	DHCP RENEW WARNING - Field invalid in response v4 option;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
10/04/2022 12:12:27	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
10/04/2022 01:58:14	notice	DHCP Renew - lease parameters tftp file-cmreg-vmdg505-bbt057-b.cm modified;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
10/04/2022 01:58:14	Error	DHCP RENEW WARNING - Field invalid in response v4 option;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;

[g0akc]

You can set up a BQM at thinkbroadband - see this link;

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

You can then put a link to it on here.

You will need to find your public IP address - just use a site like whatsmyip

[g0akc]

Those broadband stats look OK to me.  The T3 timeouts and error log entry are pretty normal (the hub will do retries and then succeed).  The 170 post errors are interesting but not overly concerning - you can reboot the hub to rest the counter and see if those numbers grow again.

the main thing now (aside from monitoring with the BQM) is to determine if it's your broadband - the connection to your hub - or wireless/networking within your home - you really need a wired connection to do that.

I have a thunderbolt to Ethernet adapter for my MacBook - it wasn't expensive - mine was a used Genuine Apple one off fleabay for less than a tenner (I have Windows laptops too).  Look at getting yourself one.

Meanwhile you can do some wireless troubleshooting. Try using a free wifi analyser (free version NetSpot works well on a MacBook) see if that shows anything. Or app on a smartphone. Clashing with neighbours?