Constant Intermittent Dropouts, Status Shows Partial Service (US Only)

[acha]

Hello, hoping someone can point me in the right direction before I try to get into contact with Virgin, I'd like to avoid a support chat if there is anything I can try myself 🙂

Recently (for the last few months) I have been getting consistent drop outs on my network connection. The dropouts last for 30-60 seconds and happen maybe once an hour, every hour.

So far I have tried a complete factory reset of the router (twice), which did not help the problem, and have confirmed the behaviour is exactly the same on WiFi or ethernet.

I had a look at the advanced router logs but there doesn't seem to be any clearly available guidance on acceptable ranges for Rx power, errors etc. (If anybody from Virgin ends up reading this, it would be useful to provide that information or at the very least have any out of range stuff checked on the automated network diagnostic).

Here is the info from my router:

Upstream bonded channels

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

1	43100020	44.5	5120	64 qam	8
2	49600019	44.8	5120	64 qam	7
3	23600044	38.8	5120	64 qam	11
4	30100034	41.8	5120	64 qam	10
5	36600020	39.5	5120	64 qam	9

Upstream bonded channels

Channel Channel Type T1 Timeouts T2 Timeouts T3 Timeouts T4 Timeouts

1	ATDMA	0	0	40	0
2	ATDMA	0	0	56	0
3	ATDMA	0	0	67	0
4	ATDMA	0	0	66	0
5	ATDMA	0	0	56	0

Downstream bonded channels

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

1	234750000	6.8	37	256 qam	13
2	242750000	6.3	37	256 qam	14
3	250750000	6.6	37	256 qam	15
4	258750000	7	37	256 qam	16
5	266750000	7	37	256 qam	17
6	274750000	7	37	256 qam	18
7	282750000	7.4	37	256 qam	19
8	290750000	7.1	37	256 qam	20
9	298750000	6.1	37	256 qam	21
10	306750000	5.5	37	256 qam	22
11	314750000	6.9	37	256 qam	23
12	322750000	7.3	37	256 qam	24
13	330750000	7	37	256 qam	25
14	338750000	7.9	37	256 qam	26
15	346750000	7.5	37	256 qam	27
16	354750000	6.9	37	256 qam	28
17	362750000	7	37	256 qam	29
18	370750000	7.4	37	256 qam	30
19	378750000	6.6	37	256 qam	31
20	386750000	5.5	37	256 qam	32
21	394750000	5.9	36	256 qam	34
22	402750000	7	37	256 qam	35
23	410750000	7	37	256 qam	36
24	418750000	6.5	37	256 qam	37

Downstream bonded channels

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

1	Locked	37.3	3287522	549767
2	Locked	37.6	3062440	224174
3	Locked	37.3	3051644	511475
4	Locked	37.6	2857375	749412
5	Locked	37.6	2553326	726876
6	Locked	37.3	2222322	707204
7	Locked	37.6	2153116	687790
8	Locked	37.6	2157573	662694
9	Locked	37.6	2258451	643993
10	Locked	37.6	2644071	640332
11	Locked	37.3	2351254	609796
12	Locked	37.3	2319495	564021
13	Locked	37.6	2004414	498720
14	Locked	37.3	1782979	444010
15	Locked	37.6	1661384	416488
16	Locked	37.6	1792588	406535
17	Locked	37.6	1932401	395541
18	Locked	37.3	1782792	372410
19	Locked	37.6	1981929	372528
20	Locked	37.6	1882206	348121
21	Locked	36.3	1827290	293702
22	Locked	37.6	1464854	235348
23	Locked	37.6	1418286	199575
24	Locked	37.3	1335132	170415

[acha]

And here is the router log:

Network Log

Time	Priority	Description
17/09/2023 17:51:23	notice	LAN login Success;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
17/09/2023 15:59:36	Warning!	RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
17/09/2023 15:59:36	critical	SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Loss of Sync;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
17/09/2023 15:57:5	Warning!	RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
17/09/2023 15:57:5	critical	SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Loss of Sync;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
17/09/2023 15:44:9	Warning!	RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
17/09/2023 15:44:9	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
17/09/2023 15:44:7	Warning!	RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
17/09/2023 15:44:3	critical	SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Loss of Sync;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
17/09/2023 15:43:48	Warning!	RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
17/09/2023 15:43:40	critical	SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Loss of Sync;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
17/09/2023 15:43:39	Warning!	Lost MDD Timeout;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
17/09/2023 15:43:36	Warning!	RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
17/09/2023 15:43:36	Warning!	Lost MDD Timeout;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
17/09/2023 15:43:32	Warning!	RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
17/09/2023 15:43:32	critical	SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Loss of Sync;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
17/09/2023 15:43:31	Warning!	RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
17/09/2023 15:43:31	critical	SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Loss of Sync;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
17/09/2023 15:43:29	Warning!	RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
17/09/2023 15:43:29	critical	SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Loss of Sync;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;

[jbrennand]

Stats are awful - but can you start from a clean sheet and post again

_________________________

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

[Tom_W1]

Hi @acha thanks for your post here in the Community although we're sorry to hear of the concerns you've raised here.

We have ran some checks on your network and there aren't any issues on the line currently, so you shouldn't be facing any disruptions with your service.

How have things been since you posted, has there been any improvements?

Many thanks

[acha]

Hi John,

Thank you for your detailed reply. Has been a very busy week at work! But will be trying this over the weekend and then I will post an update here.

[acha]

Hi Tom,

Haven't had a chance to got through John's suggested steps yet. Will update once I have.

Just a note, I have two accounts, so the line you tested may be the wrong one, I have an address in Leeds (absolutely faultless) and one in London where the problems are.

[Robert_P]

Thanks for the update, let us know the outcome when you have had a chance to try the steps outlined. It also appears it was the correct connection checked by Tom also.

Rob

[acha]

Hey all, so I followed the steps, internally reseated all connections including the coax cable on both ends, everything did indeed reset to 0. I couldn't see anything obvious with external cables.

Unfortunately after just 12 hours the stats are as follows:

Downstream bonded channels

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

1	234750000	7.3	37	256 qam	13
2	138750000	8.5	37	256 qam	1
3	146750000	8.8	37	256 qam	2
4	154750000	7.8	37	256 qam	3
5	162750000	8	37	256 qam	4
6	170750000	8	37	256 qam	5
7	178750000	7.5	37	256 qam	6
8	186750000	7.8	37	256 qam	7
9	194750000	7.5	37	256 qam	8
10	202750000	7.4	37	256 qam	9
11	210750000	7.3	37	256 qam	10
12	218750000	7	37	256 qam	11
13	226750000	7	36	256 qam	12
14	242750000	6.6	37	256 qam	14
15	250750000	7	37	256 qam	15
16	258750000	7.1	37	256 qam	16
17	266750000	7	37	256 qam	17
18	274750000	6.9	37	256 qam	18
19	282750000	7.5	37	256 qam	19
20	290750000	7.5	37	256 qam	20
21	298750000	6.9	37	256 qam	21
22	306750000	6.3	37	256 qam	22
23	314750000	7.3	37	256 qam	23
24	322750000	7.1	37	256 qam	24

Downstream bonded channels

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

1	Locked	37.3	1414544	37095
2	Locked	37.6	694005	43534
3	Locked	37.6	638507	43035
4	Locked	37.3	763313	43355
5	Locked	37.6	646201	41756
6	Locked	37.6	686298	44309
7	Locked	37.6	850260	41868
8	Locked	37.3	937919	42343
9	Locked	37.6	1075569	39885
10	Locked	37.3	1338314	40283
11	Locked	37.3	1406928	41844
12	Locked	37.3	1456563	39729
13	Locked	36.6	1637695	38851
14	Locked	37.3	1476241	38073
15	Locked	37.3	1269925	39189
16	Locked	37.6	1155220	36802
17	Locked	37.6	1053301	35693
18	Locked	37.3	810418	36557
19	Locked	37.6	717806	36042
20	Locked	37.3	734082	35700
21	Locked	37.3	816522	33997
22	Locked	37.3	1032650	34610
23	Locked	37.3	844021	35629
24	Locked	37.3	822601	34722

Upstream bonded channels

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

1	43100000	39.3	5120	64 qam	8
2	49600000	40	5120	64 qam	7
3	23600000	37.8	5120	64 qam	11
4	30100000	38.3	5120	64 qam	10
5	36600000	38.5	5120	64 qam	9

Upstream bonded channels

Channel Channel Type T1 Timeouts T2 Timeouts T3 Timeouts T4 Timeouts

1	ATDMA	0	0	21	0
2	ATDMA	0	0	17	0
3	ATDMA	0	0	16	0
4	ATDMA	0	0	11	0
5	ATDMA	0	0	0	0

[acha]

Also, not sure if this provides any insight but I checked the router status immediately during one of these problem points where the connection just hangs and it only showed one upstream channel:

Upstream bonded channels

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

1

30100000

39

5120

64 qam

10

Upstream bonded channels

Channel Channel Type T1 Timeouts T2 Timeouts T3 Timeouts T4 Timeouts

1

ATDMA

0

0

72

0

[Paul_DN]

Hi acha, 

Thank you for reaching back out, I was able to locate you on our system and cannot see any issues, all specs are within spec, how have things been since  your last post on Saturday?

Regards

Paul.