Constant iplayer buffering and huge lag spikes when gaming

[Texas_Gore]

500 Mbit service. Desktop PC connected via ethernet.

For weeks, now, I've been suffering a LOT of buffering with BBC iplayer so that it's unwatchable.

Coupled with that, I frequently have huge lag spikes while gaming. My games freeze for 10+ seconds at a time. It's less frequent than the iplayer buffering but still extremely detrimental to my competitive gaming experience.

Speedtest shows good speeds ~550 / 35 

The tests and service status procedures show nothing wrong, as do the tests done by people on the end of 150 phone calls, but something is most certainly amiss here.

There are many Critical

No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;

and Warning 

Lost MDD Timeout;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;

messages in the network log of my hub3.

Things were better, although never perfect, when I had the 350 Mbit package.

Power cycles and hard reset using the pinhole on the hub3 do not help.
Tweaked or tuned NIC settings and even default NIC settings do not help.
Even tried a brand new clean Windows install. Didn't help.
Alternate NIC didn't help.
Port forwarding for the games I play doesn't help (also never been necessary before).
Hub3 in router mode or in modem mode with a 3rd party router, doesn't matter.
Entirely different PC. Nope, still iplayer buffering.

Help, please.

[jbrennand]

I would first change the ethernet cable to the PC with a New Cat6/7 one.

Anything else connected on ethernet ?

[Texas_Gore]

Forgot to mention I've tried 2 different cables as well, 1 Cat. 6a and 1 Cat 6 which was provided by VM themselves.

[Texas_Gore]

Nothing else on ethernet. A mobile on wi-fi.

[Texas_Gore]

Couple other things I forgot to mention...

sometimes the connection will drop entirely and the hub3 will restart itself.
sometimes the hub3 will do what appears to be a factory reset by itself as noted with the date in network status -

01/01/1970 00:01:41

critical

No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;

this happened about 5 minutes ago (currently 21:30)

[Texas_Gore]

and just now...

Network LogTime Priority Description

12/07/2021 23:32:52	critical	Received Response to Broadcast Maintenance Request, But no Unicast Maintenance opportunities received - T4 time out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
12/07/2021 23:30:35	Warning!	Lost MDD Timeout;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
12/07/2021 23:30:30	critical	SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Loss of Sync;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
12/07/2021 23:30:30	Warning!	RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
12/07/2021 23:30:30	critical	SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Loss of Sync;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;

[Texas_Gore]

my BQM 

seems to be a big block of red atm..

[jbrennand]

Either the Hub is nor responding to ICMP (pings) - not 100% sure where but look in...

Advanced Settings > Advanced > Ping > Respond to ICMP echo requests sent to WAN IP And ensure that box is ticked.

Or the i.p. address in the BQM is not that of your Hub - check that as they do occasionally change

[Texas_Gore]

yea that option doesn't exist on my hub3...

switched it to router mode and it still doesn't exist...(looked at all available options and that setting is nowhere to be found)


created another BQM. will link it in the morning

[lotharmat]

Ah - if you were in modem mode with your own router - that option will need to be enabled in your router as opposed to the hub!

[Texas_Gore]

that option isn't in my 3rd party router either. no matter I'll leave the hub3 in router mode for now.

here's my new BQM

it looks ok so far, apart from a large spike near the beginning