High Latency Spikes and Outages

[S_ChopBot]

Hi,

Just want to preface this with some back story.

I've been with VM for nearly 18 months and have had a handful of issues in that time. After having technicians out multiple times, outages with our old Hub 3 were resolved by disabling wifi channel optimisation.

Current situation:

- M100 plan with 2 of us using it quite heavily

- VM Hub 5 (WiFi Channel Optimisation disabled by default)

- DHCP handled on a RaspberryPi running PiHole (issues present with or without this hand DHCP lease allocation shouldn't affect performance in this way to my knowledge)

- 2.4ghz and 5ghz split with 5 IOT devices (couple of smart plugs, google homes and a camera) running on 2.4ghz and everything else on 5ghz

- Devices that can be are run over ethernet. Main PC connected with 2.5G lan, Smart TV, PiHole, Media Server (usually turned off)

Issues are being experienced on both wired and wireless devices

Issues:

As the title suggests we've been having pretty consistent spikes of high latency and outages for up to a minute becoming more frequent. 

I have been experiencing outages and slow periods generally but notice it most online gaming. Often getting packet loss or server latency warnings.

ThinkBroadband Monitor

https://www.thinkbroadband.com/broadband/monitoring/quality/share/c1809522b9a73975c7a40c4e1421be93fe... 

Fast.com Speed test

Not sure the loaded ping should be that high?

Router Status:

Downstream bonded channels

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

1	306000000	3.4	38	QAM 256	22
2	138000000	2.3	36	QAM 256	1
3	146000000	2.3	36	QAM 256	2
4	154000000	2.4	36	QAM 256	3
5	162000000	2.4	36	QAM 256	4
6	170000000	2.3	37	QAM 256	5
7	178000000	2.4	37	QAM 256	6
8	186000000	2.4	37	QAM 256	7
9	194000000	2.5	37	QAM 256	8
10	202000000	2.2	37	QAM 256	9
11	210000000	2.1	36	QAM 256	10
12	218000000	1.9	36	QAM 256	11
13	226000000	1.6	36	QAM 256	12
14	234000000	2	37	QAM 256	13
15	242000000	2.5	37	QAM 256	14
16	250000000	2.6	37	QAM 256	15
17	258000000	2.7	37	QAM 256	16
18	266000000	2.8	37	QAM 256	17
19	274000000	2.7	37	QAM 256	18
20	282000000	2.8	38	QAM 256	19
21	290000000	3	38	QAM 256	20
22	298000000	3.3	38	QAM 256	21
23	314000000	3.2	37	QAM 256	23
24	322000000	2.9	38	QAM 256	24
25	330000000	2.8	38	QAM 256	25
26	338000000	2.7	38	QAM 256	26
27	346000000	2.4	38	QAM 256	27
28	354000000	2.1	38	QAM 256	28
29	362000000	1.8	38	QAM 256	29
30	370000000	1.6	38	QAM 256	30
31	378000000	1.6	38	QAM 256	31

Downstream bonded channels

Post RS seems high?

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

1	Locked	38	13	1193
2	Locked	36	10	84824
3	Locked	36	8	51077
4	Locked	36	10	26931
5	Locked	36	8	12418
6	Locked	37	7	6307
7	Locked	37	22	4395
8	Locked	37	8	3503
9	Locked	37	8	2565
10	Locked	37	11	2811
11	Locked	36	5	4094
12	Locked	36	12	4680
13	Locked	36	9	4978
14	Locked	37	7	2868
15	Locked	37	7	1849
16	Locked	37	7	1422
17	Locked	37	6	1270
18	Locked	37	8	1160
19	Locked	37	14	1106
20	Locked	38	9	1119
21	Locked	38	11	1094
22	Locked	38	26	1185
23	Locked	37	13	1254
24	Locked	38	12	1263
25	Locked	38	32	1265
26	Locked	38	42	1350
27	Locked	38	27	1336
28	Locked	38	52	1356
29	Locked	38	34	1343
30	Locked	38	28	1384
31	Locked	38	11	1354

Upstream bonded channels

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

1	46200000	48.3	5120	QAM 64	5
2	39400000	48	5120	QAM 64	6
3	32600000	48	5120	QAM 64	7
4	25800000	47.8	5120	QAM 64	8

Upstream bonded channels

Channel Channel Type T1 Timeouts T2 Timeouts T3 Timeouts T4 Timeouts

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

Network Log

Time Priority Description

23-03-2022 03:38:34	error	DHCP RENEW WARNING - Field invalid in response v4 option;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
22-03-2022 21:22:27	critical	Started Unicast Maintenance Ranging - No Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
13-03-2022 06:13:50	error	DHCP RENEW WARNING - Field invalid in response v4 option;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
11-03-2022 00:24:45	notice	CM-STATUS message sent. Event Type Code: 5; Chan ID: 33; DSID: N/A; MAC Addr: N/A; OFDM/OFDMA Profile ID: N/A.;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
11-03-2022 00:24:41	notice	REGISTRATION COMPLETE - Waiting for Operational status
11-03-2022 00:24:34	notice	DS profile assignment change. DS Chan ID: 32; Previous Profile: ; New Profile: 1 2 3.;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
11-03-2022 00:24:22	warning	DHCP WARNING - Non-critical field invalid in response ;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
11-03-2022 00:24:19	notice	Honoring MDD; IP provisioning mode = IPv4
11-03-2022 00:23:24	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
11-03-2022 00:23:18	critical	SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Failed to acquire QAM/QPSK symbol timing;;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
11-03-2022 00:22:22	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
11-03-2022 00:19:47	warning	MDD message timeout;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
11-03-2022 00:19:47	critical	SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Failed to acquire QAM/QPSK symbol timing;;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
11-03-2022 00:19:44	critical	SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Failed to acquire QAM/QPSK symbol timing;;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
05-03-2022 00:03:01	error	DHCP RENEW WARNING - Field invalid in response v4 option;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
04-03-2022 13:52:45	critical	Started Unicast Maintenance Ranging - No Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
01-03-2022 12:03:00	error	DHCP RENEW WARNING - Field invalid in response v4 option;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
28-02-2022 02:06:32	critical	Started Unicast Maintenance Ranging - No Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
26-02-2022 11:48:15	error	DHCP RENEW WARNING - Field invalid in response v4 option;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
24-02-2022 00:19:14	critical	DHCP FAILED - Discover sent, no offer received;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
24-02-2022 00:19:06	notice	CM-STATUS message sent. Event Type Code: 5; Chan ID: 33; DSID: N/A; MAC Addr: N/A; OFDM/OFDMA Profile ID: N/A.;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
24-02-2022 00:18:59	critical	DHCP FAILED - Critical field invalid in response ;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
24-02-2022 00:18:53	notice	REGISTRATION COMPLETE - Waiting for Operational status
24-02-2022 00:18:47	notice	DS profile assignment change. DS Chan ID: 32; Previous Profile: ; New Profile: 1 2 3.;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
24-02-2022 00:18:45	critical	SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Failed to acquire QAM/QPSK symbol timing;;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
24-02-2022 00:18:43	warning	DHCP WARNING - Non-critical field invalid in response ;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
24-02-2022 00:18:41	notice	Honoring MDD; IP provisioning mode = IPv4
24-02-2022 00:18:40	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
24-02-2022 00:18:35	critical	SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Failed to acquire QAM/QPSK symbol timing;;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
24-02-2022 00:18:35	critical	SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Failed to acquire QAM/QPSK symbol timing;;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
16-02-2022 02:53:03	critical	Started Unicast Maintenance Ranging - No Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
13-01-2022 17:32:06	critical	Cable Modem Reboot from SNMP

Apologies for the long post. Any help appreciated.

[S_ChopBot · Accepted solution]

Hi, just to update this thread.

Virgin are attributing this to a local area issue rather than their widespread latency issues that have been reported across the UK. I recieved a text saying improvement works were being done in the area around a week ago which were supposedly completed within a day. There has be 0 improvement in the quality of the connection. At this point I will most likely have to leave Virgin Media as the infrastructure around here clearly isn't up to scratch (also heard this from family in other areas so maybe its just getting worse generally). Hopefully as I live on the same street as the local BT exchange, their reliability will be better (pretty sure the VM cables for the area terminate in the exchange anyway buy hey ho)

Very disappointing as no other provider can match the speeds but I'd rather have 70% of the speed all of the time than usable internet only 50% of the time.

[Tom_W1]

Hi @S_ChopBot thanks for your post although I'm sorry to hear you're having problems with your services.

You did mention early in your post that you use the connection quite heavily, but our M100 speed is one of the lowest we offer and isn't particularly designed for heavy usage which could be a factor in the problems you're experiencing - there does seem to be a high number of devices connected by wifi.

Is it possible you're able to reduce the devices connected by wifi and perhaps change them to being connected by ethernet as this will help as there are no faults on your line or network?

Alternatively, you may wish to look at upgrading your broadband speed and if you'r interested in this, I'd advise calling our team directly on 150 / 0345 454 1111. 

Many thanks