High ping spikes making gaming impossible

[R-T-G]

We've been getting spikes for a few months now but in the past couple of weeks they've gotten a lot worse with frequent request timeouts that are making gaming impossible. I set up a monitor here a couple weeks ago to track what's happening

https://www.thinkbroadband.com/broadband/monitoring/quality/share/94973f453674d938cea05bc9b09a2f4395...

There was some work done in our area yesterday but sadly it hasn't resolved anything.

Very concerened this might be due to over subscription but hoping someone might be able to help.

[John_GS]

Hi @R-T-G

Thanks for providing those details. I've re-checked the account and the latency seems to be settling now. All the levels are back in spec as well so maybe it was a spike. Please keep an eye on it for me and let me know any further issues.

Best,

[R-T-G]

Are you genuinely telling me this is settled, in spec and after nearly three weeks there's no more VM can do? We're still being disconnected from games and downloading means we can't do much else at the same time. 

[R-T-G]

Downstream bonded channels

Channel	Frequency (Hz)	Power (dBmV)	SNR (dB)	Modulation	Channel ID
1	331000000	4.5	38	256 qam	25
2	235000000	3.7	38	256 qam	13
3	243000000	3.5	38	256 qam	14
4	251000000	3.5	38	256 qam	15
5	259000000	3.7	38	256 qam	16
6	267000000	3.9	38	256 qam	17
7	275000000	3.7	38	256 qam	18
8	283000000	4.3	40	256 qam	19
9	291000000	4	38	256 qam	20
10	299000000	4.5	38	256 qam	21
11	307000000	4.6	40	256 qam	22
12	315000000	4.4	38	256 qam	23
13	323000000	4.1	38	256 qam	24
14	339000000	4.5	38	256 qam	26
15	347000000	4.4	38	256 qam	27
16	355000000	4.6	40	256 qam	28
17	363000000	4.6	38	256 qam	29
18	371000000	4.3	38	256 qam	30
19	379000000	4.5	38	256 qam	31
20	387000000	4.4	38	256 qam	32
21	395000000	4	40	256 qam	33
22	403000000	4.1	38	256 qam	34
23	411000000	4.3	40	256 qam	35
24	419000000	4	38	256 qam	36

Downstream bonded channels

Channel	Locked Status	RxMER (dB)	Pre RS Errors	Post RS Errors
1	Locked	38.9	61	0
2	Locked	38.9	61	0
3	Locked	38.9	59	0
4	Locked	38.6	73	0
5	Locked	38.9	64	0
6	Locked	38.9	49	0
7	Locked	38.9	70	0
8	Locked	40.3	49	0
9	Locked	38.9	66	0
10	Locked	38.9	59	0
11	Locked	40.3	51	0
12	Locked	38.9	78	0
13	Locked	38.6	101	0
14	Locked	38.9	71	0
15	Locked	38.9	96	0
16	Locked	40.3	58	0
17	Locked	38.6	73	0
18	Locked	38.9	75	0
19	Locked	38.9	55	0
20	Locked	38.9	85	0
21	Locked	40.3	92	0
22	Locked	38.9	73	0
23	Locked	40.3	92	0
24	Locked	38.9	96	0

Upstream bonded channels

Channel	Frequency (Hz)	Power (dBmV)	Symbol Rate (ksps)	Modulation	Channel ID
1	46200000	44.8	5120	64 qam	3
2	32600000	44	5120	64 qam	5
3	39400000	44.3	5120	64 qam	4
4	53700000	44.8	5120	64 qam	2

Upstream bonded channels

Channel	Channel Type	T1 Timeouts	T2 Timeouts	T3 Timeouts	T4 Timeouts
1	ATDMA	0	0	5	0
2	ATDMA	0	0	1	0
3	ATDMA	0	0	7	2
4	ATDMA	0	0	6	2

General Configuration

Network access	Allowed
Maximum Number of CPEs	1
Baseline Privacy	Enabled
DOCSIS Mode	Docsis30
Config file	KDHSUBsgvca69834ncxv98732

Primary Downstream Service Flow

SFID	684
Max Traffic Rate	117000047
Max Traffic Burst	42600
Min Traffic Rate	0

Primary Upstream Service Flow

SFID	683
Max Traffic Rate	10500047
Max Traffic Burst	16320
Min Traffic Rate	0
Max Concatenated Burst	16320
Scheduling Type	BestEffort

Network Log

Time	Priority	Description
18/06/2022 10:11:16	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;
18/06/2022 10:11:16	Error	DHCP RENEW WARNING - Field invalid in response v4 option;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
17/06/2022 14:52:30	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
16/06/2022 20:48:3	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;
16/06/2022 20:47:33	Warning!	TCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
16/06/2022 20:47:33	Warning!	Initializing Channel Timeout Expires - Time the CM can perform initial ranging on all upstream channels in the TCS has expired;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
01/01/1970 00:01:39	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
16/06/2022 20:43:45	Warning!	Lost MDD Timeout;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
16/06/2022 20:43:44	Warning!	RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
16/06/2022 20:43:44	critical	SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Loss of Sync;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
16/06/2022 20:43:42	Warning!	RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
16/06/2022 20:43:42	critical	SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Loss of Sync;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
16/06/2022 20:43:41	Warning!	RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
16/06/2022 20:43:41	critical	SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Loss of Sync;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
16/06/2022 20:43:41	Warning!	RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
16/06/2022 20:43:40	critical	SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Loss of Sync;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
16/06/2022 20:43:40	Warning!	RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
16/06/2022 16:49:47	notice	LAN login Success;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
15/06/2022 22:35:21	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
15/06/2022 17:03:33	notice	LAN login Success;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;

Interesting entry from 1970 in the Network Log

[Kath_F]

Hi R-T-G, 

Thanks for coming back to us in the Community. 

Taking a look at things this end, all power and signal levels are where they need to be and there is nothing to show that anything is wrong. 

Can you please post a live URL link to your graph so we can monitor this and escalate should we need too? 

Thanks, 

[R-T-G]

@Kath_F the live link is in my signature, so it shows on every post.


But here you are anyway https://www.thinkbroadband.com/broadband/monitoring/quality/share/94973f453674d938cea05bc9b09a2f4395...

Don't know what the block red is about, second time monitoring stopped like that, internet (for what it's worth) was available throughout but the hub required a reboot for Think Broadband to begin monitoring again.

Why don't you check power & signal levels tonight around 8pm instead of 11am?

Tbh, I've given up, we've been a VM customer for 5 years & if what we've experinced over the past few months is acceptable then other fibre providers can't get here quick enough.

[ThisIsMy3rdAcc]

What hub do you have? I had similar(ish) issues with the hub 4, they overheat and cause terrible latency and connection issues, had several of them and all are the same until you find a way to keep it cool.

If your BQM is showing that the router was offline but it wasnt, either it was online but experiencing high packet loss during that period or its watching the wrong IP, make sure you have the BQM monitoring the right IP, I've set one up before when connected to a VPN (we all make mistakes!)

Sadly if VM are washing their hands of it the best thing I can advise you to do is email the CEO with your complaint and see where you can go from there.

[R-T-G]

Hi @ThisIsMy3rdAcc, it's a Hub3, I'll look into a cooling pad and see if that helps thanks.  

Seems the BQM block red (I don't think it is 100% packet loss) happened again last night, for the 3rd time & it only started monitoring again after another reboot just now.

I don't know what it is, I'd been online for a couple hours before checking the BQM & things seemed ok. I don't mess with the hub settings & it's the only monitor I've ever set up.  The latency last night was as bad as it has been over the past few months especially when downloading, that even stops images loading in my browser until the download, which is on another PC finishes 😕 .

Thanks for the reply x

[Paul_DN]

Hi R-T-G,

Thank you for reaching back out and for the update, I have run further checks our end and cannot see any issues, I have seen some issues which may be contributing and will invite you into a private chat so we can discuss this further, I will send you an invite into a private chat, once received please click on the purple envelope to accept.

Regards

Paul.

[R-T-G]

Thanks for the suggestions, I genuinely don't believe this is a number of devices issue. There's only my son & myself at home, he's out at work during the day & I WFH mostly on the PC with the mac streaming 2 cctv cameras & sometimes netflix/prime (thankfully no team calls). We're not big phone, TV or console users although they, along with a tablet & ipad are either turned off or on standby. We do have a couple smart plugs & wifi extenders running but all in all nothing (I think) that should cause the latency we're experiencing on a 100mb package.

I did receive a followup call at 1pm today, again during offpeak time where everything looks better & was told as much, when I mentioned over utilisation during the evening I was told I had my own cable running to the house & have I considered upgrading to a 200mb package & wifi pods.

We pay £40pm for fibre ony & I can hear the angry shouts from upstairs as the lag repeatedly disconnects my son from Rainbow Siege. It's just so frustrating.

I do appreciate being offered a call back later in the day though, but tbh if Think Broadband can monitor the quality of our connection & chart the spikes & latency surely VM can too.

[R-T-G]

What's maddening is that I'm sat here watching the BQM spike & lag like crazy knowing we're intentionally using the internet less than usual!