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Intermittent Broadband - Ethernet and wifi - 4 days and no FIX!!!!

dirtyharry73
On our wavelength

Virgin Media are really really poor.
4 months ago I had a 30 hour period of intermittent broadband, with loss of service, poor bandwidth, wifi working on and off and the same with fixed ethernet connections.
I reset the Superhub 3, Powered off and on more than once.  I even reset the router and re-configured.
I called 'technical support' - joke.   Was told to just monitor the situation as it was a problem caused by 'upgrading' their network.    Suddenly started working after 30 hours.  Obviously fixed the issue at their backend.
I wrote a letter of complaint detailing how poor they were.
Got two letters in the post 3 weeks later saying they were investigating.
I rang to follow up and was told they were definitely looking into it.

A week later they just closed the issue off.

Rang to complain about how poor this was, 45 mins later offered £20. Agreed just to put an end to the matter and never saw the money.

Weds 10th August - 4 DAYS ago - in the evening exact same type of technical fault re-occurred.
Their website the next morning said that there were no issues but a little information box said there was maintenance on Thursday 11th August 00.01 to 06.01!

Later that day their automated call system said there were technical problems in my postcode.
Rang technical support, terrible waste of time. Just told problems they were fixing with no ETA

Next day the Friday rang again, on hold for 20 mins, spoke to the offshore call centre and got told it was a major problem and to be fixed by Friday 19th August - 10 days off issues.  INCREDIBLE.

I then rang retentions out of desperation, spoke to a UK based very helpful agent who used to work in faults.   Evidently a SNR - Signal to Noise ratio problem.   Possibly broken fibre cable in area but not definite.

Anyway in this day and age where I work from home as do millions of others, considering the amount of money I pay VM this is not acceptable in any way.  
The Superhub 3 is a pile of junk and often needs a daily reboot when wifi drops out and wont come back.   I asked about getting a hub 4 or 5 but of course VM want more money for this when they should be providing decent equipment in the first place.   Never mind all my time calling them and resetting my router to no avail.  My time now travelling to work and back for several days plus petrol money. No that doesn't matter.

I want this fixed, I want someone to contact me and keep me updated with the problem and I want a decent (NOT Superhub 3) router supplied by VM.  My contract finishes in 3 months and if this doesn't happen I will leave VM and find someone else because I am not prepared to put up with this EVER again.

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION

Accepted Solutions

Scottpm
On our wavelength

How is transferring to a business package in any way helpful?  No doubt the same technical fault will exist, as assume using same cables/hardware to a residential property.  And no doubt a business package a lot more expensive.  Only benefit may be SLA, but I suspect you pay a lot more money for that.  You shouldn’t have to do that, just because you are getting a crap service.

I had issues a year ago that took nearly 3 months to resolve, with numerous emails and phone calls.  I had 3 engineer visits and finally got it fixed.  The superhub 3 is not fit for purpose and should be recalled in my opinion.  Luckily I signed up for a free hub 5 last December when they had a limited offer to get it for free,

I was fuming with the way Virgin treat their customers, I wasn’t taken seriously at first as they tried blaming my own equipment.  I am no networking enxpert, but am an IT professional so know enough to do my research and identify where the issue lies.  Eventually it got sorted and I have to say has been better and more stable than ever.  

Unfortunately, Virgin Media are very good when everything is working, but appalling when it doesn’t.  I was assured by them last year that things would improve with the merger with O2, that’s clearly not the case, based on the above

About time they sorted Customer Services out, there was a time we customers were treated with respect, but not any more.  I have been a loyal customer for 12 years but that means nothing,  

Shame, because VM broadband is excellent when there are no issues, and there poor customer service is seriously letting them down.  But I guess as long as they are making a profit, they don’t care about that.  

See where this Helpful Answer was posted

37 REPLIES 37

jbrennand
Very Insightful Person
Very Insightful Person
The Residential package you are on offers no "service level agreement". So what you want is not part of the contract. A VM person will respond on here in a few days and advise what can be done.

Alternatively, transfer to a Business package that does offer an SLA.

--------------------
John
--------------------

I do not work for VM. My services: HD TV on VIP (+ Sky Sports & Movies & BT sport), x3 V6 boxes (1 wired, 2 on WiFi) Hub5 in modem mode with Apple Airport Extreme Router +2 Airport Express's & TP-Link Archer C64 WAP. On Volt 350Mbps, Talk Anytime Phone, x2 Mobile SIM only iPhones.

Scottpm
On our wavelength

How is transferring to a business package in any way helpful?  No doubt the same technical fault will exist, as assume using same cables/hardware to a residential property.  And no doubt a business package a lot more expensive.  Only benefit may be SLA, but I suspect you pay a lot more money for that.  You shouldn’t have to do that, just because you are getting a crap service.

I had issues a year ago that took nearly 3 months to resolve, with numerous emails and phone calls.  I had 3 engineer visits and finally got it fixed.  The superhub 3 is not fit for purpose and should be recalled in my opinion.  Luckily I signed up for a free hub 5 last December when they had a limited offer to get it for free,

I was fuming with the way Virgin treat their customers, I wasn’t taken seriously at first as they tried blaming my own equipment.  I am no networking enxpert, but am an IT professional so know enough to do my research and identify where the issue lies.  Eventually it got sorted and I have to say has been better and more stable than ever.  

Unfortunately, Virgin Media are very good when everything is working, but appalling when it doesn’t.  I was assured by them last year that things would improve with the merger with O2, that’s clearly not the case, based on the above

About time they sorted Customer Services out, there was a time we customers were treated with respect, but not any more.  I have been a loyal customer for 12 years but that means nothing,  

Shame, because VM broadband is excellent when there are no issues, and there poor customer service is seriously letting them down.  But I guess as long as they are making a profit, they don’t care about that.  

jbrennand
Very Insightful Person
Very Insightful Person

"VM Business" use their own cables and hardware - the two are completely separate businesses. Some customers have both services at their property on two accounts

Not sure about relative costs... but on the Business side there is no TV available - BB only packages with fixed ip addresses.

If you actually want help on this users forum in tracing the technical issue you have can you do the below and any existing SNR issues, packet drops, overutilisation, connection problems, etc should be obvious
____________________________________________

Post up your Hub/network connection details and someone will check to see if there is a problem there.  In your browser’s URL box type in http://192.168.0.1 (or http://192.168.100.1 - if in modem mode) (DONT click these links) - and hit return. On the first page up login and then Navigate to these “pages” and just copy/paste as normal “Formatted Text” (not page images) 3 FULL sets of data onto here

2 tables from the Downstream, 2 from the Upstream, & the Network Logs page. Don't worry too much about the formatting it can be easily read & DON’T include personal data or MAC addresses - blank them out - if you copy/paste the data, the board software will do this for you (you may need to click the "submit" button again. If character limits are “exceeded” - just do two posts

If you haven’t already, set up a free, secure and “offlsite” - “Broadband Quality Monitor” to continually monitor the state of your connection and record any true network dropouts , latency issues, packet drops, etc - it will thus allow you to differentiate between those and simple wifi dropouts. It does it 24/7/365 and it keeps a visual record of any/all of your network disconnections, useful data to have to match to the Network logs (in your Hub settings) and also in discussions with VM - note it will take a few hours to start seeing a sensible picture - post up the “link” to the “share live graph”. Click the lower link (Share Live Graph) then click generate. Copy the text in the Direct Link box, beware, there may be more text than you can see. On here click the Link icon (2 links chain to the left of the camera icon) In the URL box paste the link you copied and then click OK

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


--------------------
John
--------------------

I do not work for VM. My services: HD TV on VIP (+ Sky Sports & Movies & BT sport), x3 V6 boxes (1 wired, 2 on WiFi) Hub5 in modem mode with Apple Airport Extreme Router +2 Airport Express's & TP-Link Archer C64 WAP. On Volt 350Mbps, Talk Anytime Phone, x2 Mobile SIM only iPhones.

Downstream bonded channels
Channel Frequency (Hz) Power (dBmV) SNR (dB) Modulation Channel ID
1 202750000 3.5 37 256 qam 9
2 138750000 4.1 37 256 qam 1
3 146750000 4.1 37 256 qam 2
4 154750000 4 37 256 qam 3
5 162750000 3.9 37 256 qam 4
6 170750000 4 38 256 qam 5
7 178750000 4 38 256 qam 6
8 186750000 4 38 256 qam 7
9 194750000 3.7 38 256 qam 8
10 210750000 3.4 38 256 qam 10
11 218750000 3 37 256 qam 11
12 226750000 2.9 36 256 qam 12
13 234750000 2.9 38 256 qam 13
14 242750000 3 38 256 qam 14
15 250750000 3.4 38 256 qam 15
16 258750000 3.7 38 256 qam 16
17 266750000 3.7 38 256 qam 17
18 274750000 3.7 38 256 qam 18
19 282750000 4 38 256 qam 19
20 290750000 4 38 256 qam 20
21 298750000 4.1 38 256 qam 21
22 306750000 4.4 38 256 qam 22
23 314750000 4.5 38 256 qam 23
24 322750000 4.8 38 256 qam 24


Downstream bonded channels
Channel Locked Status RxMER (dB) Pre RS Errors Post RS Errors
1 Locked 37.9 884 0
2 Locked 37.6 12131 5420
3 Locked 37.6 11733 5770
4 Locked 37.9 10308 2232
5 Locked 37.9 8855 1038
6 Locked 38.2 4333 64
7 Locked 38.6 5598 132
8 Locked 38.9 1303 46
9 Locked 38.9 1138 33
10 Locked 38.6 2977 8
11 Locked 37.3 5865 3
12 Locked 36.3 6453 1
13 Locked 38.6 717 0
14 Locked 38.6 432 0
15 Locked 38.9 408 0
16 Locked 38.9 400 0
17 Locked 38.6 395 0
18 Locked 38.9 343 0
19 Locked 38.9 287 0
20 Locked 38.9 362 0
21 Locked 38.9 327 0
22 Locked 38.9 235 0
23 Locked 38.9 217 0
24 Locked 38.9 154 0

Upstream bonded channels
Channel Frequency (Hz) Power (dBmV) Symbol Rate (ksps) Modulation Channel ID
1 39400000 47 5120 64 qam 4
2 46200000 47.3 5120 64 qam 3
3 25800015 47.3 5120 64 qam 6
4 32600005 47.3 5120 64 qam 5


Upstream bonded channels
Channel Channel Type T1 Timeouts T2 Timeouts T3 Timeouts T4 Timeouts
1 ATDMA 0 0 1 0
2 ATDMA 0 0 5 0
3 ATDMA 0 0 3 0
4 ATDMA 0 0 2 0

Network Log
Time Priority Description
14/08/2022 18:37:53 notice LAN login Success;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
12/08/2022 07:51:26 critical No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
12/08/2022 07:33:43 notice LAN login Success;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
12/08/2022 07:29:11 critical No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
12/08/2022 07:07:28 notice LAN login Success;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
12/08/2022 07:07:15 Warning! LAN login FAILED : Incorrect Username / Password / ConnectionType;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
12/08/2022 07:06:45 notice LAN login Success;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
12/08/2022 06:42:21 notice Unit has been restored to factory defaults from a software issued command;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
11/08/2022 18:15:31 notice LAN login Success;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
10/08/2022 23:56:44 critical No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
10/08/2022 23:51:51 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;
10/08/2022 23:49:32 Warning! Lost MDD Timeout;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
10/08/2022 23:49:28 critical SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Loss of Sync;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
10/08/2022 23:49:28 Warning! RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
10/08/2022 23:49:28 critical SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Loss of Sync;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
10/08/2022 23:49:27 Warning! RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
10/08/2022 16:18:59 notice LAN login Success;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
08/08/2022 22:05:29 Error DHCP RENEW WARNING - Field invalid in response v4 option;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
07/08/2022 01:50:25 critical No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
07/08/2022 01:50:1 critical Unicast Maintenance Ranging attempted - No response - Retries exhausted;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;

Tudor
Very Insightful Person
Very Insightful Person

Too many errors, but the figures are accumulative since the hub was last power cycled. So please turn off your hub for a short period, this will reset the counters, then post a new full set of stats after about two hours. This will indicate the current line status. 
Also Check with Area faults on 0800 561 0061 If you have a VM landline 150 this goes down to post code level. To see if there are any local problems. 


Tudor
There are 10 types of people: those who understand binary and those who don't and F people out of 10 who do not understand hexadecimal c1a2a285948293859940d9a49385a2

Looks to me like the Downstream levels are a bit low, when comparing to mine.

Also the Sync Timing errors are what I was getting and every time this happens the internet would drop. I spent weeks arguing the issue was outside my house.  They changed all my cabling indoors, replaced the hub, attenuator and splitter and still didn’t resolve.  The 3rd engineer to visit me changed the port I was connected to in the exchange and told me that he had “tweaked something” and that resolved the issue for me.

Come on Virgin, get this sorted for this poor chap, I feel his pain, having been through the same myself a year ago.  It is worrying these issues are still happening and it seems like a year on you still haven’t improved.  We pay a lot of money for your services, I don’t think it’s unreasonable to expect a high standard of customer service when things go wrong.

jbrennand
Very Insightful Person
Very Insightful Person

@Scottpm wrote:

Looks to me like the Downstream levels are a bit low, when comparing to mine.

 


Recommended range for Down power levels is from -6dBmV  to  +10dBmV (optimal is around ~0)


--------------------
John
--------------------

I do not work for VM. My services: HD TV on VIP (+ Sky Sports & Movies & BT sport), x3 V6 boxes (1 wired, 2 on WiFi) Hub5 in modem mode with Apple Airport Extreme Router +2 Airport Express's & TP-Link Archer C64 WAP. On Volt 350Mbps, Talk Anytime Phone, x2 Mobile SIM only iPhones.