Intermittent and slow connection

[SteveDisco]

Hi - we are suffering with slow and intermittent connections, particularly noticeable on my works laptop (slow connections) and my wife's iPhone (drop-outs). Following on from other posts I've included the logs here. Grateful for any support.

Cable Modem StatusItem Status Comments

Acquired Downstream Channel (Hz)	330750000	Locked
Ranged Upstream Channel (Hz)	60300014	Locked
Provisioning State	Online

[SteveDisco]

Downstream bonded channels

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

1	330750000	8.3	43	256 qam	25
2	202750000	9	40	256 qam	9
3	210750000	9	40	256 qam	10
4	218750000	9	40	256 qam	11
5	226750000	9	40	256 qam	12
6	234750000	8.6	40	256 qam	13
7	242750000	8.5	40	256 qam	14
8	250750000	8.5	40	256 qam	15
9	258750000	8.1	40	256 qam	16
10	266750000	8	40	256 qam	17
11	274750000	7.9	40	256 qam	18
12	282750000	8.1	40	256 qam	19
13	290750000	8	40	256 qam	20
14	298750000	8.4	40	256 qam	21
15	306750000	8.1	40	256 qam	22
16	314750000	8.1	40	256 qam	23
17	322750000	8.1	40	256 qam	24
18	338750000	8.1	40	256 qam	26
19	346750000	8.1	40	256 qam	27
20	354750000	8	40	256 qam	28
21	362750000	8	40	256 qam	29
22	370750000	8.3	43	256 qam	30
23	378750000	8.3	40	256 qam	31
24	386750000	8	40	256 qam	32

Downstream bonded channels

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

1	Locked	43.3	6	0
2	Locked	40.3	6	0
3	Locked	40.9	6	0
4	Locked	40.9	6	0
5	Locked	40.9	6	0
6	Locked	40.9	7	0
7	Locked	40.9	5	0
8	Locked	40.9	6	0
9	Locked	40.9	4	0
10	Locked	40.9	5	0
11	Locked	40.9	5	0
12	Locked	40.9	13	0
13	Locked	40.9	5	0
14	Locked	40.9	6	0
15	Locked	40.9	6	0
16	Locked	40.9	7	0
17	Locked	40.3	7	0
18	Locked	40.9	6	0
19	Locked	40.9	5	0
20	Locked	40.9	6	0
21	Locked	40.9	6	0
22	Locked	43.3	8	0
23	Locked	40.3	6	0
24	Locked	40.9	1	0

[SteveDisco]

Refresh data

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

1	60300014	40.8	5120	64 qam	1
2	39400007	40.8	5120	64 qam	4
3	46199988	40.8	5120	64 qam	3
4	53700014	40.8	5120	64 qam	2

Upstream bonded channelsChannel 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

[SteveDisco]

Refresh data

Network LogTime Priority Description

17/08/2021 19:21:0	notice	LAN login Success;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
17/08/2021 19:19:35	Warning!	LAN login FAILED : Incorrect Username / Password / ConnectionType;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
17/08/2021 08:54:1	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
16/08/2021 18:45:45	notice	DHCP Renew - lease parameters tftp file-cmreg-vmdg505-bbt060+voc-b.cm modified;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
16/08/2021 18:45:45	Error	DHCP RENEW WARNING - Field invalid in response v4 option;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
13/08/2021 18:17:56	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
13/08/2021 14:47:35	notice	DHCP Renew - lease parameters tftp file-cmreg-vmdg505-bbt060+voc-b.cm modified;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
13/08/2021 14:47:35	Error	DHCP RENEW WARNING - Field invalid in response v4 option;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
11/08/2021 23:17:23	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
11/08/2021 10:09:3	notice	LAN login Success;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
09/08/2021 11:49:14	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
09/08/2021 11:11:33	notice	LAN login Success;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
09/08/2021 10:21:22	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
09/08/2021 09:43:55	notice	DHCP Renew - lease parameters tftp file-cmreg-vmdg505-bbt060+voc-b.cm modified;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
09/08/2021 09:43:55	Error	DHCP RENEW WARNING - Field invalid in response v4 option;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
06/08/2021 14:26:51	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
06/08/2021 11:46:56	notice	LAN login Success;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
06/08/2021 01:19:4	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
05/08/2021 17:01:2	notice	LAN login Success;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
05/08/2021 06:15:15	notice	DHCP Renew - lease parameters tftp file-cmreg-vmdg505-bbt060+voc-b.cm modified;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;

[Andrew-G · Accepted solution]

All hub data looks very good.  Nothing worrying in the Network log, power levels are a touch high on the downstream but within accepted limits, SNR is excellent, upstream looks ship shape.  Looks like a recent reboot given the low levels of pre-RS errors (themselves unimportant) and the only thing to worry about would be if you observe a build up of post-RS errors on the downstream, or T3 timeouts on the upstream, or the levels shown all went awry.  But any  problems of erratic connection usually show up in the network log.  Post up a link to a shared BQM and we can take a look at that, but thus far the finger points at poor wifi (wireless) and sadly that's not unusual with VM's pound shop hubs.

Are the problems mainly/entirely on wifi connected devices?  Is the wifi signal strong, weak or inconsistent?  And jumping the gun a bit, would you be prepared to spend a modest sum (circa £100) if required to permanently improve wifi?

[SteveDisco]

• Hi thanks for the reply... We don't have any wired connections but I do certainly notice that more regularly have 'connected no Internet' when I'm upstairs furthest away from the hub.

I'm happy to spend money on a mesh system... We have 200mbps connection... Would the m4s be best?

Here's the link to the BQM and thanks again for your help. 

https://www.thinkbroadband.com/broadband/monitoring/quality/share/6d97888074b2f25037e06b89446f3b9b33e40ff6

[lotharmat]

People here do like the M4s and they seem to be pretty reliable!

If you're happy to spend money - I'd go for it - it'll likely save your sanity - and if you ever switch providers - your home network will be pretty much unaffected - just a straight modem swap!

There is a procedure for connecting DECOs though:

Disconnect/unplug everything including extenders (you shouldn't need to put them back on) and then follow this sequence which should work.
___________________________________________________________

1. Disconnect all cables from your new router (or Mesh first unit) and the Hub and unplug them for 5 minutes.
2. Switch on the Hub leave a few minutes
3. Put it into modem mode
4. Wait for the base light to turn magenta/purple/red (on a Hub3 - but not on a Hub4!).
5. Once it’s in modem mode, the VM hub must then be powered off.
6. Switch on and set up your own router or the first Deco Mesh unit with the WAN port set to be in DHCP mode, it may be pre-set that way anyway - but check.
7. Make sure it’s fully initialised (leave 2-3 min) and then put its the ethernet WAN cable into the VM hub.
8. Power up the VM hub leave a few minutes and you should have a connection.
9. Use the recommended Deco App to set up how you want and connect the other Mesh units to the first one - may need to move them about a bit and wait till they connect.

This order only needs to be done the first time you connect the router to the VM hub.

[Andrew-G]

My thoughts on the TP-Link Deco M4:

https://community.virginmedia.com/t5/Networking-and-WiFi/Hub-3-0-compatibility-with-Mesh-systems/m-p...

Depending on price and availability a Deco S4 would be equally as good as the M4, avoid the Deco E4 as it is constrained for its external internet connection to 100 Mbps.  The M5 and M9 are good, and nominally even higher performance than the M4, but they're more expensive and I doubt you'd see the difference on 200-350 Mbps connections.

Looking at the BQM there are some issues in that the latency is worse during peak hours, but close to the lowest perceivable level at which you can see a distinctive pattern.  The "clean" trace from 12:30am to 8am suggests that the area network is fine when there's little traffic, it's worst afternoon and mid-evening, so I reckon that the VM network around you is just starting to creak under the current level of data traffic.  If a few customers leave it will improve, if VM sign up more customers it will get worse.  At the level implied here there won't be an over-utilisation fault recognised, so "it is what it is" and you have to form any decisions around that.  Avoid any contract change for the next few months in case things start to deteriorate, because you wouldn't want a new 18 month lock if VM are signing up more and more customers and making the problem materially worse.  If it proves tolerable and performance stable (or even improves) then by all means change the package, re-contract for a retention discount or whatever.

I'd expect from what you describe that a mesh system would resolve the vast majority of the problems you describe as these seem to be most likely the hub's weak wifi, but that you might still see the odd minor glitch in videocalls or gaming, although at the levels showing I'd hope those wouldn't be full on dropouts.  But from somewhere with a good returns policy, and then you'll have at least a couple of weeks to see if a mesh system does what you want.

[Ayisha_B]

Hi @SteveDisco,

Welcome to our Community Forums and thanks for posting. 

I am sorry to hear you are having some issues with the service. 

I have checked the account and everything looks good this end. Your signal levels are within the range we would expect and there's no area outages impacting you. 

Since you don't have any wired connections and it appears to be a WiFi issue, we have some tips to help improve the wireless network signal and range here

[SteveDisco]

Hi @Ayisha_B

Thanks for the response... We've now set up the Deco M4 mesh following the guidance on this forum and so far they are working a dream... Great speeds upstairs now and even extended out to the garden. 

Bit challenging with Sky Q boxes but now resolved. 

Thanks for all the help from the contributors on here.