Intermittent connection drop outs

[FairwayJesus]

Hi all,

We recently moved to a new house in August last year. VM gigabit package installed as it was easily the best speed and deal avaliable in the area. We had no issues for a couple of months but just before Xmas 30 second drop outs of all connection wired or wireless started to occur. I've had 3 engineers out to look at it, between them they have changed the cable from Box at top of road to our house and all cabling inside our house. I've been told that the TP router i was using could be the problem so i've put my HUB4 back into router mode. Still the same issue. 

I've set up a BQM (link below) after reading some posts about overutilisation in the area. Not sure how to see that from the graph (any help apprecaited). I can post Status logs if that would be useful?

https://www.thinkbroadband.com/broadband/monitoring/quality/share/bfb552a7c875ec47d1dbfa15b6feec1bb63f07dd

Any suggestions or help would be really appreciated. VM have the best package and speeds in my area by some way so I dont really want to leave but its at the point where its impacting my work so I have no other choice if it cant be fixed.

Thanks in advance.

FairwayJesus.

[FairwayJesus]

Adding Network log details.

3.0 Downstream channels

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

1	411000000	2.2	38.6	QAM256	1
2	419000000	2.5	38.6	QAM256	2
3	427000000	3	38.6	QAM256	3
4	435000000	3.2	39	QAM256	4
5	443000000	3.3	38.6	QAM256	5
6	451000000	3.2	38.6	QAM256	6
7	459000000	3.2	38.6	QAM256	7
8	467000000	3.2	38.6	QAM256	8
9	475000000	3.4	38.6	QAM256	9
10	483000000	3.7	38.6	QAM256	10
11	491000000	3.7	38.6	QAM256	11
12	499000000	3.7	39	QAM256	12
13	507000000	3.7	39	QAM256	13
14	515000000	3.9	38.6	QAM256	14
15	523000000	4.1	38.6	QAM256	15
16	531000000	4.4	39	QAM256	16
17	539000000	4.7	39	QAM256	17
18	547000000	4.8	39	QAM256	18
19	555000000	5	38.6	QAM256	19
20	563000000	5	38.6	QAM256	20
21	571000000	5.2	38.6	QAM256	21
22	579000000	5.5	38.6	QAM256	22
23	587000000	5.5	39	QAM256	23
24	595000000	5.4	38.6	QAM256	24
25	603000000	5.3	38.6	QAM256	25
26	611000000	5.2	38.6	QAM256	26
27	619000000	5.1	39	QAM256	27
28	627000000	5.1	38.6	QAM256	28
29	635000000	4.9	38.6	QAM256	29
30	643000000	4.6	39	QAM256	30
31	651000000	4.3	38.6	QAM256	31

3.0 Downstream channels

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

1	Locked	38.605377	0	0
2	Locked	38.605377	0	0
3	Locked	38.605377	0	0
4	Locked	38.983261	0	0
5	Locked	38.605377	0	0
6	Locked	38.605377	0	0
7	Locked	38.605377	0	0
8	Locked	38.605377	0	0
9	Locked	38.605377	0	0
10	Locked	38.605377	0	0
11	Locked	38.605377	0	0
12	Locked	38.983261	0	0
13	Locked	38.983261	0	0
14	Locked	38.605377	0	0
15	Locked	38.605377	0	0
16	Locked	38.983261	0	0
17	Locked	38.983261	0	0
18	Locked	38.983261	0	0
19	Locked	38.605377	0	0
20	Locked	38.605377	0	0
21	Locked	38.605377	0	0
22	Locked	38.605377	0	0
23	Locked	38.983261	0	0
24	Locked	38.605377	0	0
25	Locked	38.605377	0	0
26	Locked	38.605377	0	0
27	Locked	38.983261	0	0
28	Locked	38.605377	0	0
29	Locked	38.605377	0	0
30	Locked	38.983261	0	0
31	Locked	38.605377	0	0

3.1 Downstream channels

Channel Channel Width (MHz) FFT Type Number of Active Subcarriers Modulation (Active Profile) First Active Subcarrier (Hz)

159

96

4K

1840

QAM4096

759

3.1 Downstream channels

Channel ID Lock Status RxMER Data (dB) PLC Power (dBmV) Correcteds (Active Profile) Uncorrectables (Active Profile)

159

Locked

41

4.9

4020217288

860

[FairwayJesus]

3.0 Upstream channels

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

1	30100000	47.8	5120 KSym/sec	QAM64	12
2	23600000	47.5	5120 KSym/sec	QAM64	13
3	36600000	47.8	5120 KSym/sec	QAM64	11
4	43100000	48.3	5120 KSym/sec	QAM64	10
5	49600000	48.5	5120 KSym/sec	QAM64	9

3.0 Upstream 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
5	ATDMA	0	0	0	0

3.1 Upstream channels

Channel Channel Width (MHz) Power (dBmV) FFT Type Modulation

14

10.0

38.2

2K

QAM8

3.1 Upstream channels

Channel Channel Type Number of Active Subcarriers First Active Subcarrier (Hz) T3 Timeouts T4 Timeouts

14

OFDMA

200

53.9

3

0

[jbrennand]

BQM not showing evidence of OU (yet) but red disconnects are a worry,

Have you still got the TP router plugged in in bridge mode? Have you any other kit connected on ethernet ?

See this...
_______________________

There is one other option, there have been several threads on here recently where similar BQM latency/packet loss problems were eventually pinned down to a dodgy piece of connected kit affecting the connection . Bad connectors on ethernet cables and faulty network switches being high on the list of suspects

What I advised was... if you run the BQM for 24h to get a picture of the issues (you have done this) - and then unplug all the ethernet cable connections from the Hub and just let it run - overnight is best - then in the morning look at the BQM and see if it has cleaned up. If it has - plug the devices back in one at a time for an hour or two until the problem reappears and that should indicate where to look for what is causing the issues

Examples.
See message 21 in the first thread - and 13 in the second.

https://community.virginmedia.com/t5/Networking-and-WiFi/Internet-connection-dropping/td-p/4781287/p...

https://community.virginmedia.com/t5/Networking-and-WiFi/Intermittent-Connection/td-p/5069984/page/2

[FairwayJesus]

Thanks for your reply, John.

I'm using the Hub4 in router mode currently so no TP kit attached.

The only device I have connected via ethernet is my desktop PC (& potentially the TV box, will double check). 

Thanks for the suggestion about unplugging all and seeing if that fixes the problem, i'll give this a try overnight tonight and hopefully it at least helps me narrow it down!

[FairwayJesus]

Hi John,

Returning here after unplugging everything overnight. Looking at the BQM looks like there is still an issue with the disconnects. Any other suggestions or should I wait for the forumn team to get in touch?

I'm not sure what else an engineer could try? Or if there is a way to esclate this based on 3 engineers already attempting to fix.

Thanks

FairwayJesus

[jbrennand]

Not much else you can do without more VM input. But this basic check would be good.
_________________________________

Do a check that all of your coax and ethernet cable connections are in nice and "finger" tight - at the Hub and wall box and also at any connectors etc. Ensure there are no “unterminated cable loose ends. Disconnect all the connections and reconnect to be sure. Also check that the internal wiring is ok with no kinking, animal chews or chaffing, check that all looks good with the outside cabling and wall box too - no “staples, etc. piercing the cables.

[FairwayJesus]

Thanks John, done all that you have suggested and still no joy. 

Any ideas how long it will take forum staff to get in touch? I dont want to just book another engineer through the App. Ideally an area manager will be involved as the 3 previous engineers have not fixed the issue...

[Kain_W]

Hi there FairwayJesus,

Thanks for your post and welcome back to the community

Sorry to hear that you're experiencing dropouts with your service, just from checking I can't see any readings currently that would attribute to the issues above.

How is the service since last posting?

Regards,