Intermittent connection drops

[trooperer]

Almost regularly, 2-3 times a day, my broadband modem would lose all internet connectivity for 4-5 minutes - both wired and wirelessly connected devices would not be able to access external IP addresses (internal traffic works fine, i.e I can ping one computer from another). After 5 minutes everything would be back to normal, speed test producing expected, high bandwidth results.

I've contacted support, they were apparently "seeing issues on their end as well", and supposedly opened a ticket. 2 days later I got a text confirming the "issue has been fixed", and that I should just restart my modem, which I did. However, this did not help, as the same thing continued to happen today.

FWIW, I have the Hub 4 and use it in "bridge" mode (i have my own wifi router).

Given the type of issue, I suspect it's either modem itself having some (power?) issues, or the local exchange box in my neighborhood, but my hands are tied and I don't know what to do next.

Can I ask for a modem replacement perhaps?

[jbrennand]

Lets see the Hub data and set up a BQM as per this.
___________________________________________

In your browser’s URL box type in http://192.168.0.1  (or http://192.168.100.1 - if in modem mode) and hit return. On the first page up Login and then just copy/paste the normal “Formatted Text” (not images) 3 FULL sets of data onto here – 2 pages 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

[trooperer]

Thanks for the prompt reply John.I've set up the TB monitoring just now. At the moment it looks normal (which I think is expected as this happens only several times a day), but I'll continue monitoring.

The TB snapshot: https://www.thinkbroadband.com/broadband/monitoring/quality/share/bdd71d3c7afecdf20a2d87f9d64ddbccd2...

Other information you asked:

[trooperer]

Router Status > Status

Cable Modem Status	Online	DOCSIS 3.1
Primary downstream channel	Locked	SC-QAM
DOCSIS 3.0 channels	31	4
DOCSIS 3.1 channels	1	0

Router Status > Downstream

3.0 Downstream channels

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

25	330750000	3.1	38.6	QAM256	25
1	138750000	8.3	39	QAM256	1
2	146750000	8.3	40.4	QAM256	2
3	154750000	8	40.4	QAM256	3
4	162750000	7.3	40.4	QAM256	4
5	170750000	6.9	40.4	QAM256	5
6	178750000	6.5	40.4	QAM256	6
7	186750000	6.4	40.4	QAM256	7
8	194750000	6.1	40.9	QAM256	8
9	202750000	5.8	40.4	QAM256	9
10	210750000	5.8	40.4	QAM256	10
11	218750000	5.7	40.4	QAM256	11
12	226750000	5.7	39	QAM256	12
13	234750000	5.6	40.4	QAM256	13
14	242750000	5.5	38.6	QAM256	14
15	250750000	5.5	39	QAM256	15
16	258750000	5.5	39	QAM256	16
17	266750000	5.4	39	QAM256	17
18	274750000	5.2	38.6	QAM256	18
19	282750000	5.2	39	QAM256	19
20	290750000	5	39	QAM256	20
21	298750000	4.6	40.4	QAM256	21
22	306750000	3.9	39	QAM256	22
23	314750000	3.4	39	QAM256	23
24	322750000	3.1	38.6	QAM256	24
26	338750000	3.1	39	QAM256	26
27	346750000	3.2	39	QAM256	27
28	354750000	3.1	39	QAM256	28
29	362750000	3.1	39	QAM256	29
30	370750000	3.1	38.6	QAM256	30
31	378750000	3	39	QAM256	31

3.0 Downstream channels

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

25	Locked	38.605377	0	0
1	Locked	38.983261	0	0
2	Locked	40.366287	9	0
3	Locked	40.366287	688	0
4	Locked	40.366287	22	0
5	Locked	40.366287	0	0
6	Locked	40.366287	0	0
7	Locked	40.366287	7	0
8	Locked	40.946209	0	0
9	Locked	40.366287	0	0
10	Locked	40.366287	893	0
11	Locked	40.366287	0	0
12	Locked	38.983261	0	0
13	Locked	40.366287	0	0
14	Locked	38.605377	0	0
15	Locked	38.983261	0	0
16	Locked	38.983261	0	0
17	Locked	38.983261	0	0
18	Locked	38.605377	0	0
19	Locked	38.983261	0	0
20	Locked	38.983261	0	0
21	Locked	40.366287	0	0
22	Locked	38.983261	0	0
23	Locked	38.983261	0	0
24	Locked	38.605377	0	0
26	Locked	38.983261	0	0
27	Locked	38.983261	0	0
28	Locked	38.983261	0	0
29	Locked	38.983261	0	0
30	Locked	38.605377	0	0
31	Locked	38.983261	0	0

[trooperer]

3.1 Downstream channels

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

33

94

4K

1840

QAM4096

424

3.1 Downstream channels

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

33

Locked

40

2.5

31301903

0

Router Status > Upstream

3.0 Upstream channels

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

1	46200000	36	5120 KSym/sec	64QAM	3
2	39400000	34.5	5120 KSym/sec	64QAM	4
3	60300000	36.3	5120 KSym/sec	64QAM	1
4	53700000	36.3	5120 KSym/sec	64QAM	2

3.0 Upstream channels

Channel Channel Type T1 Timeouts T2 Timeouts T3 Timeouts T4 Timeouts

1	US_TYPE_STDMA	0	0	0	0
2	US_TYPE_STDMA	0	0	0	0
3	US_TYPE_STDMA	0	0	3146	0
4	US_TYPE_STDMA	0	0	3156	0

 Router Status > Network log

<empty>

[trooperer]

Oops, sorry, I just realised you wanted a live chart, here it is: https://www.thinkbroadband.com/broadband/monitoring/quality/share/a0771b7bc017d940db0a943f741bf14f4b...

[jbrennand]

I am no expert on Hub4 stats (I still use the SH2!) - but 100's of T3 errors is not something that should be there. Can you post up the Network logs as well (were they there?)

[trooperer]

Hi John,

The "Networklog" does not show anything (other than an empty table).

There were also a bunch of "Pre RS Errors" in the Downstream section.

Would this warrant a visit from a Virgin engineer? Or perhaps a router replacement?

I dont really use any of the fancy Hub4 features, I just use it as a modem. Do you think I could perhaps replace it with something simpler that's perhaps less prone to breaking?

Thanks!

[jbrennand]

I think this another of VM's infamous firmware **bleep** up's - several people have reported Hub Logs table not "populating" after a recent upgrade.

PreRS errors are not a big problem PostRs ones are. You have to use the VM Hub as a modem they are unlikely to "downgrade" you to a Hub3 or SH2 without good reason.

Can I just check.... as I am a little confused about you saying....

"FWIW, I have the Hub 4 and use it in "bridge" mode (i have my own wifi router)"

What router make and model is it? Is the Hub set to be in "Modem Mode" - with your Hub doing the routing and wifi? I am not sure what bridge mode on a Hub4 means 🙂

[trooperer]

I stand corrected! 🙂 I got used to the term "bridge" elsewhere, but yes, it is running in "Modem" mode - I connect my own router to Eth1 port of the Hub4 and have Hub4 assign public IP via DHCP to my router's WAN port.