Virgin Media Community

[ROBR296]

for the past year, my Microsoft Teams connections has been freezing for a few secs on a regular basis.  This tends to happen every 15-30 mins when I have video on, but not when the connection is audio only.   

Sometimes I get an error message in Teams "your connection is poor", sometimes the call will actually drop for a few secs before resuming, and sometimes the sound and image will just freeze but no message will show.

Our IT team have reviewed the Teams logs and have escalated it to Microsoft support, and they are both of the view it is my internet connection

I am running W10 latest release and also the latest version of Teams.  There's anti-virus and endpoint protection software  (FortiClient) but everyone else within our company has the same set-up and they don't have the same issue with Teams.

I have 350mbps down / 35 mbps up, and usually get good speeds s. 

I am using my Virgin Hub 3 in modem mode with an EdgeRouter X doing the routing.   Using the Hub in router mode does not fix the problem

My flat is wired up with Ethernet cabling, and I have tried extensively with both wired and wireless connections - but the issue is the same on both.  For Wifi, I use the  BT WholeHome mesh system (normal, not the Premium one)

below you can see my broadband monitor for today.  nothing out of the ordinary I think but I am no expert

[url=https://www.thinkbroadband.com/broadband/monitoring/quality/share/53de80276bb4c713211cdf8931f3947b637eb722-11-03-2021]My Broadband Ping[/url]

below are my Hub status logs.

I would be grateful if any of the resident experts on this forum could give me a point of view on whether I may have a Virgin connection problem?  and/or whether you can think of anything else that may be causing this

--------------------

Standard specification compliant             : DOCSIS 3.0

Hardware version           : 10

Software version            : 9.1.1912.304

Cable MAC address        : [deleted]

Cable modem serial number      : [deleted]

System up time : 18 days 5h:27m:31s

Network access : Allowed

Status

Cable Modem Status

Item      Status   Comments

Acquired Downstream Channel (Hz)       

266750000

Locked

Ranged Upstream Channel (Hz) 

46200000

Locked

Provisioning State          

Online

Downstream

Downstream bonded channels

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

1            266750000         -5.5       36          256 qam             17

2            202750000         -5           37          256 qam             9

3            210750000         -5           36          256 qam             10

4            218750000         -4.9       36          256 qam             11

5            226750000         -5           36          256 qam             12

6            234750000         -5.4       36          256 qam             13

7            242750000         -5.7       36          256 qam             14

8            250750000         -5.7       36          256 qam             15

9            258750000         -5.7       36          256 qam             16

10          274750000         -5.4       36          256 qam             18

11          282750000         -5.5       36          256 qam             19

12          290750000         -5.7       36          256 qam             20

13          298750000         -5.9       36          256 qam             21

14          306750000         -6           36          256 qam             22

15          314750000         -5.9       36          256 qam             23

16          322750000         -5.7       36          256 qam             24

17          330750000         -6           36          256 qam             25

18          338750000         -6.4       36          256 qam             26

19          346750000         -7           36          256 qam             27

20          354750000         -7.2       36          256 qam             28

21          362750000         -7.2       36          256 qam             29

22          370750000         -7.2       36          256 qam             30

23          378750000         -7.2       36          256 qam             31

24          386750000         -7.2       36          256 qam             32

Downstream bonded channels

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

1            Locked  36.6      264        0

2            Locked  37.3      577        213

3            Locked  36.6      501        35

4            Locked  36.6      300        37

5            Locked  36.6      197        0

6            Locked  36.6      532        143

7            Locked  36.3      767        98

8            Locked  36.6      532        13

9            Locked  36.6      420        18

10          Locked  36.6      257        0

11          Locked  36.6      370        84

12          Locked  36.3      465        19

13          Locked  36.6      440        60

14          Locked  36.6      447        82

15          Locked  36.6      545        26

16          Locked  36.6      386        0

17          Locked  36.6      358        0

18          Locked  36.3      924        13

19          Locked  36.3      1430     38

20          Locked  36.3      1286     55

21          Locked  36.3      1077     0

22          Locked  36.3      887        0

23          Locked  36.3      941        0

24          Locked  36.3      1086     0

Upstream

Upstream bonded channels

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

1            46200000           42.5      5120     64 qam 3

2            39400000           42.5      5120     32 qam 4

3            53700000           42.5      5120     64 qam 2

4            60300000           42.5      5120     64 qam 1

Upstream bonded channels

Channel              Channel Type    T1 Timeouts      T2 Timeouts              T3 Timeouts      T4 Timeouts

1            ATDMA 0            0            3            0

2            ATDMA 0            0            3            0

3            ATDMA 0            0            0            0

4            ATDMA 0            0            9            0

Configuration

General Configuration

Network access

Allowed

Maximum Number of CPEs        

1

Baseline Privacy

Enabled

DOCSIS Mode   

Docsis30

Config file          

UBsgvca69834ncxv9873254k;

Primary Downstream Service Flow

SFID      11398

Max Traffic Rate              402500089

Max Traffic Burst            42600

Min Traffic Rate 0

Primary Upstream Service Flow

SFID      11397

Max Traffic Rate              38500089

Max Traffic Burst            42600

Min Traffic Rate 0

Max Concatenated Burst             42600

Scheduling Type             BestEffort

Network logs

Time Priority Description

11/03/2021 17:32:5	notice	LAN login Success;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
10/03/2021 16:00:42	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
09/03/2021 20:09:40	notice	DHCP Renew - lease parameters tftp file-cmreg-vmdg505-bbt062-b.cm modified;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
09/03/2021 20:09:40	Error	DHCP RENEW WARNING - Field invalid in response v4 option;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
07/03/2021 21:00:43	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
06/03/2021 08:09:40	notice	DHCP Renew - lease parameters tftp file-cmreg-vmdg505-bbt062-b.cm modified;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
06/03/2021 08:09:40	Error	DHCP RENEW WARNING - Field invalid in response v4 option;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
02/03/2021 21:23:25	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
02/03/2021 20:09:40	notice	DHCP Renew - lease parameters tftp file-cmreg-vmdg505-bbt062-b.cm modified;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
02/03/2021 20:09:40	Error	DHCP RENEW WARNING - Field invalid in response v4 option;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
02/03/2021 01:18:39	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;

[sophist · Accepted solution]

some of your downstream power levels are (i believe) a little on the low side and one of your four upstream channels is only negotiating a QAM of 32 - it should be 64.

Not sure that the above would result in intermittent issues with teams, though it might. 

you're already configured in the recommended setup (modem mode, decent router, cabled connections) so unlikely to be an issue there.. 

the hub3 does have known issues with udp traffic (which a lot of teams will be) and whilst this has been improved over the years with patching, it's a fundamental hardware issue, so impossible to completely eliminate.. that said, plenty of people successfully use the hub3 for teams calls..

your BQM shows consistent packet loss at all times of day, so there's obviously /something/ that's not quite right.. 

can't offer much more help I'm afraid - your best bet is probably to get VM to agree that there's an issue with power levels etc. and send you an engineer to try to rectify it... i'd probably hang tight at the forums rather than calling in, the forum staff seem a little more willing to get engineers out to investigate than the call centre.. that said, it can take them a few days to respond to posts..  

[Ashleigh_C · Accepted solution]

Hi @ROBR296

Thank you so much for your post and welcome to our Community Forum! We're very happy to have you here though I am very sorry to see you have been suffering with intermittent connections.

I have had a look on your account and I can see there  are some long standing performance issues. For this reason I have booked you out an engineer to come and look at the equipment. 

You can view this appointment by logging into you My Virgin Media App or by logging in to your account online here. You can also reschedule the appointment should the allocated time not work for you. 

[ROBR296]

hi Ashleigh

thanks for arranging the engineer visit.  Unfortunately the slot that has been booked does not work for me.  I went online to re-arrange the visit, but it does not show in my account.  Would you be able to re-arrange it for some time next week instead of this Friday?   or make it visible online so that I can rebook it myself?

thanks in advance!

Robbie

[ROBR296]

pls disregard my earlier message about rescheduling the engineer's visit for next week.  i just got a text message from Virgin saying they are bringing forward the appointment from Fri this week to tomorrow, which works well for me.  all good.  thanks again for your help.

[ROBR296]

VM engineer came to the house today.  He replaced the forward path attenuator and the Superhub 3 with new ones.  He said that should hopefully fix the issue.  Everything back up and running now, but need to have some video calls to see if the intermittent performance issue is now gone.  Will report back.

[Kath_F]

Hi ROBR296, 

Thanks for coming back to us and updating the thread. We're glad things seem resolved for you for now. 

If you do have any further issues, pop back here and let us know. 

Take care. 

[ROBR296]

unfortunately the engineer's visit does not appear to have fixed the issue.

when I am doing MS Teams calls, the connection will still drop occasionally and the call will hang.   so exactly the same behavior as before.  

When I run a continuous ping trace ("ping teams.microsoft.com -t") to the Teams server at Microsoft, I can see that the ping is timing out for a couple of pings while the connection drops.  it never lasts long, but long enough for the connection to drop or freeze during that time

my sense is there is a problem upstream from my premises

[John_GS]

Hi ROBR296

Thanks for coming back to us. All the levels are in spec so no issues showing. 

Can you pop the hub out of modem mode for me so we can run further checks?

Kind regards,

[ROBR296]

thank you.  have now switched back to router mode so you should be able to access/ test