New Customer Wifi Issues - Right to Cancel

[EH11]

Hi,

I joined Virgin recently and as an O2 mobile customer have been upgraded to volt.  When connected, the speed is excellent, typically > 200mbps.  The issue I have is around the wifi signal from the 'SuperHub 3' which has led to zoom calls dropping out.  I work from home working with vulnerable people and I simply can't afford to have my zoom connection dropping out.  I had been with BT on a fibre package for a number of years, 60mbps package so not high end and I seldom had any issues with my wifi signal.  

I have raised with VM and they sent me a pod to try and boost my signal but it doesn't see to have had that much effect.  The other issue I have is that I checked my wifi using the Virgin Connect app and in some rooms the app states that the wifi is 'good'.  Yet when I run a diagnostic check on the Hub using my IP address the majority of the devices (8 out of 12) are showing as having low signal strength and the guidance is to move closer to the hub, often when the devices are in the same room!  The diagnostic check would appear more accurate than the Connect App as the devices also register a low wifi signal when I check them - smart tv's, speakers, laptop.

I really regret leaving BT as although the VM speeds are significantly better, it's a false benefit because the Super Hub 3 is so poor.  I have tried resetting the Hub, ensured that there are no devices in its immediate vicinity that would interfere with the signal but it's still limited.

Anyone else offer any advice to try and resolve the issue. Would VM allow me to walk away from my contract, particularly given the issues it's having on my ability to do my job with vulnerable people?  I also work with groups on zoom and without being an expert, believe that this soaks up more bandwidth and an unreliable connection when working with groups is a big concern.

I have also read conflicting things about buying a 3rd party router and putting the VM hub in modem mode. Frustrating that i'd need to fork out when I thought that VM would have provided a Hub with a similar spec to BT.  

Welcome any help in trying to get this resolved.

Thanks

[Andrew-G]

Would VM allow me to walk away from my contract, particularly given the issues it's having on my ability to do my job with vulnerable people? 

If you're in the 14 day cooling off period they have to.  Otherwise no, they won't let you walk away without paying harsh exit penalties, probably around £240.  VM will maintain that poor wifi is the customer's problem.  In consumer law it isn't quite as cut and dried, but the onus would be on you to prove that their wifi was inadequate which might be possible, there's a modest amount of footwork and formal processes involved and you'd need to create a robust, evidenced case, and start to finish could be about three months. I'd guess your chances of getting the outcome you imply you want are about 70% if you were to do this in a persistent and systematic manner.  

I also work with groups on zoom and without being an expert, believe that this soaks up more bandwidth and an unreliable connection when working with groups is a big concern.

No, video-calling and group conferencing is surprisingly light on bandwidth.  An unreliable connection, or one with poor latency will dramatically affect online meetings, but it is rarely because of the bandwidth. 

I have also read conflicting things about buying a 3rd party router and putting the VM hub in modem mode. Frustrating that i'd need to fork out when I thought that VM would have provided a Hub with a similar spec to BT.  

Unfortunately VM's hubs have a well deserved reputation for mediocre wifi.  Buying your own router or mesh system can be a good solution to problems that are very clearly wifi related.  But if the problem is a poor broadband connection then no third party router is going to help.

Try this: Connect to the hub by clicking on this link http://192.168.0.1/  That should pull up the log in page for the hub.  But don't log in, just click on the link "Check router status"  That'll bring up a window with five tabs.  Open the Downstream tab.  Select all the text (Ctrl-A if using a keyboard), copy it (Ctrl-C), then paste it (Ctrl-V) into a reply here as TEXT not screenshots.  Post that, do the same for the Upstream and Network log.  You'll get an error message when you post the Network log, just click on "post" a second time.  Then we can check for any obvious problems on the broadband side of things.

[EH11]

Hi Andrew, thanks for your clear and helpful reply.

Router details below:

Refresh data

Downstream bonded channels

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

1	187000000	13.1	40	256 qam	7
2	139000000	13.4	40	256 qam	1
3	147000000	13.3	40	256 qam	2
4	155000000	13.5	40	256 qam	3
5	163000000	13.4	40	256 qam	4
6	171000000	13.5	40	256 qam	5
7	179000000	13.3	40	256 qam	6
8	195000000	13	40	256 qam	8
9	203000000	12.8	40	256 qam	9
10	211000000	12.5	40	256 qam	10
11	219000000	12.4	40	256 qam	11
12	227000000	12	40	256 qam	12
13	235000000	11.6	40	256 qam	13
14	243000000	11.3	40	256 qam	14
15	251000000	10.9	40	256 qam	15
16	259000000	10	40	256 qam	16
17	267000000	8.9	38	256 qam	17
18	275000000	7.5	38	256 qam	18
19	283000000	8.8	38	256 qam	19
20	291000000	10.5	40	256 qam	20
21	299000000	11.4	40	256 qam	21
22	307000000	11.5	40	256 qam	22
23	315000000	12	40	256 qam	23
24	323000000	11.9	40	256 qam	24

Downstream bonded channels

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

1	Locked	40.3	20	0
2	Locked	40.3	6	0
3	Locked	40.3	5	0
4	Locked	40.9	18	0
5	Locked	40.3	21	0
6	Locked	40.3	4	0
7	Locked	40.9	18	0
8	Locked	40.3	18	0
9	Locked	40.3	6	0
10	Locked	40.9	18	0
11	Locked	40.9	6	0
12	Locked	40.3	20	0
13	Locked	40.9	21	0
14	Locked	40.3	5	0
15	Locked	40.9	10	0
16	Locked	40.9	12	0
17	Locked	38.9	9	0
18	Locked	38.9	10	0
19	Locked	38.6	4	0
20	Locked	40.3	12	0
21	Locked	40.3	6	0
22	Locked	40.9	5	0
23	Locked	40.9	7	0
24	Locked	40.9	5	0

• Refresh data

Upstream bonded channels

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

1	32600034	33.8	5120	64 qam	5
2	39400007	33.8	5120	64 qam	4
3	46200012	35.3	5120	64 qam	3
4	53700014	35.3	5120	64 qam	2

Upstream bonded 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

 Router status

[EH11]

Network Log

Time Priority Description

09/01/2022 19:06:27	notice	LAN login Success;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
09/01/2022 19:06:24	Warning!	LAN login FAILED : Incorrect Username / Password / ConnectionType;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
09/01/2022 18:25:24	notice	LAN login Success;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
09/01/2022 17:46:8	Warning!	LAN login FAILED : Incorrect Username / Password / ConnectionType;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
09/01/2022 16:20:36	notice	LAN login Success;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
09/01/2022 16:19:40	Warning!	LAN login FAILED : Incorrect Username / Password / ConnectionType;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
09/01/2022 15:25:45	notice	LAN login Success;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
09/01/2022 15:03:50	Warning!	LAN login FAILED : Incorrect Username / Password / ConnectionType;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
09/01/2022 14:43:43	notice	LAN login Success;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
08/01/2022 18:32:2	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
08/01/2022 06:03:30	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;
08/01/2022 06:03:30	Error	DHCP RENEW WARNING - Field invalid in response v4 option;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
04/01/2022 23:03:58	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
04/01/2022 20:21:47	notice	LAN login Success;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
04/01/2022 20:03:45	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
04/01/2022 17:00:2	notice	LAN login Success;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
04/01/2022 13:12:44	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
04/01/2022 10:49:47	notice	LAN login Success;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
04/01/2022 02:55:15	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;
04/01/2022 02:55:15	Error	DHCP RENEW WARNING - Field invalid in response v4 option;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;

[gary_dexter · Accepted solution]

Your downstream levels are too low and upstream are on the cusp of being too low.

You'll need an engineer visit to rectify.

[EH11]

Thanks for confirming this Gary.

To help me better understand route cause, what kind of issue would cause the low numbers?

I'll contact VM tomorrow and try and get an engineer visit, so thanks again.

[gary_dexter]

You’ll need your signal adjusting at the cabinet

[EH11]

... I should also have asked, do the low numbers indicate that the router isn't the issue, rather the 'supply' to the router.  Would this manifest as an unstable connection?  When I do a speed test, the numbers are always respectable, it's the range on the wifi signal and the reliability and drop-out that's troubling.  

Is it likely that any engineer intervention to fix the downstream and upstream numbers would also have a positive effect on wifi signal and reliability?

Thanks

[gary_dexter]

---

@EH11 wrote:

... I should also have asked, do the low numbers indicate that the router isn't the issue, rather the 'supply' to the router.  Would this manifest as an unstable connection?  When I do a speed test, the numbers are always respectable, it's the range on the wifi signal and the reliability and drop-out that's troubling.  

Is it likely that any engineer intervention to fix the downstream and upstream numbers would also have a positive effect on wifi signal and reliability?

Thanks

---

It’s doubtful they’ll fix the Wifi. In fact it’s very unlikely.

VM’s hubs have very poor Wifi output.

To fix that you’ll need to do what many people do and put the hub into modem mode and attach your own router or mesh system for better Wifi. 

[EH11]

I thought that might be the case.

I've done a bit of reading on mesh v router and my sense would be that router would be a better option for my needs.  As someone who has very little understanding of these things, would it be reasonable to say a budget of £50-£100 would get you a decent upgrade on wifi signal through a 3rf party router?  Any experience of makes that are decent or what to avoid?

I read so much conflicting stuff when trying to research.

Again, thanks.