RCS partial service and no ranging response

[cliffd82]

Hi,

Previously posted last year on https://community.virginmedia.com/t5/Forum-Archive/RCS-partial-service-and-No-Ranging-Response/m-p/4...but at the time was unable to progress as you wanted to send an engineer out.

However the problems have continued with frequent drops of internet connectivity (both on wired and wireless).

Current logs showing similar issues to before:

08/10/2021 01:07:33	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
01/01/1970 00:01:38	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
05/10/2021 12:07:4	Warning!	Lost MDD Timeout;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
05/10/2021 12:07:0	Warning!	RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
05/10/2021 12:07:0	critical	SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Loss of Sync;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
05/10/2021 12:06:59	Warning!	RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
05/10/2021 12:06:59	critical	SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Loss of Sync;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;

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

1	46200000	44.3	5120	64 qam	1
2	32600000	43.5	5120	64 qam	3
3	39400131	43.8	5120	64 qam	2
4	25799935	43.3	5120	64 qam	4

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

1	259000000	2.5	37	256 qam	16
2	251000000	2.4	37	256 qam	15
3	267000000	3	37	256 qam	17
4	275000000	3.2	37	256 qam	18
5	283000000	2.9	37	256 qam	19
6	291000000	2.9	37	256 qam	20
7	299000000	3.2	37	256 qam	21
8	307000000	3	37	256 qam	22
9	315000000	2.5	37	256 qam	23
10	323000000	2.7	37	256 qam	24
11	331000000	2.9	37	256 qam	25
12	339000000	2.5	37	256 qam	26
13	347000000	2.5	37	256 qam	27
14	355000000	2.2	37	256 qam	28
15	363000000	2.4	37	256 qam	29
16	371000000	2.2	37	256 qam	30
17	379000000	2.2	37	256 qam	31
18	387000000	2	37	256 qam	32
19	395000000	2.2	37	256 qam	33
20	403000000	1.9	37	256 qam	34
21	411000000	1.5	37	256 qam	35
22	419000000	1.2	37	256 qam	36
23	523000000	0	37	256 qam	37
24	531000000	0	37	256 qam	38

Downstream bonded channels

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

1	Locked	37.3	2	0
2	Locked	37.6	4	0
3	Locked	37.6	6	0
4	Locked	37.6	6	0
5	Locked	37.3	5	0
6	Locked	37.6	8	0
7	Locked	37.6	6	0
8	Locked	37.6	7	0
9	Locked	37.3	1	0
10	Locked	37.6	5	0
11	Locked	37.6	0	0
12	Locked	37.6	0	0
13	Locked	37.3	4	0
14	Locked	37.3	7	0
15	Locked	37.6	5	0
16	Locked	37.6	5	0
17	Locked	37.6	6	0
18	Locked	37.6	5	0
19	Locked	37.3	6	0
20	Locked	37.3	6	0
21	Locked	37.3	4	0
22	Locked	37.3	0	0
23	Locked	37.3	7	0
24	Locked	37.6	13	0

Observed behaviour will be drops of internet connectivity for a couple of minutes that will normally resolve and come back a few minutes later.  Probably have issues most days.

Any assistance would be appreciated

Thanks.

[jbrennand]

All those stats are in spec can you do this....
__________________________________

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” (as per instructions on the TB website) when it starts to develop.

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

[cliffd82]

Thanks John.  I actually had one running from when I last raised the issue a year ago, but forgot about it.  I've started again on my current IP lease.  I've also got a simple MRTG test running from a Pi to collect similar stats outbound.  I thought the Pi was left on a wired connection for this purpose, but looks like it was just connected on the WiFi the whole time, so it showing the same stats I observe on my devices.  The issue is at my mum's, and I hadn't bothered to check if it was still plugged in to the router.

But that in turn has lead me to notice to something potentially interesting...  this morning the internet wasn't working for a bunch of devices, and it was all devices set to use the 5GHz spectrum rather than 2.4.  This lasted for about 5 minutes or so.  

In general I've set up all the 'compute' devices on 5GHz, and IoT/SmartHome on 2.4.  However it seems devices on 2.4 were still ok, where no devices on 5 were working at any distance to the router.

[jbrennand · Accepted solution]

There is a reported bug in recent firmware updates that causes either one of the bands to drop out or change the SSID name. Not sure if and when it will be fixed. Only sure cure is to put the Hub into modem mode and use your own better quality router and wireless equipment.

[cliffd82]

Indeed a service check from the Virgin website just returned this:

Looks like the Hub needs resetting

One of the Hub’s WiFi bands isn’t active which might be causing issues. Follow the steps to reset the Hub’s settings.

And checking in with my mum, her internet wasn't working at the time...  a reboot of the modem fixed it again.

Are there any ways to get a replacement Hub, or the new Hub4, or is this bug common on all models?  The problem has been ongoing now for over a year, and at one point Virgin were going to send an engineer out but my mum declined due to shielding.  I don't see why she should have to pay for WiFi routers when the one provided looks to not be fit for purpose.