unstable connection M200

[pigiuz]

Hi there, I'm a relatively new customer and I'm experiencing a VERY unstable connection.

latency is pretty high, connection speed varies a lot but it averages at 4mbps during the day (it's supposed to be 200!!!!) and connection drops often and suddenly.

this is the network log from the last 6 days... full of errors and warnings...

any help will be much appreciated

Time Priority Description

28/06/2022 01:14:35	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
27/06/2022 23:54:26	Error	DHCP RENEW WARNING - Field invalid in response v4 option;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
27/06/2022 08:34:5	Warning!	RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
26/06/2022 18:14:40	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
26/06/2022 13:12:34	Warning!	RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
26/06/2022 09:26:50	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
25/06/2022 23:25:37	Warning!	RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
25/06/2022 03:37:26	Error	DHCP RENEW WARNING - Field invalid in response v4 option;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
23/06/2022 20:32:46	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
23/06/2022 19:16:26	Warning!	RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
23/06/2022 00:03:14	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
22/06/2022 23:58:8	critical	Received Response to Broadcast Maintenance Request, But no Unicast Maintenance opportunities received - T4 time out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
22/06/2022 23:55:31	Warning!	Lost MDD Timeout;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
22/06/2022 23:55:26	critical	SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Loss of Sync;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
22/06/2022 23:55:26	Warning!	RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
22/06/2022 23:55:26	critical	SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Loss of Sync;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;

[newapollo · Accepted solution]

Hi @pigiuz 

Have you looked at Check service status at the top of the page? You can also a run a test on your equipment from there.

If nothing is showing  you could also try the  Service Status number  0800 561 0061.  This often gives details of more local issues down to postcode level.

Check all of your cabling, especially the white coaxial cable, and make sure it's snug and tight and free from all kinks.

Your speeds should be measured using an ethernet cable.

You also need to post the info from the Downstream and  Upstream pages so the tech guru's can have a better understanding of your connection

You should also set up a BQM monitor  at thinkbroadband.com - this will give an insight into what is happening with the signal at the other side of the Hub, it will take a few hours to get any kind of trend showing although you can post the link straight away.

Instructions for posting BQM Link

Under your BQM graph are two links in red.

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.

[pigiuz]

thank you,

I checked the service and it says it's all good here, but the connection speed is still very much floating up and down.

here's the monitor

https://www.thinkbroadband.com/broadband/monitoring/quality/share/c484f7051498ee5bc482508721bff0b3844d608e

[Ryan_N]

Hi pigiuz, 

Thank you for your post and welcome to the forums. 

I am sorry to hear you've been having some issues with your connection. I have been able to check out the BQM which looks really good in terms of anything standing out - I have also checked our system and nothing there also stands out as to anything that could cause an issue. What I did notice though is that your hub has an uptime of 64 days which might be the cause to the error logs you have put above. Is it possible you can give your hub a reboot? It might help in this case 🙂 

Cheers, 

Ryan. 

[jbrennand]

I dont think you have said... but are the issues only evident on wifi connections or do you see them at the same times on devices connected on ethernet cables? If you don't know, can you check to help diagnose whether it is just a wifi issue or it could be network connection/Hub related?

What are the various Hub lights showing/doing when this happens? Is the base light a steady (off) white - or flashing green?

[pigiuz]

thanks, I'll reboot and check if it fixes the issue.

I didnt' think uptime could have caused any issue: the router should be designed to support very long uptimes....

is there any guideline on how often VM routers are supposed to be rebooted?

[pigiuz]

I don't use the router wifi

[jbrennand]

---

@pigiuz wrote:

I don't use the router wifi

---

Does that mean.... you dont use wifi at all - or - you have your own wifi equipment?   If the latter, what make/model is it?

[pigiuz]

apols for the short answer.

I use my own wifi system, it's a TP-Link Deco E4 home mesh that's wired to the VM router.

to be noted: I verified the same problem with the VM router wifi. The reason I use my own wifi now (and I turned off the VM router wifi) is that I had a number of dead zones at home (problem that is now fixed)

[pigiuz]

forgot to answer to your last question:
the base light on the router (hub 3.0) is steady yellow