Virgin Media Community

[thetarn]

Almost daily our internet drops for a minimum of 15 minutes or so (often multiple times a day). When it does resume all WiFi connected clients have to be physically disconnected and reconnected.

Most recently, whenever the weather is particularly rainy we lose connection with the message that network access is "blocked" and on another screen it says "access denied".

We called the support line and they said this was an issue with the coax (I specifically asked them to check the account status and they said there were no issues with the account nor with connectivity in the general area).

A technician was dispatched who, upon his arrival, kept harping on about WiFi signal and WiFi boosters and the like, despite my interjections regarding the "blocked" issue (and the fact that even Ethernet devices are affected!) - which he just laughed about and said the support people did not know what they were talking about. He did, however, re-crimp coax connectors and replace the splitter outside the house in the shoddy box on the side of the wall. When he was done, the hub refused to reconnect, so he hard-reset it and finally did a test with his network testing tool. Apparently all was well according to that.

Less than two weeks later it has been steadily raining again and, lo and behold!, the same issue is occurring. 

I have been monitoring from my PC, connected via ethernet for the past hour or so.

In the past hour the connection has dropped three times. The hub drops multiple Ethernet packets and finally resumes service after a few minutes. When the connection is down, the network status is listed as "blocked", although at times it goes down before the status changes, if I am even able to access the hub's web interface during that time.

Currently doing a speed test, I get maximum ~5mbps, with various test sites (speedtest.net and others). Latency is around 10-20ms, jitter around 2-3ms. 

The logs are sparse, seemingly only updating every few hours, but I have attached all the bits I can.

Firstly, I ran a continuous ping from my PC to the hub

Ping statistics for 192.168.0.1:
Packets: Sent = 5328, Received = 4788, Lost = 540 (10% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 2ms, Maximum = 298ms, Average = 11ms

While the issue is occurring it seems to drop every 5 out of 10 packets, however this does not reflect above as the connection has been up again for some time now. 

[thetarn]

Below some info from the hub itself (note that I have obscured those mac addresses, whether necessary or not I do not know). The connection has dropped three times 15:56:57 however the logs do not reflect this fully it seems.

Network Log

Time	Priority	Description
27/06/2020 16:06:10	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=c0:05:c2:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=00:01:5c:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
27/06/2020 16:05:11	critical	Received Response to Broadcast Maintenance Request, But no Unicast Maintenance opportunities received - T4 time out;CM-MAC=c0:05:c2:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=00:01:5c:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
27/06/2020 15:59:48	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=c0:05:c2:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=00:01:5c:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
27/06/2020 15:56:57	Warning!	RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=c0:05:c2:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=00:01:5c:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
27/06/2020 15:56:49	critical	SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Loss of Sync;CM-MAC=c0:05:c2:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=00:01:5c:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
27/06/2020 15:44:19	Warning!	RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=c0:05:c2:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=00:01:5c:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
27/06/2020 15:40:2	critical	SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Loss of Sync;CM-MAC=c0:05:c2:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=00:01:5c:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
27/06/2020 15:38:53	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=c0:05:c2:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=00:01:5c:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
27/06/2020 15:36:52	Warning!	RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=c0:05:c2:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=00:01:5c:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
27/06/2020 15:32:16	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=c0:05:c2:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=00:01:5c:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
27/06/2020 15:31:20	critical	Received Response to Broadcast Maintenance Request, But no Unicast Maintenance opportunities received - T4 time out;CM-MAC=c0:05:c2:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=00:01:5c:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
27/06/2020 15:25:57	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=c0:05:c2:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=00:01:5c:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
27/06/2020 15:25:42	Warning!	RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=c0:05:c2:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=00:01:5c:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
27/06/2020 15:25:42	critical	SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Loss of Sync;CM-MAC=c0:05:c2:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=00:01:5c:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
27/06/2020 15:15:33	Warning!	RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=c0:05:c2:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=00:01:5c:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
27/06/2020 15:15:7	critical	SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Loss of Sync;CM-MAC=c0:05:c2:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=00:01:5c:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
27/06/2020 15:11:21	Warning!	RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=c0:05:c2:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=00:01:5c:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
27/06/2020 15:08:33	notice	LAN login Success;CM-MAC=c0:05:c2:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=00:01:5c:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
27/06/2020 15:08:26	critical	SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Loss of Sync;CM-MAC=c0:05:c2:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=00:01:5c:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;

General Configuration

Network access	Allowed
Maximum Number of CPEs	1
Baseline Privacy	Enabled
DOCSIS Mode	Docsis30
Config file	cmreg-vmdg505-rtsl10016u-b.cm

Primary Downstream Service Flow

SFID	63482
Max Traffic Rate	117000047
Max Traffic Burst	42600
Min Traffic Rate	0

Primary Upstream Service Flow

SFID	63481
Max Traffic Rate	10500047
Max Traffic Burst	16320
Min Traffic Rate	0
Max Concatenated Burst	16320
Scheduling Type	BestEffort

 Downstream bonded channels

Channel	Frequency (Hz)	Power (dBmV)	SNR (dB)	Modulation	Channel ID
1	138750000	-3.9	37	256 qam	1
2	146750000	-3.4	37	256 qam	2
3	154750000	-4	37	256 qam	3
4	162750000	-3.5	37	256 qam	4
5	170750000	-2.5	37	256 qam	5
6	178750000	-4.2	37	256 qam	6
7	186750000	-2	37	256 qam	7
8	194750000	-2.9	37	256 qam	8
9	202750000	-4	37	256 qam	9
10	210750000	-1.5	38	256 qam	10
11	218750000	-4	37	256 qam	11
12	226750000	-3.7	37	256 qam	12
13	234750000	-2	38	256 qam	13
14	242750000	-4.5	37	256 qam	14
15	250750000	-3	37	256 qam	15
16	258750000	-2.9	37	256 qam	16
17	266750000	-3.4	38	256 qam	17
18	274750000	-2.7	37	256 qam	18
19	282750000	-1.5	38	256 qam	19
20	290750000	-3.2	38	256 qam	20
21	298750000	-1	38	256 qam	21
22	306750000	-1.9	38	256 qam	22
23	314750000	-1.5	38	256 qam	23
24	322750000	-1	37	256 qam	24

 Downstream bonded channels

Channel	Locked Status	RxMER (dB)	Pre RS Errors	Post RS Errors
1	Locked	38.6	5027	6273
2	Locked	38.6	3610	0
3	Locked	38.6	7938	743
4	Locked	38.6	6179	4271
5	Locked	38.6	30	0
6	Locked	38.6	9566	2199
7	Locked	38.6	7347	33
8	Locked	38.9	16	0
9	Locked	38.6	0	0
10	Locked	38.6	6	0
11	Locked	38.6	5	0
12	Locked	38.9	0	0
13	Locked	38.6	5	0
14	Locked	38.6	1	0
15	Locked	38.6	0	0
16	Locked	38.6	6	0
17	Locked	38.6	5	0
18	Locked	38.6	0	0
19	Locked	38.6	4	0
20	Locked	38.6	1	0
21	Locked	38.6	6	0
22	Locked	38.6	5	0
23	Locked	38.6	5	0
24	Locked	38.6	0	0

 Upstream bonded channels

Channel	Frequency (Hz)	Power (dBmV)	Symbol Rate (ksps)	Modulation	Channel ID
1	60300000	4.95	5120	64 qam	1
2	53700000	5.025	5120	64 qam	2
3	46200000	5.075	5120	64 qam	3
4	39400000	5.05	5120	64 qam	4

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

[thetarn]

On average I only received around 10mbps when testing before the technician arrived. He managed to get over 50mbps testing from his tablet connected to the hub. I was surprised. Since then the speed was much better. But I don't really care about the speed so much as a consistently connected service.

I protested to both the telephone support person and the attending technician that I believe the issue must be upstream or related to the hub unit itself and was shot down both times. First, by telephone support, that the coax must be faulty and then by the technician that we needed more wifi boosters despite the majority of our devices being hardwired. 

Could someone please let me know if I am missing something here? Or how I can speak to someone who is willing to actually consider that there might be an issue - and investigate rather than being blase about it or trying to sell me more equipment?

FWIW the hub unit is approximately 3-4 years old according to my landlord. This too was intimated to the technician. I asked whether these get periodically replaced and he responded - "only if they stop working".

Fully power cycling the hub takes about 20-25 minutes for it to become active again and for one to be able to login. I don't know if it just goes AWOL when the connection drops or is just frozen altogether. 

[Corey_C]

Hi thetarn,

Thanks for your post and welcome to the community forums. Sorry to hear that you're having connection issues. I'll send a PM shortly.

Cheers,

Corey C

[Corey_C]

Hi thetarn,

I've got a tech visit booked for you on Thursday, 2-JUL, 12-4. You can view or reschedule this from your online account with this link. 

Thanks,
Corey C

[thetarn]

Thanks Corey! I will update this post accordingly once the technician has attended.

[thetarn]

Hi Corey,

Alex (20894) attended and all is now well so far.

He was extremely helpful, listened to my concerns and investigated further and replaced the hub after watching the logs and running some tests.

He called us shortly after leaving; to relay the fact that there was also an issue in the our area affecting 27 other customers - which the network team picked up. All in all very happy with the service now.

Thank you for your assistance in this regard.

[Melissa_F]

That's great 🙂

Thank you for letting us know.

If you need anything further, you know where to find us.

Thanks

Melissa

[thetarn]

Hi Melissa and Corey,

The connection has been _mostly_ stable. It only goes down about twice a week now rather than daily. Especially still while it is raining.

Tonight I have < 1mbps connection speed using speedtest.net and I can barely browse sites or use any kind of internet services.

I have tried calling for support (3 times now after struggling with the robotic voice) but apparently your support lines are closed out of business hours?

Apologies if my tone seems confrontational but this service is just shocking. And what's really annoying is it always seems to go down when I really just want to kick back after a long day at work.

All other devices are shut down bar my landlord's cellphone and mine as well as the PC I am testing from, which is connected using an Ethernet cable. Have restarted the hub both by power cycling for 20 seconds and rebooting from the admin menu. No joy.

Please can someone address the issue that was picked up in the street? Clearly the infrastructure in this area is not doing well.

Many Thanks

Tarn

[Zoie_P]

Hi thetarn, 

thanks for your reply, I have had a look remotely and there is an issue I would like to book you an engineer to come and take a look for you. I will pop you a message so keep an eye out for the purple envelope 🙂

thanks,

Zoie