Virgin Media Community

[BaD_The_Jackal]

As per title, I've been suffering from crazy lag spikes while do online gaming. I've been experiencing that for a little while now (6 months or so). I'm currently on the 350MB plan, speed isn't the problem here (although I rarely reach the full 350MB, usually sat around 240MB, which I'm still ok with). The issue seems to be with inconsistent latency. Games online can spikes up to 200ms making the game unplayable and very frustrating.

At night, after midnight, the situation is far different. Gameplay is smoother and finally enjoyable. 

It's so frustrating to get such a bad connection consider the monthly cost of it.

I've tried multiple solutions. Been in contact with VM multiple times, replace the Hub 3 and had an engineer visit (which could't find any problem with my internet). I also tried to use a Netgear XR500 router and have the Hub 3 in bridge mode, but having the exact same problem (despite me having QoS enabled and prioritize internet for the gaming console).

I can also confirm that the same issue is happening over wifi or cable, regardless. The router is about 1 meter away from my consoles and I'm having the same problem using 2 different consoles (PS4 and PS5). 

I thin I've done everything on my end to try to isolate the problem and I believe there is something wrong going with my connection (or is a congestion issue, which is still quite bad considering how expensive VM bundles are, and considering I never had those sort of problems using BT in the past).

Any help would be massively appreciate. 

P.S. I just signup on thinkbroadband.com and created a BQM which I can shortly post (please advise how to, in case is required).

Thanks to everyone willing to help.

[jbrennand]

Yes post the BQM - follow the instructions for "share live graph".

[BaD_The_Jackal]

https://www.thinkbroadband.com/broadband/monitoring/quality/share/de313ddcd9d3e325e4ccd071619d9bdaff... 

Cable Modem StatusItem Status Comments

Acquired Downstream Channel (Hz)	282750000	Locked
Ranged Upstream Channel (Hz)	60300019	Locked
Provisioning State	Online

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

1	282750000	-1	38	256 qam	19
2	138750000	3.2	38	256 qam	1
3	146750000	2.7	37	256 qam	2
4	154750000	2.9	38	256 qam	3
5	162750000	2.5	37	256 qam	4
6	170750000	2.2	37	256 qam	5
7	178750000	2	37	256 qam	6
8	186750000	1.7	38	256 qam	7
9	194750000	1.5	38	256 qam	8
10	202750000	1	38	256 qam	9
11	210750000	0.5	37	256 qam	10
12	218750000	0.2	38	256 qam	11
13	226750000	0	37	256 qam	12
14	234750000	0	38	256 qam	13
15	242750000	-0.2	37	256 qam	14
16	250750000	-0.4	37	256 qam	15
17	258750000	-0.2	38	256 qam	16
18	266750000	-0.7	37	256 qam	17
19	274750000	-1	37	256 qam	18
20	290750000	-1	38	256 qam	20
21	298750000	-0.2	37	256 qam	21
22	306750000	0.2	38	256 qam	22
23	314750000	0.5	38	256 qam	23
24	322750000	0.7	38	256 qam	24

Downstream bonded channels

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

1	Locked	38.6	6963	14
2	Locked	38.6	5013	168
3	Locked	37.6	6353	169
4	Locked	38.6	3655	11
5	Locked	37.6	6058	326
6	Locked	37.6	4606	1
7	Locked	37.6	4777	0
8	Locked	38.6	2459	0
9	Locked	38.6	2279	0
10	Locked	38.6	2551	0
11	Locked	37.6	4751	19
12	Locked	38.6	4726	11
13	Locked	37.3	5951	142
14	Locked	38.6	5201	36
15	Locked	37.6	7235	88
16	Locked	37.6	7368	123
17	Locked	38.6	9940	518
18	Locked	37.6	7774	12
19	Locked	37.6	8647	432
20	Locked	38.6	8212	151
21	Locked	37.6	7318	96
22	Locked	38.6	8350	87
23	Locked	38.9	4838	0
24	Locked	38.6	6794	9

Upstream bonded channels

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

1	60300019	45.8	5120	64 qam	1
2	39399998	45.8	5120	64 qam	4
3	46200019	45.8	5120	64 qam	3
4	53700031	45.8	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	1	0
3	ATDMA	0	0	0	0
4	ATDMA	0	0	0	0

[BaD_The_Jackal]

General Configuration

Network access	Allowed
Maximum Number of CPEs	1
Baseline Privacy	Enabled
DOCSIS Mode	Docsis30
Config file	sgvca69834ncxv9873254k;fg

Primary Downstream Service Flow

SFID	16880
Max Traffic Rate	402500089
Max Traffic Burst	42600
Min Traffic Rate	0

Primary Upstream Service Flow

SFID	16879
Max Traffic Rate	38500089
Max Traffic Burst	42600
Min Traffic Rate	0
Max Concatenated Burst	42600
Scheduling Type	BestEffort

Network Log

Time Priority Description

16/02/2021 06:57:29	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
16/02/2021 05:19:32	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;
16/02/2021 05:19:32	Error	DHCP RENEW WARNING - Field invalid in response v4 option;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
12/02/2021 22:31:51	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
12/02/2021 17:19:32	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;
12/02/2021 17:19:32	Error	DHCP RENEW WARNING - Field invalid in response v4 option;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
10/02/2021 02:57:19	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
09/02/2021 05:19:32	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;
09/02/2021 05:19:32	Error	DHCP RENEW WARNING - Field invalid in response v4 option;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
09/02/2021 00:48:29	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
08/02/2021 21:30:54	Warning!	RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
08/02/2021 17:13:53	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
06/02/2021 13:03:23	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;
06/02/2021 13:03:23	Error	DHCP RENEW WARNING - Field invalid in response v4 option;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
05/02/2021 16:28:51	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
04/02/2021 21:39:37	notice	LAN login Success;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
04/02/2021 21:39:35	Warning!	LAN login FAILED : Incorrect Username / Password / ConnectionType;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
04/02/2021 16:35:24	notice	LAN login Success;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
04/02/2021 16:35:10	Warning!	LAN login FAILED : Incorrect Username / Password / ConnectionType;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
04/02/2021 16:32:38	Warning!	RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;

[BaD_The_Jackal]

As you can see from the think broadband graphic, the latency at nighttime is perfect, daytime is awful, making gaming unplayable, especially between 2pm and 6pm. Thanks for your support btw.

[BaD_The_Jackal]

Anyone can help with this? Thank you. 

[Andruser]

https://community.virginmedia.com/t5/Home-Phone/Jitter-and-VOIP-phone/m-p/4626137

☠️

[BaD_The_Jackal]

Thank you for posting a link to another user’s discussion. Happy to see someone else is having the same problem. However I was looking for some insight regarding the BQM and the Data I posted above. Cheers

[alec0408]

"At night, after midnight, the situation is far different. Gameplay is smoother and finally enjoyable".

I think you've hit the nail on the head here.

I have just had a new 500mb line installed and it simply doesn't work and has not worked for a month.

An engineer told me that there are simply to many users online especially during lockdown and Virgin can't cope and whilst they are working to fix the problem he couldn't see this done any time soon.

It really doesn't help with all the advertisement of super fast lines and big savings, taking on more customers and not supplying the goods.

I've noticed in my apartmment block that all the old virgin connections are now disconnected and replaced with bt/plusnet/talktalk etc.I sould have looked more carefully and did a bit more online research before ordering.

Sorry not to be of any help and good luck with finding a solution.

[Andruser]

@BaD_The_JackalYour downstream power levels look rather widely spread for my liking, with a range of 4.2 dBmV, and VM may be able to sort that out, but they've never admitted what that acceptable range is.  However, the BQM shows a typical over-utilisation pattern - you see how it's very poor during normal waking hours, and then peachy from about half past midnight to 9 am? Shows that the network and your hub are working perfectly when there isn't too much traffic. Nothing you can do to improve matters on that, and for the vast majority of lockdown-related over-utilisation issues VM can't do anything to sort them out, because the network lacks upstream capacity in those areas, and changing that is difficult, slow and expensive, and they won't be doing that with the (hopeful) end of lockdown on the horizon.

Which means your only options are to sit it out and hope it clears up when lockdown ends, or to change ISP, if that's a practical option in your circumstances.  If you choose the latter, watch out for any VM early cancellation fees, and before committing check out the best quality ISP's here, and make sure you confirm speeds and installation timescales before signing anything.