Virgin Media Community

[ozsat]

So I check my download speed every few days to make sure I get what I am paying for,  Samknows real speed would usually come back with around 1140 and 940 - Ookla would come back with around 940Mbps too. During all this the upload is a constand 52Mbps.

Noticed things going slow on Sunday and the speeds had dropped to around 94Mbps download.

I have two different 1Gb network cards in the PC and swiitching between those (and SH4 ports) made no difference.

After a couple of power resets of the PC and Hub4 all went back to the expected rates.  I suispected the PC had got intob a weird state.

During yesterday I could tell from download speeds that things were not right again - and they were back to 94Mbs download and 52Mbps upload.

Tried the power resets again and still 94Mbps download via Ethenet. 5GHz Wifi is still working at over 300-400Mpbs which has never changed.

I have another device with a 1Gb card which would give similar speed results to those excepted - but that is now maxing at 94Mbps download too. A few other devices would usually achieve over 130Mpbs - and are all maxing at 94Mpbs too.

One device I could always get around 300Mbs download via Ethernet is now showing 94Mbps too - but still 300Mbs when switched to Wifi.

It seems the SH4 is auto-negotiating at 100 and not 1000 on all four ports. Config still shows 1 DOCSIS 3.1 channel connect and config download is still 1230000450.

Have done a pinhole factory reset and before doing any SH4 customisation I tried again and still only 94Mpbs on all four ports.

I am sure it is not a signal issue as Wifi is good and I'm getting between -1.1 and +3.0 on all power levels and between 37.3 and 38.8 on all SNR.

I've not seen anything in the logs to show a firmware update but the logs were lost here in the factory reset - currently cmreg-vmdg640-bbt076+voc-b.cm

I will call TS today and get them to suggest things but I can put the issue down to the SH4.

Power levels are mainly the same after the factory reset so within expected range.

Anyone any other ideas of things to try?

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[jb66]

Try a new better ethernet cable?

[ozsat]

Have replaced the main cable with a new Cat7 - but these devices are over different cables and all would not fail to be 94Mbps at once.

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@jb66 wrote:

Try a new better ethernet cable?

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[ozsat]

So - I unplugged the Ethernet cables from the SH4 and powered off the SH4.

Switched it backon and once the WiFi channels showed it was active I plugged the Ethernet cables back in.

Downloads back to those expected but I suspect this is only a temporary fix and they will drop again soon.

Just to add that there is an Ethernet connected V6 on this SH4 too. That does a Netflix speed test at 130Mbps normally - that too was only doing 94Mpbs.

So still looking for ideas - especially from VM TS.

[Adduxi]

Have you tried a full 60 second pinhole reset as below?

Remove any ethernet cables from the Hub and hold the pinhole reset switch for 60 seconds. Do NOT reboot the Hub, just let it do it's thing. Note you will need the passwords from the bottom of the Hub afterwards, so make sure they are legible.

The other one could be overheating as the Hub 4 is fan cooled.  Some users have reverted to placing an additional fan on the Hub to assist with cooling.

If these fail immediately, or revert to 10/100 connection again, I'm guessing the Hub 4 needs replacing.

[ozsat]

I did the pinhole reset last night and have now reset my own amendments like the light ring etc. The reset did not fix it but a reboot with nothing connected did.

I had wondered about it overheating but doesn't feel any warmer than since day one.

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@Adduxi wrote:

Have you tried a full 60 second pinhole reset as below?

Remove any ethernet cables from the Hub and hold the pinhole reset switch for 60 seconds. Do NOT reboot the Hub, just let it do it's thing. Note you will need the passwords from the bottom of the Hub afterwards, so make sure they are legible.

The other one could be overheating as the Hub 4 is fan cooled.  Some users have reverted to placing an additional fan on the Hub to assist with cooling.

If these fail immediately, or revert to 10/100 connection again, I'm guessing the Hub 4 needs replacing.

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[legacy1]

So if your reboot the hub now your speed will be under 100Mb? but if you nothing connected after boot and wait to connect by wire your speed is fine? do you have any wired devices that are 100Mb?

[Andrew-G]

The 94 Mbps speed is a giveaway, that the hub (in conjunction with connected devices) think that the ethernet cable is only 100 Mbps capable.  Because there's technical "overheads" in the ethernet standards, the 100 Mbps will at most give a speed measurement of ........wait for it.....94 Mbps.

Now, that doesn't mean the cable is necessarily at fault, it could be the hub that's failing, could be the devices, could be the cable (and any intermediate switches), or it could be very high levels of electromagnetic interference on the ethernet cables, eg if they're run close to stuff like fluorescent tubes, baby monitors, cheap PSUs, machinery or the like.

Appreciate that's all quite general, but might help focus the fault finding. 

[ozsat]

It is three different devices using different cable across all SH4 ports. Two devices usually connect with downloades over around 940-950Mpbs. A third maxes out at around 130Mpbs.  All three were fixed at 94Mbps.Even a new Cat7 cable laid across the floor had the 94Mbps issue.

This issue is the SH4 but may be firmware related. Some thing is triggering the SH4 to switch all ports to 100 instead of 1000.

VirginMedia are looking into this one as it would seem I'm not alone.

[Tom_W1]

Hi @ozsat, thanks for your post although I'm sorry to hear of your concerns raised.

I've checked on the network and there are definitely no faults, issues with power levels or congestion issues that could be causing this for you.

Have things improved since your last message? If not, I'd advise running a speed test with your device in Safe Mode - please keep us posted how you get on once you've done this.

Many thanks