Intermittently slow internet speed

[hrochleit]

After going in circles trying to find a way to speak to a real person on the Virgin Media website I've ended up here.

My WiFi speeds are regularly dropping on the weekend to unacceptably slow levels - I pay for the 125MB fibre package, and when I test the speed after struggling to load basic websites on WiFi via a laptop, I'm getting speeds of sometimes as low as 1.25mbps. This  replicates onto wired connection as well, to a slightly less extreme degree.

My observations are that it's not a hub issue because most of the time things are fine - signal strength and speed all over my house is acceptable. I've tried switching the hub off and on again when speeds drop - this somehow actually makes things worse and speeds slower???) I refuse to reset because last time I did so the hub bricked itself and I had to wait days for an engineer visit and replacement which.... just no. My current thoughts are this is some form of artificial speed throttling because more people are using broadband in my area at the weekend, but it's heavy handed to the point my internet becomes unusable which is unacceptable.

What is going on any why, and who can I speak to you get it fixed please? 

Thanks in anticipation of not being sent to a speed check website and told to switch my hub off and on again, and move it around pointlessly please 🙂

If I can't be answered here, is there a phone number where I can speak to a human being instead of going round the same loop of instructions repeatedly on the website?

[lotharmat]

Let's have a look to see if it is the circuit or hub causing the issue!

Can you post your Hub status and logs?
Someone should be spot if there is a problem
Navigate to http://192.168.0.1 (or http://192.168.100.1 - if in modem mode)
Don't log in!
Click on 'router status'
Copy/paste the data from each of the tabs as text into a 'REPLY' as opposed to 'QUICK REPLY'. The forum software will remove the MAC addresses for you (If you get an error - just click the 'post' button again).

Also, set up a 'Broadband Quality Monitor'. This will monitor the state of your connection and record any network dropouts etc - You can do this at ThinkBroadband (https://www.thinkbroadband.com/broadband/monitoring/quality)
Give it a while to gather data and then click 'Share Live graph' and paste the 'Direct Link' into the forum!

[hrochleit]

Here you go, as requested:

Cable Modem Status

Item Status Comments

Acquired Downstream Channel (Hz) 

203000000

Locked

Ranged Upstream Channel (Hz) 

49600000

Locked

Provisioning State 

Online

Downstream bonded channels

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

1 203000000 5.5 37 256 qam 9

2 211000000 5.3 37 256 qam 10

3 219000000 5.1 37 256 qam 11

4 227000000 4.9 37 256 qam 12

5 235000000 4.6 37 256 qam 13

6 243000000 4.5 37 256 qam 14

7 251000000 4.3 37 256 qam 15

8 259000000 4.3 37 256 qam 16

9 267000000 4 37 256 qam 17

10 275000000 3.9 37 256 qam 18

11 283000000 3.9 37 256 qam 19

12 291000000 4 37 256 qam 20

13 299000000 4 37 256 qam 21

14 307000000 4 37 256 qam 22

15 315000000 4 37 256 qam 23

16 323000000 3.5 37 256 qam 24

17 331000000 3.9 37 256 qam 25

18 339000000 3.7 37 256 qam 26

19 347000000 3.7 37 256 qam 27

20 355000000 3.4 37 256 qam 28

21 363000000 3.5 38 256 qam 29

22 371000000 3 37 256 qam 30

23 379000000 3.2 37 256 qam 31

24 387000000 2.9 37 256 qam 32

Downstream bonded channels

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

1 Locked 37.6 25 0

2 Locked 37.6 17 0

3 Locked 37.6 10 0

4 Locked 37.3 18 0

5 Locked 37.3 21 0

6 Locked 37.3 28 0

7 Locked 37.6 16 0

8 Locked 37.3 18 0

9 Locked 37.3 13 0

10 Locked 37.3 20 0

11 Locked 37.3 16 0

12 Locked 37.6 14 0

13 Locked 37.6 26 0

14 Locked 37.3 22 0

15 Locked 37.6 18 0

16 Locked 37.3 12 0

17 Locked 37.6 36 0

18 Locked 37.3 28 0

19 Locked 37.6 22 0

20 Locked 37.6 34 0

21 Locked 38.6 29 0

22 Locked 37.6 26 0

23 Locked 37.6 18 13

24 Locked 37.3 9 0

Upstream bonded channels

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

1 49600000 43.8 5120 64 qam 1

2 36599488 41.5 5120 64 qam 3

3 43100000 42.8 5120 64 qam 2

4 23599882 39.2 5120 16 qam 5

5 30099863 40.5 5120 64 qam 4

Upstream bonded channels

Channel Channel Type T1 Timeouts T2 Timeouts T3 Timeouts T4 Timeouts

1 ATDMA 0 0 1 0

2 ATDMA 0 0 0 0

3 ATDMA 0 0 0 0

4 ATDMA 0 0 0 0

5 ATDMA 0 0 0 0

General Configuration

Network access 

Allowed

Maximum Number of CPEs 

1

Baseline Privacy 

Enabled

DOCSIS Mode 

Docsis30

Config file 

cmreg-vmdg505-bbt057-b.cm

Primary Downstream Service Flow

SFID 495722

Max Traffic Rate 143750047

Max Traffic Burst 42600

Min Traffic Rate 0

Primary Upstream Service Flow

SFID 495721

Max Traffic Rate 22000047

Max Traffic Burst 42600

Min Traffic Rate 0

Max Concatenated Burst 42600

Scheduling Type BestEffort

Network Log

Time Priority Description

17/04/2023 10:44:3 critical No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;

15/04/2023 11:50:11 notice NOTICE ATOM is restarted due to Kernel/oops panic as part of Self Healing Mechanism ;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;

14/04/2023 18:39:41 Error DHCP RENEW WARNING - Field invalid in response v4 option;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;

11/04/2023 19:38:51 critical No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;

07/04/2023 18:39:41 Error DHCP RENEW WARNING - Field invalid in response v4 option;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;

04/04/2023 15:39:50 critical No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;

04/04/2023 06:39:41 Error DHCP RENEW WARNING - Field invalid in response v4 option;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;

31/03/2023 19:23:24 critical No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;

31/03/2023 18:39:41 Error DHCP RENEW WARNING - Field invalid in response v4 option;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;

28/03/2023 12:16:0 critical No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;

24/03/2023 18:39:41 Error DHCP RENEW WARNING - Field invalid in response v4 option;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;

23/03/2023 06:01:44 critical No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;

17/03/2023 18:39:41 Error DHCP RENEW WARNING - Field invalid in response v4 option;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;

15/03/2023 13:06:15 critical No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;

14/03/2023 08:45:57 Error DHCP RENEW WARNING - Field invalid in response v4 option;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;

09/03/2023 06:51:7 critical No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;

09/03/2023 04:06:1 Error DHCP RENEW WARNING - Field invalid in response v4 option;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;

08/03/2023 05:37:57 critical No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;

05/03/2023 16:06:1 Error DHCP RENEW WARNING - Field invalid in response v4 option;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;

03/03/2023 16:35:38 critical No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;

[lotharmat]

The only thing jumping out to me is:

23 Locked 37.6 18 13

Which are uncorrectable D/S errors.

Hang tight for VM forum staff to get to this - they'll be able to have a look. In the meantime, get the BQM set up as that will paint a really good picture of the connection and can be used as proof of a bad connection.

[hrochleit]

Thank you. I've set up the other thing you mentioned in the meantime.

[Lee_R]

Hi @hrochleit thanks for posting and welcome to our community.

Sorry to hear you're having slow internet speeds. And for any inconvenience this may be causing your household. We've checked from our side and need to book a technician visit. To arrange this I am going to send you a private message, so we can confirm some details. Please look out for the purple envelope in the top right of your screen.

Regards

Lee_R

[Lee_R]

Hi @hrochleit thanks for getting back to me privately.

And thanks for agreeing to a technician appointment. Just to confirm, there will be no charge for this visit unless:
The technician diagnoses the faults as not being caused by our network/equipment 
The technician discovers that the fault or problem relates to your equipment
The technician discovers that the fault or problem relates to any system that we are not responsible for
The technician will confirm during their visit if any of these instances apply, and if so, a £25 charge will be applied to your account.
Please ensure that someone over the age of 18 is at the property for the time the engineer is there. If the appointment is unsuitable or if anyone living at your property has tested positive for Coronavirus, has been asked to self-isolate or has flu-like symptoms then please reschedule the appointment on the same link. If you do miss the appointment for any reason, a £25 missed appointment charge will be applied to your account on the day of the appointment, so it is important to reschedule if needed. You can view and manage appointments, here.  

Do please let us know how the appointment goes. 
Also for future reference, we have these helpful links available to help with broadband/WiFi issues:
• Service status page, where you can check if there's any issues impacting your area. That link will also allow you to log in and book a technician if required.
• Wi-Fi hints and tips
• Wi-Fi troubleshooting
• Slow speeds
• Speed test.  When running a speed test we would always recommend running this via a wired connection This can be completed using an ethernet cable via a PC or laptop and will allow us to see the speeds available at the Hub.
We also have the Connect App that will allow you to scan your property to optimise the wireless network

Regards

Lee_R