Packet loss noticed recently on 500Mb service (area code 20)

[robbiekhan]

Recently when running speed tests I've noticed that packet loss being reported and jitter. Something I never saw for a long time now, years even. But before recently I was on 350Mb and had no real problem but few months back upgraded to 500Mb (still on Hub 3).

I am in modem only mode and am doing speed tests both from wired and wireless (5GHz @ 80MHz band so more than capable of maxing 500Mb WAN).

Nothing has changed on my side of things. Router (Asus AC68U), Hub 3 etc have been rebooted and no news devices have joined the network either. The packet loss exists in speedtests day or night whether 4PM or 4AM.

It should be noted that whilst streaming media, browsing and sustained download speed are not affected and I am able to download at 55MB/s or more typically, gaming performance is affected due to the packet loss.

The BQM I enabled today reflect what the speedtest.net results show too:

The Hub 3 status is as follows:

Downstream bonded channels

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

1	234750000	-4.9	37	256 qam	13
2	242750000	-4.5	37	256 qam	14
3	250750000	-3.9	37	256 qam	15
4	258750000	-4.7	37	256 qam	16
5	266750000	-4.7	37	256 qam	17
6	274750000	-4.2	37	256 qam	18
7	282750000	-4.9	37	256 qam	19
8	290750000	-4.5	37	256 qam	20
9	298750000	-3.7	37	256 qam	21
10	306750000	-4.2	37	256 qam	22
11	314750000	-4	37	256 qam	23
12	322750000	-3.7	37	256 qam	24
13	330750000	-5	37	256 qam	25
14	338750000	-4.7	37	256 qam	26
15	346750000	-3.7	38	256 qam	27
16	354750000	-4.5	37	256 qam	28
17	362750000	-4.2	37	256 qam	29
18	370750000	-3.2	38	256 qam	30
19	378750000	-4	37	256 qam	31
20	386750000	-3.9	37	256 qam	32
21	394750000	-2.7	38	256 qam	33
22	402750000	-3.2	37	256 qam	34
23	410750000	-2.7	37	256 qam	35
24	418750000	-1.5	38	256 qam	36

Downstream bonded channels

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

1	Locked	37.6	43	0
2	Locked	37.6	45	0
3	Locked	37.6	32	0
4	Locked	37.3	31	0
5	Locked	37.3	30	0
6	Locked	37.6	19	0
7	Locked	37.3	56	0
8	Locked	37.6	39	0
9	Locked	37.6	17	0
10	Locked	37.3	38	0
11	Locked	37.6	27	0
12	Locked	37.6	34	0
13	Locked	37.6	48	0
14	Locked	37.6	77	0
15	Locked	38.6	30	0
16	Locked	37.6	20	0
17	Locked	37.3	56	0
18	Locked	38.6	7	0
19	Locked	37.3	24	0
20	Locked	37.6	38	0
21	Locked	38.6	18	0
22	Locked	37.6	49	0
23	Locked	37.6	30	0
24	Locked	38.9	8	0

Upstream bonded channels

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

1	60299997	51	5120	32 qam	1
2	46200018	51	5120	32 qam	3
3	39400040	52	5120	16 qam	4
4	53700000	51	5120	32 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	1	0
4	ATDMA	0	0	0	0

[jb66]

Your upstream power levels are too high, do you have an attenuator or unused splitter on your incoming feed you can remove?

[robbiekhan]

There is an attenuator installed on the coax cable feeding into the Hub 3, this was installed by the VM engineer many many moons ago back when I was on the 200Mb package and then upgraded to 350 which has been fine too.

Do you think this could be it? Does the 500Mb service push more power through the line or something I'm not aware of meaning the attenuator should be removed?

[robbiekhan]

I have removed the attenuator and rebooted the hub, new status:

Downstream bonded channels

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

1	234750000	4.8	37	256 qam	13
2	242750000	5.3	37	256 qam	14
3	250750000	5.6	37	256 qam	15
4	258750000	5.1	37	256 qam	16
5	266750000	5	37	256 qam	17
6	274750000	5.5	37	256 qam	18
7	282750000	5	38	256 qam	19
8	290750000	5	37	256 qam	20
9	298750000	6.3	37	256 qam	21
10	306750000	5.5	37	256 qam	22
11	314750000	5.8	37	256 qam	23
12	322750000	6.1	37	256 qam	24
13	330750000	4.5	37	256 qam	25
14	338750000	5.1	37	256 qam	26
15	346750000	6	37	256 qam	27
16	354750000	5.1	37	256 qam	28
17	362750000	5.6	37	256 qam	29
18	370750000	6.5	38	256 qam	30
19	378750000	6	37	256 qam	31
20	386750000	5.8	37	256 qam	32
21	394750000	7	38	256 qam	33
22	402750000	6.6	38	256 qam	34
23	410750000	6.9	38	256 qam	35
24	418750000	8.1	38	256 qam	36

Downstream bonded channels

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

1	Locked	37.6	6	0
2	Locked	37.6	0	0
3	Locked	37.6	4	0
4	Locked	37.6	0	0
5	Locked	37.6	0	0
6	Locked	37.6	0	0
7	Locked	38.6	2	0
8	Locked	37.6	0	0
9	Locked	37.6	5	0
10	Locked	37.6	0	0
11	Locked	37.6	6	0
12	Locked	37.6	0	0
13	Locked	37.6	0	0
14	Locked	37.6	1	0
15	Locked	37.6	5	0
16	Locked	37.6	0	0
17	Locked	37.3	3	0
18	Locked	38.6	0	0
19	Locked	37.6	6	0
20	Locked	37.3	6	0
21	Locked	38.6	0	0
22	Locked	38.6	0	0
23	Locked	38.6	0	0
24	Locked	38.6	0	0

Upstream bonded channels

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

1	60300035	44	5120	32 qam	1
2	46199541	45.8	5120	16 qam	3
3	39399878	46.3	5120	32 qam	4
4	53699560	45.3	5120	32 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	0	0
3	ATDMA	0	0	0	0
4	ATDMA	0	0	0	0

[risc19]

Well, your power levels are good now.

But you upstream is still struggling.

I have seen many people suffering from packet loss & poor upload performance recently.

I also had it, but it did pass eventually (touch wood).

I have no idea why it's happening to so many people at the moment, virgin have been tight lipped about it.

[robbiekhan]

Hmm interesting, guess I will just keep an eye on it then and hope it passes. Perhaps congested area once again as it used to be years ago before VM did some upgrades locally.

Slightly annoying to say the least...

Cheers!

[robbiekhan]

ok so since my posts last night things seem to have gone back to normal. Gonna have to keep an eye on this!

[robbiekhan]

Should be worth noting that speedtest reports 3ms jitter and 0.3% packet loss but that's way better than what it was. Ill run a test again this eve during peak time.

[John_GS · Accepted solution]

Hi robbiekhan

Thanks for posting. My apologies for the broadband issues. 

You are affected by a known SNR (signal to noise ratio) issue.

F009454595 - this is your fault reference. The estimated fix date is the 23rd November. Please monitor the connection after this date and let us know if any further issues.

Best,

[robbiekhan]

Thanks very much! I'll keep an eye on things and check back after the 23rd.