Packet loss suddenly started about ten days ago

[AvaAdore]

Hello!

As of around 10am on Friday 5th November I now experience quite a lot of packet loss. Until then I never experienced any packet loss, so this is new and strange. You can see it on the ThinkBroadband BQM charts here:

Thursday 4th

https://www.thinkbroadband.com/broadband/monitoring/quality/share/a266d105cf3a2030d9ff8e9430a8178b267232fd-04-11-2021

Friday 5th: 

https://www.thinkbroadband.com/broadband/monitoring/quality/share/224d5890c091521d09aa5b69a867d7f249f3af8e-05-11-2021

Sunday 14th:

https://www.thinkbroadband.com/broadband/monitoring/quality/share/9214997037739bbb0c65ebc8251e4a5149a4edd9-14-11-2021

Like many of you I'm working from home so really starting to feel these dropouts. I've done the obvious stuff of restarting the router, but it's not made a difference. Is there anything else I can do or is it a case of needing to get an engineer out?

If it makes any difference or helps I am in the N6 postcode area (area reference 15)

Thanks!

[AvaAdore]

In case it's of any interest here are the logs from the SuperHub, which I don't think are related:

14/11/2021 22:14:28	notice	LAN login Success;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
12/11/2021 10:03:2	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
12/11/2021 00:54:53	Error	DHCP RENEW WARNING - Field invalid in response v4 option;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
12/11/2021 00:24:15	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
12/11/2021 00:21:46	critical	Received Response to Broadcast Maintenance Request, But no Unicast Maintenance opportunities received - T4 time out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
12/11/2021 00:19:40	Warning!	Lost MDD Timeout;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
12/11/2021 00:19:35	critical	SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Loss of Sync;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
12/11/2021 00:19:35	Warning!	RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
12/11/2021 00:19:35	critical	SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Loss of Sync;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
10/11/2021 08:24:20	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
10/11/2021 07:36:19	Error	DHCP RENEW WARNING - Field invalid in response v4 option;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
07/11/2021 16:09:27	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
07/11/2021 08:51:53	Error	DHCP RENEW WARNING - Field invalid in response v4 option;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
06/11/2021 22:58:34	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
02/11/2021 17:23:18	Error	DHCP RENEW WARNING - Field invalid in response v4 option;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
31/10/2021 10:41:47	Warning!	RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
30/10/2021 13:37:41	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
30/10/2021 06:23:18	Error	DHCP RENEW WARNING - Field invalid in response v4 option;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
30/10/2021 01:17:19	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
27/10/2021 12:25:26	Warning!	RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;

[pjayuk]

Hi,

I’m also in area 15 and have had packet loss since Friday 5 November, see my thread here:

https://community.virginmedia.com/t5/Speed/Slow-upstream-since-200-to-350-VOLT-upgrade/m-p/4863144#M...

Does your upstream come to a halt during these periods of packet loss?

A tech is making a second visit today to swap my modem out, but I suspect a local network fault.

[AvaAdore]

Hey there @pjayuk

Thanks for that - very helpful. The fact that we are both having issues that started on exactly the same date (I can pin it down to mid morning on Friday 5th) tells us that it's a wider network issue and changing your modem won't help. Prior to your message I was able to establish this independently last night by setting up a ThinkBroadband BQM on a separate line which is a business line used for the CCTV system on the development that I live on.

https://www.thinkbroadband.com/broadband/monitoring/quality/share/f27d17a82105d0ca303b60617a9e1276644a770d-15-11-2021

So it's 100% an area fault. Are you in the Crouch End / Highgate area of North London or is "Area 15" really wide?

Should I call out a tech? It seems pointless, but also it might escalate the issue and help get the network issue fixed.

My upstream comes to an almost but not quite complete halt which - obviously! - wrecks any video calls that I am on ...

Thanks again 

[Adduxi]

Try checking with Area faults on 0800 561 0061 or if you have a VM landline 150 as small local faults are not shown on VM status page.

Also Area's are the old historical billing areas, and not location based.

Can you post your power levels please, just copy and paste the text, do not screenshot.

[pjayuk]

---

@AvaAdore wrote:

Hey there @pjayuk

Thanks for that - very helpful. The fact that we are both having issues that started on exactly the same date (I can pin it down to mid morning on Friday 5th) tells us that it's a wider network issue and changing your modem won't help. Prior to your message I was able to establish this independently last night by setting up a ThinkBroadband BQM on a separate line which is a business line used for the CCTV system on the development that I live on.

https://www.thinkbroadband.com/broadband/monitoring/quality/share/f27d17a82105d0ca303b60617a9e1276644a770d-15-11-2021

So it's 100% an area fault. Are you in the Crouch End / Highgate area of North London or is "Area 15" really wide?

Should I call out a tech? It seems pointless, but also it might escalate the issue and help get the network issue fixed.

My upstream comes to an almost but not quite complete halt which - obviously! - wrecks any video calls that I am on ...

Thanks again 

---

I’m in N19, Tufnell Park, so it’s obviously quite a wide area. I get about 1 mbps upstream when the packet loss happens, not enough to send even a relatively small attachment.

[pjayuk]

---

@Adduxi wrote:

Try checking with Area faults on 0800 561 0061 or if you have a VM landline 150 as small local faults are not shown on VM status page.

Also Area's are the old historical billing areas, and not location based.

Can you post your power levels please, just copy and paste the text, do not screenshot.

---

The fault line is saying that they are ‘improving the network’ in my area today, but that things should be back to normal by 3 pm. Previously, when I have checked that number there were no faults reported. I guess it’s possible they may have just discovered the fault that has been causing the upstream problems for the last ten days or so.

[AvaAdore]

Thanks for this. I've marked your reply as "helpful" which Virgin Media have unhelpfully used to indicate the thread has an answer, which is not really true...

I've copied power levels below in case it shines a light on anything.

Downstream bonded channels

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

1	323000000	8.6	37	256 qam	24
2	139000000	6.5	36	256 qam	1
3	147000000	6.5	36	256 qam	2
4	155000000	6.5	36	256 qam	3
5	163000000	6.8	36	256 qam	4
6	171000000	6.9	36	256 qam	5
7	179000000	6.9	36	256 qam	6
8	187000000	7	36	256 qam	7
9	195000000	7	36	256 qam	8
10	203000000	7	36	256 qam	9
11	211000000	6.6	36	256 qam	10
12	219000000	6.5	36	256 qam	11
13	227000000	6.3	36	256 qam	12
14	235000000	6.3	37	256 qam	13
15	243000000	6.3	36	256 qam	14
16	251000000	6.4	36	256 qam	15
17	259000000	7	36	256 qam	16
18	267000000	7.6	36	256 qam	17
19	275000000	7.5	37	256 qam	18
20	283000000	8	37	256 qam	19
21	291000000	8.3	37	256 qam	20
22	299000000	8.5	37	256 qam	21
23	307000000	8.4	37	256 qam	22
24	315000000	8.5	37	256 qam	23

Downstream bonded channels

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

1	Locked	37.3	24	0
2	Locked	36.6	6263	0
3	Locked	36.6	65	0
4	Locked	36.6	18	0
5	Locked	36.6	12	0
6	Locked	36.6	31	0
7	Locked	36.6	55	0
8	Locked	36.6	24	0
9	Locked	36.6	15	0
10	Locked	36.6	20	0
11	Locked	36.6	19	0
12	Locked	36.6	13	0
13	Locked	36.6	18	0
14	Locked	37.3	16	0
15	Locked	36.6	24	0
16	Locked	36.6	18	0
17	Locked	36.3	31	0
18	Locked	36.6	16	0
19	Locked	37.3	12	0
20	Locked	37.3	34	0
21	Locked	37.6	8	0
22	Locked	37.3	46	0
23	Locked	37.3	18	0
24	Locked	37.3	7	0

Upstream bonded channels

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

1	25800792	51	5120	32 qam	6
2	39399817	47.5	5120	32 qam	4
3	46200433	47.3	5120	32 qam	3
4	32599636	48.5	5120	32 qam	5

Upstream bonded channels

Channel Channel Type T1 Timeouts T2 Timeouts T3 Timeouts T4 Timeouts

1	ATDMA	0	0	6	0
2	ATDMA	0	0	1	0
3	ATDMA	0	0	0	0
4	ATDMA	0	0	0	0

[pjayuk]

I see your upstream QAM are all at 32. What upstream speed are you getting with that? I have had three upstream channels at 64 QAM and one at 32 QAM for the whole working day today and I am getting 36 mbps. Vast improvement on last week, when all upstream QAM would go to 16 at about 10.30 am and stay there for  four or five hours, killing my upstream speeds. Maybe a fix has been or is being implemented.

[AvaAdore]

At the moment I get this uploads wise:

https://www.thinkbroadband.com/speedtest/1636984897529487155