Slow, slow, stop, stuttering, broken WiFi

[Yossarian22]

It's getting silly now, a speed test of under 2mbps unusable for work and broken connectivity throughout the day. 

I had called the service team to look into this around a week ago and they made vague noises about looking into it but no incident number or call reference and no change in service. 

[legacy1]

Get a cheap wifi router with 1Gb ports better then the hub and use hub in modem mode.

[jbrennand]

See this..
_________________________
Can we check first, are the issues only evident on wifi connections or do you see them at the same times on devices connected on ethernet cables? If you don't know, can you check to help diagnose whether it is just a wifi issue or it could be network connection/Hub related?

What Hub model is it? What are the various Hub lights showing/doing when this happens?


What is reported on the “free & automated” Service Status number - 0800 561 0061 - which usually gives the most up to date info. and tells you of more local issues down to postcode level. These may not be listed on the Area Status web page (Areas are not “Geographic” they are billing areas) as that usually only covers faults affecting 1000’s of customers) so phone may give you more info, but even that wont cover problems affecting just a few customers - or just you.
_____________________
Then do this

Do a quick check that all of your coax cable connections are in nice and "finger" tight - at the Hub and wall box and also at any connectors etc. Disconnect all the connections and reconnect to be sure. Ensure there are no “unterminated cable loose ends or loose wires on the connectors . Also check that the internal wiring is ok with no kinking or chaffing, check that all looks good with the outside cabling (no clips piercing, or broken sheathing) and the wall box.

Then, Post up your Hub/network connection details and someone will check to see if there is a problem there.  In your browser’s URL box type in http://192.168.0.1 (or http://192.168.100.1 - if in modem mode) (DONT click these links) - and hit return. On the first page up dont login (unless you have the Hub4/5 - when you do login) just click on the “router status” icon/text at bottom-middle (Hub3/4) or top/right (SH’s) of the Login page and then Navigate to these “pages” and just copy/paste the normal “Formatted Text” (not images) 3 FULL sets of data onto here – 2 tables from the Downstream, 2 from the Upstream, & the Network Logs page. Don't worry too much about the formatting it can be easily read & DON’T include personal data or MAC addresses - blank them out - if you copy/paste the data, the board software will do this for you (you may need to click the "submit" button again. If character limits are “exceeded” - just do two posts

If you haven’t already, set up a free, secure and “offlsite” - “Broadband Quality Monitor” to continually monitor the state of your connection and record any true network dropouts , latency issues, packet drops, etc - it will thus allow you to differentiate between those and simple wifi dropouts. It does it 24/7/365 and it keeps a visual record of any/all of your network disconnections, useful data to have to match to the Network logs (in your Hub settings) and also in discussions with VM - note it will take a few hours to start seeing a sensible picture - post up the “link” to the “share live graph”. Click the lower link (Share Live Graph) then click generate. Copy the text in the Direct Link box, beware, there may be more text than you can see. On here click the Link icon (2 links chain to the left of the camera icon) In the URL box paste the link you copied and then click OK

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

[Yossarian22]

Thanks for your help, it's the Hub 3.0

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

1	267000000	3.2	38	256 qam	17
2	139000000	4.1	38	256 qam	1
3	147000000	4.3	38	256 qam	2
4	155000000	4	38	256 qam	3
5	163000000	4	38	256 qam	4
6	171000000	4.3	38	256 qam	5
7	179000000	4.3	38	256 qam	6
8	187000000	4	38	256 qam	7
9	195000000	4	38	256 qam	8
10	203000000	4	38	256 qam	9
11	211000000	3.5	38	256 qam	10
12	219000000	3.9	38	256 qam	11
13	227000000	3.2	38	256 qam	12
14	235000000	3.2	38	256 qam	13
15	243000000	3	38	256 qam	14
16	251000000	2.7	38	256 qam	15
17	259000000	3.2	38	256 qam	16
18	275000000	3.7	38	256 qam	18
19	283000000	3.9	38	256 qam	19
20	291000000	3.7	38	256 qam	20
21	299000000	5.1	38	256 qam	21
22	307000000	5.5	40	256 qam	22
23	315000000	4.9	38	256 qam	23
24	323000000	5	38	256 qam	24

Downstream bonded channels

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

1	Locked	38.6	8	0
2	Locked	38.6	5	0
3	Locked	38.6	5	0
4	Locked	38.9	16	0
5	Locked	38.6	2	0
6	Locked	38.6	6	0
7	Locked	38.9	5	0
8	Locked	38.9	6	0
9	Locked	38.6	7	0
10	Locked	38.6	6	0
11	Locked	38.9	7	0
12	Locked	38.6	9	0
13	Locked	38.6	9	0
14	Locked	38.9	7	0
15	Locked	38.9	7	0
16	Locked	38.9	22	0
17	Locked	38.6	10	0
18	Locked	38.6	10	0
19	Locked	38.9	10	0
20	Locked	38.9	7	0
21	Locked	38.9	10	0
22	Locked	40.3	13	0
23	Locked	38.9	16	0
24	Locked	38.9	16	0

[Yossarian22]

And here is the upstream tables: 

Upstream bonded channels

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

1	53700000	43.3	5120	64 qam	5
2	60300000	43.5	5120	64 qam	4
3	46200000	43	5120	64 qam	6
4	39400000	42.8	5120	64 qam	8

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

[Yossarian22]

Network LOg

Network Log

Time Priority Description

04/07/2022 13:04:48	notice	LAN login Success;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
03/07/2022 19:44:10	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
03/07/2022 15:19:35	Error	DHCP RENEW WARNING - Field invalid in response v4 option;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
02/07/2022 20:01:24	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
02/07/2022 16:32:14	notice	LAN login Success;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
02/07/2022 16:30:51	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
01/07/2022 08:30:17	notice	LAN login Success;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
01/07/2022 08:29:47	Warning!	LAN login FAILED : Incorrect Username / Password / ConnectionType;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
01/07/2022 00:54:31	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;
30/06/2022 03:19:35	Error	DHCP RENEW WARNING - Field invalid in response v4 option;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
28/06/2022 20:44:39	notice	LAN login Success;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
27/06/2022 15:05:7	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
27/06/2022 08:22:59	notice	LAN login Success;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
26/06/2022 19:37:27	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
26/06/2022 15:19:35	Error	DHCP RENEW WARNING - Field invalid in response v4 option;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
26/06/2022 12:27:21	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
24/06/2022 09:13:26	notice	LAN login Success;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
24/06/2022 06:23:3	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
23/06/2022 07:24:34	notice	LAN login Success;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
23/06/2022 05:16:29	Error	DHCP RENEW WARNING - Field invalid in response v4 option;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;

[jbrennand]

Stats look spot on.

Lets see the BQM as soon as.

Looking like a wifi only issue so far - what are ethernet connections like?

[Yossarian22]

Thanks for the tip on the BQM, I've set it up for my work computer (goes through a VPN) and when I get a chance do the same for my home laptop.

The ethernet issue is a bit tricky as both the laptops don't have ethernet ports, only our ye olden consoles and TV. We did have the ethernet connected to the TV but as we don't really use the TV itself (we use a Firestick) there didn't seem much point.

I'm talking with customer service about wifi pods as a potential solution but balk at the ongoing cost of them. Do they really add more than the one off charge of a WiFI extender?

[jbrennand]

None of my Macbooks have ethernet ports but I have adaptors for all of them USB3/USBc/T.bolt - RJ45 ethernet and they all connect just fine. Worth having one for whatever port yours have.

See this for a solution to wifi
_________________________________

VM now supply “wifi Pods” (no longer doing cheap and cheerless “boosters”). However, their Pods are only free to customers on the 1GB, Volt (or old Ultimate Oomph) packages - is that you? If so they are worth trying - they should work for you.

You do have to call in to order the first one (cant do it online the website is borked) - or try the web-chat function (that has worked for some) - or just wait here for a VM person to respond in a day or two and they will sort the first one for you .

If not… you will be charged £5/month (note - BT charge £10/mo for their whole home wifi solution). It’s a simple solution and should work for you. However, you would soon pay off that cost by buying your own wireless solution that will be yours to own and use forever, but it isn’t the simple plug and play option of the Pod(s).

You would need to get either a… (1) Mesh System, (2) Wireless router, (3) Wireless access point (4) Powerline adapters (+/- inbuilt Wifi,) (5) A combination of (2,3,4).

£40-100 should sort it for most customers with an average property and usage.

[John_GS]

Hi Yossarian22 

Thanks for posting and welcome to the community. Sorry to hear of the WiFi issues. Before deciding on the Pods, please use the Connect App on your mobile - https://www.virginmedia.com/broadband/connect-app - when installed, you'll be able to do a WiFi scan in the property. Any coverage dead spots will be optimised if it can do, if not, it'll say you need to order a Pod 🙂

Let us know how you get on