T3 Timeouts and Erratic Power Levels

[neil3083]

Hey folks,

Internets been crap for the last few months (ever since summer kicked in)

Power levels are getting as high as 10-11Db DS / 38Db US and then randomly plummeting to -3Db DS / 51Db US.

Because of this I'm getting constant T3 timeouts and connection drops. I've checked every coupler/connector on the wire and everything's tight so I don't think that's the problem. The only thing I can think of is that the cables degraded over time as it's been installed since 2001 back on an old Telewest line.

Here my BQM:

https://www.thinkbroadband.com/broadband/monitoring/quality/share/54a0bb0e093fb381fb1d47e0f486b7fe86b640e6-15-07-2021

 Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[conman33158]

Could be a line fault mate as well as cable degradation, you could maybe do with a new pull but that would be up to Virgin. A good start would be to call it in and see what they say about your stats or you could upload your stats here and we can have a look 🙂

Type 192.168.0.1 or (192.168.100.1 if you have your Hub in Modem mode) into your address bar at the top of your browser

Do NOT log in, just click “Check Router Status” at the bottom of the page. Sometimes the “Check Router Status” is missing, in this case just go ahead and log in and go to Advanced Settings-> Tools-> Network Status.

Please copy and paste the contents of the Downstream, Upstream, Configuration and Network Log tabs, if you get a yellow warning just click the Post button again.

Do not try to fit everything in one post! You can use more than one post for each configuration tab if needed!

If you get a warning when you hit “Post” just hit “Post” again and it should work ok!

Please do not use screenshots

If you want to call it in it's best to ring Virgin on or just after 8am on 0345 454 1111 or alternatively you can wait here for a Virgin staff member to pick it up, but unfortunately this will typically be between 5-10 days, sometimes sooner, sometimes later depending on how busy they are. If you decide to call it in it will run through a few automated options and after that ring back again and it should recognise that you have rang previously and then put you in the queue for a Virgin representative.

[neil3083]

Downstream bonded channels

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

1	331000000	4.6	40	256 qam	25
2	251000000	4.4	40	256 qam	15
3	259000000	4	40	256 qam	16
4	267000000	4.3	40	256 qam	17
5	275000000	4.3	40	256 qam	18
6	283000000	4.5	40	256 qam	19
7	291000000	4.8	40	256 qam	20
8	299000000	5.3	40	256 qam	21
9	307000000	5	40	256 qam	22
10	315000000	4.8	40	256 qam	23
11	323000000	4.9	40	256 qam	24
12	339000000	4.5	40	256 qam	26
13	347000000	4.5	40	256 qam	27
14	355000000	4.5	40	256 qam	28
15	363000000	4	40	256 qam	29
16	371000000	4.3	40	256 qam	30
17	379000000	4.4	40	256 qam	31
18	387000000	4	40	256 qam	32
19	395000000	4	40	256 qam	33
20	403000000	4	40	256 qam	34
21	411000000	3.9	40	256 qam	35
22	419000000	3.5	40	256 qam	36
23	427000000	3.5	40	256 qam	37
24	435000000	3.2	40	256 qam	38

Downstream bonded channels

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

1	Locked	40.9	5812	9693
2	Locked	40.3	12205	11787
3	Locked	40.3	12116	22054
4	Locked	40.3	11520	11743
5	Locked	40.3	9754	12477
6	Locked	40.3	8639	11099
7	Locked	40.3	7490	9844
8	Locked	40.3	7377	18810
9	Locked	40.9	6900	9615
10	Locked	40.9	6655	9733
11	Locked	40.3	6011	10161
12	Locked	40.9	6294	10396
13	Locked	40.9	5282	10820
14	Locked	40.9	5259	10187
15	Locked	40.3	5162	19899
16	Locked	40.3	4985	10188
17	Locked	40.9	5009	18736
18	Locked	40.9	8310	9984
19	Locked	40.9	8125	9573
20	Locked	40.3	8394	8500
21	Locked	40.3	8538	8446
22	Locked	40.9	8443	8226
23	Locked	40.9	6926	15932
24	Locked	40.3	5665	15571

[neil3083]

pstream bonded channels

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

1	46199988	41.8	5120	64 qam	3
2	39399983	41.5	5120	64 qam	4
3	53700000	41.8	5120	64 qam	2
4	60300012	41.3	5120	64 qam	1

Upstream bonded channels

Channel Channel Type T1 Timeouts T2 Timeouts T3 Timeouts T4 Timeouts

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

[neil3083]

Network Log

Time Priority Description

16/07/2021 10:28:13	Warning!	RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
16/07/2021 10:28:13	critical	SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Loss of Sync;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
16/07/2021 10:28:9	Warning!	RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
16/07/2021 10:28:9	critical	SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Loss of Sync;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
16/07/2021 10:28:8	Warning!	RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
16/07/2021 10:28:8	critical	SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Loss of Sync;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
16/07/2021 10:28:6	Warning!	RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
16/07/2021 10:27:59	Warning!	Lost MDD Timeout;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
16/07/2021 10:27:54	critical	SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Loss of Sync;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
16/07/2021 10:27:53	Warning!	RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
16/07/2021 10:27:53	critical	SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Loss of Sync;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
16/07/2021 03:20:54	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
16/07/2021 03:20:37	Warning!	RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
16/07/2021 03:20:34	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
16/07/2021 03:18:29	Warning!	RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
16/07/2021 03:17:15	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
16/07/2021 03:17:14	Warning!	RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
16/07/2021 02:43:20	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
16/07/2021 02:18:39	Warning!	RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
16/07/2021 02:14:3	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;

[conman33158]

You have quite a lot of post RS Errors as well as the T3 Timeouts. Everything else looks fine. Try resetting the router and see how quickly the errors return. Please do the pinhole reset and not a software reset. Hold in the pinhole at the rear of the router for at least 50 seconds and then release (the lights will flash while holding in the pinhole reset button after about 10-15 seconds) then allow 5 minutes for the router to reboot and re-sync the connection.
Please ensure that your WiFi network password is still readable on the Hub sticker before you do this or that you at least have a copy of your original network password.

[neil3083]

These are the power levels about an hour after doing the pinhole reset.

Downstream bonded channels

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

1	331000000	9.5	40	256 qam	25
2	251000000	9.1	40	256 qam	15
3	259000000	8.9	40	256 qam	16
4	267000000	9.1	40	256 qam	17
5	275000000	9	40	256 qam	18
6	283000000	9.1	40	256 qam	19
7	291000000	9.5	40	256 qam	20
8	299000000	10	40	256 qam	21
9	307000000	9.5	40	256 qam	22
10	315000000	9.5	40	256 qam	23
11	323000000	9.8	40	256 qam	24
12	339000000	9.5	40	256 qam	26
13	347000000	9.6	40	256 qam	27
14	355000000	9.5	40	256 qam	28
15	363000000	9.1	40	256 qam	29
16	371000000	9.4	40	256 qam	30
17	379000000	9.1	40	256 qam	31
18	387000000	9	40	256 qam	32
19	395000000	8.9	40	256 qam	33
20	403000000	8.5	40	256 qam	34
21	411000000	8.5	40	256 qam	35
22	419000000	8.3	40	256 qam	36
23	427000000	8.3	40	256 qam	37
24	435000000	8.1	40	256 qam	38

Downstream bonded channels

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

1	Locked	40.3	0	0
2	Locked	40.3	5	0
3	Locked	40.9	0	0
4	Locked	40.3	6	0
5	Locked	40.3	7	0
6	Locked	40.3	0	0
7	Locked	40.3	5	0
8	Locked	40.3	0	0
9	Locked	40.3	5	0
10	Locked	40.9	0	0
11	Locked	40.9	3	0
12	Locked	40.9	5	0
13	Locked	40.9	6	0
14	Locked	40.9	6	0
15	Locked	40.3	0	0
16	Locked	40.3	6	0
17	Locked	40.3	5	0
18	Locked	40.3	5	0
19	Locked	40.3	5	0
20	Locked	40.3	0	0
21	Locked	40.3	4	0
22	Locked	40.9	5	0
23	Locked	40.9	18	0
24	Locked	40.3	0	0

Upstream bonded channels

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

1	46200161	39.2	5120	64 qam	3
2	39399971	39.3	5120	64 qam	4
3	53700024	39.3	5120	64 qam	2
4	60300024	39.3	5120	64 qam	1

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

[conman33158]

Your download power levels are a bit on the high side but still within spec. I'd ring Virgin and see what they stay, you would maybe need an engineer visit to sort out the power levels to a respectable level. Best to ring Virgin on or just after 8am on 0345 454 1111 or alternatively you can wait here for a Virgin staff member to pick it up, but unfortunately this will typically be between 5-10 days, sometimes sooner, sometimes later depending on how busy they are. If you decide to call it in it will run through a few automated options and after that ring back again and it should recognise that you have rang previously and then put you in the queue for a Virgin representative 🙂

[neil3083]

Hi, firstly thanks for all your help. Managed to get an engineer booked online coming today, feels like a miracle 😄

Unfortunately the connections gone to pot again, power levels are the same but now I'm getting this:

Downstream bonded channels

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

1	Locked	40.9	6591	4088
2	Locked	40.9	28548	4228
3	Locked	40.3	26703	5106
4	Locked	40.9	25577	3527
5	Locked	40.9	20009	5382
6	Locked	40.9	15579	4409
7	Locked	40.3	11749	4071
8	Locked	40.9	11402	5306
9	Locked	40.9	9667	4329
10	Locked	40.9	8450	4886
11	Locked	40.3	7200	3600
12	Locked	40.3	6071	3263
13	Locked	40.9	5679	4043
14	Locked	40.3	5160	3160
15	Locked	40.3	4924	3627
16	Locked	40.9	4542	3272
17	Locked	40.9	3943	2836
18	Locked	40.3	3389	3339
19	Locked	40.9	3289	2022
20	Locked	40.9	2690	3090
21	Locked	40.3	2598	1990
22	Locked	40.9	3258	1824
23	Locked	40.3	2998	1698
24	Locked	40.3	3037	2646

Upstream bonded channels

Channel Channel Type T1 Timeouts T2 Timeouts T3 Timeouts T4 Timeouts

1	ATDMA	0	0	13	0
2	ATDMA	0	0	28	0
3	ATDMA	0	0	10	0
4	ATDMA	0	0	5	0

Network Log

Time Priority Description

17/07/2021 00:50:38	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
17/07/2021 00:50:38	Warning!	RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
17/07/2021 00:50:32	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
17/07/2021 00:50:32	critical	Unicast Maintenance Ranging attempted - No response - Retries exhausted;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
17/07/2021 00:50:32	critical	Ranging Request Retries exhausted;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
17/07/2021 00:42:38	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
17/07/2021 00:23:35	Warning!	RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
17/07/2021 00:23:34	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
17/07/2021 00:23:29	Warning!	RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
17/07/2021 00:11:13	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
17/07/2021 00:11:13	critical	Unicast Ranging Received Abort Response - initializing MAC;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
17/07/2021 00:11:12	Warning!	RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
17/07/2021 00:10:52	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
17/07/2021 00:10:52	critical	Unicast Ranging Received Abort Response - initializing MAC;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
17/07/2021 00:07:38	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
17/07/2021 00:07:38	Warning!	RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
16/07/2021 23:56:40	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
16/07/2021 23:56:18	Warning!	RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
16/07/2021 23:56:18	critical	No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
16/07/2021 23:56:18	Warning!	RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;

[conman33158]

Definitely something going on mate, hopefully the engineer gets you sorted. Keep us updated 🙂