UDP issues on SuperHub3 - collective thread

Have VM recognised this as a problem with the 9.1.1912.302 firmware in modem mode?

I normally use my SH3 in modem mode and it was on 9.1.1811.401 without significant issues.

I briefly put it into router mode and it upgraded to 9.1.1912.302.

When I placed it back into modem mode it down graded to 9.1.1811.401 which it is still on.

06/11/2020 04:16:02 notice SW Download INIT - Via NMS
06/11/2020 04:17:35 notice SW download Successful - Via NMS
9.1.1912.302

07/11/2020 23:57:39 notice SW Download INIT - Via Config file
07/11/2020 23:59:50 notice SW download Successful - Via Config file
9.1.1811.401

Anyone know what the meaning of 'Via NMS' vs 'Via Config file'

OK, just put the Hub 3 into Modem mode and it's stayed on 9.1.1912.302. How long did yours take to revert - did it do it immediately, or overnight maybe?

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jgtimperley wrote:

OK, just put the Hub 3 into Modem mode and it's stayed on 9.1.1912.302. How long did yours take to revert - did it do it immediately, or overnight maybe?

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It'd didn't revert immediately but after a soft boot.

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Eeeps wrote:

Anyone know what the meaning of 'Via NMS' vs 'Via Config file'

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"Via Config File" I think means it is configured in the DOCSIS configuration file for your particular modem / provisioned state.

"Via NMS" likely means via SNMP - so was set externally by something else, which overrides the DOCSIS config file.

Both are done Virgin's end.

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Eeeps wrote:

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jgtimperley wrote:

OK, just put the Hub 3 into Modem mode and it's stayed on 9.1.1912.302. How long did yours take to revert - did it do it immediately, or overnight maybe?

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It'd didn't revert immediately but after a soft boot.

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Yesterday I tried modem mode and it stuck to 9.1.1912.302, even after a few reboots. I went back into router mode and left it overnight. Even in router mode, overnight, the hub had downgraded to 9.1.1811.401. Once I'm off this video call I'm going to try modem mode again, and see how it is. I'll report back.

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jgtimperley wrote:

Once I'm off this video call I'm going to try modem mode again, and see how it is. I'll report back.

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Now back in modem mode (on 9.1.1811.401), and typically, I start seeing errors on the RF side of the link. The Virgin guys look to be doing maintenance on the cabs (mostly seems to be the smaller cabs rather than the actual 'node' which is at the top of my street). When I'm not getting RF errors, things seem to be much much better on 9.1.1811.401.

I'll keep it in modem mode for now and wait for the RF side to settle down. Things seem better though so far. I'll raise a seperate thread specifically about the firmware issues with modem mode, if things do appear to be down to 9.1.X firmware.

Thank you for the input all.

Hi all,

I'm sorry that a few of you are having some problems with certain services using the UDP ports. I appreciate there are a variety of services that uses UDP in addition to TCP ports but please check the service you use in their respective help pages e.g. Skype and ensure that the ports are open on your software firewall and on your Hub - https://www.virginmedia.com/help/virgin-media-set-up-port-forwarding-port-triggering 

We cannot comment on certain activities, but we can assure that our Hub 3 is capable for a variety of services for all our customers. We also cannot comment on third party VPN's, torrenting and appreciate that each person's set up is unique.

We will keep an eye on this thread to see if there are more members who have problems.

Kind regards,

Beth

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Nathan_B wrote:

Hi all,

I'm sorry that a few of you are having some problems with certain services using the UDP ports. I appreciate there are a variety of services that uses UDP in addition to TCP ports but please check the service you use in their respective help pages e.g. Skype and ensure that the ports are open on your software firewall and on your Hub - https://www.virginmedia.com/help/virgin-media-set-up-port-forwarding-port-triggering 

We cannot comment on certain activities, but we can assure that our Hub 3 is capable for a variety of services for all our customers. We also cannot comment on third party VPN's, torrenting and appreciate that each person's set up is unique.

We will keep an eye on this thread to see if there are more members who have problems.

 

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Hi @Nathan_B. It's great to see that this issue is finally getting some traction.

Although I really need to comment on your reply:

> ensure that the ports are open on your software firewall 

This has nothing to do with the ports being blocked by software firewall. Common sense says that if a connection would get blocked by a software firewall on the end client, it would never reach the modem and therefore couldn't cause it to reboot itself and/or cut off  internet access on all other devices in someones home. 

> We also cannot comment on third party VPN's

This is not about issues connecting to a particular third party VPNs, but about inability to use *any* VPNs whatsoever - public, workplace owned, etc. Only some very exotic configurations with TCP only traffic are working fine, but those are not standard - almost always require manual configuration of service and are not something a normal user can encounter. 

> third party VPN's, torrenting

Im not sure if you have wrote this on purpose, but this sounds like the issue is only occurring while doing something dodgy online. That's not the case ordinary apps like BBC IPlayer, VoIP telephony, videoconference software, online games and countless other legit activities are causing the modem to restart itself (in best case scenario) or simply freeze until manually restarted (worst case scenario), effectively cutting off all the devices connected to it from the internet. 

> but we can assure that our Hub 3 is capable for a variety of services for all our customers

Several people on this thread have posted easily replicable tests, which all prove that this is not the case. We all appreciate hard work your consultants and on-street engineers are doing, but since those people are not expected to have a lot of knowledge of low level network protocols, it would be great to have this thread escalated to someone from SH3/4 product team who will be able to confirm and troubleshoot such issues. 

Also, i need to add that saw many threads with users experiencing similar issues, but as those users are non-technical, they cannot pinpoint those issues to UDP traffic. Knowing this at this and looking at my own experience with your technicians, I'm sure that Virgin Media engineers are spending thousands of hours doing unnecessary and pointless repairs of cables, cabinets, etc which don't fix the issue, waste a lot of VM resources and money, but only leave users more frustrated. 

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Nathan_B wrote:

 

We cannot comment on certain activities, but we can assure that our Hub 3 is capable for a variety of services for all our customers. 

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There's one more thing i wanted to add Beth, but cannot edit my post anymore.

Mind you, the thread was already viewed by 1500 users, but not a single person replied: "I have done some testing of UDP traffic on my SH3/4 and can confirm that I am not experiencing this issue". On the contrary, some people replying here clearly know their stuff very well and are networks/IT professionals and every single one of them can replicate this issue on their systems. This does indicate that the issue is widespread. 

Dinth

Good accurate and detailed post

I was on the original thread complaining about the UDP problems on SH3

This is the first time VM have been involved

And nobody has done anything yet.

I've recently been pointed at this thread and it's been an eye opener to say the least.  A massive thank you to everyone on here for their brilliant detective work.

FYI - I raised a separate thread detailing my issues earlier today which look the same as those detailed here (heavy Teams user, SH3 but still in router mode):

https://community.virginmedia.com/t5/Networking-and-WiFi/Daily-outages-in-North-London-N8/m-p/4510249

I see there are lots of Superhub 2 ACs on eBay going cheap. If I bought one and swapped the SH3 out for it will it work?  i.e. does the router need any registration on the network, etc.

I wish that it would be that simple. Unfortunately, VM blocks use of any modems except of the one which was provided by VM to the user.

I thought as much, thanks