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Unstable connection

User_001
Joining in

I've been suffering connection dropouts over the last couple of months, then last night my service was down for around four hours. It finally came back up at around 8pm.
I'm still suffering packet loss, and my upstream bandwidth does not seem to have been above 9Mbps since an outage a couple of weeks ago. Do the stats from the modem look OK given it has been running for about 18 hours at the point these were captured:

Downstream bonded channels
Channel Frequency (Hz) Power (dBmV) SNR (dB) Modulation Channel ID
1 291000000 -4.2 38 256 qam 20
2 235000000 -2.4 38 256 qam 13
3 243000000 -2.4 38 256 qam 14
4 251000000 -3 38 256 qam 15
5 259000000 -3.2 38 256 qam 16
6 267000000 -3.4 38 256 qam 17
7 275000000 -4 38 256 qam 18
8 283000000 -3.7 38 256 qam 19
9 299000000 -4 37 256 qam 21
10 307000000 -3.5 38 256 qam 22
11 315000000 -4 38 256 qam 23
12 323000000 -3.2 38 256 qam 24
13 331000000 -3.2 37 256 qam 25
14 339000000 -4 37 256 qam 26
15 347000000 -3.5 38 256 qam 27
16 355000000 -4 38 256 qam 28
17 363000000 -4 37 256 qam 29
18 371000000 -3.5 38 256 qam 30
19 379000000 -4 38 256 qam 31
20 387000000 -4.2 37 256 qam 32
21 395000000 -3.7 38 256 qam 33
22 403000000 -4.7 37 256 qam 34
23 411000000 -4 38 256 qam 35
24 419000000 -4.5 37 256 qam 36


Downstream bonded channels
Channel Locked Status RxMER (dB) Pre RS Errors Post RS Errors
1 Locked 38.6 10795 995
2 Locked 38.6 18062 1592
3 Locked 38.6 15778 1235
4 Locked 37.6 14725 680
5 Locked 38.6 14363 546
6 Locked 38.6 15172 886
7 Locked 38.9 14598 778
8 Locked 38.6 11596 584
9 Locked 37.6 11573 1597
10 Locked 38.6 10900 1410
11 Locked 37.6 8805 594
12 Locked 38.6 6851 211
13 Locked 37.6 4720 83
14 Locked 37.3 4020 28
15 Locked 38.6 3775 48
16 Locked 37.6 3666 38
17 Locked 37.6 3511 6
18 Locked 37.6 2607 61
19 Locked 37.6 1872 48
20 Locked 37.6 1436 0
21 Locked 37.6 1365 27
22 Locked 37.3 2255 23
23 Locked 37.6 3366 34
24 Locked 37.6 4036 187

Upstream bonded channels
Channel Frequency (Hz) Power (dBmV) Symbol Rate (ksps) Modulation Channel ID
1 53700000 49 5120 64 qam 2
2 39400000 51 5120 64 qam 4
3 46200041 50 5120 64 qam 3
4 60300034 50 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

Network Log
Time Priority Description
22/07/2021 19:49:42 notice LAN login Success;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
22/07/2021 19:43:48 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;
22/07/2021 19:43:34 Warning! RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
22/07/2021 19:42:48 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;
22/07/2021 19:42:6 Warning! Lost MDD Timeout;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
22/07/2021 19:42:1 Warning! RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
22/07/2021 19:42:1 critical SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Loss of Sync;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
22/07/2021 19:42:0 Warning! RCS Partial Service;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
22/07/2021 19:42:0 critical SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Loss of Sync;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
22/07/2021 19:02:37 notice LAN login Success;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION

Accepted Solutions

conman33158
Super solver

You have a lot of Post RS Errors and your upload stream power levels are too high. You will need an engineer visit to put this right. 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 within a few days.

***********************************************************************************************************************************
BT Full Fibre 900 FTTP - Asus RT-AX82U to Openreach ONT Box & Asus RT-AX56U with AiMesh setup
***********************************************************************************************************************************
My Broadband Ping - BT Full Fibre 900

See where this Helpful Answer was posted

13 REPLIES 13

conman33158
Super solver

You have a lot of Post RS Errors and your upload stream power levels are too high. You will need an engineer visit to put this right. 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 within a few days.

***********************************************************************************************************************************
BT Full Fibre 900 FTTP - Asus RT-AX82U to Openreach ONT Box & Asus RT-AX56U with AiMesh setup
***********************************************************************************************************************************
My Broadband Ping - BT Full Fibre 900

Thanks. Is there anything I need to mention to the engineer? There is one booked for Monday.

What is the likely cause?
High upstream power would indicate cable loss somewhere wouldn't it? Does the CM shout louder and louder until the other end hears?
I had a tee piece fail last year some time - I'm still not sure how a passive component fails, but it did.
Other than the occasional glitch, the TiVo box appears unaffected, but wouldn't they both show issues? Is it possible the fault is in the additional cable run around to the CM?

jbrennand
Very Insightful Person
Very Insightful Person
It's "possible' that the RS errors are historical accumulation - so best to start from a clean sheet.

Switch the Hub off and unplug it for a few minutes and then start up. Whilst it's off, 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. Ensure there are no “unterminated cable loose ends. Disconnect all the connections and reconnect to be sure.

When done, check back in the settings and ensure that the RS error counts have all reset to 0. Then check every hour or so to see if they start reappearing - they shouldn't. If they do (particularly the postRS ones) you have a problem to point out to the Tech - its likely to be noise getting in somewhere - usually a bad connection on one of the many cables.

--------------------
John
--------------------

I do not work for VM. My services: HD TV on VIP (+ Sky Sports & Movies & BT sport), x3 V6 boxes (1 wired, 2 on WiFi) Hub5 in modem mode with Apple Airport Extreme Router +2 Airport Express's & TP-Link Archer C64 WAP. On Volt 350Mbps, Talk Anytime Phone, x2 Mobile SIM only iPhones.

Nope. The RS errors are only what had accumulated in the 18 hours since the router was last restarted.

All of the connections inside the property are/were pinched up with pliers/spanner. We had a similar fault last year so all (that could be accessed) were checked/tightened at that time.

However, while having a crafty check to see if there was an attenuator in the box at the cable entry point, I found that the incoming cable termination is corroded (and a tiny bit loose).

The engineer can re-terminate it and replace the cable run around the house with an unbroken piece on Monday at the same time as replacing the cable between splitter serving the TiVo box and the CM for one that is run with the correct bend radii.

Router restarted again and already I can see that the downstream power levels have increased by something like 1.5 - 2 dB.

Downstream bonded channels
Channel Frequency (Hz) Power (dBmV) SNR (dB) Modulation Channel ID
1 363000000 -3.2 37 256 qam 29
2 235000000 -1.4 38 256 qam 13
3 243000000 -1.4 38 256 qam 14
4 251000000 -2.2 38 256 qam 15
5 259000000 -2.4 38 256 qam 16
6 267000000 -2.5 38 256 qam 17
7 275000000 -3.2 38 256 qam 18
8 283000000 -2.9 38 256 qam 19
9 291000000 -3.5 38 256 qam 20
10 299000000 -3.2 37 256 qam 21
11 307000000 -2.7 38 256 qam 22
12 315000000 -3 38 256 qam 23
13 323000000 -2.2 38 256 qam 24
14 331000000 -2.4 38 256 qam 25
15 339000000 -3 37 256 qam 26
16 347000000 -2.5 38 256 qam 27
17 355000000 -3.2 38 256 qam 28
18 371000000 -2.5 38 256 qam 30
19 379000000 -3.2 38 256 qam 31
20 387000000 -3.2 37 256 qam 32
21 395000000 -2.7 38 256 qam 33
22 403000000 -3.7 37 256 qam 34
23 411000000 -3 38 256 qam 35
24 419000000 -3.5 37 256 qam 36

jbrennand
Very Insightful Person
Very Insightful Person
Set up a BQM - like the one in conman's sig - show that to the Tech as well as the RS errors
__________________________________

If you haven’t already, set up a free and secure “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” (as per instructions on the TB website) when it starts to develop.

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

--------------------
John
--------------------

I do not work for VM. My services: HD TV on VIP (+ Sky Sports & Movies & BT sport), x3 V6 boxes (1 wired, 2 on WiFi) Hub5 in modem mode with Apple Airport Extreme Router +2 Airport Express's & TP-Link Archer C64 WAP. On Volt 350Mbps, Talk Anytime Phone, x2 Mobile SIM only iPhones.

Hi User_001,

 

Thanks for posting and welcome to our community 🙂

 

I'm sorry you've been having some issue with your connection. 

 

I've been able to locate your account using your forum detail and can see you've been able to arrange a technician visit.

 

Please let us know how this goes.

 

Alex_Rm

I've not compared the numbers but there is something like a 6-10dB improvement already, now that the incoming cable has been re-terminated, and the cable modem run has had the splitter removed.

I'm expecting that to be much better now.

Downstream bonded channels
Channel Frequency (Hz) Power (dBmV) SNR (dB) Modulation Channel ID
1 163000000 4.8 38 256 qam 4
2 139000000 5.8 38 256 qam 1
3 147000000 5.4 38 256 qam 2
4 155000000 5.1 38 256 qam 3
5 171000000 4.6 38 256 qam 5
6 179000000 4.4 38 256 qam 6
7 187000000 4.3 38 256 qam 7
8 195000000 4.1 38 256 qam 8
9 203000000 3.9 38 256 qam 9
10 211000000 3.5 38 256 qam 10
11 219000000 3.4 38 256 qam 11
12 227000000 2.9 38 256 qam 12
13 235000000 2.7 38 256 qam 13
14 243000000 2.7 38 256 qam 14
15 251000000 2 38 256 qam 15
16 259000000 2 38 256 qam 16
17 267000000 1.9 38 256 qam 17
18 275000000 1.5 38 256 qam 18
19 283000000 1.7 38 256 qam 19
20 291000000 1.4 38 256 qam 20
21 299000000 1.7 38 256 qam 21
22 307000000 2.2 38 256 qam 22
23 315000000 1.9 38 256 qam 23
24 323000000 2.5 38 256 qam 24


Downstream bonded channels
Channel Locked Status RxMER (dB) Pre RS Errors Post RS Errors
1 Locked 38.6 11 0
2 Locked 38.9 0 0
3 Locked 38.9 5 0
4 Locked 38.9 5 0
5 Locked 38.6 4 0
6 Locked 38.9 0 0
7 Locked 38.6 4 0
8 Locked 38.9 4 0
9 Locked 38.9 5 0
10 Locked 38.9 5 0
11 Locked 38.9 19 0
12 Locked 38.6 20 0
13 Locked 38.6 7 0
14 Locked 38.9 6 0
15 Locked 38.9 0 0
16 Locked 38.6 6 0
17 Locked 38.6 6 0
18 Locked 38.9 0 0
19 Locked 38.6 12 0
20 Locked 38.6 0 0
21 Locked 38.6 0 0
22 Locked 38.6 0 0
23 Locked 38.6 0 0
24 Locked 38.9 4 0

 

Hi @User_001 just a quick update.

I can see the tech is still showing as scheduled to attend but there is also  planned works showing in your are, with a current resolve time of 2:00pm.  Please do keep us informed.
Regards

 

Lee_R

That would explain the brief outage.

It's all looking a lot more stable this end. Just need to put the house back together now. 

Incoming cable re-terminated (I wish I'd got a picture of the end before it was snipped off - but after 25 years outside, it had corroded). Feeds to Tivo and Cable Modem replaced for single runs without joins. Signal levels now showing within spec.

Let's see if that has improved connection and performance stability.