(Not so) Smart Support remote fix?

[mentasm]

This is a bit of a weird one, so I'm wondering if anyone has had a similar issue.

On Sunday the power went out in my home. When it came back on nothing (and I mean nothing - multiple laptops, phones, tablets, Google devices etc) would connect to the Hub 5. After a few resets I finally got one machine (my M3 Pro) to connect so I could get into the admin interface. For some reason the channel optimisation was on, which causes havoc with Nest devices (in my experience). I know it was off beforehand, so I tried to turn it off again. It wasn't having any of it, even disabling one channel at a time. I tried a wired connection with another device or two, but only the Mac would connect. In the end I got annoyed and reset the Hub. That took a while, but at least it fixed it and I was back up and running with my usual gigabit speeds. I then (tediously) reconfigured the Hub to rename the SSIDs, change the WiFi channels (as the optimisation does the opposite of that) and security, and tested again. All good.

About 2AM Monday morning it dropped again. Now this isn't unusual - it randomly drops for anything from a few minutes to a few hours every now and then, and I've sort of come to live with it - and in this case it was back within five minutes or so and I got one with what I was doing.

I woke up for work just before nine and had a text saying that VM had identified issues with my connection and to watch for an email. Said email mentioned that this Smart Support thing had made configuration changes to the Hub. When I checked the logs I could only see the 2AM outage, listed as 'unknown'.

Well since then I don't get anything close to the speeds I used to get. I have been reliably been getting 1Gbps and above at all times of the day and night for as long as I've had the service. Today I was averaging between 500-600Mbps, with troughs of 400 and spikes of 700. It's now 1:30AM and I'm still only getting 800Mbps at a push. My upstream was only hitting around 70Mbps and again I've never had less than 100Mbps before.

Now, either everyone in my area decided to get VM broadband installed at the same time and the contention is shot (and I know that's not true as I'm lucky that comparatively few people near me have VM), or it seems something has happened post Smart Support intervention. The fact this also happens when wired means it's not a WiFi issue (and prior to this I got over 1Gbps on WiFi in most rooms of my house using WiFi 6 kit anyway).

Now I understand that correlation doesn't always equal causation, but this seems far too coincidental (and my long experience with VM and its previous iterations has taught me that there's seldom smoke without fire). Has anyone else got anecdotal experience of this occurring after 'Smart Support' intervention?

I've just tried again at almost 2AM and got a little over 500Mbps. Something isn't right.

Cheers

[jbrennand]

Lets see the Hub and connection data - can you do this....

________________________________________________

Check first for any “known network faults in your location - Look in 2 places

1) Try the “check service,”Area status webpage (https://www.virginmedia.com/help/service-status)

2) Then also Try 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 and fix estimates, down to street cab/ postcode level.

Report back what they say.

________________________________________________

Post up your Hub/network connection details and someone will check to see if there is a problem there.  In your browser’s URL type in 192.168.0.1 if in router mode or 192.168.100.1 if in modem mode. No need to log in - just click on the “Router Status” icon/text at bottom-middle (Hub3/4/5) or top/right (SH’s) - of the Login page.
Then… Navigate to these “data 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 pages. 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

Also, 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

[mentasm]

Sadly the service status rarely (if ever) says there are any issues in my area, even during total outages. This was no different. I've since had a second email to say that everything appears to be in 'tip-top' shape, but I'm still seeing a 200-300Mbps reduction in speed compared to the pre-reset speeds, and that's during off-peak times such as now at 1AM (it's often more during peak hours).

I had a TB monitor years ago when I was going through an extended period of trouble with my connection, but to be honest it's been so long it's probably been deleted. I'll look into setting up another when I have a chance. Just to say though, I not just basing this on WiFi speeds. I'm seeing these results on wired gigabit connections to multiple machines (I'm pretty OCD and generally check my speed most days in one form or another, hence knowing it's been consistent for the past 21 months).

Anyway, here are the up/downstream and network logs:

3.0 Downstream channels

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

1	331000000	2.8	42	QAM 256	25
2	147000000	4.8	42	QAM 256	2
3	155000000	4.6	42	QAM 256	3
4	163000000	4.5	42	QAM 256	4
5	171000000	4.5	42	QAM 256	5
6	179000000	4.6	43	QAM 256	6
7	187000000	4.8	43	QAM 256	7
8	195000000	5	43	QAM 256	8
9	203000000	4.9	42	QAM 256	9
10	211000000	4.6	42	QAM 256	10
11	219000000	4.6	39	QAM 256	11
12	227000000	4.5	43	QAM 256	12
13	235000000	4.2	43	QAM 256	13
14	243000000	4.1	43	QAM 256	14
15	251000000	4	43	QAM 256	15
16	259000000	3.7	42	QAM 256	16
17	267000000	3.5	42	QAM 256	17
18	275000000	3.5	42	QAM 256	18
19	283000000	3.5	42	QAM 256	19
20	291000000	3.7	42	QAM 256	20
21	299000000	3.7	42	QAM 256	21
22	307000000	3.6	42	QAM 256	22
23	315000000	3.3	42	QAM 256	23
24	323000000	3	42	QAM 256	24
25	339000000	2.9	42	QAM 256	26
26	347000000	2.8	42	QAM 256	27
27	355000000	2.7	42	QAM 256	28
28	363000000	2.5	42	QAM 256	29
29	371000000	2.4	42	QAM 256	30
30	379000000	2.3	42	QAM 256	31
31	387000000	2.1	42	QAM 256	32

3.0 Downstream channels

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

1	Locked	42	64	1
2	Locked	42	47	24
3	Locked	42	95	84
4	Locked	42	63	97
5	Locked	42	69	156
6	Locked	43	40	5
7	Locked	43	50	27
8	Locked	43	74	160
9	Locked	42	37	0
10	Locked	42	67	174
11	Locked	39	270	596
12	Locked	43	44	4
13	Locked	43	71	123
14	Locked	43	42	117
15	Locked	43	46	96
16	Locked	42	52	78
17	Locked	42	54	71
18	Locked	42	109	39
19	Locked	42	127	39
20	Locked	42	105	37
21	Locked	42	51	21
22	Locked	42	41	12
23	Locked	42	33	1
24	Locked	42	51	0
25	Locked	42	65	7
26	Locked	42	31	7
27	Locked	42	48	0
28	Locked	42	50	0
29	Locked	42	34	0
30	Locked	42	37	0
31	Locked	42	101	9

3.1 Downstream channels

Channel Channel Width (MHz) FFT Type Number of Active Subcarriers Modulation (Active Profile) First Active Subcarrier (Hz)

33

94

4K

1840

QAM 4096

1108

3.1 Downstream channels

Channel ID Locked Status RxMER Data (dB) PLC Power (dBmV) Corrected errors (Active Profile) Uncorrectable errors (Active Profile)

33

Locked

41

-1.5

2996914230

20

3.0 Upstream channels

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

0	49600000	44.8	5120	QAM 64	1
1	43100000	44	5120	QAM 64	2
2	36600000	43.8	5120	QAM 64	3
3	30100000	43	5120	QAM 64	4
4	23600000	43	5120	QAM 64	5

3.0 Upstream channels

Channel Channel Type T1 Timeouts T2 Timeouts T3 Timeouts T4 Timeouts

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

3.1 Upstream channels

Channel Channel Width (MHz) Power (dBmV) FFT Type Modulation

6

10.4

40.2

2K

QAM 256

3.1 Upstream channels

Channel Channel Type Number of Active Subcarriers First Active Subcarrier (Hz) T3 Timeouts T4 Timeouts

6

OFDMA

208

74000000

18

0

Network Log

Time Priority Description

05-09-2024 20:17:57	notice	US profile assignment change. US Chan ID: 6; Previous Profile: 12 13; New Profile: 11 13.;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
05-09-2024 20:12:54	notice	US profile assignment change. US Chan ID: 6; Previous Profile: 11 13; New Profile: 12 13.;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
05-09-2024 15:02:37	notice	CM-STATUS message sent. Event Type Code: 24; Chan ID: 33; DSID: N/A; MAC Addr: N/A; OFDM/OFDMA Profile ID: 2.;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
05-09-2024 14:59:44	notice	CM-STATUS message sent. Event Type Code: 16; Chan ID: 33; DSID: N/A; MAC Addr: N/A; OFDM/OFDMA Profile ID: 2.;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
04-09-2024 23:55:03	notice	US profile assignment change. US Chan ID: 6; Previous Profile: 12 13; New Profile: 11 13.;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
04-09-2024 23:44:57	notice	US profile assignment change. US Chan ID: 6; Previous Profile: 11 13; New Profile: 12 13.;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
04-09-2024 23:16:16	notice	US profile assignment change. US Chan ID: 6; Previous Profile: 12 13; New Profile: 11 13.;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
04-09-2024 23:11:18	error	DHCP RENEW WARNING - Field invalid in response v4 option;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
04-09-2024 23:11:13	notice	US profile assignment change. US Chan ID: 6; Previous Profile: 11 13; New Profile: 12 13.;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
04-09-2024 22:08:07	notice	US profile assignment change. US Chan ID: 6; Previous Profile: 12 13; New Profile: 11 13.;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
04-09-2024 22:03:04	notice	US profile assignment change. US Chan ID: 6; Previous Profile: 11 13; New Profile: 12 13.;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
04-09-2024 22:01:57	notice	US profile assignment change. US Chan ID: 6; Previous Profile: 12 13; New Profile: 11 13.;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
04-09-2024 21:56:54	notice	US profile assignment change. US Chan ID: 6; Previous Profile: 11 13; New Profile: 12 13.;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
04-09-2024 21:56:11	notice	US profile assignment change. US Chan ID: 6; Previous Profile: 12 13; New Profile: 11 13.;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
04-09-2024 21:51:08	notice	US profile assignment change. US Chan ID: 6; Previous Profile: 11 13; New Profile: 12 13.;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
04-09-2024 21:50:40	notice	US profile assignment change. US Chan ID: 6; Previous Profile: 12 13; New Profile: 11 13.;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
04-09-2024 21:45:37	notice	US profile assignment change. US Chan ID: 6; Previous Profile: 11 13; New Profile: 12 13.;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
04-09-2024 21:45:09	notice	US profile assignment change. US Chan ID: 6; Previous Profile: 12 13; New Profile: 11 13.;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
04-09-2024 21:40:06	notice	US profile assignment change. US Chan ID: 6; Previous Profile: 11 13; New Profile: 12 13.;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
04-09-2024 21:39:04	notice	US profile assignment change. US Chan ID: 6; Previous Profile: 12 13; New Profile: 11 13.;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
04-09-2024 21:34:01	notice	US profile assignment change. US Chan ID: 6; Previous Profile: 11 13; New Profile: 12 13.;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
04-09-2024 21:33:41	notice	US profile assignment change. US Chan ID: 6; Previous Profile: 12 13; New Profile: 11 13.;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
04-09-2024 21:28:38	notice	US profile assignment change. US Chan ID: 6; Previous Profile: 11 13; New Profile: 12 13.;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
04-09-2024 21:16:37	notice	US profile assignment change. US Chan ID: 6; Previous Profile: 12 13; New Profile: 11 13.;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
04-09-2024 21:11:34	notice	US profile assignment change. US Chan ID: 6; Previous Profile: 11 13; New Profile: 12 13.;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
04-09-2024 21:11:03	notice	US profile assignment change. US Chan ID: 6; Previous Profile: 12 13; New Profile: 11 13.;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
04-09-2024 20:40:26	notice	US profile assignment change. US Chan ID: 6; Previous Profile: 11 13; New Profile: 12 13.;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
04-09-2024 20:40:06	notice	US profile assignment change. US Chan ID: 6; Previous Profile: 12 13; New Profile: 11 13.;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
04-09-2024 20:30:03	notice	US profile assignment change. US Chan ID: 6; Previous Profile: 11 13; New Profile: 12 13.;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
04-09-2024 17:11:52	notice	US profile assignment change. US Chan ID: 6; Previous Profile: 12 13; New Profile: 11 13.;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
04-09-2024 16:08:04	notice	US profile assignment change. US Chan ID: 6; Previous Profile: 11 13; New Profile: 12 13.;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
04-09-2024 15:28:42	notice	US profile assignment change. US Chan ID: 6; Previous Profile: 12 13; New Profile: 11 13.;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
03-09-2024 01:40:11	notice	GUI Login Status - Login Success from LAN interface
03-09-2024 01:24:37	notice	GUI Login Status - Login Success from LAN interface
02-09-2024 15:36:30	notice	GUI Login Status - Login Success from LAN interface

[newapollo]

Hi @mentasm 

Using a wired connection to your PC/laptop  what readings show using?

I would also check the automated status number as suggested by John 0800 561 0061

https://samknows.com/realspeed/ 

[mentasm]

Hi, as mentioned, those are wired speeds and there are no reported issues in my area. This happened after resetting the hub and I'm still seeing speeds 2-300Mbps lower than before. It's frustrating.

[Steven_L]

Thanks for coming back to us mentasm. I have looked into this further and cannot see any issues with your connection or in the local area that would be causing the problems that you're having. How are things looking at the moment for you, have you seen any improvement since you last posted?

Kind Regards,

Steven_L