Virgin media frequent dropping - tearing hair out after multiple engineer visits

losetheforce · 25-01-2022 11:59am #1

Hi,

I have virgin media in Dublin, Hub 3.0. I am becoming familiar with the console settings and network status. I know there are some people on here who know more about this than me. My broadband drop frequently daily. The SNR and power levels are fine. I am seeing multiple errors such as these in the logs coinciding with the drops :

25-01-2022 10:29:52 critical No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=38:43:7d:9d:f0:c1;CMTS-MAC=00:17:10:9e:3b:05;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;

25-01-2022 10:29:31 critical Received Response to Broadcast Maintenance Request, But no Unicast Maintenance opportunities received - T4 time out;CM-MAC=38:43:7d:9d:f0:c1;CMTS-MAC=00:17:10:9e:3b:05;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;

25-01-2022 10:28:36 critical Unicast Maintenance Ranging attempted - No response - Retries exhausted;CM-MAC=38:43:7d:9d:f0:c1;CMTS-MAC=00:17:10:9e:3b:05;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;

25-01-2022 10:28:36. critical Ranging Request Retries exhausted;CM-MAC=38:43:7d:9d:f0:c1;CMTS-MAC=00:17:10:9e:3b:05;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;

MAC address 38:43:7d:9d:f0:c1 is my modem, MAC address 00:17:10:9e:3b:05 is a device made by CASA Systems Inc which I beleive is in the Virgin Media cabinet.

i am now looking at the Pre RS Errors and Post RS Errors, i am not sure what "RS" is but they are high...

Of the order of 38 million Pre RS errors, not sure exactly what it is but can't be good...

would appreciate any analysis, as I mentioned SNR and power are within acceptable limits

thanks

losetheforce

ED E · 26-01-2022 8:31am

Is the VM modem available during a drop?

Mister Gooey · 26-01-2022 9:30am

Get them to replace the router. Or put the hub in modem mode and use a decent router. I had similar issues before and after hours wasted by VM trying to fix the issue, I put the badly behaving router in modem mode myself and bought a decent router. I never looked back.

Andrea B. · 26-01-2022 11:04am

Some years back we went through a few months of grief with what looked like intermittent wifi outage on all devices.

VF could not figure out and sent new routers.

Really dug into root causing by device and equipment elimination. Toaster included.

First common denominator was it was only an issue when children were home (iphoners).

The result was when either of the 2 iphone5 mobiles were charging, with wifi on, they were bringing down network.

Only found one forum reference to it at time where someone else had suspected same.

Don't know technicalities, but their wifi off when charging, put it to bed.

Not saying this is your issue, but do start trending the outage times versus what else is going on/off.

d22ontour · 27-01-2022 8:04pm

Had the same issues with WiFi dropping every 20 minutes or so a few years back and the issues were with the phones. I was changing to IPTV at the time and after dealing with virgin and their poor support, ended up buying a mesh system for the house. Not one issue since and was able to wire apple tv from the mesh as the modem is upstairs which worked out well.

DeconSheridan · 29-01-2022 9:52pm

The line into your house is prob weathered / corroded may have water in it. Put in a technical support request them to re run a fresh line into your house as a test over ground first if the signal is sound that's your issue. Request a line replacement. The broadband line/cable in should not be split its separate to your TV line/cable which would be if feeding multiple tv rooms.

JoyPad · 29-01-2022 11:22pm

I've had similar issues over the past couple of weeks. The issue is not inside the house: connection is dropped between the modem and VM. I can still connect to the hub and see that the internet connection is down.

This happens a few times each day, lasts a couple of minutes, then reconnects. Still annoying whether I'm working, watching a streaming service, or playing on XBox (game killed with error: "You must be online to play this title.")

VM support are useless.

jeffk · 31-01-2022 3:53pm

Same here, notice it more on PC as popup in chrome about being offline

Also the "up to" 500 part being tested as mostly get 240 or less

Had them out an changed something on the house, but then back to normal after not too long

losetheforce · 31-01-2022 6:31pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118533748#Comment_118533748

Yes, its can be flaky, I see this in it when it is down

losetheforce · 31-01-2022 6:32pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118533837#Comment_118533837

I had it replace a year ago when I was having the same issue, it didn't make any difference, that issue was outside

losetheforce · 31-01-2022 6:34pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118533837#Comment_118533837

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118542163#Comment_118542163

I usually run it in modem mode, it is connecred by ethernet cable to a Google Nest Wifi (mesh)

losetheforce · 31-01-2022 6:36pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118534171#Comment_118534171

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118542163#Comment_118542163

This isn't a wifi issue, its a modem/broadban issue as in the VM hub is dropping, it knocks off phone and all. I was hoping to find someone who knows their way around these RS errors and "ranging"

ED E · 31-01-2022 7:51pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118561121#Comment_118561121

OK that rules out one of the issues, you probably are having true RF side issues.

Mister Gooey · 01-02-2022 2:33pm

Hi. I had similar issues. The hub would drop everything, the land line phone included. It would essentially reboot itself and everything would return, the broadband, the WiFi and the phone. VM could not figure out what was causing the problem. So I put the hub into modem mode and used a decent router (the Hub is not a good router). That fixed the problem. I currently have the same VM hub (5 years old,) connected to an Eero router.

I believe the issue from looking at VM UK forums is that the hardware in some of the VM Hubs are not capable of handling multiple WiFi connections and as a result cause it to crash.

Don't waste your time. Get VM to replace your hub or put the hub in modem mode etc.

DeconSheridan · 01-02-2022 3:25pm

The VM infrastructure is beginning to show its age now across the country similar reports of BB outages. We see other providers now like Siros bringing FTTH to people reliably through ESB infrastructure, we also see BB Mobile providers with fairly promising 5G speeds 85Mbps+ with very capable routers like the Huawei 5G CPE Pro series with excellent features and up to date technologies. I think the days of poor customer services and days+ of outages/intermittent BB service wont be tolerated.

losetheforce · 03-02-2022 6:33pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118565079#Comment_118565079

The thing is this started happening while the Hub was in modem mode, I had it connected to Google Nest Wifi, I've moved it back to router mode now though because of course VM were blaming Google for the issue so I just reset the device. I can confidently say though that this is nothing to do with Wifi

losetheforce · 05-02-2022 8:52am

Annoying thing is when mine works it’s really fast, 240mbps, when it drops nothing. The are running a “voice session” on it at the moment, pings modem every couple of seconds for 3 days, they will hopefully show up the problem. I will update

losetheforce · 09-02-2022 6:17pm

So apprently the voice session didn't show up anything. Engineers from the networ team came out yesterday and discovered that the cable from outside came directly into the hub with no wall box or isolator. They put an isolator (which is usually in the wall box) on, the internet was grand all day yesterday and then dropped again last night and is as bad as ever today. Its funny, because we had 3 engineers do a site visit and no-one ever noticed the issue with the missing isolator. They need to come again to check the junction box now.

babelfish1990 · 09-02-2022 6:33pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118606781#Comment_118606781

Copper Coax cables are very susceptible to faults. The cables are strung between houses in urban areas, often along Fascia boards, and the cable is shared between all the houses on your segment. If anyone has a fault it can affect everyone. It might be caused by someone doing some DIY and damaging the cable in their home. A damaged cable will act as an antenna and pick up mobile signals from the air, which happen to share the same radio spectrum as is used on copper coax cables. If you are in an urban area, you may be able to switch to a Fibre-to-the-home service (FTTH), which is more reliable.

losetheforce · 18-02-2022 8:27pm

Sorry for delay, our cable has a fairly direct route from the junction to the hub. Issue still ongoing. Another engineer sent out, new hub, new isolator. Next step is a partial “drop cable” replacement.

Virgin media frequent dropping - tearing hair out after multiple engineer visits

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