Virgin media grrrr

[Firemaster]

i have had a few problems with virgin but this one problem has returned, not so much of a problem you would think, call virgin customer support they will help you out afraid not here is a brief break down of what happens and also a to the point email that maybe winging its way to the complaints dept

Dear sir/madam

i have spent nearly an hour on the phone to the so called helpdesk team to resolve a issue i have with my internet connection dropping in and out between the hours of 20:00 and 21:00.
the issue is as follows
20:00 onwards if iuse the following in a command prompt "ping www.bbc.co.uk -t" or usee the ip address the computer will continually ping that address. you can then see when the connection drops as the example shows

Pinging www.bbc.net.uk [212.58.228.41] with 32 bytes of data:

Reply from 212.58.228.41: bytes=32 time=17ms TTL=242
Reply from 212.58.228.41: bytes=32 time=16ms TTL=242
Reply from 212.58.228.41: bytes=32 time=19ms TTL=242
Reply from 212.58.228.41: bytes=32 time=19ms TTL=242
Reply from 212.58.228.41: bytes=32 time=20ms TTL=242
Reply from 212.58.228.41: bytes=32 time=17ms TTL=242
Reply from 212.58.228.41: bytes=32 time=16ms TTL=242
Request Timed out
Request Timed out
Request Timed out
Request Timed out
Reply from 212.58.228.41: bytes=32 time=19ms TTL=242
Reply from 212.58.228.41: bytes=32 time=19ms TTL=242
Reply from 212.58.228.41: bytes=32 time=20ms TTL=242
Reply from 212.58.228.41: bytes=32 time=92ms TTL=242
Request Timed out
Request Timed out

Each time i have to run through the usual "have you turned off the modem" "are you connected to a router". I work in I.T, I am a desktop and network engineer, and i beleive the problem is outside of my control although your helpdesk team seem to think they can fob me off with its your software interfering with the connection and for this pleasure it has cost me in phone calls. Last night i ws also told that i would have a call back from virgin for more details from another engineer but 2230 came no call.

so to eliminate everything they have come up with, i have removed the antivirus from my pc and any other software which accesses the internet or scans the internet, Still having issues.
Also i have a windows server 2003 not configured at present so its a basic build no software no nothing this also has connection issues. so please tell me how, in my house hold there are 3 laptops 2 pc's, 1 server and they all have this connection problem because of software?

Now i would like to take you back to about a year ago, like i keep explaining to the so called helpdesk, i had the exact same problem, they changed the modem with a engineer visit this did not resolve the problem, but they did infact find a problem somewhere and they fixed it, no help from me, nothing changed the engineers somewhere did something and it was resolved. is it the same thing again? will helpdesk pass this onto the cable engineers to investigate? no its software!!!???
i have got to the end of my teather with this and if it was'nt for the virgin people being on holiday yesterday i would no longer be a virgin customer.
i would prefer it if i could speak to an engineer who knows what he is doing and does not go through a computerised check list and if cant find a fault puts it down to anything they can think of. Also i would need this engineer technician to be available between 20:00 and 21:00 as this is the time it is at its worst.

So on the offchance i thought i would hunt the net and came across your website, does anyone have any ideas how i can get them to take this serious? or am i banging my head against a brick wall? do you have any ideas?

thanks for the rant and any help much appreciated

[Horace]

Welcome to the forum.

Connect one of the PC's directly to the modem to remove the possibility of the router being the problem, then retry the ping test. If the results are the same go to 192.168.100.1 in a browser. Log in using root/root and copy/paste your power levels from the upstream and downstream sections of the modem menu and post here.

Check the sticky at the top of this forum regarding signal levels also.

[Firemaster]

have not been going through the router for days now, due to the "are you using a router" question every time. i am connected direct to the modem

Downstream Status Operational
Channel ID 5
Downstream Frequency 339000000 Hz
Modulation 256QAM
Bit Rate 4096000 bits/sec
Power Level 2.6 dBmV
Signal to Noise Ratio 41.6 dB

Upstream Status Operational
Channel ID 2
Upstream Frequency 29200000 Hz
Modulation 16QAM
Bit Rate 384000 bits/sec
Power Level 45.5 dBmV

Name WebSTAR EPC2100r2
Modem Serial Number 203406738
Cable Modem MAC Address REMOVED
Hardware Version 2.0
Software Version v1.0.2r1244-050225h
Receive Power Level 2.6 dBmV
Transmit Power Level 45.5 dBmV
Cable Modem Status Operational

[ceedee]

It would be interesting to see your modem power levels around the time that your pings start to fail.
Have you tried a tracert when you notice the problem?

If, like many others, you find the (premium) helpline a stressful experience, try contacting Tech Support via their dedicated newsgroup -- most people find it far more straightforward, especially if you do a few easy tests first.

Test hints and connection details here.

Good luck!

[whydoIneedatech]

Your post shows that your modem is working correctly, all power levels are well within the Virginmedia parameters, and you are on 4Mbs.

[Derek S]

Just so you know it's not the best idea to post your MAC address.
I've removed it for you.

[Firemaster]

power levels and all are roughly the same as shown
spent another 15 minutes on the phone but still they cannot resolve this, they will call me back (yeah right)

tracert to bbc

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator>tracert www.bbc.co.uk

Tracing route to www.bbc.net.uk [212.58.251.207]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

1 8 ms 10 ms 17 ms 10.15.128.1
2 8 ms 7 ms 9 ms gsr01-tr.blueyonder.co.uk [62.30.64.225]
3 10 ms 12 ms 8 ms 195.188.230.81
4 8 ms 8 ms 7 ms aztw-t3core-1b-ge-010-0.inet.ntl.com [80.1.240.1
29]
5 12 ms 16 ms 10 ms bir-bb-b-so-110-0.inet.ntl.com [213.105.175.161]

6 * * * Request timed out.
7 * * * Request timed out.
8 14 ms 13 ms 14 ms redb-ic-1-as0-0.inet.ntl.com [62.253.185.78]
9 16 ms 15 ms 13 ms 212.58.238.189
10 14 ms 24 ms 13 ms 212.58.238.149
11 * * * Request timed out.
12 * * * Request timed out.
13 14 ms 13 ms 13 ms www5.telhc.bbc.co.uk [212.58.251.207]

Trace complete.

thanks for removing mac

---------- Post added at 21:09 ---------- Previous post was at 21:07 ----------

oh just thought i would also mention
i can ping the modem continuosly while pinging bbc connection drops out

[ceedee]

That tracert (and your modem config) suggests to me (and IANAnetwork tech) a problem within VM's routing rather than anything at your end.

Do you have the same problem reaching other websites?
If so, could you try tracerts to them too?

Any VM network staff able to confirm my guess?

[DocDutch]

firemaster, which connection you on? I have seen this kind of behaviour myself a couple of times on the 10/20 meg connections (myself and some ex colleagues) and it was the modem that was the issue not being able to handle the speeds.

had exactly the same results as you have there.....

[whydoIneedatech]

Originally Posted by ceedee

That tracert (and your modem config) suggests to me (and IANAnetwork tech) a problem within VM's routing rather than anything at your end.

Do you have the same problem reaching other websites?
If so, could you try tracerts to them too?

Any VM network staff able to confirm my guess?

As ceedee says it does look more like a possible network issue, because as I said above the modem is behaving as it should.

[Firemaster]

i am on a 4mg connection

i must say i have not tested on another ip address as this is the one i always use but i will try another

also being a saddo i play games on the internet and also have voip software whisch cuts in and out and so does msn

[whydoIneedatech]

Originally Posted by DocDutch

firemaster, which connection you on? I have seen this kind of behaviour myself a couple of times on the 10/20 meg connections (myself and some ex colleagues) and it was the modem that was the issue not being able to handle the speeds.

had exactly the same results as you have there.....

That modem is one of the latest issued by Virginmedia and is more than capable of 20Mbs as it is the revision 2 model, plus as I stated above he is on 4Mbs which he has confirmed in his last post.

[Gary L]

Originally Posted by Derek S

Just so you know it's not the best idea to post your MAC address.
I've removed it for you.

I've seen Technical support ask for customers MAC addresses in the support groups. we all pretend we never seen them.

[whydoIneedatech]

Originally Posted by Gary L

I've seen Technical support ask for customers MAC addresses in the support groups. we all pretend we never seen them.

But the are scumbags out there who will take advantage of them being posted online.

[Firemaster]

well better safe than sorry
i have joined the VM news group and sent the details to them, see if i get any joy that way