V-Box interrupting broadband

snadge · 02-07-2008, 13:43

I fixed a poorly setup wireless Virgin Broadband connection some time ago (being blocked by software on the laptop) and now the customer is ringing me saying that its keeps going OFF and to get it on she has to reboot everything - now this has only started happening since the installation of a Virgin V-Box she had - she says after running the repair on Vista it says something along the lines of "another computer has the same IP address..." sumit like that anyway - so I said well if its been since the install of the V-Box ring Virgin and they should help you with it cos it sounds like its that....

SO... she rang them up and immediatley the technician said it sounds like they are fighting for the same IP address... but after running some tests he could not fix the issue and then said "because you did not buy your Wifi router from us we cannot help you with this problem...the only thing I CAN tell you is put your laptop closer to the router..." SHEESH...!!! (oh and BTW the laptop is 7ft away in clear view)

SO... on the fone to me I managed to confirm that theres nothing wrong with laptop OR wifi router - what seems to be happening is at some stage (dunno when cos ive got her loggin the disconnections at moment) theres seems to be a signal coming down the line (maybe IP Address which the V-Box is taking) and this disconnects the modem (which is how the reboot fixes it..) -the reason I know this is cos she said when she has been offline its says its connected but limited connectivity (and no internet comes through) this means the WIFI is working fine but the MODEM (which is seperate) isnt online... also while it was all working fine I got her to reboot Vista and try to use internet then and all was fine...so its the modem somehow losing connection periodically - she say she never turns anything off so should be on 24/7.... the guy on the fone also said these sort of things happen (teething problems he called it) with the v-box in first few days and just to leave it and it will sort itself out....???

I was wondering does anyone esle know of or had any similar problems with Virgin Cable Broadband and V-Box...???

Ive got her testing it every 3/4 hours to see if its working and logging it IF its off trying to pin-point when its happening

any ideas?

thanks

**Rob** · 02-07-2008, 14:42

Is the broadband connection via a separate cable modem, so the V box is providing TV only (some systems, especially on the ex ntl areas did get the broadband via the Set Top Box)?

Does the problem persist if the router is removed from the network and a connection is made directly by ethernet between the cable broadband device and laptop?

piggy · 02-07-2008, 17:57

im clutching at straws here but aswell as the v+ stb have they kept the old stb? if so the installer will have fitted a splitter and it sounds like the levels are now on the edge check the modem levels or get a service call booked to check the new install over

snadge · 02-07-2008, 18:57

the connection is from a modem which then goes to linksys wireless router...
whats an STB? whats the levels? - im newbie to Virgin V-Box etc..

she reported it OFF this morning and OFF this afternoon

all was fine until they installed this V-Box

she was BACK on the fone to them today and they said its THE WIRELESS ROUTER and she should ring linksys..????? sureley that is WRONG?

she is trying without router connected to see if it drops.. how can the router be at fault when they install the V-Box and it all goes tits up? theyre trying to fobb her off to be honest - sounds like the technicians at Virgin just DONT have a clue... the 1st tech says it may be fighting for an IP address with V-Box and the 2nd tech said thats rubbish???? calling each other wrong now??

can anyone help with this cos i will be going over to her house soon in next ew days once i know what Iam supposed to be doing - as i explained to her I just fix computers and install broadband - im unfamiliar with SKY/Virgin TV boxes....

any help / advice is greatly appreciated...

thanks

piggy · 02-07-2008, 19:01

stb= set top box ie v/v+ box

your best bet is to get a service call booked and get everything checked over

a quick check is when the internet goes off what lights are on the modem .....plse check and report back

whydoIneedatech · 02-07-2008, 19:09

V+ boxes do not do Internet and never will as Virgin no longer supply any Set Top Boxes to customer that are internet ready anymore, if a existing STB internet customer rings in with a faulty box they are given a replacement STB and a Stand Alone Cable Modem.

The V+ box will not be provisioned on the account for internet so has no bearing to this fault so it cannot fight for an IP address.

All existing legacy STB internet users are supported till their STB dies, then as above before anyone chips in.

You may need to call Digital Television Faults as well as Broadband Faults to resolve this issue.

sstainer · 02-07-2008, 19:11

very strange this one, the STB[set top box] would have a totally different IP to the cable modem imo [or should do] specially if its a seperate broadband connection , ie not in anyway connected to the stb

Example image of a 255

i'd find out what way your friend is connected this might help others further

piggy · 02-07-2008, 19:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by whydoIneedatech

V+ boxes do not do Internet and never will as Virgin no longer supply any Set Top Boxes to customer that are internet ready anymore, if a existing STB internet customer rings in with a faulty box they are given a replacement STB and a Stand Alone Cable Modem.

The V+ box will not be provisioned on the account for internet so has no bearing to this fault so it cannot fight for an IP address.

All existing legacy STB internet users are supported till their STB dies, then as above before anyone chips in.

You may need to call Digital Television Faults as well as Broadband Faults to resolve this issue.

in our area if the stb is faulty and has bb via the stb its replaced and sub still has bb via stb no sacm is fitted

snadge · 02-07-2008, 19:18

ive explained how its setup...
she has Virgin STB ... AND a cable modem for broadband seperate to which a linksys wireless router is connected to transmit it wifi - all worked fine until she got a V-BOX installed and Virgin say its her router which I know to be absolute PAP - it all worked fine until they fitted V-BOX and the router has NOTHING to do with the V_BOX or the BROADBAND connection - when it IS down she can connect wirelessley and it tells her the broadband is DOWN....

how much will it cost for her to get a call out checkover?

whydoIneedatech · 02-07-2008, 19:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by piggy

in our area if the stb is faulty and has bb via the stb its replaced and sub still has bb via stb no sacm is fitted

All EX-NTL and EX-Telewest no longer support new STB installs for Internet as I have stated above as they are not worth the hassle, you have a fault you get 2 new devices plus your shiny new modem is 20Mb capable unlike your STB max speed if Samsung 6Mb.

sstainer · 02-07-2008, 19:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by snadge

ive explained how its setup...
she has Virgin STB ... AND a cable modem for broadband seperate to which a linksys wireless router is connected to transmit it wifi - all worked fine until she got a V-BOX installed and Virgin say its her router which I know to be absolute PAP - it all worked fine until they fitted V-BOX and the router has NOTHING to do with the V_BOX or the BROADBAND connection - when it IS down she can connect wirelessley and it tells her the broadband is DOWN....

how much will it cost for her to get a call out checkover?

should be free part of the package costs or broadband subscription
a test to see if it works ok without router would be ideal?

snadge · 02-07-2008, 19:58

well she's asked me to go over but theres NOTHING I CAN DO until i try and identify whats up... it only goes down once or twice a day i could be sitting there for HOURS then when it goes off (the modem) what the hell do i do then? cos i cant get online for 1-2-1 help with you guys cos its down...

lordy · 02-07-2008, 21:06

All I pointed snadge over here, from another thread on ADSL forum.
Just a couple of thoughts come to mind (esp if the Vbox is not an IP device)

1. It could be the wiring /cable got faffed up when the vbox was installed.
(she previously had another STB which worked fine , presumably on the same splitter)

2. If its not an IP device, then could it be a cloned modem on the same subnet?
That would give a duplicate IP error. And perhaps fit with the idea that a reboot fixes it temporarily?

Other than that I guess we need to wait for more info (Modem model, status lights when down etc) or they need to get an engineer in as suggested.

AmAtoL · 02-07-2008, 21:17

Strange.... but, no matter what V+ boxes are or are not supposed to do they still seem to have a bearing on what goes on. I'm in an ex NTL area and only last week the internet went off, nothing unusual in that, we tried all the reboots etc like you would. Nothing, modem lights that should be on were off even after reboots.
I told my Son who phoned me at work about the problem to go next door and see if theirs was off, it was, exact same setup as me btw. The lad next door works for Red Bull F1 Racing and does the I.T. at Grand Prix, he rebooted everything to no avail until he rebooted his V+ box and taadaa net back on. My lad did the same and taadaa net back on.
Coincidence ? I dunno, but somehow it affects it.
That's how it happened.

sstainer · 02-07-2008, 21:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by snadge

well she's asked me to go over but theres NOTHING I CAN DO until i try and identify whats up... it only goes down once or twice a day i could be sitting there for HOURS then when it goes off (the modem) what the hell do i do then? cos i cant get online for 1-2-1 help with you guys cos its down...

maybe goto http://192.168.100.1/CmEventLog.asp via her broadband and see if it shows any errors [messages?] maybe also looking at the other pages down up etc

as test maybe try the connection without router for 24hrs see if it behaves near normal? this you could advise next time she or you phone