PDA

View Full Version : Intermittent broadband


m8internet
26-06-2008, 14:20
It's been at least two years now since I've had any problems with VM broadband

I was completing some online forms, between 07:00 and 11:00 today, when my connection kept cutting out
The modem at that point goes from all five lights on to just one flashing, confirming loss of broadband
Normally the first step here is to switch the modem off, wait 3 minutes, then switch back on, but each time the single light is still flashing
After about a further 10 minutes the service resumed
However, 10 to 15 minutes later and the same problem occured
I checked the TV and that service is unaffected

There is nothing on the service status pages

UBR : cast

r00t
26-06-2008, 14:31
More info please:
What modem
What lights go off, stay on or flash.

Stu_C
26-06-2008, 15:51
What area are you in? Im in the HG5 postcade area and Im having problems.

Stu

m8internet
26-06-2008, 16:18
More info please:
What modem
What lights go off, stay on or flash.
Modem : Motorola SB5100
Normally all the lights are on, with activity blinking away
However, if there is no broadband all the lights go off and only send flashes

What area are you in? Im in the HG5 postcade area and Im having problems.
As above, I am on the cast UBR, Castlecary which is G67
This UBR used to suffer when there were severe downpours of rain, as it is at the bottom of the hill!; looks like they've solved that one

moaningmags
26-06-2008, 19:56
If your send light is flashing it sounds like a problem with your upstream power level.
This will need a tech to fix it so best to call in.
If you type 192.168.100.1 into your web browser then click on signal you'll see your power levels, tech will mostly likely get you to do this on the phone.

m8internet
26-06-2008, 20:45
Perhaps it wasn't the receive light, but only the send light, but it was only one of them that was flashing
Next time it happens I will check

Really strange, it was intermittent for just those four hours
I reported it, then it was fine

jefron
27-06-2008, 01:16
I am new to this forum although I have been using ntl (VM) broadband since 2002. For the first time in years I have started to get loss of broadband service - 4 extended outages since 7th June. I am in area 21 with post-code SO50.

When the service is out the RDY lamp on the cable modem is off or flashes slowly. I have tried restarting the modem and disconnecting the ethernet router without effect but the service returns on its own some hours later. I assume someone has done some kind of reset upstream of my cable. The TV service on the same cable appears to work normally while the broadband is out.

I called 151 twice and was promised a technician but the service restarted before he/she arrived. I have also sent three messages to VM technical support by filling in the web form but I have received no reply.

chickendippers
27-06-2008, 01:27
I have also sent three messages to VM technical support by filling in the web form but I have received no reply.
Don't bother, use the support newsgroups (http://www.virginmedia.com/customers/newsgroups/) instead.

sstainer
27-06-2008, 01:29
roughly what sort of time would this of been ?
after midnight could be down to network maintenance ?
or a local fault reason for the flashing or no show of a steady always on ready light

jefron
27-06-2008, 12:27
sstainer;34585491
"roughly what sort of time would this of been ?
after midnight could be down to network maintenance ?
or a local fault reason for the flashing or no show of a steady always on ready light"

Thanks for your interest Simon.

All 4 occasions were for several hours during the day - for example yesterday between 11am and 11pm. I am talking about serious outage. Also, there have been no warnings of network maintenance in this period. I am not sure what you mean by a local fault - the sync and rdy lamps are on steady when it is working and off or rdy flashing slowing when it is not working. This looks to me like all the local equipment is working but the internet service is failing. This is confirmed by OS X Network Diagnostics on my computer.

Jeff

---------- Post added at 11:27 ---------- Previous post was at 10:54 ----------

I've just found the VM planned maintenance page -

90608
Planned Network Maintenance Week commencing Monday 09/06/08
Upcoming
TV and Internet
09/06/2008 08:00
160608
Planned Network Maintenance Week commencing Monday 16/06/08
Upcoming
TV and Internet
16/06/2008 08:00
230608
Planned Network Maintenance Week commencing Monday 23/06/08
Upcoming
TV and Internet
23/06/2008 08:00

I guess that is where my problem comes from but I am still wondering why the 151 broadband operator did not mention this important fact when I called.

Jeff

whydoIneedatech
27-06-2008, 22:44
sstainer;34585491
"roughly what sort of time would this of been ?
after midnight could be down to network maintenance ?
or a local fault reason for the flashing or no show of a steady always on ready light"

Thanks for your interest Simon.

All 4 occasions were for several hours during the day - for example yesterday between 11am and 11pm. I am talking about serious outage. Also, there have been no warnings of network maintenance in this period. I am not sure what you mean by a local fault - the sync and rdy lamps are on steady when it is working and off or rdy flashing slowing when it is not working. This looks to me like all the local equipment is working but the internet service is failing. This is confirmed by OS X Network Diagnostics on my computer.

Jeff

---------- Post added at 11:27 ---------- Previous post was at 10:54 ----------

I've just found the VM planned maintenance page -

90608
Planned Network Maintenance Week commencing Monday 09/06/08
Upcoming
TV and Internet
09/06/2008 08:00
160608
Planned Network Maintenance Week commencing Monday 16/06/08
Upcoming
TV and Internet
16/06/2008 08:00
230608
Planned Network Maintenance Week commencing Monday 23/06/08
Upcoming
TV and Internet
23/06/2008 08:00

I guess that is where my problem comes from but I am still wondering why the 151 broadband operator did not mention this important fact when I called.

Jeff

The Broadband Tech did not mention the planned Maintenance to you because it is not part of their job to look up this kind of thing, they are there to sort out faults.

eth01
28-06-2008, 11:31
The Broadband Tech did not mention the planned Maintenance to you because it is not part of their job to look up this kind of thing, they are there to sort out faults.

....But they should.

whydoIneedatech
28-06-2008, 11:49
....But they should.

It is not part of our job and we do not get that information, all we deal with is faults we are not there to update you on maintenance issues that is another department.

sstainer
28-06-2008, 13:09
sstainer;34585491
"roughly what sort of time would this of been ?
after midnight could be down to network maintenance ?
or a local fault reason for the flashing or no show of a steady always on ready light"

Thanks for your interest Simon.

All 4 occasions were for several hours during the day - for example yesterday between 11am and 11pm. I am talking about serious outage. Also, there have been no warnings of network maintenance in this period. I am not sure what you mean by a local fault - the sync and rdy lamps are on steady when it is working and off or rdy flashing slowing when it is not working. This looks to me like all the local equipment is working but the internet service is failing. This is confirmed by OS X Network Diagnostics on my computer.

Jeff

---------- Post added at 11:27 ---------- Previous post was at 10:54 ----------

I've just found the VM planned maintenance page -

90608
Planned Network Maintenance Week commencing Monday 09/06/08
Upcoming
TV and Internet
09/06/2008 08:00
160608
Planned Network Maintenance Week commencing Monday 16/06/08
Upcoming
TV and Internet
16/06/2008 08:00
230608
Planned Network Maintenance Week commencing Monday 23/06/08
Upcoming
TV and Internet
23/06/2008 08:00

I guess that is where my problem comes from but I am still wondering why the 151 broadband operator did not mention this important fact when I called.

Jeff


by local fault i mean a service that is down in your local area ushally the Operator would look at this [or has done when i have had faults] there is a number free one that you can call this will tell you of any local faults near to you that might be part of the problem

ushally if the lights are off/flashing means problem [doh yeah you say lol] best bet would be to look at the modem config pages in the event log see if anything there rings a bell with times of the net being down for you, also if you have a stb too check that it can access interactive if not then you can mention this also when speaking to faults.

jefron
29-06-2008, 00:04
My broadband was back on first thing this morning after being out all day yesterday so I began to post that I was relieved that the planned maintenance was over and that things were back to normal when it fell over again before I could press the submit button. It was then out all day today until an hour ago when I tried another post - it fell over again - this is getting boring!

I understand from my professional experience as a service provider that upgrading complex systems often does not go exactly to plan and that it sometimes takes longer than planned.

All the more reason for the call centre staff to be aware of planned maintenance so that they can have a sensible conversation with customers who can't see the service status web pages because their broadband is not working!!!

whydoIneedatech
29-06-2008, 00:09
My broadband was back on first thing this morning after being out all day yesterday so I began to post that I was relieved that the planned maintenance was over and that things were back to normal when it fell over again before I could press the submit button. It was then out all day today until an hour ago when I tried another post - it fell over again - this is getting boring!

I understand from my professional experience as a service provider that upgrading complex systems often does not go exactly to plan and that it sometimes take longer than planned.

All the more reason for the call centre staff to be aware of planned maintenance so that they can have a sensible conversation with customers who can't see the service status web pages because their broadband is not working!!!

We get emails regarding Major Outages so that we know that the is going to be high call rates coming into the centre.

As to maintenance issues we have no dealings with it as we would end up taking less calls, and as it is a business that would never be allowed by senior management, and you would find the same type of system operates in other call centres.

eth01
29-06-2008, 00:17
My broadband was back on first thing this morning after being out all day yesterday so I began to post that I was relieved that the planned maintenance was over and that things were back to normal when it fell over again before I could press the submit button. It was then out all day today until an hour ago when I tried another post - it fell over again - this is getting boring!

I understand from my professional experience as a service provider that upgrading complex systems often does not go exactly to plan and that it sometimes takes longer than planned.

All the more reason for the call centre staff to be aware of planned maintenance so that they can have a sensible conversation with customers who can't see the service status web pages because their broadband is not working!!!

I completely agree... :)

jefron
01-07-2008, 00:20
Broadband was on all day yesterday just like the electricity supply from Southern Electric but down again this morning and out all day until sometime this evening.

I called 151 broadband support again this afternoon and spoke to a very nice agent who said that nothing was showing as faulty in my area - SO50. However, I am getting exactly the same symptoms as in many previous occasions this month when the service returned on its own after some hours. Clearly someone does some kind of fix on one of the central servers to get things going again. I decided to accept a technician visit on Wednesday morning although it is unlikely that anything will be found wrong here.

I see in the service status web page that Planned Network Maintenance has been extended for another week from today at short notice.

jefron
02-07-2008, 11:17
My broadband was out all day yesterday but on again this morning when the technician visit had been arranged. I was anxious that I would be charged for no fault found as threatened by the broadband call centre but the technician replaced the cable modem and said that should cure the problem. I certainly hope that is true.

sstainer
02-07-2008, 11:20
Broadband was on all day yesterday just like the electricity supply from Southern Electric but down again this morning and out all day until sometime this evening.

I called 151 broadband support again this afternoon and spoke to a very nice agent who said that nothing was showing as faulty in my area - SO50. However, I am getting exactly the same symptoms as in many previous occasions this month when the service returned on its own after some hours. Clearly someone does some kind of fix on one of the central servers to get things going again. I decided to accept a technician visit on Wednesday morning although it is unlikely that anything will be found wrong here.

I see in the service status web page that Planned Network Maintenance has been extended for another week from today at short notice.

there is planned maintenance every week starting on a monday