Connection problems

[Hiroki]

During the day from around 10am until 6pm I have times where my internet drops and I can't use it at all for 5/10 mins at a time as nothing will load.

I am using a 256 modem and I am in the Gateshead area and I was wondering if anyone knew why this was happening?

I haven't contacted vm yet as I thought i'd ask here before I did and I don't know how to post power levels so if anyone could help i'd appreciate it.

Thanks

[fatassmichael]

go to http://192.168.100.1 , user and password are root, thats where the power levels are

[Hiroki]

Thanks.

Do I need to post both the downstream and the upstream???

[xocemp]

Yes :)

[Hiroki]

Ah thanks and here they are:-

Cable Modem Downstream
Downstream Lock : Locked
Downstream Channel Id : 7
Downstream Frequency : 339000000 Hz
Downstream Modulation : QAM256
Downstream Symbol Rate : 5360.537 Ksym/sec
Downstream Interleave Depth : taps32Increment4
Downstream Receive Power Level : -10.1 dBmV
Downstream SNR : 36.6 dB



Cable Modem Upstream
Upstream Lock : Locked
Upstream Channel ID : 2
Upstream Frequency : 29200000 Hz
Upstream Modulation : QAM16
Upstream Symbol Rate : 2560 Ksym/sec
Upstream transmit Power Level : 61.0 dBmV
Upstream Mini-Slot Size : 2

Thanks for the help

[fatassmichael]

your upstream power level is way too high, it wont be able to sync, you need a tech out to lower it, and also to up your downstream power. post on the newsgroups or call faults.

[Hiroki]

Ah thanks for the help :)

How do you set up the newsgroups (I don't have outlook like it suggests on their website).

[fatassmichael]

sorry i cant help there as i dont use them :( im sure someone else will explain though :)

[Hiroki]

sorry i cant help there as i dont use them :( im sure someone else will explain though :)
Ah thanks anyway :) Looks like I will wait until Monday and call them (to avoid the Indian call centres at the weekend)

[fatassmichael]

no problem, hope you get it sorted tho, you could always try calling tomorrow after 8.00am, if you get an offshore agent, politely request to be transferred to uk support.

[Hiroki]

So uk support work on the weekends aswell????

[fatassmichael]

afaik they do work saturdays, but dont hold me to that! :)

[xocemp]

News groups setup
http://www.virginmedia.com/myvirginmedia/newsgroups/setting-up.php

And UK support on a Saturday, Scotland center supports on a Sunday. But as you know its all a bit hit and miss.

[fatassmichael]

thanks xocemp :)

[Kymmy]

OUTLOOK doesn't have a built in newsreader anyway...it's outlook express you need (or the Vista/Win7 equiv. ;)

[bigsinky]

or one of the free news reader

[Hiroki]

Right ill hunt down a free newsreader then :) Would anyone be available on the news group at this time of night anyway?

News groups setup
http://www.virginmedia.com/myvirginmedia/newsgroups/setting-up.php

And UK support on a Saturday, Scotland center supports on a Sunday. But as you know its all a bit hit and miss.

Thanks for the info :)

[xocemp]

Support is 8am to 10pm, you'll be happy to know its manned by UK ( Liverpudlian ) 2nd line.

[Hiroki]

I've been trying since 9am to get through to an English agent and I finally got one at 11:59 and he said that the downstream was at an acceptable level but the upstream isnt and he is sending someone out on Tuesday

[xocemp]

perseverance paid off. :tu:

[fatassmichael]

I've been trying since 9am to get through to an English agent and I finally got one at 11:59 and he said that the downstream was at an acceptable level but the upstream isnt and he is sending someone out on Tuesday

:tu:

[Hiroki]

Im actually quite pleased (so far) I got a call back from the bloke I spoke to just after one to remind me of the date/time and to mention that it is an intermittent problem to whoever comes out and to call customers service when he is done to get partial credit - love it when vm has guys like that :)

Edit:- Thanks to all the help everyone gave

[Hiroki]

I thought id update on this I had the bloke out today and he removed a splitter on my line and got the upstream down to 59 and then left. Same problems exists.

So I called the bloke again and he is going to come back tonight/tomorrow to replace the modem/network cable or the whole drop. Fun times

[fatassmichael]

hope he does come back, or it'll have to be re-booked via faults :(

[Hiroki]

Well he didn't turn up tonight so hopefully he will tomorrow or like you said I will have to go through faults again :(

[Davie12345]

50mb simply doesnt work in the Gateshead area. 6 Months of problems. It works for a few hours then its slower that a 56k modem. An engineer told me there are noise issues and something keeps blowing, resulting in low S/R. This is one sick joke VM.