50mb Connection keeps dropping [Archive]

Apollo33

27-11-2009, 13:20

Hey guys,

As soon as i got VM 50mb cable it has kept dropping. The modem lights stay on fine, and to get the net back i either have to reboot the router or renew the ip on the router. I have rang up VM so many times and here is what they have done:
- Sent out 3 new Dlink routers
- 1 new Netgear router
- 1 new modem
- 4 technicians

And still it keeps dropping out.. Could drop every hour, or every 12 hours, but without fail it will drop. The modem power levels have been checked so many times and ever time i have been told they are fine.

I looked at the modem event log, when the net goes the following message appears in the log: "No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=xxxx;CMTS-MAC=xxxxx;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;" my event log is full of them. Also a minute before the net goes, it takes around 45 seconds to load a page.

It doesn't look like its ever going to be fixed, so I have come to you guys too see if you know what could be the problem.

Thanks in advance, Jack

Welshchris

27-11-2009, 13:28

Can u post the modem power levels for us all to take a peek at?

Apollo33

27-11-2009, 13:37

http://deltaopt.com/www/jack/vmd.PNG
http://deltaopt.com/www/jack/vmu.PNG

Thanks,

Welshchris

27-11-2009, 13:45

2 b honest with u the problem ur telling me sounds like the BSR issue Virgin are having all over the UK atm. I was on the phone to the chief execs office in regards to this on Tuesday and was told that Motorolla are putting a patch out next month in the hope to try and solve the issue. The cut off date for it to be done before christmas is 18th of december. You could always log onto the VM Newsgroups and enquire.

Apollo33

27-11-2009, 13:49

Thanks chris,

I have threatened to lodge an official complaint and gave them the required 8 weeks notice. Ever since i did, they have kept phoning me to check if everything is sorted yet.

I guess I will have to keep on at them

Welshchris

27-11-2009, 13:51

btw i just noticed u have quite a few T3 timeouts there!

Apollo33

27-11-2009, 13:58

Tell me about it! I said this to tech support and he said it was nothing to worry about, however I am unsure about that

Welshchris

27-11-2009, 14:04

have a gander at the newsgroups and see what they have to say.

Sephiroth

27-11-2009, 14:04

This is very serious. I work in the network industry (not broadband) mainly in relation to safety critical networks. We have to create tables of contingencies and events that can affect service and then construct validation tests to prove that the frequency assumptions for failure are sustainable.

Here we have WelshChris's BSR (and thus prolly hundreds of them) that has a software bug that disconnects authenticated users. The patch is weeks away! Awful.

Whilst I recognise that this is not a safety critical environment, in relation to what VM do, unlooked-for user session disconnexion should be high on their list of validations to be performed at acceptance of the BSRs. This can presumably be done in a complex development lab whereby the regional BSRs that aggregate onto the national BSRs can be tested together for unwanted behaviours prior to field release.

I hope that VM's quality director, Peter Evans (who famously said in January 2009 that VM's processes were "fundamentally broken" - and they still are) gets hold of this, institutes preoper validation procedures and lets us know what he's done. (FAT CHANCE, of course).

Apollo33

27-11-2009, 14:36

Im guessing there is nothing I can do until they have sorted out the bug, apart from renewing the IP manually?

Ignitionnet

27-11-2009, 14:38

It's an intermittent noise issue on the upstream or a modem problem but hey let's bring up the usual suspect quoting the usual issue which is apparently affecting so many people on BSRs around the country less than 5 have reported symptoms like it on newsgroups, Cable Forum, Digital Spy and Think Broadband combined.

Also much as I hate to bring facts into it the OP is connected to a Cisco 10k not a BSR.

OP - you need someone who will check your line properly and give you a good work over. This is a network issue and nothing to do with BSR software bugs, as I mentioned above you aren't even connected to one. Looks like you're seeing bursts of errors, you are being disconnected as indicated by the T4 timeouts.

Are you using P2P heavily?

Apollo33

27-11-2009, 14:50

Nope not using P2P at all, it can die in the middle of the night when no one is on it, and we then wake up the next day to find out that the net has gone down, and then need to renew the Ip to get it back

Ignitionnet

27-11-2009, 14:53

OK. The renewing IP thing seems to be some rather annoying issue with the cable modems where after the modem drops connection it doesn't start passing traffic to the PC / router until IP has been renewed.

You've definitely got an RF problem there, connection has dropped 15 times since you last rebooted the modem. Check everything is plugged in as it should be, modem and cables aren't near the mains, even try plugging the modem into a different power strip if possible.

Cheers.

corona

27-11-2009, 15:24

same thing happening to me too, it started 2 days ago, same error messages, modem log full of criticals and warnings. net will drop and come back again, its very annoying

Apollo33

27-11-2009, 15:26

Thanks Broadbandings,
I have checked evrything, 20 times over and evrything is wired correctly, and nowhere near the mains and i have tried it in 3 different plugs on seperate sockets and still nothing.

Hey Corona,
Yeh exact same problem, started when i got BB on 10th October and happened ever since. Its not on as we are paying more than enough for a service which tbh is a load of rubbish.

Kymmy

27-11-2009, 15:28

Can I remind members not to post MAC or SERIAL numbers in public threads

Rik

27-11-2009, 16:46

2 b honest with u the problem ur telling me sounds like the BSR issue Virgin are having all over the UK atm.

What is a BSR issue if I may ask?
I have been having problems with my modem disconnecting and I have to reboot occassionally.

Not as frequently as some people on here, but annoying none the less.

Many thanks :)

PS Would be interesting to know if this problem is happening only to customers connecting to Motorola equipment or whether folks connected to Cisco equipment are affected by this as well?

EDIT

Reading a few more posts, I see BSR is motorola equipment of some sort.

I was under the impression that people with 4 downstream channels were connected to Motorla equipment and folks with 3 channels were connected to Cisco equipement, is there any truth in this?

uktigger

27-11-2009, 17:41

I'm having the same issues aswell, and have been since august.

I have had a ticket open with networks from the same time.

Every time i ask on the newsgroup what's happening about it, i seem to get the stock answer that networks atr still investigating.

xocemp

27-11-2009, 18:06

There need to be some distinction made here before the tread runs off based on an assumption with all the evidence from a hysterical 14 year old.

Rik, yes 4 downstream would indicate connection to a BSR.
There is no problem with intermittent connection on the BSRs which is due to an IOS bug. Nor is there one for the 10k Cisco kit, if there were then this would be a national fault and there would be a greater amount of posts on forums such as this, news groups etc.

uktigger, "networks" is a very wide term: NMC dealing with data and IP, routing, IOS. Headend networks. Local networks, the list goes on. Because you have a ticket with networks it could be networks that deal with your hubsite/amps/cabs etc and not necessarily networks NMC.

I just want to point this out before this thread becomes another People affected by modem ready light going off, post here! (http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/12/33657470-people-affected-modem-ready-light-going.html)

corona

27-11-2009, 18:28

I just cloned my computers mac address through dlink router and rebooted both modem and router, it seems fine atm

Ignitionnet

27-11-2009, 19:16

Rik, yes 4 downstream would indicate connection to a BSR.

In this case it looks a bit non-standard. The CMTS MAC address before it was edited (which btw isn't necessary, CMTS MAC can stay safely :) ) was Cisco, and note that the downstreams are running US DOCSIS not EuroDOCSIS. This would be pointless on the BSR as it would just result in a use of 4 downstreams for 152Mbps of bandwidth not 200Mbps but on the 10k M-CMTS architecture it delivers marginally more bandwidth than the 3 downstream EuroDOCSIS design while using the same amount of capacity on the edge QAM, 24MHz. Slightly better noise resilience due to smaller channel width too.

I'm not sure why it's been done instead of using EuroDOCSIS but assume there's a good reason. Either way this is a Cisco chassis, the BSRs use a different chipset with different OID on the CMTS MAC.

uktigger

28-11-2009, 10:13

uktigger, "networks" is a very wide term: NMC dealing with data and IP, routing, IOS. Headend networks. Local networks, the list goes on. Because you have a ticket with networks it could be networks that deal with your hubsite/amps/cabs etc and not necessarily networks NMC.
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My ticket is with Data & IP from what I've been told.

Retrovertigo

28-11-2009, 12:16

Is this the same issue affecting Manchester? I asked on the newsgroups back when I was on 20meg as the connection started dropping a few weeks ago. It is the same now I'm on 50meg. It drops out at least half a dozen times a day - sometimes it comes back on, sometimes I have to reboot the modem.

On the newsgroups they have given me a ref number (F001123935) and despite me keep asking - I'm told the same old thing "sorry for the inconvenience, the team know what the problem is and it is pending repair" or some such.

It really shouldn't be going on for this length of time if they actually know what is wrong.

xocemp

28-11-2009, 13:29

What is your ticket number uktrigger?
And Retro, this thread has no clear defined 'issue', just hysteria based on assumption from common symptoms.

uktigger

28-11-2009, 17:07

what is your ticket number uktrigger?
And retro, this thread has no clear defined 'issue', just hysteria based on assumption from common symptoms.

f001052409

xocemp

28-11-2009, 17:27

No snap, looks like you two aren't part of the fantasy national issue ;)

uktigger

28-11-2009, 17:28

No snap, looks like you two aren't part of the fantasy national issue ;)

Dunno if thats good or bad ;-)

xocemp

28-11-2009, 17:45

Well good that your not part of the fantasy nation wide issue that doesn't exist so you can have some piece of mind that this isn't a wide spread issue that isn't being addressed.

Let me give you an example of how the logic in this thread has worked:
My connection has dropped a few times today, I'm on ADSL and my SN margin was to low so I called the support center and the nice chap there raised it at a cost to my speed.
The reason for the drop in SN margin is due to cold weather, ADSL using twisted pair the copper stretches & shrinks in different conditions.

So what can we take from this?
ADSL providers know this is a fault and are doing nothing about it, its a nation wide issue.
Come on ADSL providers SORT IT OUT! *stamps feet* ;)

Ignitionnet

28-11-2009, 18:43

The change in weather also affects the VM network, there being metallic elements. There's always a spike in faults, especially upstream related ones, in autumn as the weather cools, connectors and cores shrink and don't make contact as cleanly as they did during summer, sources of ingress increase thanks to central heating and increased use of lighting, etc, etc.

Think VM need to sort this out and ban the seasons along with Christmas lights.

xocemp

28-11-2009, 19:02

Reading through many threads, I see this happens a lot with black modems.
VM sort it out!!

Digital Fanatic

28-11-2009, 19:52

Reading through many threads, I see this happens a lot with black modems.
VM sort it out!!

The black ones are the worst kind of modem! :D

zing_deleted

29-11-2009, 10:09

Ignitionnet

29-11-2009, 10:15

I have asked about a new modem but no dice so far. One is being trialled internally I understand.

This chap's RF appears hosed looking at his clocking up of T3/T4 timeouts.

NEONKNIGHT

29-11-2009, 10:19

Same problem here as the original poster - I believe the problem IS wide spread. Had the 50Mb install August. Still getting issues.

zing_deleted

29-11-2009, 10:19

TBH it only happens to me when I hit it with a big download and then not all the time. Today for example I was downloading a couple of files and needed to pause it . When I resumed the download I lost connection and had to reboot both modem and router. Mad thing is for the last few days before rebooting modem the middle three lights were out but it was still working

Peter_

29-11-2009, 10:22

so there is another type of modem then?

I am suffering this also . Netgear and Dlink router the net just stops.

Was told by a member on here that it was the modem a while ago but still hassled VM for a Dlink as free is free lol if there is a different modem I want one
The are presently 2 modems being issued by Virginmedia for non 50Mb customers and both are below.

https://www.cableforum.co.uk/images/local/2009/11/10.jpg
The Ambit 256 a nice little number in Black only.

https://www.cableforum.co.uk/images/local/2009/11/11.jpg
The Scientific Atlanta EPC2100 also in Black.

zing_deleted

29-11-2009, 10:24

this threads about 50 meg connections dropping out dude someone mentioned black modems so I thought there might be a none black 50 meg modem that actually worked properly

Peter_

29-11-2009, 10:29

this threads about 50 meg connections dropping out dude someone mentioned black modems so I thought there might be a none black 50 meg modem that actually worked properly
BBing has mentioned the Motorola 6120 before as being in the trial stage.

https://www.cableforum.co.uk/images/local/2009/11/9.jpg

zing_deleted

29-11-2009, 10:40

well fingers crossed and lets hope it works properly

crazyronnie

29-11-2009, 11:05

i've read good things about the motorola 6120.

Ignitionnet

29-11-2009, 12:33

Same problem here as the original poster - I believe the problem IS wide spread. Had the 50Mb install August. Still getting issues.

What problem is that exactly?

You don't even know what his problem is beyond that he's seeing disconnections, I have explained why he is seeing these disconnections and it is quite evident from his modem logs and not a nationwide issue.

I think I'm out of this thread, the last one that got hijacked by nonsense was quite full enough of excrement without this relatively obvious issue overflowing with it also. Getting somewhat tiresome the usual suspect hijacking every thread involving connection drops then people buying into it thinking it explains everything.

Re: The Motorola 6120 it's been in trial for a while though no doubt it'll be about how much it costs and that it doesn't have the VM logo on it rather than that it's simply a better piece of kit. VM should really have asked Comcast in the US why their customers are replacing the unbadged version of their modem with their own modems they are paying for.

mojo8472

29-11-2009, 23:09

I'm getting this issue too. Every 30 mins or so. Get these in the log during the dropouts:

TEK Invalid - Invalid Key Sequence Number
and
No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out

I'm in the SA2 area in Swansea

Boshey

30-11-2009, 17:43

Hi,

Had Virgin 50mb since spetember and in the last 4 weeks it has got progressively worse in terms of dropping connection - regular resets of modem and router only temporarily fix it.
There seems a lot of discussion on this forum about if this is a wider issue or a series of specific unrelated issues - I am not from wales (Buckinghamshire), but am interested to understand what the problem is - Virgin are sending me a rpelacement router, but not sure - reading this and other threads - if that will solve it.

Kymmy

30-11-2009, 18:35

Thread closed whilst I look into the last few posts

---------------------------------------------------------------

Thread reopened.

Can I remind people that if you have a problem with content or direction of a thread you should not post but instead report the posts

dayloon

20-12-2009, 19:22

Sephiroth

20-12-2009, 20:25

Sorry to bump an old thread but does anyone know what VM are doing about this ? I've been having this problem for months and it's driving my insane. I've had an endless amount of engineers out, still got the issue.

Do about what? This is your first appearance in the thread; we don't know where you are; we have no modem stats from you. Wouldn't it be better if you started your own thread so it could get dedicated attention?

spice

19-07-2010, 02:38

guys hope its ok to enter your posts im on 50mb 12 months its been on, and only 5 50mb accounts in my area 2 of them my sister and parents we all started droping connection at the same time and that was the day vm switched most channels to new service and from then till now the connection and stability of service is really poor im eaither pinging or running connection speeds of 5mb - 19mb and est just done on here was at 37mb sorry going on does anyone think the new serice we on might be the problem. theres so many people have this problem.

thanks for your time guys

adzii_nufc

19-07-2010, 04:34