Can't View Signal Levels

[Sahness]

Hi there,

Having a lot of problems with Virgin in the past few hours. I've been unable to use it due to the fact that every 3-4 minutes it has dropped connections, meaning browsing the Internet, chatting, and playing games has been a chore. I'm in Liverpool.

I looked through several threads and noted a way of viewing my signal levels, but after following the 'site, I'm no better off.

The only things listed are the following. Apparently, I'm on a VM 256.

Cable Modem : Euro-DOCSIS 1.0/1.1/2.0 Compliant
Boot Code Version : 1.1.2c
Software Version : 2.111.1002
Hardware Version : 1.9

[dgcarter]

You need to log in to the modem. Top left there is a login link, click on that, it will tell you what the default username and password is (probably 'login' for both).

[Sahness]

This is when I'm using the "http://root:root@192.168.100.1/" link. Is that what you meant?

[Peter_]

Click this link http://192.168.100.1/ then click on LOGIN in the top left corner when it asks for the username and password you then put in root for both if it does not work you will need to call faults.

[Sahness]

Click this link http://192.168.100.1/ then click on LOGIN in the top left corner when it asks for the username and password you then put in root for both



http://root:root@192.168.100.1/


Brings up the exact same page.


The only things listed are the following. Apparently, I'm on a VM 256.

Cable Modem : Euro-DOCSIS 1.0/1.1/2.0 Compliant
Boot Code Version : 1.1.2c
Software Version : 2.111.1002
Hardware Version : 1.9

[Kymmy]

Did you try clicking on the menu's on the left side?

[Peter_]

When you get to that page on the top left it will say LOGIN, you click on that and it will ask for the username and password which are both root.

Click this below it should work.

Login (http://192.168.100.1/login.html)
Factory default username/password is"root"

[Sahness]

Whoops, thanks. Feel like a complete idiot for not realising that "Login" button was... a button.

Here's every piece of information I could possibly find.


Acquire a Downstream Channel 307000000 Hz Locked
Connectivity State OK Operational
Boot State OK Operational

Downstream Lock : Locked
Downstream Channel Id : 52
Downstream Frequency : 307000000 Hz
Downstream Modulation : QAM256
Downstream Symbol Rate : 6952 Ksym/sec
Downstream Interleave Depth : taps12Increment17
Downstream Receive Power Level : 4.5 dBmV
Downstream SNR : 38.4 dB

Network Access : Allowed
Maximum Downstream Data Rate : 20480000
Maximum Upstream Data Rate : 768000
Maximum Upstream Channel Burst : 3044
Maximum Number of CPEs : 1
Modem Capability : Concatenation Enabled, Fragametation Enabled, PHS Enabled

Upstream Lock : Locked
Upstream Channel ID : 3
Upstream Frequency : 37500000 Hz
Upstream Modulation : QAM16
Upstream Symbol Rate : 2560 Ksym/sec
Upstream transmit Power Level : 32.5 dBmV
Upstream Mini-Slot Size : 2

Modulation Type QPSK QPSK QPSK 16QAM 16QAM
Differential Encoding Off Off Off Off Off
Preamble Length 36 232 232 128 128
Preamble Value Offset 244 6 6 504 504
FEC Error Correction (T) 0 5 5 4 9
FEC Codeword Information Bytes (k) 16 34 34 76 232
Scrambler Seed 338 338 338 338 338
Maximum Burst Size 0 0 0 7 0
Guard Time Size 22 48 48 22 22
Last Codeword Length Fixed Fixed Fixed Short Short
Scrambler on/off On On On On On

[Chrysalis]

is that showing upstream bonding?

[Peter_]

Your Upstream at 32.5 dBmV is on the low side so a call to technical support is in order.

At least you can get in now.;)

[Ignitionnet]

is that showing upstream bonding?

Nope, also it's not a bonding modem. Those are upstream modulation profile parameters.

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/cable/cmts/feature/spec_mgt.html#wp1086269

[Sahness]

Phoned the tech help office and the lady on the other side says she can't figure out what it is, but attributes it to possibly someone working on the line, despite the fact both her check and mine says there's nothing going on in my area. Told me to phone back in a few hours so I suppose I'll wait for that. :P

[Peter_]

Told me to phone back in a few hours so I suppose I'll wait for that. :P
Marvellous:erm: they are supposed to sort it on the first call rather than ask you to call back, very likely you may get an engineer booked when you call back.;)

[Sahness]

The problem is now far worse, and I'm disconnecting every 20-30 seconds. It's taken me eight tries to post this by typing it up in Wordpad before posting.

I called them again and explained the issue, and was asked to use Speedtest.net.

It took four attempts to get my upload speed, because it kept reporting an error when it got to that phase. I ended with 0.06 upload speed. I queried whether it was related to the Upstream Transmit Power Level, and was told no.

She did a ping test and told me there was 40% packet loss, so I asked again whether it was due to the upload problem. She replied that she didn't think so, but she couldn't receive that information from her computer, and that she would go and ask someone a tiny bit higher up about it.

She wandered off, and I was left listening to Lady GAHHHHH for several minutes, at which point she announced she'd get back to me tomorrow lunchtime with the results of the other techie's remote check on my modem.

Might have been a bit too much to expect something (if even a temporary fix) today! Not that I mind too much (well... I kind of do, but still), I'll wait until tomorrow and see how it goes. :P

http://www.pingtest.net/result/19428252.png (http://www.pingtest.net)

[Ignitionnet]

Always a bonus contacting technical support and receiving absolutely no technical support of any kind.

She'll get back to you tomorrow lunchtime because she doesn't know how to use her tools provided?

You got blagged :)

[jb66]

Your Upstream at 32.5 dBmV is on the low side so a call to technical support is in order.

At least you can get in now.;)

The lower the better! I'd be happy with that on an install

[Sahness]

Decided to call them one more time; yeah, I'm impatient like that. :(

Got a call with a guy who led me through the usual proceedings, and repeatedly stated my D-Link router was not from Virgin, and was a potential problem. I eventually managed to persuade him that it was, and that trying the modem alone made no difference.

I then went through the whooole effort of trying the modem alone, again. He stated that their connection to me was fine, so I told him that any ping test I run is getting anywhere between 20-80% packet loss (that is, through the Start -> Run -> Ping thingy). He ran off to go and check something on their servers, and then came back and told me, once again, the server connection was fine, and that I should try pinging my gateway. I did. 0%.

He eventually conceeded, after request, to pass it on to their line manager or... something. And then told me he'd call back on the same number and *poof*.

I really need to take some aggressive vocal lessons. And possibly learn a tiny bit about networks, too. :)

[Peter_]

The lower the better! I'd be happy with that on an install
It is below specification as it should be above 34 at least and is usually at its best in the mid forties.;)

[The Installer]

It is below specification as it should be above 34 at least and is usually at its best in the mid forties.;)

Can you please explain why that is?

;)

[Ignitionnet]

I can - if transmit power on the modem is too low it can cause low SNR. Padding an upstream port by 3dB will give an extra 3dB of SNR - modems will all increase their Tx power 3dBmV to reach CMTS at target receive power so signal level is unchanged, noise level will be reduced 3dB due to the padding giving 3dB SNR gain.

This would be a job for networks usually, service can drop upstream transmit power by changing tap or a powered HDU. Raising upstream transmit power in a way that would make any difference would need either some work at trunk amp, nodal level or at RPM at hubsite or headend. Pointless just applying a cable simulator or a tap change to raise upstream transmit as the simulator or tap change would just attenuate away the extra signal before it reaches the noise you want it to overcome.

[The Installer]

Fair enough :)

I know some SA amps and certain tap banks (top bank normally) only expect to have a return power level of 29-30dB which i always found very odd.

All makes perfect sense ;)

[Peter_]

Fair enough :)

I know some SA amps and certain tap banks (top bank normally) only expect to have a return power level of 29-30dB which i always found very odd.

All makes perfect sense ;)
I knew Iggi would come on and explain it, we in technical support have a certain criteria that the power levels are expected to fall into, to high or to low and you have problems, and if after diagnosis it points to it being at the customers end we book a technician.;)