Virgin Media problems, glitches, and (Partial Service (US only))

andublin

Posting this here partly for info, in case it helps someone else; Partly seeking an opinion on Virgin Media versus Vodafone Siro.

VM Internet was glitchy for a while, wired and wifi, for days.
On the Hub 3.0 Home page, Status shows as Internet (Partial Service (US only))
For clarity, they mean UpStream, not United States!

A few sessions with VM first-line support says everything is within threshold, no issues, no problem, no action taken. Now normally there are 5 upstream bonded channels. But the Hub 3.0 says:

Upstream bonded channels
Channel Frequency (Hz) Power (dBmV) Symbol Rate (ksps) Modulation Channel ID
1 53600000 44 5.120 64qam 5
2 46000000 41 5.120 64qam 4
3 60200000 41 5.120 64qam 6
Upstream bonded channels
Channel Channel Type T1 Timeouts T2 Timeouts T3 Timeouts T4 Timeouts
(plenty of T3 Timeouts, others were 0)

Network Log
Time Priority Description
24-02-2021 14:36:56 critical Started Unicast Maintenance Ranging - No Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
24-02-2021 14:36:40 critical Unicast Maintenance Ranging attempted - No response - Retries exhausted;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;
24-02-2021 14:36:40 critical Ranging Request Retries exhausted;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;

And the log is full of those, repeating every 3 seconds or so.

There were many red herrings: Wiring inside the house, wiring outside the house, other stuff. All unchanged since the time things were stable.
I followed all recommendations on the net: (60-second reset to factory defaults, leave powered off and disconnected for 10 to 30 minutes, only one device connected by wire, no wifi, etc), no change.

After battling with first-level support, different days, different people, I finally got one who tested the upstream channels and agreed to send out a technician. However that was some days away (and still is).

So the final, current situation, I hope it helps anyone who comes across the same issue.


A day or so passed, no change while waiting for the tech appointment, I decided to go with another provider who offers Fibre To The Home. I also called VM to give 30 days notice of cancellation, specifying problematic service, and price.

By coincidence (Or not?) a few hours later after notifying cancellation, my hub 3.0 reset the line, established 5 upstream channels instead of 3, and the T3 timeouts, which were being logged every 3 seconds, mysteriously ceased. All stable now for the last 24 hours. Downstream/Upstream rates are now as they should be, within a couple of Mb of nominal package speed.Logs, status, stored now so I have a reference to compare against if it all goes pear-shaped again.

Whether coincidence or not, clearly a problem with the VM network equipment, nothing at this premises.

Hmmm. Now debating whether I should stay with the VM devil I know and Hub 3.0, or switch to FTTP for double the speed (supposedly) at half the price. Vodafone Siro, Gigabox router.

Any thoughts, anyone?

KildareP

Ordinarily you'd be better off on OpenEir/SIRO fibre than Virgin:
- Tends to be better equipment (especially if your provider gives a Fritzbox)
- Better international routing and peering (Virgin peers a lot of its traffic through Amsterdam)
- Native IPv4/IPv6 versus the DS-Lite that Virgin uses.


However I wouldn't personally be so quick to recommend Vodafone.



Their support are not great and there have been frequent reports on here and elsewhere of peak-time speeds being significantly lower than advertised. Not sure what their "Gigabox" is like in terms of hardware performance.



Lots of other providers you should be able to choose from - Digiweb, Pure, Airwire, Sky.