Slow or no connection

[charlieannear]

Please can someone explain to me what the numbers and text are when I run a traceroute (asked to do so by support).

Thanks,
C.

[haydnwalker]

Hi

A Trace route should look something like:

C:\WINDOWS>tracert 172.16.0.1
Tracing route to 172.16.0.1 over a maximum of 30 hops

1 <1 ms <1 ms <1 ms 172.16.0.1

Trace complete.
C:\WINDOWS>


That... The numbers are the IP addresses (numerical and unique computer addresses) of the PCs.

Yours will probably be longer than that with alot more numbers on different lines.

The purpose is to find out the route over the internet your traffic is taking. the larger the numbers (ie mine is <1 ms (millisecond) and so very quick you can get some at 100ms which is alot longer) the longer your traffic is taking.

Sometimes you will see asterisks (*) instead which means it couldn't contact that particular point (known as a hop [traffic hops from one pc to another]).

Diagnostics can be done from the number of hops from you to a particular point on the internet or within your ISPs network.

[charlieannear]

Thanks for that speedy response.

My connection has been playing up and the traceroutes that I have run have had lots of asterisks and some 'timed out' where the IP info should be.

Virgin support reckoned this was fine?

However, with download speeds in bytes (not KB, not MB, just little ol' b's) I wasn't so sure.

The problem I was having of very, very slow connection was getting progressively worse. It became unworkable wirlessly and achieved little more with my laptop plugged directly into the cable modem with an ethernet cable.
Yesterday afternoon even this failed to give a connection and I noticed that the ethernet light was not illuminated. Changed for a brand new cable, but no joy.

I had previously suggested to Virgin support that the modem might be on it's way out as it is a silver NTL Home one that I have had it since I first got Broadband 6 or 7 years ago (since then every single piece of IT hardware, PC, printer, scanner, router etc has failed and been replaced!) but they insisted I check my laptop for spyware.
I did so and it came back clean, so Support insisted I download some other spyware scanners and try those. How am I supposed to do that with no download speed! Besides, I don't want loads of junk on my laptop and I don't want software conflicts and I don't want to have to uninstall my internet security package in order to install some freebie off the web...

So, I was reasonably sure my modem was fried, based on the fact that it doesn't seem to be putting out any signal at all, and my router and laptop were fine due to the fact that they can communicate with each other instantly.

Connecting my laptop to my neighbours Sky broadband (with his permission of course) through a couple of cavity walls and about 20 metres of air, I unsurprisingly get a poor signal (wireless g), but even then web pages load immediately and I get download speeds in the region of 150 KB/Sec. And running a traceroute I get no asterisks and no timeouts.

So that confirms my laptop is fine doesn't it?

I informed Support of this yesterday afternoon by replying to their e-mail to me, but no response from them yet.
Phone them at 25p am inute just to spend £3 before they even confirm who I am? No ta. :rolleyes:

Can I somehow check whether a new modem is on it's way to me?

[ceedee]

So that confirms my laptop is fine doesn't it?
Not entirely but good enough for me at least.

Put simply, your download speed sounds dreadful and connections are dropping slowing your browsing.
If you post your modem power levels (http://a.myby.co.uk/broadband-faq.html#q07) here, there's a chance that somebody better qualified will take a look and maybe offer a comment.

I informed Support of this yesterday afternoon by replying to their e-mail to me, but no response from them yet.
Phone them at 25p am inute just to spend £3 before they even confirm who I am? No ta. :rolleyes:

Give the Tech Support newsgroup a try?
Need help getting onto VM's Tech Support newsgroup? (http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/showpost.php?p=34527446&postcount=6)
You'll probably get the same advice but at least the response time will be better!

Can I somehow check whether a new modem is on it's way to me?
Try calling Customer Services (150, I believe) and asking them to check to see if the order is showing on your account?

[charlieannear]

Not entirely but good enough for me at least.

Put simply, your download speed sounds dreadful and connections are dropping slowing your browsing.
If you post your modem power levels (http://a.myby.co.uk/broadband-faq.html#q07) here, there's a chance that somebody better qualified will take a look and maybe offer a comment.



Give the Tech Support newsgroup a try?
Need help getting onto VM's Tech Support newsgroup? (http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/showpost.php?p=34527446&postcount=6)
You'll probably get the same advice but at least the response time will be better!


Try calling Customer Services (150, I believe) and asking them to check to see if the order is showing on your account?

Ha ha, would love to check my modem power levels, but as of Sunday afternoon the ethernet light keeps going out (lights up for maybe a second at irregular intervals), i.e. won't connect to modem. ;)

Yep, Newsgroups next port of call (if I can do that from work- can't proveide all the info they'd need though, it's on laptop at home) followed by Customer Services when I get home.

Thanks for responding, at least I know I'm on the right track!

[haydnwalker]

Sounds like modem is on its way out to me.

Phone Cust. Services and tell them that your modem wont work and explain about the ethernet light and lack of signal. If you get a good tech then they should order you a replacement.

[charlieannear]

That's what I'm hoping.

Bit annoyed with the Virgin Support guys on the e-mail really, cos they have just stopped responding to my mails which answer the questions they have asked me. :mad:

[haydnwalker]

Email's not the best way to contact them. I did it once and it took me 3weeks to get a reply.

Many people I've seen on these boards have never had replies!

[charlieannear]

Agreed, but once they've actually opened a dialogue by e-mail you'd expect them to maintain it until the issue is resolved.

[whydoIneedatech]

Agreed, but once they've actually opened a dialogue by e-mail you'd expect them to maintain it until the issue is resolved.

You obviously have a faulty modem so call up Tech Support on 0906 212 1111 tell them the symptoms they will send out a new modem preferably with a Engineer and the call charges will be credited to your account.

[charlieannear]

You think it's a duff modem, I think it's a duff modem, but I've been reluctant to call before now becuase the techs I've had on e-mail keep banging on about spyware!
Cheers though, will give it a go when I get home from work.

[whydoIneedatech]

You think it's a duff modem, I think it's a duff modem, but I've been reluctant to call before now becuase the techs I've had on e-mail keep banging on about spyware!
Cheers though, will give it a go when I get home from work.

I am a Telewest Tech, but if you spoke to me with that fault I would get a Engineer to swap it.

[charlieannear]

AAAarrrrrrggh!
Guess what.
Got home, called the tech number, got through to someone who probably lives somewhere even hotter than Poole is at the moment (if you get my drift).
Explained the issue.
They called me back on my mobile.
All good so far.
They had me plug my laptop into my modem and turn it all on.
Typically, after having problems for a fortnight, I decided to turn off the modem completely on Sunday.
Having been off for 48 hours (and even though I've tried countless reboots over the past 2 weeks) it fired up properly and is working right here, right now. :mad::rolleyes:

Typically this chap didn't seem to care about the last 2 weeks, he just cared that it worked right now.
"Call back when it isn't working Mr Annear"
GODDAMMIT!
No discretion, 100% sticking to the script.
Well, perhaps it will now work fine for another 6 years, or perhaps my signal will now deteriorate to zero again...
Watch this space.

Thanks for your time everybody, I'm off to download some updates....

[haydnwalker]

There was a time when my speed dropped from 2mb to 56k for no real reason, and I emailed them and a tech looked at it and said "your modem has been on for 95 days without a reboot and ive just remotely rebooted it for you" and ever since then the speed has been fine. So gremlins do appear :)

[charlieannear]

OK
24 hours later and download speeds are now 2.4 KB/Sec and webpages are taking a while to load.
Is the consensus that my modem is elderly and could do with replacing?

I guess I have to phone techsupport during working hours to get a 'local' call centre? That where I'm stuffed because during normal working hours, I am at work...

[whydoIneedatech]

OK
24 hours later and download speeds are now 2.4 KB/Sec and webpages are taking a while to load.
Is the consensus that my modem is elderly and could do with replacing?

I guess I have to phone techsupport during working hours to get a 'local' call centre? That where I'm stuffed because during normal working hours, I am at work...


Try calling before 7pm it might help.

[charlieannear]

Called before 6 on Monday, got an 'overseas' call centre then. :(

[whydoIneedatech]

Called before 6 on Monday, got an 'overseas' call centre then. :(

Thats unlucky:shocked:

[charlieannear]

I've finally managed to get onto my modem levels!
I haven't rebooted it since Monday but since then my download speeds have ranged from 250KB/Sec to 2 KB/Sec...
Could one of you learned gentlemen tell me if there's anything wrong with these numbers please?

Downstream Lock : Locked
Downstream Frequency : 586750000 Hz
Downstream Modulation : QAM64
Downstream Interleave Depth : taps12increment17
Downstream Receive Power Level : 1.0 dBmV
Downstream SNR : 25.8 dB
Upstream Channel ID : 2
Upstream Transmit Power Level : 38.50 dBmV
Upstream Symbol Rate : 2560 Ksym/sec
Upstream Frequency : 22200000 Hz
Upstream Mini-Slot Size : 2

Traceroute run 3 times with only 2 asterisks and no timeouts.
Speed is currently workable (download 2 files at 80KB/Sec and 90KB/Sec) but still way off what I should be geting on L?

Sorry to keep banging on but I'd like to know what was happening before I phone techs so I know what to say to them! I'm new to all this techobabble!
It still doesn't look like spyware to me!

Thanks Guys.

C.

[whydoIneedatech]

I've finally managed to get onto my modem levels!
I haven't rebooted it since Monday but since then my download speeds have ranged from 250KB/Sec to 2 KB/Sec...
Could one of you learned gentlemen tell me if there's anything wrong with these numbers please?

Downstream Lock : Locked
Downstream Frequency : 586750000 Hz
Downstream Modulation : QAM64
Downstream Interleave Depth : taps12increment17
Downstream Receive Power Level : 1.0 dBmV
Downstream SNR : 25.8 dB
Upstream Channel ID : 2
Upstream Transmit Power Level : 38.50 dBmV
Upstream Symbol Rate : 2560 Ksym/sec
Upstream Frequency : 22200000 Hz
Upstream Mini-Slot Size : 2

Traceroute run 3 times with only 2 asterisks and no timeouts.
Speed is currently workable (download 2 files at 80KB/Sec and 90KB/Sec) but still way off what I should be geting on L?

Sorry to keep banging on but I'd like to know what was happening before I phone techs so I know what to say to them! I'm new to all this techobabble!
It still doesn't look like spyware to me!

Thanks Guys.

C.

Downstream SNR : 25.8 dB is below 30 so will cause problems with your connection you will need to call 0906 212 1111

[charlieannear]

Brilliant (kinda!)
So is this something that can be tweaked or is it indicative of a duff modem?

And does this explain why my speeds vary so much (though all slow)?

Thanks again!

---------- Post added at 18:39 ---------- Previous post was at 18:00 ----------

Hey, I'm getting into this now!

On the "Set Search Frequency Parameters" page I get this:

1 807000000 Valid Channel
2 858000000 Valid Channel
3 147000000 Valid Channel
4 471000000 Valid Channel
5 789000000 Valid Channel
6 705000000 Valid Channel
7 330750000 Valid Channel
8 586750000 Invalid Channel

Should channel 8 be set to valid? Or is it a coincidence that this figure is the same as my downstream frequency?

[charlieannear]

And are any of these indicative of a problem?
Sorry to keep badgering, this is good stuff to learn.
Thanks for your help!

Index First Time Last Time Counts Level ID Text
1 Time Not Established SUN MAY 11 09:41:07 2008 18575 Critical (3) 82000200 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out
2 Time Not Established WED FEB 13 06:49:04 2008 958 Critical (3) 82000300 Init RANGING Critical Ranging Request Retries exhausted
3 SAT MAY 29 11:24:23 2004 SUN MAY 11 09:14:57 2008 105 Critical (3) 84000500 SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Loss of Sync
4 SAT MAY 29 11:24:37 2004 SUN MAY 11 09:20:13 2008 337 Critical (3) 82000400 Received Response to Broadcast Maintenance Request, But no Unicast Maintenance opportunities received - T4 timeout
5 SAT MAY 29 11:24:48 2004 SUN MAY 11 09:38:06 2008 45 Critical (3) 85000100 No UCD's Received - Timeout
6 SAT MAY 29 11:27:45 2004 FRI MAY 16 20:23:14 2008 35768 Critical (3) 82000500 Started Unicast Maintenance Ranging - No Response received - T3 time-out
7 SAT MAY 29 11:31:39 2004 SUN MAY 11 08:52:26 2008 30 Critical (3) 73000200 REG RSP not received
8 SAT MAY 29 11:39:12 2004 Time Not Established 207 Critical (3) 68000200 DHCP FAILED - Request sent, No response
9 SAT MAY 29 12:17:22 2004 Time Not Established 1249 Critical (3) 68000100 DHCP FAILED - Discover sent, no offer received
10 Time Not Established Time Not Established 603 Critical (3) 68000300 DHCP WARNING - Non-critical field invalid in response.
11 THU SEP 16 00:36:51 2004 SUN MAY 11 09:36:11 2008 4 Critical (3) 68000700 TFTP Failed - OUT OF ORDER packets
12 Time Not Established Time Not Established 217 Critical (3) 82000100 No Maintenance Broadcasts for Ranging opportunities received - T2 time-out
13 TUE MAY 24 09:55:27 2005 SUN MAY 11 09:37:53 2008 4 Critical (3) 68000500 TFTP failed - request sent - No Response
14 SUN MAY 11 08:36:08 2008 SUN MAY 11 08:47:50 2008 3 Critical (3) 68000600 TFTP failed - configuration file NOT FOUND
15 Time Not Established Time Not Established 1 Error (4) 68000403 ToD request sent- No Response received
16 TUE MAY 13 16:53:20 2008 TUE MAY 13 16:53:20 2008 1 Notice (6) 2454454273 coldStart
17 TUE MAY 13 16:53:20 2008 TUE MAY 13 17:12:42 2008 5 Notice (6) 2454454281 Link up--Ethernet interface
18 TUE MAY 13 16:53:20 2008 TUE MAY 13 16:53:20 2008 1 Notice (6) 2454454282 Link up--Cable interface
19 TUE MAY 13 16:53:20 2008 TUE MAY 13 16:53:20 2008 1 Notice (6) 2454454279 Link down--USB interface
21 TUE MAY 13 16:59:30 2008 TUE MAY 13 17:12:40 2008 4 Notice (6) 2454454275 Link down--Ethernet interface
22 WED MAY 14 09:29:21 2008 FRI MAY 16 10:10:00 2008 3 Notice (6) 2454454287 SNMP authentication-Failure
23 THU MAY 15 12:29:54 2008 THU MAY 15 12:29:54 2008 1 Warning (5) 68010300 DHCP RENEW WARNING - Field invalid in response

[whydoIneedatech]

Brilliant (kinda!)
So is this something that can be tweaked or is it indicative of a duff modem?

And does this explain why my speeds vary so much (though all slow)?

Thanks again!

---------- Post added at 18:39 ---------- Previous post was at 18:00 ----------

Hey, I'm getting into this now!

On the "Set Search Frequency Parameters" page I get this:

1 807000000 Valid Channel
2 858000000 Valid Channel
3 147000000 Valid Channel
4 471000000 Valid Channel
5 789000000 Valid Channel
6 705000000 Valid Channel
7 330750000 Valid Channel
8 586750000 Invalid Channel

Should channel 8 be set to valid? Or is it a coincidence that this figure is the same as my downstream frequency?

I have already told you above that you SNR is to low and you should ring Tech Support who will probably send out an Engineer to sort it out.

The average modem log can be in most cases ignored, because when you reboot your modem every single update ever issued for that model are sent to that modem even if they are not required.
My own modem has logs with the year 1970 in them, broadband was not around then.
Your logs appear to be ok.

[charlieannear]

I have already told you above that you SNR is to low and you should ring Tech Support who will probably send out an Engineer to sort it out.

The average modem log can be in most cases ignored, because when you reboot your modem every single update ever issued for that model are sent to that modem even if they are not required.
My own modem has logs with the year 1970 in them, broadband was not around then.
Your logs appear to be ok.

Thanks whydoIneedatech, I am going to call as you instructed( and I added to your rep), I'm just curious to learn a bit more about what I'm looking at re the invalid channel etc! So if you or anyone else don't mind telling me, I'm all ears (eyes).
C.

[whydoIneedatech]

Thanks whydoIneedatech, I am going to call as you instructed( and I added to your rep), I'm just curious to learn a bit more about what I'm looking at re the invalid channel etc! So if you or anyone else don't mind telling me, I'm all ears (eyes).
C.

I am not so well up on NTL modems as I am Telewest maybe a NTL tech can explain why it says invalid for the channel he is using.

When you ring up ask the Tech on the other end of the phone.

[charlieannear]

Hi, me again. :rolleyes:

I haven't called Tech Support back yet- waiting until June 1st...
In the meantime I have been running a few tests and keeping a log of what's happening, then when I do get through to Tech Support I will have some evidence of what is happening!

I have found that turning the modem off (Ambit 200) for a few minutes gives me a 4 meg connection, or near enough, but that this VERY quickly (like, a matter of minutes) deteriorates to an unworkable speed (so slow that the simple speed test from this site won't complete).

If I turn the modem off overnight, or even better for a couple of days, then I get a 4 meg connection that still deteriorates but over a couple of hours, rather than a couple of minutes.
For instance, reboot (off for 5 mins) on Monday gave me about 20 mins of useable connection.
Modem off overnight (off 10pm Monday, turned back on at 7pm last night) gave me a slower rate of deterioration- 3.8 meg at 7pm, but 0.4 meg by 11pm. I have left it on and expect to have an unworkable connection when I get home!
I noted the modem power levels each time I ran the speed test and these were also falling.
Downstream Receive Power Level : started at 4.65 dBmV, over about 20 mins fell to 1.0 dBmV still giving connection of around 3 meg but was down to 0.1 dBmV by 11pm and connection of 0.4 meg.
Downstream SNR : started at 29.9 dB, over about 20 mins fell to 26.8 dB still giving connection of around 3 meg but was down to 25.6 dB by 11pm and connection of 0.4 meg.

Seems to be a link here!
Do you guys think this is symptomatic of failing modem (it is a bit of a fossil), or something else (like the incoming signal from the box at the end of the street)?

Just to re-cap, I have had this service for years with no problems- seems to be since 1st May. Could it be people in my street hammering iplayer?!

Using a laptop (Vista) which I am sure is clean. PS3 also affected.

Are there any ex-ntl techs on here who can sort this out for me (like the lucky chaps on ex-telewest and blueyonder?!) I can't get onto newsgroups from work. And by the time I get home from work and call Tech Support I am in India territory. They blather on about spyware and then ask me to reboot and then tell me all is fine. :( :mad:
"Call back when you have a problem Mr Annear" :mad::mad:

Thanks for any input, as I said before, I'm just trying to self-teach (and gain knowledge from experts such as yourselves) a bit here to work out WTF is going on. :)

Incidentally I am having V+ installed tomorrow! Will the engineer who comes to do that be able to help me with this BB issue?

[charlieannear]

Incidentally I am having V+ installed tomorrow! Will the engineer who comes to do that be able to help me with this BB issue?

Answer: Nope! :rolleyes:

[grungernut]

charlieannear, P.M me your deets and I will take a look at your modem from here, Im in till 6pm today. I only need your modem mac.

[charlieannear]

Well thanks to some VERY GOOD VIRGIN MEDIA EMPLOYEES, I received a new modem in the post yesterday, plugged it in and then phoned up 150 (at last, free broadband support, and it was a nice english speaking (well, Welsh!) person on the other end of the phone, who was able to speak without reading froma script! Woohoo!) and got it activated.
Plugged directly into the modem 3.87meg
Plugged into the router 3.87 meg
Wireless to the router about 2 foot away, 3.86 meg
Wireless to the router from my normal location on th sofa downstairs at the back of the house, 3.86 meg!
A couple of hours later, 3.86 meg and this morning, 3.86 meg!!

Hooorrrraaayyyy!
Thanks to all who helped with this :cool:

[grungernut]

Kool,thats good news,modem was quite quick too.