only getting 7mb when paying for 20mb

[smee init]

Hi all, I have recently moved about 1000 yards up the road and had cable BB put in and can only get 7mb 8 or 9 every now and then but ment to be getting 20mb and when upload speed hits 700kbps it drops to 500kbps straight away, have spoken to VM just now for over an hour and as far as they are concerned theres nothing wrong can anyone help below are modem settings:

Cable Modem : DOCSIS 1.0/1.1/2.0 Compliant
MAC Address : Edited for security of Poster.
Serial Number : Edited for security of Poster.
Boot Code Version : 1.1.2c
Software Version : 2.111.1001
Hardware Version : 1.9

Downstream Lock : Locked
Downstream Channel Id : 5
Downstream Frequency : 331000000 Hz
Downstream Modulation : QAM256
Downstream Symbol Rate : 5360.537 Ksym/sec
Downstream Interleave Depth : taps32Increment4
Downstream Receive Power Level : 3.4 dBmV
Downstream SNR : 41.0 dB

Upstream Lock : Locked
Upstream Channel ID : 1
Upstream Frequency : 34000000 Hz
Upstream Modulation : QAM16
Upstream Symbol Rate : 2560 Ksym/sec
Upstream transmit Power Level : 52.0 dBmV
Upstream Mini-Slot Size : 2

Regards Rob

[Axegrinder]

Upstream is nearing the upper limit for QAM16 (55dbmv), apart from that there all good. ;)

[General Maximus]

to get them thinking on the right track (diagnostically) you just want to say to them that the pc and modem have stayed the same and you were getting 20mbit before so what has changed now that would affect the speed you are getting. You will still be connected to the same UBR so it can only be the little box in your house or a few other things i dont know about. It is all about process of elimination :)

[Pushkar]

Are you plugging in your modem directly into the ethernet port via usb?

Most of those usb-to-ethernet sticks only support upto 7mbps.

[weesteev]

Hi Smee

I checked your MAC address for which downstream channel and uBR your connected to, and I have to say that any speed issues are probably not a network issue in your area. Utilisation is very low at all times with peaks of only 60% usage in area. Signal levels appear to be fine on your modem as well with no packet loss either. I would suggest its one of the following...

Your router or network equipment (if you use any)
The speed test site you are using (which one?)
Viruses/Spyware (hate suggesting this one but we cant rule it out)


Give me a shout if theres anything else I can assist you with!

[smee init]

Hi Smee

I checked your MAC address for which downstream channel and uBR your connected to, and I have to say that any speed issues are probably not a network issue in your area. Utilisation is very low at all times with peaks of only 60% usage in area. Signal levels appear to be fine on your modem as well with no packet loss either. I would suggest its one of the following...

Your router or network equipment (if you use any)
The speed test site you are using (which one?)
Viruses/Spyware (hate suggesting this one but we cant rule it out)


Give me a shout if theres anything else I can assist you with!

Hi my computer is plugged directly into the cable modem via ethernet port i.e twisted pair and have set network port to full duplex and unintalled Qos packet sceduling, speed test was done by downloading 4 files at the same time and transfer rates where 250Kb/sec for each of them indicating that I am getting roughly 5Mb also have norton 2009 internet security and always scan everyday for spyware using ad-aware 2008 and clean registry with comodo so I deffo know nothing wrong on my side not only that I was getting constent 18 - 19Mb down and spot on 768 up at my last place only just down the road so they cant tell me that 7Mb is all I can get.

---------- Post added at 18:31 ---------- Previous post was at 18:24 ----------

Here is event log from modem if that helps

Mon Jan 05 19:26:40 2009 Mon Jan 05 19:26:40 2009 Information (7) The s/w filename specified in the config file is the same as ...
Mon Jan 05 19:26:40 2009 Mon Jan 05 19:26:40 2009 Information (7) A software upgrade filename was specified in the config file.
Mon Jan 05 19:26:40 2009 Mon Jan 05 19:26:40 2009 Information (7) Authorized
Mon Jan 05 19:26:40 2009 Mon Jan 05 19:26:40 2009 Information (7) Registration complete!
Mon Jan 05 19:26:39 2009 Mon Jan 05 19:26:39 2009 Information (7) We registered with a DOCSIS 1.0 config file!
Mon Jan 05 19:26:39 2009 Mon Jan 05 19:26:39 2009 Information (7) Received a REG-RSP message from the CMTS...
Mon Jan 05 19:26:39 2009 Mon Jan 05 19:26:39 2009 Information (7) Sending a REG-REQ to the CMTS...
Mon Jan 05 19:26:39 2009 Mon Jan 05 19:26:39 2009 Information (7) CableModem SNMP configure complete
Mon Jan 05 19:26:37 2009 Mon Jan 05 19:26:37 2009 Information (7) IP init completed ok
Mon Jan 05 19:26:37 2009 Mon Jan 05 19:26:37 2009 Information (7) CableModem TFTP init ok
Time Not Established Time Not Established Error (4) ToD request sent- No Response received
Time Not Established Time Not Established Information (7) CableModem DHCP client init ok
Time Not Established Time Not Established Critical (3) DHCP WARNING - Non-critical field invalid in response.
Time Not Established Time Not Established Information (7) MAP w/initial maintenance region received
Time Not Established Time Not Established Information (7) Downstream sync ok
Time Not Established Time Not Established Information (7) Beginning initial ranging...
Time Not Established Time Not Established Information (7) downstream time sync acquired...
Time Not Established Time Not Established Information (7) Downstream sync ok
Time Not Established Time Not Established Information (7) starting ds time sync acquisition...
Time Not Established Time Not Established Information (7) Locked on the downstream. Waiting for UCDs...
Time Not Established Time Not Established Information (7) Downstream lock ok
Time Not Established Time Not Established Information (7) Sync Start
Time Not Established Time Not Established Critical (3) DHCP WARNING - Non-critical field invalid in response.
Mon Jan 05 19:25:04 2009 Mon Jan 05 19:25:04 2009 Critical (3) Resetting the cable modem due to docsDevResetNow
Time Not Established Time Not Established Critical (3) DHCP WARNING - Non-critical field invalid in response.
Time Not Established Time Not Established Critical (3) SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Failed to acquire FEC f...
Time Not Established Time Not Established Critical (3) DHCP WARNING - Non-critical field invalid in response.
Time Not Established Time Not Established Critical (3) DHCP WARNING - Non-critical field invalid in response.
Fri Dec 19 18:16:19 2008 Fri Dec 19 18:16:19 2008 Critical (3) Started Unicast Maintenance Ranging - No Response received - ...
Time Not Established Time Not Established Critical (3) DHCP WARNING - Non-critical field invalid in response.
Wed Dec 17 15:23:04 2008 Wed Dec 17 15:23:04 2008 Critical (3) DHCP WARNING - Non-critical field invalid in response.
Wed Dec 17 15:22:07 2008 Wed Dec 17 15:22:07 2008 Critical (3) Received Response to Broadcast Maintenance Request, But no Un...

[saabmania2]

hi,
i see you are using norton have you tried uninstalling that? the only reason i ask is my next door neighbour had that installed and had very simular problem to yourself i went round and had a look for him and found that norton was stopping alot of bandwidth after we uninstalled it it went back to 18-20mb and has been stable since. he is now using avast free antivirus.

[Stephen]

Sorry to say but in Virgin's Eyes you are paying for Up to 20MB.

Try removing Norton it may help.

[Joxer]

4 files at the same time and transfer rates where 250Kb/sec for each of them indicating that I am getting roughly 5Mb

That's nearer 10Mb/s

When you start the first download and it is running on it's own do you get a similar speed to all four together or does the total rise every time you start a new one? If it is the latter I would recommend trying TCPoptimiser, it can help in that situation.

[smee init]

Hi all, I have just changed the forward path attenuator adapter thats connected between the cable and modem was 6dB now have 10dB one and download speed has rocketed to over 19Mb but upload speed has dropped to 350Kbps - 500Kbps does anyone have any ideas?

[Joxer]

So what are the power levels now? They seemed OK before however.

[smee init]

So what are the power levels now? They seemed OK before however.

They are now as follows:

Downstream Lock : Locked
Downstream Channel Id : 5
Downstream Frequency : 331000000 Hz
Downstream Modulation : QAM256
Downstream Symbol Rate : 5360.537 Ksym/sec
Downstream Interleave Depth : taps32Increment4
Downstream Receive Power Level : 0.7 dBmV
Downstream SNR : 41.0 dB

Upstream Lock : Locked
Upstream Channel ID : 1
Upstream Frequency : 34000000 Hz
Upstream Modulation : QAM16
Upstream Symbol Rate : 2560 Ksym/sec
Upstream transmit Power Level : 52.0 dBmV
Upstream Mini-Slot Size : 2

[Joxer]

Odd. no idea why that has improved the download, the d/s power dropped from 3.4 to 0.7 but the acceptable range is -3 to +12 so either value is fine - the upstream hasn't changed at all so why it has slowed down I don't know either, could just be random variation in the speed test. You could try running it a few more times but remember to clear the cache between runs.

[smee init]

Odd. no idea why that has improved the download, the d/s power dropped from 3.4 to 0.7 but the acceptable range is -3 to +12 so either value is fine - the upstream hasn't changed at all so why it has slowed down I don't know either, could just be random variation in the speed test. You could try running it a few more times but remember to clear the cache between runs.

Am being abit thick today lol but clear wot cache?

---------- Post added at 13:52 ---------- Previous post was at 13:49 ----------

Here is the speed test I will chage the attenuator back and do it again but this test is always the same result everytime now.

https://www.cableforum.co.uk/images/local/2009/01/32.png (http://www.speedtest.net)

[Joxer]

Also known as temporary internet files in Internet explorer 7 it's tools -> internet options -> delete temporary files -> and then temporary internet files (or something similar). Firefox it is tools -> clear private data -> ensure cache is ticked -> clear private data.

[smee init]

Wierd just changed it back to 6dB one and done several tests and all averging at this now WTF lol

https://www.cableforum.co.uk/images/local/2009/01/31.png (http://www.speedtest.net)

these are power levels now with 6dB

Downstream Lock : Locked
Downstream Channel Id : 5
Downstream Frequency : 331000000 Hz
Downstream Modulation : QAM256
Downstream Symbol Rate : 5360.537 Ksym/sec
Downstream Interleave Depth : taps32Increment4
Downstream Receive Power Level : 2.7 dBmV
Downstream SNR : 41.0 dB

Upstream Lock : Locked
Upstream Channel ID : 1
Upstream Frequency : 34000000 Hz
Upstream Modulation : QAM16
Upstream Symbol Rate : 2560 Ksym/sec
Upstream transmit Power Level : 52.0 dBmV
Upstream Mini-Slot Size : 2

---------- Post added at 14:05 ---------- Previous post was at 14:03 ----------

Also known as temporary internet files in Internet explorer 7 it's tools -> internet options -> delete temporary files -> and then temporary internet files (or something similar). Firefox it is tools -> clear private data -> ensure cache is ticked -> clear private data.

Yeah sorry me being thick lol thought thats wot u ment but didnt wanna look even worse lol all that gets cleared daily thanks.

[Noggo]

Your upload isn't right for XL. The last two speedtests you've posted are 357 & 388 kb/s, it should be up around 700+ kb/s.

like this:
https://www.cableforum.co.uk/images/local/2009/01/28.png

[smee init]

Your upload isn't right for XL. The last two speedtests you've posted are 357 & 388 kb/s, it should be up around 700+ kb/s.

like this:
https://www.cableforum.co.uk/images/local/2009/01/28.png

Yeah I no thats why am asking lol my upload hits 700Kbps then dies to below 500Kbps somtimes as low as 300Kbps and its annoying:mad:

[Noggo]

As axegrinder has mentioned your upstream is getting close to the limit.
Is it stable @ 52.0 dBmV


http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/12/26006-cable-modem-signal-levels.html
Up to 55dB is also fine so long as it's fairly stable


Hit the reset button on the cable modem and see if it will pick up a different upstream channel.

[c64]

London morden the croydon ubr is a joke heres my 20mb
https://www.cableforum.co.uk/images/local/2009/01/17.png (http://www.speedtest.net)

[smee init]

As axegrinder has mentioned your upstream is getting close to the limit.
Is it stable @ 52.0 dBmV


http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/12/26006-cable-modem-signal-levels.html



Hit the reset button on the cable modem and see if it will pick up a different upstream channel.

How can I get Upstream transmit Power Level lower? because its now 54.5 and staying there.

[Noggo]

I think the only way to adjust power levels is via a tech visit. Have you been in contact with tech support about the upstream power level.

[Jet247]

Hey guys, I was wondering about my connection speed and wondered across here and noticed i had pretty much the same problem.

I'm currently on Virgin Media XL 20mb but i very rarely get it, for instance doing a speed test a minute ago gave me around 7.5mb which surely isn't correct at midday?

Any help would be appriciated :)

[duongnt]

I have also the same problem, getting around 7mps at day time but once I check and get 12mpb at 3am (dont ask :p)

[Pushkar]

London morden the croydon ubr is a joke heres my 20mb
https://www.cableforum.co.uk/images/local/2009/01/17.png (http://www.speedtest.net)

At night, recently noticed too on the 20mb, upgrading to the 50mb next friday so let's see if there is full speed on 50mb :p