Signal levels..Are mine ok?

[kdouglas1987]

Hi there i have had Virgin Media services for 2 months now and have suffered below par speeds on the 10mb broadband package (well under 3.5mb usually), the tv has been faultless. I was wondering if it was maybe my signal levels?

Downstream Status: Operational
Channel ID: 2
Downstream Frequency: 402750000 Hz
Modulation: 256QAM
Bit Rate: 10240000 bits/sec
Power Level: -10.1 dBmV
Signal to Noise Ratio: 38.0 dB

Upstream Status: Operational
Channel ID: 4
Upstream Frequency: 29200000 Hz
Modulation: QPSK
Symbol Rate: 512000 bits/sec
Power Level: 47.3 dBmV

Using Cisco EPC2100r2, I dont know if that makes any difference? Any help greatly appreciated....

[Peter_]

Downstream
Power Level: -10.1 dBmV

Way to low and will need a technician to adjust.

Call Technical Support on 151 from a Virgin phone line or 0845 454 1111 from any othe phone.

[kdouglas1987]

Thanks for the fast reply, I had a niggling feeling that one might have had an issue...I had quickstart free installation to save on the fee for a tech to come round....will they charge me for a tech to come?

[Peter_]

Thanks for the fast reply, I had a niggling feeling that one might have had an issue...I had quickstart free installation to save on the fee for a tech to come round....will they charge me for a tech to come?
No as it is a fault.;)

[kdouglas1987]

Oh well my next question was going to be "could i sort it myself?" as i assumed they would squeeze some extra cash out of me but thats great :) out of interest what (ideally) should "Power Level" be for my modem to operate sufficiently?

[Andrewcrawford23]

Way to low and will need a technician to adjust.

Call Technical Support on 151 from a Virgin phone line or 0845 454 1111 from any othe phone.
Not if you go by KB lol ;) but i agree to low should be about -7 to -4 personal i find -3 to -5 is best

---------- Post added at 20:00 ---------- Previous post was at 19:59 ----------

Oh well my next question was going to be "could i sort it myself?" as i assumed they would squeeze some extra cash out of me but thats great :) out of interest what (ideally) should "Power Level" be for my modem to operate sufficiently?
it depnds who you speak to, knowledge base says -12 to 12, but techs and 2nd line its about -7 to about 3 or 4

[Peter_]

Not if you go by KB lol ;) but i agree to low should be about -7 to -4 personal i find -3 to -5 is best
We know not to go by that as even 2nd line would say that it is way to low.;)

[kdouglas1987]

Many thanks lads for the really fast responces, i shall give them a ring in the morning :) Cheers.

[Ignitionnet]

The KB is quoting straight from the DOCSIS specifications. There are three issues with that though:

1) VM use EuroDOCSIS in some areas and that doesn't respond as well to low power levels.
2) The acceptable power level at the modem is dependent on the power level of the QAMs and any analogue carriers around it.
3) Those are the parameters that the modem is required to be able to function at. Prevailing network conditions can shrink this range however those are the power levels the modem is required to work at, assuming a perfect network apart from power levels.

It's preferably for the modem's power to be somewhat high rather than somewhat low if at all, and zero is a universal gold standard. EuroDOCSIS especially degrades far more rapidly in the negatives than in the positives.

402.75MHz is an ex-ntl Langley DOCSIS QAM.

[Andrewcrawford23]

Many thanks lads for the really fast responces, i shall give them a ring in the morning :) Cheers.
good luck, it depends on who you get some wont check the modem some will, if i direct numbe ri give you so you could get me and i would jsut book a tech for you as long as i dnt lose my license to lol (dnt ask wha ti am on about)