Connection Problems

Liam · 25-02-2007, 21:48

First time poster and just want to say Hi and thanks for all the information you guys have given me over the past few months/years that I've been a member on here. I have finally come to the decision that I need to post my problems. Over the past few months I've had connection problems with my broadband and countless calls to Customer services and Technical support. It all originally started in November of last year when my connection kept going up and down and NTL insisting that there wasn't a problem at all/problem in ytour area and has been fixed etc etc etc. I finally got them to send a engineer round Mid Dec who came and stuck a filter on the end of my Coax which did nothing to fix the problem so Re-booked another engineer to come round and have another look (didn't bother turning up) another re-book and got him to come round when I was at home and change the modem over (originally and Ambit 120) now running a 250. That seemed to have sorted the problem out for the past month or so but now its back and worse than ever. Again contacted Technical and now they are blaming my P.C. Running a Stand alone modem on Ethernet and the problems range from low download speeds to no connection and my signal levels going up and down like a whores knickers. I'm at my wits end and about to throw the towel in and cancel. Could any one look at the images I've uploaded and see if they can advise me as to what the problem is. Personally I think my local network is over subscribed and they won't admit it. PS on 4 meg connection

Thanks in advance

Liam

Albie · 25-02-2007, 22:32

I have the same problem.

If you haven't touched the modem or changed any of your settings then it's NTL's crappy connection that is at fault.

Don't let anyone on here try and blame your PC either.

EssDee · 25-02-2007, 23:04

Liam

Your Downstream power and SNR levels look far too low to me (based on the screenshots). Get on to CS and report it, as they should be able to see this remotely.

Good luck!

bigcat · 26-02-2007, 12:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by EssDee

Liam

Your Downstream power and SNR levels look far too low to me (based on the screenshots). Get on to CS and report it, as they should be able to see this remotely.

Good luck!

Looking at the levels I'm surprised you have any service at all!

That needs a Service Tech out & he needs to refer it to Networks so they can investigate further in the street cab. It may just be a case of moving your your drop onto a different tap in the cab. Have you asked any of your neighbours if they're having probelms with BB as well?

If they are that may indicate the return path amp is breaking down in the cab. Since the Network Surveillance side of things was transferred to the Ex Telewest last November I'm not sure what tools they use to monitor the network. When my old dept used to do it up in Teesside before we were made redundant we would pro actively monitor the network for issues like this & could log into a street cab using either STB Manager or SCUD and see what the forward path/return path were like.

Worst case scenario could be that the cab your fed from could be oversubscribed & install techs have put splitters on splitters (seen it many times) and that can cause no end of problems!

Either way if a Service tech cant solve it he/she must refer it to Networks or its never gonna get solved..

derekmor · 26-02-2007, 14:51

Just how many folk are having connection problems? I've just discovered your site and it does reassure me I'm not alone. I'm with Blueyonder in Sheffield. My ethernet modem keeps dropping off (connected to a Belkin wirless router) which requires the modem rebooting three or four times a week, and Blueyonder keep telling me to try linking directly to the modem etc - it makes no difference. What I do note is the number of connection problems logged on the virgin site (http://status2.virginmedia.com/vmstatus/summary.do). There are roughly 300 tickets per month compared with 150 or so a year ago.
What's happening?
yours, amd thanks for the information
DerekMor

matp · 26-02-2007, 15:16

I had same problem with NTL about a year ago. After some 10 calls to customer service, I spoke to a guy who said problem was due to poor connection between street cab and my house.
They changed connections in the street cab and it solved the problem. Connection has been reliable since.
Unfortunately, it appears to be pot luck as to whether you speak to someone in CS who knows what they are talking about.

EssDee · 26-02-2007, 18:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by matp

Unfortunately, it appears to be pot luck as to whether you speak to someone in CS who knows what they are talking about.

Certainly the single biggest issue requiring to be addressed by Virgin. Faults are a fact of any network infrastructure, It's how they are dealt with that form the basis of growth and customer retention.

NTLVictim · 26-02-2007, 19:01

Nicely put.

sithom66 · 26-02-2007, 22:18

I have had similar experiences since October, and have been told by at least five CS people there was no problem at their end. Then hey presto, I get through to someone in broadband support who admits, yes there's been a known problem related to overuse since... October. And I'm on the affected cable. Now, all the other people I spoke to may just have been incompetent. Alternatively, NTL/virgin-media may simply have oversold their service and be systematically covering up problems while they continue to sign up new users and offer unlimited usage. Make up your own minds -- but I know what I think.