Speed randomly inconsistent

[Mr-Hare]

Hi.

For over two months now the speeds on my PS3 and laptop through Virgin have been slow every evening and at different times randomly throughout the day. My laptop on speedtest.net is almost always between 16meg and 20meg, but after 3pm it can go anywhere from from 6 to 11mb, then 8 a minute later, then back to full speed an hour or so later and after 10pm it settles at round about 10mb.

I'm using wired direct to the modem on the PS3 and NAT type is 1 so it doesn't need DMZ or anything like that and we've never had a problem before. It's just the one minute it'll be fast, then slow to a crawl, then go fast again and not knowing why is a bother.

I've asked on the Virgin help forum but it's 3 days with no reply now. I'll post the same info I have there, any help will be much appreciated.

---------- Post added at 15:08 ---------- Previous post was at 15:07 ----------

Cable Modem Downstream
Downstream Lock : Locked
Downstream Channel Id : 5
Downstream Frequency : 402750000 Hz
Downstream Modulation : QAM256
Downstream Symbol Rate : 5360.537 Ksym/sec
Downstream Interleave Depth : taps32Increment4
Downstream Receive Power Level : 11.0 dBmV
Downstream SNR : 40.8 dB

---------- Post added at 15:09 ---------- Previous post was at 15:08 ----------

Cable Modem Upstream
Upstream Lock : Locked
Upstream Channel ID : 2
Upstream Frequency : 29200000 Hz
Upstream Modulation : QAM16
Upstream Symbol Rate : 2560 Ksym/sec
Upstream transmit Power Level : 46.0 dBmV
Upstream Mini-Slot Size : 2

[Andrewcrawford23]

the receive power level is a little high other than that nothing springs to mind i would say you need to do some other test when it happens ot try help identify the problem if you are itnerested in doign them ill post what you need to do

[Mr-Hare]

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.0.6002]
Copyright (c) 2006 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

tracert bbc.co.uk

Tracing route to bbc.co.uk [212.58.241.131]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

1 7 ms 8 ms 7 ms 10.225.80.1
2 8 ms 9 ms 13 ms nott-cam-1b-v107.network.virginmedia.net [81.109
.167.149]
3 10 ms 12 ms 22 ms nott-cam-1a-v99.network.virginmedia.net [80.4.47
.9]
4 8 ms 10 ms 36 ms nott-core-1a-ae2-0.network.virginmedia.net [195.
182.174.213]
5 10 ms 11 ms 41 ms leed-bb-1a-as0-0.network.virginmedia.net [213.10
5.174.169]
6 13 ms 13 ms 13 ms nrth-bb-1b-as2-0.network.virginmedia.net [62.253
.185.101]
7 14 ms 13 ms 30 ms nrth-tmr-2-ae6-0.network.virginmedia.net [213.10
5.159.34]
8 24 ms 17 ms 16 ms tele-ic-1-as0-0.network.virginmedia.net [62.253.
184.2]
9 15 ms 14 ms 34 ms pos6-1.rt0.thdo.bbc.co.uk [212.58.239.237]
10 16 ms 15 ms 15 ms 212.58.238.129
11 15 ms 14 ms 15 ms virtual-vip-231.thdo.bbc.co.uk [212.58.241.131]


Trace complete.

[Andrewcrawford23]

Originally Posted by Mr-Hare

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.0.6002]
Copyright (c) 2006 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

tracert bbc.co.uk

Tracing route to bbc.co.uk [212.58.241.131]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

1 7 ms 8 ms 7 ms 10.225.80.1
2 8 ms 9 ms 13 ms nott-cam-1b-v107.network.virginmedia.net [81.109
.167.149]
3 10 ms 12 ms 22 ms nott-cam-1a-v99.network.virginmedia.net [80.4.47
.9]
4 8 ms 10 ms 36 ms nott-core-1a-ae2-0.network.virginmedia.net [195.
182.174.213]
5 10 ms 11 ms 41 ms leed-bb-1a-as0-0.network.virginmedia.net [213.10
5.174.169]
6 13 ms 13 ms 13 ms nrth-bb-1b-as2-0.network.virginmedia.net [62.253
.185.101]
7 14 ms 13 ms 30 ms nrth-tmr-2-ae6-0.network.virginmedia.net [213.10
5.159.34]
8 24 ms 17 ms 16 ms tele-ic-1-as0-0.network.virginmedia.net [62.253.
184.2]
9 15 ms 14 ms 34 ms pos6-1.rt0.thdo.bbc.co.uk [212.58.239.237]
10 16 ms 15 ms 15 ms 212.58.238.129
11 15 ms 14 ms 15 ms virtual-vip-231.thdo.bbc.co.uk [212.58.241.131]


Trace complete.

other thana minor spieks here

4 8 ms 10 ms 36 ms nott-core-1a-ae2-0.network.virginmedia.net [195.
182.174.213]
5 10 ms 11 ms 41 ms leed-bb-1a-as0-0.network.virginmedia.net [213.10
5.174.169]
9 15 ms 14 ms 34 ms pos6-1.rt0.thdo.bbc.co.uk [212.58.239.237]

i say mnor cause there above 30ms but not by much nothing is suggestinga problem

again i can post what tests to do when it happens and what ifnormation to get formt eh modem it can help identify the problem

[Mr-Hare]

Originally Posted by Andrewcrawford23

the receive power level is a little high other than that nothing springs to mind i would say you need to do some other test when it happens ot try help identify the problem if you are itnerested in doign them ill post what you need to do

Thanks, I'll give anything a try to find out the problem. After reading around it does seem my power level is the thing that could be a small issue.

[Andrewcrawford23]

ok ill post the tests to do teh next time you get the problem will take me a bit of tiem to write them up

i might nto gt ti done before i go out but ill try get it done by the en dof tonight at least if you do these test if you go to support you will have the resutls of what is happening when the fault arises as generally there itnermtient and only become a problem fora while which is what your soudns like

[Mr-Hare]

Thanks very much, I'll keep an eye out and try them.

[Andrewcrawford23]

Ok run these test when you get the rpoblem

ping -n 100 bbc.co.uk
ping -n 25 -l 1024 bbc.co.uk
ping -n 25 -l 65500 bbc.co.uk

tracert bbc.co.uk

pathping bbc.co.uk

if in the above ping you do nto get 100% back

do this additonally

ping -n 100 192.168.100.1

if that is fine

do these addiotnally

ping -n 50 213.105.174.169
ping -n 50 195.182.174.213

also log into the modem and post

the upload and download ifnormation including snr and power levels and frequency

if you can find the page which is on some modem that detaisl modem acitivy post that

if you are using yoru rotuer when it happens also try direct to the modem and post results of the above test direct to the modem as well

i have afew otehr test you can do but ill need to post those later

---------- Post added at 15:35 ---------- Previous post was at 15:31 ----------

pathping takes ages to complete

here is what ti will look like

Tracing route to bbc.co.uk [212.58.241.131]
over a maximum of 30 hops:
0 mediaplayer.andy.net [192.168.21.60]
1 ipcop.andy.net [192.168.20.1]
2 cpc2-cast7-2-0-gw.uddi.cable.virginmedia.com [77.97.32.1]
3 cast-geam-1a-ge19.network.virginmedia.net [80.3.17.49]
4 uddi-geam-1b-tenge72.network.virginmedia.net [62.30.246.49]
5 uddi-core-1b-ae1-0.network.virginmedia.net [80.3.16.141]
6 uddi-core-1a-ge-100-0.network.virginmedia.net [80.3.16.65]
7 leed-bb-1a-as10-0.network.virginmedia.net [213.105.159.70]
8 nrth-bb-1b-as2-0.network.virginmedia.net [62.253.185.101]
9 nrth-tmr-2-ae6-0.network.virginmedia.net [213.105.159.34]
10 tele-ic-1-as0-0.network.virginmedia.net [62.253.184.2]
11 pos6-1.rt0.thdo.bbc.co.uk [212.58.239.237]
12 212.58.238.153
13 virtual-vip-231.thdo.bbc.co.uk [212.58.241.131]

Computing statistics for 325 seconds...
Source to Here This Node/Link
Hop RTT Lost/Sent = Pct Lost/Sent = Pct Address
0 mediaplayer.andy.net [192.168.21.6
0]
0/ 100 = 0% |
1 0ms 0/ 100 = 0% 0/ 100 = 0% ipcop.andy.net [192.168.20.1]
0/ 100 = 0% |
2 10ms 0/ 100 = 0% 0/ 100 = 0% cpc2-cast7-2-0-gw.uddi.cable.virgi
nmedia.com [77.97.32.1]
0/ 100 = 0% |
3 13ms 0/ 100 = 0% 0/ 100 = 0% cast-geam-1a-ge19.network.virginme
dia.net [80.3.17.49]
0/ 100 = 0% |
4 17ms 0/ 100 = 0% 0/ 100 = 0% uddi-geam-1b-tenge72.network.virgi
nmedia.net [62.30.246.49]
0/ 100 = 0% |
5 10ms 0/ 100 = 0% 0/ 100 = 0% uddi-core-1b-ae1-0.network.virginm
edia.net [80.3.16.141]
0/ 100 = 0% |
6 11ms 0/ 100 = 0% 0/ 100 = 0% uddi-core-1a-ge-100-0.network.virg
inmedia.net [80.3.16.65]
0/ 100 = 0% |
7 22ms 0/ 100 = 0% 0/ 100 = 0% leed-bb-1a-as10-0.network.virginme
dia.net [213.105.159.70]
0/ 100 = 0% |
8 22ms 0/ 100 = 0% 0/ 100 = 0% nrth-bb-1b-as2-0.network.virginmed
ia.net [62.253.185.101]
0/ 100 = 0% |
9 20ms 0/ 100 = 0% 0/ 100 = 0% nrth-tmr-2-ae6-0.network.virginmed
ia.net [213.105.159.34]
0/ 100 = 0% |
10 20ms 0/ 100 = 0% 0/ 100 = 0% tele-ic-1-as0-0.network.virginmedi
a.net [62.253.184.2]
0/ 100 = 0% |
11 22ms 0/ 100 = 0% 0/ 100 = 0% pos6-1.rt0.thdo.bbc.co.uk [212.58.
239.237]
0/ 100 = 0% |
12 23ms 0/ 100 = 0% 0/ 100 = 0% 212.58.238.153
0/ 100 = 0% |
13 21ms 0/ 100 = 0% 0/ 100 = 0% virtual-vip-231.thdo.bbc.co.uk [21
2.58.241.131]

Trace complete.

---------- Post added at 15:37 ---------- Previous post was at 15:35 ----------

if you have a torrent client installed if you can downloaded alinux distrubtion torrent for example ubuntu dvd and say what speeds you achive on this

ill post anotehr way to do a dwnlaod speed test which doenst use torrent or speedtest sites later

[Mr-Hare]

I'll try them, usually it happens any time from now.

It doesn't seem like a big problem but I can't help shake the feeling it's still more than the usual over subscribed area capping. I don't get disconnected from the PS3 or my laptop, depending which I'm on at the time. But It's noticeable on downloads, sometimes it'll speed through, sometimes it'll go fast then slow after so many percent, and some it'll go slow from the start. But I haven't got a torrent client installed on my laptop, last time it got a virus so I tend to not do much on it.

If it is just a high receive power level I assume an engineer will know what to do to fix it, something to do with the outside access box isn't it?

Oh the modem is the black Virgin Media one. It came with a Netgear router but I never use it, always preferred wired direct to the modem for gaming and occasional net browsing.

I heard the BT wholesale site was decent for checking speed but it won't let me try. It says my telephone number isn't recognised and I don't know the service ID it asks for.

[thenry]

http://speedtester.bt.com/

[Mr-Hare]

That's what I tried, just says error not able to run test for your telephone number all the time. And I haven't got the service ID to try because the call workers at Virgin are next to useless and read from a script. I'll post my evening results now.

[thenry]

strange. I haven't got java installed on one machine and it still works

[Mr-Hare]

Cable Modem Downstream
Downstream Lock : Locked
Downstream Channel Id : 5
Downstream Frequency : 402750000 Hz
Downstream Modulation : QAM256
Downstream Symbol Rate : 5360.537 Ksym/sec
Downstream Interleave Depth : taps32Increment4
Downstream Receive Power Level : 11.0 dBmV
Downstream SNR : 40.8 dB

[Andrewcrawford23]

dnt use speed test site there not entirely realible, one thing mot peopel forget is they have to have the bandwidht to tdo the test, but where you downlaoding stuff form has to have the bandwidth to give to you, it could jsut be that they dnt have neough.

torrents for linux distrubtions will generally give 98% or more because of how they work, but the other tihng ill get oyu to try is from sites with huge huge bandwidth in the regning of 5000 200mb connections ill post other stuff to do soon

[Mr-Hare]

Cable Modem Upstream
Upstream Lock : Locked
Upstream Channel ID : 2
Upstream Frequency : 29200000 Hz
Upstream Modulation : QAM16
Upstream Symbol Rate : 2560 Ksym/sec
Upstream transmit Power Level : 46.0 dBmV
Upstream Mini-Slot Size : 2