VM 20mb problems (to put it in simple terms)

amagawd · 26-10-2008, 16:07

Cable Forum Readers,

I've been on ntl/virgin media for approximately 8 years. I've always had the best home internet package available. I primarily use my internet for FPS gaming (which requires a pristine internet connection) and though my internet has never been too great. The past 8 weeks in particular have been terrible and i'm unable to play games (something that i'm VERY heavily involved in).

At first I found I was only having the problems from 6pm-11pm where my ping to UK game servers would fluctuate between 40-120ms then after 11pm would go back to the usual 15-30 until the next afternoon/evening. Now i'm having problems with my connection from 12:00pm - 11pm and i've had enough!

I live in the SK5(Stockport/Manchester) area and i'm on the XL (20mb package). I use a D-Link router (though my internet runs EXACTLY the same direct from the modem) and my connection is wired via ethernet. My ethernet card is broken so i'm using the SMC EZ ethernet/USB convertor. I have the latest virgin media 250/256 modem (the small black one that looks IDENTICAL to the navy blue one except with 1 less light)

I've had the 20mb package now since release. At first I downloaded at 1.8mb/s .. now I barely get over 800kb/s (regardless of time or quality of download server)

Below is a tracert of the BBC website that I ran at approximately 13:00 today:

Tracing route to www.bbc.net.uk [212.58.251.195]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

1 1 ms <1 ms <1 ms 192.168.0.1
2 26 ms 20 ms 138 ms 10.26.244.1
3 23 ms 16 ms 14 ms oldh-t2cam1-a-v145.network.virginmedia.net [213.104.83.69]
4 86 ms 18 ms 14 ms manc-t3core-1a-ae2-0.network.virginmedia.net [195.182.180.37]
5 217 ms 9 ms 172 ms man-bb-a-as0-0.network.virginmedia.net [213.105.175.1]
6 44 ms 38 ms 44 ms gfd-bb-b-so-200-0.network.virginmedia.net [62.252.192.94]
7 63 ms 43 ms 32 ms redb-ic-1-as0-0.network.virginmedia.net [62.253.185.78]
8 48 ms 288 ms 39 ms 212.58.239.249
9 178 ms 50 ms 33 ms 212.58.238.149
10 312 ms 38 ms 97 ms 212.58.239.62
11 36 ms 39 ms 19 ms www-vip.telhc.bbc.co.uk [212.58.251.195]

Trace complete.

-- another traceroute to BBC at 15:00 below --

Tracing route to www.bbc.net.uk [212.58.251.195]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

1 1 ms <1 ms <1 ms 192.168.0.1
2 31 ms 79 ms 11 ms 10.26.244.1
3 51 ms 66 ms 73 ms oldh-t2cam1-a-v145.network.virginmedia.net [213.104.83.69]
4 72 ms 54 ms 67 ms manc-t3core-1a-ae2-0.network.virginmedia.net [15.182.180.37]
5 15 ms 38 ms 70 ms man-bb-a-as0-0.network.virginmedia.net [213.105.175.1]
6 24 ms 82 ms 84 ms gfd-bb-b-so-200-0.network.virginmedia.net [62.22.192.94]
7 37 ms 62 ms 92 ms redb-ic-1-as0-0.network.virginmedia.net [62.253.185.78]
8 21 ms 180 ms 204 ms 212.58.239.249
9 52 ms 83 ms 35 ms 212.58.238.149
10 35 ms 27 ms 15 ms 212.58.239.62
11 18 ms 79 ms 20 ms www-vip.telhc.bbc.co.uk [212.58.251.195]

Trace complete.

--- below is my modem configuration (got a new modem last week) ---

Cable Modem : Euro-DOCSIS 1.0/1.1/2.0 Compliant

Downstream Lock : Locked
Downstream Channel Id : 4
Downstream Frequency : 586750000 Hz
Downstream Modulation : QAM256
Downstream Symbol Rate : 6952 Ksym/sec
Downstream Interleave Depth : taps12Increment17
Downstream Receive Power Level : 4.4 dBmV
Downstream SNR : 34.6 dB

Upstream Lock : Locked
Upstream Channel ID : 3
Upstream Frequency : 25800000 Hz
Upstream Modulation : QPSK
Upstream Symbol Rate : 2560 Ksym/sec
Upstream transmit Power Level : 42.0 dBmV
Upstream Mini-Slot Size : 2

Speedtest

Standard net graph plot of ping to a UK game server over 5 minutes(note the volatility)
Just to note i've pinged HUNDREDS of different servers/websites and it's the same on them all it's not just poor routing to one particular server.

Pingplotter results (I had to laugh otherwise i'd have burst out in tears... this is 21st century broadband eh)

[Mod Edit - See Below]

I hope i've provided enough information for one of you kind souls to help me out

Tom

[Mod Edit (Rob M): Images removed and added again as attachments, the width was causing some display problems for some users.]

Martyn · 26-10-2008, 16:51

OT: what games you play?

amagawd · 26-10-2008, 16:57

Martyn aka Jeppo?

Counter-Strike 1.6

kpanchev · 26-10-2008, 17:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by Martyn

OT: what games you play?

How is this relevant to the question? If you can't help, don't post!

As for the problem, it seems as an over-subscription problem, especially as it has gotten worse with time. The other reason that I can think of are not optimal settings of the pc that you're using.

Martyn · 26-10-2008, 17:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by kpanchev

How is this relevant to the question? If you can't help, don't post!

be quiet now please.. thanks.

Quote:

Originally Posted by amagawd

Martyn aka Jeppo?

Counter-Strike 1.6

nope? o.0 and i get issues with counter strike source..

Joxer · 26-10-2008, 18:48

First find your default gateway - this will be on your router config somewhere or if you connect direct to your modem will be found by typing ipconfig into a command prompt. It is probably best to be connected direct to the modem. Then try ping -n 100 (whatever the default gateway ip is) if that is high/erratic, as I would expect then there is an issue.

Turkey Machine · 26-10-2008, 19:04

It may just be me but the downstream SNR level on your modem seems a little low. I get it fluctuating between 39 and 41.

D.Casey · 26-10-2008, 19:06

I notice on your tracert your ms response on the:

5 217 ms 9 ms 172 ms man-bb-a-as0-0.network.virginmedia.net [213.105.175.1]

is very high, I live In lincolnshire & on my tracert's that the hop(213.105.175.1) when my problems start too. (I get the same problem as you).

Its maybe nothing to do with your problem but I thought id mention it.

26-10-2008, 19:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by Turkey Machine

It may just be me but the downstream SNR level on your modem seems a little low. I get it fluctuating between 39 and 41.

His SNR is fine for NTL as the lower limit is 26db.

Turkey Machine · 26-10-2008, 19:14

So is 40 the upper limit then? It's just the ntl:250 modem currently connected is a little toasty!

Am hoping for better when the 256 modem is connected tomorrow morning.

26-10-2008, 19:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by Turkey Machine

So is 40 the upper limit then? It's just the ntl:250 modem currently connected is a little toasty!

Am hoping for better when the 256 modem is connected tomorrow morning.

Usually 50db

Have you received your 256 yet

Turkey Machine · 26-10-2008, 19:20

I have, it's just connecting it at a time that suits the rest of the flat. Had a few important things to sort out, and the general concensus among us was to wait until after the weekend. The 250 still works, and we still get internet through it, but I think it's gonna be tomorrow the 256 goes online, with hopefully a better internet connection, though I'm not holding out based upon others.

I still haven't found the cable box on the street yet! What do they generally look like?!

BTW, whilst we're here, what's the quickstart activation telephone number? (Not the Virgin 15x one, as the phoneline doesn't work.) And am I allowed to ask to be transferred to a UK call centre?

amagawd · 26-10-2008, 19:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joxer

First find your default gateway - this will be on your router config somewhere or if you connect direct to your modem will be found by typing ipconfig into a command prompt. It is probably best to be connected direct to the modem. Then try ping -n 100 (whatever the default gateway ip is) if that is high/erratic, as I would expect then there is an issue.

Ping statistics for 192.168.0.1:
Packets: Sent = 100, Received = 100, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 0ms, Maximum = 2ms, Average = 0ms

It seems like a virgin media problem. Oh, forgot to mention on the original post but i'm not on traffic management either the techies checked for me.

26-10-2008, 19:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by Turkey Machine

I have, it's just connecting it at a time that suits the rest of the flat. Had a few important things to sort out, and the general concensus among us was to wait until after the weekend. The 250 still works, and we still get internet through it, but I think it's gonna be tomorrow the 256 goes online, with hopefully a better internet connection, though I'm not holding out based upon others.

I still haven't found the cable box on the street yet! What do they generally look like?!

BTW, whilst we're here, what's the quickstart activation telephone number? (Not the Virgin 15x one, as the phoneline doesn't work.) And am I allowed to ask to be transferred to a UK call centre?

Quickstart number is 0800 953 9500 and make a note of the HFC MAC address on the base before you call.

Cabs are usually green and very similar to BT Cabs, but you could be in an area were they used underground Cabs and you will have large square concrete manhole covers on the end of your road, depends on who owned the original franchise.

Ignitionnet · 26-10-2008, 19:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by D.Casey

I notice on your tracert your ms response on the:

5 217 ms 9 ms 172 ms man-bb-a-as0-0.network.virginmedia.net [213.105.175.1]

is very high, I live In lincolnshire & on my tracert's that the hop(213.105.175.1) when my problems start too. (I get the same problem as you).

Its maybe nothing to do with your problem but I thought id mention it.

Hello.

Nah it's not an issue, if you notice the ping goes back down on the hop after, the -bb- nodes are Juniper T640 or MX series routers, and Junipers don't tend to be too responsive to being pinged themselves but it doesn't affect their performance.

If pings stay consistently high after a hop it suggests issues, in this case it looks like man-bb-a is innocent as the variance is on the CMTS onwards suggesting local issues, probably oversubscription due to the times it's most prevalent.

---------- Post added at 19:40 ---------- Previous post was at 19:39 ----------

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joxer

First find your default gateway - this will be on your router config somewhere or if you connect direct to your modem will be found by typing ipconfig into a command prompt. It is probably best to be connected direct to the modem. Then try ping -n 100 (whatever the default gateway ip is) if that is high/erratic, as I would expect then there is an issue.

The private hop on the traceroute is also fine, so that would be: 10.26.244.1

That and the publically addressed default gateway are actually both the same device, the CMTS.