Virgin Media issues

ezftwlulz

Hey so I am looking for some advice and information on a situation regarding my Virgin Media 30mbps broadband.

My partner and myself signed up to Virgin at the end of August when we moved into our first rented house as there was already a Virgin line fitted. Since then we have never recieved the full speed or anywhere near to it with reaching a maximum of 14mbps on a REALLY good day, but usually only hitting 9mbps.

First time I phoned up and complained they got me to run a number of tests through my netbook through an ethernet connection in which they told me that we must have been sent out the wrong router for our 30mbps package. So a week later arrived our new router... exactly the same brand and model ;-) so no improvements there then. Then our speed took a turn for the worst again so I phoned up and was told my netbook wifi adapter (built in) was not compatible with the router (which ovbiously was complete nonsense as I have been using this since using their connection.) So he made a few changes through remote control assistance and told me my connection should be better.

The connection didn't improve but I put up with it until the other day when I wanted to play a PS3 game which needed an update which was less than 1gb in size, it simply would not download even a quater of the download. So yesterday I rang again and the technician took remote control and changed a few settings. He then said he was going to look at my processes to see how much traffic was running off of the connection through the programmes I was running. He procceeded to tell me that I had a lot of traffic and a few of the programs looked suspicious and that I could have a virus on my netbook which could be making the whole connection go slower. He suggested that I should change my anti virus and do a scan and that was as much help as he could give me for now. After getting off the phone I did a scan using Microsoft Security Essentials which is fully up to date and this came back with no viruses.

I then spoke to my brother who has a Computer Science BA (Hons) degree and he said (what I expected) that what had been said was a load of crap. He told me that Microsoft Security Essentials has the best reviews for free anti-virus software and that a virus would not cause the whole connection to go slow anyway. He suggested that I do a connection test through the ps3 using a ethernet cable, which came out at only 9mbps! He then said to download some software and do my own test (using a ethernet cable) on network traffic to find out if there is much traffic when running no applications in the background. It shows up with less than 1kb at anytime!

Anyway so basically we are not getting the connection speed and it appears we never have either. So my question is where do we stand with regards to their terms and conditions and to them sticking to their contract to us.

Please give me as much information as possible as I am planning on using this alongside with the information to actually get them to do something about the lack of speed on our connection.

Cheers!

Ellie

spike7451

Some of the older modems can only handle 10mbps,the old silver NTL100 for example.If you're in rented is could be a number of things as well affecting the speed.You really need a service tech out to check the cabling,forward & return path slopes & other things.

Boopop

spike7451 wrote: »

Some of the older modems can only handle 10mbps,the old silver NTL100 for example.If you're in rented is could be a number of things as well affecting the speed.You really need a service tech out to check the cabling,forward & return path slopes & other things.

Hi, I'm the brother Ellie speaks of. Are you saying spike7451 that once she's told them everything she's done to show it's not a problem with her computer/network, they should offer to have a look for her, for free?

It's annoying because from the description she gave me over the phone it seemed the VM tech support person was just trying to fob her off.

For example s/he looked at her running processes in the task manager and said "I don't recognise some of them, they're probably viruses and/or downloading lots of data". It seems ridiculous to me that just because a person doesn't recognise some processes running that that automatically must mean they're downloading lots of data.

/rantover

Thanks for the help spike7451 :beer:

daleski75

If you have a super hub can you post your stats? This can be done by going into 192.168.0.1 from your web browser and logging into the hub (admin with default password of changeme) and then click on advanced settings and then connection on the left hand side.

By the sounds of it this maybe a power level issue but I won't know until I see the connection stats from your modem.

For reference here is how mine look and I get a full 50mb


Connection

Startup Procedure
Procedure Status Comment
Acquire Downstream Channel 467000000 Hz Locked
Connectivity State OK Operational
Boot State OK Operational
Configuration File OK
Security Enabled BPI+
Downstream Channels
Lock Status Modulation Channel ID Max Raw Bit Rate Frequency Power SNR Docsis/EuroDocsis locked
Locked QAM256 20 55616000 Kbits/sec 467000000 Hz 3.3 dBmV 41.1 dB Hybrid
Locked QAM256 16 55616000 Kbits/sec 435000000 Hz 5.1 dBmV 41.9 dB Hybrid
Locked QAM256 17 55616000 Kbits/sec 443000000 Hz 5.0 dBmV 42.2 dB Hybrid
Locked QAM256 18 55616000 Kbits/sec 451000000 Hz 4.9 dBmV 41.9 dB Hybrid
Locked QAM256 19 55616000 Kbits/sec 459000000 Hz 4.6 dBmV 42.1 dB Hybrid
Unlocked Unknown 0 0 Ksym/sec 0 Hz 0.0 dBmV 0.0 dB Unknown
Unlocked Unknown 0 0 Ksym/sec 0 Hz 0.0 dBmV 0.0 dB Unknown
Unlocked Unknown 0 0 Ksym/sec 0 Hz 0.0 dBmV 0.0 dB Unknown
Upstream Channels
Lock Status Modulation Channel ID Max Raw Bit Rate Frequency Power
Locked ATDMA 58 20480 Kbits/sec 35800000 Hz 45.0 dBmV
Unlocked Unknown 0 0 Ksym/sec 0 Hz 0.0 dBmV
Unlocked Unknown 0 0 Ksym/sec 0 Hz 0.0 dBmV
Unlocked Unknown 0 0 Ksym/sec 0 Hz 0.0 dBmV
Primary Downstream Service Flow
Downstream(0)
SFID 48650
Max Traffic Rate 53000000 bps
Max Traffic Burst 10000 bytes
Mix Traffic Rate 0 bps
Primary Upstream Service Flow
Upstream(0)
SFID 48649
Max Traffic Rate 5140000 bps
Max Traffic Burst 8160 bytes
Mix Traffic Rate 0 bps
Max Concatenated Burst 8160 bytes
Scheduling Type Best Effort

spike7451

I've been to faults where the's oodles of signal coming into the property but the home owner has had a spark run an extension to another room,by the time the signal reaches the new point at the other end of the home,the's little signal.
Service calls are free unless it's caused by something done by the customer,then it's £50 (ish) like the above,although a decent tech will put it down as 'damaged connection' or the like.You could have a faulty splitter or isolator (the white box on the wall that the modem connects into.)
It could be one of a list of things causing it.

Boopop

OK, thanks to both spike7451 and daleski75. I'll see to it that she tries to get that info for you daleski75 if she has the right router for it.

The main thing is getting them to do something about it. I suggested Ellie find out about T&C/Contract and such as so far they've been hesitant to actually do anything about it, so I figured if she found out where she stands legally with it, and then points it out to them that might kick their backsides into gear!

daleski75

If there is a fault then your friend can book an engineer's appointment through my virgin or give them a call on 150

Hopefully it won't get as far as finding out where she stands legally and it can be sorted with a visit from a VM engineer.

Mrs_Arcanum

Always worth having a look at Cable Forum Very helpful completely independent site with some VM staff who post there. They also have direct contacts within VM so should get your problem solved one way or another.

Boopop

Plenty of good advice! I knew it was a good idea for my sister to try coming here Thanks everyone!

kwikbreaks

As it's 30Mbps that means it's a Superhub which is known to have pretty poor WiFi - were the measured speeds from a wired connection or using Wireless? If using WiFi then the first thing to check is whether it's an N adaptor because G ones top out at only just over 20Mbps at the best of times. Using a channel with a couple of other APs active on it nearby and useless kit like the VM Superhub are a surefire recipe for disaster.

If the cable modem voltage levels are within spec and it's on a wired connection but still poor then blame VM for overselling - the local pipes which serve several hundred houses top out at 200Mbps down and 18Mbps up yet VM still sell 100Mbps down + 10Mbps up on that infrastructure. If somebody on 100Mbps is running encrypted torrents then you can forget about anybody else nearby having a decent experience.

ezftwlulz

daleski75 wrote: »

If you have a super hub can you post your stats? This can be done by going into 192.168.0.1 from your web browser and logging into the hub (admin with default password of changeme) and then click on advanced settings and then connection on the left hand side.

By the sounds of it this maybe a power level issue but I won't know until I see the connection stats from your modem.

For reference here is how mine look and I get a full 50mb


Connection

Startup Procedure
Procedure Status Comment
Acquire Downstream Channel 467000000 Hz Locked
Connectivity State OK Operational
Boot State OK Operational
Configuration File OK
Security Enabled BPI+
Downstream Channels
Lock Status Modulation Channel ID Max Raw Bit Rate Frequency Power SNR Docsis/EuroDocsis locked
Locked QAM256 20 55616000 Kbits/sec 467000000 Hz 3.3 dBmV 41.1 dB Hybrid
Locked QAM256 16 55616000 Kbits/sec 435000000 Hz 5.1 dBmV 41.9 dB Hybrid
Locked QAM256 17 55616000 Kbits/sec 443000000 Hz 5.0 dBmV 42.2 dB Hybrid
Locked QAM256 18 55616000 Kbits/sec 451000000 Hz 4.9 dBmV 41.9 dB Hybrid
Locked QAM256 19 55616000 Kbits/sec 459000000 Hz 4.6 dBmV 42.1 dB Hybrid
Unlocked Unknown 0 0 Ksym/sec 0 Hz 0.0 dBmV 0.0 dB Unknown
Unlocked Unknown 0 0 Ksym/sec 0 Hz 0.0 dBmV 0.0 dB Unknown
Unlocked Unknown 0 0 Ksym/sec 0 Hz 0.0 dBmV 0.0 dB Unknown
Upstream Channels
Lock Status Modulation Channel ID Max Raw Bit Rate Frequency Power
Locked ATDMA 58 20480 Kbits/sec 35800000 Hz 45.0 dBmV
Unlocked Unknown 0 0 Ksym/sec 0 Hz 0.0 dBmV
Unlocked Unknown 0 0 Ksym/sec 0 Hz 0.0 dBmV
Unlocked Unknown 0 0 Ksym/sec 0 Hz 0.0 dBmV
Primary Downstream Service Flow
Downstream(0)
SFID 48650
Max Traffic Rate 53000000 bps
Max Traffic Burst 10000 bytes
Mix Traffic Rate 0 bps
Primary Upstream Service Flow
Upstream(0)
SFID 48649
Max Traffic Rate 5140000 bps
Max Traffic Burst 8160 bytes
Mix Traffic Rate 0 bps
Max Concatenated Burst 8160 bytes
Scheduling Type Best Effort

Hey here is the details you asked for

Connection


Startup Procedure ProcedureStatusComment Acquire Downstream Channel298750000 HzLocked Connectivity StateOKOperational Boot StateOKOperational Configuration FileOK SecurityEnabledBPI+
Downstream Channels Lock StatusModulationChannel IDMax Raw Bit RateFrequencyPowerSNRDocsis/EuroDocsis locked LockedQAM25622255616000 Kbits/sec298750000 Hz 7.3 dBmV43.2 dBHybrid LockedQAM25622155616000 Kbits/sec290750000 Hz 7.9 dBmV42.7 dBHybrid LockedQAM25622355616000 Kbits/sec306750000 Hz 7.2 dBmV42.7 dBHybrid LockedQAM25622455616000 Kbits/sec314750000 Hz 7.5 dBmV42.9 dBHybrid UnlockedUnknown00 Ksym/sec0 Hz 0.0 dBmV 0.0 dBUnknown UnlockedUnknown00 Ksym/sec0 Hz 0.0 dBmV 0.0 dBUnknown UnlockedUnknown00 Ksym/sec0 Hz 0.0 dBmV 0.0 dBUnknown UnlockedUnknown00 Ksym/sec0 Hz 0.0 dBmV 0.0 dBUnknown
Upstream Channels Lock StatusModulationChannel IDMax Raw Bit Rate FrequencyPower LockedATDMA120480 Kbits/sec45800000 Hz39.5 dBmV UnlockedUnknown00 Ksym/sec0 Hz 0.0 dBmV UnlockedUnknown00 Ksym/sec0 Hz 0.0 dBmV UnlockedUnknown00 Ksym/sec0 Hz 0.0 dBmV
Primary Downstream Service Flow Downstream(0) SFID3356 Max Traffic Rate33330000 bps Max Traffic Burst3044 bytes Mix Traffic Rate0 bps Primary Upstream Service Flow Upstream(0) SFID3355 Max Traffic Rate3333000 bps Max Traffic Burst8160 bytes Mix Traffic Rate0 bps Max Concatenated Burst8160 bytes Scheduling TypeBest Effort
Current System Time:Sun Jan 29 17:51:46 2012

Cheers!

Ellie