VM often 1Mbps. Can I cancel as Breach of Contract?

RealGem

Neil_Jones said:

You don't.

https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-telecoms-and-internet/advice-for-consumers/problems/broadband-landline-faults - "Although Ofcom does not investigate individual complaints, your help in highlighting problems plays a vital part in our work and we may investigate a company if monitoring data reveals a particular problem"

Also from Ofcom: "If your provider fails to repair a fault by the date promised, or you are unhappy with how long it is taking, follow their formal complaints procedure. This should be explained on their website or by their customer services team.

If your problem is still unresolved after eight weeks, you can complain to an independent Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) scheme. Ask your provider for a ‘deadlock’ letter so that you can refer your dispute to the relevant ADR scheme directly before the eight week mark."

Virgin is CISAS ADR scheme, so https://www.cedr.com/consumer/cisas/ is where you would go after eight weeks.

Thank you Neil

ItsComingRome

RealGem said:

UPDATE:
Sadly it is still happening. Despite gettting a new hub, I am still getting drops in connection and often less than 1mbps. It's definitely the router and not the Wifi, as the hub's poor performance is detailed in the Network Logs (see my screenshots of Critical Errors previously in this thread). 

If anyone has advice on how to contact Ofcom regarding Virgin Media's poor broadband, I am all ears. 

Thank you

Er, no, the poor performance is not detailed in the network logs.

DHCP errors are just an issue obtaining an IP address from the server on Virgin's end, which, as you can see by the timestamps, is very temporary and regardless would result in no throughput, rather than reduced throughput.

If you're having this issue you need to eliminate the WiFi by connecting directly to the router via Ethernet. At the bare minimum have the laptop next to the router and then run a speed test.

RealGem

ItsComingRome said:

RealGem said:

UPDATE:
Sadly it is still happening. Despite gettting a new hub, I am still getting drops in connection and often less than 1mbps. It's definitely the router and not the Wifi, as the hub's poor performance is detailed in the Network Logs (see my screenshots of Critical Errors previously in this thread). 

If anyone has advice on how to contact Ofcom regarding Virgin Media's poor broadband, I am all ears. 

Thank you

Er, no, the poor performance is not detailed in the network logs.

DHCP errors are just an issue obtaining an IP address from the server on Virgin's end, which, as you can see by the timestamps, is very temporary and regardless would result in no throughput, rather than reduced throughput.

If you're having this issue you need to eliminate the WiFi by connecting directly to the router via Ethernet. At the bare minimum have the laptop next to the router and then run a speed test.

Thanks. 

But in that case, how come my wi-fi has been fine for 4 years, and I've only just started having issues now? (I can't test it now because my Wifi and connection is ok at the moment). 

And when the VM engineer came he checked the Wi-Fi and it was saying over 100mbps.

Neil_Jones

RealGem said:

Also, can anyone tell me why THIS happens please:

When I am away from the computer for more than 30 minutes or so, when I come back and move the mouse or touch the keyboard, a notification appears in the bottom left of the screen, saying "Your Connection was restored"

This seems a lot like they have deliberately got the settings to disconnect me when the laptop is inactive. Why else would it happen when I leave the PC?

Without an alternative explanation, it honestly seems like they are deliberately hammering my connection. 

Thanks

That's not a Virgin thing, that's a Windows thing.

RealGem

ItsComingRome said:

RealGem said:

UPDATE:
Sadly it is still happening. Despite gettting a new hub, I am still getting drops in connection and often less than 1mbps. It's definitely the router and not the Wifi, as the hub's poor performance is detailed in the Network Logs (see my screenshots of Critical Errors previously in this thread). 

If anyone has advice on how to contact Ofcom regarding Virgin Media's poor broadband, I am all ears. 

Thank you

Er, no, the poor performance is not detailed in the network logs.

DHCP errors are just an issue obtaining an IP address from the server on Virgin's end, which, as you can see by the timestamps, is very temporary and regardless would result in no throughput, rather than reduced throughput.

If you're having this issue you need to eliminate the WiFi by connecting directly to the router via Ethernet. At the bare minimum have the laptop next to the router and then run a speed test.

OK it seems it was a wifi issue. I thought the Hub's Network Logs were proving it was the hub. Thank you It'sComingRome for explaining that. 

I found out that blocks of flats can affect Wifi a lot, as there are many routers in a small space. 

I have now changed it to 5Ghz and it is over 100mbps. 

I know it ls not as stable as 2.4ghz though, so I have bought an ethernet - USB adaptor and I'm having a hole drilled in the wall, so I can have the router in my office. 

Thanks everyone for your help. 

RealGem

Neil_Jones said:

RealGem said:

Also, can anyone tell me why THIS happens please:

When I am away from the computer for more than 30 minutes or so, when I come back and move the mouse or touch the keyboard, a notification appears in the bottom left of the screen, saying "Your Connection was restored"

This seems a lot like they have deliberately got the settings to disconnect me when the laptop is inactive. Why else would it happen when I leave the PC?

Without an alternative explanation, it honestly seems like they are deliberately hammering my connection. 

Thanks

That's not a Virgin thing, that's a Windows thing.

Thanks Neil, 

My friend said the same thing on the phone, so I deleted that, and hadn't noticed you had replied in between. Cheers. 

PS: a bit more digging has found out it only happens on Facebook tabs! Aha! ...Good to know.

wongataa

RealGem said:

I have now changed it to 5Ghz and it is over 100mbps.

5GHz Wi-Fi is just as stable as 2.4GHz Wi-Fi.  5GHz has a shorter range than 2.4 GHz.

RealGem

UPDATE

I now have a hole through the wall, so I I can put a long VM wire through to my office. 

I've had it on 5ghz the last couple of days and I'm getting fast speeds. 

But I bought a new phone and it only works off 2.4ghz, so I had to "temporarily" switch the hub back to 2.4ghz, just while I set the phone up. 

I did so, but I also found out from watching some YouTube videos that simply changing the channel can correct the 2.4ghz Wifi connection. 

THIS is the best one I found for how to change the settings on the hub:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nU9psdnyLJY&ab_channel=SimUK

(Virgin Media's own advice here was to NOT do it manually, but to simply switch the hub off and back on again. They say that alone changes the channel, but I did that nearly every day for two months and it never worked once!)

So I don't need to connect it directly after all. I will still use the VM wire and have the router in my office though in case of urgent outages.

Anyway, I can't find out how to mark this post as SOLVED. It won't let me edit my first post. But if someone else has the same issue, that video above solved it, along with people telling me it was the wifi not the router that was the problem!

phillw

RealGem said:

I did so, but I also found out from watching some YouTube videos that simply changing the channel can correct the connection. 

It can turn into a game of cat and mouse, by changing the channel then you may well have messed up your neighbors broadband and they will soon be changing their channel to interfere with yours.

I'm disappointed that VM's automatic setting couldn't cope with it.

Saying that, I haven't used the wifi on an isp supplied router for 10 years. Buying a decent one is an investment, it's expensive but it means you don't have to choose an isp based on what router they supply (and switching isp is much easier too).

victor2

phillw said:

RealGem said:

I did so, but I also found out from watching some YouTube videos that simply changing the channel can correct the connection. 

.... Buying a decent one is an investment, it's expensive but it means you don't have to choose an isp based on what router they supply (and switching isp is much easier too).

Ditto the above. I got so sick of the poor WiFi from my VM hub that I put it into modem only mode and used an Asus router I purchased. Much better WiFi coverage through the house (and garden) now at both 2.4GHz and 5GHz.

I did block my main PC from connecting at 2.4GHz, as it is in the opposite corner of the house to the router, and tended to see the 2.4GHz signal as the stronger one, while it performs well at 5GHz and gives better throughput.