Virgin Media broadband not working

[HennyPenny]

We have similar problems with lines dropping out, we are on Fellbrigg Road, and had the techie person in from Virgin and it seems the 'box' at the end of the road is experiencing power surges and it'll take a week or so to sort out. HP

[ianr]

Another alternative to using wireless or ring mains for your LAN would be to use ethernet cables throughout. The traditional solution.

[Penguin68]

There are two possible issues being talked about here

1. Fixed line broadband - delivered via telephone circuit or via cable to a modem/router box in your premises. Most of these now offer wireless connectivity from the router out into your home - you connect wirelessly to it, although there will also be ethernet connectors within the router using which you can connect your PC etc. directly using an ethernet cable.

These wireless broadcasting routers have a limited range - the most 'powereful' uses the wireless 'n' standard; but you will also still find earlier standards being used - your computer etc. will need an 'n' receiver to make use of this, but generally most 'n' routers are backwards compatable with earlier standards (but you won't get the benefit of the 'n' standard). You can buy re-transmitters (wireless range extenders) which can pick-up and re-broadcast the wireless signal - hence extending the range within your home.

There are two possible problems with wireless access - the topology of your home (lots of walls, many floors) - where the signal becomes attenuated/ lost - and other wireless activity interfering with the signal (that's the basis of the latest BT ads for their new router).

Some of these can be handled (if you have telephone line access to broadband) by changing the plate in your line-box (the telephone wall-box your router plugs into) - although older plug and socket installations can't take these modified plates. Others can be met by ensuring that other wireless apparatus (and e.g. microwave ovens) aren't too close to your router or computer.

2. You will also have problems if the signal to your router from outside has problems, including attenuation and loss - this will mean that your broadband is slow/ patchy/ drops out and won't be an issue you can address yourself.

3. If you use wireless (not fixed line) broadband connection - i.e. through a mobile 'dongle' - then you may also suffer signal loss/ degradation at the broadcast, not the receiving, end - and of course any other interference problems associated with mobile telephony (cell contention, topology, adverse weather conditions etc. etc.)

[Browncoffee]

Have had VM technicians over a few times this year due to similar problems - no internet connection, despite upgraded service. It's now our 3rd day of no connection and we're once again expecting an engineer to come round on Monday. Given my husband generally works from home, this is becoming more & more frustrating, and we are now keen to try another provider.

Any heavy users (who possibly also work from home & needs near-perfect service) able to recommend an alternative, better provider?

[Undisputedtruth]

Highly recommend zen. I've been with them since 2003.

I used to have cable since 1991 but got fed up with ntl and ridded them in 2004. Glad I've made that decision as, judging by the thread content, the company has never changed. Woeful service in 2004, woeful service in 2011. NTL customer services has probably aged me.

[Heart108]

Browncoffee Wrote:

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> Have had VM technicians [snip] we're once again expecting an

> engineer to come round on Monday.

It would be really interesting to post back here after asking the technician the following questions:

1 - What is the make and model of your current modem? Is it the 'best and latest' that VM have to offer?

( I actually have 3 useless modems which they sent at different stages to fob me off as a 'stock response' to fix the broad band and the last time the technician came he said he could offer me a better one but have not heard back)

2 - Ask him to measure the signal from the street into your home and make a note of it. ( Compare it to what you are supposed to be getting for the bandwidth you are paying for)

3 - Ask him how far the VM box is from your home. The further you are the weaker the signal. They have the capacity to boost the signal at the box. It seems to me that one of the tactics is to keep back the signal until someone complains about it. Then they can give you a little boost and you feel better :)

4 - Ask him what he thinks about the previously discussed 'ring main' adapter that connect the router via ethernet to your electricity circuit. What make system does he recommend off the record?

5 - Do a speed test (google broadband speed test)while he is there - compare whether it is consistent with the price band you are paying

[Browncoffee]

Thanks Heart108.I'll go through the questions with them and post responses. In the meantime, I'll continue to look into an alternative and order a mifi...

[Browncoffee]

Hi Indisputedtruth, thanks for the recommendation. Have just been reading up reviews on Zen & they have great feedback. Will certainly consider them. Thanks again.

[sophiesofa]

We have a 'powerline av50' thing that means we can get broadband in the back of the flat through our electric circuit - it works well but it wasn't cheap. My broadband has miraculously worked for the last 2 days without dropping off - had a week of practically no connection before than though.

[spanglysteve]

If you are having slow speeds in many cases this is due to Wi-Fi interference.

The first thing I would do is plug your computer directly into the Ethernet out of your modem and switch off the Wi-Fi on your computer. If you find your speed is still slow then you have a genuinely slow connection which you should contact Virgin about.

If however you find its a lot faster its likely that your home is suffering from a lot of Wi-Fi interference. This is because the frequency which many routers use (2.4Ghz) is very crowded as its also used by home TV senders, DECT phones and even some microwaves will interfere.

Have a look at the settings on your router and see if its possible to switch it onto 5Ghz, this frequency is generally less crowded and therefore results from better connections.

You should also check in your router settings which "channel" it is using. There are generally 11 channels and it may be that other networks in your area are using the same channel. If so try switching to another. You may even do well to discuss with your neighbours so that you can all co-ordinate which channels you will use.

Its also useful to note than when most routers boot up, they will often pick the least crowded channel, therefore resetting your router regularly will ensure its always on the least crowded channel.

I also think the quality of your router will make a big difference. I used to scoff at those who bought branded routers when in essence I viewed them as a commodity product. How wrong I was. I replaced my ?20 router with one (much more expensive!) from Apple from which I noticed that not only was my signal stronger throughout the house, but it also travelled much further while maintaining good speeds.

I would also say that you should distinguish between Virgin Cable and ADSL.

ADSL uses BT's infrastructure and generally is slower than Virgins Fibre service. The speed you get on ADSL will be dictated by how many other people are using the connection and how far you are from the exchange.

The cable service should be faster and more consistent. IF its not you should call Virgin, but in doing a speed test on ym Virgin Cable 20Mb service just now I registered a download speed of 19.75Mb

[Undisputedtruth]

Browncoffee Wrote:

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> Hi Indisputedtruth, thanks for the recommendation.

> Have just been reading up reviews on Zen & they

> have great feedback. Will certainly consider them.

> Thanks again.

Check out the Which? magazines, Zen usually comes out on top and guess who comes bottom?

[Heart108]

For everyone's information this is my latest VM bill:

DATE/PERIOD 3July - 2nd August

Telephone Line Rental - ?12.99 .... [i use this line for incoming fax calls only]

Phone, Broadband XL & TV discount -?17.00 ..... [ This is a 'discount' I negotiated months ago by asking for a 'deal' ]

Permanent Number Conceal (1470) ?00.00 ......[ No idea why this included here zero pence]

M+ (Starter) ?6.50 ...... [ This is the TV package which includes Catch Up.Seems good value]

XXL 50 Mb Broadband ?45.00 ...... [ Ridiculously overpriced even if it delivered. Never has since Oct 10)

Paper Bill Charge ? 1.50..........

TOTAL .................................?48.99

PS When I negotiated the 'discount', they said they could do it by effectively giving me the phone and tv for free. Actually I did not want the phone or tv that much as I could do without the phone and the standard TV freeview is enough

But their bottom line was the ?45 for the Broadband was not negotiable

[Frankito]

Point to note: if your service goes down for any length of time, contact Virgin and demand they take somemoney off your monthly bill. My monthly bill with them is over ?80 but never sure what that is made up of as there are so many different parts to ?30 per month off due to tv/ broadband not working.. Funnily enough, since then no issues. Coincidence or what?

[Alan Medic]

They charge ?25 for this service for new customers. I think you have to consider the ?17 deduction as a reduction in the broadband cost. You could ditch the ?6.50 charge for the TV if you don't really want it.

I don't particularly like VM but am afraid to change as most of the time up to 3 users at once get a pretty good speed. Better the devil you know.............

[sophiesofa]

sophiesofa Wrote:

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> We have a 'powerline av50' thing that means we can

> get broadband in the back of the flat through our

> electric circuit - it works well but it wasn't

> cheap. My broadband has miraculously worked for

> the last 2 days without dropping off - had a week

> of practically no connection before than though.

I spoke too soon, not worked at all today. Mines not a router problem it's a black box (no idea of proper name) thing that's not receiving a signal at all.

[Heart108]

Browncoffee Wrote:

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> Thanks Heart108.I'll go through the questions with

> them and post responses.

Was just wondering if you the VM technician came round, and if you had any light to add to the current debate?

[Browncoffee]

Sorry for not posting earlier....

The VM Technician came round and we are back online.

I managed to go through some of the questions with him although he didn't get back to me on the signal from the street &

how far the VM box is from us, and I didn't get round to doing the speed test (I blame my 9 month old daughter who chose that time to need lots of attention)!

What I did get from him is:

- Our modem is Netgear which is not the best but okay. According to him, there are better wireless ones which they now have. The best 'ring main' adapter is Devolo and he highly recommends them.

His diagnosis:

Apparently we had a signal problem ("low return") and he needed a Network Engineer to fix the problem as the technicians are not equipped to sort out signal problems. He said the fact that previous technicians who had come round had 'fixed' the problems themselves explains why they kept recurring as they are only able to temporarily 'fix' the problem. He called the engineer who came within 2 hours and fixed the problem (from the VM box)....

Well, we should supposedly have no problems for at least a few months. Time shall tell....

By the way, he reiterated that there are way too many VM subscribers in ED, with our road having one of the most users he has come across.

[Heart108]

thanks Browncoffee.. most useful

Diavolo is indeed the ring main adapter I got from Maplins in Stanstead Rd. It didnt work that well when I tried but perhaps I will have another go - now that the VM technician recommends it. They are generally good independent thinkers, the ones that I have met on visits here...

[grass]

Have you report it to there service? better contact them so that they will fixed it.

[Penguin68]

About Diavalo style range extenders - I believe one problem is caused by people who have more than one mains circuit (for instance upstairs and downstairs) - if your initial connection is on circuit 1 and you then try to 'tap into' circuit 2 the signal effectively is attenuated through your fuse box - it isn't all part of the same continuous circuit. This may make it less effective.

[sophiesofa]

We had the signal boosted from the box down the road the other day. We're on Lordship Lane opposite the police station - I have no idea if this means it's been boosted for all virgin users supplied by that box or just ours but just in-case I thought I'd post. I asked the technician (who was very lovely) if it was because there were too many users locally and he kind of dodged the question which makes me think they might have been told to not say they're over subscribed for capacity - I might be wrong though.

[Alan Medic]

Sophie...........what does 'very lovely' mean?

[sophiesofa]

Erm.. to me it means he was more than a bit lovely but not amazing? I didn't fancy him if that's what you mean! A nice guy. You have reminded me that when I get round to writing my latest service complaint email that I also need to say something nice about him.

[Jeremy]

Just to add some balance... we've been on Virgin for a couple of weeks now, and so far it has been reliable and the speed is quite good (~17Mb on the two occasions I've tested it). Although I do realise that the reliability needs to be judged over a much longer period.

[dulwichbloke]

I signed up today, so will let you know how they perform (from the end of next week when the engineer is coming). I intend to tell him/her about the local problems being reported and make sure it is working speedily before he/she leaves.

I have now had no internet for 2 weeks with Talk Talk. Things are all relative... if Virgin Media is a few Mb slower than the service I am paying for (but still 200 times faster than what I had before), happy days! If it is totally crap, I shall exercise my rights under the money back in the first 28 day clause in the contract...

It would have to be non-existent to out do Talk Talk!!!