SH3 latency issues

This is something that's been driving my mad since I first took the service three weeks ago.

My typical graph would look like this:
http://www.thinkbroadband.com/ping/share/fbfdfdf2add...


Very high maximum latencies, often resulting in some degree of packet loss.

This could be occasionally felt in online games like CSGO as a brief "lag spike" - only impacting the game for a second or less, but it makes the game very hard to play competitive games.

I've been using the SH3 in modem mode.

I tried a few things yesterday;

I noticed when pinging the router over LAN the response times were very erratic; quite often as high as 80ms.

What interested me was that these high ping spikes often coincided with ping spikes on the wan side (which often varied anywhere from 100-250ms).

It seems to me that something in the router/modem is periodically slow at responding to pings and perhaps even passing packets?

All of these things were true while the router was connected in modem mode to my ASUS Router and either my Macbook Pro or Alienware laptops directly.

What I found interesting was that running the SH3 in router mode improves the situation - slightly;

http://www.thinkbroadband.com/ping/share/8ac395e2fee...


Some people might be quick to blame my equipment, but as mentioned I tested several devices on the other side of the SH3 in modem mode, and besides, my ASUS router had no issues when plugged into my previous Hyperoptic connection;
http://www.thinkbroadband.com/ping/share/30d40b757b6...

From the suggestions of some other users on the Virgin Forums, I've requested a SH2AC to see if that's any better.

Seeing the same thing with the SH3. It's a BETA piece of hardware, they'll get it right in about 4 years.

Definitely not upgrading to a SH3 compared to a superhub 2ac on 50Mb and even in modem mode (Ignore the red bit as my cat knocked off the WAN cable)
http://www.thinkbroadband.com/ping/share/9485f2e0915...

colesy10 on this forum ask retentions (leaving team) for a SH2 ac but given a SH2 so is worth a shot http://forums.thinkbroadband.com/virgin_cable/t/4481...

Edited by francisuk25 (Sun 22-May-16 23:12:31)

Hmm, I'm currently arguing with Virgin Media about the SH3....

I'm moving one my accounts to another address and they're trying to force an upgrade from SH2 to SH3.... I've no interest in new kit, I want to keep the same kit...

However with all the other nonsense they've been pulling in regards to other parts of the account I may well be binning them off tomorrow and moving the connection to Sky...

Bit sick of Virgin's continued data protection issues and attitude towards doing things correctly and constant lies.

If you can get FTTC, it's a no brainer!

To get a 2AC, I just phoned support and told them that the engineer suggested I ask for one if his actions did not fix the problem.

Every other time I've mentioned the possibility of a 2AC, I've been met with strong opposition, even in the context of it being a last resort!

Hm, watching this one with interest.

I'm moving to a VM area and have ordered 200mb (300mb is not available to me) I have an Asus RT-AC87u, I'd prefer to continue using the Asus, but it looks like I may be forced to use the SH3.0 in router mode.

I don't really want a SH2/2ac as I want the option to go to 300mb as soon as it arrives and in the meantime more downstream channels bonded might give me better throughput.

Perhaps I do need to keep 1xFTTC line as a backup/failover.

I struggle to see why anyone would give up FTTC for VM.

Just get a SH3 if the 300mbps product becomes available.

I get 16 DS channels on my SH3, but still not 300mbps, so I'm not holding my breath!

If you're in a position where more DS channels are giving you better throughput, then surely contention is already at a level that means the service is best avoided, anyway, surely?

In reply to a post by mikehiow:

If you can get FTTC, it's a no brainer

Well just cancelled Virgin.... they have done a very good job in screwing up the home move by placing the irder as a new customer, in order to fix the issue they where talking about cancelling orders and starting again meaning the install would be pushed back.

Meanwhile 70/5 would become 50/3 which is no good as need atleast 5mbps upload speed and they wanted £59.99 for 100/6 with Anytime Landline calls... and as they've lost the long history phone number attached to the soon be ceased (27th May) account.

Sky are saying they can get FTTC activated within 6 days on the existing line and will follow the phone within 2 weeks so will be placing an order with them tomorrow.

Will be giving the new Q Hub a whirl too.

Well, my SH2 arrived today.



Initial impressions are very good;

--- bbc.co.uk ping statistics ---
265 packets transmitted, 265 packets received, 0.0% packet loss
round-trip min/avg/max/stddev = 17.513/19.078/36.137/2.169 ms

Graph looking much better straight away!

My Broadband Ping

Here's my BQM, on 200mb (no 300mbit here yet) in modem mode.

The minimum latency is higher than yours, but it doesn't seem as bad as yours overall in modem mode.

My Broadband Ping


Contention is apparently an issue here, I've noticed in the evenings I only get about 60mbit throughput. VM have given me an additional £12.50 off my bill (so now paying £21.50 for 200mbit broadband, no phone line).

Apparently this has been ongoing here for a year and is due to be fixed 29th June.