Thema "Constant packet loss, can't find a solution!" in Geräte

Constant packet loss, can't find a solution!

GuiMR — Sun, 23 Jan 2022 19:45:38 GMT

I have a 250 Mbps coaxial cable internet connection.

The connection has been unstable for months, and it's due to packet loss.

The issue manifests itself in many ways, such as:

while in video calls, the connection freezes for about ten seconds then goes back to normal
while browsing the web, pages load quickly but all of a sudden you click a link and it hangs on loading for about 10 seconds, then it goes back to normal
while streaming, the feed gets stuck on buffering for a few seconds then goes back to normal

I'm sure you can imagine how infuriating it is to have this sort of unstable connection for months.

My networks setup is straightforward:

I have the Vodafone Station modem/router (the gray one with a foot that looks like a metal tube), set to bridge mode. The modem is right next to the only coaxial cable outlet in my apartment, and is connected to it via a very short (0,3 m) very high quality (gold plated plugs, 135 dB) satellite coaxial cable (the ones with the F-plugs you screw onto the outlet). This means on my end there should be zero signal losses caused by the cable, since the hardware situation is basically ideal.
A single Cat6 ethernet cable connects the Vodafone Station to my router (Ubiquiti). The entirety of my home network then connects to the Ubiquiti router, all through ethernet cables (I basically don't use WiFi except for phones).

With a 100% wired network, using high performance hardware, I should expect to have rock solid internet with a super stable connection. However both people who live in this apartment notice the issues I mentioned often, in different PCs, laptops, and even phones.

Before I figured out the issue was caused by packet loss, I contacted Vodafone (around September) and had the Vodafone modem/router replaced. This didn't fix the issue.

Once I had the thought that packet loss could be the reason for the issues (a week and a half ago) I started running pingplotter tests.

Reading around these forums I stumbled upon a thread in which it was mentioned that to fix high packet loss, one should contact tech support and request that the connection be set to IPv4. I did this, and it helped a bit (packet loss used to be around 5,5% and now it's "only" around 1,6%), but it didn't fix it completely.

Yesterday I called tech support again to ask what could be done about this. At this point I must admit my German is OK, but not good enough to discuss tech over the phone. The lady on the line basically told me to wait an hour and power cycle my Vodafone modem. The internet connection went down for several minutes, so I assume she remotely triggered something like a software update, but I am not sure. I power cycled the modem as instructed, but the issue remains unchanged.

I am losing my mind here. How on earth can I fix this??? There has to be a way, otherwise I 100% must find an alternative internet service. Even DSL would be better, what use is it to have high speeds if the connection is super unstable?

Here are a few pingplotter results:

before switching to IPv4:

after:

here's a longer one I ran today:

(I have no idea what caused that big red patch at the end, the internet just went down for about 70 seconds, randomly)

I still have the test running as I type this. Packet loss at the final hop is at 2% right now.

To be very clear: all those times when packet loss happens, we clearly notice it, I don't think this a case of "servers ignoring ICMP"

Please help, we are losing our minds.

Betreff: Constant packet loss, can't find a solution!

RobertP — Sun, 23 Jan 2022 20:07:23 GMT

unfortunately a known firmware problem 😞

Betreff: Constant packet loss, can't find a solution!

GuiMR — Sun, 23 Jan 2022 21:59:52 GMT

What?

This problem has been known for months and they haven't rolled out a patch yet????

What the hell is going on? Bridge mode is supposed to be a super simple, low effort, super stable way to have our own router manage the network, but it's causing constant packet losses and reboots??

Re: Constant packet loss, can't find a solution!

Claudia — Tue, 25 Jan 2022 17:14:17 GMT

Hello GuiMR,

currently there is no error with the bridge mode confirmed. Does the packetloss persist if you turn of the bridge mode? Please send me a PM with your customer number, the name and birth date of the contract owner and the full address. Reply here in this thread after you sent the PM and send a pingplotter with and without the bridge mode. Make sure that the Intervall is visible and use 2.5 seconds for the measurings.

Kind regards,

Claudia

Re: Constant packet loss, can't find a solution!

GuiMR — Tue, 25 Jan 2022 17:36:43 GMT

Message sent.

I turned bridge mode off Sunday evening. Yesterday I ran a pingplotter for several hours, there is less packet loss but it's still there. I was planning on posting it here yesterday but I had no time, so I'm posting it now.

Bridge mode OFF:

I can't run a long pingplotter with bridge mode on, since that would involve having the internet be unreliable all day and there are people doing home-office work that involves frequent important video-meetings. However, the last two pingplotter tests on my initial post are adequate examples, since I haven't made any other changes to my network since then other than turning bridge mode off.

So, here they are again, bridge mode ON:

All of these were taken using the default 2,5 second setting.

Re: Constant packet loss, can't find a solution!

Tobias — Thu, 27 Jan 2022 14:38:46 GMT

Hey @GuiMR,

well, the line looks fine for now, there are a few timeouts etc,- i would like to send you a technician who can fix that, is that okay for you?

Regards

Tobias

Re: Constant packet loss, can't find a solution!

GuiMR — Thu, 27 Jan 2022 21:15:12 GMT

Hi Tobias,

Sure, a technician sounds nice.

Today no one did home-office so I turned bridge mode on and ran a ping plotter all day, here it is:

Bridge mode ON

Can the technician fix that as well? I want to be able to use bridge mode.

Re: Constant packet loss, can't find a solution!

ERFD — Mon, 31 Jan 2022 09:50:24 GMT

Hello GuiMR,

we will be happy to have an on-site technician check and confirm the problem. The technician will need access to the house distribution system and information on whether there are any known Covid 19 problems in the household. The fault clearance of our components up to the modem is free of charge. Please have a look at the information about the service fee beforehand.

Best regards Fred

Re: Constant packet loss, can't find a solution!

GuiMR — Mon, 31 Jan 2022 11:05:31 GMT

Hello Fred,

I am interested in this technician visit. But I was informed this morning that I was exposed to Covid last week.

I need some time to get tested etc. So please let's put this on hold for now, I will update this thread once I have concrete information.

Re: Constant packet loss, can't find a solution!

GuiMR — Wed, 02 Feb 2022 21:01:36 GMT

@ERFD

I've been testing negative for several days, everything seems to be okay.

So back to the discussion:

Yes I am interested in having a technician visit.

Following your recommendation I have been trying to check my contract for any details on technician fees, but I can't seem to find that information anywhere on it.

How can I check and be sure?

Re: Constant packet loss, can't find a solution!

Claudia — Sun, 06 Feb 2022 08:00:49 GMT

Hello GuiMR,

good that you were tested negative :). Regarding the technician fee, please have a look at the thread here: https://forum.vodafone.de/t5/St%C3%B6rungsmeldungen-Internet-TV/Servicevereinbarung-und-Techniker-Servicepauschale-bei-Vodafone/m-p/1934866#M190176 To send the technician we also need the information if you can give him access to the house installation. Can the colleagues call you under the mobile number that ends on 566 to make the appointment?

Kind regards,

Claudia

Re: Constant packet loss, can't find a solution!

GuiMR — Sun, 06 Feb 2022 10:03:32 GMT

Hello

Yes, I can give the technician access to the house installation.

Yes, you may call that phone number to make the appointment, however keep in mind I will probably not be able to take calls during normal work hours.

Re: Constant packet loss, can't find a solution!

Claudia — Tue, 08 Feb 2022 13:49:04 GMT

Hello GuiMR,

thank you, I made the task for the technician and the colleagues should call you in the next days to make the appointment :).

Kind regards

Claudia

PS: I will send you a PM with a link to a survey. I would be happy if you have a few minutes to answer it :).

Re: Constant packet loss, can't find a solution!

lars_icebear — Tue, 08 Feb 2022 20:15:06 GMT

I'm sure the technician visit will not fix the problem. Bridge Mode made my Vodafone Station also very unreliable...

I'm very interested if your situation will get better.

Re: Constant packet loss, can't find a solution!

GuiMR — Sun, 13 Feb 2022 21:34:08 GMT

So the technician visited yesterday morning. There was a very small issue with the signal strength in two of the "channels", which the technician fixed very easily by making a tiny adjustment to the configuration of the building's signal amplifier. According to him, that was the only issue he found, and if that adjustment didn't fix the problems then the cause would have to be the hardware (modem/router).

After the visit I could tell the problem had not been solved.

I then took two 6+ hour pingplotter measurements, here they are:

Bridge mode OFF

Bridge mode ON

So, what solution shall we try next?

Re: Constant packet loss, can't find a solution!

GuiMR — Tue, 15 Feb 2022 10:11:23 GMT

Not sure why the support ticket was closed, the issue isn't solved yet...

Re: Constant packet loss, can't find a solution!

GuiMR — Wed, 16 Feb 2022 13:02:57 GMT

@Claudia @ERFD @Tobias

Guys?

The issue is not solved. The technician's visit did not eliminate the problem. Why was the support ticket closed? What's going on?

Re: Constant packet loss, can't find a solution!

Claudia — Thu, 17 Feb 2022 10:59:48 GMT

Hello GuiMR,

the ticket was closed by the technician as the signal was fine when he left. Shall we replace the router like he suggested? I actually already mentioned in the ticket that the modem should be replaced if he can't find a problem, but perhaps he didn't have any more with him.

Kind regards,

Claudia

Re: Constant packet loss, can't find a solution!

GuiMR — Thu, 17 Feb 2022 11:04:03 GMT

If you think it might solve the issue, I am fine with replacing it.

Re: Constant packet loss, can't find a solution!

RobertP — Thu, 17 Feb 2022 11:06:51 GMT

@Claudia

if this is about Vodafone Station CGA6444VF maybe better to install Firmware 19.3B57-1.0.41A

instead of replacing the router

for more information see here