Constant packet loss, can't find a solution!

[GuiMR]

Hi

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.

[Claudia]

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-Se... 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

[GuiMR]

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.

[Claudia]

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 :).

[lars_icebear]

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.

[GuiMR]

Hi

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?

[GuiMR]

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

[GuiMR]

@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?

[Claudia]

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

[GuiMR]

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

[RobertP]

@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