V3 Power Flashing, Internet Solid. no other lights - help!

[impudent]

Hi there, I've had a SS V3 for a couple of months now (this was replacement for a faulty SS1 that worked reliably for at least a couple of years). To date the V3 has not been reliable. From power on, it connects and works correctly, e.g. 3G signal and I (Galaxy S4) and my wife (iPhone 3) can make/receive calls. After a variable amount of time, up to a few hours, it invariably looses connectivity, resulting in Power Flashing, Internet Solid, other lightss off.

Serial Number : 40131003531

The diagnostics are:

Download: 60.88Mbps

Upload: 3.00 Mbps

Ping test: 16ms

Jitter: 4ms

IP Address: 82.13.175.99

C:\> tracert 212.183.133.177

Tracing route to cluster4.vap.vodafone.co.uk [212.183.133.177]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

  1    <1 ms    <1 ms    <1 ms  slre [172.16.1.1]
  2     8 ms     7 ms     7 ms  cpc13-amer3-2-0-gw.15-2.cable.virginmedia.com [82.13.175.1]
  3     6 ms     6 ms     8 ms  watf-core-2b-ae9-1745.network.virginmedia.net [80.3.1.185]
  4    11 ms     8 ms     9 ms  popl-bb-1b-ae1-0.network.virginmedia.net [62.253.175.94]
  5     9 ms    11 ms    11 ms  nrth-bb-1b-et-010-0.network.virginmedia.net [62.253.175.57]
  6    26 ms    10 ms    12 ms  tele-ic-4-ae0-0.network.virginmedia.net [62.253.174.18]
  7    15 ms    14 ms    16 ms  ldngw1.arcor-ip.net [195.66.224.209]
  8    13 ms    21 ms    13 ms  85.205.116.6
  9     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 10     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 11     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 12     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 13     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 14     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 15     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 16     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 17     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 18     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 19     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 20     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 21     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 22     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 23     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 24     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 25     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 26     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 27     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 28     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 29     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 30     *        *        *     Request timed out.

Trace complete.

Please help.

Thanks

Simon

[Retired-Dave]

Hi impudent, 

We appreciate not everyone can try that test. It just helps us definitively rule in our out a fault with the box or an issue with the ISP based on whether it still happens or not.

The most common reason for this sort of behaviour would be if the available connection speeds dropped too low intermittently, so if you could double-check the speeds and traceroute when it happens that may help pin things down.

Alternatively, there may be something with the box causing this. Can you try the reset again, but this time remove the ethernet cable first and do not reconnect it until you've completed the connection? We've seen this help on a few occasions.

Dave

[impudent]

Hi Dave,

To be sure I understand correctly: "Can you try the reset again, but this time remove the ethernet cable first and do not reconnect it until you've completed the connection?"

You mean:

• remove the ethernet cable
• do a reset
• wait until the SS shows: Power: Flashing || Internet: Solid Orange || In Service: Off || In Use: Off
• reconnect the ethernet cable

I have run the speeds and traceroute repeatedly over the past few days and get very consistently good results. Here's what I saw a few minutes ago:

Speed test:

Ping test:

Traceroute:

Granted the SS is working right now but I will re test/post the next time it drops out.

Thanks

Simon

[Jenny]

Hi impudent,

You’re right - those are great speeds!

I’m pleased to see this is working at the moment, let us know if you have any more problems.

Thanks

Jenny 

[impudent]

It's broken again: power flashing red, Internet solid orange, other lights off.

Again, good test results:

FWIW, I noticed on this occasion that the lights occasionally switch briefly from 

     power flashing red, Internet solid orange, other lights off.

to:

     power flashing red, Internet off, service solid orange; in use solid orange

and then back to:

     power flashing red, Internet solid orange, other lights off.

Which I guess just means it's trying to authenticate intermittently.

Thanks

Simon

[impudent]

It's still not working this morning:(

[Retired-James]

Hi impudent,

Thanks for getting back to us.

This issue is to do with an authentication failure.

Do you know if there have been any updates (behind the scenes) by Virgin Media?

With these types of issue a reset would normal resolve the problem, but it may be worth trying to deregister and re-register the Sure Signal.

This will then install a new profile and go through the initial security setup again.

Reset your Sure Signal:

-Locate the button on the base of the box next to the Ethernet ports.

-Press and hold the button for approximately 30 seconds.

-Once the lights come back on, release the button.

James

[impudent]

Hi James,

I have tried multiple resets of the past couple of months and it has not any difference to date. It works for a while then doesn't. Sometimes it recovers of it's own accord and some times it doesn't.

I am not aware of any changes on the Virgin side of things. But you must have 10s of thousands of customers using Virgin Broadband, so if they had made any kind of change that impacted VSS then I imagine you'd know about it by now...

I will try de/re-registering it and let you know.

Out of interest, when the SS does sucessfully authenticate, how frequenty does it then re-authenticate? I have not identified any pattern to it loosing connectivity, but if there is a predictable reauthentication period then I can try to monitor that and see whether they co-incide... just a thought.

Regards

Simon

[Jenny]

Hi Simon,

This should usually connect at some point every day.

How have you gone on following the resets and re-registering?

Thanks,

Jenny 

[impudent]

Hi Jenny, 

Resets yes, multiple times with no apparent effect.

I will see if I can find time to do the re-registration tomorrow.

Thanks

Simon

[Retired-James]

Hi impudent,

Please give this a go and let us know how you get on so we can get this picked back up if you’re still having trouble.

James