Any tips for dealing with Cable internet tech support

[Replicon]

Hi all,

I've been having some trouble with my cable connection. It works fine usually, and it's fast while it's working, but the modem seems to drop the connection at times. It sometimes just auto-reconnects, but other times, I actually need to unplug the moden and the cable for a few seconds, before it starts to work. Based on a log I've been keeping, it happens at pretty sporadic times, though "close to lunch time" when I'm at home seems to have some bias.

This also happens to my neighbour, so it's definitely not on my side of the house wall.

When I look at the logs for my Motorola modem, I see entries that look like:

111217182111 3-Critical R02.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out
111217182110 3-Critical R02.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out
111217182109 4-Error  DIST: Management Message with unidentified Version->4.
111217182109 3-Critical R02.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out
111217182108 3-Critical R02.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out
111217182107 4-Error  DIST: Management Message with unidentified Version->4.
111217182107 3-Critical R02.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out
111217182106 3-Critical R02.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out
111217182105 4-Error  DIST: Management Message with unidentified Version->4.
111217182105 3-Critical R02.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out
111217182104 3-Critical R02.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out
111217182103 4-Error  DIST: Management Message with unidentified Version->4.

(though that "Message with unidentified Version->4" thing seems to happen every couple of seconds, so probably a red herring, though still annoying)

Eventually it comes back up (sometimes by force), and the logs show:

111217182235 7-Information  SNMP: Working in SNMP V1/2c Only NmAccess mode
111217182235 7-Information  INITIALIZATION COMPLETE - MODEM IS OPERATIONAL
111217182235 7-Information  7 I500.0 Registration Completed
111217182235 4-Error  SEC: Mfg CVC from configuration file is rejected
111217182235 4-Error E206.0 Improper Configuration File CVC Format
111217182235 5-Warning  SEC: Config file MFG CVC Organization Name fail to compare with current MFG orgName
111217182235 7-Information  REGISTRATION COMPLETE - Waiting for Operational status
111217182235 7-Information  7 D509.0 Retrieved TFTP Config SUCCESS
111217182235 7-Information  Registration file - downloaded
111217182234 4-Error  DIST: Management Message with unidentified Version->4.
111217182233 7-Information  Trying to download Configuration file ...
111217182233 7-Information  7 D507.0 Retrieved Time....... SUCCESS
111217182233 7-Information  Time of day - retrieved
111217182230 7-Information  7 D511.0 Retrieved DHCP .......... SUCCESS
111217182230 7-Information  DHCP - parameters acquired
111217182229 4-Error  DIST: Management Message with unidentified Version->4.
111217182227 4-Error  DIST: Management Message with unidentified Version->4.
111217182226 5-Warning D03.0 DHCP WARNING - Non-critical field invalid in response
111217182226 5-Warning  DHCP: Missing Syslog server
111217182226 5-Warning D03.0 DHCP WARNING - Non-critical field invalid in response
111217182226 5-Warning  DHCP: Missing UTC Time Offset
111217182225 4-Error  DIST: Management Message with unidentified Version->4.
111217182223 4-Error  DIST: Management Message with unidentified Version->4.
111217182221 4-Error  DIST: Management Message with unidentified Version->4.
111217182220 7-Information  7 T500.0 Acquired Upstream .......... SUCCESS
111217182220 7-Information  Trying to register through CMTS... 
111217182220 7-Information  SYNCHRONIZED - 717000000 Hz , ucd 3

Anyway, I'm sure this can be caused by a number of things, but unless there's something obvious, I'm wondering if you guys could give me tips on things I can suggest to the phone techs. Cause I find it really annoying that sometimes, someone will find something wrong with some routing configuration, and it takes several calls to get someone that does. Do they not all go through the same training?

Also, last time I called, the tech said he'd put a request to dispatch to put a pinging monitor on my connection, to ping my modem occasionally, etc. That's apparently something they use to get some helpful diagnosis for these kinds of intermittent problems. Why did it take like 5-6 different calls to tech support to get someone that knows their standard procedures? Also, is there OTHER stuff they haven't revealed yet? Like, do you have to reach a certain number of times you call, or anger level, to be revealed other things they can try? If so, can you guys tell me what some of those things are, so I can get the next guy I call to put them all into motion?

Thanks much!

 

[Replicon]

By the way the modem's signal stats are looking okay, from what I can tell:

Downstream:

Frequency 	717000000 Hz 
Signal to Noise Ratio 	37 dB 
QAM 	256
Network Access Control Object 	ON
Power Level 	-8 dBmV  
The Downstream Power Level reading is a snapshot taken at the time this page was requested. Please Reload/Refresh this Page for a new reading 


Upstream:

Channel ID 	3
Frequency 	30800000 Hz
Ranging Service ID 	150
Symbol Rate 	2.560 Msym/s
Power Level 	53 dBmV

 

[RadiclDreamer]

Upstream is too high, lots of modems cease working over 50db

 

[oppie1]

Not true. I'm an installer for Comcast and we are told to keep our modems under 53dB. His signal is ok. I would try and get his downstream closer to 0 tho. We have to keep our modems between -5 and +5

 

[ImDonly1]

Not true. I'm an installer for Comcast and we are told to keep our modems under 53dB. His signal is ok. I would try and get his downstream closer to 0 tho. We have to keep our modems between -5 and +5

And he is right at 53dB. It is a snapshot... so right now it might be working, but when he does disconnect it could be when it goes over 53...

And I thought they tried to keep the Power Level -10 to +10? I agree it does seem off though and could be better.

 

[oppie1]

-10 to +10 works.. i found the motorola surfboard modems are more tolerant to a weaker signal...but the sweet spot is at 0, so our rule of thumb is to keep it from -5 to +5...

 

[oppie1]

i would check splitters and fittings first... and PLEASE, dont use shitty radioshack wire either...


try to get your modem off the first split if u can too

 

[RadiclDreamer]

Not true. I'm an installer for Comcast and we are told to keep our modems under 53dB. His signal is ok. I would try and get his downstream closer to 0 tho. We have to keep our modems between -5 and +5

Its perfectly true, depending on the model that 50 is starting the cutoff point. Being that the signal level fluctuates, 50 on a good day can mean 55 on a bad, I always try to make sure its under 50 so that there is some room for a bad day.

From voipmechanic.com

Upstream Power Level- This reading should certainly be lower than 54, depending on specifics about your cable companies equipment, as an absolute maximum, but would be better to be in no higher than the high 40s. Also known as the transmit level or return signal, as it gets into the higher regions the cable modem will have a harder and harder time keeping connectivity.

http://www.voipmechanic.com/motorola-surfboard-modem.htm

 

[Replicon]

Thanks for the tips, folks! I've been keeping an eye on power level, and upstream has been more like 46. Downstream seems stable at -8. I'll bring it up with them and have them check if anything like that is going on.

Ugh they were supposed to call me back "within the hour" and never did. Not impressive.

 

[Replicon]

One quick random thought/question:

If it's a problem with the wiring on my side, why does the act of unplugging/replugging have any kind of effect? If the connection gets dropped because of physical issues near my end, I'd expect what I do (unplug/replug) to have absolutely no effect. If the physical connection is garbage, it should just keep failing all the time. I don't see intermittent timeouts or dropped packets anywhere while it's working, and while it drops, it just fails fully... until I power cycle.

Normally, I'd suspect my modem, but my neighbour has the same issues, and it seems to happen pretty much at the same time. It just seems to make more sense that it's something busted way upstream, and some switch is arbitrarily dropping connections and needs to be kicked.

How would they be able to find out about that? Like, let's say the entire neighbourhood is having this problem, but they don't call tech support, so they only have me as a data point. What would make them suspect an upstream problem?

I just need to know how to work with them on this more effectively. If it'll take less effort to switch to their competitor, and if I'm confused said competitor can yield similar bandwidth with more reliability, I should just switch over.

 

[oppie1]

It depends where you are on the node...if your tap comes right after a line extender(think of it as a signal amp) your upstream will be higher at the ground block then if you were fed from a tap a few poles away. Atleast that's how it is in the Harrisburg pa system. You will always find high weight modems close to the LE

 

[DainBrammage]

A cable modems sole purpose in life is to be online and synchronized with the CMTS. It seems to me that your at the end of the node. If you neighbor has the same issue i would have them check the levels at the service box ( little green box in your yard or neighbors yard) One of theses boxes can feed several houses. They will know where to look. From your snapshots it appears to be DOCSIS 2. When, you reboot he cable modem you are killing just making the modem go though the registration process all over again.

Also what kind of plant are they running a DOCSIS 2 or 3?

The freq appears to be 717000000 Hz or channel 111 that is a moderately high frequency. and the modem has a lesser ability to deal with signal ingress at higher frequencies. You can try this out for yourself. connect a HDTV antenna directly to your tv and tune to 111 do you have a video signal? It is possible that you have signal ingress into the coax somewhere along the line. most likely in your homes cabling, they can test for ingress also

 

[DainBrammage]

Normally, I'd suspect my modem, but my neighbour has the same issues, and it seems to happen pretty much at the same time. It just seems to make more sense that it's something busted way upstream, and some switch is arbitrarily dropping connections and needs to be kicked.

How would they be able to find out about that? Like, let's say the entire neighborhood is having this problem, but they don't call tech support, so they only have me as a data point. What would make them suspect an upstream problem?

On how would they know. They should be able to monitor the levels of the modems from the CMTS. The CMTS keeps records of of both upstream and downstream levels from the CMTS and they should be able to query the modem to see it's upstream and downstream levels. They should also have the ability to telnet into the modem and look at the log files contained therein. or query the info via SNMP. If they cannot do any of this I would drop them like a sack of dirty laundry. They should also be able to hook up a spectrum analyzer to the cabling to determine whats wrong.

 

[jaiello]

The OP is corrct though. His question is about how to deal with his Cable Company. It is unlikley that he will get someone knowledgable enough to help him on the first try. You guys are all trying to fix his problem without understanding the question. His question is how do I deal with my cable company. You will have to get a guy to come out and hope that he is a guy that understands your issue enough to help or convince his to escalate your problem to someone that can actually help you. Good luck with that.

 

[Specop 007]

1) Make sure you get a ticket open and get a ticket number. Thats your lifeline.

2) Always reference your ticket number when you call it. Also, when you do get a knowledgeable support individual make sure you remember his name and if possible see if you can get his callback

3) Always be polite. The fastest way to shitty service is with a shitty attitude.