• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

Charter service cutting out

K

krcat1

Senior member
I have had Charter internet since Jan 04.

For the past week, the service goes offline at ramdom intervals, and stays off for a few minutes or as long as an hour, then all is normal.

Of course, I have reset the modem and router, etc.

Charter's phone support is USELESS. All the robot at the other end does is give instructions on reseting the modem.

I am wondering if anyone has had similiar problem?
Could the solution be at my end? Bad equipment, or being hacked?
 
Spyware tends to make Charter act like that. You should try running your AS prog when that happens, especially if it lasts longer than a minute or two. Other problems I have seen with Charter:

Currently-shared IRQ with network hardware & another component has been giving me fits recently.

Past-usually Charter is very stable, especially if you don't have their bottom end connection. That said I found most of my problems were either Spyware, viruses (VERY rarely...like once in the past 2 years), and user error. Usually the modem reset will fix any problems, but there are other things you can do as well:

Do a repair of your internet connection through WinXP-----
<<<Go to Start>Control Panel>Network & Internet>right click on the connection you're using & click on repair. This forces your modem to find your IP address & usually fixes any problems I have on Charter that are not malware related.

<<<Go to start>all programs>accessories>command prompt. This will open a Windows "DOS" box that you can run manual commands in. ipconfig will show your internet connection's info & is useful for getting started. ipconfig /flushdns or /renew are useful commands as well as a few others. This is a bit more advanced and not normally necessary, but it can be useful in diagnosing your problem.

Good luck.
 
The modem light for 'online' is off and the 'send' keep flashing slowly. Obviously, the modem isn't connecting.
Also, the modem is on a network with two machines. They both work fine until, of course the modem goes offline.

Could a spyware from one be causing both machines to go offline?
Could someone have hacked the modem?

 
Charter uses 3 different modems so I'm not sure how to answer this best other than to tell you about mine. It has little triangle lights for the indicators and no name on the front of it (I believe the others are Samsung & Motorola). On mine the Sync & Ready lights have to be solid & everything else flashes, even the enet & recv lights. So send should be flashing from time to time, but I would think the online light should stay on. You may have a faulty modem from the sound of it.

Spyware from one wouldn't cause a problem for both. You can't hack hardware so that isn't the problem. When you get hacked it is someone hacking Windows 90% of the time. If you have any gaming consoles they can help you troubleshoot from time to time because they will tell you whether or not you can truly get online. If it is disrupting both computers it would lead me to believe it is a modem problem, but are you using a router?
 
Originally posted by: krcat1
The modem light for 'online' is off and the 'send' keep flashing slowly. Obviously, the modem isn't connecting.
Also, the modem is on a network with two machines. They both work fine until, of course the modem goes offline.

Could a spyware from one be causing both machines to go offline?
Could someone have hacked the modem?
Click to expand...

I lost my service recently, it was a bad splitter. Same signs, Oneline was off, Send flashing slowly.

Go to 192.168.100.1 in your favorite browser, thats the modem (at least on my Charter setup), check the Signal tab. Mine now reads as follows, but your modem may be different.

-----------
Downstream
Signal to Noise Ratio 37 dB
Power Level -4 dB

Upstream Value

Power Level 56 dBmV
---------

See if yours are way off this.

Also when I had the bad splitter I got tons of these errors in the Log page

-----------------
1970-01-01 03:20:43 3-Critical 0x040D9A2C DHCP WARNING - Non-critical field invalid in response.
1970-01-01 03:20:34 3-Critical 0x04E33948 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out
1970-01-01 03:20:21 3-Critical 0x0501BD64 SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Failed to acquire QAM/QPSK symbol timing
1970-01-01 03:20:10 3-Critical 0x0501BDC8 SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Failed to acquire FEC framing
...
-------------------

So try to bypass any splitters see what happens.

Spyware wont affect the modem itself, and I doubt they can be hacked via a virus or anything.

 
These are the warnings I get in my log.
2005-05-03 18:32:56 3-Critical 0x040D9A2C DHCP WARNING - Non-critical field invalid in response.
2005-05-03 18:31:31 3-Critical 0x04E33948 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out
2005-05-03 18:31:26 3-Critical 0x04E33B3C Unicast Ranging Received Abort Response - Re- initializing MAC

Downstream
Signal to Noise Ratio 33 dB
Power Level -2 dB
Upstream
50 dBmV

I have two splitters. One is between the modem and an AIW card I use for DVR. This has been bypassed and I still get outages, but they seem not to last as long.
The other is between the TV and the modem. This is the one that connects to the cable from outside the house. I believe this is the splitter that was bad in you case.

This splitter was installed by the tech when we got service. The old splitter has been installed in 1975.
I guess this splitter could be bad.
 
Next time its out, check the modem upstream level, when mine was out it was jumping around and hit as low as 30. Tech said that indicated a bad line or splitter.
 
My family, friends, and I have been having problems with Charter in our area for the past week. The other day my parents and my cable was working but a friend who is 2 mins from my parents had no service and a friend who is 2 mins fro me had no service. My parents and I live on opposite sides of town. Then the past few days my parents and I have had trouble loading pages. Sometimes they load fine but others they take forever or don't load at all. I don't know what's up but it's starting to piss me off. :|
 
I have always had sporatic problems with Charter really bad a couple of times. I'm running off a splitter and have replaced the splitter once. A charter tech told me once, that for some people they never can get consistent connection through a splitter, and if you push the issue Charter will pull a seperate line to the cable modem.
 
Why don't you call them for a service call? Cable modems offline have nothing to do with your computer or with hackers, noone can address the modem except the ISP. You have a cable problem. Call the cable company to fix it.

Look at the splitters. The side with 1 connector is the input (downstream), 2 connectors output. Above the 2 connectors, it should say "-4 dB" That means you lose 4 dB of signal going through the device. This is true for your down and upstream. Recieve too low, transmit too high, modem no work. Crappy cables and fittings are the number 1 problem in the cable industry.

Hint: You cannot buy cables, splitters and fittings that are better than what the cable company already gives you.
 
Originally posted by: krcat1
I have had Charter internet since Jan 04.

For the past week, the service goes offline at ramdom intervals, and stays off for a few minutes or as long as an hour, then all is normal.

Of course, I have reset the modem and router, etc.

Charter's phone support is USELESS. All the robot at the other end does is give instructions on reseting the modem.

I am wondering if anyone has had similiar problem?
Could the solution be at my end? Bad equipment, or being hacked?
Click to expand...

Same problem down here in New Orleans for the last 3 weeks.

Very annoying. I already checked 3 neighbors and they are all having the same problem.

TV signal does not drop, only the Internet.

 
Resolution: would have replied soon but I was side-tracked.

Sent charter a second email. They replied that the signal strength in my modem was weak.
The next day the connection works perfect, and has since.

One, I did not know they could read the signal strength in my modem.
Two, I wonder what they did to increase it?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top