Hello,
I recently moved to a new house and had to go with Mediacom internet.Its been fine for the last 2 months,but a few weeks ago my connections starting dropping completely,then after a few minutes it comes back. It seems to have gotten worse over the last week,now it drops about every 5 minutes or so. Seems to be dring the daytime hours more so than at night.
When it drops,i usually power cycle the modem and then its fine for another 5 or if im lucky,10 minutes then it starts all over again.
I have 4 techs come out,1 had no idea how to even navigate a pc,but he was amazed when i showed him the RCA Cable Modem Diagnostic Page..lol.. He had no idea how to even get to the control panel on winxp,much less fix my problem.
Next 3 all agreed that its somethin on mediacoms end and requested a "Line Sweep" in my area...i have no idea what that is,but its been a few weeks and the line test has yet to happen. One tech seemd concerned by something he saw on the rca modem diag. page. and it was during the stalls.
My question is,is there anything else I can check? or have the next batch of techs check?
What exactly is a line sweep and does it have a chance of fixing my problem?
Im a fulltime webdesigner and this is absolutely killing me when i need to update a clients page...
My RCA Modem is showing as of now.
Forward Path:
Signal Acquired at 621.000 MHz
SNR: 30.0 dB
Received Signal Strength: N/A
Micro-Reflections: 33 dBc
Modulation: 64 QAM
Return Path:
Connection: Acquired
Frequency: 32.0 MHz
Power Level: 49.3 dBmV
Channel ID: 5
Modulation: QPSK
Provisioned Address: Yes
Provisioned Time: Yes
Provisioned Configuration: Yes
Registered: Yes
BPI: Disabled
Thanks for any help or ideas,
Connection Keeps Dropping. (Uncle Lar)
-
mnosteele52
- Posts: 11913
- Joined: Tue Jul 24, 2001 12:00 pm
- Location: Chesapeake, VA
1 said he checked the lines and requested the Line Sweep a few weeks ago. Said it was a problem for the maintnance techs but may be ahile before they get to it. It seems like its worse from around 11am till 6pm,not as bad at night....thanks for the help guys..
i havent tweaked my net since i moved here,
TCP options string = 020405b401010402
MTU = 1500
MTU is fully optimized for broadband.
MSS = 1460
Maximum useful data in each packet = 1460, which equals MSS.
Default Receive Window (RWIN) = 17520
RWIN Scaling (RFC1323) = 0 bits
Unscaled Receive Window = 17520
RWIN is a multiple of MSS
Other values for RWIN that might work well with your current MTU/MSS:
513920 (MSS x 44 * scale factor of 8)
256960 (MSS x 44 * scale factor of 4)
128480 (MSS x 44 * scale factor of 2)
64240 (MSS x 44)
bandwidth * delay product:
Your RcvWindow limits you to: 700.8 kbps (87.6 KBytes/s) @ 200ms
Your RcvWindow limits you to: 280.32 kbps (35.04 KBytes/s) @ 500ms
Consider increasing your RWIN value to optimize TCP/IP for broadband.
MTU Discovery (RFC1191) = ON
Time to live left = 116 hops
TTL value is ok.
Timestamps (RFC1323) = OFF
Selective Acknowledgements (RFC2018) = ON
IP type of service field (RFC1349) = 00000000
i havent tweaked my net since i moved here,
TCP options string = 020405b401010402
MTU = 1500
MTU is fully optimized for broadband.
MSS = 1460
Maximum useful data in each packet = 1460, which equals MSS.
Default Receive Window (RWIN) = 17520
RWIN Scaling (RFC1323) = 0 bits
Unscaled Receive Window = 17520
RWIN is a multiple of MSS
Other values for RWIN that might work well with your current MTU/MSS:
513920 (MSS x 44 * scale factor of 8)
256960 (MSS x 44 * scale factor of 4)
128480 (MSS x 44 * scale factor of 2)
64240 (MSS x 44)
bandwidth * delay product:
Your RcvWindow limits you to: 700.8 kbps (87.6 KBytes/s) @ 200ms
Your RcvWindow limits you to: 280.32 kbps (35.04 KBytes/s) @ 500ms
Consider increasing your RWIN value to optimize TCP/IP for broadband.
MTU Discovery (RFC1191) = ON
Time to live left = 116 hops
TTL value is ok.
Timestamps (RFC1323) = OFF
Selective Acknowledgements (RFC2018) = ON
IP type of service field (RFC1349) = 00000000
Your SNR is a bit low although in spec on that post. Keep on em as they may forget about it.
Never take any crap off an inanimate object!!
Never send email to this address: spam@euclidian.com. This is a spam trap and everyone sending any email to this address will be blacklisted.
Never send email to this address: spam@euclidian.com. This is a spam trap and everyone sending any email to this address will be blacklisted.
There are 3 models of the RCA modem that have a manufacterer defect in the power supply to the modem, causing them to lose connectivity ALOT. If you barely touch the modem, does it reset itself? If you shake it alittle, same thing? If so, thats your problem. Ive had to swap out hundreds of these modems.
Here's some tips bub...
I'm assuming you're asking me(the blushing the newbie) for a hand, and I'd be more than happy to help!
First things first. Having THREE techs out to check a problem is a joke. If your problem isn't fixed on a SECOND visit, call the cable company up and go two levels higher on the food chain than the person who answers the phone. Demand to have a manager come on the next appt with the technician. If they refuse, get the person's name and tell them you are calling your city or village manager to discuss their current franchise agreement(this varies in different towns). Odds are that once you get the city involved, their attention will go up tenfold! I've had to do it myself, and been on the recieving end of those as well.
When the techs say that they are going to ask for a "line sweep", they're half right and half feeding you a load of crap. Any tech that says he has to request a line sweep has no idea how to properly do it, or he'd find the noise himself(did they find noise on your line? did they even have the proper meters to do so?). When you "sweep" a node, that's essential to signal quality on foreward and reverse paths. When you sweep, you start at the node and branch out from there. You're taking noise readings and balancing the output levels. A properly swept node usually can find ALL problems within a node, including noisy homes, cut and water-damaged cables, loose fittings, poor splices, loose seizure screws, and many other things. Depending on the size of the node, it should take a tech a couple days if there are minor problems. Smaller nodes can take a couple hours, big problems can take over a week.
Next time a technician comes out, demand that they run a test drop from the tap STRAIGHT to your modem connection. This will bypass every element in-between. Try it out yourself with this straight hook-up. If it's bad, then it's either your modem or the line. If it's good, demand the tech find the problem. It's somewhere in between. Don't let 'em feed you any more garbage!
As far as the time of day portion of it, that's not uncommon. That's when most interference will be found, as that's when the world is at it's busiest.
First things first. Having THREE techs out to check a problem is a joke. If your problem isn't fixed on a SECOND visit, call the cable company up and go two levels higher on the food chain than the person who answers the phone. Demand to have a manager come on the next appt with the technician. If they refuse, get the person's name and tell them you are calling your city or village manager to discuss their current franchise agreement(this varies in different towns). Odds are that once you get the city involved, their attention will go up tenfold! I've had to do it myself, and been on the recieving end of those as well.
When the techs say that they are going to ask for a "line sweep", they're half right and half feeding you a load of crap. Any tech that says he has to request a line sweep has no idea how to properly do it, or he'd find the noise himself(did they find noise on your line? did they even have the proper meters to do so?). When you "sweep" a node, that's essential to signal quality on foreward and reverse paths. When you sweep, you start at the node and branch out from there. You're taking noise readings and balancing the output levels. A properly swept node usually can find ALL problems within a node, including noisy homes, cut and water-damaged cables, loose fittings, poor splices, loose seizure screws, and many other things. Depending on the size of the node, it should take a tech a couple days if there are minor problems. Smaller nodes can take a couple hours, big problems can take over a week.
Next time a technician comes out, demand that they run a test drop from the tap STRAIGHT to your modem connection. This will bypass every element in-between. Try it out yourself with this straight hook-up. If it's bad, then it's either your modem or the line. If it's good, demand the tech find the problem. It's somewhere in between. Don't let 'em feed you any more garbage!
As far as the time of day portion of it, that's not uncommon. That's when most interference will be found, as that's when the world is at it's busiest.
Big like a pickle!
"Next time a technician comes out, demand that they run a test drop from the tap STRAIGHT to your modem connection."
Theres a big problem in doing that, well actually several. It makes sense and is correct, but to demand something from a tech is NOT going to get the tech to help you anymore, and will in fact create a problem. Everyone knows when you speak to someone in that way, they arent exactly going to win any friends. Demanding things from a tech, yelling, etc (at least this is what it does to ME as a tech) basically creates a level of hostility and uncaring. When people yell or demand things from me, usually im not going to do them, in fact I will TRY not to do them, just simply because of the attitude and malace. If technicians are sent out there and arent able to fix or diagnose the problem correctly, then another tech needs to go. I agree 3 tech's is too many, and after the 2nd tech, it NEEDS to be a line tech (there are lots of line tech's who fail to find problems as well, they arent gods!).
Theres a big problem in doing that, well actually several. It makes sense and is correct, but to demand something from a tech is NOT going to get the tech to help you anymore, and will in fact create a problem. Everyone knows when you speak to someone in that way, they arent exactly going to win any friends. Demanding things from a tech, yelling, etc (at least this is what it does to ME as a tech) basically creates a level of hostility and uncaring. When people yell or demand things from me, usually im not going to do them, in fact I will TRY not to do them, just simply because of the attitude and malace. If technicians are sent out there and arent able to fix or diagnose the problem correctly, then another tech needs to go. I agree 3 tech's is too many, and after the 2nd tech, it NEEDS to be a line tech (there are lots of line tech's who fail to find problems as well, they arent gods!).
I had that happen before and it took 7 truck rolls to get the job done. The last tech that came caught the signal drop in the act of dropping and immediately hooked his meter up to the line. It ended up being a couple of watered connections running into the splitter, but he started at the drop and worked his way back to the house before finding it. The techs need to take the time to do the job right. We have some great ones in my area and we have some real slackers too. I've had both.
Thanks alot everyone and Uncle Lars,great info,Im about to call back again and ask to speak to a mangager. Hopefully i can get a tech out that actually knows whats going on.
update: I called and spoke to a level 2 tech,they explained that the line sweep may not happen for another 2 weeks due to all the techs heading to NC because of hurricane damage,then the second tech i spoke with said they would have them out thursday to start the line sweep and to call back if its still giving me problems on Saturday..
I also requested for the modem to be switched out,just incase..they will do that on friday....i did find out that DSL is now in my area,hopefully i wont have to switch.
update: I called and spoke to a level 2 tech,they explained that the line sweep may not happen for another 2 weeks due to all the techs heading to NC because of hurricane damage,then the second tech i spoke with said they would have them out thursday to start the line sweep and to call back if its still giving me problems on Saturday..
I also requested for the modem to be switched out,just incase..they will do that on friday....i did find out that DSL is now in my area,hopefully i wont have to switch.
I went out and took a look at the connection outside the house. I compared that with a few neighbors. There connections seem to be very neat and tidy,I took a few pics of it to see if this in itself could cause troubles.
We have digital cable on 1 tv set and cable internet in my office. There are 2 rooms that have cable run,but we do not use them.Thanks for all the input,much appreciated.
i posted 1 photo,2 more larger ones can be found here.
Cable Hookup Photo 2
Cable Hookup Photo 3
We have digital cable on 1 tv set and cable internet in my office. There are 2 rooms that have cable run,but we do not use them.Thanks for all the input,much appreciated.
i posted 1 photo,2 more larger ones can be found here.
Cable Hookup Photo 2
Cable Hookup Photo 3
Couple of visual problems...
By looking at the pictures, here's the trouble I see right of the bat.
1) No n.i.d.-network interface device...that would be a grey weather sealed box to protect your spliiter and connectors from rain, ice, snow, etc.
2) Bad grounding. Some folks will tell you that connecting a ground wire to a splitter is good, but it's not really a reliable source. You're much better off having a ground block inside the n.i.d.(a ground block is a barrel connection with a screw for grounding)
3) No drip loops. You're getting water damage going in the house with the cables. A drip loop is a loop that goes UNDER the entry point to the house and underneath the n.i.d connection...it's so running water drips OFF the cable instead of into the splitter and into the home.
4) No weather boots. Weather boots are little rubber grommets that go on any outside connection point where you screw on a connector...think of it as a weather strip for your front door.
1) No n.i.d.-network interface device...that would be a grey weather sealed box to protect your spliiter and connectors from rain, ice, snow, etc.
2) Bad grounding. Some folks will tell you that connecting a ground wire to a splitter is good, but it's not really a reliable source. You're much better off having a ground block inside the n.i.d.(a ground block is a barrel connection with a screw for grounding)
3) No drip loops. You're getting water damage going in the house with the cables. A drip loop is a loop that goes UNDER the entry point to the house and underneath the n.i.d connection...it's so running water drips OFF the cable instead of into the splitter and into the home.
4) No weather boots. Weather boots are little rubber grommets that go on any outside connection point where you screw on a connector...think of it as a weather strip for your front door.
Big like a pickle!
No, definitely demand that mess be cleaned up.
I don't know about where you live, but I believe that here in San Antonio, we have city codes that prevent crappy work like this.
Actually, I would have the cable guy re-do this and then before he does anything else, check the problem and see if it's resolved. If it is, that's good. If not, go from there.
You also shouldn't have to pay a dime for the work against your wall there. That's their responsibility.
I don't know about where you live, but I believe that here in San Antonio, we have city codes that prevent crappy work like this.
Actually, I would have the cable guy re-do this and then before he does anything else, check the problem and see if it's resolved. If it is, that's good. If not, go from there.
You also shouldn't have to pay a dime for the work against your wall there. That's their responsibility.
Thanks alot,I called them up again and requested a NID be installed along with weather boots and drop loops. The tech said they would have to charge for that to be installed since its not standard equipment...
I went a level above him and they said that this request wouldnt help anything and that they sometimes use the nid's,etc just for cosmetic reasons...sigh.. and that its not anything they can help with.
the third tech,which said they would fix the problem if they think its a problem with my service only, said he would request that the tech coming out on friday perform the modem switch and install the nid's,etc if he has any on his truck..
im gonna keep buggin them,anyone else have any suggestions?
I went a level above him and they said that this request wouldnt help anything and that they sometimes use the nid's,etc just for cosmetic reasons...sigh.. and that its not anything they can help with.
the third tech,which said they would fix the problem if they think its a problem with my service only, said he would request that the tech coming out on friday perform the modem switch and install the nid's,etc if he has any on his truck..
im gonna keep buggin them,anyone else have any suggestions?
You can check those lines for SEVERE water damage by giving them a little wiggle back and forth and bending(not kinking). Put your ear up to it...if you hear a mild crackling sound-kind of like running your fingernails across your jeans-then it's corroded bad. As far as being charged for that mess, call your city manager again. That is NOT a viable ground protecting your home and your safety. I would suggest to them that they correct their mess for free, or you sue them for water damage coming into your home from a poor installation. Not to mention an entry point for critters due to no silicone sealant around the wires coming in. Tell them that if they want to charge you, they'll be paying for the Orkin man. Don't give up on the first person you talk to. Go above their head untill you find someone to say they'll do it for free.
Big like a pickle!