Company Forums » Companies beginning with E » Eastlink Cable > Eastlink sucks, and lies

Eastlink sucks, and lies

reply to NL is pissed
Raaaant :P

This is Canada, most ISP's rip you off. I get the advertised 15 megabit speed, I just have a modem sync problem they don't seem all that concerned in fixing. The pickings are slim out there :P

reply to NL is pissed
Acru, have you tried to have them replace your modem? I had a similar issue with Eastlink a few years back, switched out the modem at the local mall's Eastlink kiosk, brought the new modem home - sync problem fixed.

Unfortunately I have, it hasn't fixed it. I know the problem is somewhere between the pole and the CMTS at Eastlink. We've had three visits out to the house and all the cabling to the pole has been replaced to no avail. They keep saying they will send out an engineer to check out the problem, but I never get one. I just get someone who puts a signal level meter on the line and says everything is OK. :/

Every time I get a T3 timeout I lose internet connectivity for about 10 seconds while it is re-syncing. The modem re-syncs a lot if you download at full speeds for more than a few minutes. Seems also to depend on the time of day and temperature.

Modem log as follows, who knows what is going on, Eastlink doesn't

2010-02-04 20:42:39 3-Critical R005.0 Started Unicast Maintenance Ranging - No Response received - T3 time-out
2010-02-04 13:02:25 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 9)
2010-02-04 11:11:07 3-Critical R005.0 Started Unicast Maintenance Ranging - No Response received - T3 time-out
2010-02-04 06:37:26 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 7)
2010-02-04 03:32:26 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 8)
2010-02-04 01:32:27 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 9)
2010-02-03 16:37:28 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 8)
2010-02-03 13:27:27 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 7)
2010-02-03 05:31:32 3-Critical R005.0 Started Unicast Maintenance Ranging - No Response received - T3 time-out
2010-02-03 04:42:29 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 9)
2010-02-03 02:17:30 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 8)
2010-02-03 01:42:31 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 9)
2010-02-03 01:37:31 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 8)
2010-02-03 01:32:30 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 9)
2010-02-03 01:27:30 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 8)
2010-02-03 01:07:30 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 9)
2010-02-03 01:02:31 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 7)
2010-02-03 00:57:29 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 9)
2010-02-03 00:52:29 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 8)
2010-02-03 00:42:30 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 9)
2010-02-03 00:37:30 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 7)
2010-02-03 00:32:29 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 8)
2010-02-03 00:22:30 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 9)
2010-02-03 00:17:30 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 7)
2010-02-03 00:12:31 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 9)
2010-02-03 00:07:31 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 8)
2010-02-03 00:02:31 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 9)
2010-02-02 23:57:31 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 8)
2010-02-02 23:52:30 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 9)
2010-02-02 23:47:31 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 8)
2010-02-02 23:42:30 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 9)
2010-02-02 23:37:31 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 8)
2010-02-02 23:32:30 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 9)
2010-02-02 23:27:31 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 8)
2010-02-02 22:47:31 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 9)
2010-02-02 22:42:31 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 7)
2010-02-02 22:22:31 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 9)
2010-02-02 22:17:31 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 8)
2010-02-02 21:52:31 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 7)
2010-02-02 21:47:31 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 9)
2010-02-02 21:42:32 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 7)
2010-02-02 21:22:31 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 8)
2010-02-02 21:17:31 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 9)
2010-02-02 21:12:30 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 8)
2010-02-02 21:07:30 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 9)
2010-02-02 21:02:32 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 7)
2010-02-02 20:57:31 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 9)
2010-02-02 20:52:32 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 7)
1970-01-01 00:00:03 6-Notice M571.1 Ethernet link up - ready to pass packets
2010-02-02 20:47:26 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 9)
2010-02-02 18:22:29 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 7)
2010-02-02 18:17:26 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 9)
2010-02-02 18:07:28 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 7)
2010-02-02 01:52:34 3-Critical R005.0 Started Unicast Maintenance Ranging - No Response received - T3 time-out
2010-02-02 01:02:31 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 9)
2010-02-02 00:57:30 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 7)
2010-02-02 00:52:29 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 8)
2010-02-02 00:47:31 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 7)
2010-02-02 00:42:30 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 8)
2010-02-02 00:37:29 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 9)
2010-02-02 00:32:32 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 8)
2010-02-02 00:27:30 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 9)
2010-02-02 00:22:30 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 8)
2010-02-02 00:17:30 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 9)
2010-02-02 00:12:30 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 8)
2010-02-02 00:07:29 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 9)
2010-02-02 00:02:31 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 7)
2010-02-01 23:57:30 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 9)
2010-02-01 23:52:30 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 8)
2010-02-01 23:47:31 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 7)
2010-02-01 23:42:30 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 9)
2010-02-01 23:37:31 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 8)
2010-02-01 23:32:31 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 9)
2010-02-01 23:27:30 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 7)
2010-02-01 23:22:30 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 9)
2010-02-01 23:17:30 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 7)
2010-02-01 23:07:29 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 9)
2010-02-01 22:52:32 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 7)
2010-02-01 22:47:30 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 9)
2010-02-01 21:57:31 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 7)

reply to NL is pissed
Speed Test #86135567 by dslreports.com
Run: 2010-02-04 18:24:13 EST
Download: 4189 (Kbps)
Upload: 276 (Kbps)
In kilobytes per second: 511.4 down 33.7 up
Tested by server: 31 java
User: 2 @ dslreports.com
User's DNS: eastlink.ca
Compared to the average of 94 tests from eastlink.ca:
* download is 55% worse, upload is 80% worse
above is the results of my latest speedtest on speedtest.eastlink.ca this is what I'm getting with 15meg internet, the problem is nothing on my end my computer is quite capable of handling 15meg connection I ran this test after defraging, disc cleanup, and internet options delete history, they (eastlink) said at first these things were my problem, oh no sorry the first excuse was there was a problem all across the Provence and they were working to fix it, the next time I called it was my router so I unplugged the router and plugged directly into the modem with no change, the next time I called it was the firewall in my virus software (norton 360 V3.0) turned it off no change, oh all this was done with Eastlink on the phone waiting for the results, and last but not least they said the problem was that there is something gone wrong with their speedtest site. So let me tell you what the real problem is, Eastlink are LYING and charging us for what they are not giving us and hoping not to many people will catch on, like I said in my first post I've tested all my friends and families speed and not one was above between 7000 & 8000 kbps download and some were down around the 2000 kbps mark, as far as I'm concerned Eastlink is committing fraud.

reply to Helper
no they haven't replaced the modem they ran a test while I was on the phone with them and they said the modem was fine, if it was only me I'd think it was something like that but as I mentioned I've tested all my family and friends speed and the results were not even close with anyone, I just wish more people would run this test in my provence and get on thier phones so we can get Eastlink to do something about this

reply to acrufox
I have the exact same log messages in my modem logs as you do with my current modem and have for a while, however I do not loose internet connection. When I spoke with tech support they told me that these entries can be ignored - these entries are very common with motorola modems - a quick Google search will generate dozens of entries of people with the exact same modem log entries. Check the signal tab of the modem config screen the upstream transmit power should be below 55 dBmV when connected - mine is at 35dBmV. If it is then you're ok and the problem maybe bad service line so you should call Eastlink and have them come out again. Have them put their DSAM meters on the house lines as well as the service tap and have them check for upstream ingress, a lot of things can cause this. It could be a loose fitting somewhere in the house. A T.V.'s shielding may be going out causing unwanted frequencies bleeding in and creating all kinds of noise on the upstream spectrum going back to the node. It could even be a neighbor causing this with their own equipment. If that's the case their maintenance techs should be able to find that. Also check your Signal to Noise Ratio under the modem Signal tab it shouldn't be below 30dB.

reply to NL is pissed

reply to NL is pissed

reply to Helper

Have Eastlink considered switching you to a different node on their end to see if that corrects your sync issues? Also do you have any friends in your area or neighbors, say down the street from you, that don't have these issues? For example you have sync issues but five houses down the line they don't - therefore logic says that the trouble with the line could be between these two points. You might have to do some detective work yourself - even though you shouldn't have to - to determine exactly where the bad connection is in the line - then call again - remember squeaky wheel gets the grease. Have you showed the techs your proof of this issue? The modem logs along with the network activity logs from the task manager history clearly show connection sync /dropped connection issues.

No they have never mentioned switching me to another node. The last two times they said they were sending out an engineer to take a look at what was going on, unfortunately all I got was one technician that didn't know anything beyond reading the signal meter and swapping out splitters and cables.

At one point the last guy mentioned I should check out other people on Eastlink on my street. Unfortunately the people I do know on this street do not have Eastlink which makes checking out how wide spread this is, a problem.

I've shown all this information before, especially to the last guy. He thought it was a grounding issue so he drove a metal spike into the ground outside and attached the coax ground to it. Unfortunately doing that did not make one bit of difference.

Sometimes I wonder if this doesn't go back to the days of when it was Dartmouth cable. Back when we first signed up to "the wave" the line would drop all the time. Technicians eventually just told me there was "a bad node somewhere in the area and unless it's happening while someone is out on the pole, it would be next to impossible to fix" I had to switch to Aliant after that. When Shaw bought them out, they didn't want to be bothered with fixing it either. In fact, just recently, the last time I made a service call, the guy wanted to check out things from his end. The modem lost sync right as he was going to communicate with it, but unfortunately nothing came of that either.

Unless I can find someone that is higher up the knowledge chain I doubt I'll ever get it fixed. They just want to blame inside the house, even though everything has been replaced: Splitters, all the coax inside and outside the house, new box on the house, new ground wire.Yet I can easily reproduce these drops just by downloading the maximum of my provisioned speed.

2010-02-04 20:42:39 3-Critical R005.0 Started Unicast Maintenance Ranging - No Response received - T3 time-out
This kind of error doesn't cause any problems.

2010-02-05 02:22:22 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 8)
These are the errors that cause the modem to resync to one of the other available channels available.

And the fun continues:

2010-02-08 02:06:30 3-Critical R005.0 Started Unicast Maintenance Ranging - No Response received - T3 time-out
2010-02-08 01:32:08 6-Notice M572.0 Ds Lock Failed - Reinitialize MAC...
2010-02-08 01:32:08 3-Critical C204.0 DCC aborted unable to acquire new downstream channel
2010-02-08 01:32:08 3-Critical T002.0 SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Failed to acquire FEC framing

I've been looking around the net to see if there might be something someone has over looked, but I haven't come up with anything. I can completely understand your frustration with this issue. Have you every phoned the Eastlink Corporate offices to explain your situation? Maybe it will require some direction from higher up in order to have the techs trace the problem to the line issue you know that it is - the number is (I know you must know it off by heart by now) 453-2800 option 6. Here's hoping this results in something positive.

At the box there are two lines that run out of it for cable and internet. One runs straight to the living-room through the basement, the other winds around the house under the siding to the 2nd floor where the modem is. The living room line is brand new, only a few months old, the line that runs to the modem is about 8 years old.

Needless to say the T3 re-syncing errors still occur. Just in the last hour or two:

2010-02-10 02:22:31 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 9)
2010-02-10 01:52:30 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 8)
2010-02-10 01:47:30 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 7)
2010-02-10 01:42:29 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 8)
2010-02-10 01:12:30 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 7)
2010-02-10 01:07:31 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 8)
2010-02-10 01:02:29 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 7)
2010-02-10 00:57:30 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 8)
2010-02-10 00:37:31 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 7)
2010-02-10 00:32:31 3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 9)

I can try calling and going this route. It would just be nice if they would actually send me someone that knew more than just the basics. I find it really hard to explain to them this isn't just some simple thing that a splitter replacement or replacing the coax inside the house will fix. I've even been told it might be some kind of interference by something like the TV, etc, however I've disconnected all that and had the modem only connected directly to the laptop with everything else unplugged/disconnected related to TV in the house. It still happens.

Unfortunately Eastlink just contracts everything out so it's luck of the draw getting someone that is actually willing to fix it. How does one really go about telling them the problem might be beyond the pole. It costs money out to them to go track it down, and by the sounds of it, it doesn't sound like something that is very easy to track down.

Wish I had an engineer at my disposal right now. It's happening every 5-30 mins as I type this. I wish this was escalated beyond just making an appointment. Sometimes it happens 50-60 times in an afternoon, other times maybe 3-4X every few hours. And you never predict how happy the cable signal is for that day.

Every time I point out the modem logs, nobody from Eastlink seems at all interested in putting 2+2 together that I should basically be ignoring those logs. Just this morning Steam released Bioshock 2. Over the course of 2 hours I saw it go from 1.7mb/sec to zero over and over again, and they always corresponded to the time entries in the modem.

I am having issues with my internet too. Just really tired of calling in and them saying it's either my computer or router. Seeing as how I have the problem on and off router, their techs came and say they fixed the problem but will look into it further and to calling me back they say no news is good news. So of course were not going to ever get a call back becuase they just don't seem to care. I called them for weeks trying to figure this problem out. I have formatted my computer, bought 4 different routers, they replaced my modem, yet i still have problems with this shit. I am so tired of eastlink internet. It's alot of money and were not even getting at least a steady consistant internet. I am a HUGE gamer, been gaming off routers for years. Now I have eastlink..they always blame router..yet they claim to have the best internet? Tonight I was playing a team match in counterstrike and of course again I cannot play becuase my internet fucked up. Eastlink should really take a look at what the problems are with their services they claim to be providing us. And when we call..it's always our fault and they decide that becuase of their wicked cool stupid speedtests that are designed for a full connection gives us this great number...if i wanted to pay $150 a month to play on stupid speedtests sites than I would be cool like that...but i don't like running speedtests beacuse it's not what we are doing....run speed test get a great number...5 mins later...use your net for your use..it's crap....go do a speedtest...it's fine....this is so stupid..and we are getting robbed and they don't care. This SUCKS!!!!!

Getting the advertised speed they offer for the 15 package is the only thing keeping me on it, well that and no official caps.

Yep they pretty much don't care, when I make my next call to them it will be my 5th call on this issue. "We'll dispatch an engineer to check your drop at the pole and make some adjustments" And I'm sent out a technician that just basically sits down at my computer, checks a few websites and get the green light from him that everything is A+ on their end.

I think the saddest thing I've seen to date concerning this issue was one of the techs completely baffled why firefox wasn't closing out when he clicked on the X. Each time he did, a dialog box about confirming closing multiple tabs popped up. He got stuck in a loop of clicking the X to firefox and then the X to the tabs question. He did this four times before clicking close tabs...

-_-

reply to Please HELP
Can u get AliantDSL where you live? if u can try that out for gaming. Aliant is a Dedicated network..Eastlink is a shared network. XboxLive was based around DSL because it doesn't fluctuate like Cable internet. I currently have eastlink and i have no problems hosting games. We just have to wait for esatlink to Launch Docsis 3.0 If that ever happens! If u have An Aliant D-SLAM in ur neighborhood ( a Big White Box that trucks are always visting ) than i would recommend trying out Alient, it very well may be better for online gaming..

reply to NL is pissed
Unfortunately, as with any tech support, You do get bad apples.

Most calls about speed are the cause of the computer or some physical home hardware like a router or a NIC.

Do a ping test in dos to anywhere to determine if you see any packet loss. This could indicate a problem with the line, and should be pursued with eastlink if there is. If you have a router, eliminate it and test speed without it, and if necessary while your pc is in safe mode to rule out a computer software problem.

What type of modem do you have? With eastlink, you will need the motorola 5101 or later to get the full 15M download.

I urge you to call again and don't hesitate to ask for another rep should the one you're speaking to not fully explain how and why they get to their conclusions.