 jimkPremium
join:2006-04-15
Raleigh, NC
 ·RoadRunner Cable
 ·voip.ms
1 edit | reply to scififan68
Re: [TWC] Possible problem with new Zoom 5341j said by scififan68:In my case, they need to have an engineer look at the codes for this modem, because something isn't kosher with their system and this modem. A temporary solution would indeed to get a different modem and see if the disconnections go away. Now tier 3 can only do so much, for my issue they are now monitoring it to look for patterns in the drops when it sends a DHCP request then fails disconnecting us for like 10-30seconds every ~2.5days. You can have great signal and have a modem that is not configured correctly, but it takes so long for them realize the error. My recommendation would be to get a $4 dollar credit for a month and try one of their Docsis 3 modems and see if the problem goes away.
How did you get anyone to bother looking at the issue where the connection drops every 2.5 days after the DHCP failure? I have the same issue, and they don't seem to be interested in helping me.
This isn't the worst issue I have seen with a cable modem... it is certainly annoying, but at least it doesn't completely hang and require a power cycle to restore service.
I have also found an unrelated firmware bug on version 5.5.4.4J (patched in 5.5.4.9J). I'd rather not disclose the nature of the bug on a public forum. Time Warner Cable refuses to push the update, insisting that customers can install it themselves (which is not true), and that Time Warner Cable never updates the firmware of customer owned modems. This makes me wonder why they even bother with an approved device list. Firmware updates on cable modems are rare, but sometimes necessary.
I have spoken to tier 3 multiple times. |
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Reviews:
·Time Warner Cable
1 edit | Actually my I've had three customer owned modems, my first SB6141(unused) acts like its overloaded or overheated randomly while speedtests show fine, my 2nd SB6141(returned) had odd disconnects with large jumps in codeword errors. This Zoom works so much better. Also they aren't monitoring it for the dhcp error thing, I was told the downstream crashes, while it adds it to the upstream. That's what Tier 3 told me the last time I talked to them. So the guy put my modem on a monitor, and that someone would get back to me if they saw a pattern. I know they can't read the correctable/uncorrectable errors on the Zoom, so they may not even be able see the snmp log. I'm just sick of bugs and just want a modem I can leave on and have it stay up without a dhcp failure or any funniness. |
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jimkPremium
join:2006-04-15
Raleigh, NC Reviews:
·RoadRunner Cable
·voip.ms
| said by scififan68: I know they can't read the correctable/uncorrectable errors on the Zoom, so they may not even be able see the snmp log. I'm just sick of bugs and just want a modem I can leave on and have it stay up without a dhcp failure or any funniness.
I think they can see the SNMP log... the most helpful tech that I talked to said he saw the same errors I was talking about.
Regarding getting a stable modem, I think that might never happen. Every modem has an occasional firmware bug... usually they don't impact everyone (sometimes they only impact people on one brand and model of CMTS).
TWC's outright refusal to even consider updating firmware on customer owned modems means it will always be luck of the draw... if you buy a modem with perfect firmware, you will be OK... unless TWC makes network changes that expose a bug. In that case, be ready for the run-around, with the fix being to buy a different modem and hope for the best.
This also shows that the own your own modem program exists purely to get people to stop complaining about the fee, and that they don't take it seriously and don't intend to support modems on the list of approved customer owned devices.
I just wish we could apply our own firmware updates. I have never seen a cable modem that intentionally allowed this, most likely due to security reasons (for example, they wouldn't want someone loading custom firmware that ignores parts of the config file that is sent on startup).
Going back to a rented modem isn't a solution either. I didn't buy my modem just because of the fee, I bought it because I don't want to be stuck with whatever random beat up used modem they feel like providing on any given day, especially since some of the DOCSIS 3 gateways are a bit of a PITA to deal with in bridge mode (I'm thinking specifically of the Motorola SBG6580). I just want a plain modem, no router, no wireless, just a bridge. My pfSense router beats the hell out of any integrated cable modem gateway product. |
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| reply to Vince
So I'm thinking I should just get a new modem. DO I take a chance with another Zoom or go with a SB6121 or SB6141? |
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jimkPremium
join:2006-04-15
Raleigh, NC Reviews:
·RoadRunner Cable
·voip.ms
| said by Vince:So I'm thinking I should just get a new modem. DO I take a chance with another Zoom or go with a SB6121 or SB6141?
I still think the Zoom 5341J is a good modem overall, but since you have already tried one and have had major issues, it would make sense to try a Motorola SB6141 or SB6121 instead. |
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jimkPremium
join:2006-04-15
Raleigh, NC
3 edits | reply to scififan68
This post contained information about a possible fix for the DHCP error and connection drops, but it turned out not to true. Therefore, I have removed the contents. |
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| reply to jimk
Is MoCA support the only difference between the two? |
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jimkPremium
join:2006-04-15
Raleigh, NC Reviews:
·RoadRunner Cable
·voip.ms
| said by Vince:Is MoCA support the only difference between the two?
Motorola SB6141: DOCSIS 3.0 8x4
Motorola SB6121: DOCSIS 3.0 4x4
I believe both have a MoCA filter built in. These modems are based off a different chipset than the Zoom 5341J. |
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| Got it. Thanks.
I'll probably go with the 41 to be more "future proof". It's only ten bucks more. |
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| reply to Vince
I just got the new SB6141 up and running. Here are my speeds now:
33.54 1.96 44ms
36.91 1.95 17ms
35.84 1.96 17ms
So far so good, but only time will tell. |
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| So after spending a little time using the modem it looks like I am still having connection issues. I'm still getting "connection interrupted" while playing a game. A couple things I notice though...the connection seemed to come back quick enough that the game didn't boot me some but not each time. It also seems like it happens every 20 minutes. Maybe it was a coincidence. I'll have to keep track of it for a few days. Any idea what could be happening at 20min intervals?
Here is the signal info for the new modem:
Downstream Bonding Channel Value
Channel ID 1 2 3 4
Frequency 537000000 Hz 543000000 Hz 555000000 Hz 561000000 Hz
Signal to Noise Ratio 38 dB 38 dB 38 dB 38 dB
Downstream Modulation QAM256 QAM256 QAM256 QAM256
Power Level
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
-1 dBmV -2 dBmV -2 dBmV -2 dBmV
Upstream Bonding Channel Value
Channel ID 6 5
Frequency 23800000 Hz 19000000 Hz
Ranging Service ID 13836 0
Symbol Rate 5.120 Msym/sec 2.560 Msym/sec
Power Level 45 dBmV 45 dBmV
Upstream Modulation [3] QPSK
[3] 16QAM
[3] QPSK
[2] 16QAM
Ranging Status Success Success
Signal Stats (Codewords) Bonding Channel Value
Channel ID 1 2 3 4
Total Unerrored Codewords 413235493 412694132 412702834 412685580
Total Correctable Codewords 0 76 0 9
Total Uncorrectable Codewords 454 491 503 477 |
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| reply to Vince
It seems to be happening more frequently today. I only notice when gaming though. It's so bad today I can't even play. Any ideas? |
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Reviews:
·Time Warner Cable
| Why is your upstream channels only QAM16? You have a 3.2MHz and a 6.4MHz width upstream channel, I bet noise is causing your modem to degrade your signal to QAM16 possibly packet loss on the upstream, and you have bonded upstream channels which makes things even worse. |
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| Here are my upstream numbers right now:
Upstream Bonding Channel Value
Channel ID 6 5
Frequency 23800000 Hz 19000000 Hz
Ranging Service ID 14033 0
Symbol Rate 5.120 Msym/sec 2.560 Msym/sec
Power Level 45 dBmV 45 dBmV
Upstream Modulation [3] QPSK
[3] 16QAM
[3] QPSK
[2] 16QAM
Ranging Status Success Success
Is there any way for me to tell if noise is the issue or will I need a tech to come here? |
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Reviews:
·Time Warner Cable
| Your signal as far as I can tell is fine, but you can't see the upstream SNR, which has to be read as an average at the CMTS. I bet this problem will take a very long time to fix, since it isn't something that can be easily seen by TWC. Not even a house tech can see the upstream SNR, so sending one of those out will just waste time. I guess you can try to call Tier 3 and see what they can do, but I doubt they will do much. |
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Reviews:
·Time Warner Cable
| said by scififan68:Your signal as far as I can tell is fine, but you can't see the upstream SNR, which has to be read as an average at the CMTS. I bet this problem will take a very long time to fix, since it isn't something that can be easily seen by TWC. Not even a house tech can see the upstream SNR, so sending one of those out will just waste time. I guess you can try to call Tier 3 and see what they can do, but I doubt they will do much.
actually yes a house tech can see the upstream snr they just have to have their spectrum analyzer tool set to the upstream channels if they are programmed into it. |
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| Ah nice I did not know that, well it may still be difficult to get the right person to do a spectrum analysis, but that is my experience so far, TWC is hard to actually get to fix issues that aren't apparent to them. |
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| reply to Vince
Last night no problems and tonight it's dropping every few minutes. Do you think if I posted in the TWC direct forum someone might be able to help me? |
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| said by Vince:Do you think if I posted in the TWC direct forum someone might be able to help me? One way to find out ^_^
/M |
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| reply to Vince
So after having TWC techs out here twice they are certain it is a problem on my end. After a little more troubleshooting it looks like only the PC that I normally use is going offline. All other devices on teh network seem to be unaffected. I made sure all of my drivers are up to date and even tried using a new ethernet adapter card, but neither helped. I even tried installing linux. No connection drops while running linux. Must be a windows issue.
On a whim I tried connecting the PC to the router(which is how it originally was when the issues started). This made the issue go away! No more dropped connection! Somehow the router is "cleaning up" the signal for lack of a better term. Any ideas what might be going on?
A couple other things I tried were using different DNS servers and also setting a static IP. Neither helped. |
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