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NightTripper
join:2006-09-26
Stronghurst, IL

NightTripper to TJFriday

Member

to TJFriday

Re: [RANT] No warning or email on ban

I have just one modem at a time hooked up. I can't that to work Why on earth would I run multiple modems. I am laughing so hard that it is hard to write this. You were kidding, right

Mediacom has blamed my hardware at every turn. They once told me on the phone that it was my house wiring. So before the tech showed up I went to the utility pole. I ran new cable from the pole to the modem. The cable is the only item on that pole. And the cable is only there for me. The drop is five feet off the ground. So it was very easy to run a new line. The tech showed up and said they were going to charge me for running new wire to fix the problem. I just smiled and showed him the new line. He went out to the van and talked to someone for a good 40 minutes. He then unhooked my cable and re hooked the old cable and left. A week later a guy ran a fancy orange cable

I have had problems every since they built the assisted living center across the street from me. The contractor cut the line everyday for about two weeks, digging around over there. Mediacom finally just draped the cable on the chain link construction fence. My internet has never been right every since.

Mark
k9iua6
join:2004-05-23
Dubuque, IA

k9iua6

Member

It is a good thing they didn't charge you for tampering with their equipment (running the new line, which is their responsibility, not yours, and touching their tap). They could have. Or worse, discontinued your service altogether. I'm sure that is part of what they were debating for 40 minutes over the telephone.

When they ran the new line, did they measure signal strength and quality of signal inside the house at the first splitter? It sure seems to me like you have signal problems, either noise on the line or too weak or unstable of a signal, that MC or the contractors introduced. Can you report any modem signal reports of your own?
NightTripper
join:2006-09-26
Stronghurst, IL

NightTripper

Member

I never unhook the pole. I only ran the cable up to it.

Mark

TJFriday
join:2009-06-29
Des Moines, IA

TJFriday to NightTripper

Member

to NightTripper
Apologies if I wasn't clear... Not four cable modems... one cable modem with four dynamic IP addresses. Each router facing the cable modem would require its own individual IP address from Mediacom.

I would really like to be able to sympathize with your situation (and I really do, actually, or I wouldn't take the time to post), but your actions make it difficult to do so whether or not Mediacom is right or wrong about the functionality of the modem when you're attempting to fix your own issues by directly interacting with the municipal cable franchise's infrastructure yourself. That infrastructure is not yours to troubleshoot or repair. Could you imagine doing that with an electrical transformer? A natural gas main? The others are correct in saying Mediacom would have been fully within their right to disconnect you for connecting a cable to the tap whether your actions resolved an issue for your service or not. Legally and from a pure safety/common sense perspective any telco, water department, natural gas company or electrical service provider would not be okay with you attempting to mend their infrastructure whether it is "on" your property or not regardless of your qualifications (the property it's on would be considered easement, anyway, just like it is when it's up on the pole or buried in the ground). I believe it is understandable that the techs may judge your credibility when it comes to troubleshooting issues with your connection if you're prone to "vigilante self-service".

My sincere advice to you is to let Mediacom's service process work. It may not be fast; it may not be good (in fact, it may completely suck); and it may not even be "done right", but it's what you agreed to when you chose to purchase your service(s) from them. However, I believe that they can eventually get it working consistently and reliably for you--they have for most of us (except for perhaps WadeG and some others where they have made numerous attempts). But you came to what I believe is the right place to get help. MediacomChad (and the other Mediacom folks) can cut through a lot of bureaucracy for you that you might face by otherwise calling in your issue. Others here have offered sage and reasonable advice. Many the replies you've had are from folks that have had horrible service and have learned from it--they genuinely want to help--even the Mediacom folks.

I apologize if any of this came across the internet as condescending--that wasn't my intent, but I want to help to get you pointed in the right direction to help you get the most from your internet service as a fellow customer. I bothered to look up your business and website and I understand how important this must be for you. I've worked for a similar business in my distant past and can extrapolate how vital connectivity is for you day-to-day. One business-owner to another, I really hope they're able to help your situation soon.
NightTripper
join:2006-09-26
Stronghurst, IL

NightTripper

Member

said by NightTripper:

I never unhook the pole. I only ran the cable up to it.

Mark

TJFriday I think you missed that part. It's up about four or five posts.

Mark

Boss302_1970
join:2009-12-11

Boss302_1970

Member

wow you really have a big mess there good luck with getting it resolved
k9iua6
join:2004-05-23
Dubuque, IA

k9iua6 to NightTripper

Member

to NightTripper
said by NightTripper:

said by NightTripper:

I never unhook the pole. I only ran the cable up to it.

Mark

TJFriday I think you missed that part. It's up about four or five posts.

Mark

Mark, your comment is very confusing. Are you saying that you just laid out many feet of cable, not hooked to anything, expecting Mediacom to make use of it instead of their own drop? Or did you in fact make a connection to Mediacom's cable at the pole? If the latter, then you did "unhook the pole," so to speak, by messing with Mediacom's property. The only cable we are allowed to touch, but our TOS, is on the household side of the demarcation point. I presume that is at your house, and not out at the pole.

TJFriday
join:2009-06-29
Des Moines, IA

TJFriday to NightTripper

Member

to NightTripper
My apologies--you're right. I did miss it as I was typing my reply. They were coming in quickly. Again, my apologies.

If I were in your shoes, here's what I would do:

Permit Mediacom three more attempts to get your service working and stabilized.

If they get the service working, wait a few days to ensure stable service and swap back to your preferred modem.

Wait a few more days to ensure stable service; report any variances to Mediacom and seek appropriate credit.

Cancel your service if they fail at the three attempts.

If at any point you're so frustrated and want to make an official complaint, this is provided for in Mediacom's Franchise Agreement with your municipal governance. Mediacom will have to respond to a documented complaint per the terms of the Video Customer Protection Law, 220 ILCS 5/22-501. Also, you can request a copy of the franchise agreement and see what particular remedies are afforded in your particular case. Complaints against the franchise are far more annoying to a MSO like Mediacom than any small claims judgment could be. Franchise issues impact their ability to renew a franchise agreement in the future. If Mediacom loses the franchise, they basically lose all investment they make into improvements in the cabling plant and make it really easy for the next Cable Company to come in and take over. In reality, it rarely happens, but it is something that gets their attention.
GLIMMER
join:2004-01-17
Fisher, IL

GLIMMER

Member

said by TJFriday:

If at any point you're so frustrated and want to make an official complaint, this is provided for in Mediacom's Franchise Agreement with your municipal governance. Mediacom will have to respond to a documented complaint per the terms of the Video Customer Protection Law, 220 ILCS 5/22-501. Also, you can request a copy of the franchise agreement and see what particular remedies are afforded in your particular case. Complaints against the franchise are far more annoying to a MSO like Mediacom than any small claims judgment could be. Franchise issues impact their ability to renew a franchise agreement in the future. If Mediacom loses the franchise, they basically lose all investment they make into improvements in the cabling plant and make it really easy for the next Cable Company to come in and take over. In reality, it rarely happens, but it is something that gets their attention.

Not in IL. Att got a blanket franchise law similar to Wisconsin passed. Franchise laws in IL are in a state of flux some of the current law is set to be repealed on oct 1 2013

TJFriday
join:2009-06-29
Des Moines, IA

TJFriday

Member

GLIMMER,

I saw that to be the case when I looked it up. The IL Video Customer Protection Law, 220 ILCS 5/22-501 covers that. There are still numerous references to municipal councils being an avenue for complaint since the cabling plant and easement is technically still owned/granted by the municipality.

However, I didn't catch that it might be repealed--that's good for the customers in IL... Maybe. Always tough to know how that might work out.

I'm just hoping they can help get Mark's situation resolved. I totally understand his frustration.

thistool
@myvzw.com

thistool to NightTripper

Anon

to NightTripper
The solution to your problems is rather simple. Got to the first splitter behind the drop connect run for some time. Stays up go forward to splitter at the home. Goes down network issue on the local node. At the home splitter repeat. Stays up at the splitter side of the home drops good move forward, into the home. Goes down bad drop, splitter something physical. Move into the home with new equipment run on it , while disconnecting every other room in the home but the place where the modem will reside. Stays up possible bad run leaking rf, grounded whatever other runs. Goes down replace run with brand new rg6 coax single run. From side of home last known good spot. Stays up its you wiring and your issue to replace. As far as modems go yes they do go bad. As a tech in another area I cover in general about 30 different kinds of equipment weekly. If your current modem is not supported get over it. Equipment does die, it happens maybe threw misuse maybe threw something that in the manufacturing process years before it ever was yours. As far as your equipment beyond the modem my company chooses to use. That's your problem, I don't support your network or the choices you made to put into it. If it works great for you wonderful if you have issues and constantly have to rebuild it, not my problem. I supply a pipe to the demarcation if I can run on that pipe continually without Interruptions. Not my network. You want network level management in your home become a buisness level account and I'll support some of your network, if you do it my way. Don't want to don't blame you . Last tip on a personal note you sound like a pita type of Customer. Or the kind I would as a tech to the least to help. Telling me you know more about networks then god , not a good start to our interaction. I'll do more to fix your problem if you let me grasp the situation. Otherwise I'll swap a modem call it good move on. "Meet a butt head once, maybe there just a butt head. Meet butt heads all day , maybe your the butt head".

Sincerly a local Tech
GLIMMER
join:2004-01-17
Fisher, IL

GLIMMER

Member

If you work for mediacom how about you register. Not hide behind anon.... And your a typical mediacom employee. My way or the highway. Sorry customer service is more important than anything. Your the front line the customer see's. Mediacom and there contractors is a whole other problem.
NightTripper
join:2006-09-26
Stronghurst, IL

NightTripper to thistool

Member

to thistool
said by thistool :

The solution to your problems is rather simple. Got to the first splitter behind the drop connect run for some time. Stays up go forward to splitter at the home. Goes down network issue on the local node. At the home splitter repeat. Stays up at the splitter side of the home drops good move forward, into the home. Goes down bad drop, splitter something physical. Move into the home with new equipment run on it , while disconnecting every other room in the home but the place where the modem will reside. Stays up possible bad run leaking rf, grounded whatever other runs. Goes down replace run with brand new rg6 coax single run. From side of home last known good spot. Stays up its you wiring and your issue to replace. As far as modems go yes they do go bad. As a tech in another area I cover in general about 30 different kinds of equipment weekly.

The run comes to the home to the wiring closet. Mediacom is responsible for it up to that point. My side runs great.
said by thistool :

If your current modem is not supported get over it. Equipment does die, it happens maybe threw misuse maybe threw something that in the manufacturing process years before it ever was yours. As far as your equipment beyond the modem my company chooses to use. That's your problem, I don't support your network or the choices you made to put into it. If it works great for you wonderful if you have issues and constantly have to rebuild it, not my problem. I supply a pipe to the demarcation if I can run on that pipe continually without Interruptions. Not my network. You want network level management in your home become a buisness level account and I'll support some of your network, if you do it my way. Don't want to don't blame you .

It's a home network. My kids game on it. And I keep my trusty SB5100 because it works. The 5100's will probably go forever.
said by thistool :

Last tip on a personal note you sound like a pita type of Customer. Or the kind I would as a tech to the least to help. Telling me you know more about networks then god , not a good start to our interaction. I'll do more to fix your problem if you let me grasp the situation. Otherwise I'll swap a modem call it good move on. "Meet a butt head once, maybe there just a butt head. Meet butt heads all day , maybe your the butt head".

Sincerly a local Tech



I have nothing but pity for the techs that come here. The problems I am having, are not here but at the head end. When the tech gets here I have a little table and chair for him. Along with a network cable. I then walk away. If he wants me, he knows where I am at. I never liked anyone watching over my shoulder. And I don't do it to others. My problems with Mediacom are not his making. The tech and I both know where the problems lie.

Mark
NightTripper

NightTripper

Member

The original message of the thread wasabout being banned from Mediacom's forum. How can you get this message by accident?

"Sorry Night, you are banned from using this forum!
This ban is not set to expire."

Mediacom's reresentative here says noone there banned me. They have no idea how it happened. No one ever said how I got readmitted to the forum.

And yes on the other parts I am getting fustrated. This has been going on for a LONG time. They fix it and everything is good for a bit. Then down it goes agin. And it is never Mediacoms fault.

We got off on this recent rant because of not being able to grab an IP address. "They" said my modem was bad. But it still took th etech close to an hour to get an IP address to Mediacom's modem. Not the techs fault

Mark

TJFriday
join:2009-06-29
Des Moines, IA

TJFriday

Member

Mark,

With the forum issue, what are you looking for as a resolution? An apology? An explanation? It's been pretty clearly stated that whatever the issue was, it was inadvertent. Are you implying that you were deliberately banned from the forum for reporting your issue? Are you able to access the forum now? If so, I don't understand why you don't just address your concerns via PM. It just seems very vitriolic here and doesn't help instill goodwill toward anyone here wanting to step up and help you.

It is clear that you are frustrated. It is also clear that there are likely problems with the local Mediacom infrastructure that both you and the local technicians you have worked with are aware of. The only possible solution I see to this is that you allow Mediacom an additional opportunity to address them. Give them the time their organization needs to address the issue. Ask them to set an expectation with you as to when they feel this can be resolved.

In the meantime, how can the rest of us help?