W.O.W. → problems with customer provided cable modem?

Here are the stats from the rented Arris TM602G I've had for the past couple years (no telephone, only data) - no problems, all speed tests showed I received 15 Mbps down, 2 Mbps up.

Downstream
Freq/Power: 591.000 MHz -15 dBmV
Signal to Noise Ratio: 34 dB
Modulation: QAM256
Upstream
Freq/Power: 25.300 MHz 54 dBmV
Channel Type: DOCSIS 2.0 (ATDMA)
Symbol Rate: 5120 kSym/sec
Modulation: QAM32

I picked two modems off WOW's list at:
»www.wowway.com/docs/wow/ ··· list.pdf

1) Cisco DPC2100 R2 (DOCSIS 2.0)
2) Cisco DPC3010 (DOCSIS 3.0)

The first modem was unusable. The download speed tests were ok, but upstream showed 0.01 Mbps or tests were unable to complete. Web pages took forever to load.

Then I tried a DOCSIS 3.0 modem tonight (Cisco DPC 3010) thinking that maybe that would help. Web browsing is barely useable, download speed tests were fine (15 Mbps), but upload speed tests again failed or showed very low throughput.

The technician on the phone was very nice, but since it was a customer owned modem, she told me to call the manufacturer.

Does anyone have any suggestions for more troubleshooting? I imagine WOW will be getting more calls and requests to replace rented modems since they raised the monthly rental to $7/month.

Below are the stats that I just pulled from the modem I have plugged in now:

Model: Cisco DPC3010
Vendor: Cisco
Hardware Revision: 1.0
MAC Address: c8:fb:26:33:51:de
Bootloader Revision: 2.3.0_R1
Current Software Revision: d3000-v302r125533-120716a-COX
Firmware Name: d3000-v302r125533-120716a-COX.bin
Firmware Build Time: Jul 16 17:16:46 2012
Cable Modem Status: Operational

Cable Modem State
DOCSIS Downstream Scanning: Completed
DOCSIS Ranging: Completed
DOCSIS DHCP: Completed
DOCSIS TFTP: Completed
DOCSIS Data Reg Complete: Completed
DOCSIS Privacy: Disabled

Downstream Channels
Power Level: Signal to Noise Ratio:
Channel 1: -8.6 dBmV 39.4 dB
Channel 2: -9.4 dBmV 39.0 dB
Channel 3: -8.1 dBmV 39.9 dB
Channel 4: -7.5 dBmV 39.9 dB
Channel 5: -8.3 dBmV 39.8 dB
Channel 6: -9.8 dBmV 38.6 dB
Channel 7: -13.0 dBmV 36.3 dB
Channel 8: -10.1 dBmV 38.6 dB

Upstream Channels
Power Level:
Channel 1: 51.0 dBmV
Channel 2: 50.9 dBmV
Channel 3: 52.1 dBmV
Channel 4: 0.0 dBmV

Yeah, those power levels are out of spec. Your downstream signal strength is low. It should be near 0 dB. Your upstream signal strength is high. It should be significantly less than 52 dB. If your Arris TM602G is working well at a -15 dB downstream signal strength, consider yourself lucky.

Wherever the WOW service enters your home, the very first cable splitter should should be hooked to your modem. Can you confirm this?

The first splitter inside the house is a 2 way splitter - with one of the legs going to the cable modem, and the 2nd leg going to another splitter for the rest of the TVs. Is there any other way to increase signal to the cable modem?

They make two way amps, but the reality is WOW should be able to deliver you a better signal.

Humor me if you have some time this week, hook the modem directly to the cable drop without any splitters. Either at the drop outside your home (you'll need a screw driver to open the box and your neighbors will think you're crazy, but I've done it before) or in your home where the first splitter is (2nd choice, but better than nothing). Basically, as long as your don't have a ridiculously long run of RG-6 cable to your modem from wherever your splitters are, if you see the signal strength increase by more than ~5 dB, you have a bad compression connector or hidden splitter somewhere that is making your signal strength worse.

Ok sounds like a plan. I'll try to drag an extension cord and cable modem outside to the box after I get home from work today or tomorrow.

If the signal is good, then there's only a few possible culprits left, I think:

Exterior drop -> coax cable to splitter -> 2 way splitter -> coax cable to the outlet -> coax cable from outlet to modem

Thanks for the help!

Ok, so I replaced the coax cable from the outlet to the modem & the 2 way splitter with a new one. My new signal numbers look pretty good now, don't they?

But I am still getting 0.01 upload speeds. Could this be some sort of WOW provisioning issue?

stats from WOW arris modem:
Downstream
Freq/Power: 585.000 MHz -4 dBmV
Signal to Noise Ratio: 40 dB
Modulation: QAM256
Upstream
Freq/Power: 25.300 MHz 48 dBmV
Channel Type: DOCSIS 2.0 (ATDMA)
Symbol Rate: 5120 kSym/sec
Modulation: QAM32

stats from my DOCSIS 3.0 modem:
Power Level: Signal to Noise Ratio:
Channel 1: -0.4 dBmV 41.9 dB
Channel 2: -0.6 dBmV 41.0 dB
Channel 3: 0.9 dBmV 41.7 dB
Channel 4: 1.3 dBmV 42.0 dB
Channel 5: 0.4 dBmV 41.4 dB
Channel 6: -1.5 dBmV 40.9 dB
Channel 7: -5.0 dBmV 38.6 dB
Channel 8: -2.4 dBmV 40.6 dB

Upstream Channels
Power Level:
Channel 1: 49.2 dBmV
Channel 2: 50.2 dBmV
Channel 3: 50.6 dBmV
Channel 4: 0.0 dBmV

I had to jump in here when I saw your post. The signals do look acceptable, but you're right it's definitely a provisioning issue. Sounds like they never put your modem on the network. Call tech support to have them check your provisioning. I know that when I hooked up a new modem and no provisioning it could see the network but no connection at all. took like 5 min to give them the MAC address and i was online.

There is one thing that could hurt you, is the splitter you're using bi-directional? I know that I had a cheapie splitter before that would not allow me to give data back upstream. I went with an Ideal brand at Home Depot, no more issues. Just throwing out ideas.. The first thing is tech support to make sure you're provisioned properly.

The kicker here is that the WOW provided Arris modem works fine (rock solid up & down).

The splitters are good - I have both the Atronix brand and Regal brand splitters.

Two different customer provided modems, both on WOW's "compatibility list" show the same problem - solid download, terrible upload.

I have no problem buying another modem if the answer is that the modem is bad - but right now, it doesn't seem like it as two different modems had the same problem. Don't want to keep wasting my money if the problem is on WOW's end.

Are the modems used or new? If used, maybe they are bad and that's why they were sold?

Did you call and give them the MACs so they could be provisioned?

I'm in a Knology area that was bought by WOW. I use my own Motorola SB6120 and can hit my 50Mb download and a 5Mbps upload just fine. I did call in to have it added to my account and it took about 5 minutes before it got the hit from WOW. The tech said it could take up to 30 minutes.

Your signals look a lot better now. It sounds like the modems have not been added to the account. I'd stick with the Docsis3 one however.

UPDATE: corrected modem model number.

I don't see how you can get 50Mbps by 5Mbps with a DOCSIS 2.0 modem? Most are lucky to get mid 20's even though 30Mbps is the theoretical max

Yes, I called WOW as I stated in my OP - she took the MAC, did some sort of remote reboot to my modem, and then when I complained about the upload speed, she said to call the cable modem manufacturer for further assistance as there was nothing else she could do since it wasn't one of their modems.

Yes, both modems were used. What are the chances that both modems are bad ONLY on the upload? If the modems are both bad, I have no problem buying a third one (I'll even buy a brand new one), but it would be a waste if the issue is on WOW's end.

I sent a PM to WOW_Dan to see if he could check things on their end. If he says things look good, I'll go out and buy a new third modem. I just had no idea cable modems were so unreliable - I've had the same rented Arris one for several years that worked fine with an apparently marginal signal.

WOW_Dan should be able to figure this one out for you. I notice the firmware of your Cisco DPC3010 has the word COX in it. My guess is that WOW can push you some different firmware to fix the issue.

Sorry about that. The 5100 was my old modem. I'm running a SB6120. I corrected my prior post.

Oh ok.. I was wondering how that was possible

I used my own SB6120 with Charter before they stopped supporting customer owned modems. I now have a Moto SB6121 that is from Charter but as soon as 8 downstream channel bonding becomes available, I'm going to try and get the SB6141.

That list of supported modems in interesting.

There has long been some confusion about what "supported" means in terms of modems. I guess the OP will let us know if new firmware or config file eventually is supplied by WOW.

I was told WOW did not update firmware except for the few modems they supply (whether supplied by them or owned by a customer). But config files can be "tailored" to supported modems.

The 5341J I own got a firmware update.

Like I said, confusion. Or lack of consistency. A modem I have that is on the "supported" list never received a firmware update (and never would I was told) and I had to get rid of it since it wouldn't perform correct without it.

I'm thinking its the COX FW thats causing the issue. The modem should of downloaded the current WOW! FW when it was provisioned, regardless of customer owned or not, its only after the first provisioning that they won't push a FW update to it.

As of last night, I am now getting 2 mbps up and web browsing is snappy again.

All I've done is restarted the modem and also did a "reset" by sending a signal from the WOW account homepage, as well as run speed tests every night.

The version of firmware loaded is still the same as per the 192.168.100.1 page. This cable modem (Cisco DPC3010) doesn't have a log page or any way of telling if something was downloaded from the head end. I'd recommend if anyone is looking for a DOCSIS 3.0 modem, to pick a different modem because of this, as well as the more limited signal stats available.

Bootloader Revision: 2.3.0_R1
Current Software Revision: d3000-v302r125533-120716a-COX
Firmware Name: d3000-v302r125533-120716a-COX.bin
Firmware Build Time: Jul 16 17:16:46 2012

I haven't heard back from my IM to WOW_Dan yet, but maybe he can shed some light on what happened? Maybe it takes the WOW head end equipment a couple days to download updated configuration (bin) files to modems?