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Fourteen
join:2009-04-19
Great Neck, NY

Fourteen

Member

Frustrating OOL problem - random (but often) connection drops

I've been going through this bizarre problem for the past month or so. Hoping someone here will recognize what's going on and recommend what steps to take.

Anyway, my problem is that for the past month my Internet connection will randomly just drop. What I mean is, my computer will suddenly show the network icon with the yellow triangle and anything I had going on will suddenly stop - streaming video, downloads, etc. The cable modem will appear normal, standard lights are lit. If I go into my router when this happens, it shows that both my WAN and LAN are up and I even have a public IP address. For the most part, my connection will stay like this (disconnected) and I won't get a network connection unless I take some action, the problem just doesn't resolve itself. Sometimes this means rebooting the modem by unplugging/replugging it in. Sometimes I'll do a DHCP release/renew on the router. Sometimes none of that works and I'm just down for hours until I wake up the next day and magically things are working again. This used to happen maybe once a week, and then lately this seems to be happening more frequently, like every few days.

I have replaced cables, I have replaced my switch, I have even purchased more (different) routers thinking that was the problem. On the second router I've been temporarily using, last night this problem came up again, and before the problem I had a 67.81.x.x address, once I did a DHCP release/renew on the router, it came up with a 24.44.x.x address (but my Internet connection didn't work at all despite the fact that I was getting a public IP) until this morning when I rebooted the cable modem and reacquired another 67.81.x.x address.

Is there something wrong with OOL's DHCP servers? Should I get a new modem? I've been pulling my hair out over this. After 10 years of no problems with OOL, this just pops up out of nowhere and it's been incredibly frustrating.

Thanks to anyone who has any ideas.
TheWiseGuy
Dog And Butterfly
MVM
join:2002-07-04
East Stroudsburg, PA

TheWiseGuy

MVM

When you get disconnected, try connecting to the modem.

192.168.100.1

if you can connect post the log information.

Run a tracert to both dslreports and the IP of dslreports. To run a tracert, click start, type command into the search box and click on Command Prompt

Type into command prompt

tracert www.dslreports.com

tracert 64.91.255.98

Post the results (right click the command prompt, use your mouse to select the traces and hit enter to copy the trace results)

limegrass69
No Whammies
join:2008-05-28

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Maybe your modem is bad. Have you tried swapping it out? You can do that at an Optimum store (free) or have a service tech come to your home and do that (possible fee).
Fourteen
join:2009-04-19
Great Neck, NY

Fourteen

Member

I was planning on getting it replaced this weekend. Not sure if I will purchase my own or just get another at Optimum. (Although to be fair, the modem I have is 'new' -- only got it from an Optimum store in August -- but I'm not sure if it's refurbished.)

And I'll try doing the ping and tracert tests you mentioned if I'm around when this happens and it doesn't auto-resolve the problem itself.

limegrass69
No Whammies
join:2008-05-28

limegrass69

Member

If you are not paying the $5/month modem rental fee, there's no reason not to use an Optimum issued modem.
KeyLogger
join:2007-08-08

KeyLogger to Fourteen

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if you see DHCP FAIL modem logs, maybe not the modem. i got it again two nights ago, 1AM again.
Fourteen
join:2009-04-19
Great Neck, NY

Fourteen

Member

Well, this happened again last night.

I've been working with the guys at pfSense to troubleshoot this since I've been running an SG-2220 box. (In fact, I had been running a different older pfSense box when this all started, but after this started happening for a few weeks I became convinced my older box had given up the ghost, so I bought a new one, and then of course, the problems continued... but at least this time I had a support option!)

Anyway... I was able to ping the OOL gateway but not the provided DNS servers (nor anything else like 8.8.8.8 or 4.2.2.1). I did a packet capture of some of my ping tests, sent it to the pfSense guys, and they came back with this:

Ok that packet capture pretty much confirms what we thought. No traffic is coming back to the WAN at all except the ping replies from the gateway.

We can see ping requests going out to the DNS servers and we can see DNS queries going out to various DNS severs with no reply to any of them.

We can also see the ARP requests from the upstream gateway looking for other clients.

It looks as though the gateway has stopped forwarding traffic we are sending to it. We are sending everything to the correct MAC address and nothing ever comes back.


So I was already planning to replace the modem this weekend but it sounds like maybe there is something fundamentally wrong upstream here.
frdrizzt
join:2008-05-03
Ronkonkoma, NY

frdrizzt

Member

When you say you ping "the gateway", are you talking about the modem (192.168.100.1) or your public IP's default gateway? If it's just the modem that you are pinging, then you should be troubleshooting a normal RF issue.

As others said above, does the modem show any logs at the times of disconnect, such as T3/T4 timeouts, Lost MDD Timeout, RCS Partial Service messages, or anything else? Do the signals degrade, such as higher transmit, lower receive, or lower SNR? Does the modem's "System uptime" change?
Fourteen
join:2009-04-19
Great Neck, NY

Fourteen

Member

I mean the gateway I'm getting from OOL. I think it was 67.81.240.1.

I'll check on the logs on the modem when I get home. This modem rebooted twice between 6am and 7:40am this morning. Just randomly out of nowhere.
TheWiseGuy
Dog And Butterfly
MVM
join:2002-07-04
East Stroudsburg, PA

TheWiseGuy

MVM

Try posting in the direct forum.

»Optimum Direct
Fourteen
join:2009-04-19
Great Neck, NY

Fourteen

Member

Cable modem replaced with a brand new TM1602A model.

Fingers crossed this clears everything up.
Fourteen

Fourteen

Member

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Well, that lasted about 9 hours, but it didn't solve the problem.

For what it's worth I've attached screenshots of the modem logs and pfSense dashboard when this was happening. You can see I'm able to ping the OOL gateway but nothing beyond that. What's happening lately is the connection is lost, and then a few minutes later the modem reboots, but after it reboots I'm still down, like it doesn't detect that it came back up.

I called OOL and they think maybe it's a signal issue that's causing the problem, so they're sending a tech out next Sunday.
UofMiamiGrad
Premium Member
join:2001-02-03
Syosset, NY

UofMiamiGrad

Premium Member

If you are in Great Neck, the area has 12 channels down and 4 channels up. You only have 3 channels up, from your pictures. Both my office and my grandma have 4 up channels for many months now. I just switched my grandma to the 1602 today, as her old modem (tm822) kept randomly rebooting. Hopefully the tech can fix the issue.
TheWiseGuy
Dog And Butterfly
MVM
join:2002-07-04
East Stroudsburg, PA

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I would post in the direct forum. While your downstream is high, I just do not think signal problems would explain a connection that can ping the CMTS(gateway) but nothing else.
zebrev28
join:2016-09-25
Bronx, NY

1 edit

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Hey Fourteen. As another pfsense user with similar gear to you. I have been having the exact same issue. Frankly I thought I was schizophrenic because this could be from me.

I too have gone back to an older pfsense version but it hasn't helped. Optimum online support on the phone has been a disaster. I can't even find somebody who knows what DHCP is.

I too have replaced my modem.

Please keep this updated. I suspect it's something affecting is both here.
Fourteen
join:2009-04-19
Great Neck, NY

Fourteen

Member

It's not a pfSense issue because I went and bought a Netgear R6400 last week just on a whim, thinking maybe this might help, but it hasn't.

Lately, when this happens, there are 2 ways I can get back online:

1. Plug my computer directly into the modem, which I don't like to do because then the rest of my internal network is inaccessible
2. Switch between my pfSense router and this Netgear one.

I am glad not to be the only one having this problem though.

And when the tech gets here I'll ask why I only have the 3 channels up, that does sound strange. And I guess I'll post in the direct forum too, couldn't hurt.
frdrizzt
join:2008-05-03
Ronkonkoma, NY

frdrizzt

Member

Your area does not have 4 upstream channels. If that was the issue it would be all over the logs. There are a lot of nodes in the town, and they probably connect to different CMTS').

I would ask the tech to check for high corrected codewords on 22 MHz. Check your splitters to ensure they are all tight (and all ends are terminated). Does it happen at a certain time of day only, or all day?
Fourteen
join:2009-04-19
Great Neck, NY

Fourteen

Member

There's no specific repeatable time of day I can point to.
zebrev28
join:2016-09-25
Bronx, NY

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Hey Fourteen, I found that if you spoof your wan mac address it will work most of the time. Sometimes not.

Do you happen to do a heavy amount of downloading with your service? I am curious because I surely do.
zebrev28

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I was wondering if it's possible that there's any correlation between these command. I just had my own go out and on the advice here in the forum. I checked the modem. I saw the following.

My router is 1 hour behind est at the moment so this lines up. I wonder if these

MTA TFTP: Successful
and
MTA PROV: Successful!

could have anything to do with it.

Looking at log history it's not a 1:1 relationship though.
frdrizzt
join:2008-05-03
Ronkonkoma, NY

1 recommendation

frdrizzt

Member

said by zebrev28:

I was wondering if it's possible that there's any correlation between these command. I just had my own go out and on the advice here in the forum. I checked the modem. I saw the following.

My router is 1 hour behind est at the moment so this lines up. I wonder if these

MTA TFTP: Successful
and
MTA PROV: Successful!

could have anything to do with it.

Looking at log history it's not a 1:1 relationship though.

They will happen upon a reboot of the modem. They will not cause a reboot of modem though.
zebrev28
join:2016-09-25
Bronx, NY

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Hey Fourteen, Any update from your visit from the techs today?

Thanks frdrizzt
zebrev28

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Thanks a lot frdrizzt.

@Fourteen

any update from your visit from OOL support today?
Fourteen
join:2009-04-19
Great Neck, NY

Fourteen

Member

It's NEXT Sunday
Mister914
join:2016-02-21
Yorktown Heights, NY

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Funny, this happened to me a few days ago and I thought it was just a fluke thing but it has just happened again which has led me to this thread.

I have the TM1602 and run a Netduma router.

I have never had this problem in the past as service has always been great where I am.

Please do post your findings when the tech does come out to see you.
Fourteen
join:2009-04-19
Great Neck, NY

Fourteen

Member

I also posted my problem in the OOL Direct forum and was told there were signal problems with my line. I already had scheduled a home call for this Sunday, so I'll let you all know after that.
NeedDaSpeed
join:2016-06-30
Trenton, NJ

NeedDaSpeed to Fourteen

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I must say that I've never experienced this problem before BUT once I got upgraded from 8/3 to 12/4 channels it has been happening about every other day. With the channel upgrade I also think that I got a node split because my speeds have been solid in the evening since the upgrade and I've never had that before.

Anyway, this SAME EXACT ISSUE happened again last night at about 9:10pm. The first few times I just thought that it was a fluke but now I know it's not as it's happening WAY too much. What I've been doing to remedy the situation is to unplug, wait a few seconds to a min, then plug the modem back in. This has usually fixed the issue but without doing that the internet seems to be dead. Unfortunately, last night that didn't work so I went further. This is what I did last night without any fix:

1. Unplug modem for a few seconds then plug it back in.
2. Unplug router for a few seconds then plug it back in.
3. Unplug modem and router for a few mins then plug then back in.
4. Go in router and make a new wan mac address then unplug router and modem for a min then plug them back in.

None of that above worked and internet, eventually, came back online a few mins once I gave up after doing step 4.

The funny thing is that NOTHING shows any signs of problems! The modem says nothing wrong with it, as well as, the router. Eventually, once everything came back online I checked the modem log again and it only shows this but I believe that this is a normal log:

DHCP Renew - lease parameters tftp file-^1/6624A16A modified;CM-MAC=xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx;CMTS-MAC=xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;

FYI, I removed all MAC information above. There IS actual MAC info in there.
GaylordT
join:2006-04-14
Cedar Knolls, NJ

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I am having the exact same problem for about two weeks.

Internet hangs, check modem and all looks good then about 2 minutes later I watch the modem reboot.

Swapped modem still happens.
Swapped for new router different make and model still happens.
Had tech come out and tweak thing, signals were within range now they're about perfect.

Ran all night and morning and started rebooting again.

Starts happening between 11am and 1pm everyday and then multiple times all afternoon and normally ends around 10pm and runs all night and morning again good.

As a side note if I hook directly to a PC it runs for 2 days without issues and that's because I haven't let it run longer.

This is the first time EVER having issues and I go back to the old Wiz Sharkfin.

What makes it worse is I have access to FIOS :-( Love my OOL!
Fourteen
join:2009-04-19
Great Neck, NY

Fourteen

Member

This is weird to say but I'm "glad" I'm not alone here. There has to be something going on upstream that's causing this.

I think I have FiOS in my building and I'm seriously considering it now.

Anonb9957
@2600:1000.x

Anonb9957

Anon

Same here but they don't listen. I tell them it's upstream. They say it's signal. Though they see no signal problem at the time. "Has to be on your end" even though when it dies I can get as far as white plains but not beth page. They are coming out again today as it happened again today. Really annoying and they refuse to listen. Not sure how to get through to them.