ChemDude2
join:2005-08-27
Redlands, CA
1 edit |  [Modem] Bad Modem? Or something else?
I've been an EL DSL user/abuser for almost 5 years now with only a few minor blips and bumps along the way. Asides from lousy speeds and the occasional network outage that wasn't announced it's been a quiet ride.
Friday I arrived home to find my line was down. After checking the usual suspects, I noticed that the Link and Modem lights were off on my Fujitsu Speedport modem. After 2 hours on hold and only actually talking to techs for about 2 minutes, I was told it was my modem that was bad. New modem is now ordered and on it's way.
Afterwards, I went browsing through my firewall logs and noticed that all traffic stopped exactly at noon my time. Somehow I find it hard to believe that a modem will die right at the top of the hour.
Further calls to tech support lead to nowhere and the repeated insistence that nothing is wrong with my line or the DSLAM/CO and that replacing the modem will fix it all. Am I out of my mind or does this sound like something more is going on?
ChemDude2 |
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Doctor Olds
I Need A Remedy For What's Ailing Me.
Premium,VIP
join:2001-04-19
1970 442 W30
clubs:
3 edits | That one is really hard to call since you are on Frame Relay DSL by Verizon/GTE with EL as your ISP. I sincerely hope they understand that and they ship another Fujitsu unit out to you as nothing else will work on Frame Relay.
Which do you have? The RA12 or the RA14?
You can hook directly to it and see if using Telnet will show you anything about the line stats.
»telnet into fujitsu modems?
»My Fujitsu modem won't link-up!
If you have a RA14 there is a Firmware update (verify the numbers first!!).
»upgrades.fnc.fujitsu.com/
quote:
This FNC Product Upgrades Homepage describes the detailed RA14 Modem Upgrade procedures for Fujitsu SpeedPort ADSL Modem (Model Part Number: FC9660RA14). It is applicable to GTE/Verizon ADSL Internet service users. If you are not a GTE/Verizon ADSL consumer, do NOT proceed with this Modem Upgrade.
Modem Part Number Verification
Verify the modem part number by observing the bottom of the modem unit itself and verify that the part number is FC9660RA14. DO NOT PROCEED, IF THE PART NUMBER IS NOT FC9660RA14.
Firmware files are also available here if the Fujitsu site is not serving the files due to a server error.
»www.surfcity.com/support_firmware.htm
Regards,
Doctor Olds
--
What’s the point of owning a supercar if you can’t scare yourself stupid from time to time? |
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ChemDude2
join:2005-08-27
Redlands, CA | Thanks for the heads up about the firmware upgrade. I hadn't heard about that so I'm going to give it a shot since it couldn't hurt.
Thanks again Doc |
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ChemDude2
join:2005-08-27
Redlands, CA | Well, the firmware got updated but it didn't fix my problem. Here's to hoping that a new modem will do the trick.
ChemDude2 |
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Doctor Olds
I Need A Remedy For What's Ailing Me.
Premium,VIP
join:2001-04-19
1970 442 W30
clubs:
| What do the DSL F/R stats show in the Modem?
Have you taken the modem out to the NID also to check for sync signal there?
»EarthLink DSL FAQ »How do I test at my NID? What does it look like?
Regards,
Doctor Olds
--
What’s the point of owning a supercar if you can’t scare yourself stupid from time to time? |
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ChemDude2
join:2005-08-27
Redlands, CA
| After seeing your post, I reconnected my modem to attempt to telnet in. Sad to say, the ethernet port now doesn't even work when connected to a pc.  I don't know if updating the firmware killed it or this is the next nail in the coffin for a dying modem, but I'll find out when the new one shows up.
Lagging behind in dialup land,
ChemDude2 |
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Doctor Olds
I Need A Remedy For What's Ailing Me.
Premium,VIP
join:2001-04-19
1970 442 W30
clubs: | OK.  Keep us updated please. |
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ChemDude2
join:2005-08-27
Redlands, CA
| Well, it's 8 days since my call to ELN and a new modem was ordered and nothing has shown up. The only communication I've gotten are emails reminding me that the lousy 20 hours of dialup that I'm given is used up. Why all broadband users aren't given unlimited dialup access is beyond me. I'm being charged the same fee for those services, I feel I should get those unlimited hours as well.
I'm beginning to wonder if Earthlink is capable of doing anything in a timely manner. Adding insult to injury, my monthly charge of $51 was still applied even though I'm unable to use my line.
STILL lagging behind in dialup land,
ChemDude2 |
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Doctor Olds
I Need A Remedy For What's Ailing Me.
Premium,VIP
join:2001-04-19
1970 442 W30
clubs:
1 edit | »EarthLink DSL FAQ » Who are the Official Earthlink Techs that Post Here?
Quickly send an IM to ElnkShaun  that is one of the Official EL Techs here at BBR explaining your ordeal plus give her any info you can in regards to call dates, or trouble ticket numbers. Include your daytime phone number and your Earthlink/Mindspring email address. She should be back online on Sunday. Click on her name above to send the IM.
Continue to use and not worry about dial up as you will get to ask her about credits on your account for downtime and for dial up use after you get the main issue looked into and hopefully resolved in a timely manner.
Regards,
Doctor Olds
--
What’s the point of owning a supercar if you can’t scare yourself stupid from time to time? |
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ChemDude2
join:2005-08-27
Redlands, CA
1 edit | Update:
Good news  !
The modem finally showed up (11 days later). A quick hardware swap with my old modem and I'm back online. It seems to take a tad longer to sync up than my older modem, but I don't see any other ill effects. I did telnet in and did get the following line stats:
Modem 0...
Startup mode : ADSL1 startup
tone_range_up ( 7 , 30 )
tone_range_down ( 31 , 255 )
tx_atten (AFE,scalar) 0 1
agc down 38 up 0
ref_atten -79.0999984741211
noise_margin down 36.459999084472656 up 26
net fast rate_kbps down 0 up 0
net interleave rate_kbps down 768 up 128
bruto fast rate_kbps down 96 up 96
bruto interleave rate_kbps down 960 up 224
max_rate_kbps bruto ( not include redundancy ) down 7900 up 1004
max_rate_kbps net down 7772 up 908
interleave dep 'D' down 4 up 4
interleave frames per cw 'S' down 4 up 4 ( 0 means s=1/2 )
fast redundancy per frame down 2 up 2
interleave redundancy per frame down 3 up 1
bit swap enable status 1
SEF tones (35 55) threshold 4
End of startup (modem 0)
MNTF SwitchATUState - modem_num=0 new_state=9
I'm not sure what this says about my connection, but at the moment verizon and earthlink both say I can only get 768/128. Speed tests clock me at ~ 612/96. Any insights?
Bad News !
Earthlink cheated me and mailed me a refurbished modem when they agreed to mail a new modem for free with my re-up for 12 months @ $39.99 (which turns out isn't the $29.99 that it should be). I'm begining to wonder if it's worth dealing with people who won't even honor their own agreements. Anyone know who I need to yell at?
ChemDude2 |
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Doctor Olds
I Need A Remedy For What's Ailing Me.
Premium,VIP
join:2001-04-19
1970 442 W30
clubs:
1 edit | Please read my post right above yours.
Regards,
Doctor Olds |
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public
join:2002-01-19
Santa Clara, CA
 ·DSL EXTREME
| reply to ChemDude2
said by ChemDude2 :Earthlink cheated me and mailed me a refurbished modem when they agreed to mail a new modem for free with my re-up for 12 months @ $39.99 (which turns out isn't the $29.99 that it should be). I'm begining to wonder if it's worth dealing with people who won't even honor their own agreements. Anyone know who I need to yell at? ChemDude2 You made an error by not insisting on a switch to ATM service when you renewed the contract.
Verizon is phasing out frame, and with ATM they offer higher bit rates. |
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ChemDude2
join:2005-08-27
Redlands, CA | Thank you to Dr. Olds for all your help. I've fired off an email to ElnkShaun with all the nitty gritty. I'm hoping all this can be straightened out.
ChemDude2 |
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ChemDude2
join:2005-08-27
Redlands, CA
|  Second Update!
Well, the adventure continues. After repeated attempts to contact ElnkShaun didn't get any response, I bit the bullet and called ELN Customer Service.
I was easily able to get them to credit my account for the dialup usage, but the whole new/refurbished modem + contract agreement was a different story. They just didn't get the idea that promising a new modem for a 1 year contract and shipping a refurbished and charging for it basically amounts to fraud. One hour later after talking to an agent and a supervisor, they're going to send me a new modem as promised to replace the refurbished unit. Why that couldn't happen in the first place I really don't know. I guess that's what happens with big companies with little accountability. I'm not sure if all the charges will fix properly, but at least it's easy enough to get copies of the invoice to see what's going on.
Side note to public: Verizon hasn't bothered to upgrade my local CO to ATM yet, so we're still stuck on frame relay until they decide to do something. I'm betting I'll move before that happens.
ChemDude2 |
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Doctor Olds
I Need A Remedy For What's Ailing Me.
Premium,VIP
join:2001-04-19
1970 442 W30
clubs:
| Well that sounds a bit better now than before.  Sorry you had such a runaround from them.
Regards,
Doctor Olds |
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