fullman
join:2001-12-30
Fort Lauderdale, FL
1 edit |  [Connectivity] Broward County/Wilma-affected area - Spd/PcktLoss
Before Wilma, my connection was PERFECT. I was on the speed upgrade and was getting excellent speeds, 0% packet loss, connecting to FTP servers (or mine at least) was instantaneous.
Then Wilma hit and everything got screwed up everywhere. It was about 25 days until I got my Comcast HSI back even though power had been returned 5 days later. But it didn't actually come "back" per say, it was just "there".
Packet loss was ridiculous, usually keeping the connection at not-even-dialup speeds. Google pages left and right would time out, POP3/IMAP/Exchange connections with my e-mail wouldn't even connect, rendering my e-mail client helpless, webmail was so slow that Javascript would fail because it hadn't loaded yet.
Often, the modem would disconnect or all the lights would flash simultaneously, meaning that network access was denied. From Wednesday (Nov 16) night, after it came back for a few hours to Saturday night, the 19th, I didn't have a connection at all, again.
Comcast told me that someone would come out on Saturday, Nov 19th, but if there were any other openings prior to that, they'd call me. (Yeah, right, they would call me.) I called, only to find out that that appointment was never actually made, and I had to make a new one, for Wednesday the 23rd. Fine.
The guy comes, then after doing some tests and seeing my packet loss, goes in the back of the house, goes up to the pole, back to the house, comes in. He says that the signal is too strong and puts a limiter on my cable modem, between the cable and the modem itself. Packet loss is gone! HoOrAy! He says if I run into any problems, since they're still doing work in the area (yet he's the first and only Comcast truck I've seen in the area since the hurricane hit), to just remove the limiter.
The next day, Thanksgiving, my connection dies. All the lights on the modem are flashing, network access denied. Can't connect at all. I remove the limiter, and the packet loss is back! And as of today, Saturday the 26th, its still very much here, and my connection is dragging.
Thing is, speed tests show that it's not that bad, though not my normal speeds, definitely not the speeds I'm paying the upgrade for. Yet my connection is only a little better than dial-up at times, seemingly normal for a few minutes, bouncing back and forth.
What should I do?
I'm already going to ask for a 100% refund for the month of November, only this newest invoice of the 23rd doesn't show any credits, just the $75 bill. They said they'd give an automatic credit since the hurricane until the service comes back, but since it never actually came back until the appointment on the 23rd, I'm going to make sure they know that. That's a full month since the hurricane hit that I was without service/usable service.
TIA for any help you guys can give me, and any helpful Comcast peeps that will contact me. 
VARIOUS LINE QUALITY TEST (FROM MOST RECENT ON BACK):
»/quality/nil/1911843 (today)
»/quality/nil/1911828 (earlier)
»/quality/nil/1910117 (yesterday)
»/speedresults/···/1909117 (after Comcast fixed it, perfect)
»/quality/nil/1909011 (Minutes before before Comcast visited, packet loss)
»/quality/nil/1906588 (major packet loss)
»/quality/nil/1902542 (when HSI came "back", major packet loss)
SPEED TESTS:
Speed test @ ec 4398/428 kbps
Speed test @ dslreports-west1.speakeas 5504/179 kbps
MODEM STATS:
WebSTAR DPC2100
Receive Power Level
7.6 dBmV
Transmit Power Level
31.5 dBmV |
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erniecon
Premium
join:2000-10-16
Miami, FL
| Re: [Connectivity] Broward County/Wilma-affected area - Spd/Pckt
Hello cfull I'm in south dade and have been getting the same thing. I think all of Dade, Broward and Palm are in the same boat. We have to be patient.Willma did do alot of destruction (knocked down trees and lines). What i don,t like about comcast is that instead of letting one know about the problems they just say it's your fault |
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fullman
join:2001-12-30
Fort Lauderdale, FL
2 edits | LOL, perhaps it is our fault. 
Update:
I called Comcast and inquired about my latest bill, and they only gave me half credit.
I explained that even though my internet "came back" on the 16th, it was barely usable until the technician came out this past Wednesday and "fixed" it.
Stupid thing is, they only credited me to the 7th. 2 weeks. A week and a half before I actually got my service restored. I made sure she was very aware I was not happy with that, and she sent in a request for a credit for the entire month.
So I guess that leaves us waiting for the brushing up with their service. Perhaps I should downgrade to the standard package until their network can support the upgrades.
Good luck getting your connection back to normal.
Second Update:
Turns out that my connection has once again gone to the dogs. It's worse than dialup, and the modem is constantly disconnecting.
I called Comcast, and the earliest available slot they show for a technician to come out is December 6th! That's a week from Tuesday! SiGh  |
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Jinwu
join:2002-07-30
Miami, FL
| Re: [Connectivity] Broward County/Wilma-affected a
Greetings,
I'm in the north miami/miami shores area, typing this from my PHONE. Anyhow, we got cable back last sunday and since, my signal has been horrible, however my speeds were fine. Problem is that for the past 3 days, my modem will sync downstream but not sync upstream every day until the evening for a couple hrs. Everyday I would call, the problem would be an outtage in my area, fine.
Well the last day I got sync, which was friday, I lost it again around midnight and haven't been able to reconnect since. Downstream signal connects instantly, upstream just keeps timing out, and what's funny is my snr and power levels are pretty decent. I have an appointment for tuesday, hopefully we'll see some progress this upcoming week. |
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fullman
join:2001-12-30
Fort Lauderdale, FL
1 edit | Yep, I have that problem now I think, where I can download (some) things at 200k/s but getting the page to actually come up is a challenge because it's constantly timing out when the browser is requesting something.
Uploading is a chode, I can't connect to my FTP server or send e-mail.
I had the Cingular data package for 25mb for 35/mo, and I used that up from the hurricane until my connection "came back" on the 16th, just in time too, only $0.37 in overages. WHEW! But even the Cingular crappy 1.8k/s connection was more reliable than this, and in some cases, even faster. 
Good luck with your appointment, I hope they don't just throw a limiter on there and say that'll fix it, because chances are, that fix won't last long.
Oh! And make sure you call Comcast's billing department and let them know that you have unusable service and you won't be paying for it. They only credited me till November 7th, like a week and a half before I actually got my service back. Probably when it connected for a minute or two then went back off, those buggers. Make sure you get at least an entire month free. |
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captainlynne
Awesome 9
join:2000-03-07
Miami, FL
 ·Comcast
| I've had the same problems in Coconut Grove. Sometimes I am getting very fast and other times the pages will time out and not load. Sometimes I show sync as fine and other times my "online" light blinks. I've called them several times to make sure they record the fact that my connection is spotty at best and I'm going to call for the credit this week. It was totally down for 3 full weeks so I expect at least that much back for the month, if not some compensation for the current "more down than up" service. Last time I called they told me they are replacing lines so sometimes service will be off and that they had just tried to get everyone to get some service so it'll be erratic. I guess that would be an accurate description! |
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renamed
join:2005-06-11
Fort Lauderdale, FL | reply to fullman
I live in Sunrise area, i have not had an issue with comcast HSI. No dropped connections. My service came back like 2 weeks after the storm and with no problem. As far as comcast credit, i got back like $48. |
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pcfabix
join:2002-09-08
Fort Lauderdale, FL
1 edit | Not feeling very "COMCASTIC"
Sunrise area here...
5 weeks and counting still no service. I just got off the phone with Comcast, there concern overwhelms me. Soon as I get a live rep call drops, call back wait another 15 minutes and GET THIS as soon as she pulls up my account she says you are in an outage sir. DUH....she further stated that I "Need to be patient" Sunrise and in particular my area was hit extremly hard and these things take time to fix.
So I get a supervisor on the phone, he actually almost convinced me that he cared. Not till I said I want to just cancel my service did he offer to call dispatch. Sit on hold 10 minutes, he comes back and gives me a street address were the technican is currently working (2 blocks away) so I decided to call his bluff and drive down there and sure enough there is one comcast truck, and one technican working on the main box (for lack of a better word) for this area. I didn't stop to ask him anything, just wanted to see if it was another Comcastic lye.
Hopefully soon we will get cable back out here...but I am not holding my breath. I also have a feeling I would have a better chance of seeing snow in South florida then to receive cable service again.
Anyone else with cable issues sick of seeing these COMCASTIC commercials. Everytime they come on I feel like destroying something in my house :-/ |
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fullman
join:2001-12-30
Fort Lauderdale, FL
| Yeah, I've had similar issues with their phone reps. They "care," yet there is nothing to prove it. The 2 week credit for 3.5 weeks of 100% downtime was amazing.
I had an idea for an editorial comic for that one Comcastic 10k Pyramid commercial, just have to find someone to jot it down. It's great
Hopefully you get "something" back soon, if not regular, flawless service. |
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pcfabix
join:2002-09-08
Fort Lauderdale, FL
| I think that might be an oxymoron for Comcastical Comcast "regular and flawless" that's almost as good as Microsoft Works...
2 weeks befor Wilma I was loosing block synch since there last downgrade ERR I mean upgrade, and my speeds were everywere. Timeouts when pinging yahoo with a 100 byte packet, timeing out on the second hop (of course we all know it was my router right?). Was getting allot better right befor Wilma tore through here.
I am still waiting for the internet tech to show though (as tech support stated my signal was weak) when I spoke to Comcast last wednesday they asked if I knew I still had an open ticket from early October for internet issues and asked if anyone ever came out to my house :-/ |
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jdmatl
join:2000-04-27
Deerfield Beach, FL
| reply to fullman
Re: [Connectivity] Broward County/Wilma-affected area - Spd/Pckt
I am in Plantation and i was without cable for 30 days. Came back up and I am getting my 6megs download speed. with zero issues so far. I did notice that now the dhcp lease renew time is 1 hour, before that DHCP never renewed. Only way to get a new IP was to replace your edge device that connects to the cable modem (ie Linksys wrt54g).
Bellsouth is offering 6meg DSL. don't know if you can get DSL, but I am looking into it. Screw Comcast. Look fo as many or more hurricanes next year. Comcast will be down more and more. They just "patch" the lines together. |
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pcfabix
join:2002-09-08
Fort Lauderdale, FL
| Well an independant contracter for comcast just come by the house asked if we had cable and was it working...Someone came by last week (independant) and checked the drop and said it was fine.
This contracter checked everything...went up the pole and came back in the house and said the drop is damaged and needs to be replaced.
When can I expect service? Sometime the end of this week or next, there are supposidly 15 houses befor me!I knew I would see snow in south florida befor I would get cable service back.
As for DSL that is not even an option, at the NID the best I got with a speedstream modem and there westell modem was 700 down and that was on a good day. Unless bell puts a remote in this area I am staying away from DSL. |
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cosmini
join:2003-02-10
Fort Lauderdale, FL | reply to jdmatl
unfortunately same crap, no internet connection after 5 weeks and yet plenty of promises. I had to cancel my service but frankly, I don't know that bellsouth dsl is any better. I might have to go wireless with verizon... |
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Jinwu
join:2002-07-30
Miami, FL
| reply to fullman
Re: [Connectivity] Broward County/Wilma-affected a
Nothing yet for me either. I did notice the 2 days I was up that my modem said I was provisioned for 6600k/s or something, and I was consistently getting download speeds close to 6mb with my Linksys modem. But it means nothing if I cant connect (since Friday).
Same thing as always, downstream connects instantly, upstream hasnt found a connection in several days. I even went straight to the line that comes in my house and removed the splitter and plugged my modem into that to make sure, and still the same thing. Im going to be calling Bellsouth soon to see if my line qualifies for the 6mb service if I dont hear anything soon. Whats funny is I also called last night to ask if there were any new outtages reported in my area, none. |
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pcfabix
join:2002-09-08
Fort Lauderdale, FL
| Ah lies and deception that is all I seem to be able to get at Comcast.
I call back today, and I don't know why everytime I call they refuse to connect me to a supervisor, I know I know I worked in a many call centers my self and the supes always say the same thing to the reps tell them no one is availible or we are in a meeting.
Funny when I called at midnight a few nights ago and everyone was in a "meeting" today they are in a meeting. BS I know for a fact from my past jobs that there has to be someone to take escalations and to answer a technical question that is out of the ordinary.
So today's rep says she can help me suprise, she CAN'T. I advised her what happened yesterday and she stated that the contracter that came out shouldn't of said anything other then someone will contact you for with an apointment to fix your problem. So she says that tomorrow someone will come to my residence to fix my cable. At this point I beleive a G-D thing Comcast tells me. Come on week 6 of NO service, I doubt I will have cable befor next year some time seeing as we are rolling into December. |
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DaisyGirl
join:2003-07-20
Miami, FL | I know what you mean. I have not had internet service since October 14th !!!! And they are still trying to find the problem. Bellsouth DSL looks like it will be my next choice. |
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fullman
join:2001-12-30
Fort Lauderdale, FL
| The only problem with BS is that you're stuck with a contract.
Oh, and if you use anyone other than BellSouth, as had happened to me when I had SpeakEasy, BS will reroute you all over the city and push you beyond the range of decent speeds. They claim that they are "optimizing the network for their priority customers" (ie, "if you ain't one of them, you is screwed").
Aren't they wonderful?
Guess we just gotta figure out who the least evil ISP is in the area.
Come on Verizon FiOS! Come here quickly! |
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pcfabix
join:2002-09-08
Fort Lauderdale, FL
| There is ways around the contract, bring your own modem (they really hate that) I prefer speedstream, but they are real A holes and say only Westell's work on there network. Truth betold anything with an 8/35 config will work on there network more then likely. There are lots of modems for sale on e*ay and the like....
As for going to another DSL provider, that is true they all use the same lines, but it isn't bellsouth that screws your routing. It is the NSP (IE Speakeasy as mentioned) and there back end to the internet that can screw the routing.
Again DSL is far from perfect hence why I refuse to go back to it. Ther is just to many things that can screwup a decent DSL line, IE are you comeing from the CO, are you comeing from a remote in your neighborhood, are your lines fiber (THat is a big one) most NSP's will not do service for fiber lines...do you have an alaram on the same phone line, how much equipment do you have on that same line, they all add up to degragate the line and your over all connection and beleive me Bell will blame everying but the devil for connection issues, and I feel bad if you are not one of the few lucky people that have a succesful DSL connection. I dunno how many hours I wasted with Bellsouth playing who is smarter and what can we blame next to try to get anything over 700K down and 100K up...and I supposidly qualified for a 3Mb service.
As bad as comcast is right now and for how poorly they are treating us I can see wanting to move. I would love to move my service, but to were? LOL |
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fullman
join:2001-12-30
Fort Lauderdale, FL
| Not to go too far off topic, but SpeakEasy insisted it wasn't them. So much, in fact, that once they found out what happened, that I literally got rerouted around the city, that basically made the DSL line "unfeasible" and nullified my contract with them. Not only that, but they had refunded me 4.5 months of service from when this rerouting took place.
Mind you, they had records of me calling to complain about the terrible dialup speeds and signal drops from that time, so it's not like I worked up any old story and they believed me. I don't think they would have gone that far and beyond the call of duty if it was their fault, they would have just shrugged it off and told me too bad, it's not their fault.
So, my experience with them was extremely good. However, thanks to BS, I won't try DSL again unless I'm forced to.
Now... a little birdy told me to call between the hours of 8am and 11am, select the Cable TV option (#1), not the High Speed Internet option (#2), explain your issues, that your downstream speeds are "ok" and your upstream speeds are terrible, rendering your "high speed connection" utterly, virtually and technically useless, and you believe there is an issue with the line, not necessarily the drop, but the lines on the poles. They will *usually* place a higher priority in that, meaning that any repair work or appointments *may* be accelerated.
I just want Verizon FiOS to come around the area. Comcast and BS will crap their pants. |
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CableTool
Poorly Representing MYSELF.
Premium
join:2004-11-12
1 edit | I know this wont offer any solace and Im not speaking from disaster clean up experience, only plant experience.
I believe what is happening in your area is basically a rebuild. If enough of the equipment is damaged or the right componants are damaged the field staff might do a quick swap to get the areas up as fast as possible. What then will happen is the network techs will run back to the begining of the run and start balancing, again, the entire run. This would explain why Video might work, but on demand will not. Surfing is erratic and uploads are horrible, packet loww rampant.
When an area is first rebuilt nothing is balanced until all the cascades are in place usually. What this leaves is a pretty choppy system until the end of the project. Sometimes cable cos will build out new plant right next to old and not switch subs until the new plant is hot and balanced.
In other situations this may not be possible and you will be disrupting service for weeks until its complete and THEN balance.
In any event it sounds like that is the case. They are getting service back as fast as possible but things like reverse and such will take a little fine tunning when all is done.
It probably doenst make you any happier but it is what it is.
Im sure the original tech knew this. If your tap was hot and he gave you something to pad the signal as opposed to calling it in to have that area balanced he was probably aware all signal tilts were out of whack until the run with all the new or repaired equipment was balanced. |
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