Ringthane
join:2004-05-13
Streator, IL
2 edits | [IL] Connection issue - modem or line?
The last three or so weeks I've been having an intermittent connection issue, and I don't know if it's my modem or line causing it. I wanted to check before I have a tech come out, since it's easier to just replace the modem.
What's happening is this: I'll be either browsing the web, or playing World of Warcraft, and the internet will either go dead (I get "cannot display website" errors), or I'll get disconnected from the server in WoW. This happens several times a day (usually at night, but it's happened twice since 7 this morning). I usually have to pull the power on the modem and reset it. (The modem lights all keep flashing as normal, though.)
This morning, I was watching the diagnostics page as it happened, and I noticed my received signal strength went from around -1.5, to -2.2, and suddenly down to around -7.8. It stayed there for a while, and then came back up to -4.4, and then back down to around -7.8. It came back to -2.2, and now it's at -1.5, so it's pretty much all over the place.
Otherwise, things look fine. My speed is fine (7452 down/715 up, which is what it should be), and I'm not seeing anything else wacky.
Other information:
Modem is the RCA DCM425 Mediacom gives out. The router I'm using is a Linksys WRT54GS, and there's two computers off it, one running the Windows 7 RC, and another running Windows XP.
Right now, the signal levels are:
»i688.photobucket.com/albums/vv25···vels.jpg
but the signal strength's still hopping up and down like crazy (as I watch). (The power level's a little high there - usually it's between 45 and 50 dBmV, as this pic shows:
»i688.photobucket.com/albums/vv25···vels.jpg
So what should I try first? I'm thinking modem, but I'm not sure. Thanks! |
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rick89
join:2003-12-10
Franklin, NC
| Looking at your stats your up power is getting high (53dB) and thats when your down power is -2db.....I would bet that with your down power going to -7db your up power climbs too.... pushing it close or above the limit.....One thing you could check is to make sure that theres no more than 1 splitter upstream from your modem.. but it does look like you'll need a tech out there and you'll want to mention the up power |
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Ringthane
join:2004-05-13
Streator, IL | Yep - I made sure the modem line is not split after the one where the line comes into the house. It looks like an old cable though, so I may try running a new one and see what happens. |
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rick89
join:2003-12-10
Franklin, NC | reply to Ringthane
Ya you could def try that...if its old 59 cable you could try running some 6 and see if that cleans it up any..but if its a short run it may not help much |
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IowaStudent
Premium
join:2008-08-21
Grinnell, IA
 ·Mediacom
 ·Iowa Telecom
| reply to Ringthane
I had a problem with old splitters recently where I upgraded from just Internet to basic TV and, it turned out the local TV tech in my town used 5-900 Mhz splitters instead of the Mediacom approved 5-1000 Mhz splitters. I picked up some splitters at the Des Moines office. |
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Ringthane
join:2004-05-13
Streator, IL
1 edit | reply to Ringthane
Updating this so that people know what's going on - techs have come out twice so far. One crimped the line from the pole to the house, and the second one replaced the line from the outside to the splitter, the splitter itself, and the line from the splitter to the modem. I even tried a new modem, hoping that was the issue - no luck. Things are now worse than they've ever been - the internet is pretty much unusable.
We're going to have a tech come out AGAIN, which means we have to take off work AGAIN, and replace the line from the pole to the house, but we don't have much hope. Oh - we're also getting DSL, so that we can actually use this high-speed internet everyone keeps raving about.
Just letting people know what a nightmare Mediacom has become. |
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burner50
Pinlifter
Premium,VIP
join:2002-06-05
EN22wm
·Mediacom
·FrontierNet Intern..
| reply to Ringthane
Kinda seems like a bad connector.
A new drop should fix the issue since you have had everything else changed.
It is possible that there is a line problem, some amps do weird things when they get really hot.
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I'm tired of killing stupid people just trying to do my job and go home! |
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InterceptorX
@mchsi.com | reply to Ringthane
I'm also from Streator, Ive been having some connection problems also, called up tech support and they said something about having to provision my modem and give me a new IP, it seems to have been fixed though. |
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ALL WIRED
@comcast.net
| reply to Ringthane
The only problem i have is that you said the modem lights stay on as normal? Not disputing a line/modem issue but i have seen the cpu ethernet card go bad before and go on/off while modem stays online.Do both cpu go off? Try bypassing the router? I would try a few of these tests to be sure. |
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Ringthane
join:2004-05-13
Streator, IL
1 edit | reply to Ringthane
Yep - when it goes south, everything goes down. The TV cable signal stays on, and the modem lights are all on as normal, but bam! No internet. WoW disconnects, I get the "page cannot be displayed" page, and the modem just keeps chirping away. I have tried another modem (a Linksys BEFCMU10), and observed the same fluctuation in signal levels.
I have to admit, the past week or so it has been better. But it's still not good enough for me to say "Yeah, it's fixed." Mediacom was supposed to come out Thursday and replace the line from the pole to the house, but I don't know if they did or not - nobody called my wife or I to say they were coming, and there was no note or work order on the door or in the mailbox or anywhere to indicate that they did come. I guess I have to call them and find out if they did what they said they would do.
Edit: just tried hooking the computer straight into the modem. Exact same problem. I'm sitting here watching my signal level jump between -5.0 and -7.0. This has been going on for at least two months now. What is it going to take to get this fixed? |
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burner50
Pinlifter
Premium,VIP
join:2002-06-05
EN22wm
·Mediacom
·FrontierNet Intern..
| said by Ringthane  :Yep - when it goes south, everything goes down. The TV cable signal stays on, and the modem lights are all on as normal, but bam! No internet. WoW disconnects, I get the "page cannot be displayed" page, and the modem just keeps chirping away. That Indicates to me that the problem is a headend problem and not a problem in your home. If your modem stays connected, but still no internet then there isnt anything locally that is dropping you.
The signal levels are a local problem, but that doesnt seem to be whats kicking you offline.
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I'm tired of killing stupid people just trying to do my job and go home! |
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Ringthane
join:2004-05-13
Streator, IL
| said by burner50 :said by Ringthane :Yep - when it goes south, everything goes down. The TV cable signal stays on, and the modem lights are all on as normal, but bam! No internet. WoW disconnects, I get the "page cannot be displayed" page, and the modem just keeps chirping away. That Indicates to me that the problem is a headend problem and not a problem in your home. If your modem stays connected, but still no internet then there isnt anything locally that is dropping you. The signal levels are a local problem, but that doesnt seem to be whats kicking you offline. So how do I get it fixed? I'm watching my signal strength and power level drop from -2.9 to -7.0 right now, and from 46.5 to 51.0. This is happening in real time, and all I'm doing is sitting here typing this. So what's the next step? If it's an issue at Mediacom's end, how do I get them to fix it? |
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Anonymous
Premium
join:2004-06-01
IA | You should probably IM Bainch with your MAC so he can take a look at it. |
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burner50
Pinlifter
Premium,VIP
join:2002-06-05
EN22wm
·Mediacom
·FrontierNet Intern..
| reply to Ringthane
some signal fluctuations are normal, thats just the nature of the beast...
Fluctuations like you're seeing are not exactly normal, but could be caused by any number of things.
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I'm tired of killing stupid people just trying to do my job and go home! |
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Ringthane
join:2004-05-13
Streator, IL
1 edit | said by burner50 :some signal fluctuations are normal, thats just the nature of the beast... Fluctuations like you're seeing are not exactly normal, but could be caused by any number of things. So again, I ask how do I get it fixed? What's the normal range of fluctuation I should be seeing? It's gone from -1.8 to -3.2 in about a twenty minute period - is this still within acceptable range? Is there something else in my house that could be interfering with it, such as old electrical wiring or something?
I just feel uncomfortable about contacting someone I've never talked to in a personal communication like that. I'm sure Bainch wouldn't care, but it's just the way I am. |
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burner50
Pinlifter
Premium,VIP
join:2002-06-05
EN22wm | As I said... It could be caused by any number of things. |
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Ringthane
join:2004-05-13
Streator, IL
| That... doesn't really tell me much.
Is there anything else I can do? I can't believe I can live in the middle of town and get crappy cable, and there's nothing I can do about it. I could understand if I lived out in the country, but I am geographically in the middle of my town.
Is there nothing else I can try? |
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Anonymous
Premium
join:2004-06-01
IA
·Mediacom
1 edit | Assuming you had techs out and your wiring has been updated and determined this is not an on-site issue you really should contact BAINCH. He does this all the time and if you search his posts you'll see he offered his help on multiple occasions.
He's in better position to help you with bandwidth/area issues than anyone else posting in this forum. |
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burner50
Pinlifter
Premium,VIP
join:2002-06-05
EN22wm
·Mediacom
·FrontierNet Intern..
| reply to Ringthane
said by Ringthane :That... doesn't really tell me much. Is there anything else I can do? I can't believe I can live in the middle of town and get crappy cable, and there's nothing I can do about it. I could understand if I lived out in the country, but I am geographically in the middle of my town. Is there nothing else I can try? Without the proper diagnostic tools?
Try the shotgun approach and just start replacing things that havent been replaced yet
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I'm tired of killing stupid people just trying to do my job and go home! |
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