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More internet issues

I went back and checked your modem again, and your levels still aren't where they should be. I don't know if something changed since the last tech visit, but you're at around -12dBmV down and a 38dBmV upstream and a 34 SNR. The downstream needs to be fixed, but at the same time, something is unbalanced outside of the house most likely as if a tech were to correct the -12 and increase it to say -6dBmV, your upstream would then be a 28dBmV, which is way too low.

Someone needs to come out and check where you're at as far as signal goes at the tap, and figure out where the problem is. I wish there was something I could do from this end, but unfortunately this isn't something I can control from here. I would recommend another technician visit be set up to look at the problem.
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Dan Della Terza
WOW! Internet, Cable & Phone
Network Operations Center

Like I said, when the first tech came out, he climbed the pole, saw low signal there, but still ran a new cable to the box on the house, made the appointment, and the other techs came to work on the equipment up the pole. When they left it was fine for a little while, but now it is happening again. As a matter of fact, that tech gave me his bosses direct number to call if the maintance on the pole didn't fix it. I called him a few days later when there was still problems, he said he knew you when I mentioned the forum, but I can't remember his name. He personally came out later to swap the modem and verify signal/speed tests. Everything was fine for like a month, then this started up again. I appreciate you trying to help, but can't you schedule or forward the message to the local techs that something needs to be scheduled, it has to be something between you guys and the equipment on the pole, everything beyond that was replaced last time. No offense, I know wow tries to have great support, but in this situation, it is sad I have to come to a forum, I just happened to find out you post on to get an educated answer. 2 supervisors up from phone tech support and they still just keep offering discounts to make up for bad service. I want it fixed, not more discounts. Best solution, would be for you to forward the situation to a local tech you know can handle it, and have them call me. As you said you can verify the signal is messed up. That alone would save me 30min on the phone and several transfers, when someone like you can verify it to someone local.

Again though, thank you for your help, it truely is fantastic that you come here and post and try to help people, it really is a great service to wow customers.

In addition, it seems like I almost have to argue with them on the phone to get them to waive the tech fee before they even come out. You saying that the issue is outside the house means I shouldn't have to pay a tech fee, correct?

In addition, and they are probably related, but HD TV reception is horrible. All TV's in the house are newer HDTV's with built in QAM tuners. The one TV has an HD DVR, and for the most part it gets good reception. However on the TV's that plug right into cable, local FOX, and ABC are spotty reception at best. CBS seems to come reliable most of the time. NBC is 50/50.

reply to hudiat
I have sent an email to the supervisors in your area with your information and a link to this post, and asked them to please contact you about working on this issue. Hopefully we can get this resolved for you soon. I apologize for the inconveniences caused by this, and please let me know what happens. Someone should be in contact with you either today or tomorrow.

Thank you, I really do appreciate, if I came off as rude or anything, I am sorry, it is just that this is getting a little out of hand. The first tech got appropriate signal levels, and it worked fine for like a month, and then there was the other time someone else in my area was having issues and you figured out something on your end, and that worked, but again, a few weeks later and the signal is just terrible again. I appreciate all the help, and just want this fixed to the point, where I am not going to have to come back here in a month and bother you again.

Again, thank you. I'll post back after someone contacts me and figures something out.

I just switched to a different coax connection inside, and the downstream got alot better, right now I am showing -4, but the transmit fell to about 30.

-4dBmV downstream is good, that's within operating specs. The problem with your situation is both were on the low end, and when you raise downstream, you decrease upstream the same amount, and vice versa. Getting one within spec pushes the other one out of spec. This leads me to believe it might be an issue possibly in your neighborhood, but I can't confirm that from here. Even if your change makes things more stable, we would still want to get those levels balanced out better to keep this from happening again.
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Dan Della Terza
WOW! Internet, Cable & Phone
Network Operations Center

In an unrelated question, assuming everything gets working properly, any ETA update on the whole house DVR. In addition to an ETA, how does it work, is there just a main box, and then other boxes connect wirelessly to that? Or does each seperate box still need a coax connector. We have one TV that currently only has antenna, that its not worth the time and hassle to add cable to that room, but if the box was wireless I could see getting one for that TV.

The whole home solutions are coming soon, we're still currently on track with our release date which is in the Q1 2012. I can't really give any details about the units themselves yet, once I'm able to release more information, you guys will be the first people I tell.

Ok Dan, someone is coming at 1pm EST (don't know what time zone you are in). Just a few quick questions beforehand.

Do you think the HD tuning issues are related?
Should they make sure every installed coax port is getting good enough signal? (moving modem from room to room, the signal changes greatly depending on connection I hook it up too)
What signal levels would you feel comfortable seeing to call the issue "fixed"?

Ok, right now the modem is on the outlet that was installed later when we added internet. I would prefer the modem to be in another room now, can the tech coming out today handle that, and how much for s new install in a room that doesnt have one? Also I want to upgrade to 30/3, can a tech do that on site, or would I have to call to upgrade and make a new appointment?

The tech I was told was coming out was a lead, he should be able to do anything you need done. Switching which outlet the modem is on could be as easy as changing lines between splitters, depending on how the house is wired. I wouldn't be able to make that call without seeing it myself, so the tech will have to determine that when he gets there.

If the tech has a DOCSIS 3.0 modem on his truck, he should be able to upgrade you right away, but again, I don't know what he's got on him as far as equipment goes.
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Dan Della Terza
WOW! Internet, Cable & Phone
Network Operations Center

Awesome. He just called, on his way earlier than he expected. I thank you again for setting this up and workin with me here. Hopefully this will all be sorted out soon.

Dan, Tech was great, spent some time here ran some new cable. I upgraded to 30/3, and I get those speeds consistently during speed tests, however the connection is still not that reliable.
»www.pingtest.net/result/53952405.png
My results at pingtest.
In addition, as far as the TV goes, he ran a new cable, verified signal and it was perfect. Worked fine, not even 20min after he left HD stations are still not coming in properly on TV plugged right to wall.
On the TV with the DVR, he replaced the DVR and it seems to be working better now. He gave me his card, and I will call him tomorrow, but at this point with work being done at the house level again, and this time he did alot, and issues sill persist, I have to think that something is wrong with WoW somewhere else causing this.

Ran pingtest on several servers, while the packet loss is there on some servers and not others, the jitter is still high everywhere. Doing a ping -t of google.com I get pings in the 30's but every so often it goes in the 50's, and less common, but still happens a few times over the course of a few minutes watching it, it sky rockets to 400+.
Same results even if I am directly to modem, or through router.

Forget the latency of ping tests to google, what you need to be looking for is packet loss, plain and simple. For all you know google delays it's response to a echo request anytime the website is under moderate or heavy load.

There is packet loss, it ranges anywhere from 0-5% on pingtest. Picking random servers, or doing the same server over and over, sometimes there is non, more than half the time there is.