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mino
join:2018-11-23

4 edits

mino

Member

[help] Unstable Internet Speeds

I've recently replaced my modem with an SB6183 (2 weeks ago) due to intermittent internet loss. However, in the past several days, I've encountered similar issues with my new modem (high uncorrectables/ low SNR) albeit not to the same extent where entire channels lose their lock. The SNR for frequency 723Mhz fluctuates between 0 and 33 every couple minutes and the modulation at times shows "unknown". My internet speed now fluctuates between 5Mbps-50Mbps (generally around 30Mbps from what I can tell) on my 200 plan. My speedtest indicates my upload is fine (no issues in the modem status page) but fluctuates widely in download speed within the same speedtest run and between different runs.

What would be the best way to diagnose this issue. Thank you for your time.

Speedtest Diagnostics - »[Cable Speed test: 32.53/34.31 10 ms]
Main Diagnostics Page - »screenshots.firefox.com/ ··· 68.100.1
Event Log - »screenshots.firefox.com/ ··· 68.100.1

Tursiops_G
Technoid
MVM
join:2002-02-06
Brooksville, FL
ARRIS TM1602

Tursiops_G

MVM

Looks like signal issues (noise ingress)... Especially on Channel IDs 12, 23, & 24.

Take a close look at *all* your cables & connections. Make sure that all connectors are clean and tight, properly attached, and all cables are free from damage (cuts, kinks, crushed spots), all the way from the Grounding Block to the Modem.
Make sure that there are no open (unused) splitter ports or cable runs. Terminate any unused connections with 75 ohm F Terminators.

If necessary, you can get a package of 2 coax cables (6 Ft. and 25 Ft.), a 2-Way splitter, and a connector wrench for FREE at your local Optimum Store.

If that doesn't help, then a Service Call is in order.
mino
join:2018-11-23

mino

Member

Thanks for the information, I'll take a look at the whole cable run.

dxlirixus
join:2016-01-31
Rockwell, NC

dxlirixus to mino

Member

to mino
Make sure you are off of the first split from the incoming line for the internet modem. If you don't have TV service then you don't need a splitter. Sounds like a cable went bad or something.
mino
join:2018-11-23

mino

Member

I have scheduled a tech to look at it. I can't seem to find anything wrong with the splitter or the other cables. After some more investigation it seems my SNR for the 723Mhz channel fluctuates between 0 dB and 33dB every minute or so. Not sure if its my modem's fault, however it was working fine for a couple weeks with no issues.
mino

1 edit

mino

Member

The tech's tester showed the signal was fine and blamed my non-approved modem for the fluctuating SNR. It is possible for the line to the modem to be perfectly fine but the modem to cause intermittent extreme fluctuations of SNR between 0 and 33 every 2 minutes? My second call yielded a better Tier 2 tech who found high packet loss to the modem and stated that the modem was DOCSIS 3.0 and should work fine regardless of whether it was an "approved modem" or not. Now i have wasted $80 on a service check appointment.

At this point, I'll have to buy some lottery tickets so I can run some fiber from the nearest IX POP to my home and pay for transit and peering.

Tursiops_G
Technoid
MVM
join:2002-02-06
Brooksville, FL
ARRIS TM1602

Tursiops_G

MVM

Did the Tech put in an Optimum (rented) Modem to verify his diagnosis, or just blamed it on yours and left?

If he didn't swap in a rental modem, I'd go to your local Walk-In and pick up one, install/register it, and check the signals again.

If the signals still show fluctuating SNR/High Uncorrectables with THEIR modem, I'd call them back and dispute the Tech's findings and the $80 service fee and ask for another Tech Visit.
mino
join:2018-11-23

mino

Member

He just blamed my modem and left. I'm planning to get a TM1602A from eBay just to verify that it's not my SB6183 as it's an "approved modem" but at this point, I'm just throwing money away and I'm worried that a second visit will cost me another $80. The SB6183 was working fine for a week or two and the SNR to 723 MHz just started to go haywire. I'm now paying for $200 any only getting 20Mbps. Just to add to my frustrations with Optimum, when I returned my old modem after installing my SB6183 with no issues they decided to cancel my entire internet service incorrectly concluding I was terminating service when it obviously showed my new modem registered with my account at the time.
kcram
Premium Member
join:2002-02-22
Bergenfield, NJ

1 recommendation

kcram to mino

Premium Member

to mino
said by mino:

The tech's tester showed the signal was fine and blamed my non-approved modem for the fluctuating SNR. It is possible for the line to the modem to be perfectly fine but the modem to cause intermittent extreme fluctuations of SNR between 0 and 33 every 2 minutes? My second call yielded a better Tier 2 tech who found high packet loss to the modem and stated that the modem was DOCSIS 3.0 and should work fine regardless of whether it was an "approved modem" or not. Now i have wasted $80 on a service check appointment.

At this point, I'll have to buy some lottery tickets so I can run some fiber from the nearest IX POP to my home and pay for transit and peering.

The Tier 2 tech should have sent out another road tech, as high packet loss is indicative of a signal issue, not an owner-modem issue.
mino
join:2018-11-23

mino

Member

I'm going to try again with another service appointment after getting a TM1602A to verify it's not my SB6183's fault, I'm just so frustrated and I need to vent because I have no other choice in ISP like most of America which is ridiculous. Pingplotter shows me around 1-2% packet loss at an 1 second interval and 50% packet loss at 0.5 second interval to google.com.

Tursiops_G
Technoid
MVM
join:2002-02-06
Brooksville, FL
ARRIS TM1602

3 recommendations

Tursiops_G

MVM

I would NOT BUY another modem until it's PROVEN that your SB6183 is indeed bad.

I'd get one of the Optimum-Owned Rentals from the local Optimum Store FIRST, and see if that is the problem.
If the issue is NOT with your Modem, and is proven to be with Optimum's service, You should be able to get the $80 service fee waived.

Don't let a Lazy 'Tech' (probably a Contractor rather than an In-House tech), screw you over when it's actually THEIR problem.
TheLeak3r
join:2017-06-25
united state

1 recommendation

TheLeak3r to mino

Member

to mino
No need to buy just rent one, as they can come back out and say the modem is bad you bought. Its better to just take a rental for testing

Bobcat00
join:2018-09-19
New Jersey

2 recommendations

Bobcat00 to Tursiops_G

Member

to Tursiops_G
said by Tursiops_G:

I'd get one of the Optimum-Owned Rentals from the local Optimum Store FIRST, and see if that is the problem.
If the issue is NOT with your Modem, and is proven to be with Optimum's service, You should be able to get the $80 service fee waived.

Listen to Tursiops.
mino
join:2018-11-23

1 recommendation

mino

Member

Will do, going out to the optimum store this weekend to get a rental.
TheLeak3r
join:2017-06-25
united state

1 recommendation

TheLeak3r

Member

Before disconnect, take a note of signal levels.
mino
join:2018-11-23

1 edit

mino

Member

The TM802G that I received from the optimum store works fine as it doesn't connect (8x4 vs the 16x4 of my SB6183) to any of the channels/frequencies that were causing the problems in the first place so I'm still unable to verify whether it's my SB6183's fault or not unfortunately. At least it works but now it will incur a $10/mo rental fee sadly. I can't force the modem to switch to the channels (channel 24/723MHz and channel 12/651MHz) that were causing me issues to test whether or not the original issue was from the line or the SB6183.

Screenshot of the TM802G status page: »screenshots.firefox.com/ ··· 8.100.1#
TheLeak3r
join:2017-06-25
united state

1 recommendation

TheLeak3r

Member

said by mino:

The TM802G that I received from optimum works fine as it doesn't connect (8x4 vs the 16x4 of my SB6183) to any of the channels/frequencies that were causing the problems in the first place so I'm still unable to verify whether it's my SB6183's fault or not unfortunately. At least it works but now it will incur a $10/mo rental fee sadly. I can't force the modem to switch to the channels (channel 24/723MHz and channel 12/651MHz) that were causing me issues to test whether or not the original issue was from the line or the SB6183.

Screenshot of the TM802G status page: »screenshots.firefox.com/ ··· 8.100.1#

Go to the store a ask for a TM1602 as thats a 24X4 so will get more channels.
mino
join:2018-11-23

mino

Member

I'll be going back now for replace the TM802 I just got with a TM1602. I hope that one can lock in on channel 12 and 24 and see if there are issues there.

Bobcat00
join:2018-09-19
New Jersey

1 recommendation

Bobcat00

Member

With a 200 plan, I'm pretty sure you should have gotten a 1602 to begin with.
mino
join:2018-11-23

mino

Member

said by Bobcat00:

With a 200 plan, I'm pretty sure you should have gotten a 1602 to begin with.

The person I talked to didn't even know what the coaxial installation package was when I requested for one, even mentioning the contents of it which was advertised on Optimum's website during the modem installation process.
mino

mino

Member

Finally got a TM1602A with 24x4 channels from the Optimum. It turns out I wasn't crazy as the new modem also had no lock on Channel 12/651MHz and Channel 24/723MHz just like my SB6183. Both channels pop in an out on every refresh of the status page. I'm going to have a good chat with Optimum over this for their terrible technician they sent out and the crappy service.

Screen from TM1602A: »screenshots.firefox.com/ ··· 68.100.1
mino

1 edit

mino

Member

I'm absolutely livid after the conversation with the customer support. Not only were the technician's diagnosis wrong but the fact I can reproduce the same exact issue on a different modem that I received directly from them, I can't remove the service charge of $80 for the incompetent technician who was of no help even though I can prove that it wasn't and issue with my modem that the technician laid the blame on. This is absurd as the customer support's tests always indicate that there is no problem when I can see clearly in front of me, TWO WHOLE channels are dropping in and out of connection on two different modems every couple seconds. The support representatives don't seem to care about the fact that I am losing channels, slow speeds, and high uncorrectable errors as long as their "tests" say everything is fine.

Tursiops_G
Technoid
MVM
join:2002-02-06
Brooksville, FL
ARRIS TM1602

Tursiops_G

MVM

That's just totally unacceptable.

Time to take it to the next step, and start a NEW thread over in the Optimum Direct Forum: »Optimum Direct

You will need to start a New Topic thread, as all Topicss are Private. (only the OP and Optimum Support personnel can read/post, to ensure Privacy).

Be courteous, patient, and provide full details... The folks there really do want to help when other support options fail.
mino
join:2018-11-23

mino

Member

said by Tursiops_G:

That's just totally unacceptable.

Time to take it to the next step, and start a NEW thread over in the Optimum Direct Forum: »Optimum Direct

You will need to start a New Topic thread, as all Topicss are Private. (only the OP and Optimum Support personnel can read/post, to ensure Privacy).

Be courteous, patient, and provide full details... The folks there really do want to help when other support options fail.

Thank you and everyone else for the advice I have received over the past week, I'll create a topic in the Optimum Direct forum. I'm disappointed I can't get escalated no matter how hard I try to an tier 2 or higher support representatives from Optimum who actually know what channels/frequencies are other than running the so called tests that seem to always show everything is fine.
TheLeak3r
join:2017-06-25
united state

TheLeak3r to mino

Member

to mino
What you would need to do is leave connected amd schedule a service call and once they see they will be able to proper fix it. As they will see it's their modem and not result to saying that.

Bobcat00
join:2018-09-19
New Jersey

Bobcat00 to Tursiops_G

Member

to Tursiops_G
said by Tursiops_G:

The folks there really do want to help when other support options fail.

That's not my experience. They didn't help at all. I ended up have to talk to two guys I found with an Optimum bucket truck to get my issue resolved.
majortom1029
join:2006-10-19
Medford, NY

majortom1029 to mino

Member

to mino
Altice is having huge problems with channels in the 600 mhz range. I am willing to bet it's because of TMobile enabling 600mhz on their towers. A lot of people in my area of Long can't watch channels 4 and 5 due to it. It's bringing out all the problems in altices network.

Even on the cable modem side I have issues on any channels on the 6xxmhz area.

Murdoc
join:2016-02-27
united state

Murdoc

Member

said by majortom1029:

Altice is having huge problems with channels in the 600 mhz range. I am willing to bet it's because of TMobile enabling 600mhz on their towers. A lot of people in my area of Long can't watch channels 4 and 5 due to it. It's bringing out all the problems in altices network.

Even on the cable modem side I have issues on any channels on the 6xxmhz area.

That doesn’t say much about their plant integrity out there.
mino
join:2018-11-23

mino

Member

After rewiring with some RG6 coax cable through the roof directly to the modem bypassing the current internal wiring, I seemed to have resolved the issue. I still find it unacceptable that the technician simply passed the issue as a problem with the modem after his "test" with the line scanner to the internal wiring found no issues instead of trying proactively fix or diagnose the issue. I paid $80 for a technician to be competent enough to try to fix the issue rather leave right afrer passing the blame to the modem which was indeed not the issue. The fact that customer support keeps repeatedly finding "no issue" with the modem with their tests despite clear evidence to the contrary is also frustrating.

So far, I'm just running a cable from a duct in my roof directly to the modem. I still have no idea if it's an internal wiring issue or with the installed cable connected to the splitter that links to the internet wiring. I will have to do further testing.
mino

mino

Member

Optimum is a pain in the ass, refusing to remove the service appointment charge no matter how hard I try. So effectively I paid $80 for someone to come over, tell me there's a problem, and makes an educated guess at the cause and leaving. This is ridiculous. I would expect a service technician to at least find the problem and try to fix it. I'd rather have the $80 towards the technician to correctly find the problem and not fix it than make a guess at what's the problem and leaving right after.
Instead I'm left to do all of the testing, diagnoses, and repairs myself. I don't see the value in service appointments which are supposed to relieve some of the work customers have to do to fix the issue when I'm left doing all the work.