Security → signal levels = security threat?

In trying to help dslreports user, maxdriver out, we asked him to post his cable modem signal levels. Here is his post in this regard:
»A tweak to better me up down speed please.

quote:

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I asked a shaw technical support rep for
upstream power
upstream snr
downstream power
downstream srn.

He said dont tell anybody that stuff. And you must be a suspicious fellow to want to know that stuff. You must be a cracker,the shaw tech said about you.

I dont want to give that information now. I dont want to slander you,but,I trust the shaw technical support more than you.Sorry.

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Please comment on his fears, so that we can get the info we need to help him; and let him know the 'quality' of Shaw Cable's technical support.

"What were dealing with is a whole new kind of stupid" -- actual tech support rep

The power is the signal strength, and the SNR(Signal to Noise Ratio) is how strong the signal is compared to line noise.
[text was edited by author 2003-06-11 23:24:14]

The Shaw tech is right on the money: don't give out that kind of data.

And - more importantly - NEVER tell what color your cable modem is. You cannot have that information falling in the wrong hands lest bad things happen.

Steve

My DSL modem is off-white, but I feel safe in posting that information, because I bought some colour-screening software from a web site. It works by some sort of stealth modulation screening technique. They had a colour probe as well, and after I installed the software, it said it couldn't tell what colour my modem was. So I know it worked.

said by dave:

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My DSL modem is off-white, but I feel safe in posting that information, because I bought some colour-screening software from a web site. It works by some sort of stealth modulation screening technique. They had a colour probe as well, and after I installed the software, it said it couldn't tell what colour my modem was. So I know it worked.

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I'm very familiar with the program dave is speaking of. It "modulates" the true normal color name of your modem to a, let's just say, fancy name (i.e. yellow = goldenrod, green = chartreuse, etc) So if anyone is interested in hacking dave's cable modem look for egg shell.

said by maxdriver$:

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So,not only are you shady,but your tests are useless.
According to the shaw rep,not me.:)

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But I guess a "safe" person would stay away from our advice

-edit- spelling and such

Most of the techs at Shaw are all of the stupid. I used to work there back in the day.

So...

signal levels = security threat? uhhh... nope
shaw techs = the stupid? uhhh... yeah

I recently began having problems with my cable modem dropping offline the past week or so. Really bad too, up and down all day. My roommate was dealing with it because I am always at work and they were getting him to plug the comp into the cable modem directly and try releasing and renewing the IP over and over then the tech said that the router was probably causing problems. The whole time the cable modem is flashing a light sequence indicating that there was no connection to shaw. Arrgh!! Glorified customer service reps!!! All of them!! I am glad I got laid off a couple of years ago.

/me checks to see if he is wearing the 'bitter pants'

Hell... I am much better off these days anyway.