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Diagnosing internet connection goofups

Discussion in 'Networking (Hardware & Software)' started by psaulm119, 2008/01/19.

  1. 2008/01/19
    psaulm119 Lifetime Subscription

    psaulm119 Geek Member Thread Starter

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    I'm trying to figure out why my cable internet connection is going out intermittently. I have a Motorola Surfboard 5100 modem giving me blinking lights (when they should be on permanently), and I'd like to figure out if its the modem or the internet connection (the cable company itself). I'd call the isp but I know (from past experience with this and other isps) they always put the blame on someone else, not the internet connection.

    I'm wondering if there is any way I can see if my modem is working at this time, or if the problem is that it just needs rebooting--often, I can get back online after 5-10 minutes, during which I powered it down 1, 2, or 3 times.

    I have copied 2-3 days worth of logs from the modem. They may be of some use here.

    www.paulrittman.com/ModemLogs.mht

    I started this subject in the hardware forum, here:
    http://www.windowsbbs.com/showthread.php?p=381171&posted=1#post381171

    One guy suggested I start this up here. I've already asked a mod to close that thread so anyone interested can follow the topic here.

    OK. I've printed up a troubleshooting section from the 5100 manual, and the next time this happens, I'll consult it.
     
    psaulm119,
    #1
  2. 2008/01/19
    Steve R Jones

    Steve R Jones SuperGeek Staff

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    I have an SB5120 from Time Warner.
    As I mentioned in your other thread, I had a similar problem...

    I could be surfing along for hours and boom. Connection would die...I could see the lights on the modem were indicating the modem was rebooting. It would hang and no make a connection..Then out of the clear blue it would connect and I'd be back in business. This would repeat itself off and on for several weeks.....Then the problem just went away...As I also mentioned, a co-worker that lives five miles away had the exact same problem that also cleared up by itself....

    Anyway, do you know any of your neighbors well enough to ask them if they have the same problem?


    I did look on Charters web site and didn't see anything. Have seen other ISP's have a "system down" type section we're they'd post system outages....

    Odds are if it is a ISP issue, they've received MANY calls and could easily shed light on the subject.
     
    Steve R Jones,
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  4. 2008/01/19
    TonyT

    TonyT SuperGeek Staff

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    TonyT,
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  5. 2008/01/19
    psaulm119 Lifetime Subscription

    psaulm119 Geek Member Thread Starter

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    Yeah I've bookmarked that IP--that's how I was able to get the logs.

    I'll ask a few neighbors, but to tell the truth I've only started noticing it since I've been on winter break--I teach at a local cc--and I'm online pretty much all day long (very sporadically, not constantly ;) ) so these minor "outages" wouldn't be noticeable (to folks who are at work anyways).
     
    psaulm119,
    #4
  6. 2008/01/19
    TonyT

    TonyT SuperGeek Staff

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    What are the signal levels of the modem? You should be able to view Receive & Transmit signals.

    The Receive signal should ne between -15 and +10, around -4 to 0 is very good.

    The Transmit signal is fixed by the cable company and should be around 39-41.

    If signals are not in those ranges then call the ISP support. They can run diagnostics from their end and determine such things a signal quality and packet loss. Packet loss above 2% is very bad. Get the tech to tell you the packet loss % (often they refrain from saying what it is). And demand they fix things. Then call billing and you can get a credit for the poor service.

    I've had an ongoing issue w/ COX. Theres an amp on a pole near my house that is dumping current into the line causing interference and degrade the download bandwidth at night. They have been t-shooting this line for a month (it took 'em 2 months to isolate it as the cause). I call every month and get $20 credit! (until fixed permanently).
     
    TonyT,
    #5
  7. 2008/01/19
    psaulm119 Lifetime Subscription

    psaulm119 Geek Member Thread Starter

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    Tony, if I'm reading the Signal page correctly, for downloading the power level signal is -7 dBmV; the signal to noise ratio is 38 db.

    Is this what you are referring to?
     
    psaulm119,
    #6
  8. 2008/01/19
    Scott Smith

    Scott Smith Inactive Alumni

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    what is the quality of the picture on your TV? Especially the lower channels (2-8) and the upper channels (65-75)
    -7 is ok but it isn't great. Is the coax a dedicated line from outside or does it go through a splitter?
    A 2 way splitter kills the signal by 3.5 db. A 4 way kills it by 7db. And an 8 way kills it by 15.
     
    Scott Smith,
    #7
  9. 2008/01/19
    psaulm119 Lifetime Subscription

    psaulm119 Geek Member Thread Starter

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    The cable goes straight into the modem--no splitter (or were you asking about outside the house?). And we don't have tv, only internet, so I can't say anything about the tv signal.
     
    psaulm119,
    #8
  10. 2008/01/19
    TonyT

    TonyT SuperGeek Staff

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    You should see something like:

    Receive Power Level
    -3.4 dBmV

    Transmit Power Level
    40.0 dBmV
     
    TonyT,
    #9

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