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7 Messages
Cable Modem Dropping Out
Lately our cable modem has been dropping out, where it had been working fine for a couple years. We tried to figure out what changed recently and we remembered that about the same time, a truck had taken out one of the poles down the street and a Cox crew was fixing/replacing things. Our neighborhood has wires underground, but the wires up the street apparently are on the poles.
So, when they fixed the wires, could they have screwed up the signal strength somehow?
Using Motorola Surfboard SB5101 cable modem with Apple Airport Extreme wireless router. Like I mentioned before, everything's been working fine until about the timeframe of those repairs.
Edit: forgot to mention that mine is connected directly to the router (i.e., not using wireless), while the other two computers (and other equipment) use the wireless. Also, I can see the cable modem LEDs all go off, as in restarting, when we lose connection.
dutchman
New Contributor
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2 Messages
12 years ago
Did you reset your modem? Also check your internet speed. go to cox site...my connection...internet tools...speed check...click on speed check...my download speed is 20.42 and my upload speed is 13.26. see how yours is..
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BirdManOfCT
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7 Messages
12 years ago
Download speed is 24.24Mbps. Upload speed is 9.05Mbps. Ping is 22ms. I have Preferred with PowerBoost.
Edit: yes, I'd reset my modem. And it keeps resetting itself. ;)
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Trikein
Contributor III
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806 Messages
12 years ago
What are your signal levels? Here is how you do it and some background info.
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BirdManOfCT
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7 Messages
12 years ago
Downstream signal-to-noise ratio: 38.5 dB.
Downstream power level: -3.9 dBmV.
Upstream power leve: 40.2 dBmV.
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Trikein
Contributor III
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806 Messages
12 years ago
Signal levels look good.
When you said "I can see the cable modem LEDs all go off," do you mean the power too? I suspect a hardware issue.
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BirdManOfCT
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7 Messages
12 years ago
Yes, I believe the power light went off as well. I was considering upgrading the cable modem, but didn't want to throw that into the mix if it really was something like recent local changes that I mentioned.
Haven't had a restart in 14 hours, knock on wood....
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Trikein
Contributor III
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806 Messages
12 years ago
Well I'm not 100% sure, but i don't think the power light should flash on a normal signal caused reset. I wanted to fact check myself and found page 8 of manual the light sequence that the power LED should "never flash". On a lamp test during boot, yes, but not during a reset, that should be receive down. I mean it could still be a firmware bug or something, but I doubt it. Maybe the accident caused a spike in the line that hurt the modem? Or maybe coincidence? Might not be the modem itself, check the power brick and the power strip (assuming you have one).
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BirdManOfCT
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7 Messages
12 years ago
Thanks. I still might replace the cable modem, but it's been 24 hours now without a reset. Before, it was doing it every couple hours since a week ago or so. I'll probably wait a couple more days to see what happens, but then I'll probably replace the cable modem anyhow. Thanks!
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BirdManOfCT
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7 Messages
12 years ago
I just did a restart (from 192.168.100.1) and all the lights went out briefly, maybe for a second. Hmm.
I'm wondering if they fixed something? Maybe neighbors have also complained? Still seems to be working, continuing to knock on wood.
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BirdManOfCT
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7 Messages
12 years ago
Over a week without issues, knock on wood. I'm wondering if they fixed something (like a poor signal).
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Trikein
Contributor III
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806 Messages
12 years ago
Thats good troubleshooting, but the point is if the modem looks like it does when you reboot it, I don't think thats a good sign. Thats because when the modem has a signal problem it syncs, it doesn't reboot, which is a important difference. Case and point, if you have the modem on and working, and disconnect the coaxial for 10 seconds and then reconnect, does the power light go out? If not, then what ever is causing the modem to reboot is not related to signal issue. But like you said..knock on wood.
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