Forum Discussion

AZchips's avatar
AZchips
New Contributor III
5 years ago

AZ Chandler - constant packet loss

I have Cox Preferred 150 plan and use Arris Surfboard SB6180 modem.

I am working from home recently and noticed my Skype meeting call has severe audio problems.   I use Speed test from DSLReports and Cox and am seeing reasonable download and upload speeds (50-80Mbps Dn / 5-10Mbps Up).  However, my audio is breaking up a lot.  

So I started PingPlotter testing with laptop wire connected (No wireless here) to NetGear ORBI RBR50 router 1Gbps port.  I also did the testing with laptop connected to cable modem directly and seeing similar result.  

I am experiencing pretty bad packet loss throughout the day, with the worst from 10am-10pm.  As you can seem, the packet loss is 6.5 and 7.4% respectively at 9-10pm window.   Sometimes during daytime it is as high as 15-20%.   

https://imgur.com/i6y7Ij7

This doesn't just happen today, it has happened in the last two weeks (perhaps even longer but I haven't noticed until WFH recently). After calling Cox service, the CSR told me that my neighbor on the same street complained the same thing.  I am somewhat convinced that the problem is too many people sharing the same node in my neighborhood.  

The Cox cable "cylinder" (or pole for lack of a better term) has Cox orange flags surrounding it since Sep 2019.  It was planned to be upgraded to Fiber optical but nothing has happened in the last 6mon.  When can it be replaced?  

 

  • AZchips

    Please send an email to: cox.help@cox.com and include a link to this Forums post along with your full address so we can take a look.

    StephanieS
    Cox Forums Support Moderator
    • AZchips's avatar
      AZchips
      New Contributor III

      StephanieS,

      I wrote the Email.  Thanks. 

    • AZchips's avatar
      AZchips
      New Contributor III

      Hi,

      The technician stopped by yesterday but was unable to resolve the issue.  He did a couple of things:
      1. replace the coax cable connector on the tube, my Cox cable box, and in the room.
      2. installed MOCA filter (with proper grounding) on the cable in the cable box
      3. measured the Tx/Rx signal quality at various spots 
        1. "tube" (yellow Cox cylinder in my front yard)   
        2. cable box outside of the house
        3. Coax output at the room where the cable modem is located
        4. coax cable into the cable modem
      Basically he is saying the signal quality is already bad on Cox tube therefore there is not much he can do as the node is saturated.  My only hope is to wait for an optical fiber upgrade.
      Today I measured the packet loss is ~10% with PacketPlotter (attached).
      30min (target1) - a good correlation between Hop2 & Final 
      24hr (target1)  - note pretty quiet at night from 12am-8am
      24hr (Target2)  - all started from Hop2
      The notice on the Cox tube outside my house was placed Sep 2019 indicating fiber optical upgrade.  It has been sitting there for 6mon.  
       
      When can I expect the upgrade?  This makes WFH impossible as I need to dial into the Skype meetings a lot.
       
      Thanks.
      • ChrisL's avatar
        ChrisL
        Former Moderator
        When I check the modem from this end I'm unable to see any of the loss you're reporting. Can you try gathering more test data without the router attached?

        -Chris
  • 808's avatar
    808
    New Contributor

    I am in Chandler and been having this problem for a month now. And Cox said nothing is wrong.

    • Karen_R's avatar
      Karen_R
      Former Moderator
      Hello 808,

      Thank you for contacting Cox Social Media. I truly apologize that the services are not working properly and that we have not fully resolved the issue. So that we can check the signal loss please send an email with this forum link, your full name, and address to cox.help@cox.com. We will reply back once we receive the email. Thanks


      Karen
      Cox Support Forum Moderator
    • AZchips's avatar
      AZchips
      New Contributor III

      @808 

      My 2cents: Install PingPlotter (free trial for 14day) on your computer with wired connection to your router (also try cable modem directly bypassing the router), run for 48hr to collect packet loss data so it will give you some hints where the problem is.

      Each ease could be different..  My case happens to be node saturation.  I agree that the Cox internet in the Chandler area has been VERY unstable in the past few days.  Today is another day with service outage (4th time in the past week).