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Mechanicus
02-09-2009, 23:20
Hello. For the past few days, I have been having dropouts early in the mornings. When I first turn my computer on and start using the internet (usually around 8:00-8:30am) everything seems fine, but after a couple of minutes, my internet will just die. The ready light flashes on the modem, and power-cycling the modem does not fix it.

Today I tried removing the 10dB Forward Path Attenuator a Virgin tech had put on my modem when I had a similar problem (although then the internet was down for a couple of days solid). After I had removed it, it started working again. Here is my stats when it was down this morning:

Cable Modem Downstream
Downstream Lock : Locked
Downstream Channel Id : 26
Downstream Frequency : 307000000 Hz
Downstream Modulation : QAM256
Downstream Symbol Rate : 6952 Ksym/sec
Downstream Interleave Depth : taps12Increment17
Downstream Receive Power Level : -6.8 dBmV
Downstream SNR : 35.9 dB



Cable Modem Upstream
Upstream Lock : Not Locked
Upstream Channel ID : 1
Upstream Frequency : 47400000 Hz
Upstream Modulation : QAM16
Upstream Symbol Rate : 2560 Ksym/sec
Upstream transmit Power Level : 39.0 dBmV
Upstream Mini-Slot Size : 2


Although the upstream does say 'not locked' it had said 'locked' before, and yet it still wasn't working.

Here are my stats now:

Cable Modem Downstream
Downstream Lock : Locked
Downstream Channel Id : 26
Downstream Frequency : 307000000 Hz
Downstream Modulation : QAM256
Downstream Symbol Rate : 6952 Ksym/sec
Downstream Interleave Depth : taps12Increment17
Downstream Receive Power Level : 14.6 dBmV
Downstream SNR : 41.6 dB

Cable Modem Upstream
Upstream Lock : Locked
Upstream Channel ID : 1
Upstream Frequency : 47400000 Hz
Upstream Modulation : QAM16
Upstream Symbol Rate : 2560 Ksym/sec
Upstream transmit Power Level : 50.3 dBmV
Upstream Mini-Slot Size : 2


Any ideas?

Ben B
02-09-2009, 23:29
Your current downstream level is way too high and will need adjusting by a tech,

Mechanicus
02-09-2009, 23:30
Your current downstream level is way too high and will need adjusting by a tech,

I had a tech out. He fiddled with the box in the street, added the 10dB attenuator, and that was it.

Mechanicus
03-09-2009, 12:18
It didn't drop out this morning. Here are my stats from just now:



Cable Modem Downstream
Downstream Lock : Locked
Downstream Channel Id : 26
Downstream Frequency : 307000000 Hz
Downstream Modulation : QAM256
Downstream Symbol Rate : 6952 Ksym/sec
Downstream Interleave Depth : taps12Increment17
Downstream Receive Power Level : 13.7 dBmV
Downstream SNR : 39.2 dB

Upstream Lock : Locked
Upstream Channel ID : 1
Upstream Frequency : 47400000 Hz
Upstream Modulation : QAM16
Upstream Symbol Rate : 2560 Ksym/sec
Upstream transmit Power Level : 50.3 dBmV
Upstream Mini-Slot Size : 2

This is with the attenuator off. Maybe someone else had a problem and they fiddled in the box again (when I called the tech out for this problem before, he said that they had several people in the street with the same problem).

Mechanicus
04-09-2009, 09:39
It happened again this morning. I unplugged the router, and it started working. Plugging the router back in made it stop.
Here is the log and stats from when the router was in:

Fri Sep 04 07:28:53 2009 Fri Sep 04 07:28:53 2009 Warning (5) DHCP RENEW WARNING - Field invalid in response
Fri Sep 04 07:27:58 2009 Fri Sep 04 07:27:58 2009 Information (7) The s/w filename specified in the config file is the same as ...
Fri Sep 04 07:27:58 2009 Fri Sep 04 07:27:58 2009 Information (7) A software upgrade filename was specified in the config file.
Fri Sep 04 07:27:57 2009 Fri Sep 04 07:27:57 2009 Information (7) Authorized
Fri Sep 04 07:27:57 2009 Fri Sep 04 07:27:57 2009 Information (7) Registration complete!
Fri Sep 04 07:27:57 2009 Fri Sep 04 07:27:57 2009 Information (7) We registered with a DOCSIS 1.1 config file!
Fri Sep 04 07:27:57 2009 Fri Sep 04 07:27:57 2009 Information (7) Received a REG-RSP message from the CMTS...
Fri Sep 04 07:27:57 2009 Fri Sep 04 07:27:57 2009 Information (7) Sending a REG-REQ to the CMTS...
Fri Sep 04 07:27:57 2009 Fri Sep 04 07:27:57 2009 Information (7) CableModem SNMP configure complete
Fri Sep 04 07:27:57 2009 Fri Sep 04 07:27:57 2009 Information (7) IP init completed ok
Fri Sep 04 07:27:57 2009 Fri Sep 04 07:27:57 2009 Information (7) CableModem TFTP init ok
Fri Sep 04 07:27:57 2009 Fri Sep 04 07:27:57 2009 Information (7) CableModem DHCP client init ok
Fri Sep 04 07:27:57 2009 Fri Sep 04 07:27:57 2009 Critical (3) DHCP WARNING - Non-critical field invalid in response.
Fri Sep 04 07:27:53 2009 Fri Sep 04 07:27:53 2009 Information (7) MAP w/initial maintenance region received
Fri Sep 04 07:27:47 2009 Fri Sep 04 07:27:47 2009 Critical (3) No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out
Fri Sep 04 07:27:47 2009 Fri Sep 04 07:27:47 2009 Information (7) MAP w/initial maintenance region received
Fri Sep 04 07:27:44 2009 Fri Sep 04 07:27:44 2009 Critical (3) No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out
Fri Sep 04 07:27:44 2009 Fri Sep 04 07:27:44 2009 Information (7) MAP w/initial maintenance region received
Fri Sep 04 07:27:44 2009 Fri Sep 04 07:27:44 2009 Information (7) Downstream sync ok
Fri Sep 04 07:27:44 2009 Fri Sep 04 07:27:44 2009 Information (7) Beginning initial ranging...
Fri Sep 04 07:27:44 2009 Fri Sep 04 07:27:44 2009 Information (7) downstream time sync acquired...
Fri Sep 04 07:27:44 2009 Fri Sep 04 07:27:44 2009 Information (7) Downstream sync ok
Fri Sep 04 07:27:44 2009 Fri Sep 04 07:27:44 2009 Information (7) starting ds time sync acquisition...
Fri Sep 04 07:27:42 2009 Fri Sep 04 07:27:42 2009 Information (7) MAP w/initial maintenance region received
Fri Sep 04 07:27:42 2009 Fri Sep 04 07:27:42 2009 Critical (3) No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out
Fri Sep 04 07:27:42 2009 Fri Sep 04 07:27:42 2009 Information (7) MAP w/initial maintenance region received
Fri Sep 04 07:27:41 2009 Fri Sep 04 07:27:41 2009 Information (7) Downstream sync ok
Fri Sep 04 07:27:41 2009 Fri Sep 04 07:27:41 2009 Information (7) Beginning initial ranging...
Fri Sep 04 07:27:41 2009 Fri Sep 04 07:27:41 2009 Information (7) downstream time sync acquired...
Fri Sep 04 07:27:41 2009 Fri Sep 04 07:27:41 2009 Information (7) Downstream sync ok
Fri Sep 04 07:27:40 2009 Fri Sep 04 07:27:40 2009 Information (7) starting ds time sync acquisition...
Fri Sep 04 07:27:39 2009 Fri Sep 04 07:27:39 2009 Information (7) Locked on the downstream. Waiting for UCDs...
Fri Sep 04 07:27:39 2009 Fri Sep 04 07:27:39 2009 Information (7) Downstream lock ok



Cable Modem Downstream
Downstream Lock : Locked
Downstream Channel Id : 25
Downstream Frequency : 299000000 Hz
Downstream Modulation : QAM256
Downstream Symbol Rate : 6952 Ksym/sec
Downstream Interleave Depth : taps12Increment17
Downstream Receive Power Level : 19.4 dBmV
Downstream SNR : 31.3 dB

Cable Modem Upstream
Upstream Lock : Locked
Upstream Channel ID : 1
Upstream Frequency : 47400000 Hz
Upstream Modulation : QAM16
Upstream Symbol Rate : 2560 Ksym/sec
Upstream transmit Power Level : 50.0 dBmV
Upstream Mini-Slot Size : 2

And the log without the router:

Fri Sep 04 07:38:23 2009 Fri Sep 04 07:38:23 2009 Warning (5) DHCP RENEW WARNING - Field invalid in response
Fri Sep 04 07:36:26 2009 Fri Sep 04 07:36:26 2009 Information (7) The s/w filename specified in the config file is the same as ...
Fri Sep 04 07:36:26 2009 Fri Sep 04 07:36:26 2009 Information (7) A software upgrade filename was specified in the config file.
Fri Sep 04 07:36:26 2009 Fri Sep 04 07:36:26 2009 Information (7) Authorized
Fri Sep 04 07:36:25 2009 Fri Sep 04 07:36:25 2009 Information (7) Registration complete!
Fri Sep 04 07:36:25 2009 Fri Sep 04 07:36:25 2009 Information (7) We registered with a DOCSIS 1.1 config file!
Fri Sep 04 07:36:25 2009 Fri Sep 04 07:36:25 2009 Information (7) Received a REG-RSP message from the CMTS...
Fri Sep 04 07:36:25 2009 Fri Sep 04 07:36:25 2009 Information (7) Sending a REG-REQ to the CMTS...
Fri Sep 04 07:36:25 2009 Fri Sep 04 07:36:25 2009 Information (7) CableModem SNMP configure complete
Fri Sep 04 07:36:25 2009 Fri Sep 04 07:36:25 2009 Information (7) IP init completed ok
Fri Sep 04 07:36:25 2009 Fri Sep 04 07:36:25 2009 Information (7) CableModem TFTP init ok
Fri Sep 04 07:36:25 2009 Fri Sep 04 07:36:25 2009 Information (7) CableModem DHCP client init ok
Fri Sep 04 07:36:25 2009 Fri Sep 04 07:36:25 2009 Critical (3) DHCP WARNING - Non-critical field invalid in response.
Time Not Established Time Not Established Information (7) MAP w/initial maintenance region received
Time Not Established Time Not Established Information (7) Downstream sync ok
Time Not Established Time Not Established Information (7) Beginning initial ranging...
Time Not Established Time Not Established Information (7) downstream time sync acquired...
Time Not Established Time Not Established Information (7) Downstream sync ok
Time Not Established Time Not Established Information (7) starting ds time sync acquisition...
Time Not Established Time Not Established Information (7) Locked on the downstream. Waiting for UCDs...
Time Not Established Time Not Established Information (7) Downstream lock ok
Time Not Established Time Not Established Information (7) Sync Start

Ignitionnet
04-09-2009, 10:45
Your service is utterly utterly arsed and needs a service tech to assist you.

Power levels should not be swinging 20+dBmV.

Is your cabinet secure, all connectors you have access to nice and tight?

Either way tech call required. Something fairly key is wrong.

Mechanicus
04-09-2009, 12:01
Your service is utterly utterly arsed and needs a service tech to assist you.

Power levels should not be swinging 20+dBmV.

Is your cabinet secure, all connectors you have access to nice and tight?

Either way tech call required. Something fairly key is wrong.

Hmmm. It's annoying, because I am almost certain it will be working when the tech comes 'round (it's only bad early in the morning. The rest of the day it's fine). So will he even bother to do anything? I mean, this is the state it was left in by the last tech.

Ignitionnet
04-09-2009, 12:15
Also your sloping on your cable is knackered also.

Downstream Frequency : 299000000 Hz
Downstream Receive Power Level : 19.4 dBmV
Downstream SNR : 31.3 dB

Downstream Frequency : 307000000 Hz
Downstream Receive Power Level : 13.7 dBmV
Downstream SNR : 39.2 dB

5.7dBmV across a single channel isn't good.

All you can do I guess is cross fingers and hope that someone who knows arse from elbow will be able to sort this for you. There's clearly an issue there, and if the tech would be good enough to talk to tech support they can inform him of the drops.

Regardless just shoving an attenuator on it isn't an acceptable solution, your transmit power is very high given your very high downstream receive power.

Mechanicus
04-09-2009, 12:49
Ugh, okay, I guess I'll have to go through the hassle of having a tech come round. Just FYI, these are my stats from just now, with the router plugged back in (and a new RJ45 cable just incase it was that):

Cable Modem Downstream
Downstream Lock : Locked
Downstream Channel Id : 25
Downstream Frequency : 299000000 Hz
Downstream Modulation : QAM256
Downstream Symbol Rate : 6952 Ksym/sec
Downstream Interleave Depth : taps12Increment17
Downstream Receive Power Level : 19.7 dBmV
Downstream SNR : 37.8 dB

It seems to hover around 19-20 dBmV during the day, it's only early in the morning that it has problems. Also, I've been seeing this message in the log recently (it was there a couple of minutes ago):

DHCP RENEW WARNING - Field invalid in response
My connection doesn't drop or anything when I see these messages.