Intermittent Cable Broadband fault - Drop outs

[watred]

I have been having intermittent problems with my BB for quite some time now, and I have learnt to live with it, but now and again the annoyance gets the better of me and I try to get it resolved.

I lose connection about every 10-20 minutes for about 5-10 seconds or so. Its not as noticeable browsing but when connected to a remote server by citrix I get logged off all my sessions and have to log back in - very annoying.

When I call for support they ask if my SYNC and Ready lights are lit - indeed they are. but I try to explain the fault is intermittent.

here is an example ping test to news.bbc.co.uk - or any other website.
notice the degradation in service, then it drops out. almost like something is converging their end or something as its quite regular, every 10-20 mins or so.
Also spoke to terminations who put me on a different package, apparently I was on a very old one - not sure this would make a difference to be honest.

Modem logs and signals below too, maybe this is something that I just have to live with??

Reply from 212.58.246.83: bytes=32 time=15ms TTL=53
Reply from 212.58.246.83: bytes=32 time=32ms TTL=53
Reply from 212.58.246.83: bytes=32 time=19ms TTL=53
Reply from 212.58.246.83: bytes=32 time=24ms TTL=53
Reply from 212.58.246.83: bytes=32 time=21ms TTL=53
Reply from 212.58.246.83: bytes=32 time=15ms TTL=53
Reply from 212.58.246.83: bytes=32 time=32ms TTL=53
Reply from 212.58.246.83: bytes=32 time=15ms TTL=53
Request timed out.
Reply from 212.58.246.83: bytes=32 time=18ms TTL=53
Reply from 212.58.246.83: bytes=32 time=17ms TTL=53
Reply from 212.58.246.83: bytes=32 time=33ms TTL=53
Reply from 212.58.246.83: bytes=32 time=17ms TTL=53
Reply from 212.58.246.83: bytes=32 time=32ms TTL=53
Reply from 212.58.246.83: bytes=32 time=18ms TTL=53
Reply from 212.58.246.83: bytes=32 time=26ms TTL=53
Reply from 212.58.246.83: bytes=32 time=17ms TTL=53
Request timed out.
Reply from 212.58.246.83: bytes=32 time=25ms TTL=53
Reply from 212.58.246.83: bytes=32 time=15ms TTL=53
Reply from 212.58.246.83: bytes=32 time=22ms TTL=53
Request timed out.
Reply from 212.58.246.83: bytes=32 time=20ms TTL=53
Reply from 212.58.246.83: bytes=32 time=26ms TTL=53
Request timed out.
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Reply from 212.58.246.83: bytes=32 time=30ms TTL=53
Request timed out.
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Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Reply from 212.58.246.83: bytes=32 time=1114ms TTL=53
Reply from 212.58.246.83: bytes=32 time=671ms TTL=53
Reply from 212.58.246.83: bytes=32 time=18ms TTL=53
Reply from 212.58.246.83: bytes=32 time=50ms TTL=53
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Reply from 212.58.246.83: bytes=32 time=19ms TTL=53
Reply from 212.58.246.83: bytes=32 time=36ms TTL=53
Reply from 212.58.246.83: bytes=32 time=17ms TTL=53
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Reply from 212.58.246.83: bytes=32 time=47ms TTL=53
Reply from 212.58.246.83: bytes=32 time=36ms TTL=53
Reply from 212.58.246.83: bytes=32 time=16ms TTL=53
Reply from 212.58.246.83: bytes=32 time=24ms TTL=53
Reply from 212.58.246.83: bytes=32 time=35ms TTL=53
Reply from 212.58.246.83: bytes=32 time=17ms TTL=53
Reply from 212.58.246.83: bytes=32 time=15ms TTL=53
Reply from 212.58.246.83: bytes=32 time=16ms TTL=53
Reply from 212.58.246.83: bytes=32 time=15ms TTL=53
Request timed out.
Reply from 212.58.246.83: bytes=32 time=28ms TTL=53
Reply from 212.58.246.83: bytes=32 time=16ms TTL=53
Request timed out.
Reply from 212.58.246.83: bytes=32 time=40ms TTL=53
Reply from 212.58.246.83: bytes=32 time=28ms TTL=53
Reply from 212.58.246.83: bytes=32 time=47ms TTL=53
Reply from 212.58.246.83: bytes=32 time=16ms TTL=53
Reply from 212.58.246.83: bytes=32 time=17ms TTL=53
Reply from 212.58.246.83: bytes=32 time=25ms TTL=53
Reply from 212.58.246.83: bytes=32 time=14ms TTL=53
Reply from 212.58.246.83: bytes=32 time=20ms TTL=53
Reply from 212.58.246.83: bytes=32 time=17ms TTL=53


Modem has been swapped out by an engineer, here is its levels. engineer also says the levels are well within range when he tested using his meter.


Downstream Lock : Locked
Downstream Channel Id : 7
Downstream Frequency : 586750000 Hz
Downstream Modulation : QAM256
Downstream Symbol Rate : 6952 Ksym/sec
Downstream Interleave Depth : taps12Increment17
Downstream Receive Power Level : 2.7 dBmV
Downstream SNR : 42.1 dB


Upstream Lock : Locked
Upstream Channel ID : 1
Upstream Frequency : 34000000 Hz
Upstream Modulation : QAM16
Upstream Symbol Rate : 2560 Ksym/sec
Upstream transmit Power Level : 50.5 dBmV
Upstream Mini-Slot Size : 2


Modem Event Log - engineer said - nothing here that means anything to him, but its doesnt look right to me?


Tue Jul 13 18:29:11 2010 Tue Jul 13 18:29:11 2010 Information (7) Downstream sync ok
Tue Jul 13 18:29:11 2010 Tue Jul 13 18:29:11 2010 Information (7) locked and synced to rescue CMTS...all is well!
Tue Jul 13 18:29:11 2010 Tue Jul 13 18:29:11 2010 Information (7) Downstream sync ok
Tue Jul 13 18:29:10 2010 Tue Jul 13 18:29:10 2010 Information (7) Locked on the rescue CMTS ds. try to re-acquire ds sync...
Tue Jul 13 18:29:10 2010 Tue Jul 13 18:29:10 2010 Information (7) Downstream lock ok
Tue Jul 13 18:29:10 2010 Tue Jul 13 18:29:10 2010 Information (7) Downstream lock failed
Tue Jul 13 18:29:09 2010 Tue Jul 13 18:29:09 2010 Critical (3) SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Failed to receive MAC S...
Tue Jul 13 18:29:09 2010 Tue Jul 13 18:29:09 2010 Information (7) Downstream pulse failed
Tue Jul 13 18:29:05 2010 Tue Jul 13 18:29:05 2010 Critical (3) SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Failed to receive MAC S...
Tue Jul 13 18:29:05 2010 Tue Jul 13 18:29:05 2010 Information (7) Downstream pulse failed
Tue Jul 13 18:27:26 2010 Tue Jul 13 18:27:26 2010 Information (7) Downstream sync ok
Tue Jul 13 18:27:26 2010 Tue Jul 13 18:27:26 2010 Information (7) locked and synced to rescue CMTS...all is well!
Tue Jul 13 18:27:26 2010 Tue Jul 13 18:27:26 2010 Information (7) Downstream sync ok
Tue Jul 13 18:27:25 2010 Tue Jul 13 18:27:25 2010 Information (7) Locked on the rescue CMTS ds. try to re-acquire ds sync...
Tue Jul 13 18:27:25 2010 Tue Jul 13 18:27:25 2010 Information (7) Downstream lock ok
Tue Jul 13 18:27:24 2010 Tue Jul 13 18:27:24 2010 Information (7) Downstream lock failed
Tue Jul 13 18:27:21 2010 Tue Jul 13 18:27:21 2010 Critical (3) SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Failed to receive MAC S...
Tue Jul 13 18:27:21 2010 Tue Jul 13 18:27:21 2010 Information (7) Downstream pulse failed
Tue Jul 13 18:25:33 2010 Tue Jul 13 18:25:33 2010 Information (7) Downstream sync ok
Tue Jul 13 18:25:33 2010 Tue Jul 13 18:25:33 2010 Information (7) locked and synced to rescue CMTS...all is well!
Tue Jul 13 18:25:33 2010 Tue Jul 13 18:25:33 2010 Information (7) Downstream sync ok
Tue Jul 13 18:25:32 2010 Tue Jul 13 18:25:32 2010 Information (7) Locked on the rescue CMTS ds. try to re-acquire ds sync...
Tue Jul 13 18:25:32 2010 Tue Jul 13 18:25:32 2010 Information (7) Downstream lock ok
Tue Jul 13 18:25:32 2010 Tue Jul 13 18:25:32 2010 Information (7) Downstream pulse failed
Tue Jul 13 18:25:32 2010 Tue Jul 13 18:25:32 2010 Information (7) Downstream lock failed
Tue Jul 13 18:25:12 2010 Tue Jul 13 18:25:12 2010 Information (7) New UCD in effect
Tue Jul 13 18:23:41 2010 Tue Jul 13 18:23:41 2010 Information (7) Downstream sync ok
Tue Jul 13 18:23:41 2010 Tue Jul 13 18:23:41 2010 Information (7) locked and synced to rescue CMTS...all is well!
Tue Jul 13 18:23:41 2010 Tue Jul 13 18:23:41 2010 Information (7) Downstream sync ok
Tue Jul 13 18:23:41 2010 Tue Jul 13 18:23:41 2010 Information (7) Locked on the rescue CMTS ds. try to re-acquire ds sync...
Tue Jul 13 18:23:40 2010 Tue Jul 13 18:23:40 2010 Information (7) Downstream lock ok
Tue Jul 13 18:23:40 2010 Tue Jul 13 18:23:40 2010 Information (7) Downstream pulse failed

[jb66]

Nothing an engineer can fix

[watred]

Maybe something "their end" then?

[Peter_]

Maybe something "their end" then?
The is nothing wrong with your power levels and those logs are normal and most people on here will have very similar logs as do I in my modem.

So your connection looks normal as Jb66 said above the is nothing he could do to fix it.

Have you tried borrowing a laptop and then tried connecting it direct to the modem to see if you get the same issue.

[watred]

Aye, Tried all sorts.

Even disconnected the coax splitter so the coax goes right into the modem, then had a laptop connected directly to it, still drops out :(

get intermittent TV issues too, screen goes in slow motion and have to change channel to clear it. Its always been intermittent since I moved to this area, but got much much worse since I was upgraded from a STB to a separate modem and the 10mb service.

Thanks for confirming my levels are ok. Im now looking into TCP optimizing to see if that works, if not it must be a hardware problem somewhere outside of my house.

[kwikbreaks]

If you can set your router up to respond to pings then set up a monitor on http://www.thinkbroadband.com/ping You'll soon see if it is dropping out or not.

[watred]

Thanks, I know for sure it drops out. like I say tried a lot of things to try and isolate the problem with my own equipment but Im more and more convinced that this is a problem that lies either in the external cabling, or more likely in the comms euipment in the street cab or further down the line.

I ran TCP optimization last night and did a soak test, had it running all night and it only timed out 6 pings out of about 32000.

However, this morning its back to business as usual. (see below)

I dont know what to do, I'll end up just living with it I suppose, if I went for ADSL then that means getting my BT line re activated and I dont know how good ADSL is these days or if my router even supports it. - I remember lots and lots of pain (worse than this!) when I had BT broadband many years ago.

Only other option seems to be 3G, and use a dongle but even that drops out as expected - as its not as solid as a cable connection.

I just wish someone at VM could look into it a lot further than they are willing to, the only option to me after they have sent an engineer to swap the modem seems to be to disconnect because they "cant do anything more to fix it" seems pretty poor to me. Why cant I send log files to a 2nd/3rd line network support team?


Reply from 212.58.244.59: bytes=32 time=24ms TTL=53

Reply from 212.58.244.59: bytes=32 time=15ms TTL=53

Reply from 212.58.244.59: bytes=32 time=24ms TTL=53

Reply from 212.58.244.59: bytes=32 time=32ms TTL=53

Reply from 212.58.244.59: bytes=32 time=43ms TTL=53

Reply from 212.58.244.59: bytes=32 time=37ms TTL=53

Reply from 212.58.244.59: bytes=32 time=16ms TTL=53

Reply from 212.58.244.59: bytes=32 time=39ms TTL=53

Reply from 212.58.244.59: bytes=32 time=15ms TTL=53

Reply from 212.58.244.59: bytes=32 time=14ms TTL=53

Reply from 212.58.244.59: bytes=32 time=14ms TTL=53

Reply from 212.58.244.59: bytes=32 time=16ms TTL=53

Request timed out.

Request timed out.

Request timed out.

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Request timed out.

Request timed out.

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Request timed out.

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Request timed out.

Reply from 212.58.244.59: bytes=32 time=15ms TTL=53

Reply from 212.58.244.59: bytes=32 time=25ms TTL=53

Reply from 212.58.244.59: bytes=32 time=15ms TTL=53

Reply from 212.58.244.59: bytes=32 time=22ms TTL=53

Reply from 212.58.244.59: bytes=32 time=15ms TTL=53

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Reply from 212.58.244.59: bytes=32 time=13ms TTL=53

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Reply from 212.58.244.59: bytes=32 time=65ms TTL=53

Reply from 212.58.244.59: bytes=32 time=31ms TTL=53

Reply from 212.58.244.59: bytes=32 time=16ms TTL=53

Reply from 212.58.244.59: bytes=32 time=14ms TTL=53

[kwikbreaks]

The graph from that would provide better evidence than some pings timing out which prove nothing about your connection.

[watred]

Well, I wouldnt say it prooves nothing? It certainly shows that everything isnt ok.

At the same time the pings timeout everything I am connected to drops out. e.g citrix sessions, email, the lot. I have tried going thru the VM modem directly to no avail.

I will try your suggestion, but I dont think it will proove much more than I have been able to establish e.g the cable connection is flakey and its nothing at fault at my end.

TBH, unless VM start looking at their network comms equipment Im going to have to live with it until 3G becomes much more useable.