Constantly getting disconnected and fobbed off by CS

[Volvic]

Hey guys, just found this site and at a very appropriate time aswell.
I hope someone can help.


What, specifically, is your issue?
Constantly getting disconnected and seeing my modem rebooting itself. Can happen between 2 and 50+ times a day and its most annoying when I happen to be listening to the radio online. Whenever I phone up NTL I am constantly told that it's my fault and I should delete any spyware, even though I am 100% positive I don't have any on my PC (ad-aware/spybot etc). There is no spyware, P2P or anything else on my computer.

a) Is there a specific time that this issue is most prevalent?
Not really. All day, everyday.

b) How long has this issue been going on? (days, weeks, months etc)
Believe it or not, it has been happening on and off for about 3 years. One month it'll be fine, the next month it'll be absolutely shocking.

2) Do you have cable TV? If so, is there any reception degradation?
No.

3) Have you contacted customer support about this problem? If so, what did they say?
As stated above. Continually try to blame spyware. About a year ago I had a to suffer an overloaded ubr and ntl finally admitted that after 6 months and loads've different techies over the phone.

4) What troubleshooting steps have you taken to resolve this problem? (aka: if you haven't tried to help yourself, why should *we* help you?)
Well, I am constantly rebooting my modem and I'm fed up phoning NTL.
I really don't see how I can help myself and to a certain extent, why should I? I pay nearly £40 a month for something that disconnects more times than my 6 year old 56k modem.

5 Who you are and what you have
a) Where in the country are you?
A town called Johnstone in Scotland. Possibly the Renfrew ubr, if that helps.

b) What is your operating system?
Windows XP SP2

c) What is your home network setup? Provide details.
Using a router to connect 2 PCs. Problem existed before I bought the router and I have also disconnected the router recently and the same problems still persist.

d) If you have more than one computer, is the problem occuring on all other machines?
Yes, of course. Not only am I very ****ed off, but having your younger brothers moan at you because their 'internet is off' is very annoying aswell :D

e) Are you running a firewall of any sort? Have you ever installed one? Did you try to turn it off during troubleshooting?
I have used Norton and Windows firewall (currently using windows fw) and the same problems were there, even if they were uninstalled or turned off. I just can't see a firewall causing my modem to turn off constantly?

f) Please supply a traceroute from you to www.bbc.co.uk (http://www.bbc.co.uk/) in text format

Tracing route to www.bbc.net.uk (http://www.bbc.net.uk) [212.58.224.85]
over a maximum of 30 hops:
1 7 ms 7 ms 7 ms 10.190.23.254
2 7 ms 7 ms 7 ms renf-t2cam1-b-v123.inet.ntl.com [80.4.64.241]
3 14 ms 7 ms 7 ms renf-t2core-b-ge-wan61.inet.ntl.com [62.254.191.185]
4 8 ms 17 ms 8 ms ren-bb-b-so-200-0.inet.ntl.com [62.253.184.85]
5 8 ms 8 ms 8 ms ren-bb-a-ae0-0.inet.ntl.com [62.253.185.185]
6 19 ms 20 ms 38 ms bre-bb-b-so-200-0.inet.ntl.com [62.253.185.166]
7 18 ms 19 ms 21 ms bre-bb-a-ae0-0.inet.ntl.com [213.105.172.86]
8 24 ms 23 ms 23 ms gfd-bb-b-so-700-0.inet.ntl.com [213.105.172.150]
9 25 ms 21 ms 21 ms redb-ic-1-as0-0.inet.ntl.com [213.105.174.138]
10 21 ms 22 ms 42 ms 212.58.238.189
11 22 ms 40 ms 21 ms 212.58.238.149
12 21 ms 20 ms 19 ms www40.thdo.bbc.co.uk [212.58.224.85]
Trace complete.

6) Further Info: If you're posting about:
a) Connectivity issues: Please post a
line test (http://www.broadbandreports.com/linequality)
http://www.dslreports.com/quality/nil/1974921
This page says it takes around 20 minutes to complete but as my connections keeps going down I don't think I am able to complete it. This is as far as I'm able to get after trying for more than two hours.
http://www.dslreports.com/quality/nil/1974940
This time I used my proxy ip that was detected at whatismyip.com and these are the results that I was given.

Not a clue which one you need, so heres both :angel:

b) Speed issues: Please post at least one speed test which tests speed in both directions.
Download and upload speeds have been fine.

c) For latency issues please post traceroutes and pings to some major sites in the UK. www.bbc.co.uk (http://www.bbc.co.uk/), www.nildram.net (http://www.nildram.net/), etc
I used to play games online and latency was always a problem when I had my over subbed ubr. I never play online these days so and I don't think my latency is a problem. Unless you think otherwise and it could be related to my constant disconnections?




I hope this is enough information to try get this problem resolved once and for all. I really do think this could be the last step before moving to DSL and the only reason I haven't already done so is because I love the 10mb connection. I also hope I haven't came across as a **** but connection keeps dropping when writing this out.

If there is any other information you guys need I'll be more than happy to give you it.

Thanks very much.

[carlingman]

Hi Volvic,

Firstly :welcome: to CF.

When the disconnects happen, what are the status of the Modem lights.

And when these disconnects happen if you have an Ambit CableModem (silver type) you can check the power levels at the point it disconnects by pointing your browser to 192.168.100.1 (user - root, password - root).

Post back with the light status and the signal levels.

:D

[Volvic]

Thanks for the reply.

Once it disconnects it can sometimes take the RDY light a minute or two to go off. The rest of the lights blink one after the other and the RDY light flashes on and off for anything between 2 minutes and half an hour.


Downstream Lock : Locked
Downstream Frequency : 402750000 Hz
Downstream Modulation : QAM64
Downstream Interleave Depth : 32
Downstream Receive Power Level : -12.2 dBmV
Downstream SNR : 31.2 dB

Upstream Channel ID : 5
Upstream Transmit Power Level : 61.0 dBmV
Upstream Symbol Rate : 2560 Ksym/sec
Upstream Frequency : 18384000 Hz
Upstream Mini-Slot Size : 2



I have the cable modem you mentioned aswell. 10mbit conn via ethernet.

[carlingman]

Thanks for the reply.

Once it disconnects it can sometimes take the RDY light a minute or two to go off. The rest of the lights blink one after the other and the RDY light flashes on and off for anything between 2 minutes and half an hour.


Downstream Lock : Locked
Downstream Frequency : 402750000 Hz
Downstream Modulation : QAM64
Downstream Interleave Depth : 32
Downstream Receive Power Level : -12.2 dBmV
Downstream SNR : 31.2 dB

Upstream Channel ID : 5
Upstream Transmit Power Level : 61.0 dBmV
Upstream Symbol Rate : 2560 Ksym/sec
Upstream Frequency : 18384000 Hz
Upstream Mini-Slot Size : 2



I have the cable modem you mentioned aswell. 10mbit conn via ethernet.


Upstream is at the top limit and and downstream does not look too healthy and coupled with the fact the lights are dropping would inidcate possible power level fluctuations.

Suggest a call to tech support 0845 650 0121.

;)

[Ignition]

Thanks for the reply.

Once it disconnects it can sometimes take the RDY light a minute or two to go off. The rest of the lights blink one after the other and the RDY light flashes on and off for anything between 2 minutes and half an hour.


Downstream Lock : Locked
Downstream Frequency : 402750000 Hz
Downstream Modulation : QAM64
Downstream Interleave Depth : 32
Downstream Receive Power Level : -12.2 dBmV
Downstream SNR : 31.2 dB

Upstream Channel ID : 5
Upstream Transmit Power Level : 61.0 dBmV
Upstream Symbol Rate : 2560 Ksym/sec
Upstream Frequency : 18384000 Hz
Upstream Mini-Slot Size : 2



I have the cable modem you mentioned aswell. 10mbit conn via ethernet.

*Sigh*

You are getting disconnected because you've a bad upstream path. Downstream is low too. You require an engineer visit. This can be resolved by a service tech in about 5 minutes by switching you to a higher power tap in your street cabinet.

The people you were speaking to have no business doing the job they are. There is documentation all over the place about this, some of it written by me. The most basic of diagnostics would have showed both an unstable connection and why it was unstable.

Honestly this shouldn't have taken any longer than a couple of minutes to diagnose, with a 5 minute service tech visit to fix.

If you are still struggling to get this sorted let me know and I'll prod someone who can bang heads together and get what should have been a routine fault sorted.

For one tech to have missed this isn't good, for a number to have failed is appauling. This is basic doesn't require anything more complicated than reading a couple of numbers.

[Volvic]

Hi again.

I phoned up ntl about my mums phone and took the opportunity to tell them about this problem. I explained I came on these forums and was told I had power level fluctuations and today was the day the engineer came out.

I wasn't in at the time but all he did was change the modem to the new ntl:250 model. Before I was on the 10mbit service but once I installed the new modem I was put on the 1mbit teir. I upgraded via the ntl website, then my modem rebooted and for some strange reason I am now only able to download at around half the speed?. I appear to the be on the same upstream channel ID aswell. I was under the impression that was what was wrong in the first place and not my cable modem.

Tue, 7 Feb 2006 23:14:38 UTC

1st 512K took 1101 ms = 465 KB/sec, approx 3832 Kbps, 3.74 Mbps
2nd 512K took 942 ms = 543.5 KB/sec, approx 4478 Kbps, 4.37 Mbps
3rd 512K took 861 ms = 594.7 KB/sec, approx 4900 Kbps, 4.79 Mbps
4th 512K took 2824 ms = 181.3 KB/sec, approx 1494 Kbps, 1.46 Mbps

Overall Average Speed = approx 3676 Kbps, 3.59 Mbps

The constant disconnections have been fine thus far but now it seems I have another problem.

Upstream Lock :Locked
Upstream Channel ID : 5
Upstream Frequency : 18384000 Hz
Upstream Modulation : QPSK
Upstream Symbol Rate : 2560 Ksym/sec
Upstream transmit Power Level : 48.0 dBmV
Upstream Mini-Slot Size : 2


Downstream Lock : Locked
Downstream Channel Id : 0
Downstream Frequency : 402750000 Hz
Downstream Modulation : QAM64
Downstream Symbol Rate : 5056.941 Ksym/sec
Downstream Interleave Depth : taps32Increment4
Downstream Receive Power Level : 0.8 dBmV
Downstream SNR : 35.9 dB




As always, any help would be appreciated.

[Ignition]

FWIW He moved you 'up' in the street cabinet before coming to see you - note the almost 13dB increase in your downstream receive power level, he popped you up to a 12dB higher tap :)

Please see my earlier post:

This can be resolved by a service tech in about 5 minutes by switching you to a higher power tap in your street cabinet.

This isn't related to your upstream ID.

As far as your slow speeds go, if they were better than this before the new modem usual stuff, connect via ethernet not USB, make sure that your modem is connected to your network card at 100Mbit full or half duplex (can find this info in same places as you found the signal info).

[Rik]

Hello Volvic!

Ive documented my problems in the "NTL 120 Modem disconnects" thread

The engineer came around on Friday and it was plain to see the levels were all over the shop (as oven chips had pointed out) BUT and this is the bit cheesing me off.....the engineer said, yes power levels are all over the place, theres a local fault....and said there was nothing he could do and he would speak to the Network guys, whether or not that has happened ive no idea, but the settings are still the same, im really losing my rag now as the technical support on the same number published here told me it was my pc, and the power levels were fine!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I then told the guy i have 4 pcs in house and they were all the same and why it works fine for days sometimes.

I know one thing im going back to work later and will be on the phone asking for a UPDATE, surely there are details documented next to my account of the progress of my issue?

But apparently not according to K**in in TS.

Good luck mate!
You are gonna need it!!

NTL really do seem to be going down the pan when I have previously been singing their praises :(