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MrDuck · 09-08-2006, 20:53

Thanks for your encouraging words.

It's hard to know what the engineers should be doing from this end. The last one just looked puzzled and told me that he wasn't sure what the problem was! He did have a T-shaped, yellow test meter in a grey case and did test the signal levels with that. I have thought since then that even if the meter shows 'good' readings that the modem might still be having problems as the electronics might not be up to the same standard as the test equipment. Do the meters actually simulate modem negotiation upstream as the DOCSIS standard requires? If the modem shows 61dBmV then that is the level the modem requires to make a connection, so it's maxed out and on the edge of a nervous breakdown - much like myself as far as BB goes. 'Scuse me if I'm talking gibberish as I'm not NTL compliant.

Thing is they might have realised but thought that it could be cabling etc. and have left the worst (most expensive fix?) till last. Although, I have not heard them mention the return path specifically, so will highlight it this time.

I did notice that the connection uptime improved today as the sunlight moved off the cabinet. It is in shadow for 2/3 of the day. Somebody else mentioned that heat can cause problems with some (failing?) equipment. Could just be coincidence.

One last thing - nobody in TS or CS seems to know whether 'network engineers' exist or not. I have asked for confirmation and they have said that they don't actually know the answer or that there is only one type of engineer. I did then ask who fixes the UBRs and network equipment etc. and they just went quiet on me ... lol. So as a customer, I feel that I'm hitting a brick wall. Is it possible to be transferred through to a person who is specifically technical as opposed to being baseline support?

Thanks again.

09-08-2006, 20:53	#4
MrDuck Inactive Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 7	Re: Return path problems? Thanks for your encouraging words. It's hard to know what the engineers should be doing from this end. The last one just looked puzzled and told me that he wasn't sure what the problem was! He did have a T-shaped, yellow test meter in a grey case and did test the signal levels with that. I have thought since then that even if the meter shows 'good' readings that the modem might still be having problems as the electronics might not be up to the same standard as the test equipment. Do the meters actually simulate modem negotiation upstream as the DOCSIS standard requires? If the modem shows 61dBmV then that is the level the modem requires to make a connection, so it's maxed out and on the edge of a nervous breakdown - much like myself as far as BB goes. 'Scuse me if I'm talking gibberish as I'm not NTL compliant. Thing is they might have realised but thought that it could be cabling etc. and have left the worst (most expensive fix?) till last. Although, I have not heard them mention the return path specifically, so will highlight it this time. I did notice that the connection uptime improved today as the sunlight moved off the cabinet. It is in shadow for 2/3 of the day. Somebody else mentioned that heat can cause problems with some (failing?) equipment. Could just be coincidence. One last thing - nobody in TS or CS seems to know whether 'network engineers' exist or not. I have asked for confirmation and they have said that they don't actually know the answer or that there is only one type of engineer. I did then ask who fixes the UBRs and network equipment etc. and they just went quiet on me ... lol. So as a customer, I feel that I'm hitting a brick wall. Is it possible to be transferred through to a person who is specifically technical as opposed to being baseline support? Thanks again.