Unstable internet connection

[Dramamine]

Okay, hello. Within the past two weeks I've switched from using AT&T's DSL for a few years to cable internet from Charter.

It's been dropping randomly since a few days after installation.
Now, I've called Charter, once they sent a guy out to look at the lines, he did basic tests. I called again and they sent out a higher up "team" I guess.

They did more checking, changed things. I switched from a refurbished ambit modem to a newer model, it's still an ambit modem, just newer.

It used to drop randomly, but now it seems whenever I download for an extended period of time, which I do quite often. I used to get my modem log flooded with errors but now it all seems fine. Just two errors.

This is the log

Fri Oct 23 12:58:20 2009 Fri Oct 23 12:58:20 2009 Critical (3) Started Unicast Maintenance Ranging - No Response received - ...
Fri Oct 23 12:58:18 2009 Fri Oct 23 12:58:18 2009 Information (7) MAP w/initial maintenance region received
Fri Oct 23 12:58:13 2009 Fri Oct 23 12:58:13 2009 Critical (3) No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out
Fri Oct 23 12:58:13 2009 Fri Oct 23 12:58:13 2009 Information (7) MAP w/initial maintenance region received
Fri Oct 23 12:58:11 2009 Fri Oct 23 12:58:11 2009 Critical (3) No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out
Fri Oct 23 12:58:11 2009 Fri Oct 23 12:58:11 2009 Information (7) MAP w/initial maintenance region received
Fri Oct 23 12:58:11 2009 Fri Oct 23 12:58:11 2009 Information (7) Downstream sync ok
Fri Oct 23 12:58:11 2009 Fri Oct 23 12:58:11 2009 Information (7) Beginning initial ranging...
Fri Oct 23 12:58:11 2009 Fri Oct 23 12:58:11 2009 Information (7) downstream time sync acquired...
Fri Oct 23 12:58:11 2009 Fri Oct 23 12:58:11 2009 Information (7) Downstream sync ok
Fri Oct 23 12:58:10 2009 Fri Oct 23 12:58:10 2009 Information (7) starting ds time sync acquisition...
Fri Oct 23 12:58:07 2009 Fri Oct 23 12:58:07 2009 Information (7) Locked on the downstream. Waiting for UCDs...
Fri Oct 23 12:58:07 2009 Fri Oct 23 12:58:07 2009 Information (7) Downstream lock ok
Fri Oct 23 12:58:06 2009 Fri Oct 23 12:58:06 2009 Information (7) Sync Start
Fri Oct 23 12:58:05 2009 Fri Oct 23 12:58:05 2009 Critical (3) Received Response to Broadcast Maintenance Request, But no Un...
Fri Oct 23 12:57:33 2009 Fri Oct 23 12:57:33 2009 Critical (3) Started Unicast Maintenance Ranging - No Response received - ...
Fri Oct 23 12:57:01 2009 Fri Oct 23 12:57:01 2009 Information (7) Authorized
Fri Oct 23 12:57:01 2009 Fri Oct 23 12:57:01 2009 Information (7) Registration complete!
Fri Oct 23 12:57:01 2009 Fri Oct 23 12:57:01 2009 Information (7) We registered with a DOCSIS 1.1 config file!
Fri Oct 23 12:57:01 2009 Fri Oct 23 12:57:01 2009 Information (7) Received a REG-RSP message from the CMTS...
Fri Oct 23 12:57:00 2009 Fri Oct 23 12:57:00 2009 Information (7) Sending a REG-REQ to the CMTS...
Fri Oct 23 12:57:00 2009 Fri Oct 23 12:57:00 2009 Information (7) CableModem SNMP configure complete
Fri Oct 23 12:56:56 2009 Fri Oct 23 12:56:56 2009 Information (7) IP init completed ok
Fri Oct 23 12:56:56 2009 Fri Oct 23 12:56:56 2009 Information (7) CableModem TFTP init ok
Fri Oct 23 12:56:49 2009 Fri Oct 23 12:56:49 2009 Error (4) ToD request sent- No Response received
Fri Oct 23 12:56:46 2009 Fri Oct 23 12:56:46 2009 Information (7) CableModem DHCP client init ok
Fri Oct 23 12:56:39 2009 Fri Oct 23 12:56:39 2009 Critical (3) Started Unicast Maintenance Ranging - No Response received - ...
Fri Oct 23 12:56:35 2009 Fri Oct 23 12:56:35 2009 Information (7) MAP w/initial maintenance region received
Fri Oct 23 12:56:33 2009 Fri Oct 23 12:56:33 2009 Critical (3) No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out
Fri Oct 23 12:56:33 2009 Fri Oct 23 12:56:33 2009 Information (7) MAP w/initial maintenance region received
Fri Oct 23 12:56:32 2009 Fri Oct 23 12:56:32 2009 Critical (3) No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out
Fri Oct 23 12:56:32 2009 Fri Oct 23 12:56:32 2009 Information (7) MAP w/initial maintenance region received

I also have a 10 mbps line, I told them to check the drop thing from the cable pole to my house, but they said it was fine.
Also, when I had DSL this never happened. I was wondering if the age of my computer could do something to mess with the connection? Like, the ethernet port on the my mobo might be drying some way?

[Sava700]

naw sounds like its just their problem as the lines haven't been used.. keep on them!

[Dramamine]

Well, the lines have been getting used, just not for internet connections.
Usually for digital cable.
Also, this house is around fifty years old, I think the wiring in it might be messed up. The electrical wiring is terrible.

[Sava700]

Well, the lines have been getting used, just not for internet connections.
Usually for digital cable.
Also, this house is around fifty years old, I think the wiring in it might be messed up. The electrical wiring is terrible.

make sure you have no splitters coming from the box where the drop is connected and to your modem. Also make sure your electrical socket is grounded properly.

[Dramamine]

make sure you have no splitters coming from the box where the drop is connected and to your modem. Also make sure your electrical socket is grounded properly.

Well, there's a splitter for my TV and modem, and I'm sure that there isn't a direct line from my cable box to my modem.

I'll talk to the cable guy on Tuesday when he gets here. At least Charter doesn't mind sending people out. :|

[Sava700]

Well, there's a splitter for my TV and modem, and I'm sure that there isn't a direct line from my cable box to my modem.

I'll talk to the cable guy on Tuesday when he gets here. At least Charter doesn't mind sending people out. :|

Take the splitter out of the picture... use a high freq barrel to test it without the splitter. Perhaps talking them out of some new wire from the box to your modem would be helpful too. Is the old wire RG59 or RG6? Should have it on the wire somewhere written.

[Dramamine]

Take the splitter out of the picture... use a high freq barrel to test it without the splitter. Perhaps talking them out of some new wire from the box to your modem would be helpful too. Is the old wire RG59 or RG6? Should have it on the wire somewhere written.

I'm pretty sure our wire is RG59. Also, what is a high frequency barrel?