Connection dropping for 30 seconds intermittently

Flashboski · Post by **Flashboski** » Mon May 15, 2006 3:25 pm

I've been having intermittent broadband connection issues only in recent months with my cable modem service. My connection will drop for 30 seconds, the cable modem will reboot itself, and then the connection will be restored. It happens anywhere from once per hour to 3 times in 5 minutes. Very annoying.

Here is my info:

-ISP - Charter Communications
-Cable Modem - Tereyon TJ 700 series (rented from Charter)
-Wireless Router - Linksys WRT54G v4 (with latest firmware)
-3 PCs all running XP (1 desktop and 2 wireless laptops)
-Use: basic internet use, some limited gaming

I had a Charter Tech come out and he tested the line and said it was good for a solid connection. He then swapped out the cable modem for a new one but now it still drops my connection all the time.

I've tried everything I know. I plugged one of the pc's directly into the cable modem with an ethernet cable and it still does it (although not as often) so I don't believe it's the router, but who knows.

I've also swapped all the cables involved and the splitters in the house. (two way splitter, one line to cable modem, the other to another splitter with the tvs) All the cables in my house are new as of last year so the only other cable I think it could be would be the one running to the house if it is a cable issue. I've also tried swapping out the ethernet cables involved.

Any ideas??

Sava700 · Post by **Sava700** » Mon May 15, 2006 5:50 pm

post signal info from here

http://192.168.100.1/signal.htm

Flashboski · Post by **Flashboski** » Mon May 15, 2006 5:58 pm

Here are the tabs. There is also a tab to set the downstream frequency. Should I enter anything for that? (default value in the box is 741000000)

PC Connectivity:
USB: Not Connected
Ethernet: 100 BaseT Full Duplex
USB Vendor ID: 06 cc
Software Model: ECM715

Cable Signal: Ready
Tuning: Complete
Ranging: Complete

Data Service: Ready
Connecting: Complete
Configuring: Complete
Registering: Complete

Connection:
RF Parameters
Parameter Value Units
Tx Power 39.2 dBmV
Rx Power -6.2 dBmV
Downstream SNR 35.8 dB
Tx Frequency 32000000 Hz
Rx Frequency 741000000 Hz

Event Log:
2005/11/29 08:37:29 82000400 1 Critical Received Response to Broadcast Maintenance Request, But no Unicast Maintenance
2005/11/29 09:03:13 84000500 1 Critical SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Loss of Sync
2005/11/29 09:04:02 82000400 1 Critical Received Response to Broadcast Maintenance Request, But no Unicast Maintenance
1970/01/01 00:00:07 82000200 1 Critical No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out.
2006/05/02 19:15:47 82000400 119 Critical Received Response to Broadcast Maintenance Request, But no Unicast Maintenance
1970/01/01 00:00:39 68000100 1 Critical DHCP FAILED - Discover sent, no offer received
1970/01/01 00:02:57 82000400 74 Critical Received Response to Broadcast Maintenance Request, But no Unicast Maintenance
1970/01/01 00:00:16 2242906398 1 Critical REG-RESP: Unknown response
2006/05/04 21:35:17 82000400 54 Critical Received Response to Broadcast Maintenance Request, But no Unicast Maintenance
2006/05/04 21:49:08 84000500 1 Critical SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Loss of Sync
2006/05/05 08:32:44 82000400 46 Critical Received Response to Broadcast Maintenance Request, But no Unicast Maintenance
1970/01/01 00:00:40 68000100 1 Critical DHCP FAILED - Discover sent, no offer received
2006/05/05 09:40:19 82000400 8 Critical Received Response to Broadcast Maintenance Request, But no Unicast Maintenance
1970/01/01 00:00:08 82000200 1 Critical No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out.
2006/05/05 18:46:31 82000400 22 Critical Received Response to Broadcast Maintenance Request, But no Unicast Maintenance
1970/01/01 00:00:17 2242906398 1 Critical REG-RESP: Unknown response
2006/05/06 23:39:04 82000400 57 Critical Received Response to Broadcast Maintenance Request, But no Unicast Maintenance
1970/01/01 00:00:40 68000100 1 Critical DHCP FAILED - Discover sent, no offer received
2006/05/10 15:12:57 82000400 114 Critical Received Response to Broadcast Maintenance Request, But no Unicast Maintenance
1970/01/01 00:00:18 2242906398 1 Critical REG-RESP: Unknown response
2006/05/11 10:44:38 82000400 24 Critical Received Response to Broadcast Maintenance Request, But no Unicast Maintenance
1970/01/01 00:00:14 2242906398 1 Critical REG-RESP: Unknown response
2006/05/13 07:40:53 82000400 109 Critical Received Response to Broadcast Maintenance Request, But no Unicast Maintenance
1970/01/01 00:00:08 82000200 1 Critical No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out.
2006/05/15 16:53:22 82000400 115 Critical Received Response to Broadcast Maintenance Request, But no Unicast Maintenance
2006/05/15 17:09:05 84000500 1 Critical SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Loss of Sync
2006/05/15 17:09:19 82000400 1 Critical Received Response to Broadcast Maintenance Request, But no Unicast Maintenance
1970/01/01 00:00:05 2242905932 1 Notice SNMP Poll - Eth Link Up.
1970/01/01 00:00:35 68000300 1 Warning DHCP WARNING - Non-critical field invalid in response
1970/01/01 00:00:38 68000401 1 Warning ToD Request sent - No Response received.
1970/01/01 00:00:40 2242905917 1 Notice SNMP Poll - Mac Link Up.
1970/01/01 00:00:40 2242905786 1 Notice SNMP Poll - DS Link Up.
1970/01/01 00:00:40 2242905803 1 Notice SNMP Poll - US Link Up.
1970/01/01 00:00:40 2242905723 1 Notice SNMP_AGENT_COLD_START

Status:
Parameter Value
Boot Status Operational
Search for a Downstream Channel Complete
Search for an Upstream Channel Complete
Obtain Upstream Parameters Complete
Establish IP Connectivity via DHCP Complete
Establish Time of Day Complete
Transfer Operational Parameters via TFTP Complete
Register Connection Complete
Initialize BPI Complete

buckifan · Post by **buckifan** » Mon May 15, 2006 8:36 pm

Rx Power -6.2 dBmV

There is a problem somewhere. With only a two-way splitter the RX level should be above 0 dbmv at the CM. Did the tech check the level at the modem or outside at the ground block?

Critical SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Loss of Sync

Noise in the downstream causes this and is usually indicates a poor connection or damaged cable (squirrel chewed). They can run more detailed tests at the CMTS to see if other users are having problems.

For S & G's I'd try and have Charter replace the house drop.

Flashboski · Post by **Flashboski** » Tue May 16, 2006 12:56 pm

Thanks for the reply. The tech just ran a test by plugging in the cable in my home office to a small handheld reader and said the signal was good.

There is one more cable I'm going to try and replace. It runs from the house drop inside into the 2 way splitter. The drop goes into this small piece of equipment and a separate cable attaches to the other end and sends the signal into my house. Does that sound like a normal setup? Seems like to me that the drop could just run into the house directly into the 2 way splitter and not have a separate piece of equipment in between. But I am only a novice at best when it comes to this stuff.

It it an older cable that currently runs to the splitter so I'm thinking maybe that is the cause.

buckifan · Post by **buckifan** » Tue May 16, 2006 5:23 pm

The drop is required to be grounded before entering the building. The 'ground block' may be housed in a plastic enclosure similar to what telco uses. Other than that I don't know what the equipment you referred to could be.

Use quad-shield RG-6 cable and compression connectors for your inside wiring. Home Depot is a good source for cable supplies.

Flashboski · Post by **Flashboski** » Tue May 16, 2006 6:39 pm

Ok it is the ground block. I'll switch the cable going from the block to the splitter and see what happens. If it still is bad, it has to be the house drop hopefully.

travis2144 · Post by **travis2144** » Tue May 23, 2006 8:30 pm

buckifan wrote:The drop is required to be grounded before entering the building. The 'ground block' may be housed in a plastic enclosure similar to what telco uses. Other than that I don't know what the equipment you referred to could be.

Use quad-shield RG-6 cable and compression connectors for your inside wiring. Home Depot is a good source for cable supplies.

required to be bonded.........

buckifan · Post by **buckifan** » Tue May 23, 2006 10:05 pm

My bad. I should have said bonded to the existing building ground.

Flashboski · Post by **Flashboski** » Fri Jun 02, 2006 10:08 am

Just wanted to update everyone. A Charter tech came out and replaced the ground block and the connectors on the cables running in and out of it.

Problem resolved! I haven't had my connection drop once since.

Thanks everyone for your help.