Cable modem cycling itself!

[bbozsik]

Hi, everyone. I have been pouring over speedguide.net for a few hours trying to answer my problem, but I haven't found everything I need yet.

My Motorola SBV4200 cable modem cycles itself whenever it feels like it. Sometimes frequently, sometimes every few hours. When it does this, it's a full reset, as if it were unplugged and then plugged back in. In fact, it's doing it now as I write this.

Since adding a LinkSys wireless router, the "PC Activity" light also flashes on and off quickly and erratically. I don't believe the light flashed as much as it does now without the router.

Anyway, I first thought after reading the forums here that I had a signal problem. I bought and installed a motorola broadband signal amplifier that feeds 1 TV and 1 modem only. This improved my TV quality, but has left me with the same problem still.

Checking my modem stats gives this:

Downstream Value
Frequency 633000000 Hz Locked
Signal to Noise Ratio 34 dB
Power Level -5 dBmV

Upstream Value
Channel ID 2
Frequency 34896000 Hz Ranged
Power Level 60 dBmV

Under my log file are numerous "bad snmp" messages. I can copy a list of a portion of the log if it would help.

Thanks in advance

[buckifan]

You've got a big problem with the upstream signal level. 60 dbmv is way too high. It should be in the 40's.

Is that downstream level -5 dbmv after the amp? Try running the cable directly into the modem. No splitters or amp and repost your signal levels.

[bbozsik]

And here is the information after removing the amp, and splitter. My modem is now connected directly to the SB4200.

Downstream Value
Frequency 633000000 Hz Locked
Signal to Noise Ratio 32 dB
Power Level -14 dBmV

Upstream Value
Channel ID 2
Frequency 34896000 Hz Ranged

Power Level 49 dBmV

-----
any ideas anyone? I'm waiting to see if it resets still...

[Sava700]

And here is the information after removing the amp, and splitter. My modem is now connected directly to the SB4200.

Downstream Value
Frequency 633000000 Hz Locked
Signal to Noise Ratio 32 dB
Power Level -14 dBmV

Upstream Value
Channel ID 2
Frequency 34896000 Hz Ranged

Power Level 49 dBmV

-----
any ideas anyone? I'm waiting to see if it resets still...

Your Power level -14dBmv is too low now without the booster.. call Tech support for your cable and have them send a tech out to get that thing nearest 0. Your Upstream is now at 49 but it should be like aroun 40 to 45.
They can fix this at the pole.

[buckifan]

Those levels are barely adequate for a TV. Like the man said -- call and have a tech fix this.

[bbozsik]

Thanks for the advice.

I, being impatient of course, went out and bought a Surfboard 5100 and it seems to be working fine. Here were the raw numbers with the new modem.

Downstream Value
Frequency 633000000 Hz
Signal to Noise Ratio 31 dB
QAM 256
Network Access Control Object ON
Power Level -15 dBmV

Upstream Value
Channel ID 2
Frequency 34896000 Hz
Ranging Service ID 4584
Symbol Rate 2.560 Msym/s
Power Level 53 dBmV

And here it is with my TV hooked backed up, the Motorola amp, and a splitter:
Downstream Value
Frequency 633000000 Hz
Signal to Noise Ratio 33 dB
QAM 256
Network Access Control Object ON
Power Level -3 dBmV

Upstream Value
Channel ID 2
Frequency 34896000 Hz
Ranging Service ID 4584
Symbol Rate 2.560 Msym/s
Power Level 57 dBmV
===============
The new modem appears to be working fine. I have not had any drops yet, nor has it reset itself. Also, the PC/Activity light does not flicker as did the old one.

Perhaps I just had a bad modem? There was a bad lightning storm last summer...

[buckifan]

Impatient is not the word I would use. Do what your want.

[Sava700]

I wouldn't use the amp.. I'd have tech support send soemone out to fix the signal power levels for both up and down and get them right. I used a amp before too but it doesn't do anything but mess ya up and is reallyonly good if for tv signals unless it pushes both up and down levels where they are supposed to be like Down= 0 +or - 5 and Up for around 40-42...

[ace]

You are still going to have issues with the new modem, its only a matter of time. Those levels are garbage. Also you should never have to amp the modem, there should be enough power to run it without the amp and if there isnt then you DO have a problem at your house. Call and have a tech come out and fix it.

Please dont come back here in a week asking whats wrong because now your new modem is acting up. We just told you everything that you need to do to get this issue resolved.

[bbozsik]

Well... okay. I won't come back next week and whine that my new modem is now committing the same heinous crimes my old one was.

Your point is well taken, everyone, that I need to have my lines fixed. However, has it simply been brought to reason in your minds that I may, indeed, have an actual need to be impatient?

Not everyone has a spare three weeks to wait for Time Warner or Comcast to send out a techie. The last time I was "served" be TWC, it was a friendly young subcontractor hired to supplement their over-extended staff. When I finally got my cable signal adjusted and repaired again 3 weeks after that, I swore to only use tech support as a last resort.

But, to reiterate myself again before I'm subject to the scathing wrath and apathy of this board, I will at some point have my lines fixed. Which will probably entail having all 3,500 square feet of house rewired with cable that isn't 27 years old. But I won't come back here and complain that it cost me $1,000 dollars to fix something that could have been mediated with a $70 modem in a fraction of the time. I certainly wouldn't want to offend anyone. Especially someone who delights in providing knowledgable, yet insipid, comments to new posters like you do, Ace.

Thanks.

[YARDofSTUF]

Well... okay. I won't come back next week and whine that my new modem is now committing the same heinous crimes my old one was.

Your point is well taken, everyone, that I need to have my lines fixed. However, has it simply been brought to reason in your minds that I may, indeed, have an actual need to be impatient?

Not everyone has a spare three weeks to wait for Time Warner or Comcast to send out a techie. The last time I was "served" be TWC, it was a friendly young subcontractor hired to supplement their over-extended staff. When I finally got my cable signal adjusted and repaired again 3 weeks after that, I swore to only use tech support as a last resort.

But, to reiterate myself again before I'm subject to the scathing wrath and apathy of this board, I will at some point have my lines fixed. Which will probably entail having all 3,500 square feet of house rewired with cable that isn't 27 years old. But I won't come back here and complain that it cost me $1,000 dollars to fix something that could have been mediated with a $70 modem in a fraction of the time. I certainly wouldn't want to offend anyone. Especially someone who delights in providing knowledgable, yet insipid, comments to new posters like you do, Ace.

Thanks.

LOL a grand for 2500 ft of cable? Cant image why you would have 3500ft of cable, the 60ft run I have was replaced free of charge at one point.

[Sava700]

yea as YOS said.. they techie should replace the drop from the house to the pole at their cost not yours as they did for me once a while back. The house wiring is up to you but hell you can get 100' of cable at Radio shack for maybe 20$ if that. But its not your modem man and we are trying to save you some money from getting several or trying to save you time by making them send a tech out to fix your issue which is what we have already told you. Your problem is at the pole not your house or your modem. It may be 3 weeks for them toget to you but we at least helped you with your issue and I would hope your not bitter to say the least over the help we offered and gave.

Which with this

Which will probably entail having all 3,500 square feet of house rewired with cable that isn't 27 years old.

I would say you only need to run a new line from the box to your modem which shouldn't be no more than 100' if that. But its not your lines in the house and its not your modem.

[d2fanatic007]

lol, indeed, i had the same problem by my sisters house and at some points the modem would stay offline for about 3 hours and work for like 30 minutes, (thats what we get for radioshack splittin) and i decided to call the cable peeps to come n fix the wiring and stuff

they came like 3 days after i called and rewired everything free of charge and its worked great every since

but they did give me the warning not to split cable by urself unless u use the right cables and not some cheap wiring like i did

so i would go along with everyone else and have ur cable peeps take a look and make them fix it cause it is ur money and with it not working correctly u are at a nice loss

[ace]

I cant help it if your impatient. The world doesnt revolve around you. You ask for help and we tell you what you need to do to remedy the problem and you go do something totally different because you cant sit still for a few days. Have a valium and call up your cable provider. They are not that bad.

As a matter of fact the tone you give off is in direct reflection of how you get served. I know because I work for the cable company fixing problems created by people like you. You go out and buy crappy splitters because they are gold in color.LOL. Like I said previous, we told you what needs to be done, if you dont want to do it then dont come here asking how to fix it if your not going to listen.

[bbozsik]

Ace, the truly funny situation here, is that I KNEW you were a cable technician who has bitter with his job.

Like I said, number two on my agenda is to place my call into TWC, receive a date of service three weeks from now between 8 am and 12 pm, and wait until 1:30pm when they finally show up to work. Is it the technician's fault his company does not adequately staff, equip, or deploy it fleet of technicians?

I'm guessing no. If you would actually take the time to read what I wrote, you may notice that most of my ambivalence is directed towards TWC and its ilk. Don't assume you understand what kind of person I am. Don't insult me or write derogatory comments to me, because I sought an alternative path.

To everyone else, I really do appreciate the help, as I said before. If I did not think that the information contained within this board was more valuable and friendly than TWC, don't you think that I would have called TWC first? Instead, I sought the help and advice from an independent board, staffed by knowledgable people FOR FREE . You should be proud of what you've been able to do here.

Unfortunately, there are people on this board like Ace, who lack self-importance and take out their anger on others.

I did laugh when I found out he was a technician though. Laughter is worth something, anyway...

[YARDofSTUF]

Ace, the truly funny situation here, is that I KNEW you were a cable technician who has bitter with his job.

Like I said, number two on my agenda is to place my call into TWC, receive a date of service three weeks from now between 8 am and 12 pm, and wait until 1:30pm when they finally show up to work. Is it the technician's fault his company does not adequately staff, equip, or deploy it fleet of technicians?

I'm guessing no. If you would actually take the time to read what I wrote, you may notice that most of my ambivalence is directed towards TWC and its ilk. Don't assume you understand what kind of person I am. Don't insult me or write derogatory comments to me, because I sought an alternative path.

To everyone else, I really do appreciate the help, as I said before. If I did not think that the information contained within this board was more valuable and friendly than TWC, don't you think that I would have called TWC first? Instead, I sought the help and advice from an independent board, staffed by knowledgable people FOR FREE . You should be proud of what you've been able to do here.

Unfortunately, there are people on this board like Ace, who lack self-importance and take out their anger on others.

I did laugh when I found out he was a technician though. Laughter is worth something, anyway...

No, infortunately there are idiots like you that avoid the problem, or do inncorrect things after getting the free and knowledgable advice. Why didnt you just get a new modem instead of posting this? Why not call your ISP right away so that 3 weeks wait is over quicker? Its people like you in general that cause more problems for techs and repairmen.

[ace]

No, infortunately there are idiots like you that avoid the problem, or do inncorrect things after getting the free and knowledgable advice. Its people like you in general that cause more problems for techs and repairmen.

Enough said!

[bbozsik]