Basic Internet Connectivity And Modem Help

[suelynn2z]

I've already written before about my modem dropping occasionally, and for now I'm willing to put up with it because it seems to correct itself without any action by me in a few minutes.  However, last Friday my modem went down for several long periods of time (minutes to hours), basically ruining half of my day.  First time it was down, I called Comcast and they went through all the standard procedures of rebooting (in order).  No luck.  She wanted me to turn off every computer connected to my network.  I didn't want to do that.  Why would it matter if I didn't shut off one of the computers - the other one that I would shut off should be able to connect when restarted, right? 

Then, I tried one more reboot of the modem and it came back on.  Without shutting down any computers. I was asking the service rep if she knew the URL so I could look at my mode to see what kinds of errors it was getting, but she had no clue what I was talking about and said it was a hardware failure because she couldn't reach my modem.

Now I'm smarter and have saved the header message from this forum on my PC so the next time it goes down I will know what to check...

It went down a few more times.  Each time I had to go upstairs and usually power cycling the modem would get it to work. (because I had waited retrying downstairs assuming it would fix itself like it usually did, but it didn't)  Then the last time I noticed the online light was slow blinking and the activity light was fast blinking and power cycling the modem didn't help.  I finally called Comcast again and they insisted it could be due to a splitter or my modem and would need to come for a call.  But they didn't have time until the following Tuesday.  It was just that one day I was having those problems.  When I rebooted on Saturday, all was well (or at least as good as usual). 

Should I pay for the support guy to come or with an intermittent problem that is now fixed, will it be worthless?  I still think they were doing something in the network on Friday but the reps said nothing was going on.

Meanwhile, coming back to this forum and looking up the modem info, it says in the logs
3-Critical, T2.0, SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Failed to acquire FEC framing
8-Debug, T509.0,  Acquired DS with status NO FEC lock, DS Freq 421771000, US Id 0

A whole slew of these, to the end of the log file.  Frequencies vary somewhat.  Any idea what that might mean?
There are a whole bunch of funky messages in between the slew of FEC framing errors and finally reconnecting.

I'm trying to figure out if it will help to have the tech come and worth the $.  I own my modem, suppose I could lease a new one instead, but waiting for FIOS to come to my neighborhood...

[EG]

Nevermind.

I have reviewed your posting history and you have previously been advised that your UPL is too high and it may fluctuating even higher out of spec. Also, if you are still using that modem, it may very well be time to consider a replacement.

That modem is quite long in the tooth and likely will not be able to deliver their Powerboost feature.

You can rent a more current model from them for around $3.00 dollars for one month and see if it makes a difference, but I suspect that things will not improve until your connection quality is corrected.

Message Edited by EG on 06-11-2007 11:20 PM

Message Edited by EG on 06-11-2007 11:22 PM

[suelynn2z]

Thanks EG.  So you think the modem is the culprit for this new error? 

I don't understand what you mean about suspecting things will not improve until my connection quality is corrected.  If I get a new modem will that correct things?  Was that part of the message you edited out when you orignally thought that the FEC errors could be due to noise on the line?  (I did read that somewhere)  Or do you think that it could be a bad connection still?

If the tech comes out (He's scheduled for 7-9am Wednesday) and says "things look fine now.  you have an old modem so that is your problem"  and I have to pay for the support call and pay the $3 a month for a new modem, will that solve my problem do you think?

[Myth024]

There are two possibilities that I see. The modem may be rebooting itself and then stop communicating with your router. This can be caused by a bad Upstream signal, Downstream signal, or a bad Signal to Noise ratio. I have found that generally a Motorola modem can handle signal that is normally above what it should be. In my area you can simply pick up a modem (or exchange if you are renting) at a local payment center.

[sbr]

I would be very interested in knowing if a new modem fixes your problem.

I have been battling a constant random connection drops for over two months.
The people at the toll free tech support are absolutley worthless, and seem more concerened about how to get me off the phone, than trying to fix my problem.
I even had three service calls in attempt to correct this problem (two actually showed up, the third could only be bothered to make a phone call), and still nothing.

The modem I presently have is a Motorola SB5101, and is leased from Comcast. It is also only about 4 months old.
What caught my eye was the subject header. I'm getting the same exact error, amongst others.

3-Critical D003.0 DHCP WARNING - Non-critical field invalid in response
3-Critical T002.0 SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Failed to acquire FEC framing
3-Critical T001.0 SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Failed to acquire QAM/QPSK symbol timing
3-Critical U001.0 No UCD's Received - Timeout
3-Critical R004.0 Received Response to Broadcast Maintenance Request, But no Unicast Maintenance
3-Critical R002.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out (US 2)

[EG]

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Myth024 wrote:

There are two possibilities that I see. The modem may be rebooting itself and then stop communicating with your router. This can be caused by a bad Upstream signal, Downstream signal, or a bad Signal to Noise ratio. I have found that generally a Motorola modem can handle signal that is normally above what it should be. In my area you can simply pick up a modem (or exchange if you are renting) at a local payment center.

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Echo ?

[suelynn2z]

Still no resolution, but hopeful.  My connection was fine when the tech called before he was going to come.  He said there had been cable issues in my area on Friday when I had the biggest outage - he had been servicing a house two streets over on Saturday who was telling him about cable problems she had.  He said with my old modem I would probably have issues anyway and that Walmart sold new Surfboard 5100's for $50.  He didn't have any Motorola's on hand and said the techs only had refurbished modems anyway, so suggested I just buy one and see if that helps.

Haven't had a chance to go out and buy the new modem yet, but that's my plan.  Meanwhile, it went down for a few hours Wednesday on and off, and again was down this evening. 

Found something interesting on google groups

comp.dcom.modems.cable

" had Comcast out this week for my chronic connectivity issues.
The tech said the Motorola modems (mine's a Surfboard 5100) are set to
shut themselves off at 54dB upstream. When the upstream power is high,
says my tech, the problem is at the pole and Comcast needs to come out
and 'rebalance' their side. So while going to a tap (good suggestion!)
or disconnecting your splitter will buy you a few dB to stay online,
you need to get Comcast out there to do their side of the pole. "

Wonder if this has any truth.  My level is 53dB.  I wonder if I"d have trouble with a SB5100 also?  I've had my old SB3100 since I lived in Optonline territory when I bought it at the Wiz.  Does that say how old it is :-)  I had much more problems with Optonline.  Comcast has been much better up until last Friday.

Oh well.

[ldhan]

Excellent post.  You've given me some items to talk to my tech about when he comes out on Tuesday....  I am loosing my modem signal frequently - tonight I didn't have it until Midnight...  and it's been find since.   Watch it work fine while the tech is out...  Also like the info I've found here on how to check settings on modem.  Will definitely do these things the next time I loose connectivity....

The phone support people have been trying to tell me it was my computer,  or my modem.  But I've only had my modem (SB5120) Since June of last year.  And it works fine - when the signals fine....

[ChiUsr]

motorola 5100 modem here.  i get the same things in my log over & over continuously, and have for years.

2007-06-19 12:42:21     3-Critical     T001.0     SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Failed to acquire QAM/QPSK symbol timing
2007-06-19 12:41:50     3-Critical     T002.0     SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Failed to acquire FEC framing
2007-06-19 12:41:50     3-Critical     T001.0     SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Failed to acquire QAM/QPSK symbol timing
2007-06-19 12:41:49     3-Critical     T002.0     SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Failed to acquire FEC framing
2007-06-19 12:41:48     3-Critical     T001.0     SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Failed to acquire QAM/QPSK symbol timing
2007-06-19 12:41:47     3-Critical     T002.0     SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Failed to acquire FEC framing
2007-06-19 12:41:47     3-Critical     T001.0     SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Failed to acquire QAM/QPSK symbol timing
2007-06-19 12:41:46     3-Critical     T002.0     SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Failed to acquire FEC framing
2007-06-19 12:41:46     3-Critical     R004.0     Received Response to Broadcast Maintenance Request, But no Unicast Maintenance opportunities received - T4 timeout

[EG]

What exactly are you saying ? Are you saying that those errors are representative of your connectivity issues, or are you saying those errors are nothing more than an annoyance and to ignore them ?

BTW, the errors that you have posted are all a single occurrence..

Where you using your connection when that occurred ?

If not, you may have never even noticed whether or not there was a loss of connectivity.

T4 timeouts, and Sync Loss errors are the worst, and they typically are associated with a loss of connectivity.

There is always the possibility that there may be some sort of a hardware or a firmware issue with the modem that may be causing it to produce erroneous errors...

Message Edited by EG on 06-21-2007 06:10 PM

[ChiUsr]

yep, ive always had those messages in my log, whether the connection is up or down.

no big deal i guess, just thought that since there was a thread here already, i'd toss in my findings too.

and yeah that's just one "block" that repeats over & over a lot.  last time it happened was on 6-19-07 (few days ago) and then more recently, but the recent one shows date of 1970...so i dont knwo exactly when

Message Edited by ChiUsr on 06-22-200703:44 PM

[sbr]

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ChiUsr wrote:
yep, ive always had those messages in my log, whether the connection is up or down.

no big deal i guess, just thought that since there was a thread here already, i'd toss in my findings too.

and yeah that's just one "block" that repeats over & over a lot.  last time it happened was on 6-19-07 (few days ago) and then more recently, but the recent one shows date of 1970...so i dont knwo exactly when

Message Edited by ChiUsr on 06-22-200703:44 PM

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A date of 1970 is indictative of a modem reset/reboot.

[EG]

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sbr wrote:

A date of 1970 is indictative of a modem reset/reboot.

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Not always... A modem may also lose the time of day data because the T.O.D. server may be down.