Re: intermitten issue
 

Your modem is behaving just like my own SB5100, especially the Upstream Power varying from 29dBmV to 55dBmV ( I had a word with my 2nd Line Technicians and they told me that the lower range is OK and only to worry above 58dBmV ) I believe that the fault is with the NIC, which is an easy install and you can buy quite cheaply from your local PC shop.

Re: intermitten issue
 

Hi all

I am recently hav ing the same issues. My connection has been sound for the last 7 years, but suddenly as of last week, i started getting dropouts, mainly happening in the evening or when the PC is under immense networking pressure.

Engineer came round and from the data on the modem signal site, my upstream was at 59.5dBmv on a 255 NTL modem (live in the Herts area). We changed all the F's (used to install for NTL myself), the splitter i have and Isolater. He believes the CAB might be at fault, as it is putting out around 47-49dBmv and calculated a .9dBmv loss per 10 metres of cable. The cable trip from cab to my house is about 60m away.

I am running through a router and my NIC is outdated not to say the least.
I shall post my results in a later thread, i'm also going to bypass the router and run direct, and also check via my onboard NIC if the results are different. Finally to outrule any cable defectiveness, i shall run a patch lead from the Omni box outside straight to my router and see if i get varying results. The modem is only 4 months old and should not really present any issues.

With the changes made yesterday, my upstream level is around 53.5dBmv (after removing the splitter) now which SHOULD be ok, however, i was still getting dropouts last night and find it quite frustrating when gaming. Just to confirm, i also tested this with the modem on and PC off and still got dropouts in the evening.

The engineer reported a lot of modem faults lately and suspects either heat issues or a major networking issue affect either a MAC address range or certains CABS or proxy locations?

I'll keep you posted, but would like some feedback once i post results found from my modem.

Many thanks

Re: intermitten issue
 

OK all- did some tests this morning at around 9.15-9.45 am

the results are:

CURRENT SETUP with ROUTER(nothing changed)
Cable Modem Information
Cable Modem : DOCSIS 1.0/1.1/2.0 Compliant
Boot Code Version : 3.1.6d
Software Version : 2.94.1014
Hardware Version : 1.19

Downstream Lock : Locked
Downstream Channel Id : 4
Downstream Frequency : 402750000 Hz
Downstream Modulation : QAM256
Downstream Symbol Rate : 5360.537 Ksym/sec
Downstream Interleave Depth : taps32Increment4
Downstream Receive Power Level : 6.1 dBmV
Downstream SNR : 43.5 dB

Cable Modem Upstream
Upstream Lock : Locked
Upstream Channel ID : 2
Upstream Frequency : 29200000 Hz
Upstream Modulation : QPSK
Upstream Symbol Rate : 2560 Ksym/sec
Upstream transmit Power Level : 53.0 dBmV
Upstream Mini-Slot Size : 2

WITHOUT ROUTER without USING PATCH CABLE direct to OMNI
Cable Modem Upstream
Upstream Lock : Locked
Upstream Channel ID : 1
Upstream Frequency : 25800000 Hz
Upstream Modulation : QPSK
Upstream Symbol Rate : 2560 Ksym/sec
Upstream transmit Power Level : 52.0 dBmV
Upstream Mini-Slot Size : 2

WITHOUT ROUTER with USING PATCH CABLE
Cable Modem Upstream
Upstream Lock : Locked
Upstream Channel ID : 1
Upstream Frequency : 25800000 Hz
Upstream Modulation : QPSK
Upstream Symbol Rate : 2560 Ksym/sec
Upstream transmit Power Level : 52.5 dBmV
Upstream Mini-Slot Size : 2

ROUTER using ON BOARD NIC(regular setup)
Cable Modem Upstream
Upstream Lock : Locked
Upstream Channel ID : 1
Upstream Frequency : 25800000 Hz
Upstream Modulation : QPSK
Upstream Symbol Rate : 2560 Ksym/sec
Upstream transmit Power Level : 53.5 dBmV
Upstream Mini-Slot Size : 2

SPEED TEST on latest configuration:
Tue, 13 May 2008 08:43:05 UTC

Test 1: 1024K took 453 ms = 2260.5 KB/sec, approx 18627 Kbps, 18.19 Mbps
Test 2: 1024K took 454 ms = 2255.5 KB/sec, approx 18585 Kbps, 18.15 Mbps
Test 3: 1024K took 437 ms = 2343.2 KB/sec, approx 19308 Kbps, 18.86 Mbps
Test 4: 2048K took 828 ms = 2473.4 KB/sec, approx 20381 Kbps, 19.9 Mbps

Overall Average Speed = approx 19225 Kbps, 18.77 Mbps

Re: intermitten issue
 

Why not treat your computer to a nice new NIC try Ebay around a Fiver including postage or your local Computer shop.

Also replace your Ethernet cables I believe PC World have a pack of Two Belkin CAT5E cables for £4.99.

---------- Post added at 09:57 ---------- Previous post was at 09:54 ----------

I will check the power levels later in work, I am not 100% up on the NTL side its fairly new to us Telewest Techs.

Re: intermitten issue
 

The onboard NIC has never been used before, and the mobo is only 6 months old, it's an ASUS with 2x1GB lan ports, i always liked using the 3rd party NIC as i feel using onboard stuff can cause a lot of problems. I've also used a new patch cable from the router to the PC and shall run it tonight.

It's mainly when i'm gaming i'm getting issues or around peak periods i.e sundays or evenings.
Failing that i shall buy a new NIC because as you say thet are peanuts !

Many thanks for looking into this, i live in Herts in the SG1 Area if that helps.

Re: intermitten issue
 

Your Downstream power level is too high, you are QAM256, the correct levels are below for both Bromley and Langley, I presume you know which platform your on.
As you know NTL say if its not broken don't fix it.

Bromley (exCable & Wireless) Downstream power levels +6dB to +8 (QAM 64) +2.5 to +5.5 (QAM256)


Langley (NTL area) Downstream power levels -2.5dB to +2.5 (QAM 64) -1.5 to +2.5 (QAM256)

Re: intermitten issue
 

Thanks for this...

I am running a 6db attenuator, otherwise it shoots up to over 12db !!!

Sorry i am not sure which one i should be on..presume it should be Langley but it has been like this for years and not given me any probs untill now but i have put another 3db attenuator on and got this reading:
Cable Modem Downstream
Downstream Lock : Locked
Downstream Channel Id : 4
Downstream Frequency : 402750000 Hz
Downstream Modulation : QAM256
Downstream Symbol Rate : 5360.537 Ksym/sec
Downstream Interleave Depth : taps32Increment4
Downstream Receive Power Level : 3.4 dBmV
Downstream SNR : 43.3 dB

I had RG11 cable installed and fitted myself about 5 year ago from the cab to my Omni box


I'll see what it is like tonight on my onboard NIC and await NTL's report on the cab.

Appreciate you looking into this for me.

Re: intermitten issue
 

Post the region code from your bill I can find out from that what Platform you are on.

Re: intermitten issue
 

Area reference is 24 according to the bill.

Sorry thats all i can give you as i only have the bill header

Re: intermitten issue
 

Latest update

After changing the network cable from router to pc, adding another 3db forward path attenuator and running on PC mobo onboard NIC, not one single drop out tonight.

Kinda hard to determine out of the 3 (guess i cold use process of elimination to determine exact fault), but i'm guesssing it's the NIC card that has given up the ghost. Then again after what 'Whydoineedatech' mentioned about the downstream power levels, it could be that.

I've acquired a brand new Intel Pro10/100 TX NIC from work and shall try that out.

I'll keep you posted, but if you could get back to me on what setup i'm on depending upon area code from my bill, i'd really appreciate that, and thanks for all your good advice. It would appear the issue is h/ware related or signal strengh...

Re: intermitten issue
 

Send me a PM with your MAC address from your modem and I will send you the details back by midday today.

All the area code does is tell me what company originally ran your area.

Re: intermitten issue
 

Been playing up a little bit tonight with high ping levels to game servers, went out for an hour, came back and got this reading on upstream:



Cable Modem Upstream
Upstream Lock : Locked
Upstream Channel ID : 4
Upstream Frequency : 37500000 Hz
Upstream Modulation : QPSK
Upstream Symbol Rate : 2560 Ksym/sec
Upstream transmit Power Level : 47.0 dBmV
Upstream Mini-Slot Size : 2

This is with the onboard NIC and new patch cable to the PC

Re: intermitten issue
 

The Upstream power level looks fine, try this link below.

http://www.virginmedia.com/help/20mb...timisation.php

The Optimiser is pretty good.

Re: intermitten issue
 

Thanks mate, i alerady use that but shall check it out incase somehting is amok.

Re: intermitten issue
 

Does your connection seem any different with the new NIC?