Intermittent Conection - Please help me

[leonardlizaaard]

Lately my connection has been rather intermittent. The problem usually occurs during peak times (evenings) Although i don't get much time in the day to check this out. I have read through previous posts and it seems that several people have the same problem. I have just got to say something before i explode !!. I am using Win XP Pro with service pack 2, and Mandrake (or Mandriva †“ cause they changed the name ??) Linux 10.1 my network adapter is an on board 3com gigabit LOM. I have been with NTL for many years now and have had a cable connection since 2003 and in the last 3 months is the first time i have had a problem. I haven't changed any hardware for 6 months. My PC travels a lot and spends a lot of time on other networks most of the time net enabled. I only get problems when i connect from home. I have called NTL 5 times now and each time I cant seem to get anywhere. I have tried explaining that my home address and the ambit 120 are the common denominators of my problem. During particularly bad times i open a command prompt and ping google using the -t switch and watch it constantly, as soon as the connection drops i get †œrequest timed outââ‚Âà ‚¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ÂÂ� then †œhost unreachableâââ€Å ¡Ã‚¬Ã‚ÂÂÂ� at which time i then ping ntlworld.com with the same results. I have gained root access to my ambit and viewed the config:




Type : Ambit ETH/USB Combo Cable Modem

Cable modem : Ambit Cable Modem

MAC address : xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx

IP address : xx.xxx.xxx.xx

Downstream Receive Power Level : 7.80 dBmv

Downstream SNR : 30.07 dB

Upstream Transmit Power Level : 42.50 dBm




Thanks to Ignition for the instructions how to do this. The readings are taken at time of posting and the connection is stable, when there are problems the downstream RX lvl: 8.50 dBmv which according to Ignition's post could be the cause of my problem. Every time I call NTL support i explain everything, giving all information possible including swapping of Ethernet cable, and everything else i have tried which points to a fault with the modem itself or the signal. I have been lucky enough for the fault to materialize while actually talking to a tech who said that there was definitely a signal issue and an engineer would be dispatched, then the computer system which deals with the engineer bookings went down. The tech gave me a reference number and said that all i had to do was phone next day, quote the ref number and they would send an engineer out. I did just that and instead of just dispatching an engineer i had to explain the problem again right from square 1. During this phone call the fault did not occur and because i could see the BBC, NTL and Nationwide home pages, the tech told me that there was no fault with my connection and there would be no engineers dispatched. That was the closest i have got. Every time I explain the problem i use the key word: INTERMITTENT. I am a Calibration Engineer and thoroughly understand the words intermittent fault, sometimes i spend 3 days with an instrument until the fault finally manifests itself, during this †œsoak testâ₠¬Ã‚Â� I keep in regular contact with the customer, I really am getting angry with the problem now. I even had one tech rep tell me that it was impossible to gain access to the modem config through http or telnet, in fact Win XP doesn't even have a telnet client. He explained all this to me while I was looking at the modem config and giving him a live commentary on my SNR and RX pwr lvl.




The point of the post is to just say helllllp me please, i don't know what to try next. I will continue to call NTL tech support on a daily basis, any other ideas please




I don't want to change my ISP, as I said I have been with NTL from the beginning (telecential days) and this is the first problem i have had, if they can get this right it'll stick with them for many years to come.

[edit] sorry for missing these things out, forgot to include them: I live in Nuneaton - Warwickshire CV10 post code. tracert to bbc.co.uk results:

Tracing route to www.bbc.net.uk [212.58.224.111]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

1 10 ms 8 ms 9 ms 10.129.215.254
2 8 ms 11 ms 8 ms brhm-t2cam1-a-v105.inet.ntl.com [213.106.228.33]
3 8 ms 8 ms 14 ms brhm-t2cam1-b-v99.inet.ntl.com [213.106.229.10]
4 10 ms 8 ms 8 ms brhm-t2core-b-ge-wan61.inet.ntl.com [213.106.231.165]
5 10 ms 8 ms 15 ms bir-bb-b-so-710-0.inet.ntl.com [62.253.185.149]
6 10 ms 10 ms 11 ms nth-bb-a-so-300-0.inet.ntl.com [62.253.185.105]
7 14 ms 15 ms 18 ms gfd-bb-b-so-400-0.inet.ntl.com [62.253.185.98]
8 29 ms 15 ms 15 ms tele-ic-2-so-110-0.inet.ntl.com [62.253.185.74]
9 32 ms 15 ms 22 ms ntl-ge2-8.prt0.thdo.bbc.co.uk [212.58.239.217]
10 15 ms 18 ms 14 ms 212.58.238.153
11 19 ms 17 ms 15 ms www11.thdo.bbc.co.uk [212.58.224.111]

Trace complete.

[edit 2] follow http://www.broadbandreports.com/quality/nil/1719032 to my line test

[Chris W]

PM me the mac address of the modem and i'll have a little look at it.

[leonardlizaaard]

Thanks for your time Monkeybreath, as you suggested in your PM I am 100 % certain that an engineer needs to look into the problem. This makes me feel much better as I was already approaching the limits of my technical knowledge, i'm really glad that it doesn't appear to be my fault or a fault with my hardware. I will persist with calling tech support. I have seen in past posts that some tech support guys know more than others and sometimes go "above and beyond" I will keep my fingers crossed and keep trying till I reach someone who can help me.

Another problem is that if I succeed in booking an engineer visit, what happens if I cant re-produce the fault while the engineer is there? not having any experience with the engineers except for the initial cable fitting i'm not sure what would happen, any ideas any one?