It's really getting on my nerves now... - Page 3

mrlipring · 21-06-2005, 14:29

And again today. @ 15:00

*sigh*

IanGuy · 21-06-2005, 14:43

I use the NTL:200 model from Ambit and I have had problems similar to yours, though I don't believe these to be of fault of the modem.

It's usually an area problem which NTL somehow are not aware of. I had problems where my RDY light would go out, some occasions both would go out.

I would then restart the modem and everything would be ok, always seems like the modem due to this, but it's actually a signal fault.

I always found it would play up if downloading/uploading large files or gaming online. After many problems, engineer visits etc it finally got sorted and it now runs smooth. It was a problem with a cable in my street being too narrow, they had to relay the cable, and walah! Perfect internet and no more would I have to put up with the odd crackle or pixelation on my STB box downstairs.

Your situation may be different, but the chances of getting 2 faulty modems one after the other are very slim. I know it's hard, but you need to somehow make someone at CS believe it is an actual problem with the connection, not the modem. After you call about the same problem 3 times by the way, they will send a "technical engineer" which to my knowledge are sort of higher up in the knowledge and maintenance of the network.

mrlipring · 21-06-2005, 17:03

I did a little more investigating. Popped out (street's SWARMING with U2 fans) for a couple of hours and just got back in and it's on the blink again.

Before i reset it (feel like stamping on the bugger) i checked some stuff.

I CAN still ping the ip address assigned to me.

i CAN ipconfig /release fine.

i CANNOT ipconfig /renew.

i CAN take the ethernet cable out of the modem, slam it into the xbox, change the IP address and ftp into the xbox no bother.

i put it back into the modem, changed it back to automatically be assigned an IP, and nothing. Can't do a repair. (i assume a repair just does a /release /renew)

The ONLY way to get connectivity back is to unplug the modem for a few seconds and reboot it.

It DOES seem odd that two modems give the same problem, so the problem must be on the other side of the modem somewhere.

If it happens again tonight i'll phone them WHEN it's on the blink. Perhaps that will show up something from their side.

Any other suggestions, people?
__________________

btw, the current power levels are

Downstream Receive Power Level : -6.9 dBmV
Downstream SNR : 34.1 dB

Upstream Transmit Power Level : 53.0 dBmV
__________________

judging by what it says here

the downstream receive is very much on the boundary of acceptable, and the upstream transmit is iffy too...

Web-Junkie · 21-06-2005, 19:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by monkeybreath

not quite true... modems are provisioned to specific UBRs and DHCPs, if connected to another they may well only get a pre-registration configuration.

However, having said this, if you are trying the modem on someone's connection who lives in the local area, chances are their modem is provisioned the same as yours.

Thanks for the clarification monkeybreath! I've had to take my modem and PC to a mates house a couple of times when I've had a problem to see if it's my PC/modem or NTL. He lives 2 streets away and the modem worked fine on his cable hence I thought it would work anywhere!

Back to mrlipring, what about the cable from the box to the house? I had 3 STB's and a modem all one one cable which caused problems with the TV picture and I think, but not sure, the modem. Eventually I had a new cable pull with my STB and modem on it's own cable which cured problems with the TV. Also, the muppets who installed my cable modem/TV originally used the existing TV aerial coax I had to plumb their cable into instead of installing new shielded cable, this got sorted when I had a problem with a few channels and the guy who came to check it noticed the aerial coax feeding the splitter to the STB and modem!

IanGuy · 21-06-2005, 19:23

That signal looks ok and would usually give good performance. Though I also had supposed good signals when I had these problems but still required work at NTL's end.

mrlipring · 21-06-2005, 20:10

Now you mention it, the guy who installed it was surprised i had an NTL box (white thing on the wall, not an stb. dunno what it's called) in the flat. He was all set to run me a cable from the cab i think, but it saved him the bother.

perhaps it was an administrative error, i dunno.

I have one Pace STB and one NTL:200 modem.

I'll phone them again tomorrow, but i'll probably get another half-wit who'll argue that the problem's at my end because the signal strength's ok... Fingers crossed i get a good 'un.

Stephen · 21-06-2005, 21:58

Everyone has the white box on the wall, that is how the cable singal comes into the property. some areas of the country get their broadband through the digi STB and not a cable modem though. Glasgow is definatly a seperate modem area.

I have the same modem as you and recently it has been dropping the connection a lot more. It used to be I could reset the router and it would be fine but I not have to reset the modem to get it back.

mrlipring · 21-06-2005, 23:48

Sorry, i might not have explained that as best i could. I think the tech thought the property hadn't been wired up at all, and that he'd have to get a cable in from the cab outside, but was surprised when he found the box.

Stephen · 22-06-2005, 10:16

But if you have NTL then you are cleary all wired up.

mrlipring · 22-06-2005, 13:36

lol

Yep, i know. The point is that when the dude came to install it he was expecting to have to run me cable from the street, but didn't have to.

I was wondering if there was maybe something wrong with the cable that was already installed, and he SHOULD have run new cable.

Either way, i'm on the phone to them just now, and have been for 36 minutes now.

I've nearly been shouting at poor Shweta. I know a girl called Shweta and she's gorgeous, so i'm pretending it's her so i don't get TOO angry.

Really though, i'm going round in circles. Had to restart the pc 50% of the way through a 3 hour virtualdub encode, which was a *******, even though i told her it wouldn't work. The only thing that DOES work is to restart the modem. But no, it's a problem with my pc.

"no it isn't. If it was, restarting the modem wouldn't work."

"the levels are fine, blah blah blah"

"i don't CARE about levels. I care about it working. It's not working. Restarting the PC doesn't work. Restarting the modem does. Ergo, it's the modem/connection."

rinse and repeat.

I've now got a reference number to quote the NEXT time it breaks. That'll be my third call (assuming it happens before tomorrow, which it will) in a week. I'm getting very ****ed off with this now.

At one point she told me "if restarting the modem fixes it, that's what you have to do. Just restart the modem when it stops working".

I laughed at the poor girl. That's pathetic. It's a solution, just not a very good one. I know she's working off a script and everything, and the script will tell her to tell me to do this or that, but when i've explained to her literally ten times that it's NOTHING to do with the pc, and ONLY restarting the modem fixes it, you'd think she'd get the hint...

*double sigh*

So yeah, next time it buggers up i've to get back on the phone.

I'm REALLY getting sick of this now.

Considering i can now get bulldog here... I assume my connection breaking *constantly* is reasonable reason to break the contract?

Stephen · 22-06-2005, 13:48

Sounds familiar, if it is broadband support, they always get you to restart your PC. Being very technically minded i could not get my modem working last month and had tried everything I new to do, and call them, first thing I was told was to restart the PC, I tried telling the guy I have already done that a fwe times as well as rebooting the modem but he kept insisting I restart.

It can get rather frustrating when you know they are reading a script and will not deviate from it.

Chris W · 22-06-2005, 13:54

ok this is getting boring now....

bung me the mac address of the modem by PM and i'll have a look at what is really going on....

oh and DarthYoda Tech Support do not read from a script.... there are often genuine reasons for asking people to reboot.... such as we have reprovisioned, or not to check that the modem is dropping offline properly when it is unplugged etc etc..

Web-Junkie · 22-06-2005, 14:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarthYoda

Everyone has the white box on the wall, that is how the cable singal comes into the property.

Errr... Are you sure? I have 2 black cables coming through the wall into my cellar with 2 isolators screwed onto the end and then the cable to the STB's/modem screwed into them, the telphone wires are actually stripped back bare wires with plastic crimp on ends where they have extended the cable to reach the 2 phone points in the house!! This lot is then tie wrapped onto a piece of brown plastic mounted on the wall!!

Stephen · 22-06-2005, 15:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by monkeybreath

ok this is getting boring now....

bung me the mac address of the modem by PM and i'll have a look at what is really going on....

oh and DarthYoda Tech Support do not read from a script.... there are often genuine reasons for asking people to reboot.... such as we have reprovisioned, or not to check that the modem is dropping offline properly when it is unplugged etc etc..

I know you guys don't, I was meaning the guys in India I end up going to first.

Chris W · 22-06-2005, 15:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarthYoda

I know you guys don't, I was meaning the guys in India I end up going to first.

India are also technical support, and they also do not use a script. They have exactly the same training material / diagnostic tools- the difference that you see is that all the tech support staff in swansea have been there are lot longer- when the India tech's gain more experience they will learn what things aren't worth checking.