Constant modem reboots

[G UK]

Recently been upgraded to 10Mb and a new problem has appeared.

For the last few months I've had the occaisional modem auto-reboots although they've been few and far between and been easy to live.

Since the upgrade the occurances have been the same except when I start utorrent. I'm not a heavy user of torrents but every time I start downloading the modem reboots randomly every minute or two.

With Newsgroups and other Downloads it seems fine.

My system security is tighter than a Ducks backside and my system logs dont show ay problems related to this therefore I doubt its my system.

Kaspersky Internet Security
Firefox with Noscript & Adblock
Regular checks with
Adaware
Spybot
HijackThis

Plus lots of common sense/paranoia

My Signal Levels seem to be fine

Type : Ambit ETH/USB Combo Cable Modem
Cable modem : Ambit Cable Modem
Downstream Receive Power Level : 5.89 dBmv
Downstream SNR : 34.68 dB
Upstream Transmit Power Level : 51.00 dBmv

My opinion is my trusty old Ambit120 cant handle the pace of the new speed in conjunction with the multiple connections anymore and is on the way out.

I've been on the phone to a Virgin Indian Lady (/Snigger ) who despite obviously not knowing much about the service did try and help and eventually say she was sending an Tech/Modem out.

It did take a while as there were two major stumbling blocks:

1) She didn't know about the 10Mb upgrade and insisted I should be on 4Mb or 20Mb. I think she understood after me explaining it to her and told her to put down 4Mb.

2) She didn't understand that the fault was internittant. Ended up unplugging the modem whilst she ran her tests the second time.

God knows what will turn up as she insisted I needed a tech but at the end said she had ordered a modem for me.

Anyway back to the point, does anybody have any experience of similar occurances and am I right in blaming the Modem.

[nopcode]

Originally Posted by G UK

My opinion is my trusty old Ambit120 cant handle the pace of the new speed in conjunction with the multiple connections anymore and is on the way out.

I would go with that, the number of connections on torrents can overwhelm older tech quite easily.

I've had a similar issue with a cheapy router crapping out in a very similar fashion.

You can check if it is that, by limiting the global number of connections in your torrent client to something really low, and see if it still stays connected.

Letting it upload too fast , especially when virgins speed limits kick in, can seriously kill connections too. Not usually modems tho but who knows!


Kind regards

[G UK]

You can check if it is that, by limiting the global number of connections in your torrent client to something really low, and see if it still stays connected.

Ooh, good idea. I'll give that a go.

Edit: Why Holmes I think you've cracked it!! I've limited max connections to 10 and it seems to now be stable although annoyingly I've got to wait another couple of hours untill I'm out of STM to test at full speed

[hoggie]

yep had the same trouble with my router when i upgraded to 20mb.
it would force the modem to warm boot, why i never found out. new router+switch for son's xbox360 and all is fine.

but that still leaves me thinking how can a router warm boot a modem ?

[G UK]

Bugger, you sniped my edit

Edit: Why Holmes I think you've cracked it!! I've limited max connections to 10 and it seems to now be stable although annoyingly I've got to wait another couple of hours untill I'm out of STM to test at full speed

[nopcode]

Good good, try upping it slowly, and tell us what the sweet spot is for connections on that router, incase anyone else has an antique like that

I know what its like, I only got rid of my Terrayon modem a few months back, had the thing so long it felt like part of the family.

[G UK]

150 Connections was the original and it wouldn't stay connected for anymore than a minute or two

20 Connections fell over after a while.

18 is running OK at the moment although I am still STM'd so cant test with full 10Mb yet.

Unfortunately throttling my connections so far back means my download speed is bloody poor. I'll have to leave her running whilst I sleep which I dont usually like doing.

[mrsnooch]

Hi there. I had this same problem. Im goin to copy one of my posts from another thread...think this is the 3rd one ive pasted it into!! I had same problem, with torrents, but mainly with Skype. Most likely with the heaps of data they send and recieve. I had the 120 too, now on the 256 =]



I phoned this morning after my modem constantly rebooting when large amounts of data would be sent back n forth. I was in work, and the woman wanted to conduct tests on my modem, which was off. So after phoning my mum to get her to switch the comp on...by which stage it was 3:15pm... I phoned back, a list in hand of all the lights that were on/flashing so I could inform them. I explained the situation again to a different operator, and asked what the chances were of getting a replacement modem.


"Yes of course, I can organise that for you"

That was it, no questions, just a "Was I sure I needed a new one". I told him I had had that modem since I first joined them about 4 or 5 years ago. He agreed saying the modems life spam is normally about 3 years. I should have this in 2-3 working days.

Just ask straight off if you can get a replacement. (If its not older than 3 years...well then it is now! If u get my drift!)

Happy days

2-3 days later and I got my new modem. Now I can use Skype, browse sites and download all at the same time and it remains connected

[ceedee]

Originally Posted by G UK

150 Connections was the original and it wouldn't stay connected for anymore than a minute or two
20 Connections fell over after a while.
18 is running OK at the moment although I am still STM'd so cant test with full 10Mb yet.

While it could simply be a problem with your old modem, there's also a known complication within XP.
From a great article on TorrentFreak:

"If you’re on XP sp2, your TCP connections are limited to a maximum of 10. This seriously hurts your downloading speed because it wont let you connect to a high amount of ip numbers. It is supposed to slow down viruses because their spreading strategy is to connect to a high amount of ip numbers, but it also cripples your torrent downloads.
A nice way to fix this is to download this patch, it allows you to set the maximum allowed connections to any number you want. Any number between 50 and 100 is ok (more is NOT always better)."

(Or you could just google for "half-open TCP connection" for further information.)

That article has several other tips on improving your bittorrent performance that are well worth a look.

hth

[G UK]

I'm on Vista and have already sorted that problem.

[Nedkelly]

The old 100 and 120 and some 200 do find it hard with the higher speeds .If i see these i will swap them as a pro active measure

[G UK]

OK got the new modem today Ambit 256. Fitted it and activated it and problem solved.

[KenMcGeach]

I have had my current modem for at least 3/4 years and have some download speed problems. Sorry for being so rude as to "hijack" this thread but how may I apply for a newer modem?

Thank you

[G UK]

1) Unplug your modem.
2) Give tech support a ring
3) Tell them your modem is not working
4) Let them do there tests which will obviously fail as the modem is turned off
5) Ask them to send a new one out.

Originally Posted by G UK

1) Unplug your modem.
2) Give tech support a ring
3) Tell them your modem is not working
4) Let them do there tests which will obviously fail as the modem is turned off
5) Ask them to send a new one out.

Then they will book a Tech because the problem may be in the Cabinet, who will come out find a working modem and you will be charged £25 for a wasted Tech.

You would be better ring up and explaining about your speeds and saying your modem seems to freeze and drop the connection but all the lights appear normal no flashing just on as normal, this gives the impression that it is a faulty modem and not a cabinet fault and therefore more likely to get a new modem sent out.

If you just unpug it then you will end up with a Tech visit.