Comcast, outbound dropouts, questions - Resolved

Posts: 5 · Posted: Tue Jun 13, 2006 1:48 pm Post subject: Problem not solved...

I think I was premature in saying that the problem had been solved. My packet loss was 0% for most of yesterday afternoon, then overnight it returned.

Before the tech came out, I put the cable modem back into it's original place and reattached it to the original cable. By "drop from the pole", we do not have underground wiring - the cable is on poles, and I was referring to where the Cable TV wiring enters the house. There is a place where the cable from the pole enters the house. At this point, there is a junction - I just hooked my cable modem into this point.This way, I could get the tech to replace the cable - also, he could see the problem I was having.

The tech arrived and I showed him my pingplotter stuff and packet loss. It had gotten as bad as 80% this morning. He went to look at the pole. Came back, said it looked fine and but decided to replace the line from the pole drop to my modem.

After he did that, he couldn't get the modem to sync up. He said power levels were great - the modem just wouldn't sync. After ten minutes of waiting for it to sync, he asked if I was waiting for him to leave - I said no, I'm here all day. He said he had called another tech to help troubleshoot but it was going to take 30 minute for him to get here. Because he had another appointment, he was going to go do that one then come back.

Sure enough, 30 minutes later he showed up with another tech. The modem had finally synced, but it took 20 minutes. They all agreed something was wrong. They climbed the pole, ran tests on the wire from the pole itself, did all sorts of stuff. Interestingly, when the tech was in the neighbors backyard climbing the pole, the lady came out and said, "are you here to fix our internet?" so they are having problems too. I was going to ask them yesterday but didn't see them around.

After all this, he didn't know why he didn't mention this before, but last year in this area they were having this same problem in June/July and then October. Good connections, but lots of packet loss and being unable or very slow to surf the internet. They thought they had the problem fixed before..but... maybe not.

So - finally they said, we're done all we can do. It's not fixed - it still has massive packet loss (100% when they left!) but it needs a "line guy" to look at it. They called him and he should be out in a few hours. He doesn't need access to the house, they will give him all the data he needs. So - he hasn't shown up yet. I don't imagine he'll knock on the door, but I should be able to see him park his truck.

I'll update you when more happens. I'm home all week, so I'll keep applying the pressure to Comcast. Plus, having the next door neighbor with a similar problem should help.

Posts: 13 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Jun 08, 2006 Posts: 13

Hi all,

I have watched this thread with interest for the past week and believe I am in the same boat with you. I reside just north of Dallas and have had voice drops since installing my Vonage service for the past week.

I am not as technical as many of you on the thread, so I wanted to be sure I am thinking correctly before raising heck with Comcast.

I have run PingPlotter for the past three days and the results seem to indicate that a router (I think the right term) in Comcast's network is faulty. In the last 10 minutes 68.87.207.85 has lost 27% of the packets.

I called Comcast and in my case they said they could not send a tech at all. They say they provide a connection to the internet and that is all. Since the connection works most of the time, the Vonage service is not their problem. The best they could do was to have a supervisor call me back in "usually" 24 hours.

Does anyone have some advice as to what I should say to the supervisor, if they call me back?

Thanks!

Posts: 31 · Vonage Forum Junior Joined: Jun 11, 2006 Posts: 31

ooooooooooooooh - that's not a good reply from Comcast! Since you're new on Vonage - I just wanted to be sure you went into your bandwidth saver and upped it - they default it at 30 (to conserve your bandwidth) but that's about as good as a tin can. I know some who like it on 50 - I always ran mine on 90 for best.
Stick to your guns and get a supervisor, don't let tier one support blow you off if you're seeing latency and packet loss on their servers. The tests I'm running pin it to the same servers, over and over again. Good luck!

Posts: 5 · Posted: Wed Jun 14, 2006 7:36 pm Post subject: wow.

EdK wrote:

I have run PingPlotter for the past three days and the results seem to indicate that a router (I think the right term) in Comcast's network is faulty. In the last 10 minutes 68.87.207.85 has lost 27% of the packets.

I called Comcast and in my case they said they could not send a tech at all. They say they provide a connection to the internet and that is all. Since the connection works most of the time, the Vonage service is not their problem. The best they could do was to have a supervisor call me back in "usually" 24 hours.

Wow. I'd be hot over that. I would be surprised if he calls you back, personally.

Try a different tack - I assume that at some point your just browsing the internet is slow/stops? Your internet connection isn't supposed to do that. Some sites are slow - but places like microsoft or other big places are fast. Also, it should be reasonably close to the advertised speed. Here, I have 8 meg down/ 768k up. If I'm getting 6 or so down and 500 up, that's close enough for me. But... when I was having lots of packet loss, the internet would stop/very slow and the speed tests showed more like 2 meg down, 500 up.

So, my advice is to not mention Vonage - once you mention someone else, they will just blame the third party. (I never mentioned Vonage in my issue, because once I solved the packet loss, I knew that that would solve my Vonage issue). Just call them up and say the internet is slow/stops working at times. The best thing to do is call them when it's not working well - that way, they can see the problem too. Don't take no for an answer - you should have very little packet loss and the speeds should be close to advertised. (I used this site: http://www.speakeasy.net/speedtest/ )

Also - make sure you disconnect any router/other devices and go directly to the modem, you don't want them to be able to blame it on something else. Also - it could be your router or whatever - you never know.

Good luck.

Posts: 5 · Posted: Wed Jun 14, 2006 7:56 pm Post subject: Update...

I guess I should give an update to my issue.

Where we left off was that the regular techs said they couldn't do anymore more - they decided it was a line issue and they were calling a "line tech", he should be along soon.

Sure enough, 2 hours after they left a Comcast truck with a cherry picker showed up. He spent a while back at the pole, then another guy showed up. They fooled around a bit then went around the corner and went up another pole (it looks like it feeds the pole I'm one). I lost connectivity off and on while they were there.

Around 4pm, they packed up and left. The wasn't any packet loss - so I called Comcast to see if the ticket had been closed - after the rep went and asked what one of the notes meant, ("REF MAIN"?) she said they hadn't closed to the ticket yet, line tech should be around tomorrow.

Next morning rolls around - internet is unusable - 85% packet loss, can't surf - nothing. I call Comcast again to see if the ticket's been closed - nope, tech should be out today. Fine with me - I just don't want them to think it's solved if it's not.

Finally, around noon, the packet loss disappears. As a note, I didn't see any of the trucks in the area today, so maybe the problem was elsewhere. So - at the moment it looks solved. Of course, I've thought that before. Smile

Comcast says the ticket is closed - she said the problem was a "code 32" - she didn't know what that meant, but it took them almost 4 hours to fix it, whatever it was. So - hopefully it's solved, for good.

Just for trivia, here's what was done to get to this point:
Tech suggested my new Dell computer had issues (!) I kindly pointed out this was unlikely the issue, and which of my 3 computers did he think was ok.
check line levels (each time they came, first thing they did)
swap my modem for Comcast modem
replace connecting hardware between pole and house
swap comcast modem for my modem
replace all ethernet cables
replace connecting hardware again
test line from pole to house using test equipment
finally, fixed a code 32 Wink

So - it's a saga - probably 4-5 visits over several months to get to this point.

Posts: 13 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Jun 08, 2006 Posts: 13

Thanks, iaflyer and gina516.

Yes, I do have a studder connection while browsing the internet as well. Also, my VPN connection to my office goes not 5 to 6 times a day. My IT staff belive this is a packet loss problem as well.

Thanks for the speed test. I get about 6M down but 275K up. Also the Voip test on this site shows a low QoS about 35%.

Let's see if Comcast calls me back tomorrow. I will just keep calling until I get a supervisor. I am also thinking of getting Vonage involved since they are the ones who will ultimately lose in this transaction. If I can't get it fixed I will have to go back to a POTS line. I have no choice but comcast right now for an ISP.

Any other thoughts are appreciated.

Posts: 9 · New Forum Member Joined: Jun 10, 2006 Posts: 9

1: Connect your modem to the first cable into your house, or outside, if possible

2: Connect your computer directly to the modem. No router, adapyor, nothing. just Cable>Modem>Computer

3: Run PingPlotter for an extended (12-24 hours) period of time.

3: Call your ISP, and DO NOT MENTION Vonage. Only state that your internet is being dropped/sluggish.

4: Keep calling. Keep PingPlotting. Keep records.

5: Keep calling

The above goes for ALL isp's, not just Comcast.

Posts: 31 · Vonage Forum Junior Joined: Jun 11, 2006 Posts: 31

You're absolutely right - do NOT mention Vonage! They instantly jump the blame to them - stick to the facts concerning your packet loss and document all issues. That's what needs to be fixed - and when it is - you'll have a happy Voip phone.

Posts: 13 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Jun 08, 2006 Posts: 13

Update.

The supervisor did call me back this afternoon. I explained the problem first and then told them about the symptoms (VPN and Vonage). I realize the advice has been to not say anything, but I am a bad liar. I mentioned the data I have from PingPlotter and she was accepting of my analysis and agreed to send a technician tomorrow. Let’s see what happens.

Posts: 5 · Posted: Thu Jun 15, 2006 10:17 pm Post subject:

I'm glad she called you back and listened - I think the reason we all said to not mention Vonage was because of the negative response you got earlier. Plus, if they solve the packet loss that should solve the Vonage issue.

A reasonable person at Comcast would understand that VPN issues and Vonage are symptoms of a Comcast issue - not something to blame on someone else. These days it seems that companies want to shift the blame to others.

I'm looking forward to what happens when the tech comes.