Sporadic Sound Loss -- my side calling others

Posts: 34 · Posted: Thu Jan 06, 2005 12:08 am Post subject:

Final chapter to chrisp's issue resolved! Very Happy

Motorola SB5100 arrived, connected, and reprovisioned with Comcast tech support by 6:15 tonight... spent the last several hours catching up with all the people I've been wanting to talk to for the past few months but have avoided due to call quality...

My results?
While surfing on a desktop and a laptop (using a VPN into an office network), we were able to chat with friends and family without a single quality issue... VERY happy.

My final settings wound up being this --
SB5100 to Linksys WRTG54GS, which then has direct ethernets to the Motorola ATA and my 2 desktops (also serves as wirelesss access point for a few laptops). Linksys firmware includes QoS, set to High for the MAC addy of the ATA.

Thank you to all who replied on this post and others -- with out the responses from this forum, I'd have ditched Vonage weeks ago from sheer frustration.

Looking forward to not paying Ma Bell ever again. Smile

Thanks,
ChrisP

Posts: 15 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Feb 21, 2004 Posts: 15

Also, situation resolved here!

I traded my old Toshiba PCX1000 in for a new RCA DCM425 modem through my Time Warner office (I am using Earthlink cable). I've ben using the new modem for a few weeks now. Absolutely no problems, even when I was serving a site thru TZO + downloading a linux distro via FTP + surfing around, all while having an hour long conversation. No loss of audio at all. COMPLETELY HAPPY.

If you're using a Toshiba PCX1000, get rid of it at first opportunity. It's a known modem to have severe packet loss problems:
http://www.cablemodemhelp.com/pcx1000.htm

Thanks again for all who made the suggestions. I'm happier with my service now than I've ever been.

Posts: 1 · New Forum Member Joined: Jan 10, 2005 Posts: 1

I too have this issue. I have the a 3com cable modem CMX and optimum online. I have applied the latest firmware updates to my linkys voice router.

Should I change to a new modem? Any thoughts?

Thanks,

Posts: 15 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Feb 21, 2004 Posts: 15

kman, I'm not familiar with the 3com CMX. But here are the things that come to mind:

- Is that the entire model number of your modem, the 3com CMX? I don't know if this modem is in production any more. How long have you had it? Have you called your provider and asked for an upgrade? Look here:
http://www.broadbandreports.com/faq/7796

- Which Linksys router do you have? I have the RT31P2 and it's working fine.

Are you running cable or DSL? I am running Earthlink Cable in NYC.

Do you have anything else hooked up to your network, like a wireless router, or a wireless 2.4Ghz phone, etc? I have a wireless router, and a 5.8Ghz telephone.

Have you been to broadbandreports.com and done speed and packet loss testing? Try here: http://www.broadbandreports.com/tools

Broadbandreports.com is a great site to learn more about networking and how to optimize your network - but before you go nuts and start messing with network settings, see if it's your hardware first. I really believe that your modem is an outdated model that needs to be upgraded.

Good luck, post with your success/failures!

Posts: 34 · Posted: Mon Jan 10, 2005 10:25 pm Post subject:

kman wrote:

Should I change to a new modem?

Personally, I would start with checking http://testyourvoip.com as well as downloading PingPlotter (shareware version) and letting it run for a while to see trends... if you notice delay, packet loss or latency, then one (or all) of the three is your culprit.

If you do purchase a new modem, just check comcast's site to ensure its a supported model and keep your receipt in case it doesn't pan out. It would sure stink to shell out $70 on a new modem and not have it make any difference, so definitely ensure you have a return policy!

Good luck!

Posts: 15 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Feb 21, 2004 Posts: 15

Truth in what chrisp is saying - if you need to purchase, especially if you need to purchase, do some testing.

I was able to upgrade free of charge. I think you mentioned that you have Optimum Online, and they should be OK with an upgrade based on what I know of the service.

If however you need to purchase your own, I would def do some line packet loss testing and verify that you're having issues on that front. Try www.broadbandreports.com or the tools that chrisp mentioned.

Bon Chance,

Posts: 3 · New Forum Member Joined: Jan 02, 2005 Posts: 3

I still having the same problem. I went and check http://testyourvoip.com/, but I can't use PingPlotter (I have an iMac) Any one knows other program like PingPlotter?

Posts: 3198 · Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2005 8:54 am Post subject:

what were your detailed results?

Posts: 13 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Jan 10, 2005 Posts: 13

chrisp wrote:

Thanks all for your replies!

STILL having the issue, and I've been on tech support with both Vonage and Comcast.

Pulled a 'Homer Simpson' and originally downloaded only the freeware version of Ping Plotter; replaced that with the shareware version and running a history now... what I'm seeing is a spike about every minute where my packet loss runs anywhere from 10 % to 70%. I'm no Network Professional, but even to me that appears to be my issue. =)

So, moving ahead with the packet loss culprit, my Toshiba PCX1100 suddenly looks very guilty indeed.

Dodo39 seems to have corrected this with the Linksys WCG200, which I wish I would have seen 6 months ago before I bought the WRT54GS. For a basic wired cable modem, any one else have success by eliminating the Toshiba PCX1100?

Here's a link from Comcast on supported modems - http://www.comcast.com/Support/Corp1/FAQ/FaqDetail_2427.html

Anyone have any luck with a non-wireless modem? Considering Motorola SB5100 after a few reviews.

Someone from Comcast told me that you cannot use PingPlotter, that it is Pingless, whatever that means. To see if I had packet loss he told me to go to the DOS prompt and type "Command" then ping apple.com. The test lasted about 2 seconds with results returning no packet loss. Pingplotter showed I had packet loss too but Comast told me it was an erroneous report.

Posts: 3198 · Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2005 3:07 pm Post subject:

sounds like erroneous bs. I'd talk to someone else. I've never heard of "pingless" unless they were referring to a server or individual who blocks ping requests. that machine would be "pingless" I suppose you could say. but pingplotter has nothing to do with that, and pingplotter.com is definitely pingable.
anyway, long story short, either that person was a moron or there was some major miscommunication going on.