Intermittent internet packet loss

[tlapsky]

Hey guys, I'm hoping someone can solve this issue I've been having for quite some time.

First off: I've been having tons and tons of issues with Comcast ever since I've lived in this house, every few months it starts acting up. I've had half a dozen appointments, they've climbed the utility pole, replaced the modems and that always fixes it.. for a few weeks to a couple months, then it's back in full force.

I'm here to post some information in hopes someone out there may have something to add to this mystery.

Here is a screenshot of my modems configuration page including power levels and signal to noise ratios.
http://i.imgur.com/Bj9dPXG.png

Here is a few screenshots of a program called pingplotter, it will show you the random dropping that I'm experiencing The bottom graph will show green pings, then all of the sudden 100% packet loss (red). Sometimes itll be quick, sometimes the blackouts will last anywhere from 30seconds to 2hours.
http://i.imgur.com/74rfyHQ.png
http://i.imgur.com/OtWO95t.png
http://i.imgur.com/HvrtBFN.png

Please forgive any black markings I've added in the screenshots, I'm not sure what information is sensitive and what isn't to be honest, hopefully nothing scratched out is important.

As far as I can tell everything is completely normal in the modem configuration page, but the dropping doesn't lie. It happens at completely random times. 1am, 6am, noon, 1pm, 6pm, it really has no preference.

I have another program to sniff all my packets and I'm never seeing a significant influx of packets or anything out of the ordinary when the internet goes down, it just decides it wants to take a break at times I seriously can't think of a single other thing haha, I really need help here guys.

So if anyone has any ideas, perhaps tests I could run to further isolate the issue please let me know. I appreciate any and all help given.

[Mike-Bracknell]

Have you actually replaced the mode/router with a different one in this time, I couldn't see in your post that you had?

[tlapsky]

Thank you for the reply. I have not replaced the modem or router as of recently. The last comcast tech to come out to investigate said there's no need as "either the modem works or it doesn't, no in-between." So he wouldn't replace the modem as he figured nothing was wrong with it. The issue still happens when the modem is connected directly into the PC, in fact all of those screenshots were without the router attached.

[Saab Dastard]

In the 10 years I have had cable broadband at home, only once has a fault been down to the modem. It's invariably an upstream device that's causing problems.

Is anyone else on the same service near you getting similar problems?

SD

[tlapsky]

I think a while back when I was having the same problem but at a bigger scale, it could cut off right around 8pm and be off until the next day, someone showed me a similar pinging program that had their net also dropping. Is there a utility box in neighborhoods I can tell them to check?

[Saab Dastard]

It's not up to you to tell the ISP what upstream kit needs to be checked.

If more than one person in your neighbourhood is affected, tell the ISP that this is the case, and ensure that your neighbour also logs a fault.

The more people log the faults, the faster you'll get a result.

Whenever we get a broadband disconnect, we check with our neighbours and we all get on the blower. What used to take several days to resolve seems to be done within 24 hours!

SD

[Milo Minderbinder]

read this thread
Cisco DPC3000 Freezing/Locking - Cogeco | DSLReports Forums

it looks like there may be issues with that model of modem "sleepy modem syndrome"

Strange really as its an old model - you'd have thought even Cisco could have got it right eventually.