I’ve been using comcast in Los Gatos, CA (Bay Area – silicon valley) for about 2 years at this location. Haven’t really had any issues until about 1.5 months ago.
The internet connection would go down every couple of days. A side effect of this was that the lower channels (2, 3, 4) on the TV would also show a lot of static.
Oddly, if I unplug the cable going from the main feed into the splitter, and plug it back in. The problem would go away, for what used to be a few days, but within the last week. It goes down every few hours. I’ve replaced the splitters, and even tried it without using a splitter (problem still exists).
After 5 techies have been out over the last month, the problem still exists. I’ve replaced the wiring and splitter, gotten a new modem from Comcast, yet the problem still exists.
None of my neighbors in my complex are having any issues with their TV (I’m the only one with Internet).
The only thing the tech guys keep telling me is that they’ve seen a lot of issues in my area. I’m sorry, but that doesn’t help me any.
I have 1 splitter (tv feed and cable modem feed). I also use a Netgear router MR814V2. But I don’t think that’s the issue.
The network works fine when the cable modem is working. I’m using a Scientific-American modem with the word “Comcast” printed on it (phone support says these are brand new).
The odd thing is that simply unplugging the main feed and plugging it back in fixes the problem.
I left a voicemail for the supervisor of the last line specialist who came out on saturday. But I’m really starting to get aggrivated here.
Anyone else experience similar problems, or have any suggestions on how to get comcast to fix the problem?
Aina
November 20, 2008 at 1:53 am
More than three years since the original post..
I could be completely off track here, but I suppose anything’s worth a try.
Since getting Comcast after moving 3-4 years ago my experiences with Comcast have always been on-and-off rocky.. there would be stretches of time (months, days) when the connection is flawless, but now and then things would just absolutely drop to a near standstill for a period of time.
It seems like the issues that have been discussed on this thread are about problems at intervals throughout the day.
My problem, and this isn’t the first time, is that internet access just pretty much dies at around 7-8 PM every night. Webpages take forever to load (or don’t at all) and ongoing connections (messengers, online games) keep disconnecting, lagging, or sometimes won’t connect at all. It sometimes restores itself at past midnight, but (like today) often it doesn’t, and I end up going to sleep frustrated and out of patience. When I wake up in the morning however, it’s always fine and remains that way until the evening, when the whole thing starts up again.
I use a wireless Linksys PCI card and router, and a Motorola modem.. I’ve replaced my modem once due to a different sort of problem. Last summer we called in a tech who replaced something outside our house. I never have router signal issues, and it says that I’m connected at 54.0 Mbps with an Excellent signal at all times, but my wireless managing program (it came with the PCI) always says that I’m connected to the router — but not the internet. I seem to be having issues with DNS. I’ve tried changing my DNS servers, but that didn’t help. A few days ago, during the daily downtime, I tried redoing my wireless config – that is, I typed in the WEP key and set up a new profile from scratch again. It fixed my issues for the day, but I haven’t been able to replicate my success since. Our house has 2 PCs – mine using wireless upstairs, and the Vista one downstairs that is connected directly to the router. The downstairs computer seems to never have any problems worse than slight slowing down at times. I wish I could plug my PC in directly to the router to see if the problem is between the router’s wireless capabilities and my PCI, but it’s not really possible atm. On some days, when a neighbor’s non-password protected network has strong enough signals, I can connect to theirs and have the internet working fine, even when my own is having issues. The thought of being reliant on someone else’s connection sickens me though, especially when 90% of the time, their signal strength is too spotty to connect anyways. To my understanding Comcast is the only ISP in my neighborhood.
I’m really, really not knowledgeable at all in tech troubleshooting, which makes things hard when I have to start looking for help out of necessity.
Sorry for the wall of text :(
I found this blog through Googling. If this isn’t a problem you have suggestions, think you could direct me to someone/somesite that is?
janishta (at) gmail, in case I miss a reply on this thread.
chovy
November 20, 2008 at 12:02 pm
Sounds similar to my experience when I was with Comcast.
I did learn that they have 2 support teams, contractors (who don’t bother much except for installing the connection software), and fulltime employees who go the extra mile in troubleshooting the line.
After 3 house calls in 2 months, I finally got a guy who traced my line into the attic in my apartment and saw that it was split — serving the neighbors, although it was not connected to anything, he removed the split Y in the line and the connection worked fine after that.
SimplyMe
July 5, 2009 at 11:36 pm
I’m having the same problem in Indiana. I don’t have a splitter, it is directly plugged into the modem and the cable is brand new. Comcast doesn’t care. If we ever get another high speed company in the area I will definitely switch.
Wendy
August 23, 2009 at 9:03 pm
I had (have) the same issue. I called Comcast because my internet and digital cable box both went out. But all the tvs connected straight to the cable worked. I was told to replace my splitter and to buy one made for high speed broadband. So I did, it worked, FOR AWHILE. Then my modem began to go off and on, if I was recording tv or watching on demand. I was so frustrated I would call and go through all the annoying troubleshooting stuff. They would reset connection, it wouldn’t work. Set up a time for a tech to come out, and within minutes of hanging up the phone. The problem would resolve itself. I have changed cables and splitters several times. If I flick (lack of a better word) my splitter I can make the internet and the on demand go off. I can make live tv make a skip sound. The quality of my Scientific Atlanta DVR/Cable box and internet on a scale of 1-10 is a 3. If I watch a movie on on demand or record, we get dial up speeds on our computers. Cable goes through modem out to a (secured) router. 1 ethernet, 3 wireless N laptops, and 1 X-box w/ Live. All have the same issue. We could have the cable box recording and just one of the computers active and we have the same issue. I am going to move the modem to another location. Do away with the splitter all together. I think it will help some of the problems, but not all of them. Comcast has been 0 help. If anyone has any suggestions I’m open to ideas.
Esteban
November 23, 2009 at 3:37 pm
11/23/2009 – Dear Friend,
I just found your blog, I live in Mountain View, only 15 min away from where you live and I have had the same problem with my Comcast Internet for almost a month now.
Funny enought, today I am expecting a Comcast technician to come over, which I am not very excited about it since I already know he/she will come out with some lame excuse.
I have had the same Comcast service for almost 2 years now, I never had a problem before, but now, all of the sudden, for the last month it’s impossible to stay online on internet because after 1 or 2 minutes the stupid Comcast modem reboots itself.
I do use a Netgear Router WPN824v2, which have been working for almost 4 years now without problems; before I used to use it with DSL and now, for the last 2 years I am using it with my Comcast service.
Once again, never a problem during the first year-year and half of service, but now, it’s all a different story.
I will keep you updated if my problem gets resolved; please do the same if you find a solution first.
Best regards and good luck.
Esteban.
chovy
December 19, 2009 at 1:23 am
Go with DSL…made the switch 3 years ago. It’s gone down once (the power was out).
tj
December 30, 2009 at 1:28 pm
I hate comcast, but I have no other choice at this point. Same problem, intermittent connection problems. It affects my cell phone usage as I use a device to get better connection in my home. It really sucks!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mhairi
March 12, 2010 at 8:25 pm
I certainly can understand this issue. I have had the same type of issue almost to a “T” with my ISP. Unfortunately, what people like you and I forget is that, any internet service is still fairly new. For instance the first what they called “Motorwagen(automobile), was built in 1885 ” and continues to be having unavoidable upgrades or fixes to this day. Does it not? In short, our internet is still very premature. You should expect somewhat of repairs and upgrades to be done. Expect it to break down and have all kinds of issues. I assume, a certain time frame of these issues to be resolved as well but, because its something we rely on so heavily these days, our perspective becomes somewhat distorted…. what did we do without the internet… try using the telephone or even the fax machine like the “olden daze”, no?
S
March 27, 2010 at 2:16 pm
Same problems here in San Jose– just near Los Gatos– in Cambrian.
Intermittent disconnection, especially in the afternoon of workdays.
The disconnection also takes out the voice phone, which is very annoying. Incoming calls are routed to a phantom voicemail box (to which we do not have access or ever check), a nice touch.
Setup:
Modem from comcast – ARRIS
Router- Netgear WPN824 v2
A couple of observations:
1. Comcast tech support is clueless. They just want to reset the modem. And they think it’s perfectly okay to recommend repeated resets (“just reset your modem and power-cycle the router to fix the problem”– right, on a daily basis. Nice).
The don’t answer direct question as to whether there has been any reports similar.
2. Removing the Netgear Router and connecting directly to the modem solved the problem for weeks on end.
3. Netgear reports that with some earlier versions of router firmware, a 2.4GHz cordless phone can interfere and cause the router to re-boot. I don’t know how that could cause the whole thing to crash but perhaps it does. So I updated the firmware and hoping it will be stable now.
4. Suggested troubleshooting methods:
- Connect directly with wire to modem and see if problem persists.
- If not, configure router. Connect router to modem. Connect computer to router with WIRE (not wireless). Disable wireless on router. See if problem returns.
- At least will tell you if it is the router + modem, or just the modem.
Shawnda Boiani
May 28, 2010 at 8:57 pm
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Joe
June 22, 2010 at 11:13 am
I too and having a frustrating time with this exact problem but with a Co-Op cable provider. Our provider just today sent out someone to look at the problem, and he suggested to release and renew the IP address on the router.
Being that I cant have that as my solution I began to dig around on my network. I found that the cable modem has a nice little status page with a signal to noise ratio, that tells you of weak signal, it also has a handy log file, with error is encounters. On most surfboard modems you can get to it by connecting to http://192.168.100.1 (this is the default gateway or router address in the DHCP information when you are directly connected). It seems that there is a encryption miss-match in the cable modem log, so I am hoping that the ISP can explain what is happening there. I know when you configure a T1 router wrong you get this type of up-down, laggy, and just all around bad connection speeds. I will update when I get more information from my ISP.
Eric
June 28, 2010 at 10:13 pm
Hello Everyone,
From reading all your articles, it is shown that ALL of us have the same disconnection problem from the same ISP.
I believe the problem isn’t from our modem, router, wiring, etc. It is from the source, the company.
I have had Comcast for about a year and I have recently been experiencing the disconnection problem.
I haven’t called any techs, nor switched the parts. I have just done the research and from what i have read, the problem is Comcast.
I really hope Comcast will take action to fix this problem. It is really annoying me and what makes it worst is that it is the only ISP in the area.
If they can’t provide good service, why do they try to get more customers. Obviously, the answer is they want money, who doesn’t?
Another “bad” experienced with my life.