Internet cutting out

[Robbell]

Recently I've been having a problem with the internet connection cutting out.

I am located at the east side of Kitchener.

I'm using an older motorolla SB5100 cable modem and running windows 7.

The online light will go out and the lights will flash on the modem for a minute or two and then reconnect.

It's doing it now as I type this. I tried cycleing the power  few minutes ago.

The cable tv is not affected.

Has Rogers been experiencing problems or is it my end?

Anyone have any idea how to go about troubleshooting this problem?

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[Datalink · Accepted solution]

Your downstream level is fine, the upstream is near the upper limit for the power output from the modem back to the neighborhood node.  The upstream is normally between 36 to 40 dBmV.  When a cable or connector failure is in progress the downstream levels drop and the upstream level out of the modem increases in order to overcome the cables losses that are occurring.  The downstream normally drops, but yours isn't too bad at this point, the real problem is the upstream level.  You need a tech visit to check the external cable and connectors.

[RogersAliciaG]

@Robbell

Thank you for your post. 

I definitely understand the inconveniences of having your service cut out on you. 

Do you have any other devices connected that are also losing Internet connection?

Is the modem connected to a power bar or directly to the wall socket?

Were there any changes to your setup or computer in the past few days?

Regards,

RogersAliciaG

[ShakTiburon]

That's a pretty old modem. 😮

Have you looked into potentially swapping out the modem?
I haven't heard of any issues in regards to internet.

What package of internet do you have?

Edit: I'm slow in typing (oops), didn't see @RogersAliciaG message - I'm curious about the internet package as well - since I have a theory I want to confirm...

The power bar is a very good question; as surge protection can cause issues (Personally speaking with experience on that - modem use to reboot / loose Internet connection but wifi local network would stay active)

[Robbell]

Thank you both for your replies.

My first thougt was that it might be a problem with the modem but having no other modem I don't really have a way to do any "Swoptronics" 🙂

I purchased this modem from Rogers quite a few years ago as I couldn't see the point of renting.

My internet package is 60GB express.

I have had the modem power supply plugged into the powerbar on my desk, same place it's been for the past ten years. I just switched it to a different outlet.

The TV cable hasn't been affected at all.

[JohhnyRockets]

@ShakTiburon

It is a pretty old modem! I know because we are still using one ourselves. We have thought many times about upgrading our modem but this modem is still rock solid and after reading so many horror stories about the various Hitron CGN models, why would we want to switch?

We too have experienced, on very rare occasions, the same issue as posted by @Robbell. When I have called Rogers tech support, it never fails. I get the same response every time - things like your modem is shot or we cannot even detect your modem on our system - take it to a Rogers store and exchange it! Then, without fail, a couple of hours later it begins to work flawlessly once again. So much for believing Rogers tech support. With our own router, we get a great wifi signal throughout our 3-story house and no dropped connections - the most common complaints with ALL of the gateway modems from Rogers.

So, hopefully you can understand my reticence in not changing what is not broke!

[Robbell]

Mine is never out for that long. At the tops a couple of minutes.

[JohhnyRockets]

@Robbell

Ours is never out that long either. What we do experience is the glitching in and out for a minute or 2, then it comes back, then it glitches out again and will do this for awhile -  and then a couple of hours later it will be just fine again! No more gltiching in or out!

This modem has been so rock solid that we do not want to change to the gar*bage modems now provided by Rogers. If we ever change, we will never get our old modem back!

[Robbell]

That description pretty well sums up what is happening here.

[Datalink]

@Robbell, if you've had the power bar forever, disconnect it completely from the wall socket and run your devices from an extension cord as a test.  As power bars age, the metal-oxide varistors that provide the surge protection can start to fail, and when they do, they can emit RF energy that can bleed into the RG-6 cable and power cable.  That will kill the signal to noise ratios of the received data channels, resulting in loss of service.  Here's a wikipedia link that provides an explanation of the varistors

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varistor

Disconnect the power bar completely and see if that alone makes a difference with the loss of internet service problem.

The other possibility is that you have an external cable or connector failure on the go.  The cables and connectors don't last forever and every few years require replacement.  Unfortunately, with that particular modem, you can't log into the modem to check the signal levels and signal to noise ratios, so, call tech support and have the CSR run a signal check on the modem, with the power bar completely disconnected.  Rogers Contact Number is 1-888-764-3771 (1-888-ROGERS1).  If the signal levels and signal to noise ratios are out of spec, the CSR will arrange for a tech visit with you.  Restarting the modem in these cases can provide short term relief, but it doesn't solve the issue of the deteriorating cabling.

[Robbell]

Thanks for the tip. I'll definitely give it a try.