Rogers Ignite 150 Disconnect and Unresponsive At Times

[Siward44]

Hi Rogers Forum,

I just switched from CarryTel 75/10 to Rogers Ignite 150/30 for about 2 days or so.  Rather than faster speed, I have been noticing more frequent disconnections and sometimes there seems to be higher than usual latency.  I suspect a problem with my Rogers Internet signal strength.  Can someone tell me if the below power levels are acceptable for 150u Ignite?

IndexLock StatusFrequencySNRPower LevelModulation

Downstream

Channel Bonding Value

16

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

32

34

33

34

Locked

Locked

Locked

Locked

Locked

Locked

Locked

Locked

Locked

Locked

Locked

Locked

Locked

Locked

Locked

Locked

Locked

Locked

Locked

Locked

Locked

Locked

Locked

Locked

Locked

Locked

Not locked

Not locked

Locked

Locked

Locked

Locked

Locked

Locked

Locked

651 MHz

279 MHz

849 MHz

855 MHz

861 MHz

579 MHz

585 MHz

591 MHz

597 MHz

603 MHz

609 MHz

615 MHz

621 MHz

633 MHz

639 MHz

645 MHz

657 MHz

663 MHz

669 MHz

675 MHz

681 MHz

687 MHz

693 MHz

699 MHz

705 MHz

711 MHz

717 MHz

723 MHz

825 MHz

831 MHz

837 MHz

843 MHz

920 MHz

350000000

920000000

31.0 dB

38.5 dB

31.6 dB

31.5 dB

31.2 dB

35.5 dB

35.4 dB

35.2 dB

34.6 dB

34.0 dB

34.2 dB

33.8 dB

0.0 dB

0.0 dB

33.1 dB

32.2 dB

33.0 dB

32.6 dB

32.6 dB

32.4 dB

33.0 dB

32.6 dB

31.9 dB

31.9 dB

31.7 dB

31.7 dB

0.0 dB

0.0 dB

31.4 dB

31.5 dB

31.7 dB

31.4 dB

27.0 dB

37.5 dB

26.9 dB

-15.1 dBmV

-6.1 dBmV

-16.8 dBmV

-16.9 dBmV

-17.1 dBmV

-12.9 dBmV

-12.9 dBmV

-13.2 dBmV

-13.8 dBmV

-14.4 dBmV

-14.3 dBmV

-13.8 dBmV

-14.0 dBmV

-15.3 dBmV

-15.5 dBmV

-15.1 dBmV

-15.7 dBmV

-16.2 dBmV

-16.1 dBmV

-15.9 dBmV

-15.7 dBmV

-16.4 dBmV

-17.0 dBmV

-17.0 dBmV

-17.2 dBmV

-17.4 dBmV

-17.7 dBmV

-18.0 dBmV

-17.2 dBmV

-17.1 dBmV

-16.8 dBmV

-17.0 dBmV

-18.2 dBmV

-7.5 dBmV

-18.1 dBmV

256 QAM

256 QAM

256 QAM

256 QAM

256 QAM

256 QAM

256 QAM

256 QAM

256 QAM

256 QAM

256 QAM

256 QAM

256 QAM

256 QAM

256 QAM

256 QAM

256 QAM

256 QAM

256 QAM

256 QAM

256 QAM

256 QAM

256 QAM

256 QAM

256 QAM

256 QAM

256 QAM

256 QAM

256 QAM

256 QAM

256 QAM

256 QAM

OFDM

OFDM

OFDM

If memory serves me correctly, power levels too -15 or too far from 0 is not acceptable.   Would this be the cause of my disconnections?

***Edited Labels***

[t_kwan]

The maximum acceptable range for power levels that cable companies use is -15dBmV to +15dBmV (though, really it should be -7dBmV to +7dBmV, with 0 dBmV being preferable). Though, it appears that Rogers uses -13 and +11 as their limits (https://communityforums.rogers.com/t5/Internet/Troubleshooting-a-Slow-or-Intermittent-Connection-Wir...), so almost all of your channels are not within Rogers' spec.

What's worse is all of your channels' SNR do not meet Rogers' spec of 38dB. You also have multiple channels that don't meet the minimum requirement of 33dB for DOCSIS 3.1, plus with 4 channels reporting 0.0dB (with two of them being not locked, i.e. you're completely missing two downstream channels).

This is a serious issue that needs to be looked at by a technician - it's probably your lines and not your modem if they just had it installed. Make sure they do a test of all your inside and outside lines - I'm surprised they let this happen if you just had it installed 2 days ago (though, unfortunately, not an uncommon occurrence, and somewhat in line with my own experiences with an installer from a month ago)

If first-line tech support doesn't think this is an issue (though I would highly doubt this would make past their basic signal tests), try @CommunityHelps.

(BTW, a good resource to learn more about your modem stats and what is/isn't acceptable is here: https://www.duckware.com/tech/solving-intermittent-cable-modem-issues.html)

[Siward44]

Yep.  More hiccups than usual.  

I didn't see the technician test my line.  All he did was use some buzzer tool to check endpoints.  He also moved my connection one connector lower than where it was at the junction box.  The junction box had about 8 wires (split between probably 8 townhouses).

[Siward44]

He also stripped all cable connectors and recrimped them with new ones.  Again, I didn't see him test signal strength.  Usually you plug the cable line into a tool that looks like a multimeter (which I didn't see him do).

[Siward44]

And here's my upstream values:

IndexLock StatusFrequencySymbol RatePower LevelModulationChannel Type

Upstream	Channel Bonding Value
1	2	3	4	5
Locked	Locked	Locked	Locked	Locked
21 MHz	25 MHz	32 MHz	38 MHz	42 MHz
2560	5120	5120	5120	0
37.0 dBmV	38.0 dBmV	39.0 dBmV	39.3 dBmV	4200000.0 dBmV
QAM	QAM	QAM	QAM	OFDMA
TDMA_AND_ATDMA	ATDMA	ATDMA	ATDMA	TDMA

[Datalink]

@Siward44 call tech support and ask the tech rep to run a signal check on your modem.  It should fail automatically.  Your downstream signal levels are terrible.  And .... the upstream levels aren't bad at all.  That's a very odd combination.  

I would guess that the only reason that you have internet service is due to the upstream QAM channel signal levels which are ok, and poor downstream OFDM channel signal levels.  The first OFDM channel runs in the 300 to 445 Mhz range, which, according to your signal levels is running around -7 dBmV.  So, its alive, but just barely.  Anything above 500 Mhz is a write-off, so all of the upper QAM channels won't be usable.  That's a problem as you're modem is also showing a downstream OFDM channel at 920 Mhz.  My guess is that the upper OFDM channel is useless.  With both OFDM channels running, I'd expect to see fast response times.  

The downstream QAM levels that are ideal are 0 dBmV across the board with a signal to noise ratio somewhere in the 36 to 40 dB range.  with 0 dBmV signal levels for the QAM channels, that should put the OFDM Physical Link Channel (PLC) power level around 0 dBmV as well.  At least in theory.  

The upstream QAM channels should be running in a 36 to 40 dBmV range.  The OFDM channel should be near or just above that range.  

So, you have a cable or Multiple Dwelling Unit problem of some type.  For multiple units in an apartment or condo complex, its typical to see an MDU such as the following:

https://www.antronix.com/solutions/multiple-dwelling-unit

The MDU's are shown as Multi Port splitters.  There are different sizes used, depending on the number of units in the building complex. 

Its also possible that the building is serviced with a local tap, which looks like this:

http://www.acmetronix.com/at/index.php?m=content&c=index&a=show&catid=15&id=53

In either case, if there's an issue with with that device, it will probably require a Senior Tech (real Rogers tech) to swap the unit out.  I don't believe that contract techs are allowed to do anything other than connects or disconnects, installs or run temporary external cables where the existing cable is unserviceable.  Anything else requires a Senior Tech or a Maintenance crew.

I don't understand why the tech left you in your current situation.  The low signal levels can't be missed, no matter how hard you try to avoid them.  

Try Tech Support first, and if Tech Support refuses to help, request an answer from @CommunityHelps as to why your signal levels and disconnects are being ignored.  Ask Tech Support what their current cut off signal levels are, which determine whether or not they will dispatch a field tech.  They used to be +/- 10 dBmV.  It looks like Rogers has expanded that range but, I don't know that that range happens to be at the present time.  Historically, on the Rogers network, and for as long as I've been around, when you get to +/- 7 dBmV and beyond, you start seeing issues with internet service.  So, despite the official numbers, users see issues long before their signal levels actually arrive at those numbers.  

[Siward44]

Thank you for the detailed explanation.

I live in a townhouse complex.  It is a bunch of houses built side-by-side in a row.  I have my own garage and door.  I just so happen to live at the end of the row of townhouses, so I guess my signal is the worst.

[Datalink]

@Siward44 I would start with tech support to see what the tech rep says about the extremely low downstream signal levels.  The correct response should be to dispatch a field tech to determine what the problem is.  

Out of curiosity, do you happen to know if the incoming external cable is connected to the modem cable by an F-81 connector?  That connector looks like this:

https://www.homedepot.ca/product/ideal-3ghz-f-splice-adapter-10-pack-/1000751479

Or, is there still a splitter installed where the incoming external cable meets the internal house cabling?  That should have been removed when the new modem was installed, although, perhaps the tech left the splitter in place to act as a signal attenuator??

[Siward44 · Accepted solution]

Here's the update and solution.

I also have Rogers TV, but I have disconnected it a while ago to help my Internet signal.  Therefore, I have no splitter anywhere for power loss.

Anyways, I called Rogers Support and the support rep immediately told me I needed another onsite technician appointment once he saw my cable signal strength.  He tried rebooting my modem remotely and it didn't make any difference.

A Rogers technician came yesterday morning at 9:00am.  After testing various cable lines, he concluded that my underground cable line cannot be used anymore.  He went to a brown junction box 3 houses down and installed/connected a "temporary" line by lopping a black cable line over the garages/doors of 3 townhouses to my house.  The outside line is still dangling across the garages.  It is supposed to "permanently" fixed within 25 days or I should call Rogers again.  The "permanent" solution is supposed to have a saw blade cut a narrow line in the driveway cement to hold the line.

A grey Rogers demarcation box was installed outside my garage.  A hole was drilled.  The line was routed through the garage and then to the basement electrical box following my existing garden hose copper pipe line.

After reconnecting everything, it still didn't work.  He then concluded that the cable line inside my house cannot be used anymore.  He looked around for ways to bring the cable.  He first recommended drilling a hole from my living room into the garage.  Later, he just decided to crimp a line along the stairs all the way from the basement. 

He then drilled a hole from the stairway to the basement and then crimped the line up along one set of stairs and across another set of stairs to the living where the existing TV/Ignite gateway is located.  I don't quite like the install as the line is very visible.  I particularly don't like how the line goes across the bottom of one stairway.

The install really did fix my Internet signal strength:

IndexLock StatusFrequencySNRPower LevelModulation

Downstream

Channel Bonding Value

16

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

32

34

33

34

Locked

Locked

Locked

Locked

Locked

Locked

Locked

Locked

Locked

Locked

Locked

Locked

Locked

Locked

Locked

Locked

Locked

Locked

Locked

Locked

Locked

Locked

Locked

Locked

Locked

Locked

Locked

Locked

Locked

Locked

Locked

Locked

Locked

Locked

Locked

651 MHz

279 MHz

849 MHz

855 MHz

861 MHz

579 MHz

585 MHz

591 MHz

597 MHz

603 MHz

609 MHz

615 MHz

621 MHz

633 MHz

639 MHz

645 MHz

657 MHz

663 MHz

669 MHz

675 MHz

681 MHz

687 MHz

693 MHz

699 MHz

705 MHz

711 MHz

717 MHz

723 MHz

825 MHz

831 MHz

837 MHz

843 MHz

920 MHz

350000000

920000000

38.2 dB

38.5 dB

38.9 dB

38.8 dB

38.5 dB

38.3 dB

38.4 dB

38.5 dB

37.9 dB

37.6 dB

37.8 dB

37.7 dB

38.3 dB

37.4 dB

37.4 dB

38.0 dB

37.9 dB

37.7 dB

38.0 dB

37.7 dB

38.6 dB

38.2 dB

38.1 dB

38.2 dB

38.3 dB

38.5 dB

38.4 dB

38.2 dB

38.8 dB

38.7 dB

38.8 dB

38.8 dB

36.7 dB

37.9 dB

36.8 dB

-3.1 dBmV

0.3 dBmV

-2.6 dBmV

-2.9 dBmV

-3.0 dBmV

-2.9 dBmV

-2.7 dBmV

-2.7 dBmV

-3.1 dBmV

-3.6 dBmV

-3.4 dBmV

-2.9 dBmV

-2.8 dBmV

-3.9 dBmV

-3.9 dBmV

-3.2 dBmV

-3.6 dBmV

-3.9 dBmV

-3.6 dBmV

-3.3 dBmV

-3.1 dBmV

-3.5 dBmV

-3.8 dBmV

-3.6 dBmV

-3.4 dBmV

-3.3 dBmV

-3.4 dBmV

-3.5 dBmV

-2.8 dBmV

-2.8 dBmV

-2.7 dBmV

-2.7 dBmV

-5.1 dBmV

0.9 dBmV

-5.1 dBmV

256 QAM

256 QAM

256 QAM

256 QAM

256 QAM

256 QAM

256 QAM

256 QAM

256 QAM

256 QAM

256 QAM

256 QAM

256 QAM

256 QAM

256 QAM

256 QAM

256 QAM

256 QAM

256 QAM

256 QAM

256 QAM

256 QAM

256 QAM

256 QAM

256 QAM

256 QAM

256 QAM

256 QAM

256 QAM

256 QAM

256 QAM

256 QAM

OFDM

OFDM

OFDM

[Siward44]

I also asked the Rogers technician to fish a new cable line using the existing line, but he refused.