Internet issues/erratic

[ALPHAZULU307]

Hello all,

 

I'm having issues with my internet as the title says. while watching YouTube/Floatplane or downloading a game I notice studer/loss of internet. I've contacted my ISP and they sent out a tech who tested communication to my router and then the signal through the coaxial line. On his end "all looked within parameters ". Obviously I don't believe that and I've ran though all of my equipment checked for firmware updates, as well as checking my ethernet cables, and watched for rogue devices pulling excessively. 

 

I've attached packet loss results, ethernet monitor and a speed test. unfortunately i was not able to capture the drops.

 

Internet connection 150mbs / 50mbs 

 

NetGear CM1000 Cable modem

Nighthawk X6S R8000

All ethernet cables are Cat 5e or 6e

 

If anyone has any information or thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thank you for your time. 

[Jumballi]

As someone who works in geeksquad at the moment, I can confidently say you've got some amazing internet, possibly in the top 99%. That said a lot of the people I deal with have much more severe issues, and I can confirm that the ISP have a super lax definition on what a "all looked within parameters " is.

I personally use the same router and have had some issues recently, especially if there's a hiccup on the ISP side, which then my router goes for a field day.

[ALPHAZULU307]

2 minutes ago, Jumballi said:

As someone who works in geeksquad at the moment, I can confidently say you've got some amazing internet, possibly in the top 99%. That said a lot of the people I deal with have much more severe issues, and I can confirm that the ISP have a super lax definition on what a "all looked within parameters " is.

I personally use the same router and have had some issues recently, especially if there's a hiccup on the ISP side, which then my router goes for a field day.

ya i completely agree that my speed is up there, but thats why i shouldn't be seeing issues in this realm. watching a youtube video that studer's at 150mbs should not be a thing, but it is. the speed test i sent is when its good, when it isnt im dropping in to the 20's.  

[Donut417]

20 minutes ago, ALPHAZULU307 said:

bviously I don't believe that and I've ran though all of my equipment checked for firmware updates,

If you go to 192.168.100.1 you can get in to the modems diagnostic pages and look at the signals your self. I posted what to look for in the spoiler. 

Spoiler

Downstream (Rx) Receive Power Level:
This is the amount of signal received by the modem from the transmitter in the cable company head-end.

For all modems DOCSIS 3.0 / 3.1:

-7 dBmV to +7 dBmV "Recommended"
-8 dBmV to -10 dBmV / +8 dBmV to +10 dBmV - "Acceptable"
-11 dBmV to -15 dBmV / +11 dBmV to +15 dBmV - "Maximum"
Lower than -15 dBmV & Higher than +15 dBmV - "Out Of Spec."
 

SNR (signal to noise ratio) levels:
This is how clear the signal is at either the modem receiver (downstream SNR) or the receiver in the cable company head-end (upstream SNR).

DOCSIS specifications list minimum CNR (carrier to noise ratio) levels not SNR levels. The SNR levels listed here are based on commonly recommended MER levels for digital cable signals. Not all QAM demodulator chipsets accurately calculate SNR levels that approximate actual MER levels, so these levels may vary depending on which chipset and/or firmware is used in the equipment.

*There is no upper SNR limit.

For all modems DOCSIS 3.0 / 3.1:

256 QAM: 30 dB minimum. 33 dB or higher recommended.
64 QAM: 24 dB minimum. 27 dB or higher recommended.
16 QAM: 18 dB minimum. 21 dB or higher recommended.
QPSK: 12 dB minimum. 15 dB or higher recommended.
 

Downstream SNR levels are read at the modem on the downstream data channel and can be viewed using the modem diagnostic screens.
 

Upstream SNR levels are read at the CMTS on the upstream data channel, not the modem or the modem diagnostic screens. The end-user cannot get the upstream SNR directly. Only the provider can read the upstream SNR level, directly from the CMTS. Also, the upstream SNR level provided by most CMTSs is not specific to any single modem, but is an averaged, aggregate level from all modems on that upstream channel on the upstream port.
 

Upstream (Tx) Transmit Power (a.k.a. Return Signal) level:
This is the amount of signal transmitted by the modem to reach the receiver in the cable company head-end.

*Recommended Upstream signal levels are +35 dBmV to +47 dBmV (DOCSIS 3.1)
*Recommended Upstream signal levels are +35 dBmV to +49 dBmV (DOCSIS 3.0)

50 dBmV maximum for OFDMA (DOCSIS 3.1)
52 dBmV maximum for A-TDMA, TDMA & SC-QAM (DOCSIS 3.0)
53 dBmV maximum for S-CDMA DOCSIS 2.0 (All Modulations)
54 dBmV maximum for 32 QAM and 64 QAM. (A-TDMA DOCSIS 2.0)
55 dBmV maximum for 8 QAM and 16 QAM. (DOCSIS 1.0, 1.1)
58 dBmV maximum for QPSK. (DOCSIS 1.0, 1.1)

Frankly it could just be your on a congested node. If thats the case there is not much you can do. Outside of Enterprise internet services that have SLA's, Internet speed or quality is not guaranteed . You can look at your signals, and if they dont seem to look right you can file an FCC complaint and the ISP has 3 days to respond to you and that complaint or the FCC might have to act. They dont want the government getting involved. 

 

I have Comcast cable and in the last two years I have noticed the internet has been degraded in quality, this is due to the higher usage numbers due to the pandemic. ISP's are kinda at the mercy of the chip shortage in the way they cant get equipment to do upgrades and the on going labor shortages are not help either. 

[Jumballi]

3 minutes ago, ALPHAZULU307 said:

ya i completely agree that my speed is up there, but thats why i shouldn't be seeing issues in this realm. watching a youtube video that studer's at 150mbs should not be a thing, but it is. the speed test i sent is when its good, when it isnt im dropping in to the 20's.  

I should note that while your total throughput might be XXXmb/s speed, your usually never going to see close to that on individual sites at they might be getting throttled somewhere along the line to getting to you.

Essentially, I've seen them throttle anything that's not an internet speed test. But, at least your entire throughput should be what they say it is.

[ALPHAZULU307]

4 minutes ago, Donut417 said:

If you go to 192.168.100.1 you can get in to the modems diagnostic pages and look at the signals your self. I posted what to look for in the spoiler. 

  Reveal hidden contents

Downstream (Rx) Receive Power Level:
This is the amount of signal received by the modem from the transmitter in the cable company head-end.

For all modems DOCSIS 3.0 / 3.1:

-7 dBmV to +7 dBmV "Recommended"
-8 dBmV to -10 dBmV / +8 dBmV to +10 dBmV - "Acceptable"
-11 dBmV to -15 dBmV / +11 dBmV to +15 dBmV - "Maximum"
Lower than -15 dBmV & Higher than +15 dBmV - "Out Of Spec."
 

SNR (signal to noise ratio) levels:
This is how clear the signal is at either the modem receiver (downstream SNR) or the receiver in the cable company head-end (upstream SNR).

DOCSIS specifications list minimum CNR (carrier to noise ratio) levels not SNR levels. The SNR levels listed here are based on commonly recommended MER levels for digital cable signals. Not all QAM demodulator chipsets accurately calculate SNR levels that approximate actual MER levels, so these levels may vary depending on which chipset and/or firmware is used in the equipment.

*There is no upper SNR limit.

For all modems DOCSIS 3.0 / 3.1:

256 QAM: 30 dB minimum. 33 dB or higher recommended.
64 QAM: 24 dB minimum. 27 dB or higher recommended.
16 QAM: 18 dB minimum. 21 dB or higher recommended.
QPSK: 12 dB minimum. 15 dB or higher recommended.
 

Downstream SNR levels are read at the modem on the downstream data channel and can be viewed using the modem diagnostic screens.
 

Upstream SNR levels are read at the CMTS on the upstream data channel, not the modem or the modem diagnostic screens. The end-user cannot get the upstream SNR directly. Only the provider can read the upstream SNR level, directly from the CMTS. Also, the upstream SNR level provided by most CMTSs is not specific to any single modem, but is an averaged, aggregate level from all modems on that upstream channel on the upstream port.
 

Upstream (Tx) Transmit Power (a.k.a. Return Signal) level:
This is the amount of signal transmitted by the modem to reach the receiver in the cable company head-end.

*Recommended Upstream signal levels are +35 dBmV to +47 dBmV (DOCSIS 3.1)
*Recommended Upstream signal levels are +35 dBmV to +49 dBmV (DOCSIS 3.0)

50 dBmV maximum for OFDMA (DOCSIS 3.1)
52 dBmV maximum for A-TDMA, TDMA & SC-QAM (DOCSIS 3.0)
53 dBmV maximum for S-CDMA DOCSIS 2.0 (All Modulations)
54 dBmV maximum for 32 QAM and 64 QAM. (A-TDMA DOCSIS 2.0)
55 dBmV maximum for 8 QAM and 16 QAM. (DOCSIS 1.0, 1.1)
58 dBmV maximum for QPSK. (DOCSIS 1.0, 1.1)

Frankly it could just be your on a congested node. If thats the case there is not much you can do. Outside of Enterprise internet services that have SLA's, Internet speed or quality is not guaranteed . You can look at your signals, and if they dont seem to look right you can file an FCC complaint and the ISP has 3 days to respond to you and that complaint or the FCC might have to act. They dont want the government getting involved. 

 

I have Comcast cable and in the last two years I have noticed the internet has been degraded in quality, this is due to the higher usage numbers due to the pandemic. ISP's are kinda at the mercy of the chip shortage in the way they cant get equipment to do upgrades and the on going labor shortages are not help either. 

i didnt know that about the fcc. that might be a good option. i live in a rural town in wyoming and because of that the isp has no competition so they charge an arm and leg for what ever they give us 

[Jumballi]

1 hour ago, ALPHAZULU307 said:

i didnt know that about the fcc. that might be a good option. i live in a rural town in wyoming and because of that the isp has no competition so they charge an arm and leg for what ever they give us 

FCC is FCC, big or small they got to deal with it.