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New Member

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2 Messages

Monday, August 22nd, 2016 8:00 PM

25-30% packet loss between cable modem/router and its next hop

My service was OK so far, with a few interruptions here and there, but lately it has become borderline useless.

e-mail and some web browsing can still be done but I work from home and require interactive ssh sessions to do my job and occasionally remote desktop as well. Neither is usable at this point.

 

I have an option to go back to FIOS which was very stable, but more expensive and constantly rising in price.

It seems like multiple folks here have been having packet loss issues, sometimes for months and these issues remain unresolved. Should I even attempt to resolve this with Comcast or just go back to FIOS immediately? Or wait a few days in case the issue goes away on its own?

 

Any advice will be appreciated as would be a candid response from Comcast support.

I attempted to connect with Comcast support via online chat but it was already closed at 7:15PM EST.

The alternative was to call them but it's not an option for me as I use VOIP and it won't work with packet loss this high.

 

To see the problem it is enough to just log into the SMC router and ping the default GW (obtained by it via DHCP from the WAN via its built-in cable modem). Typically I see 1 or 2 lost packets out of 4 that it sends. 

New Member

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2 Messages

8 years ago

FWIW, the problem went away on its own...

I guess I'll wait and see.

Contributor

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23 Messages

8 years ago

I have been battling the same problem for too long here, I'm even keeping track of the issue in real time with a monitor plugged into my comcast router... http://od.gaelm.fr/cgi-bin/smokeping.cgi?target=Comcast... When I called the support I was told a technician would need to come check my home installation and i would be charged if nothing was found... as I believe the issue after my router on comcast infrastructure (as 95% of the time all is perfect), I'm still not sure I want to give $99 "for the fun"... Approached an admin, got a proposal for a fix but communication stopped about 3 weeks ago and no responses since...

Contributor

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23 Messages

8 years ago

I have been battling the same problem for too long here, I'm even keeping track of the issue in real time with a monitor plugged into my comcast router... http://od.gaelm.fr/cgi-bin/smokeping.cgi?target=Comcast... When I called the support I was told a technician would need to come check my home installation and i would be charged if nothing was found... as I believe the issue after my router on comcast infrastructure (as 95% of the time all is perfect), I'm still not sure I want to give $99 "for the fun"... Approached an admin, got a proposal for a fix but communication stopped about 3 weeks ago and no responses since...

Problem solver

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326 Messages

8 years ago

All Comcast troubleshooting is driven by a Comcast tech on-site.

 

If you can demonstrate to the tech that you know what you are doing then you won't be charged.   The problem is that the techs often encounter people who complain about stuff like this and they go out there and find rubbish like the person has 1 bar on their wireless which is at the other end of the house from the modem and they have no clue WTF they are doing.   That can blow half a day just explaining to the customer that they are an idiot.   That's the reason for the $100 'penalty'

 

If you are renting your modem from Comcast then if it's NOT a Cisco then call and have them replace it.  The other modems (like the SMC) have many fewer channels and perform very poorly on a busy and congested cable network.

Contributor

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23 Messages

8 years ago

Thanks for the honnest answer, yes it is a nearly 4 years SMC router (at least it's been here 4 years).

 

Gold Problem solver

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575 Messages

8 years ago

I have completed my reset to your modem. Please test your service over the next few days to let me know if the issue is resolved.

Contributor

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23 Messages

8 years ago

Good afternoon sir

 

Limited success, looks like the failure rate dropped a little bit, but still getting disconnected multiple times a day...

 

 

Gold Problem solver

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575 Messages

8 years ago

Thank you Gael,

 

I can have a tech out at your site tomorrow 10/4/16 from 4p - 6p. Please let me know if this does not work for you.

Contributor

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23 Messages

8 years ago

That works for me

Frequent Contributor

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36 Messages

8 years ago

I had two SMCs and they were awful.  They had high packet loss and they bootlooped every time the SNR wasn't good.