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MYSTERY MODEM issues!
awhellno
Enthusiast - Level 2
‎04-30-2015 08:24 PM

My internet situation should have a reality TV series. 

And my modem is magical! Apparently........ it's a mystery!! A mystery no one can solve. 

I actually have a document with all of my Verizon internet issues since 2012. 

That was not a typo. 2012!!!!!!!

I've spent countless hours chatting with agents, both on the phone and on the computer. It took at least 12 hours worth of chats, and a new modem (which didn't do anything) but I finally got Verizon to send a technician to my house. Guess what he found. 

Nothing.

He ran tests on my line, and then the next time my internet went out, I called him and he ran tests remotely again. He found nothing wrong. And he had no idea what to tell me as far as my issues go. So now what? I just deal with it?

I'm not calling to chat again, to have someone give me the same runaround I've done 473829374 times:
Are you typing the right password into your modem?
Are there any filters between your phone jack and the modem?
Are there any filters anywhere in your house?

Can you take your computer from all the way across the house, disassemble it, and connect it directly to the modem?

Can you go into your modem settings and retype the password just to be sure?

Have you rebooted your computer and modem? 

My internet constantly randomly goes out, all different times of the day, sometimes once a day, sometimes once a week.

Sometimes the internet light stays on and it reconnects by itself. Sometimes the light goes out and stays out.

When I reboot the modem everything is fine. But I want to know why I am losing my connection in the first place. Why must I reboot all of the time like this?


I work from home, and am a student taking online classes. I have been a Verizon customer for at least 15 years. If I'm paying for service, I expect to get what I'm paying for. 

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Telcoguru
Master - Level 1
‎04-30-2015 08:49 PM

Post your modems SNR readings for your download and upload.

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awhellno
Enthusiast - Level 2
In response to Telcoguru
‎05-01-2015 07:44 AM

I'm sorry but.... I have absolutely no idea what that means.

If this posts under a different user name, it's because I kept getting errors and sign-in issues when I tried to log in, even though it seemed to work last night. 

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gs0b
Community Leader
Community Leader
In response to awhellno
‎05-01-2015 08:09 AM

FYI, you're talking to customers here.

Login to your modem and go the the connection status page.  You'll find the SNR (signal-to-noise) readings for both downstream and upstream data.  Some of the folks who hang out here can tell you if the SNR readings are good, bad or marginal.

Enjoy.

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awhellno
Enthusiast - Level 2
In response to gs0b
‎05-01-2015 08:27 AM

Thanks, I know it's customers.

How do I log into my modem? Is this where I go to 198.162.1.1? I tried that yesterday and tried all the numbers on the back of the modem, various combinations of "admin" and "password" and I couldn't log in to it 😞

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smith6612
Community Leader
Community Leader
In response to awhellno
‎05-01-2015 08:55 PM

Usually the modems are set to use admin/admin . Worst case, you might need to factory reset your modem which will then default it all to admin / password for you to change.

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awhellno
Enthusiast - Level 2
In response to smith6612
‎05-13-2015 10:30 AM

If I do a factory reset on the modem, what are the consequences? I've tried every combination of ADMIN/PASSWORD that I can think of or that I've seen other people post about trying. Nothing works to get in. Once I'm logged in, what can I do to get this modem to possibly work?

Or for those who just replaced this modem, what brand/model do you recommend?

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awhellno
Enthusiast - Level 2
In response to awhellno
‎05-19-2015 10:43 AM

UGH! I chatted with Verizon online last week and they told me they'd send me a new modem, a different model and brand. I open the box and it's the same &$#(@*&^$ modem as the last 3 I've had, and they've all sucked! 

I can't even believe I am still a customer.

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awhellno
Enthusiast - Level 2
In response to awhellno
‎06-04-2015 08:54 AM

I can say one thing about Verizon's customer service- assuredly, they are consistent.

Does anyone happen to know if the router could cause issues such as these- when all of my devices are failing to connect to the wifi, they get stuck at the "authenticating/obtaining IP address" part of the process? Should I attempt my connection with a new router/modem combo that I would purchase elsewhere?

I have no filters, other phones, fax machines, etc. in the house. I have the DLINK modem connected to a wall jack, all on its lonesome.

Maybe someone knowledgable in the forums can help me better than Verizon.

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smith6612
Community Leader
Community Leader
In response to awhellno
‎06-04-2015 07:29 PM

Okay, so since you have a D-Link, getting the line stats out of that right now is unknown. Until I can get my hands on one to search for hidden pages or an SSH/Telnet interface that can pull the stats, I guess we'll never know.

The next time you speak with Verizon please ask them to tell you the Noise Margin or SNR of the line. They can also check the capacity on your downstream and upstream. Chances are good that if your SNR Is somewhere below 10dB and your capacity is 85% and higher on either direction your line is not doing so good.

At this point, I really think you need a tech roll to come out, and make sure the line is totally clear. The aim for the role is to not replace the modem or drop the speed, but to improve it all.

As for the "Obtaining IP Address..." issue. That could be the router or perhaps the wireless link to blame. Sometimes it's just Windows being slow to get the IP and check for Internet access, and then refresh the GUI.

Alternatively, if you just want answers at this point which I suspect you do, make an account at DSLReports and open a case with a rep at the Verizon Direct forum linked below: 

https://www.dslreports.com/forum/vzdirect

The reps on the forum are well respected in getting problems like these resolved. See if one of them can give you the line Transceiver Statistics so that you can share with us. I would like to see them.

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awhellno
Enthusiast - Level 2
In response to smith6612
‎06-12-2015 02:40 PM

Sadly I've had people come out twice now... Both times, they tested the line and found nothing wrong. Even when the line went down at home, I called the tech and he ran some remote tests, and they all come out fine. No one can find anything wrong, even when my devices aren't connecting. 

Are the things you mentioned things that I can check at home? If so, I just need to be guided through it, or pointed in the website of "How To Fix Your Own Internet For Dummies." I sort of thought (hoped) that "knowing how" to do it would be, um, Verizon's job, since that's why I pay them? Thus, I've never taken the time to learn how to get readings, fix things, whatever else I need to do. 

I'll try posting at the link you provided. I wish I knew how to get all of the info that everyone is saying I need to post that would help out 😞 


I have to take an exam tonight from home, and needless today, I'll be immensely displeased if the wifi goes out in the middle and I'm somehow penalized for that happening.

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awhellno
Enthusiast - Level 2
In response to smith6612
‎06-12-2015 03:12 PM

!!!!

I ran the Speed Test on the website you recommended.

I got an F on the Bufferbloat. 

This is all very.... very new to me, so I don't know what it really means, but that can't be good. Could that right there be the reason for the internet dropping out like it is? I'm reading now on more information as to what that means 🙂 

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dslr595148
Community Leader
Community Leader
‎05-05-2015 07:31 AM

Step one: Visit http://www.giganews.com/line_info.html and post up the Traceroute the page shows, if you wish. Be aware that your non-bogan public IP Address will show up.  It might shown up as the final hop (bottom-most line of the trace)  might contain a hop with your IP address in it. Either remove that line or show only the first two octets. What I'm looking for is a line that mentions "ERX" in it's name towards the end. If for some reason the trace does not complete (two lines full of Stars), keep the trace route intact.

For example this what I saw when I was using Verizon

    news.giganews.com

    traceroute to 71.242.*.* (71.242.*.*), 30 hops max, 60 byte packets
    1 gw1-g-vlan201.dca.giganews.com (216.196.98.4) 13 ms 13 ms 13 ms
    2 ash-bb1-link.telia.net (213.248.70.241) 39 ms 7 ms 7 ms
    3 TenGigE0-2-0-0.GW1.IAD8.ALTER.NET (63.125.125.41) 4 ms 4 ms GigabitEthernet2-0-0.GW8.IAD8.ALTER.NET (63.65.76.189) 4 ms
    4 so-7-1-0-0.PHIL-CORE-RTR1.verizon-gni.net (130.81.20.137) 6 ms 6 ms 6 ms
    5 P3-0-0.PHIL-DSL-RTR11.verizon-gni.net (130.81.13.170) 6 ms 6 ms 6 ms
    6 static-71-242-*-*.phlapa.east.verizon.net (71.242.*.*) 32 ms 32 ms 33 ms


Step two: Can you provide the Transceiver Statistics from your modem?

#3 If you don't know how to get that info:

a) What is the model of that Westell modem?

b) If you have a RJ-45 WAN port router connected to it: What is the brand and model of the RJ-45 WAN port router?

#4 If you have a RJ-45 WAN port router connected to the modem, even if you know how to get the Transceiver Statistics from the modem: What is the brand and model of the RJ-45 WAN port router?

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awhellno
Enthusiast - Level 2
In response to dslr595148
‎05-11-2015 10:36 PM

Thank you so much for your response, dslr595148......

For the record... I haven't been back because whenever I come here and try to post, I get this error message.

image

I have to go back, try to sign in, refresh, open new tabs, stand on one foot, jump around in a circle while patting my head and rubbing my stomach, and then... sometimes I can log in. But usually I just get this message over and over and I give up. Verizon seriously needs to get their crap together.

My modem is a Dlink. I can try and get the info tomorrow. If I don't go Office Space on it first.

Here is what I get from the giganews site, if it is at all helpful? 🙂 

traceroute to 108.18.***** (108.18.*****), 30 hops max, 60 byte packets
1 216.166.98.3 (216.166.98.3) 17 ms 17 ms 216.166.98.2 (216.166.98.2) 22 ms
2 216.166.96.142 (216.166.96.142) 0 ms 216.166.96.136 (216.166.96.136) 0 ms 216.166.96.142 (216.166.96.142) 0 ms
3 ash-b1-link.telia.net (62.115.42.153) 0 ms ash-b2-link.telia.net (62.115.44.181) 0 ms ash-b1-link.telia.net (62.115.42.153) 0 ms
4 ash-b1-link.telia.net (213.155.130.88) 0 ms xe-1-0-0.GW11.IAD8.ALTER.NET (204.148.11.137) 0 ms ash-b1-link.telia.net (213.155.137.222) 0 ms
5 xe-1-0-0.GW11.IAD8.ALTER.NET (204.148.11.137) 0 ms 0 ms *
6 * * *
7 * P0-0.WASHDC-ARTNVAAR-ERXG04.verizon-gni.net (130.81.197.53) 3 ms *
8 * * *
9 * * *
10 * * *

 (then it said "maximum number of unresponsive hops reached....)

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ElizabethS
Moderator Emeritus
In response to awhellno
‎05-12-2015 06:23 AM

Have you cleared your cache? And if that didn't work, have you tried a second browser?

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awhellno
Enthusiast - Level 2
In response to ElizabethS
‎05-12-2015 08:40 PM

I only have one browser (Safari) and I am the only one using it. Would I still need to clear my cache for this one website or for everything? Even without having done that, sometimes I'm able to get in... eventually?

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ElizabethS
Moderator Emeritus
In response to awhellno
‎05-12-2015 09:16 PM

I would clear it to be on the safe side. Then close and reboot the browser.

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awhellno
Enthusiast - Level 2
In response to ElizabethS
‎05-13-2015 10:22 AM

Thanks for the tip.....

Regardless, to Verizon... my internet connection is still randomly dropping about once a day, sometimes more lately. Why can no one from Verizon figure out what's going on? This has been going on for three years. The only reason I'm still with Verizon is that my bill stays the same every month, unlike Concast, according to my neighbors anyway. Still. What kind of copany allows a customer- a long time customer, who always pays on time- to have this service, seriously? I can't even believe I have to be on here asking for help, when they should be reaching out to help me. Ridiculous.

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