Cable modem going bad?

audiobliss

Ok, so I just replaced our old router with a WRT54G not too long ago. But now we're having problems with internet access again. I'm having to go reset the router and the modem probably about once a week, but I've reset them at least three times now already this evening.

And I've noticed something I've never noticed before.

When I connect the power back up to the cable modem, all the lights up front light up, then the 'power' and 'PC' stay on, 'test' comes on and flashes a few times, then goes off after 'cable' and 'data' come on.

However, tonight it takes FOREVER for 'cable' to come on, and this last time it wouldn't come on until I unplugged the power from the router.

Does this mean the signal from roadrunner is bad? I wouldn't think so since we've been having problems off and on for a while. Could the modem be going bad? It's the original modem we got several years ago whenever we first got cable. It's a Toshiba PCX2600.

Any ideas?

bobman1235

Is the modem a "rental" from RoadRunner? If so, they'll probably let you swap it out for free, so it can't hurt to try the experiment. The only thing it'll cost you is time.

audiobliss

Hmm, that's a good question. I'm pretty sure we just bought it from them when we first signed up for cable. But neither Mom nor Dad can remember at the moment, so I'll look the bill over next time it comes and see if we are renting it. If so, it'd be easy enough to call them and have them come swap it out with another one, I guess. Would they say anything about the wireless router sitting there right next to it?

Also, do the symptoms sound like they could from a bad modem?

Thanks!

bobman1235

When cable internet first came out, they used to have a problem with routers for some reason; nowadays they're almost encouraged. Comcast sells wireless routers for you to use, and gives you instructions on how to set them up. So I don't think they'll say anything about the router.

I don't know what the lights on the front of the modem mean per se; but I'm pretty sure the "Cable" light means that the modem has finished its handshake with the network and is ready to transmit data (whereas the data light says "i'm actually transmitting data", and will be off unless you're actually doing something). If the cable light never comes on, it means either your modem isn't interfacing correctly or the signal is screwed up coming to the modem, and it should have nothing to do with anything after that (router, computers, etc). So yes I think your symptoms could mean a bad modem or flaky wiring.

brettw22

My sisters in a dorm apartment type of situation, where they have the cable modem hooked up to a wireless hub. My sister has a cable connection in her bedroom downstairs, so I told her rather than deal with wireless, or hooking up a wireless router, why not just hook up my old cable modem in her bedroom so she has a direct connection........

Any particular reason why that wouldn't work? (she just got her computer, and I'm going to set it up tomorrow)

brettw22

The way to test if it's the router or the modem itself is to connect the computer directly into the modem. If you keep having the connection issues, the problem is the modem.

When you do reset the modem though, you should always reboot the router as well so it resets it's IP information.

Airplay355

Our cable modem had a problem like that. Lights would just flash forever and we wouldn't get a signal while other times it would be perfectly fine then it would drop out again.

Have a cable guy come over and test the signal strength of the cable at the modem site. Or if you have cable boxes, hook one up to the same cable the modem goes to and ask what the diagnostic combination or whatever is (so you could see signal strengths on a TV as measured by the cable box).

You could also find the origin of your cable and try hooking up the modem as close to that as you can avoiding splitters and any other things wired in between the modem and the original cable.

audiobliss

Thanks for the info, both of you. I'm pretty sure it's not the router, I just wasn't sure if that's something a bad modem could cause. We should be getting a bill here soon anyways, so I'll check it out and see if we're renting it or if we own it.

Either way, hopefully it doesn't die completely yet.

audiobliss

Airplay355 wrote: »

Our cable modem had a problem like that. Lights would just flash forever and we wouldn't get a signal while other times it would be perfectly fine then it would drop out again.

Have a cable guy come over and test the signal strength of the cable at the modem site. Or if you have cable boxes, hook one up to the same cable the modem goes to and ask what the diagnostic combination or whatever is (so you could see signal strengths on a TV as measured by the cable box).

You could also find the origin of your cable and try hooking up the modem as close to that as you can avoiding splitters and any other things wired in between the modem and the original cable.

Ahh, some good ideas. The modem is hooked up in Dad's room, and it's actually split - one to his TV and the other to the modem. However, I wouldn't think that'd be the source of the trouble, as it's been doing just fine setup exactly like that for 2 years or so.

Thanks for all the info!

brettw22

I've had a splitter for years, and those can't really go bad unless they're opened up and jacked around with........

If you're renting a modem, you're getting screwed. I don't know what the charges are for renting nowadays, but you can buy one of your own for about $50-70, which when the modems first came out were going for $15/mo.........Any more, I wouldn't ever consider renting one from them for as cheap as a new one is

tcrossma

It's always recommended to have the cable modem as close to the source as possible. Ideally you'd do a split right at the source with one line going to the cable modem and the other being resplit out to your TV's. Cable modems can be very finicky, and if you're right on the border of signal strength you can experience problems like what you're running into.

Obviously it could also be a bad modem or the service itself too. Good luck.

audiobliss

Thanks, folks! Looks like I have a few alternatives to explore!

Airplay355

Its not that splitter go bad, just that the signal is degraded from ether poor quality splitters or just from being split. That's the problem we had with ours but the cable dude came out and rewired the house with better wire and better digital splitters and our problem has been gone ever since. Our TV looks better too, kick ****

brettw22

But a splitter that is generally untouched and not messed with for a few years shouldn't have any issues.........especially if it's been working fine in that configuration for a few years.

Having the house rewired is a good thing.......:D