Networks·41,467 discussions

Modem and ISP

Tags: Hardware, Networking

I am having an issue locating the source of the problem. I have Xfinity for my internet. Over the past 6-8 weeks, my internet has been dropping constantly, sometimes 30 times a day, sometimes it comes back on, sometimes I have to restart my cable modem, and wifi router. I have a compatible modem and router, about 3 years old. Comcast has been out to check the lines multiple times. Even changed out the line from the box to the house. Only one line running then from the house to the modem. It’s fairly new. All other connections have been removed from the equation. Yet I still get bumped. So I purchased a new cable modem. Still got bumped off. Even after I get bumped, I can’t even connect hardwired to one computer unless I reset the modem. So it’s not the wifi router. Yet when I get bumped, all of the lights on the modem are all still solid white (as they should be). Comcast says it is not them, but I believe they are either throttling me (I recently cancelled cable tv), or there is some cable line surge. At one point, they did have two nodes go bad in my area, but those were fixed, and no one else is having these issues. This is killing me because I cannot work and have troubleshooted as far as I can. Thanks

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This can be true.

In reply to Modem and ISP

The following is often normal: “I can’t even connect hardwired to one computer unless I reset the modem. So it’s not the wifi router. ”

WiFi is not that reliable in some homes. You left out a lot of details such as does it work when you take your laptop to say a hotspot like McDonalds or other locations.

Also, do the phones and other devices drop?

Reply To: Modem and ISP

In reply to This can be true.

Sure. I can help with any details you need. Since I don’t use wifi outside my home, — I only use my phone’s data plan, I cannot answer that.

So basically everything connected to wifi drops when I get booted. I had a Netgear Nighthawk CM1150V modem and still have a Netgear Nighthawk RS400 wifi router. I just replaced the modem today with a Netgear Nighthawk CM2000 modem.

When I get dropped, if I connect the ethernet line from the cable modem to my computer, I cannot connect to the internet, unless I reboot the modem.

And to be more specific about what I’ve done to troubleshoot and remove “parts” of the series, this is it: the outside cable from the box to the house was replaced a few days ago with Xfinity’s best orange line. There is a black line that comes from the box on the side of our house, which is connected to the orange line, that runs to the inside of the house. This is then connected with a female/female adapter to one line that runs all the way to the other side of the house where it gets plugged into a wall plate connector. That then has a cable line from the wall outlet to the modem. The modem is then connected via an ethernet line to the router.

I have replaced all the ethernet lines.

Just recently, I took all the equipment downstairs and hooked it directly up to the one black cable that comes in from the outside of our house and still got dropped.

Reply To: Modem and ISP

In reply to This can be true.

I am waiting for the new wifi router to arrive. It may be possible that it is the wifi router that is dropping me, but if it was the wifi router, and now that I’ve replaced the cable modem, if I get dropped, and hard wire an ethernet cable to the modem, I should get internet, since the issue is with the wifi router, right?

Devices and routers often need a reboot when:

In reply to Reply To: Modem and ISP

“When I get dropped, if I connect the ethernet line from the cable modem to my computer, I cannot connect to the internet, unless I reboot the modem.”

Now there may be other procedures to avoid this but on its own, I don’t see this as a sign there’s something wrong with the router.

Remember that not everyone will want to learn about Windows network commands, disable WiFi when switching to Ethernet or the Network Reset which varies in location on Windows.

” if I get dropped, and hard wire an ethernet cable to the modem, I should get internet, since the issue is with the wifi router, right? ”

No. Windows isn’t always automatic in this regard.

Re: modem and ISP

In reply to Modem and ISP

Several things to research:
1. Is it external to your house or internal? Connect 2 laptops to the router with an Ethernet cable. Then you have a home LAN (Local Area Network). Allow them to share folders. Turn off the modem. Can you still move files to and from both laptops? Then the Ethernet part of the router, the cables and the network hardware and software in your laptops are fine..
2. Same as #1, but use WiFi in stead of Ethernet cables. Now you’re testing the Wifi-part of the router and the Wifi hardware and software are fine.

3. Turn on the modem. See if internet still works fine on both the two laptops and your phone or tablet using WiFi (not cellular data!),

If internet is inaccessible (both in a browser and with ping), while your router and home LAN are fine, it points to the ISP, the modem or the connection between the modem and the router. Then connect the laptop directly to the modem with an Ethernet cable, turn it off and on again and see what it says. If there are still issues, it’s not the router (not used in this test), but the cable, the modem or the ISP, depending on further diagnostics (such as pinging the modem or checking the modem log).

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