Downstream Channels - Is something going on here?

[jsnyder1979]

So for the last several weeks, my Internet had been dropping frequently, so I had a tech come out. At the time, I’d been using a CM1000 modem and Nighthawk AC4000 Tri-Band. The tech didn’t find any issues with the wires to the house, but when he hooked up his equipment and logged in to the modem admin page, he said that the downstream channel powers were all over the place, which he said suggested was an issue with my modem. The fluctuations caused by the 109-degree heat outside contributed to several of those channels shutting down and causing my modem to drop Internet.

Anyway, I bought the CM700 (kept the same router). The numbers posted here still seem off, which would lead me to believe that the issue wasn’t my modem. Am I looking at this right?

[plemans]

You are. You're power levels are indeed all over the place. There should only be about 3.5dbmv between the channels. You go from 10.8dbmv to -1.7dbmv. To wide of a range. And your upstream powers are low. 

What you can try? 

1. remove any splitters, amplifiers, attenuators from your coax line. 

2. check the coax line. make sure there's no kinks/bends, corrosion, damage, bad/cheap connectors in the line. 

3. directly hookup where the line enters the home. this prevents the issue from being inside the home (where isp's charge to repair)

If you still have those numbers, they need to check the line/replace the line running to your home. 

[jsnyder1979]

Thanks for the help.

1) I don’t have any splitters, attenuators, etc. hooked up, so it’s probably not this one.

2) I’ll check the coax cable (that’s what is hooked up from the modem to the wall jack, right?) when I get home.

3) My tech knowledge is limited, how and where do I perform that test? Is that inside my house or outside? What equipment and steps do I need?

[plemans]

You can hookup inside the house where they bring the coax into the home. this prevents the issue from being the wiring inside the home. 

then if you're still getting those levels, the isp needs to step up and fix their line. 

Especially since you've proved it isn't a modem issue

[jsnyder1979]

Okay, though I’ve gotten these same numbers with two different modems in the past 24 hours, and the first modem had been having similar numbers at least since the tech came to the house on Thursday. Before that, I didn’t even think about looking at the modem.

However, if you’re still recommending to run a test from the coax inside the house, what am I connecting it to? The coax cable and what? (Sorry again for the tech novice questions)

And if I run that test, if the numbers are still off, it’s the line outside my house (that they need to fix) or still a possible issue with the wiring in my house?

[plemans]

I just mean to directly connect the modem right where it enters the home. many people have it ran inside the home and then to a splitter to feed the rest of the home. Hook it up wherever the ISP brings it into the home.