JJHNSN Posted September 21, 2017 Share Posted September 21, 2017 So, for the past six months we have been having "outages" with our Internet service, Charter Spectrum. It just goes out and to get it back up and running I have to entirely shut everything down, unplugging the modem and the router and starting it all back up, stays on for a few hours and then, like last night, just drops.I bought a new router and the speed and strength around our house REALLY improved. But, I'm using the same old modem we've had now for probably six years or so. Would buying a new cable modem help? Do you think the outages are an indication of trouble in our outside box, etc. etc. from Charter? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minervadoe Posted September 21, 2017 Share Posted September 21, 2017 (edited) Is it the modem? is it Charter? Are the lines in your area "over subscribed?" Unfortunately, swapping provider or modems is about the only "test" you can do. A new modem is about 100 dollars. If you swap providers, you are likely going to have to switch to DSL (apples to oranges). Edited September 21, 2017 by minervadoe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leavemeout Posted September 22, 2017 Share Posted September 22, 2017 We have spectrum and it does the same thing for a few days and then will work great for a month and repeats the cycle again. We have change/updated everything and it hasn't changed for the better as far as I can tell. Neighbor has dsl and he has no issues. Not sure what if anything that points to specifically but in general it seems to be a cable company issue for us at least. They are less than excited to help get it fixed. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gun Shark Posted September 22, 2017 Share Posted September 22, 2017 (edited) What is your rated speed? How old is your modem? I know you've said you have had it for 6 years, but when was it introduced to market? Is it your Providers or did you purchase it yourself? What router did you get? Edited September 22, 2017 by Gun Shark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJHNSN Posted September 22, 2017 Author Share Posted September 22, 2017 The modem is at least five years old. It is the one provided by Charter when we got high speed. Don't know anything else about it. Here's our router: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B016EWKQAQ/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gun Shark Posted September 22, 2017 Share Posted September 22, 2017 (edited) I don't know what your rated speed is, or if it would really change anything, But I would stop using Charter's modem and get your own. Based on your router I would recommend the below modem. Motorola has a DOCSIS 3.1 out for a couple of hundred bucks, but I couldn't find it on the list of authorized devises below, and I would wager that it's not really necessary, at least for a while. http://www.spectrum.net/support/internet/compliant-modems-charter-network/ https://www.amazon.com/ARRIS-SURFboard-SB6190-DOCSIS-Cable/dp/B016PE1X5K/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1506102239&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=arris+modem+sb6190&psc=1 Edited September 22, 2017 by Gun Shark 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJHNSN Posted September 23, 2017 Author Share Posted September 23, 2017 The end of the story: I was stunned and shocked beyond believe when I called Charter Spectrum to report the problems. First, I was not connected to a service center in India. Second, I was able to speak to an actual human being within less than one minute and third: she was caring, supportive, profusely apologetic for the ongoing problems. She scheduled an appointment for the next evening and sent a "senior service" rep. The guy came out and spent nearly an hour checking everything out, from the box to the TV, he tested every line, every connection and found: (1) The cable connected to the modem had managed to have the actual wire in it pushed down and nearly only a "nub" caused no doubt by dozens of connections and reconnections. (2) The nitwit technicians that had come out a couple weeks previously to run a new wire from the main box to the neighbor's house just spliced the line and put in a lousy connector, the guy who came to our house scheduled a repair and reinstallation, and he reported that the cable out at the box was gunked up with debris so he cleaned it out and said somebody would be out within a couple days to rewire and rework the box. (3) He replaced the modem, which he said was at least 6 years old, with a new one. So, this morning. The signal is better than ever, in fact, sitting upstairs now as I am, with the router in the basemennt, I'm getting consistent speeds of up to 125-150mbs. NICE. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJHNSN Posted September 23, 2017 Author Share Posted September 23, 2017 I'm still reeling from the truly EXCELLENT customer service I received from Charter. I had heard they have been working on improving their customer service, but wow...this was nothing like I've always experienced in the past. Good on 'em. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jframe Posted September 23, 2017 Share Posted September 23, 2017 Congrats to the OP -- all's well that ends well... A different medium, but I recall a virtual caravan of DirecTV technicians coming out to my house when I upgraded to their Genie system. We're talking two visits a week for a couple of months with constant signal dropouts. Finally, I got as the latest visiting technician du jour -- a young kid from New York who was on loan to the D.C. office due to a backlog of problems there. The kid scratched his head, looked at my home setup, suggested one change -- and the problem went away. I'm convinced it's like a lottery, and you just have to luck into a good technician from the pool of morons they're likely to send out... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minervadoe Posted September 23, 2017 Share Posted September 23, 2017 I've gone back and forth from AT&T DSL to cable over the years as various deals "for new customers only" came up. Then, one day I went with Extreme DSL (who leases bandwidth from AT&T). They send out an AT&T technician to do an install. I accidentally ordered an enterprise line (DSL with no phone daisy chained onto the line) so they guy has to run a new line to the house. He sees my ragged rewired phone box hanging off the house (the poor quality of which a dozen technicians before him had pretty much ignored) and says he wants to replace it as part of the install. The difference? Extreme DSL was on overwatch to their vendor. Before he leaves, he hands me his cell phone with an extreme DSL rep on the line and she takes me through a check list of things, asking if he'd done them acceptably. Sometimes, you've just got to find the guy who is going to hold someone's feet to the fire. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldSchool64 Posted September 24, 2017 Share Posted September 24, 2017 I had a similar issue as the OP. Charter has been pretty good to me, except for the one time awhile ago when my billing got screwed-up...... In the aftermath and after I told them to take their cable TV and shove it up their asses (para phrasing) they tried to make it right.... I said thanks but no thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJHNSN Posted September 24, 2017 Author Share Posted September 24, 2017 I've had nothing but bad customer service from Charter until this last time, but I put up with it because they offer the highest speed Internet where I live. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ASH Posted January 29, 2018 Share Posted January 29, 2018 Charter rocks out here it's them or Windstream and they suck. We get 150 ,175 here. But are offering up to 400 now. Also regularly unplug Modem and router time to time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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