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View Full Version : My internet conncection keeps crashing (long)


judgesmails
06-25-2005, 10:52 PM
I have high-speed cable internet service through the local cable company, Cox Cable. My connection started crashing on me about five days ago. It would crash, then a few hours later it would work again for a short while and then crash again. My cable TV feed worked uniterupted. I have a splitter that splits the cable to my digital cable box and my Linksys cable modem.

I contacted support and they suggested that I change my splitter. They said it was common for these items to wear out and that the cable TV feed would not be affected. I changed the splitter and all was fine for two days. Then the same problem popped up. I changed the splitter again, they are cheap and contacted support.

They sent a serviceman over who moved my exterior connection from a large splitter (8 ways) to the main building connection. My service went uniterrupted until today. The crash problem returned. I changed the splitter again and am now able to connect. I am on hold with support right now.

Anyone know firsthand, or care to speculate what my problem may be? A short in one of the cables? A failing cable modem (2 years old)? Thanks in advance for your help.

vulturesrow
06-26-2005, 12:19 AM
Actually, I have had this problem with Cox specifically several times lately. Considering I had brand new computer and components, I felt it had something to with the network service itself.

Guthrie
06-26-2005, 10:57 AM
[ QUOTE ]
Actually, I have had this problem with Cox specifically several times lately. Considering I had brand new computer and components, I felt it had something to with the network service itself.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm also on Cox, and get frequent disconnects on Party, last night just before I could to go all in with a set of aces.

On Paradise, I'm frequently waiting for hole cards, don't get them, and then see I've been "timed out" with no warning while doing nothing with no cards.

mosta
06-26-2005, 11:29 AM
welcome to cox HSI! I have a lot of problems with Pacific, rarely with party. my pacific problems may not be cox's fault. apparently cox's pattern is to make service calls to fend you off, while they know good and well that there infrastructure is not up to task in a particular area. mine actually has gotten better after months and months of angry complaining. I'm in a recently very rapidly developed part of the city, so the infrastructure issues here may not be the same for you. if you want to put some time into diagnosing your problems and getting advice I'd recommend dslreports.com . you can find a forum for cox. and you will be instructed to download Ping Plotter and post graphs of your connection. and, to top it all, various cox techs keep on top of the board and will (at least pretend to) make special efforts to help you outside the system. but yeah, I had a cable changed and a modem changed, on different visits I had to sit around for, and none of htat changed anything. I just think they finally built it up a little more while they were delaying me. again, I have no probs with party now, so I think cox is okay for me now, as loath as I am to admit it.

judgesmails
06-26-2005, 12:14 PM
Well the strange thing about my problems is that I have been at the same place for 1.5 years and have not had significant problems until a week ago. Also, everytime I change the splitter (three times now) my service is re-established.

Thanks for the links. I will check them out and see if it helps.

judgesmails
06-29-2005, 12:27 AM
I have now changed out every interior cable, bought a new modem, tried my laptop and desktop, went through several splitters, and had two service callse from the cable company.

The serviceman tested the lines and connections on my building and in my apartment and says everything is fine. Still my connection crashes several times a day.

I am at a loss for words and patience now and am considering cancelling my cable service in favor of Sprint DSL.

Any thoughts on what the problem may be or any caution about switching to DSL?

Thanks again.

Ray Zee
06-29-2005, 12:53 AM
why wouldnt you just switch. you like misery or what.

judgesmails
06-29-2005, 12:59 AM
I don't like misery, but I have had 1.5 years of excellent service from my cable connection and am slow to change if the problem can be solved. I have never had DSL and was hoping to hear from some who have used it and how it compares to cable.

The cable company is coming out again in the morning and if the problem persists past this visit, I will most likely change provided DSL can meet my needs (8 tables on mulitple sites).

tinhat
06-29-2005, 01:10 AM
I've never had cable but I understand you're on a shared distribution? IOW, everyone for some X radius shares the same "pipes" - I wonder how likely it is that your problem is outside your house?

I've had Verizon DSL (eastern U.S.) for over a year, with really no trouble at all. No outages, reliable, service seems to be up 99% of the time, etc. I hear they have a 3Mb service now but unfortunately for me I'm on the technological fringe of DSL service so have to make due with < 1.5Mb. I two and three table with no trouble - what limits me is RAM and I can only guess more than four tables would be no sweat (poker software is relatively low overhead IMO).

Mike

Lefthander
06-29-2005, 05:37 AM
Cable is a shared connection. If the crashes are during peak usage times (probably 6-11pm) I'd suspect Cox recently added a lot of subscribers and doesn't have the network to support it. Even if this isn't the case, I'd get DSL with a dialup backup. DSL is more consistent in general, and the dialup provides enough bandwidth for 8 tabling. Even if you don't make the switch, the dialup is nice to have.

A quick note. I am a SNG player, so when my internet or power goes down it doesn't cost me a hand, it costs me the tourney. This probably does lead me to being a little over cautious.