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From: RnR on 7 Apr 2010 13:23 On Wed, 07 Apr 2010 12:13:50 -0500, "RnR" <rnrtexas(a)gmail.com> wrote: >On Wed, 7 Apr 2010 12:44:12 -0400, "MZB" <moo(a)noway.prudigy.net> >wrote: > >>William: >> >>Actually, I checked further and I didn't order it that long ago. It's the >>linksys CM100, refurbished from Buy.com for $27.99. I got it in early >>November, so I've only had it for 5 months. >> >>Is that enough information to tell you that it is okay? I remember at the >>time checking with Charter and the DOCSIS for the modem was compatible with >>their setup. >> >>I suspect Charter is upgrading and maybe the DOCSIS is no longer compatible >>(ie: recommended)? >> >>Mel >> >> > > >You know one reason to get their modem aside from your issue is from >my experience, if you have a lightening strike or surge, if it gets >fried, they replace it for free. You might want to ask about that and >reconsider if they do the same. I didn't make myself clear above.. I didn't mean to buy it but rather pay the $5 / month fee. Sorry about that.
From: MZB on 7 Apr 2010 13:35 I did some further checking. Apparently Charter now wants the modems to be DOCSIS compliant. Might this explain why sometimes my system is speedy and other times it is CRAWLING. (All 3 computers) Mel "MZB" <moo(a)noway.prudigy.net> wrote in message news:hpictr$1v0$1(a)news.eternal-september.org... >I meant to add this modem is DOCSIS 2.0 > "William R. Walsh" <wm_walsh(a)hotmail.com> wrote in message > news:4ed28c81-f6e2-4a27-950a-b5a32a9583f4(a)v20g2000yqv.googlegroups.com... >> Hi! >> >>> But I don't know if this is accurate, or just a sales pitch. Is there >>> some way to test this? >> >> You can use an online speed test against a server that is relatively >> close to you. >> >> Most cable modems have an informational web page that you can use to >> see what the current data rate is for both upstream and downstream >> communications. It is accessible at http://192.168.100.1/ for most >> models. You are looking for your "provisioned rate" and there will >> likely be two values--upstream (lower for uploads from you to the >> 'net) and downstream (higher from the 'net to you). >> >>> Based on your account information, you have an older modem that >>> is no longer optimizing your Charter Internet experience. >> >> Which may or may not be true. To know for sure, you need to know the >> specifications to which your modem complies. The standard (in the US) >> is known as DOCSIS and there are varying versions of it. Each one >> specifies different capabilities. >> >> What Linksys modem do you have? Model and version number are both >> important. >> >> Even if your modem is older, it's likely still doing a fine job. I've >> got a 12 megabit connection over my Linksys BEFCMU10 and it's rare >> that I can download anything that fast outside of speed tests and >> Microsoft's web sites. >> >> Cable modems receive their parameters at startup via trivial FTP. The >> cable company sends these parameters out and then (usually) reboots >> the modem to force it to update the parameters. >> >> Therefore, you may try rebooting your modem to force it to download >> the new parameters. >> >> William > >
From: RnR on 7 Apr 2010 13:47 On Wed, 7 Apr 2010 13:35:47 -0400, "MZB" <moo(a)noway.prudigy.net> wrote: >I did some further checking. Apparently Charter now wants the modems to be >DOCSIS compliant. > >Might this explain why sometimes my system is speedy and other times it is >CRAWLING. (All 3 computers) > No. It depends what the 3 computers are doing at the time.
From: William R. Walsh on 7 Apr 2010 13:47 Hi! > Actually, I checked further and I didn't order it that long ago. I knew that I remembered the discussion from somewhere. > Is that enough information to tell you that it is okay? The CM100 is a DOCSIS compliant modem, supporting versions 1.0, 1.1 and 2.0. I was not able to determine what they offer for certain, but Charter is offering some DOCSIS 3.0 cable modems. DOCSIS is said to be compatible in all directions. If you have a DOCSIS 1.1 compliant modem, you can use it on a DOCSIS 2.0 cable network. The reverse should also be true...a DOCSIS 3.0 modem would work on a 2.0 network. Features provided in a newer version of DOCSIS won't be available to equipment that supports the older version. As best I can tell, the only thing added to DOCSIS 3.0 is support for IPv6 protocol. DOCSIS 2.0 provided for enhanced communication speeds over the previous revisions. If this is true and DOCSIS 3.0 only brings support for IPv6, an older modem could theoretically have its operating software upgraded to a release supporting IPv6 as that is a software-only issue. (Cable companies can upgrade the firmware in your cable modem from afar. They do this in much the same way as they do when sending parameters to it.) I think that Charter may have incorrect information on the equipment you have--OR they are being somewhat dishonest and trying to rent/sell you something that you do not need. As DOCSIS is *the* standard for data exchange over cable TV networks, I doubt Charter would be doing something different. Therefore, I strongly doubt that you have to upgrade your cable modem. I would recommend keeping your current equipment and continuing to use it. William
From: William R. Walsh on 7 Apr 2010 13:58
Hi! > Might this explain why sometimes my system is speedy and > other times it is CRAWLING. (All 3 computers) No. There are a few possibilities. A bad or defective cable modem is one of them, but I'd expect it to be broken in far more infuriating ways than just an occasional slowness in connection. On a networking system such as the one in use with a cable TV network, you are typically sharing bandwidth with a few other people. One of them could be hogging the line, or the network could be "oversold" with too many people on it. And that's to say nothing of potential problems with anything in between the cable network and where it finally turns data over to the greater Internet. You could have a bad or weathered cable line coming to your equipment. How many (if any) TVs are sharing the cable connection with your modem? Is there a signal booster on the line, as there would be with multiple TVs? (If there is, it may distort the signal coming to and from the cable modem. You should therefore bypass any such amplifier so it's not in the circuit between cable modem and cable network, while leaving it in place for the TVs.) Cable modems can vary the amount of power they are outputting. The maximum output level for any that I have seen is 61.0 dB. Most will tell you how much power they are using if you go to that built in web page I talked about earlier. ( http://192.168.100.1/ ) Many cable modems also will show the signal quality that they are seeing on the line, using a measurement called "signal to noise ratio". If this is high, you may have a noisy or bad cable line. Equipment outside the cable modem must be considered as well. Do you have a router? Some routers simply fill up and slow down after being up for a while due to bugs in their firmware. Check for an updated firmware from the maker of your router, or consider just trying a different router. I especially like the Buffalo wireless routers and have never had a bad experience with them at all. I have used all of the WHR-G54S, WHR- G54-HP, and WHR-G125 with both the stock Buffalo firmware and DD-WRT aftermarket firmware. They have some "A" and "N" band wireless stuff, but I cannot say about its quality as I don't use or recommend those standards. So if you need a replacement... William |