Spectrum dropping connection regularly, 2 cable modems same issue, logs in message - RESOLVED

Really need help with this. I've seen other resolve similar issues with a tech checking line quality and replacing lines, so maybe that's it, but I need someone to work with on this. here are the logs I'm seeing on a regular basis from my cable modem.
A cable modem reset is a temporary fix but working from home due to covid, so this is not an acceptable solution long-term. The problem happens 2-3 times per day at this point.
Time Not Established Critical (3) SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Failed to acquire QAM/QPSK symbol timing;CM-MAC=xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx;CMTS-MAC=00:00:00:00:00:00;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
Time Not Established Critical (3) No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx;CMTS-MAC=00:01:5c:6f:cc:57;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
Time Not Established Critical (3) SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Failed to acquire QAM/QPSK symbol timing;CM-MAC=xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx;CMTS-MAC=00:00:00:00:00:00;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
2020-08-20, 04:18:54 Critical (3) No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx;CMTS-MAC=00:01:5c:6f:cc:57;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
2020-08-20, 04:18:44 Critical (3) Received Response to Broadcast Maintenance Request, But no Unicast Maintenance opportunities received - T4 time out;CM-MAC=xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx;CMTS-MAC=00:01:5c:6f:cc:57;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
2020-08-20, 04:18:42 Critical (3) No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx;CMTS-MAC=00:01:5c:6f:cc:57;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
2020-08-20, 04:18:40 Critical (3) Received Response to Broadcast Maintenance Request, But no Unicast Maintenance opportunities received - T4 time out;CM-MAC=xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx;CMTS-MAC=00:01:5c:6f:cc:57;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
2020-08-20, 04:17:37 Critical (3) No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx;CMTS-MAC=00:01:5c:6f:cc:57;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
2020-08-20, 04:17:18 Critical (3) No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx;CMTS-MAC=00:01:5c:6f:cc:57;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
2020-08-20, 04:17:10 Critical (3) No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx;CMTS-MAC=00:01:5c:6f:cc:57;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
2020-08-20, 04:16:51 Critical (3) No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx;CMTS-MAC=00:01:5c:6f:cc:57;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
2020-08-20, 04:16:30 Critical (3) No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx;CMTS-MAC=00:01:5c:6f:cc:57;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
2020-08-20, 04:16:24 Critical (3) No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx;CMTS-MAC=00:01:5c:6f:cc:57;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
2020-08-20, 04:16:20 Critical (3) No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx;CMTS-MAC=00:01:5c:6f:cc:57;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
2020-08-20, 04:15:22 Critical (3) No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx;CMTS-MAC=00:01:5c:6f:cc:57;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
2020-08-20, 04:14:53 Critical (3) No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx;CMTS-MAC=00:01:5c:6f:cc:57;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
2020-08-20, 04:14:40 Critical (3) Started Unicast Maintenance Ranging - No Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx;CMTS-MAC=00:01:5c:6f:cc:57;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
2020-08-20, 04:14:37 Critical (3) Started Unicast Maintenance Ranging - No Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx;CMTS-MAC=00:01:5c:6f:cc:57;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
2020-08-20, 04:14:37 Critical (3) No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx;CMTS-MAC=00:01:5c:6f:cc:57;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
2020-08-20, 04:14:36 Critical (3) Started Unicast Maintenance Ranging - No Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx;CMTS-MAC=00:01:5c:6f:cc:57;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
2020-08-20, 04:14:35 Critical (3) No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx;CMTS-MAC=00:01:5c:6f:cc:57;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
2020-08-20, 04:14:32 Critical (3) Started Unicast Maintenance Ranging - No Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx;CMTS-MAC=00:01:5c:6f:cc:57;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
2020-08-20, 04:14:32 Critical (3) No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx;CMTS-MAC=00:01:5c:6f:cc:57;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
2020-08-20, 04:14:27 Critical (3) Started Unicast Maintenance Ranging - No Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx;CMTS-MAC=00:01:5c:6f:cc:57;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
2020-08-20, 04:14:27 Critical (3) No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx;CMTS-MAC=00:01:5c:6f:cc:57;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
2020-08-20, 04:14:25 Critical (3) Started Unicast Maintenance Ranging - No Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx;CMTS-MAC=00:01:5c:6f:cc:57;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
2020-08-20, 04:14:25 Critical (3) No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx;CMTS-MAC=00:01:5c:6f:cc:57;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
2020-08-20, 04:14:24 Critical (3) 16 consecutive T3 timeouts while trying to range on upstream channel 0;CM-MAC=xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx;CMTS-MAC=00:01:5c:6f:cc:57;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
2020-08-20, 04:14:24 Critical (3) Unicast Maintenance Ranging attempted - No response - Retries exhausted;CM-MAC=xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx;CMTS-MAC=00:01:5c:6f:cc:57;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
2020-08-20, 04:14:11 Critical (3) Started Unicast Maintenance Ranging - No Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx;CMTS-MAC=00:01:5c:6f:cc:57;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
2020-08-20, 04:14:11 Critical (3) No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx;CMTS-MAC=00:01:5c:6f:cc:57;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
2020-08-20, 04:14:08 Critical (3) Started Unicast Maintenance Ranging - No Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx;CMTS-MAC=00:01:5c:6f:cc:57;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.1;
Best Answer
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john_h_l Posts: 4 ✭✭
Had a tech come to the house on Sunday (which alone is impressive). Definitely was a line signal issue but not what I expected.
- We recently had a storm which knocked out cable and power
- Spectrum fixed the line, and in so doing also fixed an existing signal issue in our neighborhood
- my house had an old amp connected to it
- With a full strength signal now being delivered to my house, the amp on the line was actually over-amplifying the signal, causing degradation of service
After recalibrating this "amplifier" which I know next to nothing about, the cable guy verified the signal was very good.
Since then (2 days ago now), connection has been rock solid. Considering we had multiple drops per day consistently, I'd say the problem is solved but time will tell. Overall I am highly satisfied with the guy who came out on an 87 degree Sunday afternoon, someone needs to give him a raise :D
8
Replies
Sounds like you may be too close to edge of signal and/or noise floor. If you can post signal levels, it may give some hint of things to look for.
I've never tested signal levels before.. There is some more information available in the cable modem (Netgear CM-1000v2) that I could post if that helps.
Would it make the most sense to get a Spectrum tech guy out here to test the line for the kind of information you're talking about?
so quick update - I got ahold of a support guy through the spectrum website who informed me that "your signals are bad" and wasn't sure how I could even be connected right now. appointment scheduled, we'll see what happens on Sunday when the tech gets here.
john_h_l, if you will post a screenshot of the SNR and levels we can at least give our opinions. This is much more useful than the logs which almost always seem to contain lots of obscure messages. A general description of your cabling would be helpfully - include number of splitters. A cable technician can test many more things and importantly replace cable/splitters etc. Thanks and enjoy, John.
@john_h_l Glad to hear you have someone coming out. Please let us know how things go.
Julia_R