T3/T4 timeout errors
I'm having frequent dropped internet signals. Ran diagnostics on my Nighthawk modem. Problems seems to be upstream, innumerable T3/T4 timeout issues. I cannot get the customer support person to un...
Forum Discussion
Schedule a technician out(or 2 or 3) to document the problem. Technicians cost Cox money, so if you make them spend enough they will eventually send out a in-house technician or even a field supervisor to investigate. If not, try filing a informal FCC complaint. That should at least get you in touch with the right people.
Another thing you can do is ask for Tier 2(AKA CAG) and see if they have the tools to look at other modems on your street and see if they are also getting escalating T3 errors. Getting to Tier 2 is hard these days I hear. They may require you to have Cox Complete Care(CCC) because you have a retail modem but you DON'T want to talk to CCC. They are outsourced and terrible IMO. Instead try to get to Customer Advocacy Group(CAG). Good luck.
BTW, Are you in AZ? I hear some people are having issues in parts of that state. ::edit:: I am assuming Phoenix by your username.
Thanks for the tips. Yes, in Phoenix.
The problem I ran into yesterday was when the first line tech rebooted my modem and ran diagnostics, on her end she said it looked ok, and because of the Cox service algorithm, she could not send a technician because nothing appeared wrong on her end. Of course I understand the diagnostics they run from their end don't pick up all the problems that a technician in the field can find. And while I'm on the phone with her I look at my modem event log and there are ongoing T3 timeouts as we are talking, which I alerted her to, but she said her hands were still tied because nothing looked wrong on her end. I'd love to have the technician come out but I can't demonstrate to the first line service representative that anything is actually wrong. They don't accept my modem event log as evidence of a problem, yet the diagnostics on their end are not sensitive enough to pick up the problem. Catch 22.
They don't accept my modem event log as evidence of a problem
Try to document packet loss along with the T3 errors in the log. I think they(Tier 2) should be able to ping your modem for packet loss/latency. Try a program like Pingplotter to plot and trace packet loss over time. If you can equate packet loss with the T3 errors at the same time they are pinging your modem, they should see a problem. The problem is Tier 1 is forced to follow a script that very quickly boxes them into a corner troubleshooting wise.
Also, can you post your signal levels? Did you get the upgrade to a OFDMA upstream channel? Did you notice these problems around the time you got it?
I was able to get transferred to advanced tech support and explain my problem and they sent a tech out yesterday afternoon. He replaced the box outside and removed some unnecessary splitters inside the house of which I was unaware (just moved into this house). We don't have as many TVs running cable as the prior owners it seems. The tech said the signal at the box outside was incredibly strong. He said it should work great after his work and left while my modem was booting up. The modem would not make a solid connection for 15 minutes. I checked the area where the tech was working and there was a signal booster. I figured I probably did not need a booster after removing splitters and replacing the box outside. Once I removed it my modem connected within 90 seconds. I am assuming it was causing too much noise for the modem to make a reliable connection? The booster was almost assuredly there before the tech came, and I had not explored that area to find it. However, our internet worked fine the first month or so after we moved in even with the splitter there, so something had to have changed during that time. Not sure but currently internet is working well and I've had no T3/T4 timeout issues since the tech left and I removed the booster.
Funny, the first time I haven't suggested to check for splitters and amps(boosters). D'oh! I figured you had already isolated all internal wiring since you implied you were a technician, or at least had technical background. Either way glad it worked out for you. Were you charged for the technician?
