Comcast tech "support"
So, the modem's been spontaneously restarting itself every 2-3 minutes for periods of up to a few hours. On Friday I talked to Comcast tech support, and they suggested I call my router manufacturer and deal with them. At first I was annoyed, but I thought about it, and then said, "Okay, maybe it's a reasonable complaint." So, the next time it started happening, I plugged softlykarou's laptop straight into the modem to see if the problem would fix itself. It didn't, and so I got another guy on their online chat deal:
Brian(Sun Jul 29 2007 18:12:50 GMT-0500 (Central Daylight Time))> Modem restarts every 2-3 minutes.
No, it's not the router--computer is plugged directly into modem now, still happens
analyst Paula Vanessa.22326 has entered room
Paula Vanessa.22326(Sun Jul 29 2007 18:12:59 GMT-0500 (Central Daylight Time))> Hello Brian_, Thank you for contacting Comcast Live Chat Support. My name is Paula Vanessa.22326. Please give me one moment to review your information.
Brian_(Sun Jul 29 2007 17:13:08 GMT-0500 (Central Daylight Time))> All right
Paula Vanessa.22326(Sun Jul 29 2007 18:13:07 GMT-0500 (Central Daylight Time))> I will be more than happy to assist you today.
Paula Vanessa.22326(Sun Jul 29 2007 18:13:28 GMT-0500 (Central Daylight Time))> I understand that you have a modem problem, is that correct?
Brian_(Sun Jul 29 2007 17:13:45 GMT-0500 (Central Daylight Time))> it is
Paula Vanessa.22326(Sun Jul 29 2007 18:14:22 GMT-0500 (Central Daylight Time))> Now before I will be able to deal with any information sensitive to this account, I will need to verify a security question. May I have your Comcast account number please?
Brian_(Sun Jul 29 2007 17:14:34 GMT-0500 (Central Daylight Time))> *I give it to him*
Paula Vanessa.22326(Sun Jul 29 2007 18:16:08 GMT-0500 (Central Daylight Time))> Thank you so much for that information.
Paula Vanessa.22326(Sun Jul 29 2007 18:16:31 GMT-0500 (Central Daylight Time))> I am testing your modem as well as checking our outage board for issues in your area. While I do this, can you make sure the that the physical connections between the modem and computer are connected tightly and if you have the Comcast cable tv service, can you check channels 2, 3 and 4 and tell me if there is any fuzziness on these channels?
Brian_(Sun Jul 29 2007 17:17:13 GMT-0500 (Central Daylight Time))> The connections are plugged in tightly, and I do not have Comcast TV service
Paula Vanessa.22326(Sun Jul 29 2007 18:18:04 GMT-0500 (Central Daylight Time))> I have performed a test on your modem. The connection to it is working within normal perameters. If you have a router connected to your modem you can try resetting your modem, and see if that improves the connection. If it does not please connect the modem directly to one computer. There is no outage in your area as well.
Brian_(Sun Jul 29 2007 17:18:26 GMT-0500 (Central Daylight Time))> The modem is currently connected directly to the computer [Notice that this was IN THE ROOM TITLE. Apparently he wasn't reviewing my info as carefully as he claimed]
Paula Vanessa.22326(Sun Jul 29 2007 18:18:45 GMT-0500 (Central Daylight Time))> I suggest that you powercycle your modem. Please see instructions below.
Paula Vanessa.22326(Sun Jul 29 2007 18:18:46 GMT-0500 (Central Daylight Time))>
1. Shut down the computer
2. Unplug the cable modem from the power source
3. Wait 30 seconds
4. Plug the modem back in & wait for the lights to go
solid
5. Turn the computer back on
6. Once you are back on your desktop, I would like you
to try to connect to the internet again.
Brian_(Sun Jul 29 2007 17:19:22 GMT-0500 (Central Daylight Time))> I have tried that already with no success at fixing the problem
Paula Vanessa.22326(Sun Jul 29 2007 18:19:23 GMT-0500 (Central Daylight Time))> I also suggest that you may find this link useful http://www.comcast.com/customers/faq/FaqDetails.ashx?Id=2673 [Summary of the link: How to get rid of spyware blah blah blah IT'S YOUR FAULT NOT OURS N00B!
Brian_(Sun Jul 29 2007 17:20:15 GMT-0500 (Central Daylight Time))> The modem logs show "No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out", if that helps
Paula Vanessa.22326(Sun Jul 29 2007 18:20:15 GMT-0500 (Central Daylight Time))> I would also suggest that you clear the cache and cookies in your computer, Brian.
Paula Vanessa.22326(Sun Jul 29 2007 18:21:27 GMT-0500 (Central Daylight Time))> Analyst has closed chat and left the room
analyst Paula Vanessa.22326 has left room
Yes, you read that right. I told that asshole that I had already done everything he suggested and it hadn't helped, and his response was "LOL CLEAR YOUR CACHE KTHXBAI" and then logging off.
Time to try phone tech support.
Brian(Sun Jul 29 2007 18:12:50 GMT-0500 (Central Daylight Time))> Modem restarts every 2-3 minutes.
No, it's not the router--computer is plugged directly into modem now, still happens
analyst Paula Vanessa.22326 has entered room
Paula Vanessa.22326(Sun Jul 29 2007 18:12:59 GMT-0500 (Central Daylight Time))> Hello Brian_, Thank you for contacting Comcast Live Chat Support. My name is Paula Vanessa.22326. Please give me one moment to review your information.
Brian_(Sun Jul 29 2007 17:13:08 GMT-0500 (Central Daylight Time))> All right
Paula Vanessa.22326(Sun Jul 29 2007 18:13:07 GMT-0500 (Central Daylight Time))> I will be more than happy to assist you today.
Paula Vanessa.22326(Sun Jul 29 2007 18:13:28 GMT-0500 (Central Daylight Time))> I understand that you have a modem problem, is that correct?
Brian_(Sun Jul 29 2007 17:13:45 GMT-0500 (Central Daylight Time))> it is
Paula Vanessa.22326(Sun Jul 29 2007 18:14:22 GMT-0500 (Central Daylight Time))> Now before I will be able to deal with any information sensitive to this account, I will need to verify a security question. May I have your Comcast account number please?
Brian_(Sun Jul 29 2007 17:14:34 GMT-0500 (Central Daylight Time))> *I give it to him*
Paula Vanessa.22326(Sun Jul 29 2007 18:16:08 GMT-0500 (Central Daylight Time))> Thank you so much for that information.
Paula Vanessa.22326(Sun Jul 29 2007 18:16:31 GMT-0500 (Central Daylight Time))> I am testing your modem as well as checking our outage board for issues in your area. While I do this, can you make sure the that the physical connections between the modem and computer are connected tightly and if you have the Comcast cable tv service, can you check channels 2, 3 and 4 and tell me if there is any fuzziness on these channels?
Brian_(Sun Jul 29 2007 17:17:13 GMT-0500 (Central Daylight Time))> The connections are plugged in tightly, and I do not have Comcast TV service
Paula Vanessa.22326(Sun Jul 29 2007 18:18:04 GMT-0500 (Central Daylight Time))> I have performed a test on your modem. The connection to it is working within normal perameters. If you have a router connected to your modem you can try resetting your modem, and see if that improves the connection. If it does not please connect the modem directly to one computer. There is no outage in your area as well.
Brian_(Sun Jul 29 2007 17:18:26 GMT-0500 (Central Daylight Time))> The modem is currently connected directly to the computer [Notice that this was IN THE ROOM TITLE. Apparently he wasn't reviewing my info as carefully as he claimed]
Paula Vanessa.22326(Sun Jul 29 2007 18:18:45 GMT-0500 (Central Daylight Time))> I suggest that you powercycle your modem. Please see instructions below.
Paula Vanessa.22326(Sun Jul 29 2007 18:18:46 GMT-0500 (Central Daylight Time))>
1. Shut down the computer
2. Unplug the cable modem from the power source
3. Wait 30 seconds
4. Plug the modem back in & wait for the lights to go
solid
5. Turn the computer back on
6. Once you are back on your desktop, I would like you
to try to connect to the internet again.
Brian_(Sun Jul 29 2007 17:19:22 GMT-0500 (Central Daylight Time))> I have tried that already with no success at fixing the problem
Paula Vanessa.22326(Sun Jul 29 2007 18:19:23 GMT-0500 (Central Daylight Time))> I also suggest that you may find this link useful http://www.comcast.com/customers/faq/FaqDetails.ashx?Id=2673 [Summary of the link: How to get rid of spyware blah blah blah IT'S YOUR FAULT NOT OURS N00B!
Brian_(Sun Jul 29 2007 17:20:15 GMT-0500 (Central Daylight Time))> The modem logs show "No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out", if that helps
Paula Vanessa.22326(Sun Jul 29 2007 18:20:15 GMT-0500 (Central Daylight Time))> I would also suggest that you clear the cache and cookies in your computer, Brian.
Paula Vanessa.22326(Sun Jul 29 2007 18:21:27 GMT-0500 (Central Daylight Time))> Analyst has closed chat and left the room
analyst Paula Vanessa.22326 has left room
Yes, you read that right. I told that asshole that I had already done everything he suggested and it hadn't helped, and his response was "LOL CLEAR YOUR CACHE KTHXBAI" and then logging off.
Time to try phone tech support.