Comcast Tech Support Comes Through
I’ve had to reset my cable modem every day for the past two weeks. I’d unplug the cable modem and let it sit for about a minute before plugging everything back in and going about my online business. It’s not a major problem but definitely an annoyance. Usually, I can figure out what’s going wrong but this time I had to call Comcast technical support.
Phone support
I called 1-800-COMCAST and after a few moments was speaking with a real live person. I explained what was happening and he asked a few questions. He was polite and courteous and was able to schedule a technician to come to my home that Sunday, only a few days later. The only downside was that the tech would arrive between 12 and 3pm. Vague time lines irk me but what can you do?
The Technician
The tech arrived at 3:05pm. Again, I was a little irked but remembered the catch more flies with honey adage. The tech inspected my cable modem, connected some equipment, and jotted a few notes. Next, he wanted to inspect the line running to my house. We walked outside and he quickly located a potential problem. Ten minutes later, he was testing my upstream / downstream signal strength and packing up.
The Problem
The technician noted that my upstream signal was out of range and that was why I had to reset the modem so often.
Diagnosing the Problem
Here’s a simple way I check my cable modem stats.
- Connect a computer to the cable modem with an ethernet cable.
- Open a browser and enter 192.168.100.1 into the address field. This should take you to an administration page with information about your cable modem
- Browse through the menu. The signal tab shows the up / down stream signal strength. Ideally, the downstream should be between -5dBmV and +5dbmV. The upstream should be within 35dBmV and 50dBmV.
The Cause
Outside my house, the technician found two unnecessary splitters. They were unnecessary because Jocie and I only have one TV. Most homes in America have multiple TV’s and each needs it’s own line. But, each time you split the cable signal is another possible point of failure and should be avoided. Whoever installed the cable assumed we’d have more than one TV. I asked why it only became problematic in these past two weeks. The technician said rain and heat are usual suspects when cables or splitters malfunction.
Fixing the Problem
Fixing the problem was the easiest part. We toned out the cables to determine which one was actually being used. And, since we didn’t need the extra lines, the tech removed the splitters. He checked the signals and said they were better than his own home.
Adjusting My Bill
I’m not trying to avoid a bill, but I won’t pay for service that I don’t receive. The last step was to call Comcast again and have them credit my account for the two weeks that I’ve been having problems. It was another 5 minute phone call and they happily made the adjustment.
What do you think? Any troubleshooting tips to add? What’s your experience with Comcast support?
Image courtesy of DeclanTM
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