Going Insane with Modem/Router problems

W

Wits_end_NC

n00b
Joined
Nov 17, 2018
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10
Baseline I have a Older HP Pavilion G7 Series 1260US Purchased Dec 2011. The computer itself has problems. The case is cracked and a friend fixed it to where I can leave the lid up but I dare not shut it.

Hardware and OS
Intel Core i3-Cpu @2.20Ghz
Installed Ram 4.0 GB
C Drive 640 with 178 GB Windows 10 Home 1803 64 Bit OS
OS Build 17134.07
Have 2 X 3 TB external HD and assorted thumb drives
Zoom 384 MBps 8X4 DOCSIS 3.0 Model Number 5354
Router Belkin N450 DB Wi-Fi Dual Band N Router

I have had ongoing problems that started the first of the year. I would lose internet connected. Wifi symbol would show yellow Triangle along side Wi-fi signal. I suspected that my wifi module was going bad. I had a friend who s a computer tech person (certified). He works as a support person for a Wake County NC based company.

He spent over 5-6 hours at my house brought over a newer router and I could never connect until I bought a usb 2.0 network dongle. I still was having problems connecting. I finally went to my brothers house who has a background in ATM networks. We were able to use my hardware (wifi) and I was able to get on his internet service and he has a Buffalo Router. I came back home and still had problems so he brought me an older Buffalo Router and we finally had internet service. TG. Just a little more info my House Guest uses and I-Phone 6s and he has a Desktop that connects to the internet. I finally went back to usng the Belkin N450 router and things would work okay but we still have to reset the modem and wireless router about once every couple of months.

Now it is worst. The Service is through Earthlink Max but the link is through Brighthouse/Comcast and getting 72 MBps service.

I have been living in my townhouse since Dec 2003. In January 2004 I had Cable Broadband Service install via Time Warner Cable. The original service tie in was in a spare bedroom. I am on my third modem/router combination. Last year I put a hole in the drywall and used an F female coupler and installed a wallplate in the living room. I use a quad shield RG6 Cable (6ft long ) to connect to the modem. I am on about the 3rd short jumper cable (Cat 5 cable) from the Zoom Modem to the Belkin Router.

For the last 6-8 weeks I am having to reset the modem and router almost daily now.

As long as I just do regular internet ( just go to regular websites I am okay. But once I go to youtube and play a few videos and then try to access another webpage Google Chrome comes up and says it cannot find the Google Home Page. I thought maybe the problem is with my Browser(Google Chrome) but nasty old Edge will not work either.

I was just shutting down the computer but instead of doing that I have been going to the Command Prompt and run as administrator and doing to > ipconfig options. #1 ipconfig /flushdns, # 2 >Ipconfig /release and step #3 >ipconfig /renew.
Once again if I just go to my local news website or go to my saved bill sites the internet works fine. But the minute I go to youtube and look at several videos things begin to muck up.

I use Usenet which is a port based TCP/IP low level internet connections. It works fine and no problems But if I try to use regular internet all hades breaks loose.


So I am asking for help. Should I replace the RG 6 quad shield cable? and Or replace the inline F coupler? I have been considering getting a new modem (looking at Arris sb6183). The Zoom is Comcast compliant but on the low end of compatiable range. I am truly at wits End. Is my Windows internet part of program corrupted? This has been driving Insane for the last 6-8 weeks.
 
Sounds like a pain in the ass. Have you tried updating or reinstalling your laptops wifi driver? Also check for updated firmware for the router. I have a Belkin router that I've been really happy with it does an automatic reset in the middle of the night daily.
 
For me time is money. I also hate headaches. I’d just replace the modem and router and questionable cable line.

For under $125 you could do all that new with decent components. And they’d be worlds newer and faster than your old stuff.

Working with older questionable hardware especially if it’s outdated, is more hassle than it’s worth.

After that’s done, I’d consider diagnosing the pc if there were still connection issues.
 
TheFlayedMan said:
Sounds like a pain in the ass. Have you tried updating or reinstalling your laptops wifi driver? Also check for updated firmware for the router. I have a Belkin router that I've been really happy with it does an automatic reset in the middle of the night daily.
Click to expand...

Thanks for your input. I have never updated the firmware on the router. My nic card on computer is iffy. I guess I will bite the bullet on a new cable.
 
jmilcher said:
For me time is money. I also hate headaches. I’d just replace the modem and router and questionable cable line.

For under $125 you could do all that new with decent components. And they’d be worlds newer and faster than your old stuff.

Working with older questionable hardware especially if it’s outdated, is more hassle than it’s worth.

After that’s done, I’d consider diagnosing the pc if there were still connection issues.
Click to expand...

Money is what I do not have a lot of. I am on disability so I was hoping to narrow down the problem. I have to buy one or the other one at a time. I think I will start with the modem. I have tried other routers and they work for a while. I have not tried to change the modem. Thanks for your input. I had join Tom's Hardware about 2 years ago and It took the 3rd question before I got a response. So I decided to try a new foru.
 
Possibly a DNS issue if some sites are ok and others aren’t. Try statically assigning a DNS

Also check and make sure a proxy isn’t enabled - a lot of malware will do that to hijack all your data.

A good malware scan is in order regardless
 
Have you ever reached out to time warner to see if you are getting a good signal to the modem? Maybe you could get a new docsis 3.1 modem from them if yours is old enough and could help if you are having signal problems. Another thing to try on your router is maybe looking at the frequency bands you are trying to use over 2.4 or 5ghz, I have found in the past that sometimes it helps to drop to lower mhz for 2.4, say from 80, or 40 mhz to 20 mhz. You could also try doing a site survey in your house to see if there is something causing interference for you.
 
Okay I found the problem. A real simple solution. I still may need to upgrade my modem at some point just not right now. I replace my RG6Q cable with a new RG6Q cable and the puppy works. I really noticed a difference in Google Earth. I had all but gave up on using that program. It would take forever to load and to try to move around impossible. Now it works like it is suppose to work. I have had 5 or 6 tabs open at the same time. No problem. Google Chrome loads much quicker. Youtube runs like a champ. So if you run into a similar problem you may want to change out your cable between your wall jack and your modem. I have had problems before with cables but they were standard tv coax cables. I did not think that a quad-shield cable would give up the ghost in two years time.
 
TheFlayedMan said:
Glad you got it fixed
Click to expand...

I thought I had it fixed. Unfortunately it is not fixed. It appears as it may be a Spectrum Cable Problem. I called Spectrum Internet Tonite. BTW we have had snow-mountains little snow and Ice Central NC near state Capital-Raleigh NC. Bad intenet. Same Problems as before. Spectrum claims my modem is working in the green-good but the outside is causing intermittent problems. Einstein at work tonite. Yes. finally. The Spec tech is on the ball. He claims corrosion at connection or problems at line connection. Where ? I have no clue. It has worked gret all nigt since technican looked at problem. So it may not be my connection to the wall. My connection from wall to Zoom Modem 5345 or my cat 5 connection to my Belkin NB 450 DB. Only through Spectrum Cable connection. When are these freaking companies going to work for all people. All most ready for Socialism or Communism in internet. So freakin tired of Republican Control of Internet. Only thing they are interested in is making money. Not having internet to work outstanding all the time and definitely not for the little guy. I think they dream of screwing the little guy all the time.
Spectrum to send a technician on Wednesday. I will be on oxygen! Not to sure if Nazi Spectrum will show up. I wonder if God will allow Spectrum people in the Kingdom of God. I see flames in their future!
 
I had a similar issue, internet worked more than naught but, got tired of the constant issues, lady said they'd send a tech out. low and behold the coax form the poll was so older it was just bare wire in spots and the rubber had not only decayed but, also just clean fallen off. new cable and my internet pretty much just works ever since.
 
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