Can a cable modem wear out?

L

Lt.Doomsday

Limp Gawd
Joined
Sep 15, 2004
Messages
454
just asking.

my motorola SB4200 has been dropping connection for months now.had the tech guys come out,changed lines,new ethernet/cable lines and still the same issue.rebuilt the system and two differant OS's and the same problem.

the old mobo was a Abit KT-7 Non Raid,Os was Windows 98 and using an D-link Network Card hooked up to a DI-604 Router
the new mobo is a MSI Delta 2 LSR and i'm using the onboard nic,OS is Windows XP Sp2{which i think is a RealTek} and is hooked up to a new DI-524 Router.

the modem is located on the other side of the room,so i moved it closer to were it was right were the line comes in from my wall...........few minutes later it dropped again and i moved it back to it's oringal location.

lastest screen cap. of the modem setup page:
Untitled-1.jpg


anyone got idea's on what else i can do?
 
Lt.Doomsday said:
anyone got idea's on what else i can do?
Click to expand...

Your screenshot looks about on-par with what I'm getting... It may be that someone has a duplicate MAC address on your segment of the network and is causing you to get kicked off every now and then. Unfortunately there isn't much you could do in that case aside from buy a new cable modem and hope it has a unique MAC.

Call support and demand to speak to a networking technician... if you can get one on the phone you can ask them if they show any other accounts using the same MAC address as your modem.
 
To answer the question posed in the subject line:
Yes.

All equipment has an MTBF (Mean Time Between Failure) and/or MTTF (Mean Time To Failure). Electronic components do wear out eventually. So yes, your cable modem could be "worn out."

That said, its far more likely that there is a problem upstream somewhere. Have you tried asking the cable company to give you a new modem? If this modem is yours, try using one of theirs for a while. If you experience the same problems with theirs, then you've got an issue somewhere on the line that they need to track down and fix.
 
i actually bought the modem at bestbuy.

i planned on upgrading and i seem to remember they throw in that new Motorola Black modem with the package.
 
I've seen cable modems get rather dirty inside and need a dusting. Try blowing the thing to see if that helps any. Yes, cable modems can overheat or run too hot.

 
You have any splitters anywhere? I recently replaced one of mine when my modem dropped a few times....I have a 1x6 splitter at the head.
 
i only have one 3 way splitter.it split's the signal from the wall to the the back of my t.v.and the modem

i've tried differant splitters in the past and just trying it without my t.v. screwed in and it dropped also.

i'll try to clean the coax connection
 
My Toshiba PCX1100 slowly died last month. I was dropping connections more and more often. I bought a new Motorola SB and slapped it in. I haven't had it drop one time in the last month. I would say "yes", it can happen
 
If you can hook it up so the modem is the only thing conected. Than call the cable company and have them do a packet lost test. Then you will know if its the modem or something out side.
Good luck.
 
cleaned the coax and hooked the line directly to the back of the modem.

from -4dBmV to 2 dBmV

so it looks like it maybe the spillter but i'm going to call them up right now to do a packet lost test.

Edit:
The Packet Loss Test:76 Sent and Received.
Router Test:56 Send and Recieved.

both in 12ms.
 
Orinthical said:
Your screenshot looks about on-par with what I'm getting... It may be that someone has a duplicate MAC address on your segment of the network and is causing you to get kicked off every now and then. Unfortunately there isn't much you could do in that case aside from buy a new cable modem and hope it has a unique MAC.

Call support and demand to speak to a networking technician... if you can get one on the phone you can ask them if they show any other accounts using the same MAC address as your modem.
Click to expand...

As far as I know there should be no such thing as a duplicate MAC address.
 
My modem died, started dumping signals and was sometimes just very slow... very intermittent... ran out to bestbuy and bought a cable modem from linksys... works perfect ever since.



You might also want to check your ground line running to the streetbox.... sometimes they just fail from weathering or taking a beating (same with splitters). Check your modem, splitters, and ground cable (in that order).
 
well,i tried 2 other splitters i had laying around:

1. turned from 2 dBmV to -13 dBmV
2. turned from 2 dBmV to -20 dBmV

i'll buy a new splitter.

that doesn't work,for me to watch t.v. i may have to tap off my sister's cable line and just run the modem directly from the wall to the back of it.
 
ethos747474nikon8989 said:
As far as I know there should be no such thing as a duplicate MAC address.
Click to expand...

In a perfect world, there shouldn't be. There is though. I haven't seen it with cable modems, but I have seen it with NIC's. Mistakes happen.
 
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