In another thread I've discussed with some very helpful people the problems I'm having with intermittent Comcast internet. The reason I'm posting a new question is because Comcast has basically taken their official stance, and now I'm left with some questions how to proceed.
Each morning the internet is down at my client's office. They call me, and I immediately try to access our router (a Linksys with DD-WRT firmware connected to the Comcast/Netgear cable modem/router. When I cannot, I start pinging the modem's gateway address. I get no reply. This will go on until one of two things happen: Either we power reset the modem or I call Comcast support and have them poll the modem using their access portal ("svp?"). Either way, the modem will "wake up" and things will be working again (temporarily). The strange part is that according to Comcast's "historical data" the modem never went offline! And they don't seem to believe me when I tell them I COULD NOT ping the gateway ip prior to calling them. They insist that their constant ping tests show "no or very little packet loss."
Only this morning did a level 2 tech in Denver (I'm in Memphis) really focus on the fact that I am not able to ping the gateway during these outages. He not only believed me, he stated flatly that "no matter what is going on on your LAN side, you *always* should be able to ping the gateway." My thoughts exactly. I thanked him sincerely, and told him that until our conversation I felt like I've been telling people I'd seen UFOs. Nobody would take me seriously.
At any rate, my question is this: Is there *anything* that could be going on LAN-side to cause a cable modem to "lock up" or otherwise cease to work properly, requiring a reset? The reason I ask is that Comcast's official stance - in Memphis, at least - is that while their equipment *might be* freezing up at times, it has nothing to do with them or their equipment. The problem is "something" on our network.
Giving them the benefit of the doubt, I enabled high level logging in the DD-WRT firmware, and I've been monitoring network traffic for 3 days. Things look "normal" to me: incoming port scans, spam-carrying email (we run a Netware/Groupwise server), some imap stuff. Over the weekend only the server is on (the 12 PCs are all turned off), so their is virtually no outbound traffic. I see a couple of things, which indicates a bug or two on the server calling out, but it's very infrequent and very light.
Input appreciated. Sorry for the length. I'm just completely out of ideas, and my client is literally screaming for a solution. Our only other option for service is Bellsouth DSL, which has awful uplink speeds in that area.
thank you,
jm