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4 Messages
Upstream channel power levels too low - what to do.
I'm paying for the most expensive plan available at my apartment complex (Gigabit). I'm getting ~600 Mbps download (which I'm okay with), and ~5 Mbps upload. The upload speed has become unbearable and, honestly, unacceptable for a top-tier modern internet plan.
For reference, 5 Mbps upload speeds means it takes 40 minutes to upload a 10-minute home video to social media. 5 Mbps means streaming gameplay on something like Twitch is guaranteed to be horrible quality. 5 Mbps means having choppy video calls with family back home. 5 Mbps means my personal file server is painfully slow outside of the local network.
When I called support this morning, after 40 minutes of running identical speed tests and four separate modem restarts, the support agent directed me to call my modem manufacturer Arris. Instead of doing that, I looked into my modem (SB6190) myself and found this:
Upstream Bonded Channels | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Channel | Lock Status | US Channel Type | Channel ID | Symbol Rate | Frequency | Power |
1 | Locked | ATDMA | 3 | 5120 kSym/s | 23.70 MHz | 43.25 dBmV |
2 | Locked | ATDMA | 2 | 5120 kSym/s | 30.10 MHz | 43.25 dBmV |
3 | Locked | ATDMA | 1 | 5120 kSym/s | 36.50 MHz | 43.25 dBmV |
Arris' FAQ says that acceptable upstream signal levels should be no less than 45 dBmV:
https://arris.secure.force.com/consumers/articles/General_FAQs/SB6190-Cable-Signal-Levels/
My modem is reading a power level of 43.25. In this situation the FAQ directs me to ask my service provider to adjust the levels. So here I am, asking. Please, sir, may I have some more upstream bandwidth?
@ComcastMorgan this is extremely similar to another thread you answered: https://forums.xfinity.com/t5/Your-Home-Network/upstream-channel-power-levels-too-low-what-to-do/td-p/3195031
The solution there appears to have been a modem swap, but the symptoms were different (outages and packet loss vs. upstream bandwidth). Do you believe a modem swap would help me here as well?
Accepted Solution
EG
Expert
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103.5K Messages
5 years ago
The upstream power is fine. The SB6190 is only a DOCSIS 3.0 capable modem. You will never get gig speeds with it. You need to use a DOCSIS 3.1 capable modem such as one of these;
https://www.amazon.com/Next-Generation-ARRIS-SURFboard-SB8200-DOCSIS/dp/B01N6SKK1G
https://www.amazon.com/Motorola-MB8600-Certified-Comcast-Communications/dp/B0723599RQ
https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-CM1000-DOCSIS-Ultra-High-download/dp/B01I5TJGSE
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shoffing1
New Poster
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4 Messages
5 years ago
DOCSIS 3.0 is capable of up to 200 Mbit/s. I'm getting five. Are you SURE a new modem is the solution?
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EG
Expert
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103.5K Messages
5 years ago
They will not push a gigabit speed tier configuration file to a DOCSIS 3.0 modem. It will default to using a slower speed tier config.
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EG
Expert
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103.5K Messages
5 years ago
Believe what you will.....
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shoffing1
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4 Messages
5 years ago
Okay, I'll get a new modem with 3.1 now.
I don't know if I believe you about the active speed tier degredation, though. There are no speed tiers between 300 Mbps and 1000 Mbps, and I've been getting ~600:
I suppose they could be putting me on an unlisted "tier". At the very least a new modem will improve my download speeds, I see that now. But my biggest concern remains the upload speed. I'm cautiously hopeful those will improve too.
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EG
Expert
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103.5K Messages
5 years ago
How 'bout that ! Happy surfing !!
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shoffing1
New Poster
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4 Messages
5 years ago
You were right, my modem was the issue. I went to Microcenter and picked up a DOCSIS 3.1 modem (the motorola one you sent).
The support person should have seen this incompatability, and I resent the fact that I spent 40 minutes on the phone accomplishing nothing this morning, but I'm glad to have the problem resolved. I'll be sure to come to the forums first in the future.
I'm getting 40 Mbps up right now, which is better than what Comcast "advertises" in that table above.
Thank you for your help! I really appreciate it.
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