Cable modem data activity light keeps flashing
Most cable modems have an LED labelled Cable or Data or D/S, which indicates when data arrives from the cable network. Some users get worried that this LED flashes even when their PC is doing nothing or is switched off. If they are running a firewall, they are puzzled that the firewall does not register any traffic. There is no need for concern: some essential data (DHCP and ARP protocols) is broadcast into the cable network and arrives at every cable modem whether your PC needs it or not. You need not worry that someone is trying to hack into your PC just because the data light is flashing.
If the rate of flashing goes up when your PC is online (compared to when your PC is switched off or disconnected), but you do not know of any reason why your PC should be generating network traffic, then that might be a source of concern.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Modem Troubleshooting Part 1
Modems serve one purpose: translating between digital information understood by computers and analog sounds that travel over phone lines. Your computer uses its OS (operating system) and the modem manufacturer’s device driver software to convert data to sound. The modem then uses the phone line (connected via jacks on the modem and the wall) to transmit those sounds to a modem on the receiving end, which undertakes the same process in reverse. When you’re receiving data, your modem listens to the sound made by the sending modem and translates for the OS, which provides data for whatever application you’re using (an Internet browser or email client, for instance). Any such chain of conversion and transmission has multiple points of failure. Identifying those points and systematically eliminating them, one by one, is the essence of troubleshooting. Starting with the easiest and most common possibilities, you can quickly narrow down the options, identify the problem, and find a solution.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Cable Or DSL Modem
With the ever changing world of technology there remains one constant. People do not understand all of the terminology when it comes to computers and the internet. At a basketball game I overheard two people discussing their internet and what kind of service they had. One guy said he had a DSL router through his cable company. The other disagreed and said he had high speed internet through the phone company and he thought it was DSL.
Here are a few simple ways to remember what kind of internet service you have if you want to keep you conversation accurate.
1. Many people still have the old slow dial up internet connection. It ties up your phone line and is not the fastest way to be online. Because of where they live this may still be the only option they have.
2. Cable broadband internet comes from the local cable company. You get access to it right through the cable coming into your home. The cable guy will come out to your house and do the installation for you. To do this he splits the connection from your TV to a cable modem box. Then he plugs it into your computer or router.
One benefit of having internet access from your cable company is it doesn't matter how close you live to cable company's office. Wherever you live you will get it at the same speed as everyone else in your neighborhood. One thing that does matter is the number of households subscribing will affect the bandwidth available and at certain times of the day your service will be slower.
3. DSL is short Digital Subscriber Line and is provided by a phone company. You will probably not need an installer to come out to your home to get started. Your phone company will turn on your service and they will send you a DSL modem and DSL router or filters. You can use the phone line you have without ordering another one.
To get connected, you plug one end of a DSL modem into a regular phone jack and the other end into your computer or DSL router. The filters are used to eliminate potential DSL static from phone jacks in which phones are used. These filters fit easily into the phone jacks and then the phone connections are plugged into the filters.
Because you are using your phone line sharing bandwidth with your neighbors is not an issue. However the further away you live from the phone companies office the slower your system will operate.
If you live too far away you may not even be able to get DSL service and would not need a DSL router, modem or filters. You will have to check with your cable company to see what your options are at that point.
Here are a few simple ways to remember what kind of internet service you have if you want to keep you conversation accurate.
1. Many people still have the old slow dial up internet connection. It ties up your phone line and is not the fastest way to be online. Because of where they live this may still be the only option they have.
2. Cable broadband internet comes from the local cable company. You get access to it right through the cable coming into your home. The cable guy will come out to your house and do the installation for you. To do this he splits the connection from your TV to a cable modem box. Then he plugs it into your computer or router.
One benefit of having internet access from your cable company is it doesn't matter how close you live to cable company's office. Wherever you live you will get it at the same speed as everyone else in your neighborhood. One thing that does matter is the number of households subscribing will affect the bandwidth available and at certain times of the day your service will be slower.
3. DSL is short Digital Subscriber Line and is provided by a phone company. You will probably not need an installer to come out to your home to get started. Your phone company will turn on your service and they will send you a DSL modem and DSL router or filters. You can use the phone line you have without ordering another one.
To get connected, you plug one end of a DSL modem into a regular phone jack and the other end into your computer or DSL router. The filters are used to eliminate potential DSL static from phone jacks in which phones are used. These filters fit easily into the phone jacks and then the phone connections are plugged into the filters.
Because you are using your phone line sharing bandwidth with your neighbors is not an issue. However the further away you live from the phone companies office the slower your system will operate.
If you live too far away you may not even be able to get DSL service and would not need a DSL router, modem or filters. You will have to check with your cable company to see what your options are at that point.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Modem Information
Don't you find it annoying that whenever you are in a middle of research or online surfing, the connection suddenly stops? If you've experienced that a number of times, perhaps the problem might lie with the cable modem. And what you can do perform a few tweaks on the cable modem in order to optimize its operation.
Say the cable modem on your computer gets disconnected after a few minutes, then here's a cable modem tweak that can help you address the issue. One reason this thing happens in your computer is that this is Windows XP-related. On the Windows XP, there is an option that allows the computer to turn off the USB device in order to save on power. Now what you can do is to disable this option. Just click on the start button and highlight the My Computer icon and select the option that says properties. A window will then appear with the system properties. Navigate the window by clicking on the hardware tab and press the device manager button. Expand the serial bus controllers and double click on the USB root hub. You'll now see the Power Management tab and uncheck the 'allow the computer to turn off the device to save power'. If the computer displays a number of USB root hub, then make sure that you repeat the same steps for that same number of hubs. Often a cable modem that disconnects after a few hours can be remedied by performing these two steps. One cable modem tweak that is possible is by disabling the hibernation. You can right click on the desktop and click the screen saver tab. You'll notice the power button of the display properties dialog. Click that one. Another dialog box will appear and you'll be shown the hibernate tab. Use this box to uncheck the box beside the enable hibernation. Another good step is to disable the Windows Messenger. On the start button, select run and input the words gpedit.msc. Proceed to the Computer Configuration then select the Administrative Templates, then straight to Windows Components and on to Windows Messenger. Don't run the messenger, just go to the properties and check the box near it to enable.
Another thing that computer users can do is to configure the modem delay time. This is true usually to Motorola and Rockwell modems. And this issue always happens right after the user has installed the Windows 2000 drivers on the XP Pro. In order to address the problem, here's a little tweak that you can do. But as a precaution, make sure that you back up your registry even if there will be no problems. Again, click on the run and type the words 'regedit'. Then you have to select the HKEY current user/remote access/profile/"your isp". Then you to need to change the value of the disconnect idle time from 14 to zero. Following these simple steps can address the issue of internet disconnection every few hours. For a specific cable modem tweak, then a talk with the technical representative of the company can bring results.
Say the cable modem on your computer gets disconnected after a few minutes, then here's a cable modem tweak that can help you address the issue. One reason this thing happens in your computer is that this is Windows XP-related. On the Windows XP, there is an option that allows the computer to turn off the USB device in order to save on power. Now what you can do is to disable this option. Just click on the start button and highlight the My Computer icon and select the option that says properties. A window will then appear with the system properties. Navigate the window by clicking on the hardware tab and press the device manager button. Expand the serial bus controllers and double click on the USB root hub. You'll now see the Power Management tab and uncheck the 'allow the computer to turn off the device to save power'. If the computer displays a number of USB root hub, then make sure that you repeat the same steps for that same number of hubs. Often a cable modem that disconnects after a few hours can be remedied by performing these two steps. One cable modem tweak that is possible is by disabling the hibernation. You can right click on the desktop and click the screen saver tab. You'll notice the power button of the display properties dialog. Click that one. Another dialog box will appear and you'll be shown the hibernate tab. Use this box to uncheck the box beside the enable hibernation. Another good step is to disable the Windows Messenger. On the start button, select run and input the words gpedit.msc. Proceed to the Computer Configuration then select the Administrative Templates, then straight to Windows Components and on to Windows Messenger. Don't run the messenger, just go to the properties and check the box near it to enable.
Another thing that computer users can do is to configure the modem delay time. This is true usually to Motorola and Rockwell modems. And this issue always happens right after the user has installed the Windows 2000 drivers on the XP Pro. In order to address the problem, here's a little tweak that you can do. But as a precaution, make sure that you back up your registry even if there will be no problems. Again, click on the run and type the words 'regedit'. Then you have to select the HKEY current user/remote access/profile/"your isp". Then you to need to change the value of the disconnect idle time from 14 to zero. Following these simple steps can address the issue of internet disconnection every few hours. For a specific cable modem tweak, then a talk with the technical representative of the company can bring results.
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