Frequent Can't reach Internet incidents with Hitron Modem

[Rowswell]

For several months we have been experiencing sporadic incidents where our home LAN remains fully operational but some or most devices cannot connect to the Internet - either wirelessly or via ethernet. This happens at random times, but most frequently between 07:00 and 19:00 daily. It has become more frequent since a Network upgrade was done in the equipment in our neighbourhood earlier in the summer; but I have no idea if this has been a contributing factor as our own house feed was not affected as our installation was already compliant to the upgrade being done, so no changes were made in the terminal feeding the house.

An interesting issue that Shaw support has ignored is that I can NEVER ping the Shaw, or any other, domain when logged into the Hitron via the diagnostics function even when all is working?????

The most recent sequence began last week with one or 2 incidents daily. Some times the effect was as though the Internet link was down (LAN still OK). This seemed to last for a period of a few minutes, then everything would recover. CATV has never been affected. Most times it self restored, but on the weekend I had to reboot the Hitron modem to recover.

In our home set up we have a Windows laptop, 2 Mac laptops, an iPad, Apple TV, iPhone & 3 Android phones that use internet connections. I have the Apple TV and a Time Capsule used for backups  connected by Ethernet, all other devices connect wirelessly. Most devices are within 3 metres of the modem and connect on the 5 GHz band, more remote ones use the 2.4 band. This setup has been unchanged for several years (since the Hitron modem was installed) although some devices are new. The Hitron location and coax feed is unchanged and when this occurs, CATV is unaffected - it all points to a Modem inability to link devices to the internet. I disconnected the Time Capsule and ATV, leaving the LAN as Hitron only, but it makes no difference.

When the condition occurs, the inability to reach the internet includes ethernet connected and wireless connected devices. The LAN always stays up and I can log into the Hitron modem: it shows an internet connect and devices as connected, even though they are not able to reach the internet. However, I am able to log into the modem only when ethernet connected.

In the latest iterations, culminating with 2 long outages yesterday, all Apple devices were unable to connect to the Internet (a Macbook Pro, Macbook Air, iPad, Apple TV and iPhone); a windows machine was able to stay connected to a business VPN, but not connect to the internet on one occurrence (on the 2nd it lost all external connection), and 1 of 3 Android phones was not able to connect as well.

While this was going on, I was able to reach Shaw support using one of the working Androids via chat (what a royal pain that is!!! - why can't you talk to these people???). To put it mildly, Shaw support was useless, both yesterday and when I called several weeks back when this 1st started. Advice started with it was a bandwidth congestion issue, even though I had said ethernet connected devices couldn’t connect as well; then it went to being an Apple issue, even though I had said it included Windows and Android; then it went to reboot all connected devices to see if the issue cleared. The tech logged into the modem, saw what I had reported, that the modem seemed to be happy, and to my knowledge never tried a Ping test even though I said it wasn’t working. Finally I gave up on him and did a hard reboot of the modem, which worked, as it always seems to, but when one is booting a modem multiple times a day, this is not a satisfactory solution. Of course that dropped the support line, but the agent made no effort to re-establish contact to complete the investigation, even though I had given a TN for contact if we got disconnected.

My thinking is that something is happening that causes the modem to lose the map of connected devices that it uses to bridge them to the internet (or some variation of this condition). However, when working with Shaw support, I don't get the idea that they can progress past the level of "the modem is reporting it is OK", so the solution is reboot or nothing.

This is driving us crazy, especially as with work at home and remote schooling, for our son and his partner, a reliable internet is a must.

Any ideas are welcome. 

Shaw support, if you read this, I would really like for someone with more technical skill than I have been able to reach to get engaged. Even something as fundamental as swapping out the modem to see if that makes a difference has been rejected. Re-booting on a regular basis is very 40 years ago treatment and is not something I want to keep doing.

[mdk]

@Rowswell -- a Windows machine was able to stay connected to a business VPN, but not connect to the internet on one occurrence

The only path between your VPN-client and the business' VPN-server is through the Internet. So, I have no explanation why that traffic continued to flow while your other computers could not share your Internet connection.

Also, while your computer is connect to that VPN-server, all traffic -- to any other Internet site -- is routed to that VPN-server, and then, from that server, "out" over the Internet to the web-site, e.g., Google.CA.   So, that VPN-server may be configured to not "forward" packets anywhere EXCEPT to other computers "inside" the business' internal network.

> Any ideas are welcome.  Shaw support, if you read this ...

1. First, from a command-line prompt, use the TRACERT command to the host-name of your VPN-server, to show each Internet router between your HITRON and that VPN-server. Post the output here.

2. This is a peer-to-peer discussion forum, not an official path to Shaw Support.  I've seen only 2 or 3 Shaw employees who voluntarily participate on this forum. So, make official contact with Shaw Support.

3. I think that the second-easiest trouble-shooting step would be to get Shaw to replace the Hitron by another one. It will take a few days for Canada Post to deliver one to your front door -- during COVID-19, you probably cannot exchange it at your local Shaw retail store-front.

[Rowswell]

Tx for the response.

I also puzzled over why the Windows/VPN stayed up but couldn't reach other internet. My only guess is that it was acting like a nailed up connection, rather than an ad hoc one. Why this condition changed on the subsequent outage is unclear.

The good news is yesterday things stayed up, 1st time in several days that has happened........However, I still can't instigate a ping (or traceroute) when logged into the modem.

Re Shaw. I have written a letter directly to Shaw based that is based on my note. In an earlier life I worked with and knew a number of senior Ops people there and my letter went to one of them. The saddest part of this experience has been that all past conversations with Shaw support or the sales team have been excellent. The change on conversations surrounding this incident and a change to our home service package over a year ago have been startling in their difference. Given that I have spoken to 3 Tech support reps now on this issue with the same result, and had a premise visit on the last flare up that was an absolute waste of my time (the tech flat out refused to swap out the modem saying it was testing OK & never even entered the house!), I have the distinct impression that the focus on customer support has been lost. Others in the area I have spoken with have also expressed concerns, so it seems I am not alone. Telus, my only other local option, will be getting a closer look when our contract comes due next year........

[mdk]

@Rowswell -- My only guess is that it was acting like a nailed up connection, rather than an ad hoc one.

It could be a matter of "routing". When you VPN, your Internet traffic probably never leaves the city where both you and your employer's office are located. A "traceroute" to the VPN-server would confirm that (when you're not actively using the VPN connection).

> However, I still can't instigate a ping (or traceroute) when logged into the modem.

Weird, unless this is happening when your VPN connection is active. Be sure that your VPN-client is not running; then, PING and TRACERT should work.