Recent bad call quality, occassional words are dropped out

[thunderbird]

jmmastron:
The large out of limits jitter and packet loss, is more than likely why you are having problems. You either have a defective Modem or the Internet provider Internet signal coming in to your Modem is poor. Some times you can reboot or reset the Modem and get better Phonepower Speedtest results. If your Modem has a reset function, reference your Modem owner's manual, do that. Sometimes the Modem will contain batteries, that has to be temporarily removed to have a successful reboot or reset. Otherwise borrow or purchase a new Modem and retest. If that doen't correct the problem, contact your Internet provider.

[EX Bell]

Astonishing that Ooma would spend the money to send you out three replacement units when your MOS score was so low.
They could have simply had you check your connection with OOKLA and it probably would have told you there was an issue before you even started. I've noticed the Ooma US webpage does not have this tool (click tab number 2 and run the test) and I don't understand why other than maybe they don't want to pay for the service for US customers. Why though? It could save them so much in support costs and sending new units out by courier to replace non-defective product. It's not as detail of a test as is available from Phonepower, but I'm sure it would have flagged your service so you wouldn't have to go through this hassle. I guess their really inexpensive boxes for them to manufacture.

[lbmofo]

I don't have an issue with voice quality (at least not that I can notice)

But I've noticed a consistent download packet loss pattern as of late. Other numbers are seemingly okay.

2 years ago

VoIP test statistics
--------------------
Jitter: you --> server: 0.6 ms
Jitter: server --> you: 3.7 ms
Packet loss: you --> server: 0.0 %
Packet loss: server --> you: 0.0 %
Packet discards: 0.0 %
Packets out of order: 0.0 %
Estimated MOS score: 4.0

Speed test statistics
---------------------
Download speed: 9426168 bps
Upload speed: 2173072 bps
Download quality of service: 84 %
Upload quality of service: 97 %
Download test type: socket
Upload test type: socket
Maximum TCP delay: 56 ms
Average download pause: 2 ms
Minimum round trip time to server: 43 ms
Average round trip time to server: 45 ms
Estimated download bandwidth: 28800000bps
Route concurrency: 3.0553243
Download TCP forced idle: 60 %
Maximum route speed: 12192552bps


Today

VoIP test statistics
--------------------
Jitter: you --> server: 1.8 ms
Jitter: server --> you: 2.9 ms
Packet loss: you --> server: 0.0 %
Packet loss: server --> you: 3.4 %
Packet discards: 0.0 %
Packets out of order: 0.0 %
Estimated MOS score: 1.0

Speed test statistics
---------------------
Download speed: 4312 kbps
Upload speed: 1555 kbps
Download quality of service: 47 %
Upload quality of service: 92 %
Download test type: socket
Upload test type: socket
Maximum TCP delay: 174 ms
Average download pause: 5 ms
Minimum round trip time to server: 41 ms
Average round trip time to server: 42 ms
Estimated download bandwidth: 11200 kpbs
Route concurrency: 2.596805
Download TCP forced idle: 60 %
Maximum route speed: 1287 kbps

The cable modem seems to check out okay.

Connect to the status web page in your cable modem
http://192.168.100.1
Find the downstream and upstream power in dBmV and the Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR)…
The downstream signal power should be between -10 and +10 dBmV. (Some say between -15 and +15 but I feel that is pushing your luck)
The SNR should be 35 or more.
The upstream power level should be less than 55 dBmV.

SNR 37.9 dB
Power Level 0.8 dBmV
Upstream Power Level 42.0 dBmV

Speedtest.net tests show my download/upload speed to be fine (shows the same 16Mbps down but slower up compared to 2 years ago; up is not 1.3Mbps or so vs. 2Mbps).

Is my modem getting old or is my ISP going downhill?

[murphy]

Your signal and power levels are fine.

I'm on my third cable modem.

The first was a DOCSIS 1.1 which is no longer supported by Comcast.

The second was a DOCSIS 2.0 which developed a heat related problem in the downstream direction only.

The third (current) is a DOCSIS 3.0 which works fine. It bonds 4 channels in the downstream direction but still only does 1 channel in the upstream direction because Comcast hasn't upgraded the headend yet.

If you are renting the modem from your ISP, ask for a new one.
If you own the modem, rent a new one from your ISP for a month to see if it has the same problem.

Also, if you haven't already, run the speed tests with your computer connected directly to the modem to eliminate possible router problems.

Run the Telo's built in UDP bandwidth tests.


On a side note I consider the often mentioned practice of buying a product to do a test and then returning it to be unethical. The net result of this practice is to raise costs for everyone.

[lbmofo]

On a side note I consider the often mentioned practice of buying a product to do a test and then returning it to be unethical. The net result of this practice is to raise costs for everyone.

I agree.

[thunderbird]

On a side note I consider the often mentioned practice of buying a product to do a test and then returning it to be unethical. The net result of this practice is to raise costs for everyone.

While I was reading the above snip, my hypocrisy detector meter pegged.

[lbmofo]

I connected a computer directly to my Moto SB5101U and I see the same downlink packet loss ~3% or so consistently. Sometimes, I see ~3% packet discards too. Not good. After 2 years, I guess I need a new modem.

[lbmofo]

I connected a computer directly to my Moto SB5101U and I see the same downlink packet loss ~3% or so consistently. Sometimes, I see ~3% packet discards too. Not good. After 2 years, I guess I need a new modem.

Tried the phonepower test this morning...no packet loss. If consistently okay in the morning and consistently bad at night, might be just ISP? My ISP, Broadstripe, may just be terrible because they filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection a couple of years back.

[jmmastron]

Checked my modem status:

Downstream
Freq/Power: 615.000 MHz 4 dBmV
Signal to Noise Ratio: 38 dB
Modulation: QAM256

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Upstream
Freq/Power: 37.000 MHz 37 dBmV
Channel Type: DOCSIS 2.0 (ATDMA)

Symbol Rate: 5120 kSym/sec

Modulation: QAM64

[jmmastron]

Download Speed: _____6389kbps___________
Upload Speed: ____1119kbps____________
Download Consistency of Service ___54%_____
Upload Consistency of Service ___98%______
Maximum TCP Delay ____106ms_________
Jitter you server __1.6ms________
Jitter server you __66.4ms_______
Packet loss: you server___0.0%____
Packet loss: server you __5.6%____
Packet discards ____0.0%_____
Packets out of order __0.0%_______
Estimated MOS score ___1.0_____

Download Consistency of Service ___54%_____ should be 80 % or better

Maximum TCP Delay ____106ms_________ should be less than 100 ms

Jitter server you __66.4ms_______ should be less than 5 ms

Packet loss: server you __5.6%____ should be 0%

Estimated MOS score ___1.0____ should be around 4


What are the signal levels in your modem?

http://192.168.100.1

downstream signal level
downstream SNR (signal to noise ratio)
upstream power level

Interesting, I ran the tests again today and received better results; however, voice quality is still terrible. Modem was reset and also had my ISP out to my house. They plugged into my modem checked UL/DL speeds, packet loss, etc., replaced a filter outside at the box and said everything was OK.

The ping tests show zero packet loss but still having issues.

Upstream jitter 2.5 ms
Downstream jitter 3.0 ms
Upstream packet loss 0.0 %
Downstream packet loss 0.0 %
Upstream packet order 100.0 %
Downstream packet order 100.0 %
Packet discards 0.0 %
MOS 4.1
REGISTER ms 712 ms
INVITE ms 419 ms
BYE ms 4 ms
Test VoIP and Speed Test