Mysterious dropout in internet connection. - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Ampera
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 17, 2016, 05:07:39 am
content: I just encountered a strange instance of a one hour drop out using a Verizon FIOS internet connection.Normally this isn't TOO out of the ordinary, but the time it happened I find weird. The internet shut off at almost exactly 12:00 AM Eastern Time (00:00) and returned at almost exactly 1:00 AM (01:00) Eastern US time.Does this happen? Do ISPs occasionally turn off the internet for a scheduled amount for maintenance or similar? I have confirmed this is on the part of FIOS, but I am not sure if any other services were affected (didn't test any).Something weird I thought I should post.

author: Jeroen3
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 17, 2016, 06:15:02 am
content: Network maintenance if often announced on the ISP webpage.

author: Ampera
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 17, 2016, 06:25:06 am
content: Quote from: Jeroen3 on October 17, 2016, 06:15:02 amIf you get something out of an American ISP it's using a sharpened spoon, a power drill, and the US Supreme Court restraining them. I highly doubt such a place exists as regular support is always atrocious.

author: Jeroen3
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 17, 2016, 11:03:02 am
content: "This tool is temporarily unavailable."

author: tszaboo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 17, 2016, 11:11:56 am
content: The f*ckers at my ISP turn off the network every day at around 0:30-1:00 and the connection might be gone for anything between 30 seconds and 2 hours. This is, just to prevent me from having a fixed IP, because they can charge money for that.Once my modem died, it took them 2 weeks to arrange a technician to come (take vacation day, of course), and all he did was: He plugged into the network. Ah your modem is indeed dead. I will arrange a replacement for you. We send a technician to replace it, between 9:00 and 18:00. No we cannot call you before, mail you in a friggin box, please take another vacation day.I would leave them, except all the other companies are worse.

author: StuUK
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 17, 2016, 11:24:25 am
content: Quote from: TwoOfFive on October 17, 2016, 05:07:39 amCheck the software revision on your DSL? box and see if it's been updated. Some ISP's push out updates to their supplied boxes.... if not then likely it was just a network update scheduled or unscheduled. I can confirm that ISP's definitely don't switch off the Internet

author: Ampera
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 17, 2016, 03:03:42 pm
content: Quote from: StuUK on October 17, 2016, 11:24:25 amFiOS is a 100% Fiber run with a fiber box in the basement and the modem connected somehow (forgot how it was, might be through Coax)Either way I don't think that is the case because of the strange exact timing of the dropout. It was scheduled somewhere by someone, and I also reset the modem a couple times, but the modem had no connection to the internet.

author: Back2Volts
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 17, 2016, 04:12:21 pm
content: I have Centurylink (rural only option). We had an extended outage a few weeks back and called to report it. The first thing the rep asked was modem model number. I was told it was obsolete and they sent me a new modem/WIFI router. There must be a reason they are pushing new hardware out. I haven't installed the new modem yet.The outage was fixed in a few hours.

author: Ampera
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 17, 2016, 07:21:25 pm
content: Quote from: AcHmed99 on October 17, 2016, 03:52:58 pmAlbany, NY area. I am guessing not, but who knows.

author: bitslice
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 17, 2016, 09:28:18 pm
content: I get glitches and slowdowns on various forums at midnight, I presume their backups are kicking in.Farnell is always under maintence whenever I need to look up anything,and game servers have the temerity to kick me off at 5:00am, such bias against insomniacs :|

author: dannyf
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 17, 2016, 09:39:02 pm
content: Maybe your connection is on the same line as that of a certain embassy?

author: David Hess
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 18, 2016, 01:22:09 am
content: Charter Cable did that to me a couple weeks ago. Internet dropped exactly at midnight and came back exactly 1 hour later. While it was down, the cable modem could only finish "Downstream Scanning" and none of the rest of the link up stages.

author: Ampera
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 18, 2016, 01:26:05 am
content: Quote from: David Hess on October 18, 2016, 01:22:09 amThere was an orange light on the modem (was dark, couldn't see the text), so idk.

author: Tinkerer
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 18, 2016, 11:34:01 pm
content: A couple years ago after roughly 1am and until something like 2-3am or later, I would get a large slowdown on my internet connection almost like someone nearby was using up a massive amount of bandwidth. It wasnt quite every day(and sometimes not even every week) or in a pattern or anything, but it was regular enough that it was noticable. I checked my connection multiple times and it wasnt anything to do with me. I had standard DSL though.