Arris Router Restarts constantly

[Loogeth]

So for the past few days my Arris modem has been restarting constantly, Dropping my internet connection, it has become very frustrating as I cant do anything on the internet for more than maybe an hour or so in the evening, Between about 10 am to 6 pm it is fine but around 6 pm it starts doing this, I've done some research on up/downstream power levels and I have been monitoring it for a while and nothing has really changed, here are my readings. https://gyazo.com/3cc270a7c6ec989dbf527f9010e47c94
If you have any ideas or suggestions let me know, Preferably asap because this is very frustrating, Thanks!

 

[mercadion]

Is the connection dropping? Or is the modem rebooting? If the connection is dropping, then going off the readings you are giving, its your ISP. Keep in mind there can be internet outages with perfect upstream and downstream, all those readings are is your connection rate to the ISP.

If the modem is rebooting thats on your side. You can tell its rebooting because lights will be flashing when you lose internet. When it does it check to see if the unit is warm, overheating can make it do that. Something may have shifted in the house, or the heater from winter may be heating it up somehow. Make sure its not buried, lack of airflow may cause it to overheat even if the outside isnt warm. If you can rule out overheating then onto troubleshooting.

This doesnt happen often, but sometimes and ISP will update something on their end that will conflict with a modem running old firmware. If this is the case then when you log into your router there will be a notice at the top of the screen asking if you want to update the software, or firmware. Do so if there is one.

To me, with the hours you say its fine, an when it starts it either sounds like the heater is kicking on cause its cold outside and warming the router up....or your ISP is having a flood of users come on just getting off work. It could be your ISP has some equipment down that isnt allowing them to handle the load as well as normal, so if the first 2 things I said to check dont pan out call tech support and tell them whats happening. Most of the time if you ask for a lvl 2 tech you dont have to go through the annoying "unplug/replug" crap.

If your ISP says it isnt them, that its on your end chances are theyll want to replace your router, an problem solved. If you own it, an they wont take responsibility, then come back and there is other things to try.

 

[Loogeth]

My ISP could care less, Ive had to wait months for them to come to my residence before so its basically up to me to fix it.
This happened about 20 minutes ago https://gyazo.com/14b18595c95bccba192888ce3a4a4ddd
Internet dropped so i checked the power levels. And as for overheating the modem doesnt feel warm at all.

 

[mercadion]

Ok, this is going to sound like a stupid question....but when you get the power surges like that is your modem just recycling? (trying to connect) Or does the router reboot all together? Well hit on that part after you check.

First thing to check is your connections, Im sure you did but dont forget your connections outside the house. Weather can loosen connection at the box, or at the pole. If your in the US then ISP junctions (the box on your house) is your property, so you can go inside and check connections. There isnt anything in there you can tamper with anyways. Try to follow the line from your house to their pole, or wherever it comes from. See if the line is hanging lower than it should, or if its swaying (believe it or not that can cause problems). Look at the line to see if its cracked....this can be hard depending on where it is, an often times doing it at night with a flashlight helps because exposed lines will reflect.

Chances are, because of the times its dropping, that your ISP is overloaded. The stuff I told you to check with the lines is just standard, chances are theres nothing wrong but you never know. What the router is doing when it drops is key, if the router maintains its composure during the drop then its not you. If the router is rebooting then that could explain the readings your seeing as the router is forcing a reconnect and making sense of the data its seeing.

Every ISP is different, and there certainly are some crappy ones out there, but generally if you threaten to leave them and go to another then theyll hop right to you. If they dont help you when you threaten to leave its a very good sign that they are over-crowded.

 

[Loogeth]

The modem is rebooting, But it will take forever to reconnect even though the modem says it is connected to the internet. Connections all seemed fine. And as for the ISP is the only one in my town that offers anything above 3mb down that's not satellite internet.

 

[mercadion]

I feel your pain, I was in the same boat a few years ago with ISPs.

Do you know anyone else with your ISP? Do they have the same issue? Since the router is rebooting and not recycling it could be an external factor effecting the router. If you do know someone who has your ISP an they arent having problems can you hijack their modem for a night to see if it does it?

Im still leaning towards ISP overload, specially after what you just said. But since the router is rebooting all together it could be a hardware issue.

 

[Loogeth]

By ISP overload do you mean that there are too many users and it is being overloaded? Possibly due to christmas and new devices?

 

[mercadion]

Yep. For example, in my small town we had 1 isp as well. 3m service just like you, same problems as you about the same time. The isp was throttling (killing service intentionally) to make up for it. I actually had to go outside to my box, disconnect an reconnect the wires (long story why i couldnt do it at the modem). Along comes the state who ran a new fiber line, problems disappear and another isp comes to town....now both offering 100m or more.

 

[Loogeth]

So perhaps this may stop on its own?

 

[mercadion]

If its your ISP then itll be intermittent, you may go a couple weeks just fine then itll start again. If they are overloaded it wont go away until either 1- enough people get pissed off an cancel, which if they are the only one there thats unlikely, or 2-they upgrade their infrastructure.