Modem Indicator lights, their meaning?
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OP
Joined: Aug 2009
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SuddenLink, in an apparent effort to be competitive in my area, is doubling, at no cost, one’s data speed. Whatever plan they had is now 2X. (The actual switch over is scheduled for 18 March.) To bring this about, it is/was necessary to remove the old modem and replace it with a new DOCSIS 3 model. To wit, yesterday, a SuddenLink tech installed an Arris TM822G. In reading the tech manual (Here) it notes that a solid amber “DS†light is normal (and some other tech speak I did not understand). And AFAIK, the new modem works divined. Now to the question: Why would the “DS†light be amber, when the “US†light is solid green? What, pray tell, is the amber “DS†light supposed to indicate? If things are normal, why isn’t it green?
Harv 27" i7 iMac (10.13.6), iPhone Xs Max (12.1)
Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire
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Re: Modem Indicator lights, their meaning?
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Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 16
Moderator
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Moderator
Joined: Aug 2009
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Find your modem and what the lights mean here . If your modem is not listed there try a Google search and you should find it.
Last edited by joemikeb; 02/28/14 02:36 PM.
If we knew what it was we were doing, it wouldn't be called research, would it?
— Albert Einstein
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Re: Modem Indicator lights, their meaning?
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Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 1
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Moderator
Joined: Aug 2009
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You might want to check page 43 of the tech manual you linked to for a table listing the various indicator lights and their meaning; the subsequent two pages describe indicator behavior during startup. As to the meaning of the various abbreviations used on the modem, see p20 of the manual. The amber DS and green US light suggest that your downstream speed is slower than your upstream speed, an unlikely scenario. Unless, of course, 'high' and 'ultra high' mean different things for downstream and upstream speeds. But note the comment at the bottom of p43, stating that your ISP may swap the meaning (speed indication) of yellow and green of the DS, US and Link indicators. In other words, it means whatever we just said, except when it doesn't. Hopefully that applies to your setup, making your downstream speed greater than your upload speed. You gotta love details like this. PS, you can actually search PDFs, it's quite handy!
alternaut ◉ moderator
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Re: Modem Indicator lights, their meaning?
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OP
Joined: Aug 2009
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Thanks, gents. Your counsel is appreciated. Indeed it was reading the Arris Tech/User Manual that confused me. For all the reasons Alternaut mentioned, I became confuseder and confusederer. I find it [only] moderately reassuring that SuddenLink's telephone tech support staff is equally confused; nice but confused. For now, I'll try to think of it as a cosmetic issue that has no true relationship to performance. But be assured, this matter will not be forgotten and is on my list for when I become King.
Harv 27" i7 iMac (10.13.6), iPhone Xs Max (12.1)
Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire
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Re: Modem Indicator lights, their meaning?
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Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 15
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Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 15 |
Have you tested your new, improved service, yet, Harv? (Out of curiosity, to what performance level does this freebie get you?)
The new Great Equalizer is the SEND button.
In Memory of Harv: Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire
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Re: Modem Indicator lights, their meaning?
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OP
Joined: Aug 2009
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Have you tested your new, improved service, yet, Harv? (Out of curiosity, to what performance level does this freebie get you?) Artie, SuddenLink won't throw the switch until 18 March, so for now, no real world experience to report. And as I'll be out of town from 19 March to 2 April, a proper report is about 5 weeks off. Re the free upgrade: DL advertised speeds (no mention of upload speeds) Old vs. New 15 Mbps->30 Mbps 30 Mbps->50 Mbps 50 Mbps->107 Mbps FWIW, I have the 15 Mbps plan and routinely get 17-18 Mbps down and 1.6 up. And other than confusing modem lights, I have found the service first-rate. Over a 2.5 year period, I have had about 15 minutes of outage (total).
Harv 27" i7 iMac (10.13.6), iPhone Xs Max (12.1)
Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire
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Re: Modem Indicator lights, their meaning?
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Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 15
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Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 15 |
Nice! (I'd be happy with what you've got now.)
The new Great Equalizer is the SEND button.
In Memory of Harv: Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire
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Re: Modem Indicator lights, their meaning?
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OP
Joined: Aug 2009
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Something between interesting and humorous...
This morning, I had about a 1 minute power outage. When power returned and as the modem was rebooting, I noticed that the DS light, normally amber, was green during the rebooting process. Then, after the modem was fully reset & synced, the DS light reverted to amber.
Ya gotta love those modem engineers. Well, maybe.
Harv 27" i7 iMac (10.13.6), iPhone Xs Max (12.1)
Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire
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Re: Modem Indicator lights, their meaning?
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Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 1
Moderator
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Moderator
Joined: Aug 2009
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According to your modem's manual (p45), the indicator colors during startup are 'not important'. Once stable after startup, however, colors may indicate differences in data speed etc., as set by the ISP. And regarding modem engineers, where possible within hardware limits they prefer to maintain maximum versatility of functions like indicator color etc. Again, if and how that's being used by the ISP is a different thing altogether.
alternaut ◉ moderator
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Re: Modem Indicator lights, their meaning?
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OP
Joined: Aug 2009
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I guess my frustration stems from 1) not understanding all I know, and 2) being of the opinion that the modem developers designed the critter for the ISP (and others of the like), and not for common users.
Surely, the color of the lights on my desk has no value to the ISP. Well, I suspect their remote analyses of my system is pegged to data other than light color, ergo is of no benefit to them.
Anecdotally, I (and presumably most others, including human factor engineers) find flashing lights most distracting, ergo their use in control centers, cockpits, etc.
So when I'm king, modem lights will have an Off/On switch, or be concealed behind a small door, or be user configureable either via software or tiny dip switches.
Strangely, my wife opines that my ascent to King is not near-term. Weird huh?
Harv 27" i7 iMac (10.13.6), iPhone Xs Max (12.1)
Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire
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Re: Modem Indicator lights, their meaning?
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Joined: Aug 2009
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I love the little flashing lights on devices, esp. in the dark. So did my parakeet. Please add to your Royal List that all modems themselves, not just the lights, should have on/off switches. Huzzah!
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Re: Modem Indicator lights, their meaning?
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Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 16
Moderator
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Moderator
Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 16 |
A switch to turn the modem on and off is by definition a mechanical device that would dramatically increase the odds of modem failure. But if you insist on having one, you can get an inline switch at any hardware store for less than $1 and add it to the power cord for your modem. If the modem uses a separate power brick that plugs into the wall the plug that into a surge protector that has a built in switch. Problem solved.
If we knew what it was we were doing, it wouldn't be called research, would it?
— Albert Einstein
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Re: Modem Indicator lights, their meaning?
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Joined: Aug 2009
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don't forget the infamous "pause" button found on some of the 56k modems, that gamers could often use to cheat in multiplayer games, by causing everyone but them to lag when pressed for short periods of time.
I work for the Department of Redundancy Department
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Re: Modem Indicator lights, their meaning?
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Joined: Aug 2009
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That is such an obtuse thing to know. Trainspotter.
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Re: Modem Indicator lights, their meaning?
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Joined: Aug 2009
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But if you insist on having one, you can get an inline switch at any hardware store for less than $1 and add it to the power cord for your modem. TimeWarner owes me a buck.
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Re: Modem Indicator lights, their meaning?
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Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 16
Moderator
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Moderator
Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 16 |
TimeWarner owes me a buck. Good luck collecting that dollar from Time Warner!
If we knew what it was we were doing, it wouldn't be called research, would it?
— Albert Einstein
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Re: Modem Indicator lights, their meaning?
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Joined: Aug 2009
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And by Royal Proclamation, no more power bricks. If the transformer doesn't fit inside, don't sell it. At the very, very least, standardize the size hole in the device to the voltage of the brick. And do not reverse the polarity of the plug in part. Who looks at that little molded into the plastic +/- O and dot inside stuff. I didn't even know that existed and you have to check it? It's rocket science when you lose or mix up power cords!
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Re: Modem Indicator lights, their meaning?
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Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 15
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Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 15 |
I think the nicest thing about my old Lexmark printer was that the power adaptor plugged into the back of the printer...at the other end of the line cord from the wall plug.
The new Great Equalizer is the SEND button.
In Memory of Harv: Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire
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Re: Modem Indicator lights, their meaning?
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Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 16
Moderator
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Moderator
Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 16 |
And by Royal Proclamation, no more power bricks. If the transformer doesn't fit inside, don't sell it. At the very, very least, standardize the size hole in the device to the voltage of the brick. And do not reverse the polarity of the plug in part. Who looks at that little molded into the plastic +/- O and dot inside stuff. I didn't even know that existed and you have to check it? It's rocket science when you lose or mix up power cords! Amen I say and again AMEN.
If we knew what it was we were doing, it wouldn't be called research, would it?
— Albert Einstein
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Re: Modem Indicator lights, their meaning?
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Joined: Aug 2009
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And by Royal Proclamation, no more power bricks. If the transformer doesn't fit inside, don't sell it. At the very, very least, standardize the size hole in the device to the voltage of the brick. And do not reverse the polarity of the plug in part. Who looks at that little molded into the plastic +/- O and dot inside stuff. I didn't even know that existed and you have to check it? It's rocket science when you lose or mix up power cords! Amen I say and again AMEN. I think that may be why USB Mini gained a lot of traction somewhat recently, it was useful as a universal power source. Though USB in general (the computer end) is probably the most universal power PORT source. Just look at all the accessories that get power off the USB port on a computer nowadays, from fans, to phone chargers to little dogs humping your computer. One other common one is the "12 volt dc, center positive, 1-2 amp capacity barrel connector" found on many accessories nowadays. While it's been around quite awhile, the explosion of external hard drives I think has been a big factor in its popularity. Unfortunately there's actually quite a variety in those barrels, and it's easy to run into a pack that has too large of an inner hole and fits the pin on the accessory very loosely.
I work for the Department of Redundancy Department
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