I spent quite awhile in a live chat with a Spectrum rep yesterday. The lights on the modem have from green to orange in two cases those being DS (download stream) and US (upload stream). Spectrum ran a bunch of tests and could not find anything wrong. As a note my Internet seems to be fine and everything is working fine.

Anyone have any idea as to what would cause DS and US to go from green to orange when Spectrum can find nothing wrong?

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I dunno

But I do know that my DSL modem started acting up several months ago. It would drop signal several times a day. My ISP checked things on their end and could not find the cause, although their logs confirmed dropped signal.

I replaced the modem three weeks ago and no more problems. How old is your modem?

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BB
http://barrypatch.net

I've had the modem for about seven years. Yes, I suspect the modem but Spectrum's tests say that the modem is totally healthy.

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You didn't specify the modem model, but a few articles I saw indicated that the DS and US lights are typically green for Ultra High Speed and Orange for High Speed. One article also noted that the cable companies had the capability to change the lights to be green for any speed connection.
Yet another source on the Xfinity forum explained that the orange status lights meant that the connection was not utilizing bonded channels, but only a single channel. - https://forums.xfinity.com/t5/Home-Phone-Features/Arris-TM822G-started-having-a-orange-light-for-US/td-p/2279747
The person reporting the issue in that thread noted that they didn't see any difference in the connection when the light was orange, but confirmed only a single channel when looking at the modem log.

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stephen boots
Microsoft MVP 2004 - 2020
"Life's always an adventure with computers!"

Thanks Steve, the model is TM802.

I'll keep the single channel aspect in mind the next time I speak with Spectrum.

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Have you looked at your modem's configuration page? You would see the channels for Downstream and Upstream that your modem is using and the signal strength for each. My modem is using 24 DS and 4 US channels. Mine is access via http://192.168.100.1/ -- it is also an Arris, but a TM 1602 Telephony modem.

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stephen boots
Microsoft MVP 2004 - 2020
"Life's always an adventure with computers!"

I don't see the settings you specify Steve. I'll go through everything to find later but can't tonight.

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It is possible that your provider has locked out access to the modem config interface that shows those details, but everything I have seen now about the orange/green light suggests that the orange light means you are using a single channel. If resetting the modem doesn't change things, then a support ticket is in order -- either the modem has gone bad or there's a problem upstream from you.

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stephen boots
Microsoft MVP 2004 - 2020
"Life's always an adventure with computers!"

Late to the party but, the lights signify if you are using channel bonding for higher speed connection.

@ Steve: DUH! I was looking at my router configuration, not the modems. I really don't know how to get to the modem but I have found a manual.

@ dvair: That makes sense as I checked my speed at both Spectrum and speedtest.net. Where I usually get over 100Mb/sec I am currently getting ~32Mb/sec. I just never noticed...

I'll get back with Spectrum, probably Monday, to see about swapping out the modem.

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The modem interface should be at http://192.168.100.1/ unless Spectrum is blocking you from accessing it.

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stephen boots
Microsoft MVP 2004 - 2020
"Life's always an adventure with computers!"

I found that Steve and it just times out. There is supposed to be an IP, user ID and password on the back or bottom but there is not. Entering the default IP just results in a time out so I'm guessing that access is blocked.

Since I recently switched to OpenDNS I reverted to have the the DNS automatically set but the results are the same.

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At least you now have some information to poke Spectrum support with regarding the orange lights and your speed test results.

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stephen boots
Microsoft MVP 2004 - 2020
"Life's always an adventure with computers!"

Actually I just got done with another Spectrum chat with support armed with advice supplied from you, Steve, and David. I'll be taking in the modem for replacement.

The actual kicker was the explanation by you Steve and David on what the DS and US lights actually meant. It was due to this info that I ran speed tests.

I had another thread that concerned initial page loads being slow and found that, somehow, My DNS had changed from OpenDNS back to Spectrum's DNS. I wonder it this may have been an indication of a developing modem problem.

Anyway, thanks guys! You were awesome! I'll let you know how it goes with the modem replacement.

OH! Yes, Spectrum does block access to the modem configuration. At least they admitted that.

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But you didn't thank me, Jay. And I suggested from the outset that you probably need to replace your modem.

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BB
http://barrypatch.net

Oh, hush! But, yes you did. Thanks to you too.

One of these days I really think that I should break down and buy my own modem. Saving the ~$12.00/month on modem rental would pay off the bought modem in a few months. Sigh, including internet, TV with the added NFL channels and phone I pay ~$180.00/month to Spectrum. Buying my own modem would drop my monthly cost to ~$168.00/month. I would save at least $120.00/year.

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Bought my own modem a couple years ago, has not been an issue at all.

Do you have to use separate units for your internet Jay, over here I use the one combined unit?

I can alter all sorts of settings in my unit, it's a router supplied by my ISP British Telecom. Even though they class it as full fibre I don't as it's only fibre to the box which is the other end of the village, it then comes to my house via the original copper wiring. I usually get a speed of around 62Mbps over wireless to my laptop, it's about the same over Ethernet connection to my desktop.

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Joan Archer
http://crossstitcher.webs.com

Not sure what you mean by separate units. I have a modem and a router.

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I mean just the one unit to connect, a router that does it all with one unit which I suppose means a modem and router combined. That's all I've ever had since connecting to the internet.

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Joan Archer
http://crossstitcher.webs.com

I could do that with Spectrum, I think, but I like to have my own router that I can setup as I wish.

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