I am constantly having to unplug it and replug it back in just to get a couple of minutes worth of signal.  After that, the connection has "little or no connectivity".

Any suggestions as to how to fix this?

Thanks.

are you wireless?  it could be an encription key problem.  

usually this error from XP is because the ip address of the router is in a different subnet than the pc.  Check your networking setting on the router and the pc.  if your using DHCP try hard codeing in the ip address on the PC.

Thanks, but I'm hardwired in.

does it have a reset button that you push besides unpluging it.
a little button that you have to press with a tip of a ink pen.

I had the same problem a few years back.  Ended up replacing the cable modem with a LinkSys from Best Buy.  End of problem.

www.linksys.com/servlet/Satellite?c=L_Product_C2&childpagename=US%2FLayout&cid=1126197067879&pagename=Linksys%2FCommon%2FVisitorWrapper

I had that problem, too. After a few weeks of dealing with it, I called the cable company and they sent a guy out. I wasn't here, so I don't know what he did, but he fixed it. He didn't replace the modem, either. All I can say is call your ISP.

Mr-H: Yeah I would touch bases with the ISP, just to eliminate the problem from that end first.  You never know, but you maybe missing a something in the setup.

www.comcast.com/Support/Corp1/FAQ/FaqDetail_2456.html

Above is a general over-view on trouble shooting a cable modem.

I would see if it had a reset button and follow the instructions on doing this.  Most of the time if you unplug the modem for 2-5 minutes, it will reset itself.  I'd go the high side of 5 minutes to see it leaving it unplugged that long will work.

I don't think it's that uncommon to just have a bad modem or one that's gone bad.

can you log into the modem via a web interface and look at the logs?

I have had that problem three times over the last 4 years. Once the modem had to be replaced, once the connections needed replaced to prevent signal loss, and once they had to replace the line between the pedistal and my house.  

I had the same problem recently.
Kept resetting the modem, but it really didn't work.
Found out my 5 year old modem (3COM "shark fin") was outdated and couldn't be supported by my provider (Comcast).  Bought a new Linksys and the problem disappeared instantly.  Worth considering if you have an old modem.

Last summer , I was having a shitload of problems with my cable internet .  After about four tries,
the tech ended up replacing my underground service between the pedestal and the house .
ONLY the Internet was affected .  Strange but true .

read my saga,  my modem was going tits up, just trade it in for a new one if it's from the cable company

www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=1&f=124&t=428983

Quoted: read my saga,  my modem was going tits up, just trade it in for a new one if it's from the cable company www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=1&f=124&t=428983

I would suggest calling the cable company.   you might need a new modem or you could have outside line issues.   either way its a free phone call to them.  they will get it up to par

Go to BestBuy or your favorite electronics store and get a new modem and plug it in.If it works,use it until the cable company can get you a new one.Then just return the modem to the electronics store.Make sure you tell the cable company you got a new modem and it works fine.

If the new modem doesn't work,call the cable company and let them figure it out.

Mine is giving me hell too. Sometimes I lose signal, from 10 minutes, to 2 days worth.  My speeds have gone way down, and before Christmas, I was able to play games like CoD2 with 30-50ping, now, I'm doing good if I register on the 1-999 scale. Usually, my ping is off the charts.

I'd have Comcast check it out, but the tech was supposed to come out a few weeks ago and never showed, turns out Comcast local had a virus in their system that shut everything down for a day. guess they forgot about me.

I'm just absolutely pissed right now about it. When I first got it, Comcast was the best thing since bleach, now it's just a huge hassle to get onto the internet sometimes.

I'm using a Linksys router as a firewall and I have to unplug/replug it quite regularly as well

99 times out of a 100 is a problem with bad cabling.  Cable companies use absolute junk cable to save money.  Since they have government protected monopolies they don't care and don't try.

Figure-out how to login to the configuration of your cable modem.  A search on Google should help.  Usually it's as simple as typing in an IP address into your browser.  Look at the SNR ratio.  According to a friend that works at Charter, on their service that needs to be at least 30 dB.  Also, look at the downstream power level.  It should be between -10 dBmV and 5 dBmV.  If it is too low, sometimes the problem can be fixed by simply having the cable company up the gain on the amp closest to your house assuming that doesn't decrease the SNR too much.  Of course, getting the morons to actually do it can be a months or years long hassle.  This is the usual problem with the junk equipment cable companies use, the upstream transmit power level should be 50 dBmV or less.  If that number is too high, it is because the upstream(return) amplifiers the cable company has do not work well enough.  That is a very common problem since it doesn't affect viewing a TV so they just don't give a damn about that problem.

Check the impedance of the cable from the cable company.  A few times lately I've found that the idiots at the cable company have used 50 Ohm RG58 cable.  I guess they got it at a discount so even though it's the wrong type, they still decided to use it.  The cable is thinner so their crimp connectors look like crap since they have to squeeze the fool out of it get it to stay on the thinner cable.  It's also the wrong impedance.

Since fighting the cable company is a losing battle, sometimes you can hire one of their employees on the side to fix the problem.  That's what most people do around here.  Just find one of them when they're eating lunch at a fast food place or parked in a neighborhood.  For $100 cash you can get them to do more work than you can after begging the cable company for months.  Fixing the problem might be as simple as getting the guy to replace the junk RG59 cable the idiot cable companies use with RG6.  At work, I bought a big spool of RG6 and many of our employees have paid Charter employees to replace their cabling from their houses to the first amp.  That has helped in every case.z

Quoted: 99 times out of a 100 is a problem with bad cabling.  Cable companies use absolute junk cable to save money.  Since they have government protected monopolies they don't care and don't try. Figure-out how to login to the configuration of your cable modem.  A search on Google should help.  Usually it's as simple as typing in an IP address into your browser.  Look at the SNR ratio.  According to a friend that works at Charter, on their service that needs to be at least 30 dB.  Also, look at the downstream power level.  It should be between -10 dBmV and 5 dBmV.  If it is too low, sometimes the problem can be fixed by simply having the cable company up the gain on the amp closest to your house assuming that doesn't decrease the SNR too much.  Of course, getting the morons to actually do it can be a months or years long hassle.  This is the usual problem with the junk equipment cable companies use, the upstream transmit power level should be 50 dBmV or less.  If that number is too high, it is because the upstream(return) amplifiers the cable company has do not work well enough.  That is a very common problem since it doesn't affect viewing a TV so they just don't give a damn about that problem. Check the impedance of the cable from the cable company.  A few times lately I've found that the idiots at the cable company have used 50 Ohm RG58 cable.  I guess they got it at a discount so even though it's the wrong type, they still decided to use it.  The cable is thinner so their crimp connectors look like crap since they have to squeeze the fool out of it get it to stay on the thinner cable.  It's also the wrong impedance. Since fighting the cable company is a losing battle, sometimes you can hire one of their employees on the side to fix the problem.  That's what most people do around here.  Just find one of them when they're eating lunch at a fast food place or parked in a neighborhood.  For $100 cash you can get them to do more work than you can after begging the cable company for months.  Fixing the problem might be as simple as getting the guy to replace the junk RG59 cable the idiot cable companies use with RG6.  At work, I bought a big spool of RG6 and many of our employees have paid Charter employees to replace their cabling from their houses to the first amp.  That has helped in every case.z

Add in the cheap splitters that home owners try and use .....  I used a cheap radio shack splitter and soon I was having problems.  Guy came out and put in a better quality one and voila....no problems.  I've heard the cable one too.  

99% of the time its the cheap crap cable and splitters the homeowner buys to wire their own outlet or modifiy the existiong wiring in some way.  Cable companies (atleast Comcast and Time Warner) havent used RG-59 in years.  They usually use Quad shielded RG-6 for the wiring from the distribution lines to the home and to the outlet. and dual or tri shielded RG-6 for the jumpers.  

The Cable company cannot just run down the block to turn up the amplifier, the distribution plant is designed to run at cirtain levels and cannot be adjusted for the sake of one subscriber.  90% of the time the problem is with the wiring in or on the house a loose jumper behind the equipment or a bad cable box or modem in your case.

Best bet is to schedule the service call as it should be free.  If you need a new modem they should provide one unless you want to buy your own.

if you have a motorola surfboard modem click on this link and check it out

click me there are several tabs with info including the signal to noise ration of your modem.