I was very intrigued when I read this posting online about how cable companies work in terms to internet service.

I am sure this explains what is going on with our continued sporadic internet issues at our office.

Read below:
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Ok, I hope to shed some light on everyone’s issues and pull the curtain back a little. I WAS a Charter Communications Senior System Tech. I was responsible for maintaining and repairing all mainline issues. The problem that you guys are having is, i repeat, IS a problem with your cable companies hardline distribution plant. In other words, don’t waste your time or money replacing modems and or routers. If you are experiencing problems at certain times of the day, it is related to temperature. I know that sounds crazy, but hardline cable is metal. It expands and contracts with hot and cold temperatures just like any other metal substance. When this happens, the metal is either less dense(when hot) or more dense(when cold). Therefore, the signal passes differently depending on the temperature. Causing higher or lower signals when the sun comes up or goes down. Now, to battle this phenomenon, the amplifiers hanging on the lines are designed to automatically adjust the Gain (signal boost) accordingly. Now, these have to be adjusted and set up properly at least a couple times a year. Mainly due to the changing of the seasons. They can only handle so much temperature change before they start to cause serious errors. Thus your problem begins. Now keep in mind, that most newby service techs for most cable companies are clueless about anything to do with mainline issues. They are only trained to diagnose problems inside your house, and depending on their training(which usually isn’t much) they probably won’t even know any of this. Also, in most areas, the service techs are scared to put in a “Line Problem” because if they have missed any problems inside your house that could be causing the problem, then they are given a hard time by the system techs (who will find it). So, you should definitely insist that a line problem be put in. Also, talk with any of your neighbors and see if they are having the same issues at the same time. This will help you in your request for a line problem.

Hope this helps

Justin
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Another post:
His explanation: Within the line amp, there are circuits which measure the resistance down the line to the next amplifier. The resistance of the line changes 24/7 due to “thermal expansion/contraction (temperature variance)”, there are internal compensation amplifiers which will increase or decrease output down the line to attempt to maintain X dbmv output down the line. The circuits can and do wear/ burn out over time. If this is outage occurring consistently in mornings / evenings / both times, the amplifier may have reached the limit of its adjustment. Then the expensive and quantitative option of the cable co. is “the number of subscribers from that point to end of line” worth the cost of running a new line because thermal cycling has prevented the run to stay in specifications for internet / cable.

Simply you become a $ value…
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most cable modems can be accessed at https://192.168.100.1 and there is a log file that can be helpful, especially to show that its not YOUR equipment with a problem. also it should have the signal specs.
i had lots of techs come up but they never saw the specs fluctuate on the modem, mostly because it was idle while i was on the phone complaining.
from what ive read on the net your cable modem should be within these specs:
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downstream power: -15dbmV to +15dbmV
upstream power: 30dbmV to 53 dbmV
signal to noise ratio(SNR): 33db or more