Review by chuckkk 
UPDATED: 1.6 years ago
member for 8 years, 894 visits, last login: 7 days ago
 Warner Robins,Houston,GA
 $49 per month
 about 7 days
 "High speed transfer, fairly reliable."
 "Occasional serious drops in data transfer, intermittent long ping times, etc."
 "Quality improved, but less customer friendly, and more commercials"
| Pre Sales information:
Install Co-ordination:
Connection Reliability:
Tech Support:
Services:
Value for money:
(ratings match consensus)
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Still Using Dynamic IP (Although fairly stable for weeks at a time)
Cox managed to disconnect my competing TV cable service when they replaced the old drop. (oops!) Fortunately. the competing cable company's office is just around the corner. The installer may have originally placed the wrong filter on the line. A second trouble call & trip was necessary to actually get the line to function. This took several days of complaining before the second trip was scheduled.
1/0705 The modem log still is filled with "Unicast Maintance Ranging T3 timeout errors, and the "DHCP Renew Warning Field Invalid" errors. This makes the model log sort of useless for diagnosing intermittent problems. You would think Cox has had enough time to correct the problem(Still there in 08). (Years)
After about two months service, cox capped the service, resulting in degraded data transfer rates. Currently, the usual max down is about 3875 and up is about 468, (4000/512 service) These numbers changed on download speed to about 5000-6000 with the same upload numbers (08) The "powerboost" now in effect has had some problems confusing streaming video applications, causing me to increase the buffer size, or buffer the complete streaming video stream for shorter videos. Cox has some problems with TV video and audio sync (08)
1/07/06 Update
Problem still persists, with more current ~5800/463 speeds. Average download speed is more consistent with good 4000/368 service in other cox areas, based on DSL reports data. From DSL reports, I should be getting ~6000 on cox hsi. Cox's upload speed is limited to 512 in this area, unless you want to pay ~$69 mo for 1m upload. Ideally, Upload speed should be at least 10% of download speed.
Continuing issues
I also see Cox DNS response problems (08)..
Update after recent Cox area upgrade in 06.
Cox still has some problems with routers and the unit that connects to the customers modems.
Cox claims that the routers are configured to place ping service at the lowest priority. All this means to me is that the ping times still show a relative router loading problem. Data speed transfer tests seem to agree.
Depending on various from to locations for loss tests, different cox routers will also show up as having higher intermittent ping times than desired.
11/7/06 The west coast vs east coast ping times, lag times, and paths are quite different within Cox, with the west coast based tests showing a more serious longer term problem than the east coast. (To Washington screams, to the west coast "sucks".)
(08) the cox network is changing and it's hard to get consistent results good or bad.
Middle Georgia Cox network
Level 1 tech support still has a tendancy to blame network problems on the customer. You can expect them to ask you to do anything up to a full reinstall of networking before they will generate the necessary paperwork to have staff actually look at the problem. (Local Macon Ga operation.) Dialing the network 800 number will usually result in less aggravation. You may find that an intercept back to the local level one is functioning at various times. Local Cox customer service has an annoying habit of being closed during the most common trouble timeframes. You can expect them to call for a truck roll when the problem is really a network issue. Naturally, you have a fair to slim chance of getting a "tech" that can isolate a network problem.
Many of the problems I experience have been duplicated at the local Cox Kosk in Kroger Plaza, just a few blocks from my location. (08) the network path to the Kosk has changed, so comparison is not to useful now.
Current price $49.95 mo before package discounts and Cox "ups". 6000/512 is still the best price/speed combination.
Update January 05
Cox installed amp in order to bring power levels up to provide power needed for splitters. This amp improved the S/N ratio on the lower video channels, and reduced the number of "correctable" errors on digital channels.
The addition by Cox of an outside drop amp (to increase quality/strength of TV signal (to make Motorola 6412 HDTV converter happy increased the signal level to the modem to just under +8db, and raised the modem's output to close to it's upper limit. The amp has pass thru but no gain on the return path.
The numbers are fairly stable. Seems to be weather dependent. (Outside Temperature, amount of sun, etc.
Cox outside service cable techs looked at me like I'm nuts when I asked them if they have a four way amp/splitter (active) that is approved for use with HDTV and internet service instead of the current 10db amp with external splitters.
When HDTV service was originally ordered, it took four converters before the converter would reliably "call home" after the daily TV schedule update, even though the cable modem worked properly.
I was recently offered an upgraded HDTV box for an extra fee per month. The new box contains a HD, allowing the box to record programs. All I really would like is the present box to have it's USB ports enabled, so that I can use external equipment to accomplish the same task. Cox has locked out external recording capability for many digital channels by setting the "copy once" flags. This prevents non flag aware equipment from recording anything with a copy flag, even if the flag permits recording. This is also true of the Motorola 6412 with the internal HD. I suppose you might be able to somehow copy the internal HD contents if you really tried. (Don't know, don't care.)
When the other local cable/internet company upgrades it's service, I might just switch to them. Cox recently increased rates, so I'm seriously thinking about it.
Cox is also adding a lot of locally generated and national third rate commercials that are nothing but another annoyance to the customer. (08) the number of added commercials has increased to almost unbearable levels, even on premium channels.
Cox has phone service via the internet. It did adversely impact internet speeds and lag times.
A recent software "update" caused the HDTV box to often display "subscribe to this service/channel" for almost a minute when you switch between digital channels. If you haven't used tha channel for some time, the wait is even longer.
Per modem current levels
UP power 48db
Down power ~+7-8db
SN 32-35db (floats)
Original Down level -7.41db after 3db pad. S/N 32-36db
Original Up level ~38db 1/07/05
March 08 Not a whole lot of change. The reliability is better, with only occasional problems. Now use two routers and a newer cable modem. Dropped HDTV recording box and reverted back to basic HD box due to price increase. Cox increases price, I drop optional services to equal 2x the price increase. When I run out of nice but un needed options, I'll switch cable providers.
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