Diagnosis/conclusion of Skybuck's UBEE cable modem from 2009(tutorial how to get into it even if corrupted)

Hello,

My diagnosis/conclusion concerning my UBEE cable modem is:

Corruption of download signal over COAX is somehow locking the modem out, or it's done by ISP provider, mostly it is caused by signal corruption.
(Could also be a miss configuration by ISP because of upgraded protocol, old modem gets confused by newer protocol, see log below)

This tutorial might help those to diagnose problems and to see menus of UBEE cable modem, the exercise in itself is almost useless it does provide some information about mac addresses and firmware, but logs will be deleted/reset, however this exercise does prove the cable modem is working correctly before it is hooked up to the COAX:

1. Disconnect cable modem from power.

2. Disconnect cable modem from coax/white cable (to splitter).

3. Connect cable modem to power.

4. Press reset button with a tiny screw driver.

5. Have browser open and navigate to 192.168.1.1

Use following links if 192.168.1.1 is not showing default menu:

Basic information is accessible without username/password:

http://192.168.1.1/BasicCmState.asp
http://192.168.1.1/BasicFirmware.asp
http://192.168.1.1/BasicStatus.asp

Advanced information is accessible with authentication:
user: admin
password: password

http://192.168.1.1/AdvMta.asp
http://192.168.1.1/AdvLine.asp
http://192.168.1.1/AdvDhcp.asp
http://192.168.1.1/AdvQos.asp
http://192.168.1.1/AdvProvisioning.asp
http://192.168.1.1/AdvEventLog.asp

The outputs will be htm pages, with red bars and information.

The event log was the most interesting after step 6:

6. Connect cable modem back to coax, I did it by disconnecting power first.

This is what the log showed:

Advanced
Event Log
This page displays the Event Log on the current system.
CM Event Log
Date/Time Event Level Event ID Description
Time Not Established Warning (5) D3.0 DHCP WARNING - Non-critical field invalid in response ;CM-MAC...
Time Not Established Critical (3) R2.0 No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=0c:60:76:49...
Time Not Established Critical (3) T1.0 SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Failed to acquire QAM/Q...
Time Not Established Critical (3) T2.0 SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Failed to acquire FEC f...

MTA Event Log
Date/Time Event Level Event ID Description
Endpoint

I now believe that this response says it all:

"Non-critical field invalid in response"

Something strange is being downloaded.

Either it's a misconfiguration/miss communication from the ISP side, confusing this modem which is from 2009 or it is data corruption because of noisy signal.

Hopefully soon new splitter will arive which is supposed to replace old splitter to clear up analog tv signal.

It will be very interesting to see if this fixes the problem.

If not I may phone ISP with my findings to inform them that they might be causing some weird kind of misconfiguration on my modem, probably because of more advanced protocol from their side which may not be incompable with this older modem.

Bye,
Skybuck.

Little typo corrected, I think I ment to write the last line as follows:

"...probably because of more advanced protocol from their side which may now be incompatible with this older modem."

Bye,
Skybuck.

(Modem works fine for internetting, just can't get into the menu, resets connections when attempting too, may be a weird DHCP misconfiguration ?!?)

Bye,
Skybuck.

On Sun, 14 Oct 2018 16:29:09 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

(Modem works fine for internetting, just can't get into the menu, resets connections when attempting too, may be a weird DHCP misconfiguration ?!?)

DHCP? Aren't you manually configuring the network (IP, mask, GW, DNS) on
your PC? If so, DHCP is out of the picture.

Anyway, a factory reset should get you back in. You'll know it was a
proper factory reset when you see all of the router config options and
not just the cable modem pages.

Keep in mind that it's entirely possible for the modem and the router to
have separate admin access, each with its own IP.

On Tuesday, October 16, 2018 at 5:39:08 AM UTC+2, Char Jackson wrote:
On Sun, 14 Oct 2018 16:29:09 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

(Modem works fine for internetting, just can't get into the menu, resets connections when attempting too, may be a weird DHCP misconfiguration ?!?)

DHCP? Aren't you manually configuring the network (IP, mask, GW, DNS) on
your PC? If so, DHCP is out of the picture.

DHCP is working fine as far as I can tell:

1. Public IP address is assigned to my PC when modem is "properly" connected.

2. Local IP address is assigned to my PC when modem is booting or disconnected.

This last one surprised me a bit.

Modem is at 192.168.1.1 (or at least status pages) and then went on to assign 192.168.1.10 to my computer.

As if it learned that my computer wants to be there... This kinda surprised me a bit.

Anyway, a factory reset should get you back in. You'll know it was a
proper factory reset when you see all of the router config options and
not just the cable modem pages.

I wish it did

The fact I can't get in worries me, I am worried this cable modem is hacked by somebody who may have installed a modified firmware version locking me out.

Or some really screwed up setting is not being set back.

I may try and find the configuration menu/screenshots on the internet and perhaps yet again contact ISP to walk through these menus to see if they can spot something that is off, perhaps they can then correct it.

This may be a lot of work though, even ISP probably doesn't know what all the settings do on these modems... too many models for them to get to know...

Keep in mind that it's entirely possible for the modem and the router to
have separate admin access, each with its own IP.

Hmmm.. so modem on different ip than admin access that what you mean ?

So modem IP A, menu IP B ?

Bye,
Skybuck.

On Mon, 15 Oct 2018 22:59:35 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

On Tuesday, October 16, 2018 at 5:39:08 AM UTC+2, Char Jackson wrote:
On Sun, 14 Oct 2018 16:29:09 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

(Modem works fine for internetting, just can't get into the menu, resets connections when attempting too, may be a weird DHCP misconfiguration ?!?)

DHCP? Aren't you manually configuring the network (IP, mask, GW, DNS) on
your PC? If so, DHCP is out of the picture.

DHCP is working fine as far as I can tell:

1. Public IP address is assigned to my PC when modem is "properly" connected.

2. Local IP address is assigned to my PC when modem is booting or disconnected.

This last one surprised me a bit.

That's standard DOCSIS cable modem behavior.

The fact I can't get in worries me, I am worried this cable modem is hacked by somebody who may have installed a modified firmware version locking me out.

If your ISP tech support won't tell you how to access the device, maybe
there's a forum where you can ask other customers.

Keep in mind that it's entirely possible for the modem and the router to
have separate admin access, each with its own IP.

Hmmm.. so modem on different ip than admin access that what you mean ?

So modem IP A, menu IP B ?

As far as I can tell, it's both a modem and a router, two devices in one
unit, so I'm thinking it's possible that each of those two functions has
its own admin access. If so, there'd be two admin IP addresses, each
with its own username and password. I'm coming to that conclusion
because what you've posted so far is just the cable modem side of the
device and nothing to do with the router. Maybe the router is really at
http://192.168.178.1 after all, while the modem interface is at
http://192.168.100.1.

I forgot to mention the method of debugging this modem and producing the log:

Being a programmer myself I used the logging functionality of the cable modem as a "debugger" by using the refresh F5 functionality of the webbrowser to get a constant update of the log (like stepping through code, this will show what the modem is doing step by step), and using the back button of the browser as a breakpoint. The webbrowser apperently remembers the last successfull transmission of the cable modem/websites/webservers. Firefox was used for this.

Exact method is as follows:

1. Connect modem as usual.

2. Power on modem.

3. Reset modem

4. Surf to http://192.168.1.1/AdvEventLog.asp

5. Keep pressing F5 until the log disappears/connection reset message.

6. Press back button of browser and examine last good log.

Bye,
Skybuck.

Brief update:

New splitter has arrived, mailman stuffed it into the mailbox.

New splitter installed, green cable is hanging a bit though.

Did not help.

TV Signal is now even worse and more noisy.

When thing I forgot to mention is that one TV channel the frames move back and forth... like they are out of order, like a bad animation.

I have suspected for a long time that some device of theirs... down the road somewhere is defective.

So this problem is much more severe than it first seems.

The noise could be explained by bad cabling, the frame shaking however it something totally different.

Might be tv station to blame or ziggo, will have to contact them about this.

Maybe unrelated or related.

I am also quite ****ed at teamviewer 13

After restart this ****ing software changes the password automatically.

Was going to try and use remote control, couldn't do it cause ****ing password changed, now had to write it down again.

Will try again quickly before testing time closes today.

Bye,
Skybuck.

wrote:
Brief update:

New splitter has arrived, mailman stuffed it into the mailbox.

New splitter installed, green cable is hanging a bit though.

Did not help.

TV Signal is now even worse and more noisy.

When thing I forgot to mention is that one TV channel the frames move back and forth...

Are you sure that analog TV is "enabled" on your line ?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cable_television_piracy

"Old cable equipment used an analog signal that was
scrambled by tuning the signal so the picture was
unsteady, just as Macrovision does at an attempt
to copy a video. The equipment would descramble the
signal so that it can be viewed by the subscriber."

It's possible that's done by shaving off the sync tips.
Or inverting sync.

In the picture here, "0 IRE" is the DC restoration level.
It is the "zero volts" level established by one stage of the video
processing steps.

The sync tips are below zero volts. It the sync tips don't
go quite as far below 0 IRE, the TV can "lose sync". It's
possible a set top box your provider has, restores sync.
Sync tips are known as "blacker than black", because they
go below the 0 IRE "black" level.

https://www.maximintegrated.com/en/i.../DI39Fig05.gif

( from https://www.maximintegrated.com/en/a...dex.mvp/id/734 )

But that's a very old technology. Over here, all TV is
digital on the cable, and encrypted so only a Cable Card
device can decrypt it. I doubt there is any analog
signal left here, so you would not have an opportunity
to see a "rolling" or "weaving" frame on a cable TV set
today. You would see "snow" instead (encryption looks like
various kinds of snow).

*******

My guess is, your line needs to be verified by a cable person
coming out in a truck and checking the line. And checking
that the filters are set properly for the service you're
paying for. If an analog cable TV package is part of the
"bundle" you're paying for each month, they should make it work for
you, or, explain what additional equipment is needed.

A new splitter should not make the situation worse.

Paul

On Monday, October 15, 2018 at 7:49:21 PM UTC+2, Paul wrote:
wrote:
Brief update:

New splitter has arrived, mailman stuffed it into the mailbox.

New splitter installed, green cable is hanging a bit though.

Did not help.

TV Signal is now even worse and more noisy.

When thing I forgot to mention is that one TV channel the frames move back and forth...

Are you sure that analog TV is "enabled" on your line ?

Ofcourse it is, perhaps it needs to be connected to other end of splitter, but doesn't seem like but ends are the same the model is:

POA 01-UPC

Can't find a manual for it, but so for my first impression is: total junk stay away from it =D

It's possible that's done by shaving off the sync tips.
Or inverting sync.

What may be happening is shaving off "television signal" in favor of digital cable modem/internet signal.

Speed test showed 100 megabit. My prediction is this signak will get worse over time as this cable modem company tries to compete with fiber optics.

A project may start in me region for fiber optics. I will definetly take part in this cause I can already see where this is going long term

technical drivel snipper, it's a problem on their side, not my side, my sharp television functions well, frame weird image is a problem on remote side).

My guess is, your line needs to be verified by a cable person
coming out in a truck and checking the line. And checking
that the filters are set properly for the service you're
paying for. If an analog cable TV package is part of the
"bundle" you're paying for each month, they should make it work for
you, or, explain what additional equipment is needed.

Possible that line was damaged by all drilling in building or outside.

Some channels come true perfectly, crystal clear, some don't which is a bit weird.

And then there is the weird shaky image. Can record it on video with my camera and put it on youtube if you want...

Yeah I may do that later on or maybe even now...

Now is best so ISP/TV guy can see it too...

A new splitter should not make the situation worse.

HAHA.

You funny.

Electronic junk equipment is everywhere dude =D

Damaged electronic equipment even more !

How would you know it's damaged ??!!!??

Gotta test it, sniff it, eat it, lick it, combine it with all kinds of tests methods to see what is wrong...

Digital future will be horrible because of component failures.

Testing the digital infrastructure and diagnosing it will become a new job in the future.

Bye,
Skybuck.