Cable Modems and Wiring Issues
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FAQ Revisions	Editors: Raydr, Axilla Last modified on 2009-01-21 22:34:38
Table of Contents 1. Introduction (5) 2. CATV Wiring (9) 3. Common Problems (7)   3.1 Ingress (3)   3.2 Fuzzy Picture on ALL Channels (2)   3.3 Fuzzy Picture on LOW channels (1)   3.4 Fuzzy Picture on HIGH channels (1)   3.5 Digital Cable (4)   3.9 Member Questions (5) 4. Splitters (14)   4.1 Common Passive Splitters (4)   4.2 Active Splitters (1)   4.3 DC Taps (special splitters) (1)   4.4 Amplifiers (6) 5. Cable Modems (10)   5.1 Provisioning (Activation) (3)   5.2 Modem Boot Up (2)   5.3 Modem Troubleshooting (8) 7. Off Topic (2) 8. Out of curiousity... (7) 9. Terminology (17)   10. Tables/References (2)
1. Introduction Why are you writing this FAQ? What does this FAQ NOT cover? Is there anything I need to know before using any of your information? Where can I buy all the things you talk about here? How to deal with your cable modem installer (please read this)
2. CATV Wiring What are the most common types of CATV wiring? Anatomy of a CATV Wire. Does the quality of the line for digital cable have to be better than analog? Will old wiring in my house cause problems with the new wiring? Why does my CATV co. need to install new cable for internet? I want use RG11 from my modem to the wall, will this be better than RG6? Chart of Signal Loss per 100ft What about connectors? Should flat coaxial designed for going through windows be avoided?
3. Common Problems READ THIS BEFORE ATTEMPTING TO FIX A PROBLEM! IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR APARTMENT TENANTS IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR THOSE WHO LIVE IN MOBILE HOMES Who to call when the cableco is unwilling/unable to fix poor signals? I want to check my signal at the ground block, but I don't have video service! List of hard to find problems that cause HUGE headaches! GOOD READ! Grounding Issues
3.1 Ingress What is Ingress? How do I fix Ingress? Are terminators suggested/needed on jacks inside the home?
3.2 Fuzzy Picture on ALL Channels Fuzzy Pictures on ALL Channels on ONE TV Fuzzy Pictures on ALL Channels on ALL TVs
3.3 Fuzzy Picture on LOW channels Common cause for Fuzzy Pictures on Low Channels (2 through 7)
3.4 Fuzzy Picture on HIGH channels Fuzzy picture on channels 37 and up.
3.5 Digital Cable Do all TVs in the house need to have digital or can some get analog cable? Why does my digital cable look fuzzy? My digital cable tiles up a lot. How does a digital cable descrambler/filter work?
3.9 Member Questions Why does every TV in my house have a horizontal bar that moves up the screen? Do cable modems die slowly or quit like a light bulb? I had a cable modem that I had to reset all the time. Would a converter purchased on E-Bay or elsewhere work properly with my cable? What is a ground block?
4. Splitters What kind of splitter do I want? What is the best configuration for my splitters for TV service? What's the best configuration for HSD with two other TVs? What's the best configuration for HSD with three to four other TVs? What's the best configuration for HSD with five to six other TVs? What's the best configuration for HSD with seven or more TVs? Why don't you discuss 5, 6, 10, or 16 way splitters? What do the numbers on a splitter mean? What's the difference between a Passive and an Active Splitter? Why did the installer put a 2-way split on my CM? 1 is open. Is it important to use a terminator on a unused splitter output? When a signal goes in an output, what happens? How can I configure 17 seperate outlets? How do I connect 2 cable modems to a 3-way splitter.
4.1 Common Passive Splitters Two-Way Splitter Three-Way Splitter Four-Way Splitter Eight-Way Splitter
4.2 Active Splitters What's the db loss on Active Splitters?
4.3 DC Taps (special splitters) What are DC Taps? Where can I get them? You don't talk about them much.
4.4 Amplifiers What is an amplifier? How can I tell if an amplifier will work with my cable modem? Amplifier / Cable Modem Compatibility List Will an amplifier make my connection faster? Can I use a satellite amplifier for my cable modem? What to look for in a cable amplifier.
5. Cable Modems READ FIRST: Troubleshooting Cable Modems Any recommendation on brands of cable modems? What kind of signal levels do I want on my cable modem? What kind of bandwidth will I see with a cable modem? What advantage is there in connecting the cable modem via USB vs pci card? Can I take my cable modem to my friend's house and use it? Why am I not getting the advertised speeds? Will the cable modem interfere with the television signal? How to re-register a new MAC address with cable modem? I cannot SNMP my cable modem using Docsdiag, what can I do?
5.1 Provisioning (Activation) How does my provider activate my modem? Is there any way to get free cable modem service? If I copy a Valid MAC address in my Router could I get free service?
5.2 Modem Boot Up What's happening when I plug my modem in for the first time? Whoa, wait up. So can I hack the configuration file the modem loads?
5.3 Modem Troubleshooting It seems like my modem never finds a cable modem signal! (Modem won't sync) It looks like the head end doesn't hear my modem. (Modem won't sync) My modem is being rejected by the head end! (Modem won't sync) My connection randomly drops in and out. What do I do? How can I check the signal levels on my modem? Downstream Power too Low (-12) Upstream Power is Too High (>55) Generic Upstream Power Problems
7. Off Topic I'm having problems playing pogo.com games since I got my Cable/DSL connection. I changed the MTU for my cable connection. service got worse. why?
8. Out of curiousity... What does a node look like? What is that weird cylinder thing they put on my splitter? How is my modem working at -18db if it's supposed to be at least -15? Do you get better connection closer to the node? Is there a optimal range for the receive window? Do I need a surge protector for my cable modem? Sharing bandwidth - how many users per node?
9. Terminology Tap Pedestal / Ped Junction Input Line Star / Home Run system Loop System Downstream Power Downstream SNR / Signal to Noise Ratio Upstream SNR / Signal to Noise Ratio Upstream Power SNMP Trap Node Drop Insertion Loss Terminators DOCSIS
10. Tables/References What are the frequencies for channels in the US? What are the limit sets for a cable modem?
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