Should this be "padded down" ?

Should this be "padded down" ?
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Pashune @ 12th Aug 03:36PM:
Should this be "padded down" ?

Downstream
Freq/Power: 549.000 MHz 14 dBmV
Signal to Noise Ratio: 41 dB
Modulation: QAM256
Upstream
Freq/Power: 29.000 MHz 38 dBmV
Channel Type: DOCSIS 1.x (TDMA)
Symbol Rate: 2560 kSym/sec
Modulation: QAM16

In the access box outside of my home, there's a three-way balanced 1 GHz splitter feeding three tv sets and a cable modem

The cable modem is on a straight run, the first tv is also on its own run, but the second tv has a two-way splitter connected to it to feed the additional third set.

I've heard that too much downstream can cause the modem to not be heard on the head end. Does the line going to the modem need to be padded down?

Keep in mind the downstream power output level can go as low as 8 db or as high as 15 db depending on the weather/temperature, but I don't have any connection/speed issues.
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ISP: CableOne 3 mbit/300 kbit
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zed260 @ 12th Aug 08:10PM:
Re: Should this be "padded down" ?

those signals look ok id not change anything

your signals not to weak not to strong
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heels_fan @ 12th Aug 08:40PM:
Re: Should this be "padded down" ?

The 14db is a little high. You want that to be around 0 db

The 38 on your upstream could stand to come up.

So yes it needs to be padded a little.

We like to see the modems at 0/45, ideally. But that is not always possible.
--
everyone is born ignorant. some are born stupid, others achieve stupidity and the rest have stupidity thrust upon them.
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Pashune @ 12th Aug 09:39PM:
Re: Should this be "padded down" ?

Okay. The third set is in my room along with the cable modem.

Would connecting the third set and cable modem to a 2-way splitter improve the matter?

EDIT: I ended up doing it anyway. I had a few problems with the upstream power level shooting up to 50 dbmv, but tightening up all of the connections seemed to fix the problem..

Freq/Power: 549.000 MHz 8 dBmV
Signal to Noise Ratio: 41 dB
Modulation: QAM256

Upstream
Freq/Power: 29.000 MHz 42 dBmV
Channel Type: DOCSIS 1.x (TDMA)
Symbol Rate: 2560 kSym/sec
Modulation: QAM16

--
ISP: CableOne 5 mbit/500 kbit
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heels_fan @ 12th Aug 10:50PM:
Re: Should this be "padded down" ?

said by Pashune :

Okay. The third set is in my room along with the cable modem.

Would connecting the third set and cable modem to a 2-way splitter improve the matter?

EDIT: I ended up doing it anyway. I had a few problems with the upstream power level shooting up to 50 dbmv, but tightening up all of the connections seemed to fix the problem..

Freq/Power: 549.000 MHz 8 dBmV
Signal to Noise Ratio: 41 dB
Modulation: QAM256

Upstream
Freq/Power: 29.000 MHz 42 dBmV
Channel Type: DOCSIS 1.x (TDMA)
Symbol Rate: 2560 kSym/sec
Modulation: QAM16

I can live with what you have now.

I always err on the side of the cable modem. The video can handle fluctuations in signal a little better than the cable modem
--
everyone is born ignorant. some are born stupid, others achieve stupidity and the rest have stupidity thrust upon them.
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Pashune @ 12th Aug 10:54PM:
Re: Should this be "padded down" ?

Alright. I'll leave it as it is. :)
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ISP: CableOne 5 mbit/500 kbit
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burner50 @ 15th Aug 11:22PM:
Re: Should this be "padded down" ?

said by Pashune :

Alright. I'll leave it as it is. :)

I'd take it further. If your area develops an upstream noise problem (very common), you will find yourself with an intermittent connection.
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I'm tired of killing stupid people just trying to do my job and go home!
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Pashune @ 1st Sep 08:04PM:
Re: Should this be "padded down" ?

said by burner50 :

said by Pashune :

Alright. I'll leave it as it is. :)

I'd take it further. If your area develops an upstream noise problem (very common), you will find yourself with an intermittent connection.

Truth be told.. I think you were right. :( My upload speeds are very unstable and sometimes my download speeds are affected as well. It gets worse after nightfall and uploading stuff is practically useless until after 9 am the next day.

That's what I think it is anyway. How do I get CableOne to notice this problem and repair it? I'm thinking the gain at my amp might be too high. After a recent storm, my upstream is even lower.

From a 3-way, to a 2-way splitting the TV and cable modem...

RF Parameters
Downstream
Freq/Power: 549.000 MHz 5 dBmV
Signal to Noise Ratio: 40 dB
Modulation: QAM256
Upstream
Freq/Power: 29.000 MHz 39 dBmV
Channel Type: DOCSIS 1.x (TDMA)
Symbol Rate: 2560 kSym/sec
Modulation: QAM16

Without the 2-way splitter, the upstream actually dips down to 35-36 db. I don't want to know how low it would be if the modem were connected to the drop itself... wait, since the 3-way has 5 db loss, that would equate 30-31 db upstream. :o

What do you guys think I should do?
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ISP: CableOne 5 mbit/500 kbit
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JeepMatt @ 2nd Sep 10:41AM:
Re: Should this be "padded down" ?

Pashune-
Those latest stats you are showing are next to perfect when it comes to cable modems.

SNR - 40
Downstream 5dB
Upstream 39dB

Can't get much better....
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"ONE team - ONE city - ONE dream!!"
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Pashune @ 2nd Sep 11:47PM:
Re: Should this be "padded down" ?

Yeah, the upload problem ironed out after a few days. No more upstream problems as far as I can tell. I'd assume my upstream dbmv isn't too low then. :p
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ISP: CableOne 5 mbit/500 kbit
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Pashune @ 4th Sep 07:15AM:
Re: Should this be "padded down" ?

So much for that.. now I'm uploading at 14 kbps again.

Wonderful.
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ISP: CableOne 5 mbit/500 kbit
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burner50 @ 4th Sep 12:57PM:
Re: Should this be "padded down" ?

said by Pashune :

Yeah, the upload problem ironed out after a few days. No more upstream problems as far as I can tell. I'd assume my upstream dbmv isn't too low then. :p

Lower than I would want it...
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I'm tired of killing stupid people just trying to do my job and go home!
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Pashune @ 4th Sep 07:41PM:
Re: Should this be "padded down" ?

said by burner50 :

said by Pashune :

Yeah, the upload problem ironed out after a few days. No more upstream problems as far as I can tell. I'd assume my upstream dbmv isn't too low then. :p

Lower than I would want it...

I've got someone coming out this Tuesday to look at it. I hope he can work out the issues but I'm not sure how to fix the low upstream other than installing an attenuator or another 3-way splitter of some sort. This morning it was so bad it took me 30+ minutes just to load a standard flash speed test. Downloads were fine @ around 5400 kbps; upload speed was horrid. 28 kbps at most and I was lucky if it actually finished under 20 minutes.

Could this also be related to upstream noise? When the techs. had me reset the modem (Which I already tried a few days ago when this same issue happened), it took 20 minutes for it to sync back up. When I first got the device installed it took no more than 2 minutes for it to finish booting.
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ISP: CableOne 5 mbit/500 kbit
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heels_fan @ 5th Sep 04:34PM:
Re: Should this be "padded down" ?

i dont think any modem should take 2 minutes to boot, unless there is plant issues somewhere.

2 minutes? Wow!

Most of the modems that I have nstalled and troubleshoot here on our system takes no more than a minute or so...not 2

There may be noise somewhere in that node, but a reguler tech will not know. It takes a headend tech looking at a spectrum analyzer, or a maintenance tech with a meter that can see noise.
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everyone is born ignorant. some are born stupid, others achieve stupidity and the rest have stupidity thrust upon them.
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Pashune @ 9th Sep 07:48AM:
Re: Should this be "padded down" ?

said by heels_fan :

2 minutes? Wow!

If you think that's bad, you should have seen how long it took to sync up 4-5 days ago while I was resetting it.

It took nearly 10 minutes for the modem to achieve sync after numerous attempts and another 10 minutes for my phone to activate. Speeds didn't recover until the afternoon arrived, but ever since that day I haven't experienced any upstream problems that I know of. I did have a tech come out but he said there's nothing that can be done as long as my stats and speeds are within range. (Which they were when the tech showed up...)

Downstream
Freq/Power: 549.000 MHz 7 dBmV
Signal to Noise Ratio: 40 dB
Modulation: QAM256
Upstream
Freq/Power: 29.000 MHz 40 dBmV
Channel Type: DOCSIS 1.x (TDMA)
Symbol Rate: 2560 kSym/sec
Modulation: QAM16

Maybe it's just me, but it seems to work better when my upstream is above 39 dbmv. It hasn't dropped below 40 since the day I rebooted it. My setup has not changed. 3-way in the access box and a 2-way splitting the modem and TV.

I'm not sure how I could get a head end tech to look at an issue that only happens every now and then.. :( I have a spare Motorola SB5101 that a friend of mine found sitting in the trash somewhere; Something tells me I'd better not use it though knowing it also probably belongs to the cable co. and that would include extra $ per month.
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ISP: CableOne 5 mbit/500 kbit
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heels_fan @ 9th Sep 12:54PM:
Re: Should this be "padded down" ?

maybe talking to your neighbors that you know have internet with the same ISP and see if they are having any issues.

Have you actualy tried a different modem? Maybe borrow your friends and see what happens

A maintenance tech or a headend tech should be able to look at the node and see if there is any noise.

You may have to escalate and talk to a Plant Manager or something.
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everyone is born ignorant. some are born stupid, others achieve stupidity and the rest have stupidity thrust upon them.
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Pashune @ 11th Sep 06:46AM:
Re: Should this be "padded down" ?

Looks like my upstream dbmv iis rising a little. That's about what I had before upstream problems showed up.

Downstream
Freq/Power: 549.000 MHz 7 dBmV
Signal to Noise Ratio: 40 dB
Modulation: QAM256
Upstream
Freq/Power: 29.000 MHz 41 dBmV
Channel Type: DOCSIS 1.x (TDMA)
Symbol Rate: 2560 kSym/sec
Modulation: QAM16
--
ISP: CableOne 5 mbit/500 kbit
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