strength of cable signal

[anwalt2]

So I am in the process of playing the game of changing internet provider for a lower rate.  

I am dropping ATT 2wire for Comcast (Xfinity) cable system.  The cable is for internet only.  Our tv is off-air and by internet.  

In anticipation of the change several years ago I buried a cable wire from the pole, but it was never connected.  Cable was connected this week.  The wire connects to a 4-way splitter in the crawl space.  The cable modem will not program from any of the 4 terminations in the house.  

The pole wire is available outside at the house.  The modem does initiate when connected to the pole wire at the house.  

I have replaced connectors that may have been suspect.  I have made coax connections for years without issues.  

My question:  has the 4-legs from the splitter so attenuated the signal that the modem cannot initialize?  (If 4-legs would attenuate the signal, then I would expect 4-leg splitters would not be marketed)

Is the cable signal too weak?  What strength of signal should I expect?  How is the signal strength measured?  Would my internet signal be stronger if I also purchased cable tv?  (would they do that?)

Suggestions welcome.

tom

[rschissler]

Seems like a Comcast technician could figure all that out.

[Willyou]

Seems like a Comcast technician could figure all that out.

Yes. I'm no expert, but I think that the cable company has to "turn it on". If you don't have an account you won't get service. Call them up.

[JosephP]

Why the splitter???

Take that out of the equation. Coax from pole to modem (assume that is also the router and the wifi?). Router to anything else you want wired via CAT6. Wireless extender if needed. Network switch if needed.

[anwalt2]

Why the splitter???

Take that out of the equation.  Coax from pole to modem (assume that is also the router and the wifi?).  Router to anything else you want wired via CAT6.  Wireless extender if needed.  Network switch if needed.

Joe,

I never had a television in a bedroom, but I understand may people do have tv in the br.  The house has 4 br.  I, or my wife, may become invalids,  then a television may be helpful.  Also may be useful for a buyer someday.  The cable tv and cable internet follow the same coax wire.  The splitter and wiring were installed as part of a remodel effort, waiting to be used someday.  Someday is here.

[JosephP]

Joe,

I never had a television in a bedroom, but I understand may people do have tv in the br.  The house has 4 br.  I, or my wife, may become invalids,  then a television may be helpful.  Also may be useful for a buyer someday.  The cable tv and cable internet follow the same coax wire.  The splitter and wiring were installed as part of a remodel effort, waiting to be used someday.  Someday is here.

I think that particular "Someday" is in the rear view mirror.

Coax brings the signal into the house and to the modem...right?  (even that coax will be in the rear view mirror with fiber becoming more common).  I've never seen internet signal flow from the modem/router to the rest of the house via coax.  Maybe Comcast is different.

What I've seen from 3 providers is that once its in the house whether coax or fiber is that network cable (at least Cat5 - but if you are pulling new wire, use at least Cat6...or maybe 7 or 8, for the next "someday") takes the signal from the modem/router.

Or, just put the modem/router somewhere that wifi covers the whole house and forget the wires altogether...that will depend on how much signal you need.

So I guess I'm still not seeing where you need the splitter.  I wouldn't pull it and the wiring you've installed.  I'd just bypass it for now to accomplish your current needs.  But I'd also bet you a nickle it'll never get used again.  That's just technology moving forward.  At some point, builders quit installing antenna towers on houses and then they quit pulling phone wire through the walls.

[Tub Brown]

The pole wire is available outside at the house.  The modem does initiate when connected to the pole wire at the house.  

I had a similar problem and did troubleshooting similar to what you've already done - modem worked at service entrance but not indoors.  I assume you've removed the splitter and it still fails.

(I agree with the other comments regarding not needing the cable in all rooms - we can stream all we'd want to watch.)

I used a long piece of speaker wire (because I had some) to verify connectivity from service entrance to indoor location - that was ok.  

I figure all that was left was blaming the longish run of old RG-59, whether because it is RG-59 or it had some damage, didn't matter.

I ran a new RG-6 cable and all is good.  As you might expect, the modem location was dictated by where I could easily run the new cable.  Fortunately it was close to my existing router.

[anwalt2]

I had a similar problem and did troubleshooting similar to what you've already done - modem worked at service entrance but not indoors.  I assume you've removed the splitter and it still fails.

(I agree with the other comments regarding not needing the cable in all rooms - we can stream all we'd want to watch.)

I used a long piece of speaker wire (because I had some) to verify connectivity from service entrance to indoor location - that was ok.  

I figure all that was left was blaming the longish run of old RG-59, whether because it is RG-59 or it had some damage, didn't matter.

I ran a new RG-6 cable and all is good.  As you might expect, the modem location was dictated by where I could easily run the new cable.  Fortunately it was close to my existing router.

Finally got back to my internet issue.  used an coax connection to bypass the splitter.  Modem the modem was able to connect.  Thx for the thoughts.

[goaliedad]

Sounds like you fixed the problem, which is great. Regarding your comment about 4 way splitters- I used a splitter that I either had for some time, or bought at a big box store and was having trouble. A friend worked for the local cable company. He gave me a splitter and told me to toss mine in the trash. He told me it was a common problem, and the cheap splitters often introduced noise into the cable system.
A long winded way to say that yes, the splitter could be bad.

[iclark]

Sounds like you fixed the problem, which is great. Regarding your comment about 4 way splitters- I used a splitter that I either had for some time, or bought at a big box store and was having trouble. A friend worked for the local cable company. He gave me a splitter and told me to toss mine in the trash. He told me it was a common problem, and the cheap splitters often introduced noise into the cable system.
A long winded way to say that yes, the splitter could be bad.

This^^^

plus, not all splitters are bi-directional.

IIRC, that was a problem for people with rooftop antennas feeding multiple TVs/rooms but trying to control an antenna rotating motor through the feed cable from the antenna. One had to be careful to buy a bi-directional splitter.