[ianeicher]

I am moving into a new apartment and getting cable internet from local provider (Insight). The CSR told me today that I cannot use a splitter to go to my tv and to my cable modem. Is this true? They want another $25 to run another line to my cable modem. I always thought you could use a splitter. Some help would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[warcher1]

I had Comcast install my cable modem (they didn't give me a choice.) They installed it with a splitter off of the regular coax cable.

 

[Lester Jacobs]

Sounds like they're trying to generate extra cash for themselves to me. The cable line coming into my apartment is split twice before going to my cable modem and I've experienced no problems whatsoever. I also have not noticed a decrease in speed of the cable modem on the twice split versus non split line.


Cheers

Lester

 

[Namlemez]

Cable modems require a better signal and if you use a simple passive splitter, they can be hurt. The alternative to getting them to run a home-run line would be to get an amplified splitter. That will probably end up costing you more than $25 though...

 

[ianeicher]

It sounded fishy to me. Thanks for the input...

 

[helzerr]

It depends on the signal strength coming into your home. If you look at a catv splitter, you will notice it has a specification of how many dB the signal is reduced to each tap of the splitter. If the original signal is marginal to begin with, the splitter can make the difference. Splitters also have a frequency specification that needs to be high enough for your cable systems cable modem service, usually at least 1000 MHz. Most older splitters don't meet this specification.


Something else to keep in mind is that a cable modem is a bi-directional device, so using a signal amplifier to overcome the losses of the splitter isn't an option (unless you find an affordable bi-directional amplifier.)


I have had Time Warner's Road Runner in a number of different neighborhoods, and have been able to use a splitter in some (even had to use an attenuator once), but not in others; it usally depends on how far away your home is from the distribution amplifier.

 

[miimura]

When I had my cable modem installed the tech said I had a good strong signal. The cable modem went into the spare bedroom where my computer is. There are 2 splitters before the cable modem, but the other branches all had filters installed by the cable tech. All included in the "free installation" deal at signup. IIRC, he also cut off and replaced all the connectors and replaced the two splitters for free as well. However, I think he would have charged me extra if there was not cable already to the place I wanted to put the cable modem.

 

[darkeyes909]

I would suggest trying it with a good quality passive splitter first. If that doesn't work, go to the other options. Mine actuall is split three ways and no problem what so ever.

 

[edmc]

Just a heads up that AT&T just announced a Price Increase for

Cable Modem equipment owners of $7/month. Interestingly,

the new price takes effect June 1st but the company will issue

$7 coupons - enough to postpone the price increase until Jan'03.

No doubt those of us with EFT paying our monthly bill will have a

hard time "turning in" those coupons.


No price increase for Modem Renters (price per month went up

$7/month but the Modem Rental fee went from $10 down to $3

per month at the same time).

 

[HiHoStevo]

Make sure to get at least a one Gigahertz splitter (the frequency is marked on them), the older ones are normally marked 5-900, or something similar.


As was mentioned earlier if you look at the taps on the splitter it should have a -db number next to each tap. Use the lowest one to go to your cable modem (normally a 3) and the higher (normally a 7) to go to the TV.


As I already had a cable modem when I signed up for digital cable and was running about 5 TV's in addition to the modem, they ran a free second line into the house. On each line they used the -3db tap to run to the digital device (modem or digital cable box) and then fed the rest of the TV's off the remaining taps.


Steve

 

[adzan]

This may not related with the topic, but I've just *upgradeed* my internet connection from cable modem to ADSL. Its simply better, faster and more stable. The cable modem signal level is very weak in my place, thus the internet connection was intermitten.


I'm a happy surfer now


Regards,

 

[Namlemez]

Adzan, thats a fairly big generalization you're making.


I bought my modem for $100, pay $35/monthand I get 1mbit upload and 10mbit download. Thats way better than any DSL I can get for a reasonable price. I can actually get that at any time of the day because my cable company broke away from @Home and did their service right (Cablevision and Optimum Online)

 

[Eagle17]

Wow that is great namlemez, with my comcast I was getting excactly 1500kbps down and 129kbps up... I was told no servers were allowed and could not get a "static" IP address ... I run my own email and web servers and needed that ability also the 128k up is just unaceptable .. and unfortunatly since we do not live in a world wiht unregulated cable I can't call OOL to get the good stuff from them.



I too made the switch to adsl and have found it to be rock solid with great speeds and I am at the very edge of the limit for the technology (distance wise).


If I could get OOL I would but I am not about to moove to do it. (even though upstate penn is a nice area...)

 

[jahesh]

I'm in Toronto, where there's virtually no competition; you get cable from Rogers, and consumer DSL from Bell. I've always had cable, and I've been lucky to be in neighbourhoods where connection speeds have been consistently high, with virtually no downtime ever. Generally, I tell my friends to try cable first, because it's cheaper and has the potential to be faster than the crappy ADSL implementation that Bell installs. Your results will vary. If you don't use your ISP for your e-mail, you have the flexibility to switch providers at any time. Spending a couple of bucks to register your own domain and get virtual e-mail hosting has proven to be money well spent for me.


Finally, as to your splitter question: I've always split my cable modem signal to connect to my AIW Radeon on my work computer, and I've never had any problems doing so. I've always just used a standard splitter, too. Do not use any type of signal amplifier on your cable modem's line. You'll have no connectivity if you do.


Your cable company is probably wise to the fact that you'll end up running a splitter to another TV from your cable modem line. So, don't tell them that's what you're doing, let the installer do his job, connect your modem, and leave. If your provider allows a self-install option (I'd never let any of their inexperienced people so much as touch any of my computers), go that route. It's often cheaper, and they won't install a pile of useless spyware on your computer, as Rogers does.

 

[adzan]

Lucky you Cal...


Anyway for me ADSL is a better choice, as both the telco and the ISP for the DSL is much better than the cable TV company and the accompanying ISP for the cable modem both line condition and service level.


But, I was under the impression based on some reading on the Net that ADSL is technically better than the cable modem.. Am I correct..?


Regards,

 

[Namlemez]

ADSL covers a lot more bases than cable modems. You could theoretically get a couple megs up and down dedicated line right to anything. ADSL is Asymmetric in its rate, but you can get SDSL which is like T1+ quality.


Of course, some people only get 128k up and say, 512k down. It depends on what you pay.


Cable modems are all a pretty similar layout. The ring, I believe, is generally limited to 30mbps with each modem only having a 10mbp interface. There is no hard cap on the upload, but most cap it at 1mbps or 128kbps. The bandwidth on the ring is shared which can sometimes be bad.


On the other hand, you can run into having a nice fast dedicated DSL line piping right into an extremely busy ISP! Both can be good, but from a technical standpoint, DSL is probably better in that the possibilities are greater. Cable modems were designed from the get go as something for home users.


My cable company does some weird stuff with having a business unit as well, called Lightpath. You can get a normal cable modem, but they also let people get access to the fiber-based SONET they ran around three states here. This is a direct connection to their backbone that supports the cable modems as well. Multiple 100mbps fiber connection to anywhere. The local government where I live got a contract with them that piggybacks a virtual network on top of this that links all the schools and town buildings together and to the Internet.


Ok so I got a little off-topc...

 

[The Diver]

Check to see if your cable company uses a filter (isolation tap) to isolate the modem signal from the rest of the cable tv signal. Mine does. If I tried with just a splitter, I would get cable tv but no cable modem.