Cable Modem, Weak Signal Coming In?

[blazen244]

still bad connection, there gonna come out and take a look (btw these numbers arent as good as they look, something to do with a major increase only in first couple seconds)

edited part: changed word slight to major

Have you had your provider perform speed test at the tap? If not that would be the way to go to make sure it's not on the line.

[Pops Racer]

My pages load slow cuz my PC is a POS, my kid has a 6mhz machine that he games on constantly,

the other is doing research for school(both wireless), my wife is doing banker type work, and either the XBox or PS 3 is running. All this through a Belkin N-1 router.

I have had the same Surfboard modem for at least 10 yrs. Its time for me to get an upgrade from Comcast.

[Modus]

You should be able to connect to your cable modem's web-tools page by entering it's IP address into your browser. You must be directly connected. Not behind a DHCP router.

This is what mine stated a few months ago trouble shooting when my signal was dropping out. It turned out to be a faulty neighborhood switch with was repaired by the cable company.

Kind of hard to measure power levels without a Spectrum Analyzer when your trouble shooting. This might help.

Cable signal bad

Cable signal good

RG-59 is for Analog or SD content or DC to 2.5GHz

RG-6 is for HD 720p,1080i or DC to 4.5GHz.

Nicking the copper core while building a DTV coax cable is almost in measurable at the frequencies at hand. This condition won't possess a big change in signal strength. Unless the conductor is severely cutting into the dielectric. The BNC and type F connectors aren't rated for high quality connections IMO these connectors will change the skin effect and degrade the signal. Mostly defined as return loss.

For the typical home application you won't see a change.

For semi rigid cable and frequencies 6-18GHz and measuring phase noise, then yes nicking the conductor can be very bad.

[SlapShot]

Typically the modem's ip is 192.168.100.1. You can usually access it from behind a dhcp router, but if not try Modus's suggestion and directly connect to it.

If the above IP isn't correct, search for the make/model of your modem and "signal level ip address" to find it.

My parents have had problems with their comcast cable going out in below freezing weather and it turned out that squirrels love chewing on the coax running into the house and water was in the line. Finally got comcast to replace the entire line rather than patch it in three places (which is what they thought was sufficient).

Also from dslreports:

Acceptable Signal/Power Levels

Receive/Downstream: -10 to +10 dBmV

Transmit/Upstream: 30dbmV to 52dbmV

Signal to Noise Ratio(SNR): 32dB or Greater

[blazen244]

Typically the modem's ip is 192.168.100.1. You can usually access it from behind a dhcp router, but if not try Modus's suggestion and directly connect to it.

If the above IP isn't correct, search for the make/model of your modem and "signal level ip address" to find it.

My parents have had problems with their comcast cable going out in below freezing weather and it turned out that squirrels love chewing on the coax running into the house and water was in the line. Finally got comcast to replace the entire line rather than patch it in three places (which is what they thought was sufficient).

Also from dslreports:

Acceptable Signal/Power Levels

Receive/Downstream: -10 to +10 dBmV

Transmit/Upstream: 30dbmV to 52dbmV

Signal to Noise Ratio(SNR): 32dB or Greater

The levels you have listed are not acceptable

Downs stream should be no lower than -5 or more than +5 that is ideal

upstream should be between 40 and 48 no more than 50 anything above that trips an alarm

SNR should be no lower than 48 anything lower you will loose packets

Forgot one thing your Modulated Error Rate or MER which go hand and hand with your SNR should be 36 or better, if your SNR is below the threshold @ 48 your MER will suffer causing you to intermittently loose packets or not connect at all.