Submitted by jaxclayton t3_11qp8fo in DIY
I found a coax splice (cables are not labeled), behind a blank face plate. I’m really hoping I could move my internet modem to this room so I can hardwire my pc.
I’ve already disconnected the splice and nothing changed in the house. I have no idea what the splice is for.
I literally have no idea where this runs to or why it’s there, it’s in an addition on the house the previous owner did. Should I just hook the modem up to it and see if it works lol?
There are special tools to check for signal but basically yeah do that.
Yup. Just go ahead and hook it up to see.
If it's filtered or not connected in the box outside, you'll need to do a little extra work.
Hopefully the cable is at least intact all the way to your service.
Thanks!
You could try that, but a better option is to hook up a TV and see if there's any signal coming through
Thanks, but if it’s tv signal, does that mean internet could work too?
Yes. They're both carried over the same wire
My setup has a filter so that no TV signal goes to the split that feeds the modem, but there's no filter on the TV ones. So, a TV signal MIGHT also have the internet signal, but no TV signal doesn't automatically mean that there's no internet.
There shouldn't be high voltage or anything that would ruin the mode, so give it a try. It's easier to move your modem and router than a TV and THEN your modem and router.
Not all setups ate like that, though, and OP might have a TV more readily available. And, and, and...if there is a TV signal, there will be an internet signal. Also, it's easier (faster) to see if the TV has signal than waiting for the modem to fail a handshake
However, if his setup is like mine (and I don't know why mine would be unique), testing the TV and finding no TV signal wouldn't preclude there not being internet available. Plus, if there *is* internet at that location, he needs to move his modem there anyway, may as well do it right and test the thing you want to test (will modem work there), not something similar (is there TV signal there). On top of that, if the wire isn't connected to *anything*, he'll need to test the modem there to rule out the situation being like mine.
I wasn't trying to correct anyone's statement...I was trying to show how:
a. He may come to the wrong conclusion using a TV to check
b He may end up doing double the work--testing with a TV, and then having to test with the modem and move the modem there anyway if the TV tests out with signal.
Like all internet advice, opinions and experiences, one needs to see how the similarities apply to oneself and how the differences need to be accounted for.
Ok thanks I thought I had read some coax was tv only! I appreciate it
Coax can be TV only because it's like old coax for an antenna or old coax that was hooked up to a satellite system or some other system that isn't connected to like new coaxial cable wiring.
Times when they come in with the cable modem they just run a brand new line right to the cable modem instead of using the existing houses cable TV wires.
Sometimes they wired into the houses TV wiring but basically that's more prone to having problems doesn't really give a lot of advantages since most people don't need to move their cable modem around much.
You can try, but only one may work.
Thanks it will be huge if I can move my modem to this room without running any cables
Why would you be getting a huge benefit from hardwiring your cable modem versus a modern Wi-Fi setup?
Do you have like a really old Wi-Fi modem or router?
I can get my full cable modem bandwidth right to my iPhone through Wi-Fi so and you know like my desktop doesn't go any faster than that hardwired.
Might be a tiny tiny difference in pain but by far the pain between me and like a game server is determined by my internet provider and the physical distance between me and the game server.
Modern Wi-Fi is pretty fast! Days it's like streaming 4k on everyone's television so it's not the Wi-Fi of years ago.
I'm just using a Google mesh router which really isn't a super powerful setup because it doesn't have the greatest signal, but I have a spread out how so I had to do something meshy.
Same I had to do a mesh as well. My WiFi won’t even reach my office in the basement. My house is a raised ranch with an addition. Basically shake like and L on a hill. The modem is on one point of the L, first floor. My office (with pc), is basement on the the opposite point of the L. The eero mesh was the only way I can get WiFi to the basement. But by the time it reaches my computer the speeds are slower. Running a CMD ping test to google I was getting 90ms with spikes to 200ms. Playing games (which me and my son do) we get timed out and disconnected non stop. And games like Rust that’s really bad to have happen.
LTT did a vid recently on powerline routers and it included coax sender's. LTT powerline adaptors
I use a moca adapter to move internet from the main floor into the basement. It's full speed gigabit and it's awesome!
moca is so much better than powerline
It's in the video too. Forgot to mention
I’ll check this out. I’m using eero WiFi mesh. Unfortunately my pc is hardwired to an eero as far as it could possibly be from the gateway eero. So gaming I DC constantly and even browsing is slow.. maybe this will be a solution vs moving my router downstairs
They ain't cheap, but hot damn they work!
Isn't that like a mesh system where you can put another access point between the two and improve the network because you know a Wi-Fi mess Network should be stable and fast.
The only reason you should need hardwired is like because you're a professional gamer.
It sounds like you're not getting the most out of your current setup already and you should maybe think about how to make that work better first because I don't think it's set up right.
It also be you have some very odd interference like you have a wall with a whole bunch of metal stuff hung on it or something. I've seen that in some houses where they like have a bunch of metal plaques or pots on the wall which are really decoration but fake Rustic Stuff.
Yeah it did work pretty well. I’ve called the eero company and tried to work through the problems I’m having on getting a good signal with my desktop and nothing really worked. But yea basically we DC due to time outs in online games and am experiencing a bunch of packetloss. I’ve spent weeks calling ISP and Eero and testing stuff out and came seem to fix it which is why I game to the conclusion I want the modem downstairs with the pc’s.
As someone who has been in the coax/cable industry for 17+ years, this can be a number of things. If you disconnected and nothing happened, it may not be active with RF. Usually when we see a splice like this behind a wall plate, it means it’s looping to another outlet somewhere in the house/unit. Only way of knowing is toning the line out or using a meter to check RF levels. Not an ideal way to wire this day and age.
I know this is not a straight forward answer, but the easiest thing would be to call your ISP and have them move the modem and/or test RF signal. You may move it and it works, but the RF may have poor signal and cause service impacting issues.
Thank you
Possibly. The best way to tell for sure is to try it. Or you could trace the cables.
Ok thanks how would I go about tracing the cables without cutting into the wall?
They make connection testers just for this purpose. You plug one piece into the end of the cable and the other piece (of the 2-part cable tracer kit) gets held near suspect cables and makes a noise when you've got the right one. You really only need to find out where the other end of the splice is, so I'd start with your utility closet or anywhere you know there's a splitter
That’s the thing, I haven’t seen any other coaxial cables in the house, so I would know what other end to test
Look on the outside for the Cable Company connection box
Start by finding where the wires running from utilities poles enter your house. See what branches off from there.
Should be able to. One end should be providing singal.
Yeah, just hook the modem up and see if it synchs up. That one wire (brass colored ending) is definitely old as it’s RG59.
Is that a bad thing? This house is pretty old built 1969 although this picture is from an expansion on the house idk when that was built.
If the house is that old I would expect the cable modem to be run directly not interface with the likely oldet cable TV/Antrnna wires.
I was a cable guy coming to install cable at your home I wouldn't want to trust your existing wires I would just want to run a new wire right to one spot.
And simple and one point of failure equals vastly less chance for a call back and as an installer of anything that's what I'm all about!
Modern coax for cableTV/Satellite/outside antennas/Cable modems is RG6; it has better shielding and a larger center conductor thus a bit less signal loss.
As said, you may have RG59 (from back in the days before cable modems) which may work for a cable modem, but is less than optimal. Try it, if it works for you then it's your lucky day. If you have low speeds or lots of errors, the RG59 coax cable in your walls could be the culprit. There's also RG11, but I doubt you will find it in a home. RG59/RG6/RG1 explained.
RG59 is about 6.3mm (1/4 inch) OD (outside diameter), RG6 is about 6.9mm (9/32 inch) OD. Comparison between those two.
Another thing... if you have no idea of what is along the cable run feeding that little junction you pictured, then you don't know if there is a signal splitter somewhere along the way. In the old days of outside TV antennas and primitive cable TV, they would often use splitters to distribute the signal to various rooms.
Today, the standard is to pull a "home run" of coax cable from each room/drop all of the way back to a central point in the home - likely the basement, if you have one. Splitters could be hiding in the attic, or behind walls, but that was generally bad practice - they should have been place somewhere visible.
A splitter is a no-no as you basically lose at least 50% of your signal for every splitter along the way. Splitters are/were for TV signals, but they aren't friends with cable modems.
Finally... the funny little connectors you see usually use a 7/16ths inch wrench, and are called "F" connectors.
Finally... a cheapie tone generator + probe may keep you from going crazy if you have to chase out cables, but don't use on lines with AC power. More expensive ones may come with other doodads and be a higher quality... people that use them everyday spend more for good ones.
Having a splitter does not reduce the signal by 50% and is not an issue if RF is properly checked. You can have too much signal and a splitter is sometimes used to attenuate the signal to a cable modem. It’s all about proper RF levels. Splitters are okay.
Mostly I see them just run the cable directly to the cable modem and they don't use the old houses interface at all.
It's really a lot more practical because you're eliminating a lot of the chances for problems and callbacks and Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi mess these days very few people need a hardwired connection to their cable modem.
Ahh so is it’s probably better if I just keep my modem up stairs and find a better solution to getting internet in basement? I’m using eero right now but by the time the signal gets to my basement it’s weak, even though I’m hardwired to the euro. I get slower browser speeds and time out of online games.
You can do anything if you put your mind to it. ✌️
Cable guy here. Call the cable company and make a service appointment. ask the tech to relocate your modem for you.
Most cable companies don’t charge for service calls.
Just hook it up and see what happens. Nothing bad will happen
You can try, last I remembered it doesn't hurt the modem but if it doesn't have the filter installed in that line then it won't connect.
There's not much practical benefit to a hardwired cable modem versus a decent wifi setup.
I would probably run an ethernet cable through the crawl space or attic or such if I really wanted to do that and then leave the cable modem where it was and install a switch on the other end in the bedroom.
If it's a Wi-Fi cable modem then it's kind of like better off centrally located or right next to the centrally located Wi-Fi router.
Synaps4 t1_jc4du2g wrote
Whether it's connected to your existing coaxial cabling at home and whether it's filtered...these are things we know even less than you do.