Why is there an attenuator on my cable modem?
The cable company tech added an “attenuator” on his line, which is designed to protect devices if the cable has too much of a signal. It doesn’t affect speeds, it just protects electronics.
What is attenuation in coaxial cable?
The power loss caused by a coax cable is referred to as its attenuation. To reduce the level of loss due in the coax cable, the conductive area must be increased and this results in low loss coax cables being made larger. Importantly it is found that the resistive losses increase as the square root of the frequency.
Does my modem need an attenuator?
Cable modems work best if the downstream signal level is within +/-15dbmV, and the upstream power is between 37dbmV and 55dbmV. If the signal is too strong on the downstream, or too low on the upstream, a tech may need to install an attenuator.
Can you stack attenuators?
So I stacked the 3dB and the dB for a total of 9dB (yes, you can stack them… simply screw them together) and that brought my signal to within Tivo’s recommended range.
How do you calculate attenuation of coaxial cable?
Calculate the attenuation or loss for each frequency using the following equation: Attenuation = K1 multiplied by the square root of F + K2 x F, where F is the frequency in MHZ. The results will be in dB per 100 feet of cable, or “dB/100 feet.” As an example, assume that K1 is 0.444, K2 is 0.00126 and 100 MHZ.
How do I check modem signal strength?
On almost all the Cable Modems or Cable Modem Routers, you can find your signal level by logging into the modem diagnostic GUI page via http://192.168.100.1 and username/password (unless you have changed credentials on the device, default credentials should be located on label on the device bottom or side).
How does an attenuator work on a cable modem?
Attenuating the downstream will decrease the signal level/dbmV, while attenuating the upstream frequencies causes your equipment to increase its transmit power to communicate. Cable modems work best if the downstream signal level is within +/-15dbmV, and the upstream power is between 37dbmV and 55dbmV.
What are the pros and cons of 3dB attenuator?
Pros: This 3dB attenuator does indeed attenuate RF signals by ~3dB. Cons: After install, though signal levels were more in line with spec, I started getting a lot of DOCSIS codeword uncorrectables and the periodic modem reboots did not resolve. I just dug up a 2-way splitter and put the modem on one leg of it instead.
How does the fam-3 in line attenuator work?
Product description. The FAM-3 in-line attenuator can be inserted to coaxial cable feeds to reduce signal levels. Combinations of attenuators may be used together to create the exact signal loss needed.
What are the different types of attenuators?
There are different types of attenuators, as follows: Attenuator – a plain attenuator will weaken (attenuate) all frequencies, reducing the downstream signal strength, and causing the upstream power to increase (the modem needs to “talk” louder).