Cable splitter/booster - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

ratbastid · 09-13-2003, 06:43 AM

Okay, picture this setup:

Coax out of the wall to the cable modem. Cat5 to the wireless router, Cat 5 to two desktops, 802.11b to two laptops. That's my home network in a nutshell.

Now picture the poor, sad TV tuner card hanging out the back of one of those two desktops, with no coax from the wall plugging into it. What I'm picturing is a cable splitter "tee-ing" the cable signal between the cable modem and the TV tuner card.

I can split the cable service with a simple splitter, but then the cable modem's connection gets EXTREMELY flakey. Too much cable and too many devices on the one outlet, I thought. So I bought a splitter that's also an amplifier; it plugs into the wall, the whole nine yards. With that in the mix, the cable modem can receive signal but not send--presumably this amplifier is a one-way critter. In both cases, the TV Tuner card works just great.

So my question is: is there such a thing as a cable booster/amplifier that is bidirectional, allowing the cable modem to talk through it AND allowing me to finally use the TV tuner card?

Bamrak · 09-13-2003, 07:20 AM

Try a two way splitter cable modem to one side, and the other to the booster, which runs your other stuff. I have mine in this configuration and it works fairly well.

steveincolumbus · 09-14-2003, 07:49 AM

well the best thing to tell the ISP/Cable company that you have a signal problem they normallly hook you up with an amplifier orfix it for you....
you pay them sor a service they at least can get you a clean signal....
btw, don't use cheap splitters go for the more expencive ones adn make sure you use rg6 cable not rg59

Binder · 09-15-2003, 09:28 AM

signal strength degrades every time you put a splitter in the line. how many splitters do you already have?

I use a 4 way splitter where the coax comes into the house. 3 for tv and 1 for the modem. some of the tv lines are split agan in different parts of the house and have low signal strength, (which seems to effect only the higher channels), but my modem never misses a beat.

ratbastid · 09-15-2003, 10:59 AM

I split four ways at the box on the back of the house, then the configuration I described above.

meff · 09-15-2003, 11:51 AM

The more you split the signal out the weaker it's going to be. I am pretty sure you need to contact your cable company if you need a booster and they're kinda expensive.

Good luck.

krazykemist · 09-18-2003, 02:25 AM

What you can try is what I have done.
Remove the 4 way splitter coming into your house.
Put a 2 way splitter there instead.
Run one cable directly to your cable modem.
Run the second cable through a signal booster.
Then connect your televisions and Tuner to the booster.

I had the same signal problems before and went through many different setups before finally getting the best results from the above mentioned setup.
One thing to keep in mind also when using splitters is to use one with no more connectors than you are going to use.
I learned through one of the installers that a 3-way splitter with only two cables connected will still decrease the signal far more than a 2 way splitter with both cables plugged in.

ratbastid · 09-18-2003, 04:46 AM

I should probably call my dear personal friends at Time Warner about this....

Your advice makes sense, kemist, but all the cables in question are in the walls... And I'm not interested in adding drywall to the project.

Thanks for the advice everybody! I'll futz around with putting my booster on the line between the 2-way and the TV Tuner card. If that doesn't do it, I'll make a lovely appointment for between 10 and 2...

Craven Morehead · 09-18-2003, 06:37 AM

I just had Comcast out as out digital TV service was for shit. They had to install an amplifier on the cable as it entered the house. That cable has 3 TVs and cable internet running on it. The amp worked. And the internet service is better than before. Cost me $45 for the amplifier but it is worth it.

mute76 · 09-18-2003, 10:15 AM

The thing with cable modems is that the single has to be in a certain range. If the single is too low you'll have a shitty connection or won't be able to connect at all. If you put an amp on the line it will boost the signal but may boost it out of the signal range and you can't connect or will keep getting dropped. Best thing you can do is avoid the amps and splitters and go strait back to the modem then split from there if you have too. You can also set up a wireless wan if you don't want to run cable from one room to the other.

09-13-2003, 06:43 AM	#1 (permalink)
ratbastid Darth Papa Location: Yonder	Cable splitter/booster Okay, picture this setup: Coax out of the wall to the cable modem. Cat5 to the wireless router, Cat 5 to two desktops, 802.11b to two laptops. That's my home network in a nutshell. Now picture the poor, sad TV tuner card hanging out the back of one of those two desktops, with no coax from the wall plugging into it. What I'm picturing is a cable splitter "tee-ing" the cable signal between the cable modem and the TV tuner card. I can split the cable service with a simple splitter, but then the cable modem's connection gets EXTREMELY flakey. Too much cable and too many devices on the one outlet, I thought. So I bought a splitter that's also an amplifier; it plugs into the wall, the whole nine yards. With that in the mix, the cable modem can receive signal but not send--presumably this amplifier is a one-way critter. In both cases, the TV Tuner card works just great. So my question is: is there such a thing as a cable booster/amplifier that is bidirectional, allowing the cable modem to talk through it AND allowing me to finally use the TV tuner card?

09-15-2003, 11:51 AM	#6 (permalink)
meff Vanishing, like I do.. Location: Austin, TX	The more you split the signal out the weaker it's going to be. I am pretty sure you need to contact your cable company if you need a booster and they're kinda expensive. Good luck. __________________ Toy-like people make me boy-like.

09-18-2003, 02:25 AM	#7 (permalink)
krazykemist Psycho Location: New Orleans	What you can try is what I have done. Remove the 4 way splitter coming into your house. Put a 2 way splitter there instead. Run one cable directly to your cable modem. Run the second cable through a signal booster. Then connect your televisions and Tuner to the booster. I had the same signal problems before and went through many different setups before finally getting the best results from the above mentioned setup. One thing to keep in mind also when using splitters is to use one with no more connectors than you are going to use. I learned through one of the installers that a 3-way splitter with only two cables connected will still decrease the signal far more than a 2 way splitter with both cables plugged in. __________________ "Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself." -- Tolstoy

09-18-2003, 10:15 AM	#10 (permalink)
mute76 Psycho Location: Anywhere but here	The thing with cable modems is that the single has to be in a certain range. If the single is too low you'll have a shitty connection or won't be able to connect at all. If you put an amp on the line it will boost the signal but may boost it out of the signal range and you can't connect or will keep getting dropped. Best thing you can do is avoid the amps and splitters and go strait back to the modem then split from there if you have too. You can also set up a wireless wan if you don't want to run cable from one room to the other. __________________ What the fuck is "wtf"?

09-13-2003, 07:20 AM	#2 (permalink)
Bamrak Enter Title Here Location: Tennessee	Try a two way splitter cable modem to one side, and the other to the booster, which runs your other stuff. I have mine in this configuration and it works fairly well.

09-14-2003, 07:49 AM	#3 (permalink)
steveincolumbus Psycho Location: BFE, Kentucky	well the best thing to tell the ISP/Cable company that you have a signal problem they normallly hook you up with an amplifier orfix it for you.... you pay them sor a service they at least can get you a clean signal.... btw, don't use cheap splitters go for the more expencive ones adn make sure you use rg6 cable not rg59

09-15-2003, 09:28 AM	#4 (permalink)
Binder Insane Location: between lost and confused	signal strength degrades every time you put a splitter in the line. how many splitters do you already have? I use a 4 way splitter where the coax comes into the house. 3 for tv and 1 for the modem. some of the tv lines are split agan in different parts of the house and have low signal strength, (which seems to effect only the higher channels), but my modem never misses a beat.

09-15-2003, 10:59 AM	#5 (permalink)
ratbastid Darth Papa Location: Yonder	I split four ways at the box on the back of the house, then the configuration I described above.

09-18-2003, 04:46 AM	#8 (permalink)
ratbastid Darth Papa Location: Yonder	I should probably call my dear personal friends at Time Warner about this.... Your advice makes sense, kemist, but all the cables in question are in the walls... And I'm not interested in adding drywall to the project. Thanks for the advice everybody! I'll futz around with putting my booster on the line between the 2-way and the TV Tuner card. If that doesn't do it, I'll make a lovely appointment for between 10 and 2...

09-18-2003, 06:37 AM	#9 (permalink)
Craven Morehead Custom User Title	I just had Comcast out as out digital TV service was for shit. They had to install an amplifier on the cable as it entered the house. That cable has 3 TVs and cable internet running on it. The amp worked. And the internet service is better than before. Cost me $45 for the amplifier but it is worth it.