dslreports logo
 
    All Forums Hot Topics Gallery
spc
Search similar:


uniqs
4055

cchhat01
Dr. Zoidberg
join:2001-05-01
Elmhurst, NY

1 edit

cchhat01

Member

[Equipment] looking to buy rcn supported cable modem

I just signed up for rcn 50/6 service in Elmhurst NY.
I bought a Motorola Surfboard Sb6121 locally and tried to get it provisioned.
It worked for about 1 hour and then constant reboots... I had Nelson in tech support try to get it re provisioned but it just wasn't going through.
Finally we both decided to give up and now I'm looking for suggestions to an alternative.

I looked at the following:
Cisco DPC3010
Cisco DPC3008
Motorola SB6141
Zoom 5350
Zoom 5341J

Neslon at tech support recommended the DPCs.

One thing I should note is that when my sb6121 did work, running speedtests at rcn website showed the transmit power going out of spec.
Transmit Power: fluctuated between 48 to 55 (not sure the units)
Forward power was 0 in one room and 7 in another room
Snr was around 37-38 dbm.

So if my line is sensitive, I would prefer to work with a modem that negates these issues from the get go...

Prior to this we had a Linksys CM100 and it has been rock stable... Only problem being that the modem is DOCSIS 2.0 and wont be provisioned for the speeds i want.

Edit: i forgot to mention that with I have never had an issue with the CM 100 on RCN. The motorola i bought simply replaced the cm100 and it had problems. Nelson was eager to provision my CM100 at 25/2 but that was not the ideal solution considering I would have to pay a much higher rate for the 50/6 speed once i was ready to swap it out for a docsis 3 modem.

Thanks,
C
cchhat01

cchhat01

Member

Anyone?

Ryno
The Wanderer
Premium Member
join:2001-04-07
Danielsville, PA

Ryno to cchhat01

Premium Member

to cchhat01
I've had RCN for less than a month.

Bought a SB6121 and it is working better than the Cisco they had given me. Is it out of the question to try another SB6121?

cchhat01
Dr. Zoidberg
join:2001-05-01
Elmhurst, NY

cchhat01

Member

I'll give the SB6121 another shot. Will try to pick one up locally.
I've already got an order for the DPC3010 so when it gets here I'll try to get them to provision it, and if it works well enough, I'll return the SB6121.

Thanks,
cchhat01

Ryno
The Wanderer
Premium Member
join:2001-04-07
Danielsville, PA

Ryno to cchhat01

Premium Member

to cchhat01
Good luck either way

cdr1000
join:2004-02-18
10100

cdr1000

Member

CISCO DPC300 and up

cchhat01
Dr. Zoidberg
join:2001-05-01
Elmhurst, NY

cchhat01 to Ryno

Member

to Ryno
I replaced the SB6121 with another one from bestbuy. Still no go.
I tried the Zoom 5341J. Nada.
Funny thing is that the 3+year old Linksys CM100 (Docsis 2.0) is fine and ready to receive service. Seems to me like my line is good enough for Docsis 2 service but falls out of spec somehow for Docsis 3 service.

Something is really screwed up with my line.
Tech coming out on Wednesday to solve the problem once and for all. Meantime, I'm being credited for lack of service (how cool is that?).

As an aside: I am simply AMAZED at the customer service/tech support provided by RCN. Everyone I have spoken to so far has had the utmost patience in trying to get me up and running.

Every other ISP should take a bow.

I've retained the SB6121 and I've also ordered a Cisco DPC3010. Will be keeping everyone posted on the result.

Thanks for the input so far everyone.

chiggy

Bookw0rm
@rcn.com

Bookw0rm

Anon

DOCSIS 2 looks at 1 downstream channel whereas DOCSIS 3 looks at multiple channels. I would try your new modem where you get the 7 forward. Your other room has excessive signal loss. Also try bypassing any splitters.
hydrox
Premium Member
join:2010-10-30
Lexington, MA

hydrox to cchhat01

Premium Member

to cchhat01
I have the Cisco DPC3010. Zero issues provisioning. It works flawlessly. I am on the 78/11 service plan, and get great up and down speeds in real life conditions.

cchhat01
Dr. Zoidberg
join:2001-05-01
Elmhurst, NY

cchhat01 to Bookw0rm

Member

to Bookw0rm
I understand what you're saying but I can't get a lock even in the room with the forward power being 7 dBmV. I don't think I can do much more than what I've done already.
cchhat01

cchhat01 to hydrox

Member

to hydrox
said by hydrox:

I have the Cisco DPC3010. Zero issues provisioning. It works flawlessly. I am on the 78/11 service plan, and get great up and down speeds in real life conditions.

Nice, I'm guessing you've got 75/10 and are provisioned at 78/11.
Are your speedtest.net speeds closer to 75 or to 78?

Thanks
chiggy
cchhat01

cchhat01

Member

I found the culprit.
Cannot believe I overlooked this.

Right at the RCN drop, there is a two way splitter that reduces the signal by -8dBm per output so my connection looked like this:

RCNCable=====:- [2-Way-split] -> 1st output fed to another 2-way splitter (-3.5dbm). 2nd output fed to one of the rooms.
2nd 2way splitter connected to my room and my brother's room.

I had another splitter in my room to connect both tv and modem.

Already HUGE drops.
I then simply removed the -8dBm splitter from the equation, connected RCN cable straight to the 2-way splitter (-3.5dbm drop per output), connected one of those outputs to my room.
My room still has a 3.5db splitter for modem and tv. This time, modem is working. No reboots.

Everything locked in so easily.

Seems like I'm solid.

I'll probably end up replacing the external splitters with a 3-way splitter (where one has a 3.5 drop and that will go to my room) to wire up everything in the house without any clunky mess.

Thanks all,
chiggy

doogan342
@verizon.net

doogan342 to cchhat01

Anon

to cchhat01
rental fee for modem is $3 a month which works out to $36 a year. why would anyone pay $100 for a docsis 3 modem when it takes 3 years to pay it off and it may be obsolete by then. with the number of blackouts, brownouts, power spikes and all that there's a chance your own modem will be fried. rent from rcn and you dont have to worry and always have a proper modem for the level of service you pay for.
sapreaper
join:2007-06-01
united state

sapreaper

Member

said by doogan342 :

rental fee for modem is $3 a month which works out to $36 a year. why would anyone pay $100 for a docsis 3 modem when it takes 3 years to pay it off and it may be obsolete by then. with the number of blackouts, brownouts, power spikes and all that there's a chance your own modem will be fried. rent from rcn and you dont have to worry and always have a proper modem for the level of service you pay for.

In our area, the RCN fee is $5/mo. I think it was raised a while back. Personally I am fine with my own modem. And the SB6121 is $90 at BB now, and is a great modem. And it is faster for me to call in another MAC to RCN than wait for them to send a truck if their modem goes bad.
hydrox
Premium Member
join:2010-10-30
Lexington, MA

hydrox to cchhat01

Premium Member

to cchhat01
said by cchhat01:

said by hydrox:

Nice, I'm guessing you've got 75/10 and are provisioned at 78/11.
Are your speedtest.net speeds closer to 75 or to 78?

Thanks
chiggy

Yes, I've got 75/10 and am provisioned at 78/11.
i just ran an RCN speedtest.net speed test and got 77.25 Mbs down and 11.73 Mbs up max speed. In typical real downloads, I average 45 to 50 Mbs down and 8 to 10 Mbs up.

The last 100 feet is often the where issues crop up. An RCN tech, in an attempt to bring up my signal levels, spent 3 hours in my attic a few years ago putting in new wires, new splitters and amplifier only to find out that the cable passing through an INTERIOR first floor wall had been chewed partially though by a small enough critter to fit in there, but yet with sharp enough teeth. I am glad you are all set.

cchhat01
Dr. Zoidberg
join:2001-05-01
Elmhurst, NY

cchhat01

Member

And the verdict is... :::drum roll:::
Motorola SB6121...

Tried DPC3010. It seems to get BETTER SNR (40.5 dBm) compared to the SB6121 (37-38 dBm) on the same coax cable and the power levels are better on the DPC3010 as well.

However, the DPC3010 seems to stutter on upload tests. Seemed to go from 3 to 5 to 3 mbps, Motorola was constantly rising and around the 5+ mbps range... plus I get proper diagnostic readouts on the Motorola.

Speeds are around the same on both... I'll stick with the Motorola SB6121.

Thanks all for the help.
chiggy

Ryno
The Wanderer
Premium Member
join:2001-04-07
Danielsville, PA

Ryno to cchhat01

Premium Member

to cchhat01
I have the 25/2 and with the SB6121 and so far I have yet to go under 26/2.5 on any of my tests.

Glad you're happy with yours

lilhurricane
Crunchin' For Cures
Numquam oblita
join:2003-01-11
Purple Zone

lilhurricane to cchhat01

Numquam oblita

to cchhat01
said by cchhat01:

And the verdict is... :::drum roll:::
Motorola SB6121...

I think you'll find it a good, solid choice.... congrats on your well thought out decision