Charter Spectrum → Signal Levels and download speeds

Had Pipeline installed about 2 weeks ago. The way my run is set up is that from the tap it runs to the out side of my house where it is split to go to the atic and the basement. Once to the basement the main line runs to a 2-way splitter that the contractor installed. One split runs to my modem and the other runs to a splitter which has 5 runs, but one of them is running to another 2 way splitter which has 2 lines running to outlets. At first i was getting dropped from my lan connection. Called tech support and went through a bunch of stuff. They can't reach my modem themselves since Pipeline was just installed here and the guy didn't install the Charter software. Well finally swaped nic's and that took care of problem. . Now when i speed test i usually get from 700-758, or 770. Had a true Charter tech(with bucket truck and all) stop by today to check the run, and he said as long as the modem is working and not dropping, there's not really anything to do. Is this true or since everything is already ran, can they not rerun it? The contractor just made a hole in my wall(it's a half finished basement. Drywall and paneling) and ran the cable strait to the modem. I had a nice wall-plate and everything for him, but he seemed in a hurry. Anyway here are my signal levels most of the time

Downstream
Frequency 855000000 Hz Locked
Signal to Noise Ratio 30 dB
QAM 64
Network Access Control Object ON
Power Level -15 dBmV The Downstream Power Level reading is a snapshot taken at the time this page was requested. Please Reload/Refresh this Page for a new reading

Upstream
Channel ID 1
Frequency 30000000 Hz Ranged
Ranging Service ID 34
Symbol Rate 2.560 Msym/s
Power Level 56 dBmV

SNR and Power level will sometimes flux up 2 or 3 numbers. Much thanks to you all!!

Chris H

hate to tell you but your modem wont last long. its very close to droping off and yes with levels like that it would or could cause speed issues. Please contact them asap let them know your power levels and let me know what happens. I cant help if you dont follow up.

your signal is is -15 they say that the modem works normally from +15 to -15. I would try removing some of those splits, my modem was on the first split and it was a -10. I put in another split and now it is -13. So i would remove those splits if possible and put your modem on the first split.

said by HaViCaZ:

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...removing some of those splits...

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I discovered nearly the same thing.. the less splits the better,... after Charter put two splits in my line (why I don't know) I re-ran the lines myself with some stuff from Homedepo and went directly to the modem, put a split in about 12" back from the modem and ran the line back to the attic for the other rooms. Works well.

That's not a good configuration. The 2nd best solution is to put a splitter outside the house, and run a line strait from that to the modem. I hear that is fairly typical of a new install these days. One problem. Your cable modem is in the basement. I don't know how your house is set up, but you're probably better off having the cable modem near an outside wall and near the demarkation point where Charter's cable meets your inside cable. Then Charter, or yourself for that matter, can reduce the impact of splits on your signal by running a cable strait to the modem from the outside splitter. There is another solution, which will work better, but I don't know if you can get Charter to agree to this. A direct run from the tap to the cable modem will solve pretty much any cabling problem. That's my current configuration. That brought my signal strength from 60dbmV to 46dbmV on the upstream, which is where I was suffering at install. Believe it or not, I had a surfboard 2100 maintain signal at 60dbmV for 2 years before it played out. The cable tech couldn't believe it worked that long at those levels. I just wish it wasn't replaced with a 4100. The 4100 isn't so bad, but it occasionally has to be power cycled. The 2100 didn't have to be.

Heh, that's why i called them in the first place. The line that runs from the outside split would not be hard to run to the modem at all because my basement is only half-finished. The "wall" behind my comp is nothing but drywall and thin paneling. Behind that is nothing but open space all the way to where the current cable comes into the basement. All they would have to do is install like a 3-way splitter outside the house, drill a hole in the wood header above the foundation and then run a stright drop to the modem. Bout as simple as u get i'd think. I'll call them and see if they will come and do it even tho i'm having no other problems. Since we have underground cable, running from the tap to the modem is prob not gonna be so easy. Will let u all know what they say when i call. Thanks again.

Chris H

PS AoD LiQuiD: In reference to your post about location's, I live in Warrensburg, MIssouri about 50 miles southeast of Kansas City.

let me know what happenes if you have a hard time IM me your acct# and ill talk to someone at st louis to see what we can do.