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View Full Version : Advice sought: Problem with signal levels due to 3 way internal split of cable


Gazjam
29-08-2009, 11:16
Hi, sorry for the long post!

I've been at my present flat for 4 years or so now and I've been with VM pretty much all that time.
The flat was previously wired for a single access point in the living room for TV.


Since I've been in I've added a VM access point in both bedrooms so there is a total of three connections in my flat.

The feed from outside comes in above my front door, along my long hall and is split above one of the bedroom doors along the hall.
This was fine when the cable was split two ways, but as its split three ways there is a large 3-way splitter sitting above my door in the hall.
This was done over a year ago and i asked Telewest to send an inspector out as it looked very bad and I was told it COULD have been wired differently by another engineer.

WHEN THE ORIGINAL ENGINEER INSTALLED IT THAT WAY HE SAID IT WAS THE ONLY WAY IT COULD BE DONE, WITHOUT REWIRING THE INSTALLATION AND IT WOULD THEN COST ME MONEY.
I MENTIONED AT THE TIME HOW UNSIGHTLY IT WAS AND ASKED SHOULD THIS SPLITTER BE SO OBVIOUSLY VISIBLE IN A PROPERTY?
HE TOLD ME HE WOULD "DO HIS BEST" TO MAKE IT LOOK PRESENTABLE.

No harm to the guy, but he was Agency (I asked) and had 10 or so other jobs to do that day.
I told the guy I would be phoning Telewest saying that I shouldn't have this installation in my home like this, I was up front about it.
I phoned VM (or Telewest as it was) and complained about the installation and I was told someone would come out and take a look at it.

They never did - and over time it became less important an issue.

What DID happen though was my picture quality and broadband speed were quite variable and I had an engineer out 2 or three times to look at the problem.
It turned out my Upstream Return Power signal levels were hitting 59db because of the three way split in the cable, and all engineers that came out tried adjusting something outside my property (I live in a tower block) but the signal levels never really came down by much.
I was told it was because of the way the cable had been split and to fix it would require a complete rewire of my flat fom the front door in.

I put up with it, busy with work etc, but the problem has reared its head again with the installation of the new VM modem and my Upstream levels being nearer to 60db now.
Im on 20MB BB and speed varies between 7ish and 18MB.

Now,
Im currently refurbishing my flat (finally!) and with the persistant signal level problem and the horrible VM cabling in my flat I feel its time to bring the issue up again.

Any advice please on the best way to approach it with VM?
I cant afford really to pay £99 to get it rewired and to be honest I dont feel as though I should have to. :)

Any advice REALLY appreciated, thanks! :)

Gazjam
30-08-2009, 12:01
Anyone?
Hope to phone VM tommorow to sort it out.

Thanks.

Gazjam
31-08-2009, 19:52
Anyone? :(

spiderplant
31-08-2009, 20:33
What do you mean by "Since I've been in I've added a VM access point in both bedrooms"? Was this DIY cabling?

How many STBs and modems do you have?

webcrawler2050
31-08-2009, 20:43
What do you mean by "Since I've been in I've added a VM access point in both bedrooms"? Was this DIY cabling?

How many STBs and modems do you have?

Sounds like DIY cabling - you can only have one, on one account - so could this be "cloning" of some description

Peter_
31-08-2009, 20:53
Sounds like DIY cabling - you can only have one, on one account - so could this be "cloning" of some description
If you read his original post he says it was done by an engineer and a inspector has viewed it, so if correct not illegal just poorly installed.

Gazjam
01-09-2009, 15:45
Hi, thanks for the replies.

Ive just the one modem in one room.
I've three VM access points though, one in bedroom for broadband, one in the other bedroom (additional Tv box) and one in the livingroom for my V+ TV service.

No DIY jobs, all installed by VM engineers so nothing illegal !

My question was if the installation (with the three way splitter and very high return upstream levels - 58-60db) were possibly the cause of my bad BB speeds and pixelly tv picture/slow interactive services.

Personally I feel the cabling is not "fit for purpose" in a domestic environment (honestly, you wouldnt have a metal splitter attached above your bedroom door in your house) and as Im refurbishing my flat I wonder teh best way to approach VM about resolving both the signal level problem AND the bad wiring installation.

I was hoping to get some insight from other folks, perhaps even any VM people on here who could offer advice.

An engineer from a previous visit told me that To fix the signal level problem may require a reinstallation of the wiring into my flat, and that would be difficult to organise as it would be escalated to the "network guys" and i would have to pay for it.

Doesn't seem right, can I get an inspector out to look at it or something?
Any advice appreciated on the best way forward.


Thanks.

Ben B
01-09-2009, 15:54
I advise that you post on the newsgroups and tell them of the problems you are having and the problematic wiring in your house. They should be able to organise an engineer to come take a look and authorise the re-wire. Set up guide is here http://www.virginmedia.com/myvirginmedia/newsgroups/ and the group you want is virginmedia.support.broadband.cable

Gazjam
01-09-2009, 16:12
thankyou Ben, will do.

Gazjam
07-09-2009, 14:41
*UPDATE*

I posted my problems in the VM Broadband support Newsgroup, and after some back and forth discussions (and pushing on the wiring issue - eventually raised to Area Manager), a tech appt. was arranged.

The Tech (who had been to my flat 3 times before to adjust the signal levels) decided enough was enough and would fit an additional box to bring the Upstream levels down (An "HCU" unit i THINK he said) as well as rewiring the installation in my flat.

Result.

The Tech even described the ideal way my flat should be wired, and gave me his mobile number, for the installation engineer to call him IF I felt he was (in his words) "an Agency worker and couldn't get onto the next job quick enough."

Cant praise the Guy enough, great customer service.

Anyone know what the Unit is that he will be fitting?
He said it should bring my Upstream power down by about 7db or so.

Thanks, and I'm happy to report a good news VM story. :)

Gazjam
10-09-2009, 10:26
I had the rewire in my installation yesterday, no probs.

Any concerns I should have with speed, connectivity etc?


Thanks! :)


Speedtest results: (From Numion.com)

kilobit/sec (kilobyte/sec)
Download speed: 19,880.75 (2,485.09) 100%
Upload speed: 746.77 (93.34) 100%
Surfspeed inside United Kingdom: 617.21 (77.15) 100%
Surfspeed average (worldwide): 276.05 (34.50) 100%
Surfspeed outside United Kingdom: 238.98 (29.87) 94%
Latency: 94 milliseconds


MODEM STATS:

Cable Modem Downstream

Downstream Lock : Locked
Downstream Channel Id : 2
Downstream Frequency : 331000000 Hz
Downstream Modulation : QAM256
Downstream Symbol Rate : 5360.537 Ksym/sec
Downstream Interleave Depth : taps32Increment4
Downstream Receive Power Level : 7.3 dBmV
Downstream SNR : 39.1 dB

Cable Modem Upstream

Upstream Lock : Locked
Upstream Channel ID : 4
Upstream Frequency : 29200000 Hz
Upstream Modulation : QAM16
Upstream Symbol Rate : 2560 Ksym/sec
Upstream transmit Power Level : 50.0 dBmV
Upstream Mini-Slot Size : 2

Cable Modem Operation Configuration

Network Access : Allowed
Maximum Downstream Data Rate : 20480000
Maximum Upstream Data Rate : 768000
Maximum Upstream Channel Burst : 1600
Maximum Number of CPEs : 1
Modem Capability : Concatenation Enabled, Fragametation Enabled, PHS Disabled

darren.b
10-09-2009, 10:47
For the 10Mb package (as you say in your profile :D) it's exceptional. For the 20Mb package it's spot on.

bopdude
10-09-2009, 10:49
LOL, yeah nice looking 20Mb connection :tu:

Kymmy
10-09-2009, 10:54
Threads merged, please do not open up any more concerning signal/speed issues when a single thread will do

---------- Post added at 10:54 ---------- Previous post was at 10:54 ----------

You'll notice from one of his OTHER threads that he recently upgraded from 10to 20Mb

Gazjam
10-09-2009, 11:01
For the 10Mb package (as you say in your profile :D) it's exceptional. For the 20Mb package it's spot on.

Need to update my profile! :dozey: :)

---------- Post added at 11:01 ---------- Previous post was at 11:00 ----------

Threads merged, please do not open up any more concerining signal/speed issues when a single thread will do

---------- Post added at 10:54 ---------- Previous post was at 10:54 ----------

You'll notice from one of his OTHER threads that he recently upgraded from 10to 20Mb

Thanks Kimmy, my bad.
And thanks Guys for the feedback, reassuring to know I'm up to speed!


G.