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View Full Version : External Junction Box to Cable Modem Coax Cable Specifications?

samsid
10-07-2010, 11:57
Hi All.

I've been having issues with my Virgin Cable Broadband (10Mb/s) service for a while now. A senior tech came over yesterday and told me that the cabling from the external junction box to the cable modem (self-installed) which was used to relocate my cable modem is not of a high enough quality to reduce noise. I used, I think WF100 cable; which I was told at the time by customer service would be sufficient. The technician told me that he would expect a 1dB drop up to the cable modem, but I'm getting 2-3dB.

So my question is, what specification of cable should I be using? Would the WF125 (seen here: http://www.satcure.com/tech/cablespecs.htm) be sufficient, or is there another type of cable I should use? Can anyone recommend a good supplier? The cable run from the external wall socket to the cable modem is about 10-15m, half external and half internal.

Thanks!

Sam
samsid
10-07-2010, 13:22
Here's the Webro WF100 Spec Sheet for comparison for the coax cable I'm currently using. (I didn't see a copyright notice on the document, so I hope it's OK for me to post here.)

Additionally I think I should add that the Virgin technician said that the cabling they use has a brass 'stinger' (core), the cable I have has a copper core. The cable I'm using is marginally more flexible than the Virgin cable, I have to say.
weesteev
10-07-2010, 16:29
Virgin Media drop cable is Tri Shield RG6 which is a copper clad steel dielectric. Full spec can be found on the Commscope website...

http://docs.commscope.com/Public/F6TSVV-BW.pdf

RG6 is fine up to 100m whereas RG11 is suitable for longer lengths where low attenuation is needed.

Hope this helps.
jb66
10-07-2010, 16:55
The technicnan could have left you some
samsid
10-07-2010, 23:11
That's great, thanks.

I'll be trying to find out if I can get hold of some from somewhere in the near future. The technician actually increased the signal strength to mitigate the signal attenuation; I said that I'd see how the service faired for a while before replacing the cabling. There really wasn't any need at the time for him to leave me any - although, yes that would have been nice of him to.