[MR] OT: Need technical advise

Fri Jun 24 06:10:04 PDT 2011

Greetings!

Your question has many facets that need to be addressed.  Lets begin with the random drop-offs of your Cox Internet service.

Cox Internet Service:

     More than likely the issue is NOT with Cox, unless they are actually doing line work nearby.  In most cases the issue is within your own equipment, be it the cable modem, your router (if you are using one) and even the PC.  To fully answer which piece or pieces of this system is the culprit would require an IT "expert" to visit and examine your connectivity to make a final determination.

     In some instances it is the cable modem, which for one reason or other, it simply "times out" and loses connectivity with Cox.  If you are using a router, moreso a wireless router, the manner that CSMA/CA works over wireless connections lends itself to random disconnections merely because of radio interference -- remember CB radio interfering with other electrical devices, most notoriously televisions that used antennae reception?  With so many devices relying on radio waves to communicate, wireless networking is not 100% solid connectivity.

     If you are using wifi, consider running a cable connection.  This will improve data rates (100 megabit transfer over hard cabling compared to 54 megabit over wirelss, and you can test to see if it is a wireless drop-off issue.

     Lastly, your own PC could have a few issues lending to this problem.  RAM (packet receive bufer) may may not be adequate for any data transferring causing your system to advertise a zero-window state that may timeout or accidently trigger a disconnect due to inactivity.  Not really likely, but is a consideration.  Also, you may have background processes running that you are not familiar with (malware/adware) that are running conflicting services that inadvertantly cause a disconnect.

     There are a few other technical possibilities, which is why IT techies are best at analyzing and correcting the problem.  Before calling a Cox help desk, (most dont know how to fix a problem, but they read troubleshooting scripts really well) see if you know a techie friend or two that can lend a friendly hand.  Sorry, I moved out of the DC area years ago.

     If you call Cox, ask them when they are providing you access to the digital age.  As a techie, I enjoy pulling their virtual leg with this question.  Most every time the help desk technician states they ARE providing digital service through their broadband interface.  Again, this is Cox playing on the ignorance of the consumer.  Broadband is a technical term for analog -- serial -- and is used to hide/camouflage this service from the fear of dial-up serial connectivity that stemmed from services like AOL, Compu-server and other, now largely defnuct dial-up ISP companies.  The fact is Cox is still providing serial, albeit higher speed/capacity than dial-up, service which requires the use of cable modems (MOulate/DEModulate devices, hence the term MO DEM) to convert the cable analog signal to the PC's digital signalling, and a TV converter box, again from the analog TV signalling to the digital signal the box provides the TV.  The broadband signal technology is known as PPPoE, Point-to-Point Protocol over Ethernet.

TV:

     Having a few televisions connected to the cable is ok.  You have to consider how many you can fully support before your signal degrades to fuzzy screens and lost channels.  Undoubtedly, to accomplish this goal you will be using splitters to segment wire runs to each TV location.  Consider this for a moment as we examine what happens using a water hose analogy:

     If you take a garden hose straight from the spigot, you have 100% pressure at the operating end when the water is fully turned on.  If you were to "split" the hose with a t or y adapter to run 2 hoses simultaneously, your pressure is thus divided and neither end is operating at full, 100% pressure.  The more you divide that pressure by splitting it, the less you have on each hose -- consider 6 hoses from that one spigot, as you are considering 6 TVs from your Cox wire.

     Another consideration is length of cabling.  As the length of cable increases from the signal source, the signal strength decreases from the natural resistances of the wire (impedence) and external interference.  This degredation of distance is called attenuation and is a negative element working against your deisred outcome.  To overcome attenuation, use only the necessary cable distances and avoid overly excessive "extra" cable hanging in the "spaghetti" pile behind the TV!

     in order to provide the best service and more properly provide service to each TV, try to split the cabling as few times as possible, or purchase "active" splitters (more expensive but are capable of boosting signal strength).   Most common splitters consumers use for their TV wires are passive, and technically are called Type-F, passive hubs.  they do NOTHING to improve signal transfer because they do NOT have a power source from which to boost the signal.  An active splitter is powered and is able to boost signalling on longer cables and over a cable whose signal strength has diminished from too much splitting.

     One solution I have (5 TVs!) is using a single splitter that is able to split more than the 1-ni, 2-out common splitter.  My primary splitter has a 1-in, 4-out capability, and one line is plit at the bedrooms to make connection with the 5th TV.  Each splitter added to the lines diminishes signal.  Try to use as few splitters as possible.

     Lastly, if you are making your own cables/connections, be sure to keep the wire mesh/braid from making contact with the core, and do not knick the central core of the cable.  If you do, retrim the end and remove the damaged portion.  Keep in mind, RG-59 coaxial cable is the legacy wiring used for many years to TV/Internet connectivity and is most likely installed and running to provide service to your location.  Be aware, if you call a Cox technician to come out and they notice you have RG-59 still, they may try to sell you on upgrading to RG-6 coaxial cable.  This is largely unnecessary and I advise NOT making the upgrade unless Cox will perform the upgrade for free.  Unless you are drawing MASSIVE bandwidth for TV, Phone, Internet (like a sportsbar with Internet gaming (QB1) and numerous (far more than 6) TVs, you dont need the cost for the little return on the bandwidth such an upgrade will offer you.  In many cases, Cox has used the upgrade as a money-maker, preying on consumer fears and ignorance.

Phone:

     I do not have experience with Magic Jack for phone service.  It is on my bucket list so i may be more knowledgeable for my own clients; however, I am familiar with commercial VoIP (Voice over IP) phone systems and know for certain the technology is as reliable as your Internet connection.  Magic Jack should handle your needs extremely well.  Please let me know how it works for you.

Timothy Carter
luminaebanis at hotmail.com

--- 
For EMERGENCIES or more immediate contact,
please call (757) 753-0107.

> From: wozza.j at gmail.com
> Date: Fri, 24 Jun 2011 06:23:57 -0400
> To: chrshrrp at yahoo.com
> CC: atlantia at atlantia.sca.org
> Subject: Re: [MR] Need technical advise
> 
> Your best bet is to ask someone living in your area their thoughts on other
> service supplies, no one on the MR, unless they live in the same area as
> you, can really tell you what your service will be like from a different
> company as equipment and services differs from location to location.
> 
> sorry I could not be much help
> 
> Warren
> 
> On 23 June 2011 22:03, Chris Harrop <chrshrrp at yahoo.com> wrote:
> 
> > Hello, I've a question about computers I hope someone can help me with.
> > I'm
> > frequently having my cox internet service fall off to come back later. The
> > disruptions vary in time. It's very inconvient. Is there a better form of
> > service?
> >
> > I'd like to have my TV and phone by internet which I hear you can do now.
> > Magic
> > Jack for phone, other providers for cable by internet? How much broadband
> > would we need to supply up to 6 TVs at one time if need be? How do you
> > make
> > sure you won't keep having interuptions of internet at the worst times?
> >
> > Much appreaciate any help, this is a mundane subject, but the answers will
> > make
> > it easyer for us all to expericance "the dream".
> >
> > Chris Harrop
> > Referral agent and business broker for
> > Westgate Realty. Office 703-208-9999. Cell 703-894-7129 and 571-722-7587.
> > Serving the Washington D.C. metro area.
> > ========================================================================
> > The Merry Rose Tavern at Cheapside
> > List Info: http://merryrose.atlantia.sca.org/
> > Submissions: Atlantia at seahorse.atlantia.sca.org
> > Subscriptions:
> > http://seahorse.atlantia.sca.org/listinfo.cgi/atlantia-atlantia.sca.org
> >
> ========================================================================
> The Merry Rose Tavern at Cheapside
> List Info: http://merryrose.atlantia.sca.org/
> Submissions: Atlantia at seahorse.atlantia.sca.org
> Subscriptions: http://seahorse.atlantia.sca.org/listinfo.cgi/atlantia-atlantia.sca.org