splitter affecting internet speed?


  #1  
Old 07-12-17, 11:14 AM
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splitter affecting internet speed?

My cable ISP plan is the one that will provide up to 75 mpbs download speeds. I checked with a few of the online speed tests and I get significantly lower than the 75, down to the 18-19 range most often, and never even close to the 75. The ISP tech support said to try a different computer, which I did, and still I got the same slower download speeds upon testing, which essentially eliminated the computer as the cause. Next, I bypassed my wifi router and connected the computer(s) directly to the modem to see if perhaps the router was the cause. Still I had the same slower speed range, which essentially eliminated the router as the cause. The tech said he could check for “signal errors” remotely, which he did, and said he saw errors appear which he said could likely be the result of having signal problems at my house, and said he could send a service tech out to check connections, lines, etc. to try to discover/remedy the issue; that tech won't be out till next week.

The situation is I have a single cable coming to the house where there is then a two-way splitter, one side of which splits off to the cable tv and the other to the internet modem. I checked all cable screw-on connections and they're all tight. I looked at the splitter and it says it's a 5-1000 mhz. It's probably 8-10 years old but is clean and dry and non-rusty. I've heard that splitters can “go bad” over time so I'm thinking of changing it out with a new one to see if that remedies the issue. My tv reception with this splitter is and has been fine, and my internet has been steady and fine but just indicates the lower speed on the speed test all the time. If I can get the faster close to 75 mpbs download speeds I certainly would want to get it since that's what I'm paying for. Is it true that coaxial cable splitters can commonly just “go bad” over time, or that perhaps the 5-1000 mhz splitter isn't sufficient to provide the faster internet speed? I notice they have heavier duty splitters at the hardware store that say “3-5 ghz” and that cost more than the cheaper 5-1000 mhz ones. If I do decide to change out my current two-way splitter should I try to get the heavier duty one? Any comments/advice appreciated.
 
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Old 07-12-17, 11:27 AM
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I am certainly not the expert here on signal splitters but I have heard that if you buy just any splitter and it isn't rated for cable you could have an issue. So I suggest that you wait for the repair person to come out and then voice your concerns to that person. It could be the splitter or it could be cabling that has gone bad and needs to be replaced. PjMax one of our moderators could better advise you as he has been dealing with things like that. With what little I do know for sure that is my advice to you I wish you luck.
 
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Old 07-12-17, 11:44 AM
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I would remove the splitter and test the connection that way before doing anything else.
 
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Old 07-12-17, 11:51 AM
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if you buy just any splitter and it isn't rated for cable you could have an issue.
Well I didn't buy or install the splitter that is there now. The cable company installation tech installed it a long time ago when we first moved into the house. And it does work for the cable tv as I explained, and works for the internet too but am just having the slower download speed issue (as I explained).

I would remove the splitter and test the connection that way before doing anything else.
You know I didn't even think of that. Yeah I should do that. Probably would just need a coaxial connector coupler or coupling or whatever it might be called, to bypass/eliminate the splitter and see what happens... ?
 
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Old 07-12-17, 08:07 PM
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Okay I removed the splitter and tested the connection with the speed test; no change/improvement.
 
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Old 07-12-17, 08:25 PM
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Next test would be to move everything to a different connection in the house. Unless it's a real problem right now, I'd wait for the tech. More likely you have an issue with the line coming in to the house. Is it underground or overhead? Did this just start or has it been going on a while? Does it hurt when you cough....oh, sorry, wrong Forum.
 
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Old 07-12-17, 09:07 PM
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Well in this little house we just have the one cable (from the splitter under the house) that goes to the living room for the tv and the other cable (from the splitter) that goes to another adjacent room that has the modem. So can't really move everything to different connections in the house; there's not any different connections.

It's not really a real problem right now and in fact never has been a problem until the cable company recently provided me a special "upgrade" package with different tv channel lineup and a "faster" internet speed than I had been signed up for before. The new plan is supposed to provide up to 75 mbps download speeds. So after getting the new plan I was curious and decided to check the download speed with a couple of those speed test sites (one of which provided by my ISP). The speed tests, as I've mentioned, do not show any faster speeds than about 18-19 mbps, never even close to the 75 I'm supposed to be getting. I never bothered to check for a speed test before signing up with this new plan as I figured the speed seemed good enough whatever it was before. It's not like I all of a sudden am getting slower speeds; I'm just getting the same speeds I've always had with my old plan which I've had for I don't know several years anyway. I never had any particular complaint or need for any faster internet speed, although now that I'm paying and so entitled to the faster with the new plan I of course want to have it. The line coming into the house is overhead. Guess I'll wait for the tech. One thing I haven't tried is changing out the modem; maybe something wrong with it? Should I bother to take it to the cable place and see if they will give me a replacement? From what I understand the modem is already the latest type/model the ISP provides to their customers...
 
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Old 07-12-17, 11:46 PM
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The tech will check the modem as well, if the signal is good there (assuming you have the indoor wiring maintenance contract or he's in a really helpful mood) then he may swap a known good modem in to check. Make sure you won't be paying for any work inside the house because otherwise you could get a surprise bill for $80 or more.

And you do have another connection...the one the TV is hooked to. That would eliminate the run to the PC as a problem if it acted the same way. If it suddenly jumped to 60mbps, then the run to the other room is suspect. Like I said though, lot of work for you, no big deal for the tech.
 
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Old 07-13-17, 12:18 AM
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No I dont have any indoor wiring contract and told them already if they send a tech out I don't want them doing anything I have to pay for. They said they won't.

I'll wait for the tech see what he says/does, then go from there....
 
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Old 07-13-17, 06:06 AM
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I had that same problem with a provider. Just like you , I had never checked the speed . One day I did check it and found it was far slower than advertised . They gave me every excuse in the book. Turns out they were never providing the speeds advertised . I changed providers . Tested with the new provider and found the speed was just as advertised.
 
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Old 07-13-17, 07:33 AM
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On demand TV (Tivo Dish Comcast & verizon) uses up to 1000 mhz.

Internet over cable tv (MOCA "multimedia over cable") goes up to 1,500 mhz.

Probably need a new splitter.
 
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Old 07-13-17, 10:24 AM
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I had that same problem with a provider. Just like you , I had never checked the speed . One day I did check it and found it was far slower than advertised . They gave me every excuse in the book. Turns out they were never providing the speeds advertised . I changed providers . Tested with the new provider and found the speed was just as advertised.
Yeah when I first notified the ISP tech on the phone about this they said yes with your plan you should not be consistently getting download speed test results in the ranges I told them I'm getting (18-19 mbps, which is what I consistently get) but that I should be consistently getting speeds up closer to the advertised speed (75 mbps). First they asked if I had tried unplugging the modem then restarting, which of course I had, and which of course made no difference. Then they asked if I had a wireless router and if so to take it out of the loop to see if that was causing the issue. I did, and it wasn't. Then they asked if I could try using a different computer on the same line to see if perhaps it was the computer. I tried a different computer and no change/improvement with that either. Then they said maybe there's a problem with the modem (of which they provide and of which is the latest model they provide for customers). They said I could try taking the modem to the local place here and exchanging it for another one (which would be identical brand/model), to see if that was the problem. While the tech was on the phone he apparently was able to monitor signals or whatever on my connection from his end, and said when I plugged the cable into the modem he could immediately see a bunch of "signal errors" or something to that effect, and so, according to him, something was "definitely wrong" or "going on", and that he could either schedule someone to come out and "check the lines and signal coming in" etc or that I could exchange the modem first and see if that takes care of the problem and if so to call back and cancel the "service ticket".

I asked him if he was sure they've got me on the 75 mbps download plan as advertised and for which I am signed up and paying for, and if it was possible they just "forgot" to give me that "upgrade". He said no that cannot happen, that once they have the customer set up with a certain plan/package then that customer immediately and automatically gets the advertised service(s).

Probably need a new splitter.
Yeah I thought earlier maybe that could be the problem (need new/better splitter) but as I've mentioned in this thread, per stickshift's suggestion I removed the splitter and tested the connection with the speed test; but there was no change/improvement even with the outside cable going directly to the modem, with no splitter at all.
 
 

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