Quick and easy question

Discussion in 'Hardware' started by Allochthonous, Jan 1, 2007.

  1. Allochthonous

    Allochthonous Corporal

    Is the cable that connects the cable TV jack to the cable modem nothing more than a regular coax cable?

    PK
     
  2. TimW

    TimW MajorGeeks Administrator - Jedi Malware Expert Staff Member

    Yes....
     
  3. Allochthonous

    Allochthonous Corporal

    OK, thought so...thanks.

    I have a friend who has been having trouble with her cable connection for quite some time now (intermittent outages, slow speeds, etc). On her last call (of many in the last year or so) they suggested that she try replacing her cable that connects from the jack to the modem.

    Does the quality of coax make any difference? Should she buy a new fancy piece or just use a scrap piece that we have laying around?

    I have been trying to convince her to switch to DSL, but she is afraid of the year contract, as there is a possibility that they may be moving in the near future to be closer to the grandchildren.

    PK
     
  4. Rob M.

    Rob M. First Sergeant

    That's one of the areas where cheaping out can backfire -- but not always.

    If the existing cable is breaking down (internal shorts, breaks, high-resistance joints, whatever) replacing it with whatever you happen to have handy may be all you need. You've nothing to lose by trying it, particularly if you have tested the cable in your TV setup and found that it delivers an acceptable picture.

    If you have to go out and buy something, the gold tips are very nice and give you some assurance that oxides on the contacts will never be an issue. But they do add to the price, and may not be necessary. I have standard RG59U cable that has been in service for more than 20 years, and oxidation on the contacts hasn't been an issue.

    But then, maybe I've been lucky. The less you spend, the more likely you are to run into quality issues.
     

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