Switching ISP's Today from FIOS (back) to Cablevision

[Roger H. Veteran]

With 5Ghz WLAN you should be able to hit 150Mbps on your laptop wirelessly. The problem with older routers is their routing CPUs and software wasn't as good so yeah. I get full 7MB/s downloads wirelessly on my laptop as well when I was downloading Windows 8 from TechNet. :)

Sucks about the HD DVR but they are trying to get away from those and rather you use Network DVR as I mentioned. TiVo and or other devices like that is where its gonna be from now if you want HDD storage at home.

Keep an eye on the signals too at the modem to see if they fluctuate with the heat which would then give you a better idea if the problem is as a result of heat or instead loose connections or bad wiring. For bad wiring tests connect it closer to the drop to see if signals are good there vs all the way where it's connected now.

[DirtyLarry Veteran]

Okay, on to finding one culprit at least. I bypassed the splitter behind my TV, it is needed as one line needs to go into the modem, another into the cable box. Main in coming from the wall (which is I believe coming down from the dreaded crawl space).

So bypassing the splitter completely and going straight from the wall into the modem produces these results.

Definitly still not ideal, but much better than with the splitter.

So question is, how do I fix this? I need the splitter, so is it just a simple fact of I should pick up a new splitter and some new coaxial cable?

The coax cable being used is also unnecessarily long as well.

Believe I am going to take a ride to Radio Shack to pick those things up right now, but will wait to see if anyone replies.

Yeah see, this is the same modem with the splitter.

Off to radio shack to pick up some new (shorter as well) coax cables and a new splitter. I think they should help as i have to imagine the splitter and coax that is there now is also pretty old.

[DirtyLarry Veteran]

Brand new splitter and all new coax cables did jack. Same exact numbers. Luckily Radio Shack packaging is easy to put back together. :D

So obviously any splitter is going to make the numbers go up, so I have to get the numbers down before the line to the splitter. This does mean from the outside of my house through the crawl space though, so this is a project for Cablevision, absolutely. Now, to see if I convince them they have to do it.

[DirtyLarry Veteran]

Day 3 Speedtest

Little to no fluctuation in my connection at all. This is a very good sign from my perspective.

When I was a OOL subscriber about 5 years ago, especially on the weekends when everyone was home, the connection would take a HUGE hit.

So very promising it is still working as it should. I think I am more or less comfortable with calling FIOS on Tuesday to cancel my service officially.

[Dane]

Man, I wish we got something more than we do now. We have Blue Ridge Cable, which gives up "fiber optic" internet from Pen Tela Data, depending on who you talk to.

10 Down and 786upload for $57 a month.

This cable company keeps comcast out of the area some how, once you go a few miles down the road, it's comcast. I was always happy with Comcast's internet speeds and price compared to what ****ty service we have now.

[Chris123NT]

Yeah those signals are borderline, they're better when you bypass that splitter.

And I just noticed they're still using single channel DOCSIS 2 for upload? Wow that's kinda crap :/

[Roger H. Veteran]

DOCSIS 2 for upload is normal and better than 1.x that some use (Time Warner in some places). They are upgrading though so guess most people wont see that. Using 1.x also is good in some areas where there's lots of noise on the line. On Comcast with multiple upload channels you'll see a mixture of 1.x and 2.0 A-TDMA and such to help get the most out of the available frequencies they have.

As for DL - I would have told you not to bother with the new splitter as I said your option is to try connecting closer to the line that is connected outside. Since you said that line is way too long anyways, you might want to get a direct run if possible. Dunno your house layout or how far away but basically that's what you need to do. With the splitter though, did you get a 5-1000mhz one from radioshack? Sometimes they have some crappy ones too anyways.

Even if only temporary, connect the modem to the tap even if that means just running a cable thru the window just to see how strong the power is at that connection by the Verizon box.That way you know what you can expect. If it's crappy there not much can be done and you'll just have to get Cablevision there. They will however say that since you aren't really having an issue it's not a problem (and in reality it's not) but just something to keep an eye on, don't stress too much about it till you start getting disconnects :D Keep an eye on your SNR mostly as that's where trouble starts happening when it gets below 30 - 33 and up being best - See mine below of how good you want it to be (might not be possible however :))

Here are mine in case you were curious:

Here are my Labor Day weekend Sunday afternoon results in an apartment building area with lots of people home. I'm on 5Ghz WiFI.

Not much to worry about as you can see :)

[HawkMan]

Is that outside? They left the cable open to the elements like that? Without a weather sealed box or anything? The cable back homewas in a properly sealed intake box and started to have oxidation on the copper in the wire. They found out while fixing our line and when he unplugged it, some guy from the office saw that all the noise they had on the whole network went away.

[DirtyLarry Veteran]

HawkMan, that is outdoors, you bring up a valid concern. I just do not know if that is okay.

@ Shotta thanks again man. I need one hell of a long line to run direct from the main line to the modem. Just not sure where I could get my hands on one.

Turns out a buddy of mine, his good friend is currently a Cablevision tech. I sent him a screenshot of my latest signals to get his feedback on it all as well.

[HawkMan]

It won't be an immediate concern, but over time it definitely could be.

[Roger H. Veteran]

Still looking good DL?

[Farchord]

Not the same ISP or the same region, but the same modem XD figured I'd share mine too!

[DirtyLarry Veteran]

Still looking good DL?

Yeah no issues whatsoever, even with the not so great signals. Download speeds are still great, in fact I hit a new high the other day on Newsgroups of 8.3, so yeah, I am a happy camper. IF I get even a second of loss, I will no doubt be calling and raising hell, but luckily no need. But yeah, still getting pretty much the EXACT speeds I am paying for.

And I have to say, I am MUCH happier overall with Optimum. Never thought that would be the case, but they truly offer the better services overall.

I did not think I would utilize it whatsoever, but being able to watch TV on either my iPad, Laptop, or the Kindle (which BTW, already got the free Kindle Fire they offered me for switching), really has come in handy. Like on Monday night Football, my wife really wanted to watch something on TV, so I said you know what, go ahead, I will put the game on the iPad. I had the iPad playing MNF as I was playing some Zen Pinball 2 on my Vita, really could not have been any geekier. :rofl:

Add in the free WiFi hotspots, which my area seems to have a whole lot of, and seriously, especially when considering I am saving $45 a month. The cost savings vs the new features I am now getting, yeah, totally 110% satisfied, even with the bad signals.

[DirtyLarry Veteran]

I am resurrecting this old thread just to make sure, as I have Cablevision coming out tomorrow between 11AM-2PM...

I want the signal levels on my modem as close to 0 (zero) as possible correct? Or do I actually want it to be on the positive side closer to +15?

This is what I am referring to, under the Power column. This is actually an old screenshot, they are all at around -10 these days.

TIA,

DL

[DirtyLarry Veteran]

The Optimum tech came out today, and he was able to get the signals on my modem a bit closer to 0 than they were previously...

So that basically required a full swap of all of the hardware on the outside of my house. Splitters, connections, etc. etc.

He also said there is a piece of equipment on my block that is only temporary and was put up due to Hurricane Sandy. If I heard the name of it I could say yes that was it, but it is basically the component that is on the pole. Right now it is somehow coming out of the ground? I can take a pic of it tomorrow if anyone is really that interested in knowing what it is. But he said that may help matters a bit as well. And come to think of it, I really only started getting these little split second drops since the Hurricane. So hopefully that is a factor in everything.

So basically the only other option I have if I want my signals any better is to somehow rewire the inside of my house. He basically said the only way that is going to happen is if I continue to keep dropping connections to the internet or cable.

So will see how things play out, but I do have to say, I am still very please with Optimum overall. No doubt about it. They responded super quick to all of this (I called Friday night at 10 PM, and they had someone out Sunday afternoon at 1 PM). And it is not like things were not working during that time, as they were.

[Roger H. Veteran]

Looking good, those numbers are still in the "good" range, better than "ok" and "sux" and "terrible!!!!!" :p

Mine are on the other side now with +2 and 3s and no issues. Just ripped down a ISO (Microsoft Windows Server Standard 2012) at 7MB/s the whole way :D

[DirtyLarry Veteran]

Well, I didn't see the need to start a whole new thread, just figured I would update this one...

I am switching back to FIOS.

On the 26th, I will now be a FIOS Quantum customer.

Few reasons for doing so...

Better speeds. Will be going from 50/8 to 75/35. That is pretty damn sweet.

Reliability. I have had several outages unfortunately with Optimum. About 10 overall. 2 of those was the 1 day a week my wife works from home.

One of those outages was over an hour long. Not to cool.

When I was a FIOS customer previously, and I was one for over 4 years, I had zero outages that entire time. So that actually is playing a big role in everything.

Also a few other things, multi-room DVR, a few more movie channels. Etc. It is more per month then what I was paying for Optimum, but all of the above makes up for that fact. I also am locked in for life with the current deal I have but with their normal 2 year contracts. If I did the month to month, would not have gotten as good of a deal as I did. And even though it is more than I pay now, it is not more then what I was paying Verizon when I left, and I got much less then I do currently. Verizon is definitely changing their ways, at least in my area.

[Roger H. Veteran]

Well you gave it a shot and while I don't have issues with OOL per say, I would love that 70/35 plan too for the uploads!!

No FiOS around here though! :(

[Mr.XXIV]

I don't have FiOS available here either. :/ I actually have Optimum Ultra! :p And for some reason, I feel as if 101Mbps isn't even enough for me, or it's just not giving me the full throttle that I desire, or it's just me, I've had it give me straight downloads before. It once went up to 6 to 8MB/s somewhere. :|

[Mannlich]

Just upgraded myself from fios 75/35 to 150/50. Speeds are incredible. Could never switch back to cable.