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RG6 cables and connectors, splitter questions

I am trying to figure out why my internet services is coming and going intermittently.

I will try to be brief and spare you the horror story dealing with Comcast. I had Comcast cable TV service for a few years, but for internet I was on slow DSL with another provider. Last week I signed up on the Comcast cable TV Plus internet bundle service for a faster internet and more channels. To do that I have to go get a new cable modem from them.

Since I already had the TV services and everything was working, it should be a simple matter of splitting an existing cable TV outlet into two - one to TV and one to modem. I did that and once activated I got internet. Except about half the time internet is not there. The modem's ONLINE light blinks and blinks. It seems I have internet most times at night, but from 10am to 4:30pm it's out.

Called Comcast tech support and they had me spinning in wheels.

First they said the modem I got was an outdated version, and to go back and change the modem to new "version 3" modem. Went to the local Comcast center asking for the version 3 model and they said no, that's BS, there is no version 3 modem, they can only give me another one of the same type. I came back with the same modem type, and the same problem. TV fine, internet comes and goes.

Called tech support again and they said yes there is a version 3 modem. But no worry we will update your firmware. After another 2 hours of updating firmware, waiting, reactivating, resetting, power cycle on and off, internet is up. OK thanks. 30 minutes later, off again!

Called them back and they said no idea why, but let me send you instructions on how to program your remote control device, and is there anything I can help you with? :eek2: If there is a way I can reach across the phone to strangle someone, I would have.

I asked for a supervisor. Supervisor said no idea, need tech to come out. There will be a charge!

Tech came out, at that moment internet was up. Tech said, well it has to be down for me to diagnose...but he said I need to make sure all my cables are RG6 and connectors are tight. I said OK I guess I can check this.

The coaxial cable goes from underground into the house's attic. I crawled around and found a 1 to 4 splitter in the attic. I think these cables were put in back in 1996 by the last property owner. I also wrote down all the cable's markings. I can't tell if some of the cables are RG6.

INCOMING CABLE - label "E83032 F660BVV CATV" a black cable. From searching on the net this seems to be a kind of RG6?

OUT 1: This one is labeled "LL82959 (CSA) CXC 60 C FT-4 COMM/SCOPE NETWORK CABLE RG6/U TYPE E82833 18 AWG TYPE CL2" so I guess this is RG6. BUT this cable will not connect to a standard RG6 connector, more on this later.

OUT 2: This is the same kind of cable as OUT 1.

OUT 3: Label "E83032 F660BVV CATV" no idea if this is RG6 or not. This is the line that runs to the outlet where I had a 1:2 splitter one to TV one to the cable modem.

Checking all the connectors going to the attic 1:4 splitter I noticed some of them were old crimped connectors gone loose and frayed. So my next move is to redo those connectors with new compression connectors.

First, I have some RG6 connectors but they don't fit the two cables labeled "LL82959 (CSA) CXC 60 C FT-4 COMM/SCOPE NETWORK CABLE RG6/U TYPE E82833 18 AWG TYPE CL2". I am using a standard coaxial stripper, tried two kinds of RG6 connectors, and both didn't work.

As you can see, the braided shield around the conductor is very thick with several layers. Most of the braid I see has a single layer of strands, this one has it in a cross hatch pattern. They are too thick, especially when "folded back", to go inside the compression connector for the center conductor to "bottom". So my question is, is this a special kind of RG6 and is there a special kind of compression connectors for it?

In my search, some said if the conductor says "18 AWG" it is RG6 is this true?

Finally, does the splitter make a difference? The one in my attic is a 2GHz by "Monster Cable". I saw at local home centers they have splitters for "Digital TV and Satellite". Could the issue be the splitter? May be the one I have now is for analog TV and need to be changed? Or not?

To re-iterate my specific questions.

(1) Is the cable marked "E83032 F660BVV CATV" a RG6?

(2) Are all coaxial cable with "18 AWG" RG6s?

(3) Why would a cable "LL82959 (CSA) CXC 60 C FT-4 COMM/SCOPE NETWORK CABLE RG6/U TYPE E82833 18 AWG TYPE CL2" evidently a RG6 not work with the standard RG6 compression connectors? Are there different RG6 connectors for different RG6 cables? What connectors I need for the thick braided? I bought another kind that says works with RG6 and RG6Q, still no good.

(4) Should I change out my splitter to a newer splitter for "Satellite and Digital TV" or will older splitter suffice?

(5) Should I use a 1:2 splitter on the incoming cable, one to modem, one to another 1:4 just for the TVs?

Thanks for any advice or comments. I have images for my connections, cables and connectors but being a newbie I can't post them oh well.:(

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