What are RF signals?
RF or radio-frequency signals are an important tool to help us discover the root cause of an issue on a cable customer's connection. The signals should be checked each time there is an issue with your cable connection.
How do you obtain RF signals?
Signals can also be obtained modem itself. You can find the signals by logging into the modem's user interface. (Usually at http://192.168.100.1/)
How to read signals?
ESN: This is the modem serial number.
MAC: This is the modem MAC address.
CPE IP (IPv4/IPv6): This shows the modem's public IP address.
Signal Levels: The signal strength of the cable channels through the coax cable.
- Upstream (Tx): This shows the signal strength of the channels for upload. Usually, only 3 signals will appear on.
- The upstream signal should be within the specified range. Anything outside of this range indicates a signal issue.
- Downstream (Rx): This shows the signal strength of the channels for download. The number of channels depends on the modem model.
- The downstream signal should be within the specified range. Anything outside of this range indicates a signal issue.
SNR: The SNR or signal-to-noise ratio shows how clear the signal is to the modem. The higher the number, the less static there is on the line. Anything too low indicates a signal issue.
The SNR should be higher than 25bB. Anything lower than 25dB indicates a signal issue.
What is the signal range?
- The Downstream/Rx range of the modem is between -10 to +10 dBmV
- The Upstream/Tx range of the modem will vary depending on the time of the year but can range from +35 to between +51 to +54 dBmV
- The SNR should be higher than 25dB. Anything lower indicates a signal issue.
