cable splitter? or cable tap?
cable splitter? or cable tap?
wondering if anyone would know if a cable splitter or cable tap... what's the difference? and which one would be better if my cable is to be splitted up to my cable modem and cable box?
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NotFastEnough
- Regular Member
- Posts: 416
- Joined: Sun May 06, 2001 12:00 am
- Location: Monroe, Louisiana USA
A cable tap is the point where a cable drop connects to the service line... the tap might be up a pole or in a pedestal on the ground. From the tap the drop runs to your home, either in the air or underground.
When the drop reaches your house splitters are used to split the signal from the single line drop into the multiple lines that run to the various TV sets, digital boxes, and cable modems that you have in your house.
If you are using ONLY a cable modem and are not recieving TV service from your cable company you will find a ground block at the end of the drop instead of a splitter. A ground block is basically a straight through barrel type connector with provision for a ground wire. Cable needs to be grounded at the "first splitter..." so if there is no splitter a ground block has to be used to provide a grounding location. A ground block has the lowest dB loss (almost none) of any type of splitter, as it is really not a splitter.
Every time you split a line there is a drop in signal. This drop is measured in dBs. A ground block has almost no loss. A 2- way splitter drops fewer dBs to each leg than a 3- way splitter. A 3- way splitter drops fewer dBs to each leg than a 4- way, and so on. The more legs a splitter has, the greater the dB drop to each leg is.
The "ideal" setup for a cable modem would be a seperate drop from the tap to a ground block, and from the ground block to a line into your home directly to your cable modem. This would provide the cleanest possible signal to your cable modem. Unfortunately, the cable company will not run a seperate drop just for your modem! The only way to achieve this set-up would be to cancel your cable TV service and become a "cable modem only" customer. Otherwise, remember, you have to have splitters to get that signal to multiple points in your home!
The solution is to put a 2- way splitter IN FRONT OF the existing splitter. That setup looks like this... from the tap the drop enters the 2- way splitter. One leg of the 2- way splitter will "feed" the cable signal into whatever splitter you are using now. The second leg of the 2- way splitter will run a line directly to your cable modem. This will give you the cleanest possible signal to your cable modem with the lowest dB loss.
IF you or your installer choose not to run an additional line see Indy's post regarding Directional Couplers. We usually only use these in apartments or " housing projects" where we aren't allowed (thank GOD!) to run a new dedicated line to the cable modem. We also use DCs in the rare situations where the signal is too strong for the cable modem to lock, as running from the "tap" leg of the DC to the modem allows us to drop the signal to acceptable levels.
Now I'm sure you know more about cable installation that you ever wanted to... back to your regularly scheduled programming!
When the drop reaches your house splitters are used to split the signal from the single line drop into the multiple lines that run to the various TV sets, digital boxes, and cable modems that you have in your house.
If you are using ONLY a cable modem and are not recieving TV service from your cable company you will find a ground block at the end of the drop instead of a splitter. A ground block is basically a straight through barrel type connector with provision for a ground wire. Cable needs to be grounded at the "first splitter..." so if there is no splitter a ground block has to be used to provide a grounding location. A ground block has the lowest dB loss (almost none) of any type of splitter, as it is really not a splitter.
Every time you split a line there is a drop in signal. This drop is measured in dBs. A ground block has almost no loss. A 2- way splitter drops fewer dBs to each leg than a 3- way splitter. A 3- way splitter drops fewer dBs to each leg than a 4- way, and so on. The more legs a splitter has, the greater the dB drop to each leg is.
The "ideal" setup for a cable modem would be a seperate drop from the tap to a ground block, and from the ground block to a line into your home directly to your cable modem. This would provide the cleanest possible signal to your cable modem. Unfortunately, the cable company will not run a seperate drop just for your modem! The only way to achieve this set-up would be to cancel your cable TV service and become a "cable modem only" customer. Otherwise, remember, you have to have splitters to get that signal to multiple points in your home!
The solution is to put a 2- way splitter IN FRONT OF the existing splitter. That setup looks like this... from the tap the drop enters the 2- way splitter. One leg of the 2- way splitter will "feed" the cable signal into whatever splitter you are using now. The second leg of the 2- way splitter will run a line directly to your cable modem. This will give you the cleanest possible signal to your cable modem with the lowest dB loss.
IF you or your installer choose not to run an additional line see Indy's post regarding Directional Couplers. We usually only use these in apartments or " housing projects" where we aren't allowed (thank GOD!) to run a new dedicated line to the cable modem. We also use DCs in the rare situations where the signal is too strong for the cable modem to lock, as running from the "tap" leg of the DC to the modem allows us to drop the signal to acceptable levels.
Now I'm sure you know more about cable installation that you ever wanted to... back to your regularly scheduled programming!
Fast Enough? Never!
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NotFastEnough
- Regular Member
- Posts: 416
- Joined: Sun May 06, 2001 12:00 am
- Location: Monroe, Louisiana USA
