I was investigating my slow Internet problem, and I traced it back to either a Cable Splitter or a Cable. I'm going to replace the splitter, but I was curious if there are any that are better than others? I know Monster has one, but they are expensive (of course).

I tried two cable splitters and both gave me a slow Internet connection. But when I connected the cable directly to my modem....FAST.

Thus, I THINK it's the cable splitter....which I need to watch my TV in that room.

Thanks!

5MHz-1GHz. Anything higher would only be needed for satellite systems. Make sure it goes down to 5MHz, as the upstream communication from the cable modem uses those lower frequencies. In the US, cable modem communication frequencies are usually 5-42MHz upstream and 42-860MHz downstream, depending on the company. A 5-900MHz would be a bad choice over a 5MHz-1GHz as the rolloff might begin long before the rated frequency and you could experience undesireable attenuation of signal. Splitters are widely different quality so you might have to try a few. Also, what type of cable are you running from the splitter to the cable modem? one of the cheap push-on coax cables that came in the box with your VCR in 1988 is not going to do it. Pick up a well terminated short piece of RG-6 coax and you might find the splitters you have in hand are fine after all. BTW, Monster isn't necessarily any better that no-name, and gold plating in this application is a gimmick to avoid. Good Luck!

You need the proper device for splitting TV from internet on the cable line. It is not a normal splitter from the shelf at Best Buy. Talk to your cable company.

What Spiky is referring to is a DC (directional coupler) or alternately, a TAP splitter. Where a typical splitter has an IN port and two OUT ports of equal signal loss, a DC has ports labeled IN, OUT, and TAP. The signal loss on the OUT is usually much lower that on a normal splitter, and the signal loss on the TAP is substantially higher. In practice, one would attach the cable coming from the pole to the IN on the DC, then run a cable from the TAP to the standard splitter going to all your CATV drops, and finally connect a cable from the OUT directly to your cable modem, insuring a strong signal. However, in most cases, a standard splitter is exactly what is used since they usually work fine and are significantly cheaper.

Yeah, I know Comcast put a normal splitter in at one point in my house....I know I have a few splitters in my house already, but I have a Cable Booster so signal issue should not be a problem.

I'll pick up a splitter at Best Buy and see if it solves my problem.

I'm using screw in cables also...not the push in ones. I think they are good quality.

I just found it odd that my two splitters at home gave me the same problem....but, they could just be BAD splitters, right?

It is quite possible that the splitters you are using are either defective or not of an appropriate frequency range.

I checked and the one is a 1-IN, 4-OUT 5-1000MHZ

I hope my problems is this simple....

Are the POWERED splitters worth getting?

Here's a bunch

I wouldn't spend more than a few bucks on one. A few weeks ago I thought about upgrading my splitter and cable (from Comcast), but realized it's pointless because it's the same quality as what's behind the wall and going out to the junction box.

Thanks, which one would anyone recommend? Just a splitter or a splitter/combiner? Not really sure of the difference besides what was said here.

The splitter is used for spitting my Cable coming in into the modem and my LCD TV

4-OUT? Why so many? I would replace that with a 2-OUT. Do you have other TVs in the house? Perhaps you should give us a rundown of your entire cable installation.

Ideally, you want one splitter for the house, not stacked splitters. If you have 3-4 TVs, that 1x4 might be a good choice, if it is working properly. But you would want to get rid of all the others. And if you have unused outputs, they should be terminated.

My installation is this in the house:
Splitter in the basement. One cable goes in the PC Room (where the trouble is) and a second splitter on that. The other cable is to my MAIN TV. Another goes upstairs to the top floor. I believe one more cable goes to a TV in the baement...that is not really used.

How do you terminate an input on the splitter?

I basically have a splitter in my basement, then I need another splitter that splits my Modem and my LCD....I cannot use the splitter in my basement for this, since only one cable is in that room. I have a Cable Booster or whatever Comcast called it so I don't lose signal from splitting.

http://www.audio-discounters.com/200-075.html

Thanks for all your help....

It's always better to have 7db instead of 3.5db on the splitter, correct?

I've been slacking in picking up one

I guess I can get a 2-out....I think I had a 4 out because my TV could accept a few different inputs, but with the CableCARD in it, I only need one for that and one for the modem

Would the 5mhz-2ghz be ANY better than the 1ghz?

I really doubt it, since the additional bandwidth would only be used by a satellite dish system. When you said "It's always better to have 7db instead of 3.5db on the splitter, correct?" what did you mean? On many splitters the manufacturer will label the signal loss in dB at each OUT. In that case, 7dB as a loss would be worse than 3.5dB.

Yikes, just saw this. Let me recap:

From the pole to a 4-way splitter in the basement with runs to the PC Room, Main TV room, upstairs room, and basement TV. The run to the PC room ends in a 4-way splitter with one run to the TV and another to the cable modem. With this configuration you have low speed internet. If you remove the 4-way splitter in the PC room and run direct to the cable modem, you have high speed internet.

That Cable Booster most likely only amplifies the CATV signals.

Anyhow, this relatively large installation might very well benefit from the use of a DC like Spiky first mentioned. To insure maximum signal to the cable modem, I would attach the cable from the pole to the IN port of the DC, then connect the cable leading to the PC room to the OUT port, finally patching in a cable from the basement 4-way splitter to the TAP port. I would then unplug the unused cable that leads to the upstairs from the basement 4-way splitter, leave it dangling, and put a terminator on the now vacant port, as well as on the vacant port that used to feed the PC room (alternately, you could replace the 4-way splitter with a 5-1000MHz standard 2-way splitter). Now, I would a 5-1000MHz standard 2-way splitter and go up to the PC room to replace the 4-way splitter I had up there. Then test the internet connection and the picture quality on all three (PC room, MAIN TV, and Basement TV) television sets. Good Luck!

Thanks for all the help. I actually found a 2-way splitter in my basement, disconnected it and connected to my PC Room (removed the 4-way). It seems to be running faster. I check dslreports.com and my speed was around 5.5-6MBps D/L speed.

I still have one cable dangling in the basement, not exactly sure where it came from...I should just terminate that (any LOCAL stores sell these?) Shipping was $9 on Spiky's link.

I know I can disconnect another one in my basement that is used on the TV down there....since I never use it anyways. However, my speed seems good, cable seems good.

Thanks for your knowledge on splitters....I'll be sure to look this up if and when I have issues again.

The cable that is just dangling doesn't need to be terminated, only the unused OUT ports on a splitter do. Sounds like it all worked out fine, as long as the picture quality in the MAIN TV room didn't suffer.

Nope, that always has looked graet...watched Episode III in HD last night

You ought to be able to find them at B&M stores, Rat Shack maybe. That link I posted was just the first decent one I saw from Googling to show a pic, I have no idea if the store is worth using. But sounds like you ran out of need for them.