Lost Connections

The tech (Nathan) came out that evening. He first tested the cable from the RG to the outside. The test came back normal. We then headed outside to the NID. He opened up the AT&T side and replaced some module that he said was out of date and allowed for Uverse TV, Internet and phone. I don't have the phone option and can't see getting it; we're a cell phone family. He tested the connection from this devise out to the network and it was normal. He also removed the ground cable from the customer side. He said it wasn't needed since grounding occurred on the company side.

He closed that up and we moved over to the other AT&T box with the diplexer (I believe) and a splitter...

Now at this point I want to say that we have been talking the whole time. We're not standing there like a couple of deaf and dumb id!ots.

...and I ask him why there are 2 splitters in the stream. He tells me that the one (diplexer?) is not a splitter but actually allows for the feed to go to and from the RG on the same cable. It had 3 coax connections on it. The white cable came from the NID and the outside world into one of the 3 coax ports. The second cable went to the RG. The third was for any other STBs that used coax. a cable came out of this port and went to a splitter. I told him that only the TV upstairs still used coax. He asked if that was the unit with the DVR. I looked at him for a long second and then said "$h!t". He then said, " and you started having this issue right after the whole house DVR upgrade?" Double $h!t. "And how long has that coax wire been in use?" Oh, probably since the house was build, 1987.

So he removed the splitter and plugged the upstairs cable into the diplexer's 3rd port, and I haven't had an error or lost connection since. And it knocked 200 Ft off my estimated distance to the VRAD. His thought was that as the DVR was now trying to handle all 3 STBs in the house, on old cable and through a splitter, it was getting choked, so to speak.

We stood out by his truck and talked for another half hour or so. He told me about the wireless STBs they have now and I wanted to know what the USB ports were for (RF remotes). We talked about download limits and how the cable companies started the war by trying to offer phone service with TV and Internet. He also said I should think about rewiring the run to upstairs if I start seeing issues again.

All in all, he was a good guy who knew what he was doing. In today's world, that's saying something.