The Cable Modem Blues
Finally, I'm settling down enough after a move to get back to writing this. I have a very nice office set up in the new place. My three desktop computers (an iMac, a G4 Tower, and an AMD powered XP machine) are arranged in a U-shaped cockpit. The iMac is in the center (and looking out a window), my PowerMac is on my left, and my XP machine is on my right. I can get to the keyboard of any machine by simply turning my chair and scooting over a little. Neat!
Internet access is now via Earthlink cable modem. Actually, the network belongs to Time Warner; but I signed up for Earthlink to save some bucks and I've used them before. Really, the only thing they're really supplying is an ISP service; most of the technical end (hardware) still rests with the cable company (Time Warner).
Moving from DSL to a cable modem has been interesting. First, I am seeing higher download speeds using the cable modem modem. The fastest download speed I ever showed using a DSL speedtest was 1100 KBPS (kilobites per second). With the cable modem, I routinely test out at about 2048 KBPS. I have not seen any noticeable slowdowns on our network at any time of the day, so it looks like the user/capacity ratio must be pretty good.
The only significant problem I have had with the cable modem concerns the signal to noise ratio on the lines in the house. Sunday morning, the "Cable" and "Data" lights on the cable modem (a Toshiba model) both went out, and a call to tech support determined that the problem was at my modem. The tech support guy explained that the signal-to-noise ratio was too low, and he scheduled a technician to come out and take a look at the house. (He is supposed to drop by today.) In the meantime, I decided to see if a splitter installed by the cable modem installer might be the culprit. Bypassing it and cycling power to the modem did restore the signal to the modem and speed tests showed about speed improvements of about 6%, though on one test I saw about a 30% jump! More telling, since I bypassed the splitter, the cable modem has not dropped the signal once.
I did some research on the Internet about this subject and discovered that the placement of splitters on the cable lines is a major driver of cable modem performance. A splitter is used to divide the cable modem line and the TV line going into the house. The house's prior tenants had their cable modem hooked up in the living room; mine is hooked up in what is one of the smaller bedrooms. So, I want a technician to examine whether I may have too many splitters installed or, more likely, have my current ones installed in the wrong place.
Why was there also a splitter in the room with the cable modem? My XP machine has a TV-capable ATI All-In-Wonder Radeon video card installed in it, so a splitter was being used to divide the cable signal between the cable modem and the AIW card. I have been watching TV on my PC for years and wanted to continue that practice; but my desire to get more serious about both writing and videography, my desire to get max speed out of my cable modem connection, and my love for quiet in my room are forcing me to reconsider it. I'm going to see what happens after the tech visits today before I make a decision, but I'm leaning toward replacing the AIW Radeon with a Radeon 9000. That would still leave DVD playing capability in place while expanding video memory and adding some shading functions I don't have (not that I'm a heavy gamer). Still, I might keep the TV card (or replace it with a more up to date AIW version) if my speed losses remain less than 10% and constant connections can be maintained. We'll see what happens.
Now, to switch gears entirely, my little iMac has always had a problem with the flat panel display drooping a bit to the left. Just looking at it, it appeared that tightening up of the hinges on the side of the top joint would do the trick. I ordered a special tool and gave it a shot. Not only did it not work, but the two outer hinge pins were connected by an internal shaft that broke when I applied a torque that didn't feel unreasonable. I secured the bearing of the top joint using a machine screw and nut. It doesn't look pretty but since it's directly behind the flat panel, you can't see it anyway unless you go looking for it. For the moment, I put one of the outer hinge pin covers underneath the machine's base on one side to level the display out.
I have no problem ordering replacement parts, but how do you do that for an Apple? Apple ties everything up so that all repairs are done only by an Apple certified facility. I understand the reasoning, but can anyone spell monopoly?
Internet access is now via Earthlink cable modem. Actually, the network belongs to Time Warner; but I signed up for Earthlink to save some bucks and I've used them before. Really, the only thing they're really supplying is an ISP service; most of the technical end (hardware) still rests with the cable company (Time Warner).
Moving from DSL to a cable modem has been interesting. First, I am seeing higher download speeds using the cable modem modem. The fastest download speed I ever showed using a DSL speedtest was 1100 KBPS (kilobites per second). With the cable modem, I routinely test out at about 2048 KBPS. I have not seen any noticeable slowdowns on our network at any time of the day, so it looks like the user/capacity ratio must be pretty good.
The only significant problem I have had with the cable modem concerns the signal to noise ratio on the lines in the house. Sunday morning, the "Cable" and "Data" lights on the cable modem (a Toshiba model) both went out, and a call to tech support determined that the problem was at my modem. The tech support guy explained that the signal-to-noise ratio was too low, and he scheduled a technician to come out and take a look at the house. (He is supposed to drop by today.) In the meantime, I decided to see if a splitter installed by the cable modem installer might be the culprit. Bypassing it and cycling power to the modem did restore the signal to the modem and speed tests showed about speed improvements of about 6%, though on one test I saw about a 30% jump! More telling, since I bypassed the splitter, the cable modem has not dropped the signal once.
I did some research on the Internet about this subject and discovered that the placement of splitters on the cable lines is a major driver of cable modem performance. A splitter is used to divide the cable modem line and the TV line going into the house. The house's prior tenants had their cable modem hooked up in the living room; mine is hooked up in what is one of the smaller bedrooms. So, I want a technician to examine whether I may have too many splitters installed or, more likely, have my current ones installed in the wrong place.
Why was there also a splitter in the room with the cable modem? My XP machine has a TV-capable ATI All-In-Wonder Radeon video card installed in it, so a splitter was being used to divide the cable signal between the cable modem and the AIW card. I have been watching TV on my PC for years and wanted to continue that practice; but my desire to get more serious about both writing and videography, my desire to get max speed out of my cable modem connection, and my love for quiet in my room are forcing me to reconsider it. I'm going to see what happens after the tech visits today before I make a decision, but I'm leaning toward replacing the AIW Radeon with a Radeon 9000. That would still leave DVD playing capability in place while expanding video memory and adding some shading functions I don't have (not that I'm a heavy gamer). Still, I might keep the TV card (or replace it with a more up to date AIW version) if my speed losses remain less than 10% and constant connections can be maintained. We'll see what happens.
Now, to switch gears entirely, my little iMac has always had a problem with the flat panel display drooping a bit to the left. Just looking at it, it appeared that tightening up of the hinges on the side of the top joint would do the trick. I ordered a special tool and gave it a shot. Not only did it not work, but the two outer hinge pins were connected by an internal shaft that broke when I applied a torque that didn't feel unreasonable. I secured the bearing of the top joint using a machine screw and nut. It doesn't look pretty but since it's directly behind the flat panel, you can't see it anyway unless you go looking for it. For the moment, I put one of the outer hinge pin covers underneath the machine's base on one side to level the display out.
I have no problem ordering replacement parts, but how do you do that for an Apple? Apple ties everything up so that all repairs are done only by an Apple certified facility. I understand the reasoning, but can anyone spell monopoly?
posted by Andy Foster at
3:54 PM
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