Coax cable connections

[twcinnh]

Just moved into a new house 2 months ago. Comcast installed a cable internet connection which I am going to use for Internet TV. I just went downstairs to look at the coax cable (I'm using MoCA since the entire house is set up with coax cable and running Ethernet will require running in an outside wall where there is 6 inches of fiberglass. MoCA seems to be the smarter way.)

What I saw downstairs was a connected Coax cable and about 5 or 6 just hanging. I'm assuming they were left that way by Comcast. How do I connect these; at least the one for the TV. I assume I'd need to put the connector on the end of the cable, then use a splitter to connect to the active ('connected') line.

Does anyone with experience have suggestions. They'd be appreciated.

Tom C

 

[PrivateJoker]

The cables all have ends on them, correct? It sounds like someone might have yanked a splitter and/or amp out of that spot. You can get a coax identification tool for $25-50 on Amazon and sort out which coax goes to what room. Home Depot also sells ones made by Klein, which is a good brand (though they may just be putting their label on someone elses's tool, their warranty tends to be solid).

Obviously utilizing the splitter with only the exact # of outputs you need is preferable vs connecting coax to rooms that may not even have TVs.

If you're going to use MoCA it is advisable to only use splitters rated for at least 1.5-2Ghz on the high end. I personally have run MoCA on a 1Ghz splitter but the short lengths of my coax runs and/or non-bandwidth intensive usage of it may be a fringe case.

Steren is a good brand of splitters & taps that many CATV installers use and they are not expensive.

 

[twcinnh]

No, there are no ends on the cables; they are just cut.

Here are some pics. First is what is coming into the house from outside, then the connection, and third the cables that are unconnected.

Is that the usual way to leave it?

Regards,

Tom C

PS I can follow the cable and see which one goes where; so I can identify the one that goes to the TV in the Living Room.

 

[CaptainSTX]

As part of your project in tracing the cables I would trace the feed coming in and connected to the ground block and see if it is grounded correctly outside the building. If isn't then I would run a wire from the ground block shown to a ground on your main electrical panel.

While it may not make any difference it is such a trivial task you should do it for the protection it will offer your network.

 

[PrivateJoker]

Thank you very much for the pictures, they were helpful, however I can't really speculate on why those coax runs are cut, and what purpose they served or what changed to make them unneeded. If you can trace them by hand and sort of inventory what's going on, I think that's the best move. It also looks like there is some Ethernet there?

But I do agree w/ @CaptainSTX 100% on the grounding.

Last year I supplemented the cold water pipe ground my panel had (which is grandfathered in for existing construction where I am) with the current NEC spec of 2 x ground rods tied into a common bond ground bus for Telco, CATV, & mains power.

 

[twcinnh]

Thank you very much for the pictures, they were helpful, however I can't really speculate on why those coax runs are cut, and what purpose they served or what changed to make them unneeded. If you can trace them by hand and sort of inventory what's going on, I think that's the best move. It also looks like there is some Ethernet there?

To connect the Living Room coax what do I do? Install a connector on the LR cable, then use a splitter onto the incoming cable shown in the 2nd image?

Tom C

 

[CaptainSTX]

After the ground block shown in your picture mount a spliter, two output ports will do if you only need to have two active locations. If you want more active locations you can use either or 3 or 4 port spliter but the signal will be weaker at each location. You will need to experiment to see if it makes any difference.

With a 3 way spliter one of the ports will have a 3.5 db loss the other two will be 7 db loss.

If you have signal quality problems or need more than 4 active locations you will need to install a distribution amp.

 

[PrivateJoker]

And if you plan on getting MoCA, you'll want to use splitters that are rated to 2ghz. Like I mentioned earlier, I have gotten away with it without 2ghz splitters, but I may have been lucky, and if you're doing it from the start it can't hurt.

You can find them on Amazon and also they make filters that some people use to reject noise on the MoCA utilized part of the bandwidth, and I even just came across this device which is a splitter, MoCA POE filter (point of entry, not power over ethernet), and MoCA friendly amp all in one unit. Standard disclaimers, I have never heard of that company or seen that unit in action. It just popped up as I was searching for 2ghz friendly splitters.

If your splitter that you use has a grounding connection built into it you can also just mount it to that plywood and use it in lieu of the ground block connector that is already there (reducing overall number of coax connectors & couplers gives you the least loss to start your distribution out with).

You can get a kit or individual tools on Amazon or something, like Klein or Ideal, that will have a radial dual-step stripper, and a compression connector install tool, and a dozen or however many you need RG-6 compression ends.