Cable TV Internet Service Problem -- Solved

Jeff Liebermann snipped-for-privacy@cruzio.com wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:

7/16 six point deep impact socket. Find the center of one of the six faces and use the little concrete cutter wheel on a dremel or other and cut a cable width slot in the socket its entire length.

The old cable systems had little security "bells" over the terminations keeping customers from placing or removing them. On those, for the socket tool, one must use a grinder and grind down the first 1.5 inches of the socket lengthwise to a diameter that fits inside the bell. So glad they do not use those any more. I still have one of my modified sockets around here somewhere. The ones the cable guys sell you as an installer back then were $25 bucks each (and shit quality). That is a lot in 1980 dollars. So I made my own and all my installations went fine.

On Sun, 15 Aug 2021 12:27:31 -0000 (UTC), snipped-for-privacy@decadence.org wrote:

Comcast doesn't always do good work:

Some of the cable in the photo is good quality, but most of it is junk.

Installs done by the CATV company techs are usually fairly good. Installs done by contractors, less so. In May(?), I switched from DSL to cable internet (Xfinity). Because my house did not have an existing cable drop and I didn't feel like climbing the pole, I paid Xfinity to do a "professional install" for $100. The installer was moderately competent. However, I had to loan him some power tools show him a few tricks. I also had to do some post-install rework. I had asked that the cable drop be attached to the house in a manner that will cause it to fall to the ground without breaking the coax, if a falling branch hits the drop. He said that he understood and then proceeded to do it the way he was taught. He used cheap compression F connectors, which I consider adequate, but not the best. The junction box was badly located (my fault). I moved it along with the ground wire and some coax cable. So, why didn't I ask for all these things to be done right when the installer was on site? Because he was allowed exactly one hour to do the job and I could see that there was a good chance he wouldn't finish. Hasty installs always come out badly and I prefer to have everything working first, and make it bulletproof and pretty later. When we were almost done, it was time to try connecting my equipment to my customer supplied modem (Arris SB6183). With about 5 minutes to go, it didn't work. Then, I remembered that my previous DSL setup had a static WAN IP address but the Xfinity system used DHCP to assign the address. Oops. A quick config change in my router (Asus RT-AC66U), and it connected and was delivering the advertised performance.

Anyway, few systems use hex crimp type F connectors like these:

Everyone uses compression connectors, like these: I guess that's what you meant by "do not require a crimp". Unfortunately, the compression tools are often called crimpers creating some confusion.

For customers, I make a checklist of things to do during the install. Asking for spare cable jumpers, right angle F adapters, through wall hardware, wall plates, cable hangers, etc is always on the list. I also like to obtain a printout, or take a screen shot of whatever tester the installer was using. Unfortunately, we ran out of time before I could take a photo.

That's crude but probably effective. However, I'm spoiled. I have one of these (Ideal 35-046) tools:

The key features are that it works with both BNC and F connectors and it fits in my toolbox. However, it doesn't work with wide or fat F connectors, right angle connectors, or RG-11 coax. The shaft is a bit short but good enough for structured wiring installs. It's definitely not long enough for the back of a rack mounted patch panel, video switch, etc.

They were no longer needed after the cable companies switched from unencrypted analog to encrypted digital, where theft of service by climbing the pole and tapping into the splitter was no longer a problem. However, I still run into them. Lots of tools available to remove them:

I have one somewhere, but rarely need to use it. If all else fails: "How to remove Cable Coaxial Lock"

I don't see why any company fools with the 'tamper prof' stuff any more. A week after they come out with a device someone on Youtube shows how to get around it,and the tools show up on ebay.

I have serveral small engines like weedeaters, chain saws and such. They mostly have the special adjusting screws that I have to work around or buy the special tools off ebay to adjust the carborators. There must be a dozen kinds of those specal screws.

Why do software vendors invest in "licensing" tools when "cracks" are often available?

Why do people put locks on their doors?

Often, these things "keep honest people honest".

Or, keep folks from "playing" with things that they shouldn't! If there was a nice knurled thumbscrew on the engine, wanna *bet* folks would turn it??!

The locks on my doors of the house and out buildings is to help provide proof that someone broke in and stole something . May keep the young children from messing around the inside of the buildings.

There are enough windows in the doors of my house that all someone has to do is break out a window and unlock the door by reaching in.

It may let me hear the glass break in the night if someone brakes in at night.

thank you. I appreciate your consideration of price for home use. I am as much as a hands on engineer as I am a paper design one. In almost all cases, I tend to buy good hand tools because they work better and, well, I hate junk - it usually fails when one needs it most, or it makes the difference between doing the job right or half-arsed. Thanks again! J