Can I combine all of these onto one RG6?

[WakeBdr]

I'm currently trying to figure out a way to get my cable modem from my attic into my basement. I can't seem to find a way to run a cable all the way down without major effort. Using my existing wiring I can get it down there if I can combine all these signals ok.

Can I combine all of these onto one RG6 cable?

TV2 from a 522
OTA HD antenna
Cable company signal

The signal from the cable company has basic analog cable on it. Is there any way to remove those channels and still keep the cable modem signal on the line? I don't want the cable channels interfering with the OTA antenna signal.

 

[mdonnelly]

I'm currently trying to figure out a way to get my cable modem from my attic into my basement. I can't seem to find a way to run a cable all the way down without major effort. ....

Have you tried a wireless router?

 

[WakeBdr]

Yeah, I've got wireless, but the signal gets weak from the attic to the basement. I have a lot of photos and home videos that I store on my file server, so I really need a wired connection.

 

[mdonnelly]

I know I'm not answering the question you asked, but I moved my DSL modem from the end of the house to the middle, so I could get good wireless from wherever I was. Does the cable only come into the attic?

 

[WakeBdr]

Yes, the cable only comes into the attic. I can't figure out why the builder did it this way. It's a new house and all the other houses we looked at had the cable coming into the basement.

 

[pdxsam]

Yes, the cable only comes into the attic. I can't figure out why the builder did it this way. It's a new house and all the other houses we looked at had the cable coming into the basement.

Do you have a Fry's Electronics near you? In the tv cabling section they sell splitters
that split out sat signals and vhf/cable signals. You'd need a pair.. to complete the circuit but they work great. I have my 942 setup run with a splitter like that so I can combine a cable modem and the sat signal on one wire.

 

[Stargazer]

Is it wireless 802.11 g or b? The g band will give you longer range than the b band. You could get a LeapFrog system that allows you to receive video through the phone wires but that is a little pricey. It would probably be cheaper to have another cable or two run in.

 

[RandallA]

Do you have a Fry's Electronics near you? In the tv cabling section they sell splitters
that split out sat signals and vhf/cable signals. You'd need a pair.. to complete the circuit but they work great. I have my 942 setup run with a splitter like that so I can combine a cable modem and the sat signal on one wire.

These are not splitters but diplexers and they work in pairs. In your case it works fine because the sat. signals are in the upper frequencies (950-2150 Mhz) and the cable modem is in the lower frequencies (5-890 Mhz).

The problem I see with him using diplexers is that everything he wants to run is in the lower frequencies and this can be a mess. I tried to combine the RF output of my 501 with the CATV signal and I was having interference, both signals fighting each other. In his case he even wants to add the OTA HD Antenna signal.

Your best bet is to find a way to run a new cable or move the cable modem somewhere else.

You can also look into this alternative:

http://crossbarmedia.com/index.html

It runs for about $100. "The kit takes the audio/video output from any home entertainment device and broadcasts it to every TV in the home on the selected channel."

 

[SummitAdvantageRetailer]

There's only one way to find out! Buy two 3-way splitters as I've never heard of a "triplexor" (like a diplexor but with 3 input/output with 1 output/input) and try it. In theory, the TV2 signal and the antenna signal may interfere a bit if you don't have the TV2 signal on a freq. that the off-air signal may reside on. Just buy the splitters from a place that allows returns.

 

[wobbie]

You'll definitely need to find a dyplexer with low enough frequency range to cary the internet. I'm in Omaha and have Cox and I am still trying to find a dyplexer for internet signal. I did find out that Cox's internet frequency is on Channel 86.

 

[RandallA]

I have PerfectVision, Holland and MCR and they all go down to 5 Mhz. They all work with my cable modem. Don't use the diplexers that only go down to 40 Mhz, they won't work for the upload channel.

 

[mikew]

Diplexor for internet is not a problem. I've used 'em for years. The problem is trying to combine OTA with basic cable. That simply won't happen. Diplexors split the high frequencies (satellite) and the low frequencies (OTA, Cable, Cable Modem). There is no way to split OTA and cable.

 

[Van]

easiest thing to do is run your additional coax through a cold air return that goes straight to the second floor, most all new homes with a second floor have atleast one cold air return on the second floor. These cold air returns typicaly are placed in a center wall that goes from the first to the second floor and the wall cavity for the cold air return goes all the way to the top of the second floor wall. You can drill a one inch diameter hole in the cap for that wall cavity and drop 4 - 6 coax lines down into the cold air return, to get the coax out at the bottom you can either make another hole or pry open a section of the duct paneling and snake them out to get them to where you need them in the basement. You can seal the holes with the apropriate duct work tape at both ends or use some silicone to achieve a more air tight seal. Tying a heavy fishing weight to the end of the line(s) will help keep the coax from getting bunched up and make it easier to manuever the lines. When Ive had to do similiar wall fishes Ive drilled a second hole in the same cap to shine a light through while looking down the same hole the coax lines are in so I could manuever the lines in the right direction. Once done I seal the holes and finish up my work, your only other option is to run coax lines on the outside of your home to go from the basement to the attic or into the desired room.

 

[KKlare]

Some cable internet is below 50 MHz so it may be possible to find a diplexor for this with the normal TV range 54 (ch 2) to ~700 MHz UHF. Channel number is different for real UHF or cable. For my internet-only cable, they trap at say 50 MHz out in the street. I doubt there is a triplexor (<50, 54-700, >950) but it could be done with 2 diplexors in the right order, if you want decent satellite. Be careful about getting the correct DC pass for power to your LNB--so really it is a quadraplexor.
-Ken

 

[WakeBdr]

Just to clarify things. I'm not combining anything with a satellite signal, so there is no need for diplexors. I'm combining OTA, cable, and TV2 output from a 522 which is a normal RF signal.


Will I have a cold air return that runs the entire height of the house if I have two separate units? I have one unit in the attic and one in the basement.

 

[Van]

Just to clarify things. I'm not combining anything with a satellite signal, so there is no need for diplexors. I'm combining OTA, cable, and TV2 output from a 522 which is a normal RF signal.


Will I have a cold air return that runs the entire height of the house if I have two separate units? I have one unit in the attic and one in the basement.

Ota, cable, and tv2 share similar frequencies and could conflict with each other, this is the reason why you have multiple channel selections on the cable and airial modulation for on the dual tuners. If the channel you and modulation you select has a corresponding channel in the range on either your ota or cable then you stand to have conflict within a 3 channel range.

As to your second question Im not sure I follow. In most homes built within the last 40 years or so there is a cold air return that goes to the top of the wall wether its a one story or 2 story home. In my grandmothers home there was 2 cold air returns in the hallway, one was at the top of the wall and ther other was at the bottom of the wall opposite from the first. In many of the homes I work in there is a wall usually in the center of the home that and above on the second floor is another wall continuing to the attic and usually the cold air return for the second floor runs through these two walls. Find a wall on the first floor that has one matching it on the second floor and look for a long vent about 2 foot in length and this is your cold air return. It may be located either at the top of the wall or down by the floor, even if its down by the floor you should still be able to drop those lines down inside the wall from the attic straight down. Take the vent off and use a hand held mirror and a flashlight to look up and then down inside the wall cavity to be sure there isnt anything that could block your atempts to wall fish.

I was thinking about something else to, for about $70 you can get upgraded antenna's for your wireless router that effectively extend the range of your router, there are a few products out there that will do the same thing and shouldnt cost much at all.

 

[SimpleSimon]

You're asking for nothing but trouble with what you're trying to do.

As the guys have aready said, find a way to keep the cable internet off of the common run. Then find a UHF channel for TV2 that's at least two away from anything OTA.

Technically, it's illegal to put a transmitter (the TV2 output) onto the same line as a receiving antenna, but it's not likely to be an issue in real life.

 

[WakeBdr]

As to your second question Im not sure I follow. In most homes built within the last 40 years or so there is a cold air return that goes to the top of the wall wether its a one story or 2 story home. In my grandmothers home there was 2 cold air returns in the hallway, one was at the top of the wall and ther other was at the bottom of the wall opposite from the first. In many of the homes I work in there is a wall usually in the center of the home that and above on the second floor is another wall continuing to the attic and usually the cold air return for the second floor runs through these two walls. Find a wall on the first floor that has one matching it on the second floor and look for a long vent about 2 foot in length and this is your cold air return. It may be located either at the top of the wall or down by the floor, even if its down by the floor you should still be able to drop those lines down inside the wall from the attic straight down. Take the vent off and use a hand held mirror and a flashlight to look up and then down inside the wall cavity to be sure there isnt anything that could block your atempts to wall fish.

I don't have anything like that on my 2nd floor. I do have two places on the first floor that have two vents side by side that are each about a foot in length. No air or heat comes out of them, so I guess they are the cold air returns.

I have two separate furnaces in my home. One is in the attic and is for the second floor. The other is in the basement and is for the first floor. That is why I question if I even have a duct that runs the entire height of the house.

 

[Van]

Thats odd that there would not be a cold air return going the height of the home, but I guess your homes size must be such that if it requires a second heat source for the second floor that there would be a seperate cold air return for that unit.

Another option then that you can consider to minimize the asthetic impact on your home is to run the coax outside from the attic down to the basement and conceal it behind the gutter downspots and behind the corner siding cap at the corner of the house. Another option Ive seen would require using pvc electrical conduit atached to the exterior wall running the hieght of the house, an elbow can be placed at both ends and the apropriate size holes made to allow the elbows to enter the home and the coax to be run in the conduit. The bonuses to this is that the coax is protected from all sorts of damage and with it being out of the elements will last longer.

 

[Kandiru]

Van i agree.

OTA and cable are too close in range to combine. Tried and failed.

About range extenders, DON'T BOTHER ! A great solution is any Belkin wireless router, they all have the option of being turned into bridged access point through a very simple and intuitive menu, thus extending the range of your network. I have 4 (3 slaves) of these on my two acres and i can browse by the pool. BTW house is in the middle, and two of these babies are on upper floors.

Hope this helps.