Cable modem/phone question

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newbie003
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Cable modem/phone question

Post by newbie003 »

My parents have phone/internet/tv from their local cable provider, so the modem is both a modem and has the phone port which plugs into the wall to 'activate' all phone jacks in the house.

They want to move the modem out of it's current location. However, there is no other room that has an existing coax and phone jack that are near each other.

Unlike myself they have actual phones (plugged into wall jacks) in several rooms (not just 1 cordless system that they could plug directly into the modem like I have at my house).

Therefore, are they simply out of luck as far as a simple solution, or am I not thinking of something obvious?

If there is no simple solution, what are the odds the cable company would add/move a coax somewhere near an existing phone jack? I'm assuming slim to none unless they were paying for an additional box or something like that...

Thank you.
DSInvestor
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Re: Cable modem/phone question

Post by DSInvestor »

Why do they want to move the modem? Do they have a computer hooked up to the modem and want to move the computer? If computer is to be moved, perhaps they can use WiFi to connect the computer to the modem and leave the modem at current location. I believe telephony modems have WiFi capability.
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RootSki
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Re: Cable modem/phone question

Post by RootSki »

newbie003 wrote: Thu Nov 14, 2019 1:15 pm If there is no simple solution, what are the odds the cable company would add/move a coax somewhere near an existing phone jack? I'm assuming slim to none unless they were paying for an additional box or something like that...

Thank you.
The odds are 100% they have a nominal fee to have a technician come to you home and add a new outlet.
Topic Author
newbie003
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Re: Cable modem/phone question

Post by newbie003 »

No computer connected to the modem (just a wifi mesh system and the phone cord).

They are simply re-purposing the room and want the equipment out (it's never really belonged there and always been out of place).
yohac
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Re: Cable modem/phone question

Post by yohac »

Hide the modem behind a piece of furniture. Or get them a phone with wireless handsets for Christmas.
Dude2
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Re: Cable modem/phone question

Post by Dude2 »

RootSki wrote: Thu Nov 14, 2019 1:22 pm
newbie003 wrote: Thu Nov 14, 2019 1:15 pm If there is no simple solution, what are the odds the cable company would add/move a coax somewhere near an existing phone jack? I'm assuming slim to none unless they were paying for an additional box or something like that...

Thank you.
The odds are 100% they have a nominal fee to have a technician come to you home and add a new outlet.
+1 They can do all sorts of magic to make a new coax connection. Drilling through the wall from the outside is about all it requires. Running phone wire can be done along the baseboards and relatively hidden. It is possible that none of this is acceptable to the homeowners because they don't like the aesthetics of it. Tastes vary. It shouldn't be very costly. Cable company should be the ones to do it.
scifilover
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Re: Cable modem/phone question

Post by scifilover »

Had cable co out to house to replace some boxes....Tech reported that I had a piece of coax in attic that had gone bad with signal strength low enough to damage new gear....cable co...(Comcast) will not repair wiring in house even if you would be willing to pay for.....have to have electrician out to pull new wire.....actually needed two new runs.....cost $500 :(
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RootSki
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Re: Cable modem/phone question

Post by RootSki »

scifilover wrote: Sat Nov 16, 2019 6:48 am Had cable co out to house to replace some boxes....Tech reported that I had a piece of coax in attic that had gone bad with signal strength low enough to damage new gear....cable co...(Comcast) will not repair wiring in house even if you would be willing to pay for.....have to have electrician out to pull new wire.....actually needed two new runs.....cost $500 :(
That doesn’t sound right. Low RF signals can’t damage a settop box. Secondly, the wiring inside your home is your responsibility however there used to be a “Cable Guard Add-on” or some other nomenclature that would cover inside wiring. Maybe that’s not available to you. For $500 I’d buy the coax cable, fittings and a compression crimper and do it myself.
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mmmodem
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Re: Cable modem/phone question

Post by mmmodem »

1) Move modem to location with only coax jack. Purchase multi-handset cordless phone system and plug directly into modem.
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/at-t-clp99 ... Id=5800806

2) It's simpler and less costly to run a phone jack or phone line to another coax jack. This is what I chose to do because I didn't want to buy new cordless phones and adding a splitter or running a longer coax line can degrade performance. I had cable TV and internet going through the same line.
Arbol
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Re: Cable modem/phone question

Post by Arbol »

If they want to repurpose the room and move the equipment out, then there is only one solution. Rewire the coax since they do not have another outlet.
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cheese_breath
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Re: Cable modem/phone question

Post by cheese_breath »

Does the cable company have a box somewhere in the yard with the coax running underground from it to the house? If so just have the cable company run a new cable from the box to enter the house at a different point.
The surest way to know the future is when it becomes the past.
scifilover
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Re: Cable modem/phone question

Post by scifilover »

RootSki wrote: Sat Nov 16, 2019 7:15 am
scifilover wrote: Sat Nov 16, 2019 6:48 am Had cable co out to house to replace some boxes....Tech reported that I had a piece of coax in attic that had gone bad with signal strength low enough to damage new gear....cable co...(Comcast) will not repair wiring in house even if you would be willing to pay for.....have to have electrician out to pull new wire.....actually needed two new runs.....cost $500 :(
That doesn’t sound right. Low RF signals can’t damage a settop box. Secondly, the wiring inside your home is your responsibility however there used to be a “Cable Guard Add-on” or some other nomenclature that would cover inside wiring. Maybe that’s not available to you. For $500 I’d buy the coax cable, fittings and a compression crimper and do it myself.
Once past 70 ladders are a no-no.....Nor do I have the skill set to fish and pull wires like an electrician. Climbing around the attic isn't a thing for me now either. I'm glad for your assurances about possible damage to Comcast's equipment. Must be some reason current equipment isn't working right........
Broken Man 1999
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Re: Cable modem/phone question

Post by Broken Man 1999 »

For around $100 or much less on sale they could buy a base-station with 5 total handsets (standalone handsets need only power, not wall jacks).

Plug the base-station into the modem. Plug in the additional handsets wherever you want (and have power).

Done.

Nice thing is they can put phones where they like, no longer constrained by phone jack locations.

Broken Man 1999
“If I cannot drink Bourbon and smoke cigars in Heaven then I shall not go." - Mark Twain
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RootSki
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Re: Cable modem/phone question

Post by RootSki »

scifilover wrote: Sun Nov 17, 2019 8:29 am
RootSki wrote: Sat Nov 16, 2019 7:15 am
scifilover wrote: Sat Nov 16, 2019 6:48 am Had cable co out to house to replace some boxes....Tech reported that I had a piece of coax in attic that had gone bad with signal strength low enough to damage new gear....cable co...(Comcast) will not repair wiring in house even if you would be willing to pay for.....have to have electrician out to pull new wire.....actually needed two new runs.....cost $500 :(
That doesn’t sound right. Low RF signals can’t damage a settop box. Secondly, the wiring inside your home is your responsibility however there used to be a “Cable Guard Add-on” or some other nomenclature that would cover inside wiring. Maybe that’s not available to you. For $500 I’d buy the coax cable, fittings and a compression crimper and do it myself.
Once past 70 ladders are a no-no.....Nor do I have the skill set to fish and pull wires like an electrician. Climbing around the attic isn't a thing for me now either. I'm glad for your assurances about possible damage to Comcast's equipment. Must be some reason current equipment isn't working right........
Low signal will cause all sorts of issues, none of which can damage the electronics.
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