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DSL coax modem? (Frontier) (alien.top)

submitted 11 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

8 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Hi, all. Trying to sort options and hoping to rule this in/out.

Frontier DSL, installed 10 years ago as AT&T Uverse (Voice/Internet/TV then; dropped voice/TV a few years ago) with a Pace 3801HGV gateway. Phone jack was in a bedroom. Installing tech replaced that with a new wall jack that has phone/data ports and a coax jack. Coax runs out of that wall jack to another coax wall jack across the room. Then in the living room, coax runs from another jack there to the gateway. So, outside the wall, it's all coax.

Frontier wants me to replace the Pace. They have sent me two Arris NVG443B which do not have any coax input. Connecting the Arrises via the modem's DSL port to the data port on that bedroom wall jack has not produced working internet through numerous online/phone chats. They insist there is no current option for a modem that will connect via coax, and they need to send tech to get one of the Arrises working.

Short question, I guess, is, is that correct? Are there really no up to date versions of that Pace gateway or its like that I can just plug and play via coax? Or has this ship sailed and I'm going to need tech help? Much thanks in advance.

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[–] [email protected] 1 points 11 months ago (2 children)

You guys inspired me to break open that bedroom wall jack. The "phone" and "data" ports on that plate are connected to... nothing, which um probably explains why plugging in the Arris modem did nothing. The coax runs back to this: https://imgur.com/YF73YX3
That could be my photo, except that mine has "10/13" where that has "19/13."

u/Thesonomakid It was UVerse on install. Frontier bought them out in my area (CT) not long after. _Pretty_ sure the DVR was in the UVerse box itself, which IIRC connected to the Pace by ethernet, not coax. But it has been a few years since I got rid of Frontier TV. For pure cable, we're in a Comcast area, but I don't subscribe. I've never seen any indication of TiVo.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 11 months ago

I'm going to assume it might not be HomePNA running on the coax, then, but is that the only thing you've got attached to the coax? Try outside where the telephone drop cable ends up at your house if there's nothing else inside.

That thing is a passive balun, which simply converts telephone signalling to or from the balanced twisted pair from or to the unbalanced coax, but it also claims to be a DSL filter and there is no way your modem should be downstream from that. What that suggests is that the balun is taking signal from the coax and putting it on the twisted pair, after filtering the DSL, for use by a POTS telephone. What is putting the signal on the coax is still a mystery, but there might be another balun, without the filter, at or near the telephone demarcation.

In any case it is becoming clear that the carrier is asking you to install a DSL modem when you don't have the right wiring to plug it into. You may need to ask them to come and fix their mess.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 11 months ago

I’m not really familiar with ADSL and how it works but I am well versed in RF including DOCSIS (cable).

The balun (stands for balanced to unbalanced) is to change from twisted pair to the 75 ohm coax used by your modem. It seems like an extra step - they should have run a jumper rather than go through the unnecessary conversion to coax.