Cable modem question

I was wondering if I can have a cable modem here. My cottage is basicly a detached garage about 100' from my landlady's cable entrance. I recently got cable here, they added another box to their account, which I'm paying for. I ran 100' of cable from a splitter from their cable entrance. They have two boxes over there, and a cable modem. So the cable was split into four. I started having pixelating and sound problems and thought I got a bad cable box. I tried a Motorola signal amplifier in here and it totally solved the problem. I also put one on their entrance so we have one hell of an amplified signal.
However, I also ran a 100' network cable from their router, which is attached to their cable modem.
Could I hook up my own cable modem, or would that necessitate buying my own internet access? Right now I'm technically tapping off theirs I guess. My broadband connection is satisfactory, just thought it might be faster if I have a cable modem in here. But if it's gonna cost me I'll leave well enough alone.

You will have to pay for the service, the MAC address of the attached device is logged with the service provider if I recall. A RF filter is usually installed at the first splitter by the provider as well. 100ft of low grade cable and more than 1 splitter is probably the cause of your picture quality loss.

Yes you'd have to get your own service, as stated by Black_And_Blue if the MAC address isn't registered it won't work. You'd probably get a network page but it would be the "install" page. If you buy your own modem you have to go through the "install" procedure which would require that had purchased a plan.

As far as if network performance is effected over such a long distance I don't know. Assuming you have a good place to place a wireless router you might get better performance especially if you install parabolic reflector like this:

http://www.freeantennas.com/projects/template2/

Looks stupid but it works.

Thanks! Well enough alone it is... I started out with a wireless network card, did not work well; that's when I buried pvc conduit and crawled around in the crawlspace running the cables....

Also, use the GOOD digital rated cable, some are junk on long distance and you can get a bad signal (as you stated). You might have to pay a bit more, but the quality and shielding is much better.

Some cable providers will not allow you to use your own modem - check into that first. Few $/month to rent a modem from the cable co isn't a bad deal since it's covered no matter what happens to it. Lightning, degradation, service upgrades, etc.

If Cablevision in NY is any experience they would blame your privately owned cable modem to be a the fault of any problems you experience.

djackman wrote:If Cablevision in NY is any experience they would blame your privately owned cable modem to be a the fault of any problems you experience.

Ask them what brand cable modem they use. I bought mine many years ago, at three bucks month it was paid for first three years.

It's a Motorola Surfboard, probably 5 yrs old at least. My landlady's husband has a home office and I'm reluctant to disturb anything; but would a newer, better modem help? Cablevision here, their headquarters isn't far away in Piscataway; the place has a lot of huge satellite dishes on the property. When I ordered the extra cable box they put the IO high pressure sales tactics on me big time, to try to get them to use their obnoxious Triple Play.

Old Surfboard will be fine, if you can get them to register it and not bill you for the one that is part of the HSI package.

One customer has the original modem from when they first got CV HSI some time in the mid 90's, still works. They live a few doors down from the owner of Cablevision - funny how their cable never goes out

Buy your landlady a wireless router and put a wireless card in your computer and enjoy the free wireless internet service in your area

OK- now a problem has developed. The router is a Belkin Wireless G F5D7230-4. The cable modem is a Motorola Surfboard SB 5100.
My landlady and I have our pc's on network cables connected to the router. ( I have a 100' cable run underground to my pc in the cottage). Her husband has a laptop on a network cable connected to the router, but now he has a couple laptops in there with wireless USB internet. One is an AT&T USB Connect Mercury, another is a Sprint.
Forgive my ignorance, do those little battery sized wireless usb internet connectors connect to the internet through the wireless router, or " through the air" to some other place?

Now, frequently, I lose my internet connection and so does my landlady. If I disconnect the modem and router for a few seconds, the pc's get their connectivity back every time. This has been happening once a week recently. I think it's the router that's "jammed" when this happens.

Is there a better router we could get? What would we get? Will the network cables be compatible with a new router? I don't know what is meant by "ethernet".

Thanks very much.
Dan

ethernet is the cable that looks just like a phone line except the "plug" is bigger than the phone jack.


if the isp(internet service provider) is seeing two different mac adresses (media acess control) then it can lock up

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MAC_address

I wouldn't be a bit surprised if your local cable franchise is using a cable sniffer or a leakage detector to find illegal hookups. You'd be surprised how resourceful the industry is and the tools that can be deployed to find such users. They also pay attention to rental units by checking with local taxing bodies - eveyone wants their cut.

You'd be better off paying the subscriber fee and avoid the legal hassles - just a bit of friendly advice!

Thanks for replies- They're having an expert come in and check things out.

I might be ignorant but I thought if one bought a wireless router and paid for the monthly service anyone within range can hook into the internet for free and legally as long as the router owner doesn't have it password protected. Like going to Dunkin Donuts and using the free WiFi. no?