If you start noticing your cable modem loses connection or your it is frequently slow, you may need to do some troubleshooting to determine what is causing the issue. Your cable modem connects your computer or router to your Internet Service Provider, and it uses your coaxial cable in your home to deliver a high-speed Internet connection to your devices. What not many people know, is that this coax cable wiring can be prone to issues…but we will cover that later on in this article.
Before you contact your ISP, here are a few things to try when your cable modem isn’t working:
- For New Service – Make sure your Internet is activated with your Internet Service Provider (ISP).
- Check the coaxial cable connection – Check your coax cable connections to ensure they are secure and not loose. Hand-tighten any connections to be sure.
- Test your coax outlets – Test your coax outlets to make sure they are receiving an Internet signal from your Cable Internet provider by using a coax cable tester like Hitron’s DSS-01 Coax Cable Tester. Read more about the importance of coax cable testers here.
- Check your Ethernet cord – Make sure your Ethernet cable at the modem and Ethernet port are connected correctly and securely.
- Power cycle your cable modem – Turn off your modem for at least 10 seconds, then turn it back on again.
- Restart your computer or router – Restart your computer or router that is connected to your cable modem. This ensures that they receive a correct IP address from the cable modem.
Coaxial wires and cabling can easily get pinched or bent with everyday activity, such as someone accidently stepping on the cable, tripping over it, or being chewed by a family pet. By testing your coax, you can tell if the issue is with your cable modem, coax wiring or your Internet Service Provider.
With Hitron’s DSS-01 Coax Cable Tester, you can instantly test your coax wiring and coax outlets to do some of the major troubleshooting yourself. The DSS-01 tests your coax outlets and wiring to verify if your coax wiring or coax outlet is receiving a valid Internet signal from your Cable Internet provider.
Still need help with your cable modem? Read our other articles on Cable Modems and Routers, or Coax Cable testing on Hitron’s Learn section.
