ARRIS Consumer Care

G54: Cable Signal Levels

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Question

What are acceptable cable signal levels for the G54 gateway?

Answer

Cable signal levels for all DOCSIS Wi-Fi cable modems need to be at acceptable levels for the Wi-Fi cable modem to operate properly. The three signal levels that need to be within the acceptable level are Downstream Power Level, SNR (Signal to Noise Ratio), and Upstream Power Level. If these levels are out of the range, or nearing the minimum or maximum threshold, issues such as slow speeds or disconnects may be experienced.

Downstream Power Level: cable signal sent from the cable provider to the Wi-Fi cable modem.
Downstream SNR (Signal to Noise Ratio): cable signal being sent in relation to the noise on the line.
Upstream Power Level: cable signal from the Wi-Fi cable modem to transmit data back to the cable provider.

This document describes how to check for acceptable cable signal levels using the Web Manager.

Checking Signal Levels

Launch a web browser, such as Internet Explorer, Firefox, or Safari. Enter http://192.168.0.1 into the address box, and press the Enter key.
A security or private risk alert may appear on the web browser advising users to proceed with caution when accessing the Web Manager. There is no risk in proceeding to the Web Manager. For instructions to bypass the alert screen, refer to article 18181 - Alert Message for Web Manager Access.

NOTE: The Home Network Wizard will appear if this is the first time accessing the Web Manager. For assistance with the wizard, refer to article 19497 - G54: Web Manager First Time Login.
On the Login page, enter the custom password in the Password field. The Username field is populated with admin.

NOTE: If the Username field is populated with an email address, retrieve the admin password from the SURFboard Central app to log in. For detailed instructions in the app, refer to article 19069 - SURFboard Central: Web Manager Access.
Click the Login button. The Gateway > Summary page will appear.
On the left-hand menu, click Connection then click WAN on the sub-menu. The Gateway > Connection > WAN page will appear.
In the Downstream QAM section, verify the Power Levels (dBmV) and SNR (dB) are within the acceptable range for each channel.

ACCEPTABLE LEVELS
Downstream Power: -10 dBmV to +10 dBmV
Signal to Noise (SNR): +35 dB and above
Click the > next icon to review and capture all the downstream channels.
The acceptable range for the Upstream Power Level for each upstream channel should be between 35 (dBmV) and 50 (dBmV).
Refresh the page at least twice to identify variations in the SNR, Downstream Power Level, and Upstream Power Level.

NOTE: If any of the signal levels are outside of the acceptable range can indicate an issue with the coaxial cable line cable on either inside or outside of the home. Other factors that can cause poor signal levels are too many or a malfunctioning splitter, loose coaxial connection to a device such as a TV box, or a bad coaxial end. Removing any unneeded splitter, verifying that all coaxial connections are tight and visually inspecting any visible coaxial cables for wear and tear could help identify the root cause of the poor signal levels. If the issue persists or if unable to check for any of these issues, contact the cable provider for assistance.