What is a cable modem? |
| How does a cable modem work? |
| How fast is a cable modem? |
| How to connect a cable modem to the PC? |
What services do I get with a cable modem connection? |
Where can I get cable modem service? |
| I understand that ARRIS cable modems are DOCSIS® Certified™ modems. What does that mean? |
Why is it important that my cable modem be CableLabs® certified? |
Will it work with my cable company's Internet service? |
| How do you connect an ARRIS DOCSIS cable modem to a hub? |
| Do I need drivers for my ARRIS DOCSIS cable modem? |
| How do I read the LED lights on the ARRIS cable modem? |
I just purchased a new ARRIS cable modem, what do I have to do to get my modem to work? |
| What operating systems are supported for USB? |
Can I connect 1 PC with USB and 1 PC with Ethernet? |
Is it better for me to connect with USB or with the Ethernet? |
| Does it matter how far away I am from my cable modem? |
| If I don't subscribe to cable TV, can I still get a cable modem Internet connection? |
| Technical Support |
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| A cable modem is a communication device that converts digital information (e.g., from a PC) into modulated RF signals (upstream) and RF signals back to digital information (downstream) across cable TV (hybrid fiber/coax) networks. A cable modem has four connections, one for the coaxial cable (cable outlet), one for the power (power receptacle) and the others connect to the computer (e.g., via Ethernet or USB). Because cable operates at a much higher bandwidth than the phone line, Internet access over cable can be 50-100 times faster than dialup. Anyone who has ever surfed the Internet using a 56K modem knows, connections are painfully slow, especially when downloading photographs, graphics or video images. Unlike a 56K modem, the cable Internet connection is always on. There is no dialup or use of your phone line. |
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| Cable Internet access operates as its own cable channel and, therefore, co-exists with the video/audio channels offered by the cable company. Un-modulated digital signals are represented as being high (1) or low (0). How fast these levels can switch during transmission is determined by the "bandwidth" of the system. A cable modem modulates and demodulates electrical signals in the same sense that the telephone modem does. However, since coaxial cable can carry much higher wave frequencies, cable modems are far more sophisticated. |
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| Cable modem speeds vary widely, as determined by your cable company. In general, download speeds are up to 100 times faster than a 56K modem, while upload speeds are between 300K-768K. Check with your local cable company for specific speeds and services they offer. |
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| Please refer to your User Guide for information on connecting your cable modem to a PC. |
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| The most popular service today is high-speed Internet access. Because cable operates at speeds many times faster than a dialup phone line, it is now possible to view streaming video clips real-time, download multi-megabyte software programs in seconds, video conference with friends and family and play video games on-line. These capabilities were not practical nor, in some cases, even possible with 56K dialup. In addition, cable Internet subscribers can be fully connected, 24 hours a day, to both remote and local services without interfering with their cable television service or tying up a phone line. |
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| Call your local cable company for availability in your area. |
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DOCSIS stands for 'Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification' and is the industry's new specification for cable-based Internet access services. Because it is a standard, companies such as ARRIS are able to offer DOCSIS cable modem products that are fully interoperable with any cable company who has implemented a DOCSIS cable network. Prior to DOCSIS, cable companies were limited in that they had to purchase all cable Internet access hardware from the same company. DOCSIS deployments are growing rapidly becoming the dominant cable Internet access platform in North America. |
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| Only those cable modems that have been DOCSIS certified by CableLabs® are guaranteed to meet the rigorous interoperability requirements of DOCSIS-based cable networks. Modems that do not have the stamp of approval may not function correctly. |
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| Since ARRIS cable modems are DOCSIS, you will have to contact your cable provider to determine if they support DOCSIS or have plans to do so in the near future. If so, any ARRIS cable modem will work with their system. |
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| The ARRIS DOCSIS cable modems work with a 10BaseT or 10/100 Ethernet hubs. Connect the cable modem on the uplink port of the hub using a straight CAT5 10BaseT Ethernet cable. If the hub doesn't have an uplink port, connect the cable modem to any port of the hub using a crossover 10BaseT cable. Also, make sure that the auto-sensing feature is on if you are using a 10/100 Ethernet hub. Please consult your hub's users manual for more details. |
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| If you are using the USB port, drivers are available at our download page. No drivers are necessary for the modem, if you are using the Ethernet Port of your ARRIS cable modem. Just make sure that the TCP/IP stack is installed in your computer. Please consult your computer manuals for more details on TCP/IP installation. |
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| Details on LED patterns are available in the User Guide supplied with your modem. |
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| Anytime you replace one cable modem with another, or hook one up for the first time, you need to contact your cable internet provider so that they can provision (set-up) your new modem to work on the cable network. |
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The only operating systems that currently support USB networking are Windows 98SE, Windows 2000, and Windows ME and Windows XP. Operating systems not supporting USB Networking include:
- Windows 98 First Edition
- Windows 95 or any earlier version of Microsoft Windows or DOS OS'
- Macintosh
- Unix/Linux
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| Yes, provided the USB drivers are installed on the machine using USB. |
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| USB is a shared connection. The Ethernet is not shared and is generally a faster connection. |
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| If you are more than 100 feet away, there could be some signal degradation. |
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| Yes. But this is a question for your cable service provider or ISP and depends on their policies. |
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| Please contact your local cable company or service provider for technical support. |
