Hardware Reference
In-Depth Information
Many cable providers now require modems that are DOCSIS 2.0 or 3.0 certified to
providestatedperformance.OlderDOCSIS1.1orearliermodemsmightwork,butonlyat
lower speeds. The latest high-speed (50Mbps or faster) connections require DOCSIS 3.0,
which uses channel bonding to achieve higher speeds. Check with your cable service pro-
viderfortheminimumrequiredstandardbeforeyoupurchaseorinstallacablemodem.To
verifythecertificationlevelofaspecificmodem,youcancheckthemodemspecifications
on the manufacturer's website or look it up in the current cable modem certification list
(
Certified_Products.pdf or cert_qual.xls
), which you can download from CableLabs
(
www.cablemodem.com
)
. Most cable modems also have their own built-in web page,
which can show DOCSIS version and modem status information. To view the page, enter
192.168.100.1
intheaddressbarofyourwebbrowser,andpressEnter.Ifyouaresuddenly
experiencing problems with your cable modem, I recommend you contact your provider
to find out if the requirements have changed. If so, you may need an upgraded modem.
Note
Cable Internet providers have greatly increased connection speeds over the years. If your
cablemodemisseveralyearsold,itmayonlyconformtotheDOCSIS1.1orolderstandards,
whichmaybelimitingyourconnectionspeeds.Forexample,IhadbeenusingaDOCSIS1.1
modem and (according to
Speedtest.net
) was experiencing download speeds of greater than
8Mbps and upload speeds of greater than 2Mbps. After replacing my DOCSIS 1.1 modem
with a newer DOCSIS 2.0 model, my connection speeds increased to greater than 20Mbps
downloadandgreaterthan8Mbpsupload—nearlytripletheperformance!SinceDOCSIS2.0
is limited to a maximum of 38Mbps, when I subscribed to a 50Mbps connection I had to re-
place the modem again. DOCSIS 3.0 modems are required for most of the higher connection
speeds offered today.
Although most cable modems are now available for about $50-$100, you should check
withyourCATVInternetproviderbeforepurchasingonetodeterminewhichmodelsyour
