Lucent HomeStar System in Home Need Help!

[catteridge]

Hi All,

I purchased a home built around 2000. It has a Lucent Tech HomeStar System installed in it that no longer has any info on it. Kind of a noob with this stuff so bear with me. It has Cat5 (voice and data) and Coax throughout the house that terminate in a panel in the laundry room. See attached pictures. I naively thought the comcast installer would hook up the new router, voip, and cable to the system and everything would just work. Not the case.

First the coax cable - he said he could not just connect the cable modem with a coax cable directly to the panel with all the existing coax cables connected. With so many splits the signal would be too weak according to him. So we identified a few rooms found the cables and just connected them via a four way splitter.

Second the RJ45 data - he didn't connect any rooms. He said I could go through the cables individually and hook up to 4 different outlets to the back of the cable modem or get a switch for all. To me I thought the whole board was a switch to plug into but held off in case he didn't know what he was talking about. In the meantime he said just use the wireless from the modem.

Last Voice - we just picked one location in the kitchen, found the connection in the panel and plugged phone cable from the cable modem into that spot on the panel.

What do you guys advise on getting this system really up and running? As far as the coax cable panel. Is installer right that I can only split signal up to four was or does my panel have a booster inside it that can handle all the connections? As far as data, I shouldn't need a separate switch to patch into, it looks like I need to find the incoming connection to just plug into to activate all the connections. Voice, I'm not sure on where to plug that one in.

I definitely need to buy a tool checking the Cat5 cables to make sure they are wired properly and double check which rooms/outlets they terminate to. I also need a Coax tester/checker to do the same thing. Comcast guy had one but forgot to ask.

Thanks so much for your help in advance! Maybe I need to get a professional out here and in that case, I live in Palm Beach Gardens, FL for any references.

Chris

 

[azazel1024]

Hook it up and try it for the coax. I've seen a LOT of splits and it continuing to work. Now if you are spliting it 10 or 12 ways...that might be pushing the signal level to far. Try it and find out.

For the cat cable...I'd assume it is just a patch panel in there, which means, yes, you'd need to install a switch and then connect each jack on the patch panel to the switch.

Voice...uh, unless it isn't wired correctly, it should all be going to one termination bus bar for the phone. So tying it in anywhere should allow connectivity to the whole house.

 

[boomerang]

I'm not even close to being as well versed in all of this as I'd like to be. Having said that, I have two things to add to the above post. If you hook up a piece of coax to the distribution system in the HomeStar system, and there in no TV or device (DVR, etc.) attached on the other end, you need to terminate the end of that coax. You might get away with a few not terminated (not sure) but a slew of them, and it certainly looks like you have a slew of them, will cause you problems. In the last picture on the far left you can see the termination caps.

You would probably be better off figuring out which leads go where, labeling them and only hooking up the ones needed. It appears you have an amplifier built into the HomeStar system so if the original work was all done correctly and no damage, additional splitting, etc. has been done, in theory you should be able to power all coax outlets.

Also, as the tech did, the coax coming in from outside needs to go directly to your cable modem. (Note that he connected through the pass through ports.) He has split off for three additional outlets but you would want to jump from one of those ports on the splitter into an input port on your HomeStar system and feed additional coax outlets through the HomeStar system. If you use the four way splitter, you will need to terminate any unused taps.

Lastly, put some new ends on those leads. All that bare wire hanging out, although functional is nasty looking. You can buy the tools at HD or Lowe's along with the ends and have professional looking ends on them just like the tech did.

As far as the phone, all outlets may not work if there were multiple lines coming into the house.

 

[azazel1024]

Yeah, to add, with coax, only use a splitter as large as you need and terminating unused lines may help. It doesn't do a whole lot though, but if if the signal is just a hair too weak, it might be enough to push it over in to an acceptable signal if you cap unused lines.

Better yet, just disconnect the lines and move to a smaller splitter and only hook-up what you actively need.

I have a 3-way splitter I use. 1 to a MoCA bridge, 1 to my upstairs living room TV and one to my basement TV. I have a pair of other Coax outlets installed with the wires hanging loose by the 3-way splitter because I don't have a need to hook-up anything at those outlets right now. If I need to, I'll either swap lines on the splitter or hook in my 2-way to one of the outlets on the 3-way, or just get a 4/5-way splitter.

Its not like my coax devices roam much.

 

[boomerang]

Here's some info supporting what we're saying. And yes, the smaller the splitter the better.

http://forums.solidsignal.com/showthread.php/1936-TIP-Terminate-those-unused-ports!

 

[catteridge]

Thanks guys, will def try out your advice. Need to find the cable line coming directly from outside. Yeah, tech said the crimp style connectors often have issues and to redo to compression type. I will get some end terminals as well to maintain signal. I don't see where the homestar patch panel has openings to port via patch cable into a switch. Maybe it's the white tabs above each one that is removable but haven't tried yet.

Any advice on testing tools for f-type and rj45? Most combo testers only accommodate bnc not the f-type.

Thanks again!

 

[boomerang]

Thanks guys, will def try out your advice. Need to find the cable line coming directly from outside. Yeah, tech said the crimp style connectors often have issues and to redo to compression type. I will get some end terminals as well to maintain signal. I don't see where the homestar patch panel has openings to port via patch cable into a switch. Maybe it's the white tabs above each one that is removable but haven't tried yet.

Any advice on testing tools for f-type and rj45? Most combo testers only accommodate bnc not the f-type.

Thanks again!

These are dirt cheap and will suit your needs. You just need to trace what is going where. Pick your fave.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...=-1&isNodeId=1

Here's for coax.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...9SIA0ZX0T82883

All you need for what you want to do.

HD, and Lowe's have them too but they will be pricier. Not what you need for what you want to do unless you anticipate getting into this deeper.

In looking more closely, I'm not sure which line is coming in from outside. I thought it was the white connected to the In and the Out ports but man, there are a lot of cables there. I can clearly see that there is a white from the modem to the splitter. It has to be attached to the splitter. I think Comcast does orange to the house, black into the house and white within the house.

Looks like a fun project. I want to "neatinize" all that really bad...:awe:

 

[catteridge]

Awesome - yeah def want to organize it. I will order the testers. What do u guys advise for updating the cat5. I don't need all the lines updated, just a couple. Can I pull through a cat6 via the intended cat5 or don't count on it?

Thanks again!

 

[azazel1024]

I wouldn't count on it. If they stapled down any of the wire, it won't be possible to pull it back through. If they used low voltage brackets, you might be able to pull it back through. 5e would be more likely to be able to be pulled, tends to be more flexible and smaller diameter than 6...but again, if it is stapled down, you won't be able to pull it.