2.4ghz propagation on standard residential coax between houses

In summary, the conversation discusses the possibility of using 75ohm CATV coax to transmit signals between adjacent houses on a street. It is noted that while the attenuation of RG6 cable at 2 GHz is about 7-10 dB per 100 ft, the main coax feed in a neighborhood is converted to a fiber optic line at a node, which would limit the distance the coax can transmit. It is also mentioned that in the US, major cable companies use fiber optic networks to service large metropolitan areas and the coax cable is split multiple times to service multiple customers. It is concluded that it is not possible to use the coax between houses to transmit signals as it is filtered and illegal to tamper with the cable company's network.
  • #1
mastafoo
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I know 75ohm CATV coax is anything but ideal for 2.4GHz, but I am still curious as to how far these signals will travel upstream through the existing local cable network (splitters, etc) laid by the cable company, and if they could be transmitted between adjacent houses on a street. Example: an AP is connected directly via F connector to the coax line at one house and client at a nearby house connects to their coax, allowing Tx/Rx completely through the cable. Surely several hundred milliwatts should be able to push through.

Thanks
 
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  • #2
The attenuation of RG6 cable at 2 GHz is about 7 or 10 dB per 100 ft if I remember correctly. These cables are used extensively for home satellite TV which works by taking a chunk of 1 GHz to 2 GHz IF signal from the LNB converter at the dish to the satellite receiver in the living room.

Edit:
And as far as the local cable network is concerned, the main coax feed which splits to houses in a neighborhood is converted to a fiber optic line at a node. It is the fiber optic that eventually makes its way to the cable company which could be many miles away. So the coax itself doesn't get very far from the house anyway.
 
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  • #3
waht said:
snip

Edit:
And as far as the local cable network is concerned, the main coax feed which splits to houses in a neighborhood is converted to a fiber optic line at a node. It is the fiber optic that eventually makes its way to the cable company which could be many miles away. So the coax itself doesn't get very far from the house anyway.

interesting... wonder where you live ? and how new the network is ?

I'm in Sydney , Australia and there are 2 maj cable networks by 2 of the maj comms companies. They ARE cable all the way from source to customer.

I don't bother with cable TV jst a waste of money, but I do get my phone and internet service over that cable network. I havent, as yet, discovered what the freq range is used for the network.

cheers
Dave
 
  • #4
I subscribe to cable internet and TV (comcast), and have reason to believe that my node is shared between a hundred or so houses in the neighborhood. In that case I guess it could be possible to use this coax between the houses to send signals (802.11g or maybe video). I'm just not sure if there are any upstream filters or anything like that installed which would attenuate the signals, or if 75ohm rg6 will even match wifi cards' impedance
 
  • #5
davenn said:
interesting... wonder where you live ? and how new the network is ?

I'm in Sydney , Australia and there are 2 maj cable networks by 2 of the maj comms companies. They ARE cable all the way from source to customer.
I don't bother with cable TV jst a waste of money, but I do get my phone and internet service over that cable network. I havent, as yet, discovered what the freq range is used for the network.

cheers
Dave

In the US, most of the major cable companies are running huge fiber optics networks to service large metropolitan areas. Those fiber optic cables begin at the headend and end at a node in some neighborhood (although there are some exceptions). The node is just a small box hanging at a pole, or could be accessed underground, where it converts the lightwave from a fiber into an RF cable signal between 50-850 MHz downstream, and 5-40 MHz upstream. The coax cable is then split multiple times and can service 500 to a few thousands customers at a time.

mastafoo said:
I subscribe to cable internet and TV (comcast), and have reason to believe that my node is shared between a hundred or so houses in the neighborhood. In that case I guess it could be possible to use this coax between the houses to send signals (802.11g or maybe video). I'm just not sure if there are any upstream filters or anything like that installed which would attenuate the signals, or if 75ohm rg6 will even match wifi cards' impedance

It's not possible to do that. Upsteam for Comcast ends at about 40 MHz, and it sure is filtered. And also, it's illegal to tamper with their networks by injecting a foreign signal into it.
 

1. What is 2.4ghz propagation?

2.4ghz propagation refers to the way in which radio signals at the 2.4ghz frequency travel through a medium, such as standard residential coaxial cables, between houses.

2. Why is 2.4ghz propagation important for residential coax between houses?

2.4ghz propagation is important for residential coax between houses because it determines the quality and strength of the wireless signal that is transmitted between devices in different households.

3. How does 2.4ghz propagation affect internet connectivity between houses?

2.4ghz propagation can affect internet connectivity between houses by causing signal interference or weakening the signal as it travels through the residential coaxial cables. This can result in slower internet speeds or even disconnections.

4. What factors can influence 2.4ghz propagation on standard residential coax?

There are several factors that can influence 2.4ghz propagation on standard residential coax, including distance between houses, the quality of the coaxial cables, and any obstructions or interference from other devices.

5. How can 2.4ghz propagation on standard residential coax between houses be improved?

To improve 2.4ghz propagation on standard residential coax between houses, it is important to use high-quality cables, minimize the distance between houses, and reduce any sources of interference. Upgrading to a higher frequency band, such as 5ghz, may also improve signal strength and connectivity.

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