I am having problems with my Cox Cable tv and internet. Cox technician told me
that wiring in my house is old (about 38 years) and needs to be replaced. I would
prefer to have line inside walls replaced, rather than draped around the outside
of the house as Cox would do. Have any readers had this service performed, and if
so I would greatly appreciate referral. I am unsure if I call an Electrician or
if there are people that specialize in this.
COMMENT 300429
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2012-07-23 08:49 AM |
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Get an electrician to switch it out for you. Yes, I've done it and had it all upgraded to CAT 7 or whatever the latest is.
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COMMENT 300430
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2012-07-23 08:52 AM |
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Definitely a job for a good electrician.
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COMMENT 300440
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2012-07-23 09:31 AM |
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TV and "internet" wiring? If you just mean your single coax cable used for both TV and cable internet, then this is very easy to replace and run through your attic or crawlspace. Anyone with half a brain can do it. If you're also trying to run ethernet cable then you will want someone with more experience.
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COMMENT 300443
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2012-07-23 09:46 AM |
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Running coaxial cable through your attic or in the crawl space is one thing but if you don't want wires dangling out of your ceiling/crown moulding or popping out of your baseboards call in a pro for a more finished look. Fortunately replacing wire is easier than running it anew.
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COMMENT 300444
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2012-07-23 09:57 AM |
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Pauletto Electric is the best in SB. They're local, and he's a local. Can't get better than that.
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BECKY
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2012-07-23 10:38 AM |
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1. The technician is correct. The older wiring can't deliver as good a signal as the newer wiring. That's the problem at my parents house and I've been trying to get them to replace their wiring for 5+ years. 2. A competent electrician can replace multiple kinds of wiring, and you might consider having both TV & telephone wires replaced at the same time, so that you have current wiring to take advantage of either cable internet access or phone line (DSL) internet access. 3. Replacing existing cables with newer cables is faster and cheaper than running all new lines, as they use the existing lines to pull the new lines through the walls to the existing outlets. If you need new outlet locations, an electrician can do it cleanest, though there still may be some drywall patching involved. 4. There is/was a guy in SB who claimed to be a cable specialist. I used him a few times, but quit when he put a big hole in my drywall that he told me afterwards I'd have to patch, put a hole in my ceiling (that he neglected to mention, and didn't offer to fix), and billed me for more than double his estimate. Go with a licensed electrical contractor to avoid these kinds of surprises.
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COMMENT 300453P
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2012-07-23 10:58 AM |
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The "old" wire is the reason I can't connect my phone upstairs at the same time as the internet. I just use an extension phone for the upstairs, but I should rewire the place. I did it myself at my old house, with the help of a friend. And, I'm a girl!!!! It's like Becky says.... attach the new wire to the old wire and pull it through.....
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COMMENT 300455P
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2012-07-23 11:07 AM |
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Cox told me that on a rental property, they said I needed to replace all of the lines. It turns out there was one connection to one outlet that I had rewired and it fixed the problem throughout that unit. The Cox guys told me I had to rewire every unit to get internet, dvr's etc but a majority of the other units already had that service and it works just fine. The line that needed to be replaced had a electrical surge after a SCE problem and the tenant had spliced lines with connecters himself and that fried. Beyond that all the other 30 year old cable is doing the job just fine with people using all the cox services on the property. I do agree with other posters though if you do change it out upgrade phone and cable maybe do ethernet wiring as well.
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COMMENT 300459
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2012-07-23 11:26 AM |
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Keep in mind that the issue is technical and always needs to be meaured. When someone says "it works just fine", that's not a meaurement. 10Mb peer second is a meaurement. Also, the Internet travels through coax cable and the signal degrades through length from the source, poor cable and from other users (your neighbors tapping into it). Combine length from telephone pole, bad cable and many users and you're in trouble. Also, Cox is aware of their own modem problems right now, with about 20% in the field either broken or breaking. If a tech was at your house, he tested it so you're okay.
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COMMENT 300475
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2012-07-23 11:58 AM |
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I second Dino Pauletto - known him for 25 yr+ ....
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SCEPTIC
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2012-07-23 12:09 PM |
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An electrician can do this, or you can, and many computer network people in town do this too. I'm not sure if you're talking about replacing coax cable (the kind that brings cable tv & internet to you house and has F connectors - a center wire with a metal ring that you push or screw to tighten) or network cable that has a connector like a phone plug except with 6 instead of 4 wires (RJ 45). Cat 6 is current, and there is shielded cable and unshielded. If you already have phone cable, you can pull either coax or network cable through the wall from the crawlspace and connect them in a modular coverplate with the phone wire. Most new construction has these installed in walls before sheetrock. Network cable is a little fragile - very small wires that can break if the cable is bent or crimped, and I haven't found an electrician who knows this - I've had to pull new cable or cut holes in drywall to fix. I'd probably call computer repair people and ask for a referral if they don't do it themselves. Also, SBCC teaches network cabling (I took these classes) and they might have a good referral. Hey, I'm a girl, this is relevant?
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COMMENT 300481P
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2012-07-23 12:26 PM |
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Alarm companies also have people trained to pull cables.
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COMMENT 300487P
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2012-07-23 12:48 PM |
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I question the ~38 years old for Internet/tv wiring. Of course being Cox it is probably coax cable so that would make some sense but if it is UTP (unsheilded twisted pair) used for Ethernet wiring (cat 3 to cat 6) then I have my doubts. If it is regular phone UTP then that would make sense, that stuff has been around for over a hundred years. However, why would company use that stuff for Internet/tv?
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MESARATS
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2012-07-23 12:54 PM |
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RE Sceptic. Yes relevant You go girl!
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COMMENT 300520
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2012-07-23 02:16 PM |
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sign up for the cox cable insurance (it's only a couple bucks), then call them and tell them you have poor service. they will replace anything that needs it.
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SBITIZEN
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2012-07-23 02:56 PM |
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re 300520's comment Cox wont rewire interior outlets if you have the insurance, they will drill a new one from outside, or run along the exterior of walls but will not run or replace inside the wall at least thats what I found out when I asked them to. I had the insurance.
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COMMENT 300605
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2012-07-23 04:43 PM |
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Bad cable usually means a type called RG59. The current standard for a reliable signal is a thicker cable called RG6 Solid Copper Center Conductor. If you really want to go first class - look at RG11. For phone or DSL - the wire in most 30 y/o house is Cat (Category) 3 three pair. The current standard for internet cabling is Cat 5e or better yet, Cat 6. In either case, when it comes to a rewire project - it ain't as easy is as it sounds. Take using the old wire to pull in a new one. If the original wiring was installed when the house was built - then code would have required that it be stapled to the inside of the wall studs at certain intervals. In other words - you can pull on it all you want and it's not moving - unless it snaps in half - which it does. You want a specialist in replacement rewire - look to a good Electrician - licensed and bonded please.
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COMMENT 300655
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2012-07-23 06:23 PM |
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"Oh, seems you need a new johnson rod."
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COMMENT 300664
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2012-07-23 06:43 PM |
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sorry but i can't help you with your wiring problem but can you help me with my sliding hallway door that fell off the roller?
It is similar to a sliding closet door but has no over sized opening on the metal part where the rubber wheels fit onto? I have tried and tried but the door won't stay on the metal roller piece and keeps falling to the floor. Any advice on hanging a sliding hallway door?
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COMMENT 300738
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2012-07-24 07:57 AM |
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One responder already asked what measurements were taken to decide that the cables were bad. Good call! Cox tends to shoot from the hip and that can cost you more than needed. Also, there is no 38 year old ethernet wiring. Early 1970's ethernet was rare, expensive, used big fat bundels of shielded pairs or special coax, and was confined to a few computer data centers with mainframes. 38 years ago it would have been 2 or 3 pair UTP phone line which may work for slow ethernet but not well. Since most of the cost is in the labor, get really good quality cables if you really need to go that far, and use a licensed contractor who is experienced in data cabling - many really good electricians are not as good at data cables as they ought to be.
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COMMENT 300745
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2012-07-24 08:21 AM |
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Call Roger Brown for a real assessment and real electrician. He is so nice.962-8633
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COMMENT 300759
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2012-07-24 08:56 AM |
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Cox replaced ours for free...
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COMMENT 300787
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2012-07-24 10:30 AM |
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One Cox tech keeps telling me I need new wiring in my 20yr old house, but with intermittent drops in my Internet speeds at certain times of the day/eve I didn't believe him. I was told many times "It's not our problem, the speeds are fine (when they came out in the mornings)." After 4 service calls I finally insisted that they come out in the evening, and it turned out to be a problem with the modem they sold me (and I'm still paying for)! Some of the techs are good, experienced and professional, and some are lazy and don't use their ears or brains. I'd consider getting a 2nd opinion before paying to rewire.
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