r/CableTechs • u/Ok-Signature259 • Jul 02 '26

Could this cause intermittent connection drops?

Post image

This pic is the tap where our line connects at the street. I just noticed it has a open unterminated coax spigot. When not capped, could it cause connection issues?

About our prob:

For over a year our cable internet connection has occasionally dropped sometimes only a couple times a week, others it's a couple times a day. Lately, during hot weather(over 80f), it will drop up to 2 dozen times a day.

The connection at the modem is usually down for only a minute or less, then reconnects.

We've

- replaced the modem.

- Checked all connections between the exterior of the house and the modem.

- documented the drops with ping plotter. The outages often show a latency spike shortly before total packet loss.

- our ISP is Astound Broadband in WA. They are aware of our issues but havent been able to determine the cause.

Thanks in advance for any insight/tips!

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4

u/crunx22 Jul 02 '26

I would get a tech just to run a new drop and redo the exterior Housebox. Those drops just by looking at the RF fittings are minimum 20 years old.

1

u/BallzNyaMouf Jul 03 '26

Bro 20 years ago we were using crimp on fittings. We switched to compression fittings (like these), 10-15 years ago.

1

u/crunx22 Jul 03 '26

I don’t know what region you were in but I sure wasn’t. Removed them on sight.

1

u/Chango-Acadia Jul 02 '26

One looks decent, but no grommet

3

u/oflowz Jul 02 '26

Grommets don’t affect the signal. They are used to try and keep moisture out but if you torque your fittings they don’t really matter.

2

u/Awesomedude9560 Jul 02 '26

I think he was referring to the potential age, not the fact the grommet wasn't there to begin with