FDX/Unified DOCSIS

fmd · 2025-02-13T20:05:09+00:00

While we wait for the announcement that N+X deployment has officially begun... Unified is the new version of FDX that has downstream going all the way to 1.8 GHz (currently limited by old taps). The return still stops at 684 MHz. Comcast has presented this spectrum layout to begin with: This is sufficient to offer symmetrical 2 Gbps. When more of the legacy channels go away, higher speeds can be offered. 3.1 modems that get FDX-L (limited) firmware can use the FDX channels.

crucialcolin

hex0101 Not sure who stages the new nodes (hangs it up on the strand ahead of upgrade day, sometimes by several weeks) and terminates the fiber inside of the node housing. Comcast may choose to only allow their own in-house technicians access to the nodes, as contractors could steal them. Ebay has Harmonic Pebble rPHY nodes listed (some listings include the Harmonic Shipping Packaging), and Remote PHY devices for sale. Lot of 3 Pebble 1’s that have never been deployed, seller wants $1400. Brand new Pebble-2 (FDX capable), $750 USD. Harmonic REEF Remote PHY Shelf: $5000 USD.

Honestly I’m a little surprised more nodes aren’t stolen period. With ground utilities the doghouse aren’t all that secure in of themselves by design. Even If they happened to be locked because of the plastic material it wouldn’t take much for someone to break into them.

Maybe the threat of electrocution (I think cable plants run on 60v not sure about amperage) plus potential RF burns prevents some of that.

Then again most theives these days aren’t particularly bright…
As an example right now outside of copper theft the most frequently stolen item atm in northern CA happens to be OEM late model Honda, Toyota, and GM car rims for some reason.

Tshirt

crucialcolin I’m a little surprised more nodes aren’t stolen period.

and what would a thief do with a stolen node?
seems like an item with little purpose or value unless you own a cable plant, and serial number/ phone home or other security could easily be part of the package should you attempt to add it to a local system, and what pawn shop, or scrap yard wants the hassle it might bring.

MacLeech

crucialcolin Nodes are mixed metals. An aluminum housing with quite a few pressed in steel fittings. They’re usually bolted to a metal frame or strand, plus all the coax cable and fiber attached to it. They’re a lot of work to remove and prep for decent scrapping. Power these days is usually 90v 20A. No worry about RF burns. They can’t just be burned like phone copper to get the insulation off.

Cast aluminum with iron gets $0.20/lb, a fraction the money compared to burnt copper wire at $4.50/lb.
https://www.scrapmonster.com/scrap-yard/price/aluminum-cast-wfe/501
https://www.scrapmonster.com/scrap-yard/price/2-burnt-wire-scrap/851

cypherstream

We had a few emails from Comcast business claiming an outage at the address that just had work done this week. But honestly the sites working great, 589 mbps down, 362 mbps up, 8ms ping on speedtest app. So its just another one of those “boy who cried wolf” emails.
I pestered our rep about it. No need to make noise unless theres actually a problem.

The only thing I really noticed is post upgrade on mid split the SNR’s were a little higher, but even after going to FDX amps its still within spec 39-40 db, like pre RPHY.

meerkathalon

cypherstream What I noticed is that my signal levels only improved once FDX mode was enabled. Based on the limited information available, it seems the FDX amps initially operate in a legacy mid-split configuration with additional automated calibration and optimization taking place once FDX mode is activated

crucialcolin

meerkathalon What I noticed is that my signal levels only improved once FDX mode was enabled. Based on the limited information available, it seems the FDX amps initially operate in a legacy mid-split configuration with additional automated calibration and optimization taking place once FDX mode is activated

Mine did improve when they swapped from Arris mid-split amps and LEs to FDX capable ones without FDX mode yet activated. For example my 957 mhz OFDM channel I went from -11 dBmV to -7 dBmV.

luism1023

crucialcolin Same here. My service out here in Chicago has been great after they upgraded my amp to what I believe is a CommScope FDX capable amp. Chicago has FDX services pop up left and right, many pockets by me. They have been doing many overnight maintenance cycles since they replaced them in June. This is my current channel setup on Internet essentials, I also have a 1 gig plan and all the channels are above 363 MHz.

hex0101

luism1023 Pre FDX node/spectrum config, see the 150 MHz OFDM channel. Any recent downtime or maintenance? Probably will be some more soon.

luism1023

hex0101 oh yeah I know, the last overnight maintenance they did was on 10/1, after the overnight maintenance the 150 MHz channel showed up. Channels were still below 300 MHz until this last Thursday but I was not notified that overnight maintenance was scheduled and the outage map did not show that there would be work done.

Stuff

Has Comcast provided a recent status of where they are with this deployment? They have made a lot of promises in percentage but I am still in a low split neighborhood with adjacents being mid-split.

crucialcolin

bigcoda rather quite on the FDX front these dayd. Even overnight maintenance have stopped since a few weeks ago. I have noticed other parts of Roseville that was previously stuck on mid-split now has similar new doghouses. I’m seeing them pop up all over the city too. I suspect they are waiting until they get a majority of the city covered by FDX equipment before enabling it all at the same time.

They kind of did the same in large section of Carmichael by activating FDX all within the same month last year(although a lot of that coverage was a replacement node + 0 plant strung up on utility poles there). I believe a lot of currently active FDX areas in Sacramento county are of Node + 0 design infact. They may even be testing some EPON based FTTH in a few spots.

bigcoda

crucialcolin rather quite on the FDX front these dayd. Even overnight maintenance have stopped since a few weeks ago.

Yea same here, it’s been super quite around my area in Stockton. At least Comcast finally fixed the issues, that we were having in my neighborhood after the node & amp replacements. Constant outages, and modem reboots were going on for about 2 to 3 weeks. My Internet connection is back to normal, and has been stable for about the past week and half. I was stressing over it, thinking it was an issue on my end. Because I removed the PoE filter and splitter, about the same time they upgraded the nodes & amps. Turns out the issue was on there end. My connection is rock solid again, without the PoE filter and splitter. I’m assuming they ran into an issue in my area. They have three nodes around the block, that they just replaced, remarked again to be worked on. So I’m assuming it’s going to be a awhile before they enable FDX in my neighborhood.

crucialcolin

bigcoda Yea same here, it’s been super quite around my area in Stockton. At least Comcast finally fixed the issues, that we were having in my neighborhood after the node & amp replacements. Constant outages, and modem reboots were going on for about 2 to 3 weeks. My Internet connection is back to normal, and has been stable for about the past week and half. I was stressing over it, thinking it was an issue on my end. Because I removed the PoE filter and splitter, about the same time they upgraded the nodes & amps. Turns out the issue was on there end. My connection is rock solid again, without the PoE filter and splitter. I’m assuming they ran into an issue in my area. They have three nodes around the block, that they just replaced, remarked again to be worked on. So I’m assuming it’s going to be a awhile before they enable FDX in my neighborhood.

Yeah sounds like it. Glad they at least got your connection back to being stable.

I have looked up average rollout for when FDX equipment is all in place to service being activated seems to average 6 months to a year. Hopefully it won’t take that long for either of us but I’m sort of prepared. There is still possibility I suppose they might want to enable it just prior to thanksgiving or the holidays as that’s when family is usually around and internet usage tends to spike.

I still have to remove my PoE and splitter myself. But I sort of figure I’ll know somethings up when channel stats start to change lol

I’m also unsure if I want to leave my gateway were it is in the bedroom currently or potential move into the living room as I’m still thinking about restructuring my Ethernet all centralized into a back closet. Right now I just have one cat6 line between two bedrooms then anouther to the living room which covers the family room through a wifi access point. I’m not sure yet if the XB10 is going to run louder then XB8 which would be an issue keeping it in bedroom plus it still might be adventagious to put on shorter RG6 drop. (The family room is closer to outdoor wall mounted service box).

bigcoda

crucialcolin I have looked up average rollout for when FDX equipment is all in place to service being activated seems to average 6 months to a year.

So it sounds like it will be spring or summer of next year, before we see FDX enabled?

crucialcolin I’m also unsure if I want to leave my gateway were it is in the bedroom currently or potential move into the living room as I’m still thinking about restructuring my Ethernet all centralized into a back closet.

Centralized would definitely be better, if you can do it.

crucialcolin I’m not sure yet if the XB10 is going to run louder then XB8 which would be an issue keeping it in bedroom plus it still might be adventagious to put on shorter RG6 drop.

I’m not sure how loud the XB10 is compared to the XB8? Haven’t really heard anybody complain about the XB10 making noise, but I heard of people complaining about it getting hot. I would imagine if that bottom intake on the XB10 gets clogged up, the bottom fan would have to run faster, causing it to make more noise to keep it cool? Lol maybe it will sound like the old XB6, that people complain about the fan being too noisy.

Tshirt

bigcoda I would imagine if that bottom intake on the XB10 gets clogged up, the bottom fan would have to run faster, causing it to make more noise to keep it cool?

ALL your electronics would appreciate a gentle vacuuming on the intake side from time to time.
by the time you notice the fan noise you are already behind on the longevity and efficiency scale.

crucialcolin

bigcoda So it sounds like it will be spring or summer of next year, before we see FDX enabled?

Searching Reddit would indicate that. However most of the info I have found out there is either years plus outdated or Node 0 related. Not really Node + X since they only recently started rolling out on FDX on typical plants. It’s possible they may be speeding up the process just as they did with mid-split too

bigcoda Centralized would definitely be better if you can do it.

Yeah I can it’s just a matter of do I have the time and do I want to to do it lol (Involves climbing around in the attic again with blown in insulation).

Actually one of the hardest parts might be getting the old electrical box out of the wall which the RG6 drop runs into. I plan to just add a keystone faceplate with two additional Ethernet jacks to it. I just don’t have an oscillating multi-tool to make removal easy.

bigcoda

crucialcolin Yeah I can it’s just a matter of do I have the time and do I want to to do it lol (Involves climbing around in the attic again with blown in insulation).

Yea that’s definitely no fun. Lol, at least the weather will be cooler, and you won’t be up in a hot box.

crucialcolin Actually one of the hardest parts might be getting the old electrical box out of the wall which the RG6 drop runs into.

You definitely have your work cut out for you, hopefully it works out for you. I remember I had to abandoned my old metal coaxial cable box years ago, because of the really old dual RG59 drop going to it. Comcast installed a RG6 drop years ago, when I use to have cable TV, without a demarc. Then when I switched from DSL to Comcast internet. That’s when they sent a third party contractor to install the demarc. And just drilled the hole through the bedroom wall closest to the drop. For me it’s really not an issue having my router at one end of the house, since my house is just a small 2 bedroom house. But others with larger homes would probably run into issues with WiFi signals reaching the other side of the house.

soxrok2212

bigcoda I have several XB10s. None are attached to a service plan, but they do get hot (like all other gateways). Fan is pretty quiet.

hex0101

soxrok2212 I have several XB10s

So that’s where all of the inventory is. 😁

soxrok2212

New node installed today. Not active yet. Looks like a pebble. Hopefully not just a node split, but rather an indication FDX is nearly here. No amp swaps yet either.

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