Cable Modems

[racerxnet]

You have a Broadcom chipset. It is powered by Broadcom BCM47094 @ 1.4 GHz chipset, 512 MB RAM and 128 MB flash. Go to the site and see if there is a firmware available. Are you sure you don't have any high speed switching supplies on the PCB with that LPS???

 

[Kingrex]

You have a Broadcom chipset. It is powered by Broadcom BCM47094 @ 1.4 GHz chipset, 512 MB RAM and 128 MB flash. Go to the site and see if there is a firmware available. Are you sure you don't have any high speed switching supplies on the PCB with that LPS???

This is the router AC5300.

 

[racerxnet]

Yep, and I supplied you with the chipset number from a google search. If there are any revisions of the chipset, you will need to open the unit and look at the numbers. The sticker you show only goes so far for identification. Hope that helps.

MAK

 

[racerxnet]

https://dd-wrt.com/support/router-database/?model=RT-AC5300_-

https://download1.dd-wrt.com/dd-wrt...59/asus-rt-ac5300/asus_rt-ac5300-firmware.trx

There is the link for the firmware flash.

MAK

 

[Kingrex]

https://dd-wrt.com/support/router-database/?model=RT-AC5300_-

https://download1.dd-wrt.com/dd-wrt...59/asus-rt-ac5300/asus_rt-ac5300-firmware.trx

There is the link for the firmware flash.

MAK

Thanks. I'm going to have to wait till the weekend. My wife works from home. I cant risk crashing the network on weekday.

 

[ketcham]

For those who have used dd-wrt - what settings did you find beneficial and those that seemed with no effect or harmful? Is this tweak worthy of an independent thread?

 

[racerxnet]

Memory size on your router will dictate what services are available and how much you can tweak them. DD-WRT is more about security than tweaking or audio. It seems most here put audio 1st and security a distant second. You all talk about how you can hear differences. If there is no packet error, how will the file sound different. If there are dropped packets, you would have dropouts as the protocol dictates that the packet be resent. AKA; data transfer time outs.

MAK

 

[Kingrex]

You all talk about how you can hear differences. If there is no packet error, how will the file sound different.

MAK[/QUOTE]

Did you really just ask this!!!!!

 

[ack]

Thank you for this thread, I have learned so much!

 

[racerxnet]

Did you really just ask this!!!!!

I did, is there a problem with asking?

Thank you for this thread, I have learned so much!

I take it that is a veiled/snide comment toward someone who questions the validity of the router imparting its own "sound". As such, and what I have seen for the most part, this is a forum for those who can throw the most money at audio. I hardly come here other than for the Genesis forum, and that seems to have died off. Like many others, I'll pass to participate on this forum because my view may differ from others. You won't attract the young, nor keep the old.

MAK

 

[Thuan]

If I put my ears where my mouth is, really listen to different routers, switches, and other network devices and said, "Hey you guys, I've tried but didn't hear a difference. Many of you have heard differences, so what am I missing here?", then I'd call that a valid question coming from another pair of ears who's having a different view and an open mind.

On the other hand, if I started preaching people about how impossible to hear audible difference unless there're packet errors or data transfer timeouts etc., in which most people here are well versed, then that would be invalid comments.

 

[seeteeyou]

No packet errors? No dropped packets? Utopia? Ideal world? Watching too much La La Land or something?

Holy cow, even swapping different cables would result in various error rates

https://lightware.com/support/lightware-testing-lab/cable-testing
https://www.anritsu.com/en-au/test-measurement/bert-oscilloscope/bert-bit-error-rate-testing
https://www.cablinginstall.com/home/article/16467287/every-bit-counts-in-a-structured-cabling-system

 

[Kingrex]

I did, is there a problem with asking?

I take it that is a veiled/snide comment toward someone who questions the validity of the router imparting its own "sound".

MAK

It wasn't a veiled comment. It was pretty direct.
I don't know why an ethernet cable, usb cable, LPS on a router or switch impact the sound, but I have personally heard it on every system I have been in front of. And most everyone on a digital thread such as this with a half decent to great system has also heard it. And trust me, few want to spend $700 or more on a ethernet or usb cable, but it all makes a difference.

I remember only 5 years ago people spitting fire saying a LPS made no difference to sound quality in a server. Well yes it does. It all matters. The power supply can make or break a product. Just like the software can. Hence my interest in this thread and my curiosity to flash fresh performance software on my router.

FWIW. I don't want to drive you away. You have good knowledge we need. If you really want to know why it matters, there are people here with the technical skills to better explain why. But you have to come at it with an open mind and accept thousands of people are experiencing the improvements to digital playback in ways that on the surface don't make sense.

 

[zonto]

Holly crap. I have gigabyte internet service. I was getting 32 megabyte. As in .032 gigabyte. I tool out the Jensen and it jumped to 397 megabyte. That's a huge gain.

I removed the three-way splitter today so that the only RG6 run from the outside line is direct to my cable modem. I then installed the Jensen VRD-1FF right at the cable modem (Netgear CM600). It took longer to boot up, but it did get a full connection. However, when connecting my phone to the WiFi provided by the router hooked up to the modem with a one-foot Cat6A cable I could not transmit any data or complete a speed test. Modem kept losing data connection as well. Removed the Jensen and will get my money back from Markertek.

Planning to try simple Jameco linear power supplies for modem and router soon.

 

[Kingrex]

I removed the three-way splitter today so that the only RG6 run from the outside line is direct to my cable modem. I then installed the Jensen VRD-1FF right at the cable modem (Netgear CM600). It took longer to boot up, but it did get a full connection. However, when connecting my phone to the WiFi provided by the router hooked up to the modem with a one-foot Cat6A cable I could not transmit any data or complete a speed test. Modem kept losing data connection as well. Removed the Jensen and will get my money back from Markertek.

Planning to try simple Jameco linear power supplies for modem and router soon.

I bet your modem is 12 volt and router 19 volt.

 

[zonto]

For those of you in the thread that updated their cable modem from an older generation model to a DOCSIS 3.1 modem like the Arris SB8200, what kind of sound quality difference did you notice?

I'm having a hard time believing there would be meaningful sound quality differences upgrading from a decent DOCSIS 3.0 modem like my CM600, but have been considering it.

 

[Kingrex]

I noticed a big difference adding a router and turning.off the IP assigning functionality in the modem. Only have the router do that.

Don't have an answer to your specific question but circuit design and software are very impactful to sonics.

 

[zonto]

Update: I tried Jameco 12v / 24W (2A) unregulated linear power supplies on both my Netgear CM600 cable modem and TP Link Archer C7 v2 router. The cable modem bonds strongly to 16 downstream channels, but has weaker SNR on channels 17-20. Channels 1-16 are typically around 39 dB SNR; channels 17-20 range from 26.5 - 35 dB SNR. With the Jameco LPS installed, the SNR on those last four channels was consistently slightly lower and my event log was full of concerning errors within a short time after modem reboot. The most concerning was a Dynamic Range Window violation. This is weird because the Netgear stock wall wart is 12v / 1.5A, so the device is able to get enough current. In one hour and twenty minutes after modem reset last night with the Jameco power supply, I had over 58,000,000 correctable errors on the one downstream channel with the lowest SNR.

After re-installing the Netgear wall wart, the modem has been up for 14 hours and has "only" ~11,000,000 correctable errors on that same downstream channel. The event log is also clear of any red flags like the DNR violation mentioned above. Going to stick with the Netgear supply for now, and look into upgrading to a Netgear CM1000 or Arris SB8200 modem. I believe I'm receiving a lower-tier config file with my DOCSIS 3.0 modem given it is not fully compatible with my current 500 mbps internet plan that requires DOCSIS 3.1.

The TP Link Archer C7 v2 router comes with a 12v / 2.5A switching wall wart, but I've read that the higher current capability is only needed if you hook up devices to one of the two USB ports. Some users have reported using a 12v / 1A LPS with no issues. I have not noticed any functionality issues using the Jameco 12v / 2A LPS on the router, but I have also not noticed any sonic benefits. Unless my mind is playing tricks on me, it also appears that bass is less impactful than it was when I was using the stock wall wart. I will re-install the stock power supply sometime this week to try and confirm.

I've never noticed any weird noises with my current networking gear or sound quality improvements turning off the wifi on my router when listening to my system, so this was mostly an experiment and I'm glad I only spent $25 for these Jameco supplies. My audio system is on the same circuit as the networking gear, but in a different outlet and all hooked up to a Shunyata MPC-12C with Alpha Analog/Digital/HC cabling. All wall outlets in the living room are Hubbell HBL5262. All network cable is Blue Jeans Cable Cat6A.

 

[Kingrex]

Good post. I have never looked at the error rate of my system with a LPS to it. I may try that. What should I type in the search to find the readout on errors.

LPS vary greatly in quality. A $25 unit I would not trust. The IFI would be the lowest quality I would use..

Data equipmet does like a robust PS. If it uses a 1.2A wall wart, I would feed it a 3 amp LPS.

Sounds like you are treating data well. I use Blue Jeans too. Good cable for the money. My data is also on hubbell outlets with AddPower electraclear and a Symphony plugged into adjacent sockets.

 

[zonto]

Good post. I have never looked at the error rate of my system with a LPS to it. I may try that. What should I type in the search to find the readout on errors.

LPS vary greatly in quality. A $25 unit I would not trust. The IFI would be the lowest quality I would use..

Data equipmet does like a robust PS. If it uses a 1.2A wall wart, I would feed it a 3 amp LPS. . . .

See page 17 of the SB8200 manual here: https://arris.my.salesforce.com/sfc...h/9Nh17rOX59OqJRfv4_PGHkAjUvwIaGiOxdcQQOp_Tyk. Most cable modems have an admin login at 192.168.100.1, and come with a default login like admin/admin or admin/password. This default login info is often on a sticker affixed to the cable modem itself.

Makes sense re: varying LPS quality. So far I've felt the best about trying a 12v Sbooster BOTW P&P ECO MKII ($400 MSRP) with a Shunyata Venom V14 Digital power cable ($250 MSRP), but it seems silly to spend $650 x 2 to power consumer networking gear that costs $100-150 each.