RCA DCM205 Digital Broadband Cable Modem Instruction Manual

Digital BROADBAND CABLE MODEM

SAFETY/ IN FORM ATI ON

CAUTION
Disconnect power before servicing.

CAUTION
To ensure reliable operation and to prevent overheating, provide adequate ventilation for this modem and keep it away from heat sources. Do not locate near heat registers or other heat-producing equipment. Provide for free airflow around the cable modem and its power supply.

CABLE INSTALLER:

This reminder is provided to call your attention to Article 820-40 of the National Electrical Code (Section 54 of the Canadian Electrical Code, Part 1) which provides guidelines for proper grounding and, in particular, specifies that the cable ground shall be connected to the grounding system of the building as close to the point of cable entry as practical.

DOCSIS-compliant
This product was designed according to Data Over Cable Service Interface 4)specifications. It will operate on any DOCSIS-compliant Hybrid Fiber Coax (HFC) cable system and offers DOCSIS Baseline Privacy to promote secure internet transactions.
If you purchased this product at a retail outlet. please read the following:

Product Registration
Please fill out the product registration card that came with this modem and return it immediately.
Ret turning the card allows us to contact you if needed.
Keep your sales receipt to obtain warranty parts and service and for proof of purchase. At tach it here and record the serial and model numbers in case you need them. The numbers are located on the back of the modem.
M odel No. ____________________________________________________
Serial No. ____________________________________________________
Purchase Dat e: ________________________________________________
Dealer/Address/Phone: _________________________________________

Introduction

Cable Modem Features

• Capable of receiving data at rates of up to 6000K (6 Megabit s per second, over 100 times faster than 56K)
• Ability to send and receive data over the cable line
• Plug-and-play operation for easy setup and installation
• Compliance to DOCSIS specif at ion (see page 12)
• ON/OFF But t on to put the Ethernet port in standby mode
• Email wait ing not if icat ion capability
• Diagnose ic light patterns on the modem
• bill y to receive automatic software updates, if initiated by your cable company.

‡ The following may affect the speed of your cable modem: your computer equipment and con creation (processor speed, amount of RAM, available disk space); the number of programs you are running at the same time; the capacity of your ISP; network traffic levels; the number of Ethernet or USB devices in use on your computer. Your cable company may or may not fully support the speed capability es of t his modem.

Computer Requirements

• Personal Comput with the following minimum system requirements (note that the minimum requirements may vary by cable company):

* Window s is a trademark of the M Microsoft Corporation
* * Macintosh and the Mac OS are trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc.

Cable Modem Overview

ca bl e i n t er n et ser v i ce r eq u i r em en t s
• Cable company that offers DOCSIS-compliant internet services

What The Modem Does
The RCA Digital Cable Modem serves as at w o-w a high-speed bridge between your personal computer and a cable Internet Service Provider (ISP). It converts s inf formation that originates from the Internet or your Computer into electronic messages that can be transported over the same wires your cable company uses to transport video signals.

What The Modem Needs To Do Its Job
The Right Cable Company Make sure your local cable company provides data services that use cable TV industry-standard DOCSIStechnology.
The In t er n et Ser v ice Pr o v id er (Isp) Your cable company gives you access to an Internet Service Provider (ISP). The ISPisyour gateway to the Internet. It provides you with a pipeline to access Internet content on the World Wide Web (WWW).
Check with your cable company to make sure you have everything you need to begin; they’ll know if you need to install special software or reconfigure your computer to make your cable internet service work for you.

before you begin

Contact Your Local Cable Company
You will need to contact your cable company to establish an Internet account before you can use your modem. You should have the follow ing information (which you will find on the sticker on the modem) ready:

• The serial number
• The Media Access Control (MAC) address
• The model number of the modem

Record your inf ormat ion here:
Serial Number: _________________________
M AC Address: __________________________
M odel Number: _________________________

Please verify the following with the cable company :

• The cable service to your home supports DOCSIS-compliant t w o-w ay modem access.
• Your Internet account has been set up.
• You have a cable outlet near your PC and it is ready for cable modem service.

CAUTION
Your cable company should always be consulted before installing a new cable outlet. Do not attempt any rewiring w it houtcont acting your cable company first.

Connecting the Cable Modem

NOTE: It is important to supply power to the modem at all times. Keeping your modem plugged in will keep it connected to the Internet. This means that it will always be ready when you are. To disconnect just your computer from the Internet using the ON/ OFF button to put the modem in standby mode.

Connecting the Cable Modem

You need three cables to make the necessary connections:

• Ethernet cable. M ake sure that t his cable is straight-wired (not “ null” or crossover-wired). However, you will need a crossover-type cable if you are connecting the modem to a hub, or a hub w it hin a port switch that provides the same function.
• AC adapter provided w it h your cable modem.
• A standard RG-6 coaxial cable or one recommended by your Cable Operator.

Connecting The Cable Modem To A Single Computer: Make the connections to the modem in the following sequence:

1. Connect one end of the coaxial cable to the cable connection in the wall, and the ot her end to the connector on the modem labeled “ Cable In.”
2. Insert the cord from the AC adapter into the “ Power AC Adapter #:1544907* ”
   # jack on t he cable modem. Then plug t he adapt er int o an AC out let . that is compatible w ith this unit. Using other adapters may damage the unit.
   NOTE: Use the Thomson pow er supply Stock # 1544907*
3. Connect one end of t he Et hernet cable (st raight -w ired, see above) t o t he Et hernet port on t he back of your comput er, and t he ot her end t o t he connect or labeled “ Et hernet ” on t he cable modem’s back panel. Alt ernat lively, a USB-t o-Et hernet adapt er w ill allow you t o connect t his modem t o your comput er’s USB port .
   4. Insert t he RCA CD-ROM int o your CD-ROM drive t o view t roubleshoot ing t ips, t he int ernal diagnost ics and ot her valuable inf ormat ion.
   CD-ROM Cont ent s:
   • Links t o RCA w eb sit es=
   • Elect ronic f ile of t his Inst ruct ion Book
   • Usage and t roubleshoot ing t ips
   • Inf ormat ion about ot her RCA product s
   • Third-part y applicat ion sof t w are
   ‡ Please not e t hat t he last digit of t he st ock number on t he pow er supply may vary. The f irst 7 digit s should mat ch t he number above.

Connecting M ore Than One Computer to the Cable M odem
Yo u ’ll need t he f ollow ing equipment :

• Crossover-w ired, or “ null,” cat egory 5 Et hernet cable
• 10BaseT or 100BaseT Hub or Sw it ch
• St raight t hrough, or st andard, cat egory 5 Et hernet cable (one f or each comput er t o be connect ed)
  If you have a hub w it h an uplink port * , a st raight t hrough cable can be used in combinat ion w it h t hat port in lieu of t he crossover cable.

* An uplink port has a small sw it ch on it t o change t he polarit y of t he connect ion. It can accept eit her a cross-over or a st raight , depending on t he set t ing.

a ct i v a t i n g t h e Ca bl e M o d em

i n i t i a l i z a t i o n m o d e
Af t er you inst all t he cable modem and t urn it on f or t he f irst t ime (and each t ime t he modem is reconnect ed t o t he pow er) it goes t hrough f I’ve st eps bef ore it can be used. Each of t hese st eps is represent ed by a diff erent pat t ern of f lashing light s on t he f ront of t he modem.

1. Tuning – The cable modem is f unct ional and searching f or a dow nst ream cable modem service channel on your cable syst em.
2. Ranging – The modem is now t uned t o a dow nst ream cable modem channel and can now receive dat a. Now it searches f or an upst ream channel so t hat it can send dat a.
3. Connect ing – The cable modem is now communicat ing st art -up dat a bot h dow nst ream and upst ream. The cable company is est ablishing IP connect ivit y w it h your modem.
4. Conf iguring – The cable modem received it s IP address and is dow nloading it s conf igurat ion f ile f rom t he ISP.
5. Regist ering – The cable modem conf igurat ion is complet e. It is regist ering it s “ as-conf igured” set t ings   it h your Cable Operat or. Once complet e, t he light s w ill xst op f lashing and t he modem w ill ent er Operat ional M ode.

U si n g t h e Ca bl e M o d em

Bu t t o n s

• On/Off – Turns t he modem on or put s it in st and-by mode. Placing t he cable modem in st and-by mode (t he “ off ” posit ion) allow s f or cont inued st at us monit oring f rom t he cable net w ork. This also disconnect s your comput er f rom t he Int ernet f or added securit y. Do not press t his but t on w hen t ransmit t ing dat a over t he int ernet . The inf ormat ion w ill be lost along w it h your Int ernet connect ion.

Li g h t I n d i ca t o r s – OPERATI ON AL M ODE 

• Pow er – Indicat es w het her cable modem is in act ive or st and-by mode. The light is off w hen t he modem is in st and-by mode, and on w hen t he pow er is act ivat ed and in t he operat ional mode.
• PC Link – Indicat es w het her t he Et hernet connect ion is act ive, ready t o t ransmit / receive, or act ually t ransmit t ing/receiving. The light is off w hen no Et hernet carrier is present or t he modem is in st and-by mode, on w hen t he Et hernet carrier is present but t here’s no t ransmit /receive act ivit y, and f lashing w hen t here is Et  Ernest t ransmit / receive act ivit y.
• Cable – Indicat es t he st at us of your cable connect ion. The light is off w hen no cable connect ion is det ect ed or t he modem is in st and-by mode and f ully lit w hen t he modem is regist ered w it h t he net w ork and dat a can be sent .
• Activity – Indicat es t he exist ence of dat a t raff ic in t he cable lines. The light is off w hen no dat a t raff ic is present and f lashing w hen dat a act ivit y exist s.
• Email – This light f lashes w hen you have mail. (Check w it h your service provider t o make sure t hey off er t his f eat ure.)

Note: If all of t he light s are f lashing sequent ially, it means t he cable modem is aut omat ically updat ing it s syst em sof t w are. Please w ait f or t he light s t o st op f lashing. Do not remove t he pow er supply or reset t he cable modem during t his process.

Reset Sw i t ch

• The reset sw it ch can be f ound behind a “ t oot hpick hole” on t he back panel. It perf orms t w o f unct ions:

1. Basic Reset – Press and release t he sw it ch t o make it perf orm t he same f unct ion as disconnect ing t he pow er f rom t he modem. It w ill st art up again in Init ializat ion M ode.
2. Factory Default Reset – Unplug t he modem f rom t he AC pow er. Press and hold t he reset sw it ch w hile plugging t he modem int o AC pow er. Cont inue holding t he but t on. Release t he but t on w hen all light s come on (about 6 seconds). This w ill ret urn t he modem t o a f act ory “ out of box” condit ion. This should only be done if the cable modem has been taken out of service in one location and is being reconnected to a different service, or if instructed to do so by your cable company.

Ot h er St a t u s Li g h t s

Three ot her st at us light pat t erns you may see are:

De-Act ivat ed – Cable Service Operat or has de-act ivat ed t he cable modem. The Cable Light f lashes slow ly.
Sof t w are dow nloading or updat e in progress. Light s f lash sequent ially f rom t op t o bot t om.

All light s are off . The Cable M odem is in St andby M ode or is not receiving AC pow er.

FREQU EN TLY ASKED QU ESTI ON S

Q. What if I don’t subscribe to cable TV?
A. If cable TV is available in your area, dat a service may be made available w it h or w it hout cable TV service. Cont act your local cable company f or complet e inf ormat ion on cable services, including high-speed int ernet access.

Q. How do I get the system installed?
A. Prof essional inst allat ion f rom your cable provider is st rongly recommended. They w ill ensure proper cable connect ion t o t he modem and your comput er.
How ever, your ret ailer may have off ered a self inst allat ion kit , including t he necessary sof t w are t o communicat e w it h your cable ISP .

Q. How does the RCA DCM connect to my computer?
A. If you have a comput er t hat meet s t he minimum syst em requirement s show n in t his book, you’re all set ! The RCA modem connect s t o your comput er’s 10BaseT or 100BaseT Et hernet port . If your comput er is not equipped w it h an Et hernet int erf ace, an Et hernet card is available f rom your local ret ailer or your cable provider. Alt ernat ively, a USB-t o-Et hernet adapt er w ill allow you t o connect t his modem t o your comput er’s USB port .

Q. Once my DCM is connected, how do I get access to the internet?
A. Your local cable company provides your Int ernet Service* , off ering a w ide range of services including email, chat , and new s and inf ormat ion services and a connect ion t o t he w orld w ide w eb.

Q. Can I w atch TV and surf the internet at the same time?
A. Absolut ely! And your phone line w on’t be t ied up w hile you’re online.

Q. Can I run more than one computer on the modem?
A. Yes – a single RCA DCM can support up t o 32 comput ers.* *

Q. What do you mean by “broadband”?
A. Simply put , it means you’ll be get t ing inf ormat ion t hrough a “ bigger pipe,” w it h more bandw idt h, t han a st andard phone line can off er. A w ider, “ broader” band means more inf ormat ion, more quickly.

Q. What is DOCSIS and w hat does it mean?
A. “ Dat a Over Cable Service Int erf ace Specif icat ions” is t he indust ry st andard t hat virt ually all cable companies are adopt ing as t hey upgrade t heir syst ems. Should you ever decide t o move, t he RCA DCM w ill w ork w it h virt ually all upgraded cable syst ems in Nort h America because it is DOCSIS-compliant .

* M ont hly subscript ion f ee applies.
* * Addit ional equipment required. Cont act your cable company and ISP f or any rest rict ions or addit ional f ees.

Troubleshooting

N o t h i n g h a ppen s w h en I pr ess t h e o n / o f f bu t t o n .

• M ake sure t hat t he AC adapt er is f ully plugged int o a w all out let .
• M ake sure t hat t he pow er supply cord is f ully insert ed int o t he AC adapt er connect ion on t he back of t he modem.
• Double-check t hat t he AC out let you are using is not cont rolled by a sw it ch t hat is t urned off .

Al l o f t h e l i g h t s a r e f l a sh i n g i n seq u en ce.

• This means t he cable modem is aut omat ically updat ing it s syst em sof t w are.
  Please w ait f or t he light s t o st op f lashing. The updat ing process t ypically last s less t han one minut e.
• Do not remove t he pow er supply or reset t he cable modem during t his process.

Th e l i g h t l a bel l ed “em a i l ” i s f l a sh i n g .

• This means you have new mail t o check.

Th e l i g h t l a bel l ed “em a i l ” d o es n o t f l a sh .

• This may mean t hat your service provider does not off er t his f eat ure. I ca n ’t g et t h e m o d em t o est a bl i sh a n et h er n et co n n ect i o n .
• Even new comput ers don’t alw ays have Et hernet capabilit ies – be sure t o verif yt hat your comput er has a properly inst alled Et hernet card and t he driver sof t w are t o support it .
• Check t o see t hat you are using t he right t ype of Et hernet cable (see page 6).

Th e m o d em w o n ’t r eg i st er a ca bl e co n n ect i o n (Ca bl e l i g h t n o t o nco n t i n u o u sl y ).

• If t he modem is in Init ializat ion M ode, t he Pow er Light w ill be f lashing. Call your Cable company if it has not complet ed t his 5-st ep process w it hin 30 minut es, and not e w hich st ep it is get t ing st uck on. See page 8 f or det ails.
• The modem should w ork w it h a st andard RG-6 coaxial cable, but if you’re using a cable ot her t han one your cable company recommends, or if t he t terminal connect ions are loose, it may not w ork. Check w it h your cable company t o det ermine w het her you’re using t he correct cable.
• If you subscribe t o video service over cable, t he cable signal may not be reaching t he modem. Conf irm t hat good qualit y cable t elevision pict ures are available t o t he coaxial connect or you are using by connect ing a t elevision t o it . If your cable out let is “ dead” call your Cable company.
• Verif y t hat t he cable modem service is DOCSIS-compliant by calling your cable provider.

I ca n ’t a ccess t h e i n t er n et o r m y em a i l

• Check all of t he connect ions t o your cable modem.
• Your Et hernet card may not be w orking. Check it ’s document at ion f or more inf ormat ion.
• The Net w ork Propert ies of your operat ing syst em may not be inst alled correct ly or t he set t ings may be incorrect . Check w it h your ISP or cable company.
  For more Usage and Troubleshooting Tips go to: http://www.cable-modem.rca.com/help

Ser v i ce I N FORM ATI ON

If you purchased or leased your cable modem direct ly f rom your cable company, t hen w arrant y service f or t he cable modem may be provided t hrough your cable provider or it s aut horized represent at ive. For inf ormat ion on:

• Order Service
• Obt aining Cust omer Support
• Addit ional Service Inf ormat ion

Please cont act your cable company.
If you purchased your cable modem t hrough a ret ailer, see t he enclosed RCA limit ed w arrant y.

Qu i ck Ref er en ce

M i n i m u m Sy st em Req u i r em en t s

1. Connect one end of t he coaxial cable t o t he cable connect ion in t he w all, and t he ot her end t o t he connect or on t he modem labeled “ Cable In.”
2. Insert t he cord f rom t he AC adapt er int o t he “ Pow er AC Adapt er #: 1544907* ” jack on t he cable modem. Then plug t he adapt er int o an AC out let .
3. Connect one end of t he Et hernet cable t o t he Et hernet port on t he back of your PC, and t he ot her end t o t he connect or labeled “ Et hernet ” on t he cable modem’s back panel.

NOTE: Use the Thomson pow er supply Stock# 15449070 that is compatible w ith this unit. Using other adapters may damage he unit.

Bu t t o n s

• On/Off – Turns t he modem on or put s it in st and-by mode. Placing t he cable modem in st and-by mode (t he “ off ” posit ion) allow s f or cont inued st at us monit oring f  om t he cablenet w work. Do not press t his but t on w hen t ransmit t ing dat a over t he int ernet . The inf ormat ion w ill be lost along w it h your et hernet connect ion.
Li g h t I n d i ca t o r s
• Pow er – Indicat es w het her cable modem is in act ive or st and-by mode. The light is off w hen t he modem is in st and-by mode, and on w hen t he pow er is act ivat ed.
• PC Link – Indicat es w het her t he Et hernet connect ion is act ive, ready t o t ransmit / receive, or act ually t ransmit t ing/receiving. The light is off w hen no Et hernet  arrier is present or t he modem is in st and-by mode, on w hen t he Et hernet carrier is present but t here’s no t ransmit /receive act ivit y, and f lashing w hen t here is Et hernet t ransmit / receive act ivit y.
• Cable – Indicat es t he st at us of your cable connect ion. The light is off w hen no cable connect ion is det ect ed or t he modem is in st and-by mode and f ully lit w hen t he modem is regist ered w it h t he net w ork and dat a can be sent .
• Activity – Indicat es t he exist ence of dat a t raff ic in t he cable lines. The light is off w hen no dat a t raff ic is present and f lashing w hen dat a act ivit y exist s.
• Email – This light f lashes w hen you have mail. (Check w it h your service provider t o make sure t hey off er t his f eat ure.)

FCC I N FORM ATI ON

FCC d ecl a r a t i o n o f co n f o r m i t y a n d
I n d u st r y Ca n a d a I n f o r m a t i o n
FCC Regulat ions st at e t hat unaut horized changes or modif icat ions t o t his equipment may void t he user’s aut horit y t o operat e it .
This device complies w it h part 15 of FCC Rules. Operat ion is subject t o t he f ollow ing t w o condit ions: (1) This device may not cause harmf ul int erf erence,
and (2) This device must accept any int erf erence received, including int erf erence t hat may cause undesired operat ion.
This Class B digit al apparat us meet s all requirement s of t he Canadian
Int erf erence Causing Equipment Regulat ions.
This equipment has been t ype t est ed and f ound t o comply w it h t he limit s f or a Class B Digit al Device in accordance w it h t he specif icat ions in Part 15 of t he
FCC rules. These rules are designed t o provide reasonable prot ect ions against radio and t elevision int erf erence in a resident ial inst allat ion. This equipment generat es, uses and can radiat e radio f requency energy and, if not inst alled and used in accordance w it h t he inst ruct ions, may cause harmf ul int erf erence t o radio communicat ions. How ever, t here is no guarant ee t hat int erf erence w ill not occur in a part icular inst allat ion. If t his equipment does cause int erf erence t o radio or t elevision recept ion
(w hich you can det ermine by t urning t he equipment off and on), t ry t o correct t he int erf erence by one or more of t he f ollow ing measures: Reorient or relocat e t he receiving ant enna (t hat is, t he ant enna f or t he radio or t elevision t hat is “ receiving” t he int erf erence). Change t he posit ion of t he Cable M odem w it h respect t o t he radio or t elevision equipment t hat is receiving int erf erence.
M ove t he Cable M odem aw ay f rom t he equipment t hat is receiving int erf erence.
Plug t he Cable M odem int o a diff erent w all out let so t hat t he Cable M odem and t he equipment receiving int erf erence are on diff erent branch circuit s. If t hese measures do not eliminat e t he int erf erence, please consult your dealer or an experienced radio/t elevision t echnician f or addit ional suggest ions. Also, t he Federal Communicat ions Commission has prepared a helpf ul booklet , “ How To Ident if y and Resolve Radio/TV Int erf erence Problems.” This booklet is available f rom t he U.S. Government Print ing Off ice, Washingt on D.C. 20402. Please specif y st ock number 004-000-00345-4 w hen ordering copies. For more inf ormat ion on FCC conf ormit y: Thomson Consumer Elect ronics, Inc., 10330 N. M eridian St ., Indianapolis IN 46290; 1-800-587-5850.

g l o ssa r y

10BaseT – Unshielded, t w ist ed pair cable w it h an RJ-45 connect or, used w it h Et hernet LAN (Local Area Net w ork). “ 10” indicat es speed (10 M bps), “ Base” ref ers t o baseband t echnology, and “ T” means t w ist ed pair cable.
DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) – A prot ocol w hich allow s a server t o dynamically assign IP addresses t o w orkst at ions on t he f ly.
DOCSIS (Data Over Cable Service Interface Specifications) – A project w it h t he object ive of developing a set of necessary specif icat ions and operat ions support int erf ace specif icat ions f or cable modems and associat ed equipment .
Ethernet card – A plug-in circuit board inst alled in an expansion slot of a personal comput er. The Et hernet card (somet imes called a Net w ork Int erf ace
Card or NIC) t akes parallel dat a f rom t he comput er, convert s it t o serial dat a, put s it int o a packet f ormat , and sends it over t he 10BaseT LAN cable.
F Connector – A t ype of coaxial connect or, labeled CABLE IN on t he rear of t he Cable M odem, t hat connect s t he modem t o t he cable syst em.
Hub – A device used t o connect mult iple comput ers t o t he cable modem.
IP Address – A unique, 32-bit address assigned t o every device in a net w ork.
An IP (Int ernet Prot ocol) address has t w o part s: a net w ork address and a host address. This modem receives a new IP address f rom your cable operat or via
DHCP each t ime it goes t hrough Init ializat ion M ode.
M AC Address – The permanent “ ident it y” f or a device as it programmed int o t he M edia Access Cont rol layer in t he net w ork archit ect ure during t he modem’s manuf act ure.
Netw ork Driver – A f ile t hat is loaded on t he comput er t o allow t he comput er t o recognize t he Et hernet card.
TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) – A net w working prot ocol t hat provides communicat ion across int erconnect ed net w orks,
bet w een comput ers w it h diverse hardw are archit ect ures and various operat ing syst ems.

THOMSON CONSUMER ELECTRONUCS

10330 Nort h M eridian St reet
Indianapolis, IN 46290
©1999 Thomson Consumer Elect ronics, Inc.
Trademark(s) Regist ered
Print ed in USA
TOCOM 15506680