Home Certification
Webinar
Mario Amato
Sr. Manager Technology
Training Goals
• search for an account and load account data
• understand the equipment
list and data
• diagnose issues using the
data provided
• create and use Watches
• view reports
Equipment overview
What is Home Certification?
• account services
• account
equipment
• create Watches
• diagnose issues
Home Certification and
EdgeHealth
Tip You can use the MAC address to move quickly from
Homer Certification to EdgeHealth.
Accessing Home Certification
and Finding an Account
Customer Information Section
• account number
• customer address
• customer services
Customer Equipment Section
• equipment list
• serial numbers
• status icons
Key Diagnostic Information
DOCSIS TX
Description:
Upstream DOCSIS transmit
RF level. Two way communications
protocol. 1st Generation Cisco 86xx / 46xx
series set-tops with DSG capability.
Why it’s important:
High transmit RF levels may indicate excessive losses in the home,
HFC plant alignment, or MTC/STC location. Technicians must
troubleshoot excessive loss by verifying tap transmit
levels and calculating drop return spectrum loss.
Key Diagnostic Information
DOCSIS RX
Description:
Downstream DOCSIS receive
RF level.
Why it’s important:
This specification is within DOCSIS parameters and considers total
composite power. Hi / Low levels indicate plant issues or issues
within the drop network.
Key Diagnostic Information
DOCSIS SNR
Description:
Downstream DOCSIS
Signal to noise ratio (qualitive performance measurement).
Why it’s important:
Low SNR indicates noise issues in the plant / drop network.
Overdriving amplifiers with high RF can negatively
impact this metric.
Key Diagnostic Information
Pre FEC
Description:
Downstream Bit error
count prior to Reed Solomon error correction. Indicates bit errors
in the incoming data stream.
Why it’s important:
Pre FEC errors indicate impairments with the incoming
data stream. While no errors are preferred, small numbers can
be tolerates as long as the post error count is the
equivalent of 0 errors.
Key Diagnostic Information
Post FEC
Description:
Downstream Bit error
count post Reed Solomon error correction. Indicates bit errors
FEC unable to correct.
Why it’s important:
Post FEC errors indicate that errors in the data stream are so
severe that the error correction algorithms cannot adequately
correct. Customer will have noticeable issues
when this occurs.
Key Diagnostic Information
Uncorrectables
Description:
Downstream Bit error
count post Reed Solomon error correction. Indicates bit errors
FEC unable to correct.
Why it’s important:
Indicated issues with the RF performance.
Key Diagnostic Information
Version
Firmware
Description:
Displays the current
loaded software version.
Why it’s important:
Good reference information.
Key Diagnostic Information
CMTS
Upstream
Description:
CMTS Name and associated upstream port designation.
Slot / port / US carrier.
Why it’s important:
Verify that the upstream digitally modulated carrier
amplitude at the input to the CMTS upstream
port is within spec.
Key Diagnostic Information
CMTS
Downstream
Description:
CMTS Name and associated downstream port designation.
Why it’s important:
Downstream data is transmitted over the
CMTS downstream channel.
Key Diagnostic Information
T 1 – T4
Error Count
Description:
Number of timeouts caused by the CM not receiving a valid UCD,
receiving broadcast ranging opportunities, RNG-REQ message, or
unicast ranging opportunities from the CMTS.
Why it’s important:
This may indicate downstream frequency signal issues, not
receiving maintenance opportunities from the CMTS, not receiving
a response (RNG-RSP) message from the CMTS,
or a temporary loss of service.
Key Diagnostic Information
MoCA Node
TX Gcd Rate
Description:
Also known as
MoCA PHY Rate. The
total RF power of a given node MoCA frequency
1150 MHz transmit power in dBm.
Why it’s important:
To convert dBm to dBmV add 48.75 to dBm measurement.
Key Diagnostic Information
TX Unicast
Phy Rate
Description:
Throughput rate in
MB/s from current
node to the node indicated.
Why it’s important:
Transmit rate from the local node to each other
node in the network.
Key Diagnostic Information
CMTS Rx Level
Description:
The RF input level as recorded at the CMTS return input card
from the DOCSIS transmitting device.
Why it’s important:
Verifies that the power is set to the level commanded
by the CMTS.
Same Data, Different Names
TRIO
Motorola
Scientific Atlanta
DOCSIS Tx
OOB - Tx
QPSK FDC
DOCSIS Rx
n/a
RDC
DOCSIS SNR
IB - SNR
Down SN
Pre FEC
n/a
QPSK Correctable
Post FEC
n/a
QPSK Uncorrectable
For a complete list see Field Comparison document on the additional resources page.
What is a Watch?
A Watch gives you the
ability to take a snap
shot of the customer’s
system over a period of
time.
Why it’s important:
Scheduling a Watch will help you diagnose intermittent problems.
Scheduling a Watch
Choose the Start Date.
Choose the Number of
Days to run the Report.
Choose the Time of Day to
run the Report.
(One choice is already
active, click the check boxes
to schedule up to 3 more
time frames)
Click Save
Click Schedule watch
Viewing a Scheduled Watch
To view a scheduled Watch click Reports.
A new window appears.
Click Scheduled Jobs Summary.
Additional Resources
For additional information
and documentation please
visit our SharePoint site.
Questions and Answers