@tbcuthbert here's a quick briefing:
1. When you convert to the ignite system, all previous equipment, modem, digital tv boxes / pvr's, home phone modem are removed.
2. They are replaced with single modem which is capable of providing all three services, internet, tv and home phone. Those modems are licenced versions of Comcast's XB6, XB7, and XB8.
3. The tv set top box is also Comcast equipment, in this case the Xi6-A, Xi6-T or Xi-One.
4. The house coax cabling is reduced to a single cable run to the modem. All other coax should be disconnected as its no longer used by the Ignite (read Comcast) equipment. That frees up the house coax cabling for other uses by the home owner, and don't forget, that cabling does belong to you, not to any ISP. Any cabling from the demarcation point (external to the house) to anywhere in the house belongs to the home owner, so you can use it any way that you wish as long as it does not interfere with the ISP system.
5. The set top boxes can connect via ethernet or wifi
6. The set top boxes do require a wifi link back to the modem even if they are running via ethernet.
Since you're with Shaw, here's the link to the Shaw internet and Ignite tv bundles:
Internet & Cable TV Bundles | Rogers Together With Shaw
If you read thru the forum comments, you can see the various issues that come up with switching to the Ignite system.
Fwiw, its interesting to see Shaw's internet upload rates listed at 150 Mb/s. That's Shaw's use of the upstream mid-split frequency scheme paying off for its customers. I've seen a posting only yesterday indicating that a Rogers customer had 150 Mb/s upload rate after rebooting his modem. That's one single user out of maybe over million customers running cable internet with Rogers.
Hope this helps as a starting point.
Ok, I didn't know that you already had the XB7 and pods running.
Ugh, wire mesh and plaster walls I presume?? That makes wifi very tough.
Fwiw, I and the other Resident Experts do not work for Rogers. We're volunteers on the forum, helping out where possible.
Can't answer the question on the Bluecurve TV boxes. I would assume that Bluecurve was Shaws name for the same system. As far as I know, Shaw was also using the licenced Comcast system, just with a different name. I think that Rogers has kept the Comcast designation for the set top boxes.
"What happens if you change my TV boxes out and wifi does not work for my TVs?" Ok, personal opinion here, Rogers seems to be pushing customers into 2 year contracts with penalties if the customer leaves early. If not pushing the two year contracts, then possibly not being totally upfront on the options for the contract, which should include a one year, no penalty opt out.
The problem here, as you are rightly pointing out is "what happens if Rogers can't deliver on their end of the contract?" Absolutely a valid question, one that will probably only be answered by a complaint to the Consumer Protection Office for the province that you live in, and the CRTC. The two year contract is probably about $10/month cheaper than the one year contract, but, if you're not feeling terribly hopeful about wifi in your home, then a one year opt out with no penalty is the way to go, and, since I don't use Ignite TV, I don't know if Rogers provides anything but a two year contract with penalty. Before you commit to the switch, you need to make absolutely sure that the agent that you contact will provide you with all of the options. You may want to record the conversation for your own purposes.
"You seem to think that wifi is a good thing... but not in older homes with interference ..."
Nope, not at all. Our home is about 20 years old, fortunately built with structured wiring installed, which includes coax and Cat-5e cables to just about all rooms. Everything that sits in a fixed location runs on ethernet, leaving just the mobile devices to run via wifi. I wouldn't want it any other way. Fwiw, I run the modem in Bridge mode with my own router behind it. That leaves me to select the upper 5 Ghz channels while the rest of the Rogers customers in my neighbourhood are stacked up on the lower 5 Ghz channels, fighting it out for bandwidth.
There are a couple of problem with running pods.
1. The pods need a good wifi connection with the modem in order to function;
2. Using the pods automatically restricts the modem to the lower 5 Ghz channels. The pods are probably the same. If you had a wifi analyzer on a wifi device, check the channels that your wifi is currently using.
In Canada, as in any other country, the wifi channels are restricted in terms of their power output levels.
1. The lower 5 Ghz channels (36 to 48) are restricted to 200 milli-watts conducted power.
2. The Dynamic Frequency Selection channels (52 to 144) are restricted to 250 mw conducted power.
3. The upper 5 Ghz channels (149 to 161) are allowed to run 1 watt, conducted power.
Here's a link for those power levels:
https://semfionetworks.com/blog/industry-canada-new-5ghz-band-regulations/
So, if you're running the lower 5 Ghz channels, then your fighting with the problem of reduced power levels from the modem and pods, which decreases the max operating range from the modem and pods and also results in lower data rates to the device.
What you might want to consider is running your own router to allow the use of the upper channels with their increased power levels if you're finding that the modem and pods just don't cut it.
Also consider running MoCA adapters if you've been able to update the coax cabling to RG-6 cabling. That might be possible for the main floor cable outlets, probably a non-starter for the second story if you have a two story house. If the coax cabling was RG-6 instead of RG-59, you should see pretty good performance out of a MoCA network. Admittedly the adapters do cost money, and I'm loath to push anyone to spend money. But, MoCA adapters might provide a path out of any wifi issues that you're currently experiencing. That includes possibly running wifi access points via MoCA adapters.
Food for thought as they say .......
Edit 1. Correct the following: "The two year contract is probably about $10 cheaper than the one year contract,..."
To read: The two year contract is probably about $10/month cheaper than the one year contract,....
I have a number of posts regarding MoCA adapters here in the forum. I'll have to have a look to see where they are. The forum posts were archived not so long ago, and some of the links that I had don't work any more, so, some digging is necessary.
A MoCA adapter is an ethernet to Coax adapter. There are several around these days, some with 1 Gb/s ports and a few with 2.5 Gb/s ports on them. In theory its pretty simple. Wherever you want internet access, assuming that its close to a cable port, you would install a MoCA adapter, and run any devices off of the ethernet port on the adapter.
In the basement, where all of the cabling starts, you would connect the cables that support the MoCA adapters to a MoCA 2.0 qualified splitter. That MoCA 2.0 qualified splitter has internal ports with higher frequency ranges to support MoCA 2.5 adapters. The MoCA adapters and basement MoCA splitter form a MoCA network, essentially an ethernet network over coax cabling.
Ideally, you wouldn't have to use the same coax cable that the modem uses. That can be done, but, since you're with Shaw, where the upstream signal range runs from 5 Mhz up to 85 Mhz, that complicates the choice of MoCA adapter to match that range, and it also presents an issue with installing a MoCA filter to block any MoCA data from leaving the house network or entering the house network from the outside. If there was any way to avoid using the modem's coax cable in the MoCA network, that simplifies the MoCA network and results in an internal network with one crossover point to one of the modem's ethernet ports.
There are Antronix MoCA splitters, which are MoCA 2 qualified and which also have MoCA filters built in. I'd have to look at those again to see whats new.
MoCA works by using frequencies above the ISP cable system. Typical cable systems run from 5 Mhz up to 1002 Mhz. There is a DOCSIS frequency expansion in the plans that would move the upper frequency limit to 1218 Mhz. At that point, the 1218 Mhz range overlaps with the lower end of the MoCA frequency range. That overlap is a known issue that the industry has to sort out by moving the MoCA frequencies up beyond 1800 Mhz which is the next DOCSIS expansion point. I think that Rogers will be hard pressed to make any moves up beyond 1002 Mhz, although you never know, I might be surprised on day. Rogers is currently running DOCSIS 3.1 and is working on DOCSIS 4, with numerous other companies in North America. Whether or not Rogers makes the leap above 1002 Mhz is a good question.
Here's a link to the MoCA Alliance page for MoCA 2.5.
https://mocalliance.org/MoCA2.5/index.php
Within that page is a link to the specification document. Have a look at page 9 and 13 of that document to see the frequency ranges:
https://mocalliance.org/MoCA2/specification/MoCA_2.0_and_2.5_Device_RF_Characteristics-160808d.pdf
The problem that you might face is the cabling that is in your home. If its RG-59, that has reduced frequency range and shielding compared to RG-6. That would drop the upper frequency range that the adapters might use. It all depends on the condition of the cabling and the run length, from the splitter to the wall port.
Here's a link to the forum search results for MoCA: .
And, if you do an internet search for MoCA adapter, you will see a few examples of them as well:
Just as a note, the gocoax MoCA adapters do not play well with other adapters. They appear to want to be the MoCA network boss, despite the fact that there are other MoCA devices on the network. In any event, I'd have to look around to see what else is out there these days before making any recommendation on what adapter to buy.
If you're interested in determining if MoCA might be suitable, have a look at the cabling in the basement, specifically at the cable jacket to read the manufacturers data. Look for RG-59 or RG-6. If the cabling is RG-59, then the question is, how long is the cable run and, can it be replaced with quad shield RG-6 if necessary?
Ok, I think that should do it for now. There is more to this, but, this is the starting point to see if MoCA is feasible.
Note the following edit to the post above:
Edit 1. Correct the following: "The two year contract is probably about $10 cheaper than the one year contract,..."
To read: "The two year contract is probably about $10/month cheaper than the one year contract,...."
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