3Com HomeConnect 3CR29220 User manual

http://www.3com.com/
HomeConnectTM Cable
Modem External
Getting Started Guide
Part No. 1.024.2369-00
Published January 2000

3Com Corporation
3800 Golf Rd.
Rolling Meadows, IL
60008
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CONTENTS
1BEFORE YOU BEGIN
Introduction 3
Cable Modem Features 3
Contacting Your Local Cable Provider 4
Preparing Your Workspace 5
You Will Need These Items 6
Supplied 6
You will also need the following 6
Configuring the TCP/IP Protocol 6
Configuring the TCP/IP Protocol on a Windows PC 6
Configuring the TCP/IP Protocol on a Macintosh PC 9
2HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE INSTALLATION
Connecting the Cable Modem to Your Computer 13
Installing the Cable ConnectionsTM CD-ROM 14
3CABLE MODEM OPERATION
Interpreting Your Cable Modem’s LEDs 17
LEDs on the Front of the Modem 17
LED on the Back of the Modem 18
Connectors and Switches on the Back of Your Cable
Modem 19
4CONFIGURING YOUR CABLE MODEM
5TROUBLESHOOTING AND SUPPORT RESOURCES
Troubleshooting 25
I cannot access my e-mail or Internet service. 25
The Cable Status LED never stops blinking. 26
All four of the LEDs on the front of my cable modem are
lighted and blinking. 26

All of the LEDs on the front of my modem look right, but I still
can't access the Internet. 26
The power on my modem goes on and off sporadically. The
Link Status light never stops blinking. 27
Support Resources 27
Internet FTP 27
World Wide Web 27
90-Day Free Installation Support 27
Technical Support Hotline 27
If You Are Still Having Problems 28
If You Need to Return the Modem to Us 28
6REGULATORY INFORMATION AND LIMITED WARRANTY
Manufacturer's Declaration of Conformity 29
Part 15 29
Caution to the User 29
Performance Specifications 29
Export Notices 29
License Agreement 30
Industry Canada (IC) 30
UL Listing/CUL Listing 30
Radio and Television Interference 31
3Com Corporation Limited Warranty 32
Hardware 32
Software 32
Year 2000 Warranty 33
Obtaining Warranty Service 34
WARRANTIES EXCLUSIVE 34
LIMITATION OF LIABILITY 35
Disclaimer 35
Governing Law 36

1BEFORE YOU BEGIN
Introduction
Congratulations! You have just purchased a modem
featuring a pioneering new technology, making Internet
access possible at speeds previously only imagined! This
external cable modem is one part of a comprehensive
communications system that utilizes the cable television
network to deliver high-speed data to your computer. Data
is requested and sent over the cable television network at
burst rates of up to 38 megabits per second (Mbps)*. This
chapter explains how to prepare your computer system for
cable modem installation.
* Actual speeds will vary depending on computer
hardware, applications, service offered by your Broadband
Service Provider, and network traffic.
Cable Modem Features
■Cable line bandwidth allows user data rates of up to 38
megabits per second (Mbps)*, faster than 56K analog
modems, ISDN, or ADSL
■Two-way design means that the cable modem sends
and receives data over the cable line
■Plug and play operation ensures easy setup and
installation
■DOCSIS-compliance ensures interoperability with cable
suppliers
■3Com’s extensive technical support organization
provides you with the quick answers you need to get up
and running
* NOTE: Please note that the following factors affect the
speeds you may experience: (1) your computer equipment
and configuration, including the speed of your processor,
the amount of RAM on your system, and your available

8CHAPTER 1: BEFORE YOU BEGIN
hard disk space; (2) applications running simultaneously
with the modem which use varying amounts of your
computer’s resources; (3) the capacity of the Internet
service you order from your provider; (4) changing network
traffic levels depending when and where you go online.
Contacting Your Local Cable Provider
In order to use your cable modem, you need to set up an
Internet access account with your local cable provider.
Before contacting your cable provider to setup an account,
have the following information handy:
■The modem’s serial number, model number, and Media
Access Control (MAC) address. The serial number
appears on the white bar code label on the back of the
modem and consists of 10 characters preceded by the
text “SN=”. In the following example label image, the
serial number is 6LZ1377410. Your cable modem’s
model number is 3CR29220. In the following example
label image, the model number is 20-0591-000. The
MAC address appears on the white bar code label on
the back of the modem and consists of 12 characters
preceded by the text “EA =”. In the following example
label image, the MAC address is 00104B377410. Write
all three of these numbers in the following blanks for
future reference.
Serial number: SN= __________________
Model number: 3CR29220
MAC address: EA = __________________
You should now contact your local cable provider and verify
the following:
■The cable service to your home supports two-way cable
modem access. If your cable company does not provide

Preparing Your Workspace 9
two-way service, this modem will not be able to
communicate with your cable company’s Internet access
service. You should immediately consult your cable
company and place of purchase to determine the
proper 3Com cable modem to use. You can also visit
the following URL for additional information:
http://www.3com.com/cablemodem
■You have a cable line near your PC and it has been
prepared for cable modem service. If you do not have a
cable line in your home that supports two-way cable
modem access, or if your current cable connection is
not conveniently located near your computer, your
cable provider can install one. If you use your current
cable line for cable television access, your cable
company can also install an additional line for use with
your cable modem.
■Your cable provider has set up your cable Internet
access account. Your cable provider will set up an
Internet access account that will allow you to send and
receive e-mail, access the World Wide Web, and receive
other Internet services. This account must be set up
before you can use your cable modem.
Preparing Your Workspace
■Position your computer so that it is located near your
cable outlet.
■The cable modem should be located near your
computer and the cable outlet. There should be plenty
of room to guide the cables away from the modem
without crimping them.
■Airflow around the modem should not be restricted.
■The temperature in the room where the cable modem
will be operating should be between 0 and 40°C (32
and 104°F). Relative humidity should be between 5%
and 95%, non-condensing.
■Familiarize yourself with all of the materials supplied
with the modem. Please read these installation
instructions thoroughly before installing the modem.

10 CHAPTER 1: BEFORE YOU BEGIN
CAUTION: Your cable provider will provide a cable
connection. Do not attempt any rewiring without first
contacting your cable provider.
You Will Need These Items
Supplied
■Cable modem
■Cable modem power supply
■RJ-45 network cable
■This Getting Started Guide
You will also need the following
■A PC running Windows®95 operating system (or
later) or a Macintosh®computer running System 7.5
(or later) with TCP/IP protocol installed (see the
following two sections for more information on
installing TCP/IP)
■An active two-way cable line
■An active Ethernet port, network interface card (NIC)
installed in your computer, or USB network interface
(Windows 98 or later only)
■An adjustable wrench for securing the cable line to
the modem
Configuring the TCP/IP Protocol
NOTE: If you are using a Macintosh computer, turn to the
instructions on page 9.
Configuring the TCP/IP Protocol on a Windows PC
You need to have an Ethernet Network Interface Card (NIC)
or USB network interface and the TCP/IP communications
protocol installed on your system before you install your

Configuring the TCP/IP Protocol 11
cable modem. Follow these instructions to verify that
TCP/IP is installed and configured correctly.
1Right-click the Network Neighborhood icon on your
desktop and then click Properties.
2A list of installed network components appears. Look for
an entry named “TCP/IP”. This entry may be followed by an
arrow and a description of the NIC hardware device or USB
network interface installed in your computer. If an entry
similar to this is present, go to step 9.
.
3If a similar entry is NOT present, click Add...
4Click Protocol, and then click Add...
5Click Microsoft in the "Manufacturers:" list and then click
TCP/IP in the "Network Protocols:" list. Click OK.
6"TCP/IP" will appear in the list of installed network
components. Click OK.

12 CHAPTER 1: BEFORE YOU BEGIN
7Windows will now ask you if you would like to restart your
computer. It is very important that you click No.
8Right-click on the Network Neighborhood icon on your
desktop then click Properties in the drop-down menu that
appears.
9Double-click the entry in the "Configuration" menu named
"TCP/IP". This entry may be followed by an arrow and a
description of your NIC or dialup adapter.
10 Click the “Advanced” tab and then make sure the box next
to "Set this protocol to be the default protocol." is
checked. If it is not, click the box to put a check in it. (If this
option is grayed out, then TCP/IP is already the default
protocol.)
11 Click OK and then click OK again.
12 Reboot your PC by clicking Windows Start, clicking Shut
Down, clicking “Restart the computer?” and then clicking
Yes.
13 When your desktop reappears, click the Windows Start
button and then click Run.
14 When the “Run” screen appears, type winipcfg in the text
field and click the OK button.
15 The "IP Configuration" window will appear. Click the
Release button. A line of zeros will appear in the "IP
Address" and "Subnet Mask" fields.
16 Click the Renew button. Numbers will replace the zeros.
Click OK and turn to the next chapter, “Hardware and
Software Installation”.

Configuring the TCP/IP Protocol 13
NOTE: The numbers on your screen SHOULD be different
than those shown in the preceding example.
Configuring the TCP/IP Protocol on a Macintosh PC
You need to make sure the TCP/IP communications
protocol and an Ethernet device is installed on your system
before you install your cable modem. Many Macintosh
computers have Ethernet devices installed at the factory.
1Click the Apple icon in the upper left corner of the Finder.
Scroll down to Control Panels, and click TCP/IP .
2Click Edit on the Finder (gray bar) at the top of the screen.
Scroll down to the bottom of the menu and click User
Mode.
3Click the Advanced button then click OK.

14 CHAPTER 1: BEFORE YOU BEGIN
4Click the Up/Down selector arrows (to the right of
“Connect Via”) and click "Using DHCP Server".
5Click the Options button. Then click the Active button.
NOTE: In some cases, the Load only when needed
button will not appear. If it is visible, click the box. A check
mark should appear in the box.
6Verify that the “Use 802.3” box is unchecked (circled in the
following image). If there is a check mark in the box, click it

Configuring the TCP/IP Protocol 15
to remove the check mark. Then click the Info button in the
lower left corner.
7Ensure there is a Hardware Address listed in this window. If
there is, click the OK button and close the “TCP/IP Control
Panel” (click File and scroll down to click Close). If there is
no Hardware Address, you must shut down and power off
your Macintosh. With the power off, simultaneously
depress and hold down the Command (Apple), Option, P ,
and Rkeys on your keyboard. Keeping those keys
depressed, power on the Macintosh. The machine will start
and you will hear the Apple chime. Keep these keys
depressed for up to 3 chimes, then release the keys and
allow the computer to start-up. When fully rebooted,
ensure that all TCP/IP settings match those in the preceding
instructions. If your computer still does not have a
Hardware Address, please contact your local Apple
authorized dealer or Apple support.

16 CHAPTER 1: BEFORE YOU BEGIN

2HARDWARE AND
SOFTWARE INSTALLATION
Connecting the Cable Modem to Your Computer
TIP: Before you unplug any cords, label them or make a
sketch of how they are connected. This can be helpful
when you plug them back in later.
CAUTION: To avoid risk of electric shock, make sure your
computer and all peripheral devices are turned off and
unplugged from electrical sockets.
NOTE: Refer to the diagram on page 15 while following
these steps.
1Switch off your computer and unplug it from the electrical
socket.
2Using the illustration at the end of this chapter as a guide,
make the following connections:
■Connect your cable line to the cable modem’s CATV
cable connector. Be careful not to bend the wire in
the center of the cable line when you connect it to
the cable modem. After hand-tightening the CATV
cable connector, use your adjustable wrench to
firmly tighten it. Be careful not to over-tighten the
connector or you may damage either the connector
or your cable modem. If you plan to have your cable
line connected to your television as well as your
cable modem, you will need a cable line splitter (not
included). See the illustration at the end of this
chapter for more information.
■Plug the cable modem’s power supply into a wall
socket or surge protector and into the cable
modem’s power jack.
■Plug one end of the RJ-45 network cable into the
cable modem’s RJ-45 jack and the other end into the
existing network interface card or USB network
interface installed in your computer.

18 CHAPTER 2: HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE INSTALLATION
3Verify that your cable modem starts up and initializes
properly. You can tell that your modem is operating
properly if the cable modem Power and Link Status LEDs
are lit a solid green. If you are powering up your cable
modem for the first time, allow 15 minutes for this process
to complete. Consult the chapter titled “Cable Modem
Operation” for a more in-depth description of the front
panel LED indicators.
4Plug the computer’s power cord back into the computer.
Switch on the computer. When installation is complete,
your setup should resemble the diagram on page 15.
Installing the Cable ConnectionsTM CD-ROM
Although you do not need to install the included Cable
ConnectionsTM CD-ROM to use your cable modem, you will
want to discover the valuable free software products and
Internet service provider offers included on the CD-ROM.
To install the Cable Connections CD, follow the instructions
inside the CD's jacket or on the CD-ROM itself.
power
link status

Installing the Cable ConnectionsTM CD-ROM 19

20 CHAPTER 2: HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE INSTALLATION

3CABLE MODEM OPERATION
Once your cable modem is properly installed and the
power supply is connected to AC power, it will
automatically scan for the active cable modem channel
from your cable company's server. Once the front panel
LEDs indicate the modem is connected to the server, all you
need to do is launch your Internet or e-mail software and
you're ready to work online.
Interpreting Your Cable Modem’s LEDs
Here's a quick overview of the LED lights on the front of
your modem and what they can tell you about the
performance of your modem and the condition of your
connection.
LEDs on the Front of the Modem
1Power
- Indicates power is applied to the cable modem.
This light is solid green when the modem is on. You will
also hear an audio notification once power is applied.
2 Link Status - This LED indicates the modem's connection
status. It blinks steadily until the modem has established a
connection. Once a connection is established, the LED is
lighted solid green. You will also hear an audio notification
once a connection is established.
3 Data Rate - Indicates data is being transmitted over the
cable network. This LED should blink when data is being
power
link status

22 CHAPTER 3: CABLE MODEM OPERATION
transmitted over the RF interface and at a rate dependent
on data throughput.
4 Multifunction - The function of this LED will be
determined by your cable company. Depending on how
your Broadband Service Provider utilizes this LED, there may
or may not be an audio notification associated with this
LED, as well.
LED on the Back of the Modem
The LED on the back of your cable modem (located by the
power adapter jack) is a status LED. The following chart
explains how to interpret it’s activity:
:
data rate
multifunction
Ta b l e 1
LED STATE REPEATING DESCRIPTION
SHORT OFF, LONG
ORANGE YES Startup, power on self test
ORANGE NO Failed power on self test
SHORT OFF, SHORT
ORANGE YES Downstream hunt
LONG ORANGE, SHORT
GREEN YES Acquisition in process
SHORT OFF, SHORT
GREEN YES Offline/not authorized for service
GREEN NO Fully operational state