THOMSON RCA DCM245 User manual

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CABLE MODEM

Safety information
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 air flow
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 Specifications.
It will operate on any DOCSIS-compliant Hybrid Fiber Coax (HFC) cable system and offers
DOCSIS Baseline Privacy to promote secure internet transactions.
Power cord Requirement
This product must be operated with the supplied line cord or with a line cord meeting
IEC227 H03 VV-F or IEC227 H03 VVH2-F having conductors with a cross-sectional area
not less than .75mm2.
Operating Information
Operating Temperature:0˚ - 40˚ C (32˚ - 104˚ F)
Storage Temperature:-30˚ to 65˚ C.
If you purchased this product at a retail outlet, please read the following:
Please fill out the product registration card that came with this product and return it immediately. Returning
the card allows us to contact you if needed.
Keep your sales receipt to obtain warranty parts and service and for proof of purchase. Attach it here and record
the serial and model numbers in case you need them. The numbers are located on the back of the product.
Model No. ____________________________________ Serial No _____________________________________________
Purchase Date: _________________________________ Dealer/Address/Phone: _______________________________
Product Registration

1
introduction ...................................................................................................... 2
Cable Modem Features ......................................................................................................................... 2
What’s on the CD-ROM ......................................................................................................................... 2
Computer Requirements ....................................................................................................................... 3
Cable Modem Overview .................................................................................... 5
before you begin ..................................................................................................5
Connecting the Cable Modem ....................................................................... 7
Connecting The Cable Modem To A Single Computer ........................................................................ 7
USB Connection - Using the Installation Wizard .......................................................................... 9
USB Connection - Without Using the Installation Wizard ......................................................... 13
Using Windows 98 SE for USB Connection ........................................................................................ 14
Using Windows 2000 for USB Connection ......................................................................................... 17
Using Windows Me for USB Connection ............................................................................................ 21
Ethernet Connection to One Computer .............................................................................................23
Connecting More Than One Computer to the Cable Modem (Ethernet Only) ............................... 24
activating the Cable Modem ...................................................................... 25
Initialization Mode .............................................................................................................................. 25
Using the Cable Modem ................................................................................. 26
Buttons ................................................................................................................................................. 26
LED / Light Indicators ........................................................................................................................... 26
Reset Switch ......................................................................................................................................... 27
Other Status Lights .............................................................................................................................. 27
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ....................................................................... 28
General Troubleshooting ........................................................................... 29
USB Troubleshooting ...................................................................................... 31
FCC INFORMATION ............................................................................................... 42
Quick Reference ................................................................................................ 43
glossary ............................................................................................................... 45
Table of Contents

2
introduction
Cable Modem Features
•Capable of receiving data at rates of up to 3000kbps‡(3 Megabits per second, over 50
times faster than 56K)
•Able to send and receive data over the cable line
•Plug-and-play operation for easy setup and installation
•Compliance to DOCSIS specification
•ON/OFF button to put the Ethernet or USB port in standby mode
•Email waiting notification capability
•Diagnostics via LED or HTTP server
•Able 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 configuration (processor speed, amount of RAM, available disk space); the numbe r
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 capabilities of this modem.
What’s on the CD-ROM
Insert the cable modem CD-ROM into your CD-ROM drive to view troubleshooting tips, the
internal diagnostics, and other valuable information.
NOTE: You will need to use the CD-ROM to install the USB driver if you are connecting via the
USB port.
CD-ROM Contents:
•Links to RCA web sites
•Electronic file of the instruction book in additional languages
•Usage and troubleshooting tips
Accessing the Diagnostics Display through the CD-ROM
A button on the CD-ROM menu called “Look at Diagnostics”(found under the “About My
Cable Modem”menu) launches your browser and displays status and diagnostic
information stored within the modem in HTML format.

3
introduction
Please note that before this page can be displayed, your PC must receive an IP address
assignment from the Cable company’s server, over the cable network. You may want to
“bookmark”the IP address in your browser after the diagnostics page is displayed.
Computer Requirements
•Personal computer with the following minimum system requirements (note that the
minimum requirements may vary by cable company):
An Ethernet card makes it possible for your computer to pass data to
and from the internet. You must have an Ethernet card and software
drivers installed in your computer. You will also need a standard
Ethernet cable to connect the Ethernet card to your cable modem.
The Universal Serial Bus is a high speed bus that enables your
computer to communicate simultaneously with a variety of
peripherals. However, if you have other peripherals that send and
receive a lot of information, such as speakers, printers or scanners,
we recommend using an Ethernet card to support this modem.
†Mac Users: Mac OS or any other OS other than Windows 98SE, Me or 2000 are not currently
supported for USB installation. Please use the Ethernet connection.
*Windows is a trademark of the Microsoft Corporation.
**Macintosh and the Mac OS are trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc.
IBM PC COMPATIBLE MACINTOSH**
CPU Pentium preferred PowerPC or higher
System RAM 16MB (32MB preferred) 24MB (32MB preferred)
Operating System Windows* 98SE/2000/Me Linux Mac OS** 7.6.1 or higher
Available Disk Space 125MB 50MB
Sound Card Required N/A†
Video VGA or better (SVGA preferred) VGA or better (SVGA built-in preferred)
CD-ROM Drive Required Required
Ethernet 10BaseT or 100BaseT 10BaseT or 100BaseT
USB Port USB (Windows 98SE/2000/ME only) N/A†

4
introduction
Placing the Rubber Feet on the Cable Modem
A set of rubber pads have been packaged with your modem.
These pads (or "feet") can be attached to keep the modem
from sliding around on your desktop. You have 2 options for
placing the pads:
Option 1: Attach the pads to the four slight
indentations on the back of the modem.
Option 2: Attach the pads to the “rudders”on the
bottom of the cable modem. Be sure to equally space
the pads for best results.
Option 1:
Attach the
pads to the
indentations
on the back
Option 2: Equally space the feet
on the bottom of the unit
Cable Modem Overview
Cable Internet Service Requirements
•Cable company that offers DOCSIS-compliant internet services
Computer Internet
Cable Cable Company
What The Modem Does
The RCA Digital cable modem serves as a two-way high-speed bridge between your
personal computer and a cable Internet Service Provider (ISP). It converts information
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.

5
Record your information here:
Serial Number: _________________________
Model Number: _________________________
MAC Address: __________________________
S.N.
MODEL:
MAC:
XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
DCMXXX
001095XXXXXX
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 DOCSIS technology.
•The Internet Service Provider (ISP): Your cable company provides you access to
an Internet Service Provider (ISP). The ISP is your 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 re-configure your
computer to make your cable internet service work for you.
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 following information (which you will find on
the sticker on the modem) ready:
•The serial number
•The model number of the modem
•The Media Access Control (MAC) address
Cable Modem Overview
before you begin

6
Please verify the following with the cable company:
•The cable service to your home supports DOCSIS-compliant two-way 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.
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, use the ON/OFF button to
put the modem in standby mode.
before you begin
important information
Your cable company should always be consulted before installing a new cable outlet.
Do not attempt any rewiring without contacting your cable company first.
Note: Graphics used within this publication are for representation only.

7
Connecting The Cable Modem To A Single Computer
This section of the manual explains how to connect your cable modem to the USB or
Ethernet port on your computer and install the necessary software. Please refer to
figure 1 to help you connect your cable modem for the best possible connection.
Attaching the Cable TV wire to the Cable Modem
1. Locate the Cable TV wire. You may find it one of three ways:
A. Connected directly to a TV, a Cable TV converter box, or VCR. The line will be
connected to the jack which should be labeled either IN, CABLE IN, CATV, CATV
IN, etc.
B. Connected to a wall-mounted cable outlet.
C. Coming out from under a baseboard heater or other location. See figure 1 for
the wiring example.
CONNECTING THE CABLE MODEM
Fig. 1: Basic Home Wiring
TV converterTV converter
Modem
TV TV
TV
PC
TV converter
Cable drop
New 2-way splitter, one leg
direct to modem, other leg
to IN on next splitter, such as RCA
DT2SP (call 1-800-338-0376 to order).
New cable wire
= Splitters
Notes: For optimum performance,
be sure to connect your cable
modem to the first point the cable
enters your home.
The splitter must be rated for at
least 1GHz.

8
CONNECTING THE CABLE MODEM
Fig. 2: USB Connection (use CD-ROM or instructions in the manual).
CABLE
RESET ETHERNET USB
9VDC800mA
Important Connection Information
•The cable modem cannot support both Ethernet and USB connections
simultaneously. The first port connected takes priority.
•This modem does not support “Hot Swapping”of cables.
Follow these steps to change the type of connection you are using (Ethernet to USB
or USB to Ethernet):
1. Unplug power supply from the AC outlet.
2. Switch connection type (USB or Ethernet).
3. Plug power back into the AC outlet.
Coaxial Cable
AC Power Supply
Note: Only use the power
supply provided with this unit.
Using other power supplies may
damage the unit.

9
Below are important points to remember before you connect the cable modem:
•You should have a Windows® 98 SE (Second Edition), Windows Me (Millennium
Edition) or Windows 2000 operating system to use the Universal Serial Bus (USB)
connection.
•You must choose one connection only: Ethernet or USB.
•Do not attempt to connect one computer to the Ethernet port and another computer
to the USB port using the same cable modem.
•For Ethernet connections, go to page 23.
USB Connection - Using the Installation Wizard (when available)
If you received an Installation/Quick Start kit with the purchase of your modem, you
should use the software provided in that kit. If not, the cable modem CD included with
your modem contains the drivers, Installation Wizard, and other information you need to
install your cable modem. The Installation Wizard serves as your step-by-step guide to
connecting and configuring your cable modem.
1. Before you begin, close all open applications and dialog boxes as they may interfere
with your cable modem installation.
2. Insert the RCA cable modem CD into the CD-ROM drive of your computer. A menu of
options appears (fig.3).
CONNECTING THE CABLE MODEM
3. Select “Install RCA Cable Modem.”
•If the options menu does not automatically appear:
A. Go to the Start menu on the Windows menu bar, then select Run.
B. Type the letter of your CD-ROM drive followed by :\rca.exe (for example: d:\rca.exe).
C. Click “OK”to begin installation.
Fig. 3

10
CONNECTING THE CABLE MODEM
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
4. The Installation Wizard checks your computer to make sure you have the minimum
configuration specifications required to install the cable modem (fig. 4).
5. If your computer meets the minimum configuration requirements, the welcome
screen appears (fig. 5). The Installation Wizard copies four system files to your hard
drive during the installation process.
6. The Installation Wizard prompts you to attach a coaxial cable to the connector
labeled “CABLE”on your RCA cable modem, and to the wall connection for your
cable service (fig. 6). Click “Next”when you have finished connecting the cable.
Fig. 6

11
CONNECTING THE CABLE MODEM
Fig. 8
Fig. 7
7. The Installation Wizard prompts you to attach the power supply (fig. 7). Use only
the power supply that accompanied this unit. Using other power supplies
may damage the unit.
A. Insert the plug from the AC power supply into the power AC jack on your cable
modem labeled “9VDC 800mA.”
B. Plug the other end of the power supply into the AC outlet.
C. Click “Next”when you have finished connecting the power supply.
8. The next step begins an automated installation of the USB cable modem drivers. This
installation may require Windows system files that are not currently located on your
hard drive. If the Installation Wizard needs those files, you will be asked to insert
your Windows Operating System CD-ROM. After the windows system has installed
the files from the Windows OS CD-ROM, then reinsert the RCA Install CD-ROM disk.
A. Connect one end of the USB cable included with your RCA cable modem to the
USB port on your computer (fig. 8).
B. Connect the other end of the USB cable to the USB port on the cable
modem (fig. 8).

12
CONNECTING THE CABLE MODEM
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
9. The Installation Wizard attempts to detect your cable modem (fig. 9).
10. If the modem is not detected, you are prompted to check the USB connections
(fig. 10).
A. Make sure the USB cable is securely connected to the modem and to the
computer. Make sure the modem is plugged in and turned on, then click “detect
modem.”The Installation Wizard attempts to detect your cable modem.
B. If the modem is not detected, please check the status of your USB port and USB
connections. Click “OK”to exit the wizard (fig. 11).
Fig. 9

13
CONNECTING THE CABLE MODEM
Fig. 12
11. If the modem is detected, the “Windows Found New Hardware”window appears
and the “Installation Complete”screen appears (fig. 12).
Congratulations. You are now ready to use your RCA cable modem.
USB Connection - Without Using the Installation Wizard
If you do not want to use the CD-ROM, follow instructions 1 through 5 to connect the
cable modem to the USB port on your computer. Instructions must be followed in
the order they appear.
1. Connect one end of the coaxial cable to the cable connection in the wall. Attach the
other end of the coaxial cable to the connector on the cable modem labeled
“CABLE”(fig. 2) on page 8.
2. Insert the plug from the AC power supply into the power AC jack labeled “9VDC
800mA”and the two-prong plug into the AC outlet.
3. Insert the supplied RCA cable modem CD-ROM. Wait momentarily for the cable
modem CD window display.
4. Close all open applications and dialog boxes, including the cable modem CD
window.
Note: Open applications may interfere with your cable modem installation.

14
CONNECTING THE CABLE MODEM
5. Connect one end of the USB cable to the USB port located on the back of your
computer. Connect the other end of the USB cable to the USB port on the cable
modem’s back panel.
Note: Use only the power supply that accompanied this unit. Using other power supplies
may damage the unit.
If you have Windows 98 SE, go to step 6 on page 14. If you have Windows 2000, go to
step 6 on page 17. If you have Windows Me go to step 6 on page 21.
Using Windows 98 SE for USB Connection
Follow steps 6 through 14 if you have a Windows 98 SE operating system:
6. When the “Add New Hardware Wizard”appears, click “Next”to initiate the search
for drivers for your USB device. (fig. 13)
Note: If the “Add New Hardware Wizard” did not automatically appear, Windows 98 SE does
not recognize the cable modem’s presence because your BIOS (Basic Input/Output System)
settings may not permit USB and/or Plug-and-Play devices. Please contact your computer’s
customer service department.
Fig. 13
7. Choose “Search for the best driver (recommended)”option, and click “Next.”
(fig. 14).
Fig. 14

15
CONNECTING THE CABLE MODEM
8. Choose ONLY the “CD-ROM drive”option and click “Next”(fig. 15).
Fig. 15
9. Choose “The updated driver (recommended)”option, and click “Next”(fig. 16).
Fig. 16
10. The search should find the driver for the “RCA USB Cable Modem”(fig. 17). To
confirm if it found RCA, click “Next”to continue and proceed to step 12. Otherwise,
see step 11.
Important: Do NOT continue if the search finds “USB Composite Device”driver.
Proceed to step 11.
Fig. 17

16
CONNECTING THE CABLE MODEM
11. Follow these instructions only if the driver found was NOT the “RCA USB Cable
Modem.”
A. Click “Back”to return to the previous window.
B. Ensure that you have selected the “CD-ROM”option.
C. In addition to the CD-ROM selection, choose “Specify a location”(fig. 18 ).
D. In the location box, type in your CD-ROM drive. For example, if your
CD-ROM is located on the E: drive, type “E:\.”
E. Click “Next”to continue.
The search should find the driver for the “RCA USB Cable Modem.”
F. Confirm that this is the driver selected, and click “Next”to continue.
Fig. 18
12. Windows should now prompt you to install the “RCA USB Cable Modem”driver.
Click “Next”to install the driver.
At this point, your PC needs to copy Windows 98 SE specific files. If these files are
not located on your hard drive, you may need to insert your Windows 98 SE
installation media (i.e., Windows disks or Windows CD-ROM), but first remove the
cable modem CD-ROM.
13. After the Windows specific files are copied, you may be asked for another USB driver
file named “NETRCACM.SYS”, located on the cable modem CD-ROM. Remove the
Windows 98 SE CD-ROM (if necessary), and reinsert the cable modem
CD-ROM that accompanied your cable modem.

17
14. Windows now informs you that the installation is complete. Click on “Finish”to
finalize the process (Fig. 19). When the “System Settings Change”window appears,
click “Yes”to restart your computer.
CONNECTING THE CABLE MODEM
Fig. 19
15. The cable modem installation is now complete. To validate a proper installation,
perform the following instructions:
A. Click on the “Start”icon in the lower left-hand corner of your screen.
B. Select “Settings,”followed by “Control Panel.”The “Control Panel”window
appears.
C. Double-click on the “System”icon, and select the “Device Manager”tab.
D. Scroll down the list until you come to “Network Adapters.”Double-click on
“Network Adapters.”
If the “RCA USB Cable Modem”does not exist, the cable modem was NOT
installed correctly, go to Solution 2 on page 35.
Using Windows 2000 for USB Connection
Follow steps 6 through 14 if you have a Windows 2000 operating system:
6. When the “Found New Hardware Wizard”appears, click “Next”to initiate the search
for drivers for your USB device (fig. 20) next page.
Note: If Windows 2000 does not recognize the cable modem’s presence, your BIOS settings
may not permit USB and/or Plug-and-Play devices. Please contact your computer’s customer
service department.

18
CONNECTING THE CABLE MODEM
7. Choose the “Search for a suitable driver for my device (recommended)”option, and
click “Next”(fig. 21).
Fig. 20
Fig. 21
8. Choose ONLY the “CD-ROM”option and click “Next”(fig. 22).
Fig. 22