Yes, you can connect your modem directly to the line from the street.
Yes, you can connect your modem directly to the line from the street.
The orange line from the street probably means fiber, so you can't simply connect a fiber optic cable straight into a modem. I'm not sure about Mediacom, but with my Verizon fiber service, it goes into an ONT where a media converter changes it to copper before sending it to my WiFi router. This setup might differ from yours, especially if you also use TV or phone services through the same provider.
We're discussing a specific type of connection—whether it's fiber, coaxial cable, or DSL. Usually, your modem is positioned near the edge of your network both physically and electronically. I assume it should function properly when connected, but this depends on whether the line is active and if the setup allows for additional features.
At my place, the orange wires link to the black ones that reach my modem, using identical connections. If I were you and the hidden orange cables were required for testing, I’d definitely check them out.
Judging from what Im reading on their website Id say you have Cable internet, meaning it comes thru Coax. So yes, you can plug direcly in to their cable. You then need to check your modems signal levels and verify if they are good. Some other things you can try is to make sure there is no more than one spliter between that main line and the modem. Each spliter cuases loss and the modem needs the best signal it can get. If you end up figuring out its your wiring. It should be simple to just install some new RG6, which is the current standard that we are using. Or underground cabling. With the US currently being in WINTER, they cant burry cables now, the ground is too hard (thats what she said). So they will come back and burry it in the spring (Honestly the OP will have to call and bitch and bitch and bitch to get them lazy bastards to come out to burry it). At least thats how it is with all the other providers.
Winter burying cable 18" is tough work—it heats the soil and releases moisture, which can freeze again when compressed, damaging the fiber or causing kinks. I've seen 144 count fiber get crushed from 6" to 1.5". Residential drops don't have conduit.
Also, stop criticizing them harshly. OSP usually gets thousands of tickets from people complaining about service for trivial issues. Why do they assume priority for everyone else?
As a paying customer, you shouldn't have to deal with a wire cutting across your lawn legally. It seems the city charges extra if they cut grass, especially when it crosses neighbors' property. I've heard Comcast often forgets to bury cables, and customers usually end up with the issue resolved without their input. Working at the local BK about five years ago, I recall the new tire shop getting internet. Comcast was supposed to bury the cable because the cutoff point was too far from the pole, but it still ended up running through trees and lawns. It's really lazy on their part, and residential users like me should have more priority. Other companies I've heard say are just as unreliable.
I don’t care about your status as a paying customer. If the ground is frozen, it stays frozen. You wait until springtime. They finalize the work order. Keeping orders open for too long just gets lost, especially with companies like Comcast. They promise you can’t bury it until spring, then they ask again in the season. Or it’s too much effort to remember and call. It’s better to close orders after a short time and start fresh when the opportunity arises.
Again, you’re treating the OSP as lazy when they’re not in control of their own timeline or have no input. There are many reasons beyond simple laziness:
1. Burying authorization was blocked by local regulations.
2. The owner didn’t want to pay for burying the cable on their land.
3. Burying wasn’t practical due to obstacles—roots, space constraints, and the need to disrupt traffic or parking areas.
Most customers don’t want to pay for this, and it’s frustrating to see them push back repeatedly. Stop acting like it’s a trivial issue. If you’re not experienced in the ISP world, keep learning and adapt.
Please stop with the lack of understanding about ISPs, work orders, and customer coordination. Stay focused and show them how it’s actually done.
They don’t bother digging even in the middle of summer or winter. People have actually asked for help during the hottest months, and Comcast takes months to get everything underground. It doesn’t matter if it’s frozen or not. For clarity, I never said they needed to dig in the winter. I was just noting you’d have to contact them repeatedly—possibly many times—and they’d send someone without the proper tools, which happens. When you pay what you pay, they’ll remember to come back and fix it. Because they’ll keep needing to replace the line as it gets damaged. You can’t leave a cable up in the yard—it’s a serious safety hazard. Who gets blamed? The homeowner or Comcast? Someone might be sued. I’ve seen cables run across many people’s properties before they reach the owner’s house. So if a neighbor trips, it’s their fault. For reference, I worked in fast food when the drive-thru was down; they had a dining area for a reason. Even checkers has walk-up windows, which is likely what the “installation fee” covers. Plus, I think it means technically, if they do it on the right-of-way, the utility owns it for their use. That’s why I’m grateful we don’t have to bury utilities while living here. If we had to deal with this for months or years, it would be frustrating.