C H A P T E R
Product Overview
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Product Overview
This chapter provides physical and functional overviews of the Cisco uBR904 cable
modem. It contains physical descriptions of the cable modem hardware and functional
descriptions of hardware-related features.
The Cisco uBR904 cable modem is a part of a new class of Cisco data-over-cable products.
The Cisco uBR904 cable modem is a compact, easy-to-install device that can receive and
transmit digital data over hybrid fiber coaxial (HFC) cable; the same cable that brings
television broadcast transmissions into a cable television (CATV) subscriber’s home.
With a Cisco uBR904 cable modem, a personal computer can be connected to the HFC
cable network for high-speed access to the Internet. The link that enables the transmission
of two-way digital data from the HFC network to the Internet is provided by the
Cisco uBR7246 universal broadband router installed at the cable headend.
The Cisco data-over-cable products, the Cisco uBR904 cable modem and the
Cisco uBR7246 universal broadband router, are based on the Multimedia Cable Network
Partners, Ltd. (MCNS) Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification (DOCIS)
standards-based specifications. MCNS is a consortium of cable television companies
whose goal is to create standards for interoperable data-over-cable systems.
The Cisco uBR904 cable modem operates with one external AC-input power supply.
The Cisco uBR904 cable modem provides the following features:
•
High-speed access to the Internet—Downstream (receive) connection speeds of up to
36 Mbps, and upstream (send) connection speeds of up to 2 Mbps
•
Multicast messages—Multiple users can receive important information at the same time
