What Is a Coax Outlet?

You’ve glanced over it many times when tidying up your entertainment center, but have you ever stopped to study that funny, flat wall outlet with the metal connector? That’s the coaxial, or coax, outlet, and it brings you joy—television and internet, that is.

Often, using a coax outlet in your home is as simple as connecting to a data-transmitting device, like a modem or cable box. However, there are times when you’ll need to know a bit more about the coax outlet to get your tech setup up and running. Read on for an introduction to your TV’s best friend.

What Are Coax Outlets?

Coaxial outlets are the hub for distributing cable service to your home for television and internet. Using a coax cable, the outlet is connected to your modem or router for internet or your digital cable box for TV and sends the signal to your devices so you can watch cat videos all over your home. 

Most modern homes have multiple coaxial outlets; some have one in every room. Rarely is a home not equipped with coax outlets since they have become a staple for cable companies to deliver service, but older homes may be limited to just one outlet.

What Are Coaxial Splitters?

Splitters transmit a single signal across several devices by dividing the energy from the source across multiple ports. They are available in two-way through six-way styles.

A splitter is used to link more than one device to a single coax line, like connecting your TV and internet.

Keep splitting to a minimum because splitting output can decrease speed and reliability. Remember, you’re only dividing your existing output among more devices when using a splitter, not duplicating it. Also, avoid chaining multiple splitters together to prevent overburdening of your outlet.

Inactive Outlets

It's common in homes with many coax outlets to leave some inactive.

Unless you were the one to install all your coax outlets, you might not know which one is active in your home. Here's a simple way to test a coax outlet's signal if you don't have an electronic cable tester:

1. Plug your modem into the outlet.

2. If the modem receives a signal, that outlet is active.

3. Unplug the modem and repeat for every outlet.

If there's no connection in the outlet you want to use, worry not—you can simply activate the dormant outlet.

You can activate a coax outlet on your own, but if you’re not comfortable or you need a new coax outlet, bring in a local electrician to install it safely.