
462 Networking Explained, Second Edition
21. I am still looking for a response that describes how all of this works.
OK. Let’s see if we can put this all together for you. Our perspective will be down-
stream, from the head end to the home. Thus, the following description is applicable to
receiving data from the Internet. As stated earlier, cable operators have emplaced a hybrid
fiber/coax (HFC) plant as shown in Figure 15.9. This plant consists of regional head ends,
neighborhood distribution sites, optical-electrical converters, and coaxial cables. Regional
head ends generally support 200,000 to 400,000 homes and have high-speed data connec-
tions ...