Site Totals

61162 Questions Answered 267 Categories

Coax splitter / Internet out of multiple coax outlets

So we just bought a new home that is already pre-wired. There is a coax outlet in each bedroom, one in the living room, one in the familty room, and one in the garage. Each outlet runs a coax wire to the outside of the house. Verizon installed while I was away, and when I came back, one of the coax lines was plugged into the verizon box that was installed outside of the house. The other 6 are just left dangling in the air with no connectors or anything on them. I want to be able to get an internet signal out of at least 3 of the other coax outlets since I don't want to run a long ethernet cable all over the house from the router, and would prefer not to go wireless at the moment.

Do I need to install a splitter outside and then connect that back to the verizon box? Also, what will I need in each room for the coax to go into so that I can get and internet connection out of it? Will any router do? Is there some other kind of converter I can use?

Any help would be appreciated.

Comments

armond_in_nj1

@angelabartle wrote:
... Do I need to install a splitter outside and then connect that back to the verizon box? Also, what will I need in each room for the coax to go into so that I can get and internet connection out of it? ... Is there some other kind of converter I can use? ...
In short, yes. But at each location where you want TV you will need some sort of Verizon "box" to descramble the signal. I believe that during your install Verizon would have installed a splitter if asked (my experience), but evidently that did not happen. Since you will need Verizon equipment for each location, I'd suggest that you try to get VZ to fit the splitter outside your home when you decide to add other TV locations. The splitter itself will have to meet certain specs to perform correctly.

Internet is a different situation. If you want hard-wired connections, then of course you must have "hard wire." You can do this over coax (via something called MoCA), but that gets expensive due to equipment costs. It might be cheaper to run Cat5e or Cat6 wires to each location in your home and then just use a switch to set up each Internet "station." In any case, this job requires some hands-on time and perhaps some outside assistance.

angelabartle

@armond_in_nj wrote:
@angelabartle wrote:
... Do I need to install a splitter outside and then connect that back to the verizon box? Also, what will I need in each room for the coax to go into so that I can get and internet connection out of it? ... Is there some other kind of converter I can use? ...
In short, yes. But at each location where you want TV you will need some sort of Verizon "box" to descramble the signal. I believe that during your install Verizon would have installed a splitter if asked (my experience), but evidently that did not happen. Since you will need Verizon equipment for each location, I'd suggest that you try to get VZ to fit the splitter outside your home when you decide to add other TV locations. The splitter itself will have to meet certain specs to perform correctly.
Internet is a different situation. If you want hard-wired connections, then of course you must have "hard wire." You can do this over coax (via something called MoCA), but that gets expensive due to equipment costs. It might be cheaper to run Cat5e or Cat6 wires to each location in your home and then just use a switch to set up each Internet "station." In any case, this job requires some hands-on time and perhaps some outside assistance.

This is an internet question, we don't have TV service.. so all questions will relate to internet service only. The house is already "hard wired" with coax running to each room, and a coax outlet in each room. If I split the coax outside, then the coax outlets in the rooms will be live. Once I do this, I need to know if I can use any router to plus the coax line into, or if I must use a certain router/converter.

armond_in_nj1

@angelabartle wrote:
@armond_in_nj wrote:
@angelabartle wrote:
... what will I need in each room for the coax to go into so that I can get and internet connection out of it? ... Is there some other kind of converter I can use? ......
If you want hard-wired [Internet] connections, then of course you must have "hard wire." You can do this over coax (via something called MoCA), but that gets expensive due to equipment costs. It might be cheaper to run Cat5e or Cat6 wires to each location in your home and then just use a switch to set up each Internet "station." In any case, this job requires some hands-on time and perhaps some outside assistance.
... all questions will relate to internet service only. The house is already "hard wired" with coax running to each room, and a coax outlet in each room. If I split the coax outside, then the coax outlets in the rooms will be live. Once I do this, I need to know if I can use any router to plus the coax line into, or if I must use a certain router/converter.

Asked and answered. You will need a MoAC converter (Google is your friend) if you want to run Internet hard-wired over coax. Otherwise, either run Cat5e to each box, or go wireless using the Verizon router provided. If you use Search on this board you will find the details many times over. Hope this helps, and good luck.

Anti-Phish1

@angelabartle wrote:
This is an internet question, we don't have TV service.. so all questions will relate to internet service only. The house is already "hard wired" with coax running to each room, and a coax outlet in each room. If I split the coax outside, then the coax outlets in the rooms will be live. Once I do this, I need to know if I can use any router to plus the coax line into, or if I must use a certain router/converter.
There are no MOCA routers other than the Actiontec (and Westell). i.e. No other brand of router has a coax connection.
However, you can buy either a MOCA LAN bridge, or a used Actiontec to be used as a MOCA LAN bridge.
The details can be found in the following FAQ:
Can I get an ethernet connection in a room with only coax

lasagna

To answer your question using just coax as you indicated ...

- You need to install a standard digital rated (5-1000Mhz) coax splitter outside where all your coax connections come together and then connect the upstream side of that splitter to the ONT where to current single connection is terminated (make sure you include the current coax connection in your set of coax connections on the downstream side of the splitter). So, if you have the router in one room presently, and want to use outlets in three other rooms, then you would need a 4-1 splitter. Since this will be outside, make sure you earth ground the outer case of the splitter -- they usually have a mounting hole for attaching it to a ground surface - so the shields work properly and keep interference out of your coax plant.

- Next, in each room other than where the router is located (this must stay connected because it interconnects the "local" side of the network running on one frequency on the coax to the "internet" side of the network which runs on another frequency on the coax -- the ONT box outside talks to the router on the "internet" frequency" and all your other rooms will talk to the router on the "local" frequency), you need to purchase and install a MoCA adapter. This "converts" coax LAN to standard "ethernet" LAN as you find on a typical PC. My recommendation here is the ActionTec HME2200/ECB2200 because they are zero configuration devices and match the brand of the router usually. Just warning you now ... be prepared for some sticker shock. You can do this with some secondhand routers -- but you need to understand what you're doing -- if you're not into networking and just want something which works, but the bridges.

- Once installed, each MoCA bridge will automatically find and pair with the router -- no configuration necessary. Note that there should be a small "terminator" on the output side of the bridge -- leave it in place as it's necessary for the bridge to operate properly. The ethernet connection on the bridge can then be connected directly to any PC or device or you can connect it to a switch (available from any big box store or online -- relatively cheap). Make sure you get a "switch" and not a "router". These would give you multiple connections in each room if you need them. Note that the router has a bridge built into it. There is no need to install a bridge in the room with the router -- and in fact, doing so would create other issues.

That's it.

Child Item