Bonded MoCA 2.0 with Gigabit plan and STBs
HelloWorld3
Enthusiast - Level 1

I recently switched to a 100/100 FIOS plan to Gigabit. While the ONT is in my garage, all of my coax and Ethernet connections are home-run to the basement. Under the 100/100 plan, the WAN connection to the ONT was delivered over my home-run coax line from the garage to the basement. A Verizon G1100 router in the basement took the MoCA WAN signal and bridged it to my Ethernet network connected to a separate switch.

Of course, 100/100 is the maximum that Verizon will deliver over coax, even though the MoCA 2.0 protocol in the G1100 supports up to 500 mbps. Still not enough to support Gigabit service, but greater than 100/100. Unfortunately, I do not have Ethernet home-run from the ONT to the basement, so began to explore the use of bonded 2.0 MoCA adapters to service the Gigabit feed from the ONT’s Ethernet WAN port to my G1100 via the existing coax run.

I purchased a pair of the Actiontec ECB6200 MoCA adapters, and figured the on-site Verizon techs could figure this out, since the network topology seemed pretty straightforward...at least, to me. Unfortunately, the techs were unfamiliar with this device, and were unable to establish a WAN link using them. Before giving up, and reverting back to my 100/100 coax-connected plan, I figured I’d give it a whirl, myself. I’m a tech professional, but was not previously familiar with the MoCA specs, so this required some exhaustive searches for information on the web, as well as some trial and error.

After ER a few attempts, I managed to establish the Ethernet bridge using the Actiontec devices, but the link was unstable and would also impact the FIOS STBs that also connect via coax. Also, the Actiontec documentation is extremely sparse. Finally, after about a week of tooling around, I got everything working and am enjoying full Gigabit service. I therefore figured I’d share, so others with similar setups can benefit...

Equipment:

Actiontec ECB6200 Bonded MoCA 2.0
G1100 Verizon FIOS router
MoCA 2.0 compliant splitter (2)
MoCA 1.1 compliant A/V splitter 6-way to connect home-run coax to set-top boxes.

Steps:

Call Verizon to switch from coax WAN to Ethernet WAN port, on ONT.

The G1100 uses MoCA frequency of 1000 MHz for WAN; 1150 MHz for LAN. The ECB6200 defaults to 1150 MHz, so must change to avoid network conflict with G1100 MoCA LAN frequency.

To change the Actiontec MoCA frequency, directly connect an Ethernet cable between computer and ECB6200.

Set Ethernet IP details on computer, as follows:

IP Address: 192.168.144.10
Subnet: 255.255.255.0
Router: 192.168.144.1

Browse to 192.168.144.30
Access ECB6200 Configuration settings and change, as follows:

RF Channel: 1400
RF Band: Band D Hi
RF Switch: Hi

Submit. Power cycle, and re-access to confirm that changes took effect. Repeat for other adapter.

Use a MoCA 2.0 compliant splitter.
Connect main coax line (garage termination, in my case) to “input” port of splitter.
Connect coax from ONT to one output port.
Connect ECB6200 “Coax In” to other output port.
Connect Ethernet cable from ONT to ECB6200.

At other end of main coax line (basement, in my case):

Use another MoCA 2.0 compliant splitter, though not sure if this is necessary. 
Connect main coax line to splitter “input".
Connect splitter to ECB6200 “Coax In” port.
Connect splitter to A/V splitter in (this feeds my STBs).
Connect Ethernet cable from ECB6200 to G1100 WAN port.
Connect coax from G1100 to video splitter (creates MoCA 1.1 network bridge for STBs, which is still required).

I hope this helps others who may be facing a similar challenge!

1 Solution
Capricorn1
Community Leader
Community Leader

The more I thought about this, the more clever I thought it was. I'm a graphic-oriented person, so what I think you came up with looks like this:

image

  

image

More or less anyway. You weren't sure if the second splitter needed to be MoCA 2.0 capable or not, but I'm fairly certain it does have to be. Otherwise, the upper band frequencies needed by your second ECB6200 might be "filtered" out.

(Please be nice. Verizon Community Leaders are not Verizon employees.)

View solution in original post

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Capricorn1
Community Leader
Community Leader

Very good information. Thanks for taking the time and posting this.

Where did you come across how to configure the settings on the ECB6200? I was certain they are more sophisticated than they appear, but I never ran across those instructions.

Also, what services do you have? Just FiOS Internet or Internet plus FiOS TV or ...?

(Please be nice. Verizon Community Leaders are not Verizon employees.)
Capricorn1
Community Leader
Community Leader

The more I thought about this, the more clever I thought it was. I'm a graphic-oriented person, so what I think you came up with looks like this:

image

  

image

More or less anyway. You weren't sure if the second splitter needed to be MoCA 2.0 capable or not, but I'm fairly certain it does have to be. Otherwise, the upper band frequencies needed by your second ECB6200 might be "filtered" out.

(Please be nice. Verizon Community Leaders are not Verizon employees.)
MoonDragn1
Enthusiast - Level 3

Is it possible to replace the G1100 router in that picture with another moca 2.0 adapter set at frequency of 1150 mhz? (Using ethernet input from the other moca adapter at 1400 mhz and the coax from the garage)

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sonnoio
Enthusiast - Level 2

great reading capricorn1!

Not sure the original post is as good as your graphics. One question. If another extender were needed, it would need to be added to the coax net as long as is on the moca 2 split side?

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Capricorn1
Community Leader
Community Leader

You can add up to 16 MoCA Adapters as I recall. Keep in mind that the Verizon router and any set-top boxes you have would be included in that number.

These things are a lot more clever than I originally thought. From what I can tell, they set up a sort of internal network amongst themselves. One of the adapters (usually the first one turned on) acts as the arbiter. Since all adapters see all network traffic, the network operates much like a wireless LAN, but using RF over coax. The more adapters, the greater the chance for collisions (crosstalk, talk over).

Since the adapters only listen to a specific frequency range (usually what Verizon uses for MoCA LAN unless you change it), you just have to make sure that the coax is all connected somewhere. 

(Please be nice. Verizon Community Leaders are not Verizon employees.)
SamsonDog
Newbie

This was awesome! 

Thank you! 

Little question for those of us who do not want to use FIOS Gateway router but are also using FIOS TV STB. 

How would you configure the "house side" so as to not lose FIOS TV functionality like on demand etc.? 

Thanks !  

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Capricorn1
Community Leader
Community Leader

I'm assuming your Internet service from the ONT is on Ethernet to your own router. Assuming that's correct, you just need something like one of the ECB6200s. You would plug the Ethernet cable to a LAN port on your router and connect the coax side into the coax running inside your house. The ECB6200 - as I understand it - ships configured to convert Ethernet to MoCA (coax) at the frequencies used by Verizon. This should make the programming guide and video-on-demand services work for the set-top boxes.

I essentially had that setup for years, but in my case, I had a Motorola NIM100 MoCA bridge. Ethernet from the ONT to my router, to a switch, to the NIM100, to coax, to the STBs and DVR.

(Please be nice. Verizon Community Leaders are not Verizon employees.)
Dave311
Enthusiast - Level 1

@Capricorn1: Thanks for confirming that this setup will work. Both Verizon and Motorola said it wouldn't. (Motorola because I was going to use their MM1000 MoCA Adapter instead of the ECB6200 referenced here.) I know why Verizon would say no (other than not understanding what I was asking): they want my $15/month for their lousy router. I cannot understand why Motorola said no.

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Edg1
Community Leader
Community Leader

Though many of us do these type of setups, it is completely unsupported by Verizon. Most tech support isn’t going to know or even work with you with this type of setup. The newer FiOS TV One boxes and previous Quantum boxes won’t even go through activation with the Verizon router in place. Which is why it’s good to have a spare on hand in case you ever have to swap out a box or activate a new one. 

Dave311
Enthusiast - Level 1

As I mentioned above, I was going to try to install the Motorola MM1000 MoCA adapter to get around having to use Verizon's router. I don't want to give a false impression. It wasn't just plug things in and go, but after some false starts and some mysterious (to me) side effects, I finally got everything working in harmony. So, yes, it can be done and I end up having spent $75 including tax for the MoCA adapter instead of $15/month for a Verizon router. Well worth the time spent getting all the partners to dance.

mr324
Newbie

Recently upgraded to the new STBs and I'm having a ton of choppy channels on the mini's.  I'm running my own network (ONT - Eero - switch - Actiontec WCB3000) which had previously been working perfectly.  Upgraded the STBs and now have this choppy channel issue.  Is it possible the MOCA connection is too slow for the new boxes, or is this irrelevant to the live TV stream?  I'm currently messing with an ECB6200 but can't get it to feed MOCA to the STBs.  I should have it set to channel 1150 and Band D Low, correct?  This choppy/freezing TV is killing me!

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DumbEngineer
Newbie

Can you share the details of how you replaced the Verizon router? I tried using an ethernet connection instead of a the coaxial connection between my router and the STB (since my router doesn't have a coaxial port) and I can't get TV service.

If I connect the STB directly to the wall, the TV works, so all of the signals are there. 

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DumbEngineer
Newbie

I got my setup working, here's what I did. Note that I did not say, "I figured it out!" Because I have no idea why this works for me and Capricorn1's 6-30-12 post did not. As I said in my previous post, the STB worked when I plugged it into the wall, so I guessed that it wanted ALL of the signal and I flipped the second splitter around. The garage/downstairs setup is identical to Capricorn1's post.

It's possible I didn't wait long enough for the STB to get its act together with the original setup because I got a "check the coaxial connection and plug it into the wall" error with the new setup, then suddenly the error left and TV loaded. I also recommend connecting the STB first before the MoCA adapter and the router since they seem less picky than the STB about picking up the correct signal. 

Apparently I can't post pictures, so hopefully links are allowed: https://imgur.com/hMwm2MD 

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DumbEngineer
Newbie

I lied, the connection is unstable, the search function doesn't work, and on demand is broken. Back to the drawing board...

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mr324
Newbie

Did you setup the port forwards from the original verizon router?  The setup I had previously working with my old verizon STBs had ethernet from the ONT to my router, then ethernet from my router to a MOCA adapter.  The coax comes in from the ONT to an 8 way splitter.  The moca adapter had a coax line into one of the 8 on the splitter.  This worked perfectly for me for a few years until the upgrade to the One mini system.  It requires that you copy the port forwards from the verizon box to your router, but i had 100% functionality.

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lasagna
Community Leader
Community Leader

I see what you're trying to do ... but you need at least three MoCA bridges to make this work.  The bridge you have at the end where your personal router is located is only going to listen to one frequency at a time and you actually need the STB on the LAN side of your router and the ONT on the WAN side.

Here's what I would do (not knowing specifically the capability of the MoCA bridges you have but since you reference the ability to change frequencies, I believe this will work:

1. Connect ONT Ethernet to a MoCA bridge.   Configure this bridge to run on C4-1000Mhz (if that's not possible, any of the D-bands except for D1).  If you can configure a encryption password, set one to prevent the STB from trying to bind to it.   Connect Coax output of bridge to source splitter.

2. Install a Low-Pass filter inline on the ONT Coax output (this will keep any incoming MoCA from the ONT from coming thru as well as prevent your signal leaking out).   Connect this to the source splitter.  

3. At destination end, connect STB to destination splitter 1.

4. Connect a second splitter to other output of destination splitter 2.

5. Connect first output of splitter 2 to a MoCA bridge.  Configure this bridge for channel C4 with the same password you used for the other end.   Connect the ethernet output of this bridge to the WAN interface of your personal router.

6. Connect the second output of splitter 2 to a second MoCA bridge.   Configure this brdige for channel D1-1150Mhz with no password (this is what the STB will bind to for guide data, etc.).   Connect the ethernet output of this bridge to a LAN interface on your personal router.

Make sure all three bridges are set to NOT negotiate for a channel -- particularly the two running on C4 (or whatever channel you chose).   

Using C and D channels should keep the bridges from trying to interconnect incorrectly and is essentially what Verizon is doing with their router (their router essentially has two bridges inside -- once running on C4 and one running on D1).

lasagna
Community Leader
Community Leader

Oh ... and since you're using a Bonded adapter -- that uses two frequencies.   for the pairing between the two adapters to get a full 1Gb of bandwidth (or close to it).   So make sure both frequencies of the adapter at the source and the destination end that you're pairing are running an identical pair of frequencies -- neither of which is D1.

mr324
Newbie

For my case I'm purely using the MOCA adapter to provide service to the One Mini's throughout the house.  My current WCB3000 was working perfectly prior to switching to the new One system.  Now live TV is extremely choppy, so I thought MOCA 1.1 may not be fast enough, hence my upgrade to the ECB6200.  I've read though that MOCA 1.1 should be fast enough...what am I missing??

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lasagna
Community Leader
Community Leader

MoCA 1.1 is definitely fast enough.   I have TiVO mini's in my house (3 of them) -- two of which are behind an older MoCA 1.1 segment -- with absolutely no issues.  The mini's use at most 30 mb/s of bandwidth and MoCA 1.1 will give you 200mb/s.

I will say, have you tried rebooting the Tivo main unit.   My Tivo has been really snotty lately and has required a reboot on a number of occasions to make it "sane" again.   Tivo's code quality has really gone downhill over the past year or so at least on the Roamio's and satellite minis.

Leon796
Newbie

Could you configure this for a setup without STB needs, but the use of additional MoCA adaptors that provide ethernet to other access points for ethernet (for my streaming devices) and to my wifi network in other areas of my home?

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