MOCA set-up
ract
Contributor - Level 1

I think I understand how, in a general sense, MOCA works but I want to make sure my idea for the setup will work before shelling out for MOCA equipment.  My setup is as follows: The coax cabling goes from the ONT to a fourway splitter.  One output goes to the MI424WR (Rev. I) and the rest to other outlets throughout the house to connect TVs and other devices.  As I understand it, MOCA adapters allow the use of existing coax cabling as the physical media for an ethernet network.  My preference (assuming that the MI424WR has built in MOCA capabilities) is use the ECB3500T Multi-band MoCA Network Adapter at one or more of the TV locations to connect various devices (TV, Blu ray player, TiVos, etc.) to the network and have them communicate.  Is this workable?  Also, will the devices that are connected via MOCA adapters be able to communicate with those devices on the network that connect via the MI424WR WiFi?

Included below is a list of the equipment to be used with a internet link.

Verizon MI424WR (Rev I) router (made by Actiontec)

http://www.actiontec.com/products/product.php?pid=41#.Uegxk239zbw

Actiontec ECB3500T Multi-band MoCA Network Adapter

http://www.actiontec.com/products/product.php?pid=257#.UegwEm39zbw

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Re: Actiontec ECB2500C
gigabit
Enthusiast - Level 3

Self-solved this one. The Actiontec ECB2500C is a sweet piece of kit. Just ran coax from my outlet to the device and ethernet from the device to my iMac, powered up the adapter, rebooted, and presto, I have a wired signal which solved all my range and speed issues. Awesome!

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Re: MOCA set-up
mfizzy
Specialist - Level 1

MOCA work just as you think. However you need to be aware of your bandwith limitations. Verizon will not use it for people with data over 75 megs. You can max out the ability of your coax cable really fast. Your money would be better spent running ethernet to those locations. Second option might be power line adaptor. I've never use an MOCA bridge, but the specs dont look good for home networking.

Re: MOCA set-up
ract
Contributor - Level 1

I don't understand enough about cable technology to assess your bandwidth comment; although I understand there are bandwidth limits.  All I want to do is stream a movie from Netflex or Amazon Instant Video or transfer one from one Tivo to another without the feed stammering and stuttering.  The coax cable between the ONT and the first splitter will handle the transfer of HD VOD movies and the feed for about eight devices all tuned to different channels, I don't understand why it wouldn't handle other media transfers.  I can't imagine that wiring the house with Ethernet cable would not cost more than a couple of the ECB3500T devices.  Also, I am leery of using a device that sends signals via the house's electrical system.  Since the MI424WR appears to have built in MOCA capabilities and I know one of the Tivo devices does, I am going to see if I can make that work.  That will serve as a first-hand experience that will allow me to make a decision at no additional cost at this time.  Thanks for your help.

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Re: MOCA set-up
armond_in_nj1
Master - Level 1

@ract wrote:

... coax cabling goes from the ONT to a fourway splitter.  One output goes to the MI424WR (Rev. I) and the rest to other outlets throughout the house to connect TVs and other devices ... use the ECB3500T Multi-band MoCA Network Adapter at one or more of the TV locations to connect various devices ... Is this workable?  Also, will the devices that are connected via MOCA adapters be able to communicate ... [?]


The general layout you've described will function as you desire.  At each coax location where you want Internet capability, you can add an adapter.  Simply insert a splitter and connect the STB/DVR to one leg, and the MoCA adapter to the other.  Then of course connect the device to the adapter.

Two comments may help.  Be sure to use a splitter that has the requisite specifications.  It must be bi-directional, and pass about 5 to about 2000 Khz.  Also, instead of the MoCA adapter you described, take a look at another Actiontec offering:

http://www.actiontec.com/products/product.php?pid=251

Many users report very good results with this model.

Re: MOCA set-up
ract
Contributor - Level 1

I already have one; it was included with my purchase of a TiVo Premeire4 XL.  The setup proposed by TiVo was to attach the ECB2500C to the cable router in order to establish a MOCA network and communicate with the TiVo Premeire4 XL which has built in MOCA capabilities.  Since the MI424WR also has built in MOCA capabilities, use of the ECB2500C was not necessary.

The reason I am not using the ECB2500C is that it has only one ethernet output connection.  The ECB3500T has more.  Since both are made by Actiontec, I assume they work equally well.  In addition to the TiVo Premeire4 XL, I need to connect three other devices to the MOCA network at the same location; so unless I can use the ECB2500C with some kind of ethernet splitter (not a switch), I need the ECB3500T.  The ethernet splitter might be cheaper, but I don't what new problems would surface; I am in an area that seems to be new to most.  I visited Best Buy and several computer stores; no one knew anything about MOCA.  I am relying on the internet and personal experimentation to achieve my ends.

I was able to make the connection between the MI424WR and the TiVo Premeire4 XL work.  There was considerable improvement in the streaming of shows from one TiVo device to another.  I actually didn't expect this since all of the other TiVo units (using wireless G adapters) are still on the wireless network which has wireless N capability.  I would think the slowest connection in the stream would control the flow.  There was some improvement in the receipt of internet videos (YouTube, etc.) on the TiVo Premeire4 XL, but not as much as I expected.  Media devices (TVs, DVRs, etc.) have a long way to go before matching the experience of getting internet media on a computer.  I need to go back and check the internet experience with my TV which has wireless N capability and compare it to the MOCA network capability.  At one point, I considered a wireless N adapter for each TiVo unit but that would be over $300.  The MOCA adapters are a much cheaper alternative to wireless N adapters.

As for the coax splitters, they were supplied by the cable company and have a 5-1000 MHz pass capability.  As long as the setup works to my satisfaction, replacing those (there are four in the whole setup) would be the course of last resort.  I assume you mean 5-2000 MHz.

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Re: MOCA set-up
maolsenspam
Enthusiast - Level 2

Did you ever get the ECB3500?  I am looking at buying that and setting it up to use with a Tivo HD XL and two other devices.  If so, how'd it go?  I also had a related question since you have previously set up MOCA with your Tivo and the same router I have.  Did you have to make any changes to settings in the router or was the set up pretty much plug-n-play?  (Also, do you know if Verizon uses a "point of entry" filter where it comes into the house to prevent the local area network from being transmitted outside?)  Thanks for any help!

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Re: MOCA set-up
ract
Contributor - Level 1

Sorry for the slow response; I rarely look at these forums unless I have a problem.  The MOCA network is now working trouble free.

In any case, I did not get the ECB3500.  I had difficulty in finding a seller.  Instead I used the ECB2500C that was included with TiVo Premeire4 XL and used an Ethernet switch [Linksys SE2500 5-Port Gigabit Ethernet Switch (made by Cisco)] to connect the TV, BR player and other TiVo.  Later, I bought two more ECB2500Cs to connect to the remaining TiVos; I have a total of four.  The second pair are backups in case the first pair fail to record or break down.  We watch a lot of TV so reliability is important.  I had to deactivate one TiVo because the hard drive became noisy.  I also use the extras to store movies we might watch some day.

Everything pretty much worked via plug and play.  No changes to the router; you just have to change the TiVo connection to Ethernet on the TiVo menu,  The only problem is that when I changed a TiVo to MOCA, the other TiVos would not show up on the My Shows list unless I rebooted them.  So when adding the last set of MOCA adapters, I shut them all down and restarted each one after all the MOCA adapters were in place.

All in all, I am very pleased with the results; MOCA is much, much better than wireless.  Transfers between units are fast; although you really don't need to transfer because you can watch a show from any of the TiVos on any one of them, even fast forward.  For a while, two units were on MOCA and two were on wireless "G".  Transfers between the MOCA units and wireless units improved; that didn't seem logical to me.  All of this started because I changed the wireless network from "G" to "N".  The TiVos were not operating off the Verizon router but off an Airport Extreme (added while with Comcast which didn't provide a free wireless router) used to network my wife's computer.  Not only is MOCA much better, the MOCA adapters are much cheaper than the TiVo wireless "N" adapters.  Also the TV and BR player have internet capabilities, the speed of which also improved with MOCA.

As for the POE filter, I haven't used the one provided by TiVo.  I don't know what Verizon has in the system but I read somewhere that the customer did not need to add one for FIOS.  Since the Verizon router and set top boxes operate off MOCA, I would assume there are safeguards.  Hope that is correct.

Re: MOCA set-up
armond_in_nj1
Master - Level 1

@ract wrote:

... The MOCA network is now working ... I did not get the ECB3500 ... I used the ECB2500C ... and ... an Ethernet switch ... I bought two more ECB2500Cs to connect to the remaining TiVos ... All in all, I am very pleased with the results; MOCA is much, much better than wireless  ... MOCA adapters are much cheaper than the TiVo wireless "N" adapters ...


Glad you got things going well.  Also glad to see that you were able to use the 2500 series that I suggested in the post of 08 Aug 13. 
MoCA is good, especially if you like chocolate.  However I always thought it was spelled "mocha."
Re: MOCA set-up
ract
Contributor - Level 1

Thanks for the help; the ECB2500C with an Ethernet switch worked fine.  I also learned that my original idea to use an Ethernet splitter is not workable due to the need for each device to have an individual IP address.  However, a coax splitter at each device was unnecessary since the ECB2500C (unlike the ECB2200V offered by Verizon) has a built-in coax splitter.

Re: MOCA set-up
Snowy24
Newbie
Hi, just wanted your help. I have an Actiontec MI424-WR Rev F router on my first floor. The coax comes into the house in the basement and is wired all over the house. I purchased the actiontec moca adapter you used. How do I connect the first one so it works with the existing router and spreads the signnal? Do I disconnect the cable going into the router and have it go into the moca and then the moca via Ethernet to the router? Or does the router already act like a moca so I don't need to do that step? Should each coax connection thru the house have a unique ip address? Thanks for your help.
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