router over ethernet, network extender over coax?

[Dopamine]

Currently there is a quantum router on the ground floor, but it is connected via ethernet to the ONT (no coax in that location).

I am hoping to add a network extender upstairs.  Is it possible to add it over the coax connection upstairs or would the router also need to be connected over coax?  Are there other connection possibilities?  I would like both locations to have wired connections.

[Capricorn1]

Unless a wireless network will work from you, there has to be some form of physical connection from the router to the network extender. That can be an ethernet cable or coax or using one or a pair of MoCA adapters, you can switch between the two. If there is a Verizon set-top box involved you would also want to make sure to get MoCA adapters that use the frequencies that Verizon uses.

An approach would be to run Ethernet to where there is coax and then use an adapter to get the Internet traffic going over your coax to the extender upstairs. (Or run coax from where the router is to the existing coax and join the cables with a splitter or junction. In that case, you might just be able to use the coax port on the Quantum router, but I am not sure if that works. [But there's no harm in trying either.])

If the extender takes a coax connection like the Actiontec/Verizon WCB6200Q, you would be good to go. It also converts back to standard Ethernet ports/cables if you need that, too. If you have some other extender without a coax, you might need a second MoCA adapter to do that conversion.

[Dopamine]

Hmm. Been doing some more reading into options. What if used a powerline instead? Would that get me similar wired speeds at both locations? Are they reliable connections?

[Capricorn1]

Powerline is certainly another way to go. They seem to be hit or miss though. If you try that, make sure you buy them from somewhere you can return them. I know people that have used them with great success. I tried them once, and they were horrible in my house. I was trying to avoid running an Ethernet cable from one level through the floor to the next. I was lucky to get 1-2 Mbps over them. (They were Netgear Powerline and advertised at 500 Mbps.) I blame my house's wiring in my case. I tried 5-6 different outlets near where I could plug in the "source" Ethernet cable. (The target location was fixed and had only two outlets to choose from. Neither made a difference.) Ironically, the best "source" was the outlet the farthest away from where I was trying to get Internet service to.

If you can get from Ethernet to coax, that's the way I would go.

[lasagna · Accepted solution]

You need to be aware that in most US residential homes wired for 240V service, there are multiple phases of power feeding the home.  Regular 120V is typically distributed across two different phases (an "A" and a "B" phase).  Half the home is wired to one side of the phase (120V from hot to ground) and the other half is wired to second side (120V from hot to ground).  Whie you should never remove the protective cover of your breaker panel -- if you were to look inside you would see that there are two different bus bars carrying power to the breakers and the breakers are set to connect to either one or the other.  (I'm not an electrician so if didn't get the terminology exactly right, sorry about that -- but the picture the description above paints explains the basic concept correctly).

Essentially, for powerline adapters to work, both must be on the same side of the phase.  Outlets wired to the A phase can't see a powerline adapter on the B phase.  Outlets on the same circuit -- are by definition on  the same phase -- so that would be one way of finding two outlets that will work together (suggested as the method to get the initial configuration established and then you can move one of the units around to see where the signal will re-establish to find other outlets on the same phase.

Short of interconnecting a pair of units via ethernet which are on two different phases -- the only way to get units to work across phases would be some form of powerline phase coupler which "leaks" the frequencies being used by the adapters across the phases -- this would have to be installed at the breaker box and usually requires a qualified electrician -- so more work than it's probably worth.

[Dopamine]

I am trying to figure out a way to keep the Ethernet WAN, and run coax LAN to then connect to a range extender. Just some other questions if you know the answer:
I also have DirectTV which I read cannot be run on the same coax cable. So if I want to bridge to coax, does this mean I would have to tap into specific coax cables/outlets and not others? If so, how would I identify which ones are compatible. Are they not all connected at some point?

[CRobGauth]

That really depends on how house is wired.

Is there a spot where DirecTv coax enters house?

If so, start with there and see if there is a splitter.

You might get lucky and the rooms would be labelled.

[Dopamine]

I see. Yes i found the entry and splitter. Unfortunately it's not labelled but I think I can figure out which rooms were wired for Directv. So then theoretically, could I think of that as a separate circuit, and everything else I could use for moca LAN?

[CRobGauth]

Correct.

[NJ_FIOS_user]

I installed Actiontec/Verizon WCB6200Q.

Here is what I've found:

Coax cable have bandwidth limitations. Verizon tech support told me it is limited to about 400Mbps. My experience showed if I connect via coax, speed test result is  below 400Mbps for the devices connected to ethernet port on WCB6200Q , although I have 1Gbps service from FIOS.

Cat 6 RJ45 ethernet connection can get you about 900Mbps in speed test, with 1Gbps service from FIOS.

You cannot connect both coax and ethernt at the same time to WCB6200Q. I tried that but I cannot reliably connect to WIFI nor can I use ethernt port on WCB6200Q to connect other devies (laptop, desktop computers, etc.).

So, if you have FIOS Internet service below 400Mbps, it is OK to connect via coax. Otherwise, it would be better to ran a CAT 5e/CAT 6 /6a or CAT 7 cable to connect to WCB6200Q. I would prefer to use CAT 6.