Cable/Internet TV Connection Questions

[stomachmonkey]

Last time I'm going to say this.

There is zero, nada, zilch, no good reason to rely on WIFI if wired is an option. Not a one.

Getting wired ethernet to a location may be a bit more challenging up front but it will be dead nuts reliable over the long haul.

You will spend less time upfront vs dealing with all the crap that can plague WIFI networks over time.

Hell, even humidity affects WIFI because moisture has reflective properties that can degrade a signal. It won't kill it outright but can negatively impact performance.

If the device that needs a signal is stationary, TV, desktop PC, your first thought should be how do I get wired ethernet here.

WIFI should be your last resort.

[stomachmonkey]

Originally Posted by hbueno

Agreed. I feel the solutions being discussed here are overly complex. Comcast probably makes you jump through hoops, but you should be able to use your own router and all they provide is the cable modem. Unless the house is huge or the walls are blocking signal, pure wireless should work.

You are overthinking this.

Your situation is exactly what MoCA extenders were specifically purpose built for.

99% of the time you just split it in the right place and it just works.

[hcoles]

I think this is the idea for using MoCA. Put the internet signal on the COAX and then take it off and use where needed. Does this work? Not sure about the "loop" created at the first MoCA box - my Comcast (modem/router) doesn't have coax out.

[Gogar]

YES pretty much. gimme a sec

[Gogar]

See if you find the moCA that has the through/out coax you can do this.
Imagine the internet 'piggybacking' through the length of cable to the TV area, and then you grab it back out at the end, like your diagram.

It's actually quite similar to a powerline adapter in concept.

[stomachmonkey]

I would be surprised if your router was not already fully MoCA enabled.

It needs to be on the input side to use the ethernet present in the coax signal from Comcast.

There is no reason they would only enable one side.

The only times I don't see MoCA enabled at a residential router is with FIOS and that's rare.

FIOS is fiber and uses an ONT (Optical Network Interface) which has fiber in and can output ethernet over coax or cat 5 to the router / modem.

It's MoCA enabled coax by default and only ever provisioned for ethernet at customers request in special circumstances.

Set top boxes also communicate over tcp so MoCA has to be enabled for them to work.

Split the coax at the TV and drop a MoCA extender there.

It should be that simple.

[hcoles]

Thanks guys. Give me a few hours to digest this. Going out on a bike ride to clear my head.

[Gogar]

So am I just barkin up the wrong tree? lol

[stomachmonkey]

Originally Posted by Gogar

So am I just barkin up the wrong tree? lol

No not entirely.

But I've been doing this for a long time.

Back before extenders became a regular consumer product I used to collect routers from neighbors who never returned them and used to "dumb them down" by setting them to bridge mode which is effectively what they sell today as MoCA extenders.

Bonus there was you could leave WIFI enabled so you had access points that were all hard wired together.

It was how you built pseudo mesh networks before mesh networks became a thang.

[hcoles]

An issue is the first MoCA needs to go back near the Comcast gateway box. That means there could be a couple of hops over some splitters. I'll make a more to scale diagram. This is going excellent - thanks for all the help.

[hcoles]

I just noticed something. It looks like I have an internet output on the back of my Xfinity DVR cable box. What are the chances the MoCA is already there? Here is a picture of the back of my DVR cable box.

[hcoles]

I read that yes the ethernet port should be active via MoCA but in the case of the Comcast box the yellow port is not active so can't be used. So I may be back to setting up the 2 MoCA's.

The model of my Xfinity X1 DVR box is Arris AX013ANM.

[hcoles]

Here is a "big" picture diagram. Shows where I would put the two MoCA boxes. Is this correct now? Any issues with the length going back to the splitter and then back in the attic? I can direct RJ45 connect with the TV until I get the Roku with an ethernet port.
I like (need?) the MoCA boxes that have in and out for the coax. The model Actiontec EBC 6200 is the best or preferred one? Many thanks for all the help.

[hcoles]

@gogar, @stomachmonkey - should I pull the trigger on the Actiontec ECB 6200 set of modules? Anything I'm missing? Thanks.

[hcoles]

trigger has been pulled.

[Gogar]

I think your last diagram will work.

[stomachmonkey]

Originally Posted by hcoles

@gogar, @stomachmonkey - should I pull the trigger on the Actiontec ECB 6200 set of modules? Anything I'm missing? Thanks.

I still think you only need the one but buy two.

You can either return it or find a use for it like hardwiring your wifes computer or extending WIFI by adding a hard wired access point some where else in the house.

[hcoles]

Originally Posted by stomachmonkey

I still think you only need the one but buy two.

You can either return it or find a use for it like hardwiring your wifes computer or extending WIFI by adding a hard wired access point some where else in the house.

You think the MoCA signal is already on the coax? Any harm to hook up both to begin with? Maybe just try the one at the DVR and see if I get the internet? Try to hook up my laptop there at the DVR with a patch cable.

[red-beard]

This thread made me get off my butt and finish expanding my Mesh WiFi and removing all of my old WiFi components.

Now getting 650 download speeds over WiFi

[hcoles]

Glad this thread is providing some usefulness - not just to me. I'm excited to see if the MoCA parts I just ordered will work. My wife is not digging the ethernet cable draped around the side of the room as the temporary setup.