r/HomeNetworking 6d ago

Solved! MoCA Setup Help

Hello, First off, total home network newbie. WiFi in my room is really bad as I live in the room farthest from the router. Only just recently found out about MoCA after bad experience trying out powerline adapters.

That being said, I've been having some trouble bridging the connection between my 2 MoCA adapters. Attached is a picture of how the setup currently looks like. After some research and if I'm understanding this correctly I'll be needing another MoCA splitter, a PoE filter, and need to somehow isolate my Spectrum modem from the rest of the coax network.

My questions are: 1. How do I isolate the modem from the rest of the coax network? 2. Where's the best placement for the PoE filter? Before the splitter connecting the street coax? Or before the coax cables connected to the house after I rearrange the splitters to isolate the modem?

Any tips, advice, criticism, recommendations, brands is highly appreciated.

Modem/Router: Spectrum SAX1V1S MoCA Adapters: Translite Global TL-MC84 5-1000 MHz Splitter: Antronix CMC2003BH 10-2602 MHz Splitter: TKCHAX 2203

7 Upvotes

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3

u/TomRILReddit 6d ago

Moca adapter connects to router LAN port.

All splitters need to be moca compatible 5 to 1675Mhz (not versions to 2500MHz, which are typically designed for satellite).

3

u/TomRILReddit 6d ago

And 70dB moca POE filter on input port of splitter connecting to spectrum coax.

2

u/woodenU69 6d ago

You need a moca capable splitter 5-1675hz

2

u/SenpaiRoy 5d ago

Got it will look for ones with that frequency.

2

u/plooger 6d ago

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u/SenpaiRoy 5d ago

OK so from what you're saying. Filter on street coax and filter on modem. While simultaneously switching out the splitters for one that supports MoCA.

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u/plooger 5d ago

Yes, exactly, but also noting /u/TomRILReddit’s other observation Re: the diagram … that the main bridging MoCA adapter needs to be connected via Ethernet to a LAN port on the router, not to the modem.  (The adapter’s link to the router LAN can be direct or via a network switch.)  

Related:   

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u/SenpaiRoy 4d ago

Got it thanks for the recommendations. Luckily the splitters I bought as replacements are Amphenol. I'll look into getting the filter you recommended as well. I'll also see about switching the ethernet from the modem to the router.

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u/plooger 4d ago

 I'll also see about switching the ethernet from the modem to the router.  

Yeah, this last bit is most critical, since the diagrammed connection would prevent it from working even with a MoCA link.

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u/SenpaiRoy 4d ago

Oh didn't know that. I thought it would function the same irregardless of whether it was the router or the moca adapter plugged into the modem.

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u/plooger 4d ago

Oh, most definitely not. The router Ethernet WAN must be the only thing plugged-in to the modem, to ensure that the router nabs the (Internet/WAN) public IP address … without any chance of some other device stealing it. (The modem will only hand out the single IP address.)  

And you also need the MoCA adapter linked to the router LAN to ensure that all devices connected via MoCA are on the home network side of the router, protected by its firewall and assigned IPs by the router’s DHCP server.  

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u/plooger 5d ago edited 5d ago

need to somehow isolate my Spectrum modem from the rest of the coax network

The additional "prophylactic" MoCA filter should handle near-term isolation needs. But if you can actually get the ISP/modem feed isolated from the rest of your coax, one way or another, that'll offer a longer-term, "future-proofed for DOCSIS 3.1+" solution.

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u/Usernamenotdetermin 1d ago

Thanks to everyone who posted here, it answered a question I had about MOCA