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Moca Adapter To Spectrum Modem

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KyleKoolaid

Occasional Visitor
Hello All! I have Spectrum 1gig internet and want to go moca adapter to moca adapter from upstairs to the basement since the lines are already ran and want to hardwire as much as I can. I have 2 moca Motorola 2.0 adapters. The problem I'm running into is that the link light does not illuminate on either device after hooking it up to the Spectrum modem e31t2v1. Is there any way around this or am I going to have to run eathernet to the basement if I want a hardwire connection? Thanks for the help!
 
Are you certain that the coax outlets are interconnected? Oftentimes, cable techs disconnect all but the modem line, leaving all the other outlets on the house disconnected from the active coax.

Do you know where your coax central junction is?
 
Thanks so much for the reply! So yes I've checked the junction line and made sure the coax that I am using downstairs is active via a tracer and a continuity tester as well as multimeter. I've talked to Spectrum as well and all they can tell me is that the 1 gig that I pay for is not compatible with the moca adapter that connects to the modem.
 
the 1 gig that I pay for is not compatible with the moca adapter that connects to the modem.
Spectrum is wrong.

Can you provide more detail on how the locations and devices are connected? (text is fine, diagrams, however rough, can be better)
 
Oh, also, would it be possible for you to access your modem and check what frequencies are in use for the download and upload channels? (Wanting to check whether the modem is using DOCSIS 3.1 frequencies.)
 
May want to check the specs on that splitter (chrome with label) in the second picture from the OP. Couldn’t read the label. Might come into play later if more than one room connected to moca.
 
May want to check the specs on that splitter (chrome with label) in the second picture from the OP. Couldn’t read the label. Might come into play later if more than one room connected to moca.
Are there pics in this thread?

edit: wrong thread? (Hopefully that OP will heed advice Re: MoCA-compatible splitters.)
 
Spectrum modem e31t2v1
Be prepared to install a MoCA filter on this modem’s coax port (separate from the MoCA filter required at the cable signal point-of-entry) should the modem seem unstable once you have a working MoCA setup.

The E31T2V1 is a DOCSIS 3.1 modem (per), and, due to overlapping specs between MoCA and DOCSIS 3.1, some D3.1 modems get flaky when they see MoCA signals within the frequency range that they’re expecting DOCSIS 3.1 signals (1125-1218 MHz). The simple solution is to install a MoCA filter on the modem, to block the MoCA signals from the modem, allowing the modem to live in ignorance of the MoCA network. However, the simple fix isn’t possible if the provider is actually employing D3.1 frequencies above 1002 MHz — which was the motivation for suggesting that you check what frequencies are actually in use on the modem, just to be certain.
 
So I'm concerned that what you're suggesting here IS the root of the problem...
However, the simple fix isn’t possible if the provider is actually employing D3.1 frequencies above 1002 MHz — which was the motivation for suggesting that you check what frequencies are actually in use on the modem, just to be certain.

I have no idea how to check the frequencies of the modem, I'm only able to log into the router. I have attached actual pics of the wiring as well as a terrible drawing that looks like my 6 year old made. In the drawing there are 2 different wiring diagrams. The top left is labeled "With Moca Attached" which shows the wiring that I have done when it is fully connected to the modem, splitter and router. The second diagram is read from bottom to top where the 6 way splitter goes from the garage then outside to the front porch, back into the family room.

Here is a detailed explanation of what you're looking at....

The garage holds the coax junction. The coax labels on the junction that are labeled 1, 2, 3 and 4 are what go to specific rooms in the house. In the pictures, the two yellow coax in lines 1, 2 and 4 are not used. Line 3 is the only one I need which is labeled in blue on the schematics, it leads to the basement. The one labeled 2C goes POE Filter then outside past the front porch and into the Family Room, to the coax outlet, to the two way splitter then to the modem.

So the Family Room is setup like this....the single coax that's red in the schematics goes through a coax outlet then up to a 2 way splitter (this was installed by Spectrum a few months ago because our internet kept dropping randomly and the installer said after installing this 2 way switch it would improve the wifi frequencies). So as you can see the 2 way splitter is capped at one end because all it's running is the initial coax from the wall to the modem. The modem is then connected to the router.

Here's where we run into our problem.

When the Moca is attached we get power on, LAN on (when connected to the router) but no "link light" is illuminated because of what we are pretty sure is due to the Modem delivering D3.1 frequencies being above 1002 mhz. Which is what they told me today on the phone. Once again, I have not checked it myself so we're going off their word. I'm confident that I have the Moca setup correctly to the modem, like every other that I have seen, minus the fact that mine runs to the 2 way splitter instead of directly into the coax wall outlet.

Again, thanks for all of your help in trying to figure out this issue!

I'm having trouble attaching the physical pictures...it says the files are too big, I'll try uploading them again later today.
 

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Where is the Spectrum coax entering? Does it feed into the powered splitter? Anyway, if you have a PoE filter on C2, that will block any moca signal from going out O3 to the basement. you would want the PoE on the Spectrum feed going into the splitter, and perhaps a second one on the coax feeding into the modem as @krkaufman said. Of course if they truly are using 1-1.2GHz for D3.1, the PoE will block that too.
 
Here is what the actual splitters look like. The PoE filter is on the Spectrum feed going into the splitter before it's ran out past the front porch and back into the Family Room...is that the what you meant by where is the Spectrum Coax entering? The cable to the right of it is ran into the AC Adapter. I'll take the PoE filter off the C2 cable and try putting the other PoE filter on the coax feeding into the modem tonight when the kids are done 'virtually learning' and report back with how that goes.

@splunge2020 and @krkaufman After doing some digging, I was able to find out that someone was able to use MoCA adapters with the Spectrum 1Gig internet, I just need to know which (or all) of the three variables that I need to change. Here they are:

1.) A different outside splitter. Spectrum uses Antronix, and the output is 52-1000 MHz fwd., just a regular digital cable splitter, but as @krkaufman said before, the DOCSIS 3.1 range is 1125-1218 MHz. This guy uses bamf 6-way coax cable splitter bi-directional moca 5-2300mhz.

2.) The MoCA Adapters. I have Motorola 2.0. He uses a different brand but his are 2.5 which from what I've read is that MoCA 2.5 uses the entire range of 1125-1675 MHz, and so is more demanding on the splitters.

3.) The Modem. After talking to Spectrum all they could tell me is that after "upgrading their modems to DOCSIS 3.1, MoCA isn't possible" So I looked around and found the two other models that they have for customers that have gig internet; they are E31N2V1 and the E31U2V1. I have no idea why they would make 3 models if they all the specs were the same? I'll do more digging on that tonight if no one else knows.

I have attached his schematics too just so you guys can see how he set his up. Thank you guys again so much for you knowledge and input!

Edit: Spelling.
 

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if i remember correctly, with DOCCis 3.1 signal present, you have to shift the MOCA adapters to D high and the base freq to 1275 MHz from what i read in another post here recently. This should remove the conflict if they have to co-exist. The MOCA 2.5 adapters will loose one band ( of 5) so the paired link can only go up to 80 % of the full speed, which should be faster than just a pair of MOCA 2.0 adapters in bonded pair, turbo mode as it will support up to 940 Mbit/s bidirectional (full duplex - two sets of half duplex bonded pair basically) rather than 940 Mbit/s unidirectional (single half duplex) with a single bonded pair, turbo mode.
 
Any splitter / device used has to be rated for MOCA2 frequency bands - up to 1675 MHz if i remember the number correctly , for any cable path that needs to pass the MOCA 2 signal. A MOCA POE block, either built into the amp/splitter or on the cable going to the ISP demarc point to keep your MOCA signals at home.
 
3.) The Modem. After talking to Spectrum all they could tell me is that after "upgrading their modems to DOCSIS 3.1, MoCA isn't possible"
I'm in the middle of a move, but am compelled to burn a minute to say that this isn't true. Heck, it's not even true if the provider is actually employing DOCSIS 3.1 "initial rollout" frequencies up through 1218 MHz ... in which case the MoCA devices could simply be configured to operate above the D3.1 signals, though at a cost to maximum throughput (dropping available channels for bonding down to 4 or 3, rather than 5).

That said, if the only issue is that the DOCSIS 3.1 modem/gateway is sensitive to MoCA signals, and the operator isn't actually employing D3.1 signals above 1002 MHz, the quick workaround is to just install a MoCA filter directly on the modem/gateway, and the device will be none the wiser that MoCA is on its doorstep. (Keep in mind that if you already have a "PoE" MoCA filter installed, any DOCSIS 3.1 signals above 1125 MHz would already be getting blocked by the MoCA filter at the point-of-entry.

Gotta run. Good luck...
 
Here is what the actual splitters look like. The PoE filter is on the Spectrum feed going into the splitter before it's ran out past the front porch and back into the Family Room...is that the what you meant by where is the Spectrum Coax entering? The cable to the right of it is ran into the AC Adapter. I'll take the PoE filter off the C2 cable and try putting the other PoE filter on the coax feeding into the modem tonight when the kids are done 'virtually learning' and report back with how that goes.

@splunge2020 and @krkaufman After doing some digging, I was able to find out that someone was able to use MoCA adapters with the Spectrum 1Gig internet, I just need to know which (or all) of the three variables that I need to change. Here they are:

1.) A different outside splitter. Spectrum uses Antronix, and the output is 52-1000 MHz fwd., just a regular digital cable splitter, but as @krkaufman said before, the DOCSIS 3.1 range is 1125-1218 MHz. This guy uses bamf 6-way coax cable splitter bi-directional moca 5-2300mhz.

2.) The MoCA Adapters. I have Motorola 2.0. He uses a different brand but his are 2.5 which from what I've read is that MoCA 2.5 uses the entire range of 1125-1675 MHz, and so is more demanding on the splitters.

3.) The Modem. After talking to Spectrum all they could tell me is that after "upgrading their modems to DOCSIS 3.1, MoCA isn't possible" So I looked around and found the two other models that they have for customers that have gig internet; they are E31N2V1 and the E31U2V1. I have no idea why they would make 3 models if they all the specs were the same? I'll do more digging on that tonight if no one else knows.

I have attached his schematics too just so you guys can see how he set his up. Thank you guys again so much for you knowledge and input!

Edit: Spelling.

Now I'm confused. Looking at your drawing from a few days ago, if the spectrum signal is coming in through your 2C port, then there must be a splitter somewhere between the powered splitter in the garage and your family room, or one of O1,2,4 cables are what actually goes to the family room, with O3 going to the basement. If there is a splitter joining the garage and family room, then the PoE filter needs to be on that splitter's input. If there is no splitter and the family room is actually fed from one of the 4-way outputs, then the PoE filter is in the right place. You can test by disconnecting the output cables from the amp and see if you still have signal going to the modem in the family room.

In any event, yes, that antronix 2-way splitter will block your Moca signals, so it needs to be replaced (or just removed since you're not using the second output...all it's doing is adding 3-4 dBm of attenuation). The powered splitter as well isn't MoCA rated, so you'll either need to replace that with a passive splitter, or get a MoCA rated amp (for instance the Antronix MMRA4-8EQ). Again, if you're only using the cable going to the basement, you could just use a barrel connector or 2-way splitter, again depending on how the family room is actually getting it's feed.

I looked at the user docs for the motorola moca adapters, but couldn't find any info about how to manage what frequencies they use. Hopefully they're smart enough to move to the high-D band if they detect D3.1. I'm using goCoax 2.5 adapters that give you a lot of flexibility in that regard.

To find out the frequencies your modem is receiving, you can go to it's management page at http://192.168.100.1. Both models you listed use the username technician by default, but the default passwords are "PoD Tool" for the E31N2V1, and C0nf1gur3Ubee# for the E31U2V1. If those don't work, then I guess Spectrum changed them on you to keep you out, or you could try googling for other default passwords.
 

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