MoCa: Complete newbie setup help

[JMHamilton88]

Hello,

Completely new to Moca (and networking in general). Purchased a Screenbeam 2 adapter kit. Xfinity Internet with Modem/router combo. I did enable Moca capability on the router.

I have coax cables running through the house and have identified the main in line and the line to the room I want the Moca connection to. Currently I have main coax in to a Moca 2.5 splitter. One splitter out directly two the modem/router coax connection. The other splitter out directly connected to the coax line that runs to the room. At the room, I have the coax out connected to a screenbeam Moca adapter, ethernet from adapter to my Xbox one. I'm getting internet through it, and the Xbox can connect over the Moca network, however, my NAT type is always strict not allowing to connect to online games. I have tried a bunch of stuff to fix the nat type via the router and xbox itself when on Moca connection to no avail (opening ports, assigning the xbox reserved IP, etc.). I don't have the NAT problem over wifi but signal strength an speed sucks over wifi which is why I'm interested in MoCa setup. Wondering if it's in how my Moca network is set up.. Does it sound like this current setup should work?

Or do I need another adapter at the router? The screenbeam setup says to do the following. Ex: Main line coax in to splitter, splitter port one direct to router, splitter port two to moca adapter, moca adapter ethernet port to router ethernet port.. Then the room setup the same as I have it. But I guess I'm confused, as if I follow that, I wouldn't have any connection to the coax that is running direct to my room where my other moca adapter is..

As I said, I'm not well versed in any of this, so I might just be a lost cause lol. Thank you for your assistance in advance!
Jeff

 

[degrub]

Follow the screenbeam advice.

 

[krkaufman]

Or do I need another adapter at the router?

Two reasons you might want to do so:

1. If it somehow fixes the odd "NAT" issue with the Xbox connection.
2. If you want the best possible throughput over the MoCA link, and the pair of adapters purchased are MoCA 2.5. (The XB gateway built-in MoCA LAN bridge is bonded MoCA 2.0, at best.)

The screenbeam setup says to do the following. Ex: Main line coax in to splitter, splitter port one direct to router, splitter port two to moca adapter, moca adapter ethernet port to router ethernet port.. Then the room setup the same as I have it. But I guess I'm confused, as if I follow that, I wouldn't have any connection to the coax that is running direct to my room where my other moca adapter is..

Were you to want to use a standalone MoCA adapter as your main MoCA/Ethernet bridge, replacing the gateway built-in, you'd want to:

1. disable the gateway's built-in MoCA LAN bridge;
2. add a 70 dB MoCA filter directly on the gateway coax port, as insurance against the gateway interfering with your MoCA network were the gateway built-in bridge to somehow become re-enabled;
3. use a MoCA-compatible 2-way splitter at the gateway to get both the gateway and the additional MoCA adapter connected to the coax, in parallel.
4. link the added MoCA adapter, per your comment, to a LAN port on the gateway, to effect the MoCA/Ethernet bridge.

p.s. The OP doesn't mention the required "PoE" MoCA filter. You'll want to make sure that you have a 70 dB MoCA filter installed on the input port of the initial 2-way splitter (or upstream) to make sure that MoCA communication is blocked at the cable signal point-of-entry.

 

[JMHamilton88]

Awesome, thank you! I have purchased the filters and will try the setup as recommended when they arrive. Appreciate your guidance.

 

[krkaufman]

I have purchased the filters

Getting a 70+ dB filter model is important, since MoCA gear can push through a typical 40+ dB model.