MoCa Adapter/Wireless Question

[NetNerd]

Hi All,

New to SNB & I've searched the forums but couldn't find a solution to my exact problem only slightly more complex ones. Forgive me if it is incredibly simple, and I'm missing something. I have a WNDR3400v2 Netgear router and Actiontec 2500C MoCa Adapters. In my current setup, my Comcast modem and Netgear router are restricted to one room because of how the house is wired. But I bought MoCa adapters to get a hard wire connection in other parts of the house. I have a spare adapter and got the idea to move the router to a more central location. I hooked up the MoCA adapter and modem in the room its restricted to and the spare adapter and the netgear router (through the Wan Port) in another side of the house. It didn't get access to the Internet, so I unplugged and tested with my laptop's ethernet jack, and it immediately got an internet connection. Is there a setting I'm missing or overlooking on the router? Should i be using the LAN port instead?

I contacted Actiontec, but there support only makes sure the connections are right, states everything else is plug n play, and that the router will work without any problem. I contacted Netgear and they said I need two routers for this to work, one as the primary to be the DHCP server and the other as the access point.

My thought process is that the MoCa adapter is an extension of my LAN and could be treated as a direct link to my internet provider(and this is what Actontec would have me to believe as well).

Thanks in advance.

 

[stevech]

First, using cat5 cable, connect a laptop or PC to the far end MoCA device. Prove that the laptop can use MoCA to reach the router and the Internet.

Next, configure your added router to simulate a WiFi access point (AP). There is a FAQ on this in this website. It's also called re-purposing a WiFi router to be an AP. You will

Connect laptop to router via LAN port.
Setup WiFi security, SSID as usual.
disable DHCP server.
The WAN port will be unused.

Connect this re-purposed AP to the MoCA. Use a LAN port.
Both wired and WiFi should work to the Internet.

See
http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/wire...onvert-a-wireless-router-into-an-access-point

 

[NetNerd]

Thanks for the quick response. To clarify, you said added router. Are you referring to a second wireless router or will this configuration work with one router? Are you referring to my cable company provided modem as a router too?

 

[Fraoch]

What you're trying to do should work fine, MoCA adapters simply convert Ethernet to cable and back again. They don't route, they don't care what IP address they're using, they simply convert from one electrical form to another.

Try connecting your laptop to the far MoCA adapter - the one near your router. Do you get an IP? Do you get Internet access? If so then something is wrong with your router. If not, try connecting the laptop directly to the modem. Do you get an IP? Do you get Internet access? If so, something is wrong with the MoCA adapters. If not - something is wrong with your modem!

Note when you're bypassing a router and connecting directly to the modem (or the modem through the MoCA adapters), you may not get an IP due to "MAC locking" where your ISP won't connect to any other device but your router - it detects a new device with a new MAC and won't give it an IP. The solution is here:

http://www.dslreports.com/forum/r28731260-Cable-MAC-Locking-Solution-Can-t-get-IP-from-Rogers-

So before you give up getting an IP, try that. Note the ISP may have locked on to your router or your laptop, whichever one last connected successfully, so you may have to go through that procedure before concluding the router is at fault.

 

[stevech]

Thanks for the quick response. To clarify, you said added router. Are you referring to a second wireless router or will this configuration work with one router? Are you referring to my cable company provided modem as a router too?

I may have misunderstood, but I thought you were OK with the existing 1st router and wanted to improve coverage. To do this, the best way is to use an AP (access point) - and that can be a re-purposed WiFi router.
If instead, you want to replace the cable co's router, then you need to get from them a modem-only to connect to your router, or have them configure your modem/router to bridge mode, effectively bypassing their router. Then you add your router of choice.