New MoCA network

[rpmartinez1987]

I’m helping out a friend extend their Internet signal to their 2nd floor.

The house is a 2 story house with a basement. The Spectrum coax Internet comes from the pole into the basement, the spectrum technician drilled a hole underneath the 1st floor office and brought the cable into the 1st floor office, it is then connected to an antronix power amplifier which then connects to the Spectrum Modem. The basement ceiling has a lot of coax cables going to various rooms in the first floor and 2nd floor. Some of those cables are connected to two way splitters which eventually are connected to the box on the outside of the house.

What are my options to get a functioning MoCA network? Should I remove the Spectrum Internet coax cable from the power amp, connect it to a 2-way MoCA splitter, one end going to a MoCA node and the other end going into the power amp that connects to the modem? I would then feed an Ethernet cable from the router to the MoCA node. Where should I place the PoE filter?

 

[degrub]

An isolated run of coax from the area of the router to the area of the 2nd floor would be ideal. If you can get that, moca 2.5 modem on each end, ethernet port on first modem connected to router, second connected to user device (or switch, AP, etc)

If you cannot do that, then need to sketch out a map of all the coax "from - to", ALL of the splitter model #s, names and a picture, and devices attached. Start at the demarcation box outside.
This will matter depending on the route for moca as there is a limited power budget available in the moca amp.

For the ISP modem/router, is it running DOCCIS 3 or 3.1 ? This can make a big difference in the approach/equipment as 3.1 typically uses some of the MOCA 2 or 2.5 frequency bands. If currently on 3, the ISP is likely planning for 3.1 sometime in the near future, so planning based on that is advised.

Any splitter, powered or not, in the MOCA path needs to be replaced with a MOCA 2 certified splitter.

If the TV set boxes are using moca already, it can be difficult, but not impossible to implement moca 2 over that.

IF the user can switch to fiber to the house for an ISP, then that might solve some issues if the internal cable plant is no longer used by an ISP.

 

[krkaufman]

Heh, those pics look familiar!

You all set?

 

[rpmartinez1987]

Heh, those pics look familiar!

You all set?

Not yet. I plan on going back this weekend and if I run into any issues I will sketch out a map but it seems pretty straight forward.

 

[rpmartinez1987]

Heh, those pics look familiar!

You all set?

Here’s a hand drawn diagram of the topology. I have three unused cables which are next to the 3 way splitter that the ISP coax cables are connected to. I don’t care too much about having the 1st floor bedroom connected but would like the 2nd floor living room part of the MoCA network. The cable that’s currently unknown
, I have to figure out where it is.. if it goes to the detached garage then yes I would like to use it.

 

[rpmartinez1987]

Here’s a hand drawn diagram of the topology. I have three unused cables which are next to the 3 way splitter that the ISP coax cables are connected to. I don’t care too much about having the 1st floor bedroom connected but would like the 2nd floor living room part of the MoCA network. The cable that’s currently unknown
, I have to figure out where it is.. if it goes to the detached garage then yes I would like to use it.

I forgot to draw the Power Amp that’s connected to the coax line that connects to the router. The power amp is at the end of the coax line and connects directly to the router.

 

[degrub]

Do you mean power injector ? If so, what is it powering ?
It should be DC power only, so should not be an issue except for line signal loss.

Also, not possible to read the model #s on the splitters/amp shown.

 

[rpmartinez1987]

The splitters are all 5-1002MHz so I know I have to replace those with MoCA compatible splitters.

The amp/ or injector is this One.
It’s connect at the end of the coax line that runs to the router, it goes coax line - amp - router. If I accidentally disconnect this amp from its power, I lose internet.

I have a question, I know that MoCA splitters are 5 - 1675 MHz but I’ve also seen 5 - 2500 MHz, is it a better practice to buy the ones with a greater range?

 

[degrub]

All you need is up to 1675. Higher are usually spec'd for satellite downlinks and may have issues in the moca bands.

Usually, an amp like that is placed where the cable co. lands their demarc cable from the street and distributes to rooms in the house. A little surprised that is "right next to the modem" as the forward amplification would likely cause issues with the modem unless there is some sort of automatic power adjustment. It likely will not pass moca bands with a stated min 120 dB roll off filter. As long as there are no moca modems on the downstream side of the amp due to shared cable, it should not be an issue. If there are, then a new 2 way moca splitter likely is required on the upstream side ( if all cable is in same room) or replacement of the amp with an equal rated, but moca certified version.
POE filter would go on the input side of the amp.

 

[rpmartinez1987]

All you need is up to 1675. Higher are usually spec'd for satellite downlinks and may have issues in the moca bands.

Usually, an amp like that is placed where the cable co. lands their demarc cable from the street and distributes to rooms in the house. A little surprised that is "right next to the modem" as the forward amplification would likely cause issues with the modem unless there is some sort of automatic power adjustment. It likely will not pass moca bands with a stated min 120 dB roll off filter. As long as there are no moca modems on the downstream side of the amp due to shared cable, it should not be an issue. If there are, then a new 2 way moca splitter likely is required on the upstream side ( if all cable is in same room) or replacement of the amp with an equal rated, but moca certified version.
POE filter would go on the input side of the amp.

The amp connects only to the spectrum modem. So all I should need is to place a POE filter on the input of amp. Do you think I need to place a POE filter at the dmarc point where the Spectrum ISP line initially goes into the 3 way splitter?

 

[degrub]

yes, if the moca signal will traverse the 3 way.

 

[degrub]

However, if the signal coming to the spectrum modem drops too much, you may have to remove both of the POE filters. i still think that amp is in the wrong place. You should be able to log into the spectrum modem and navigate to the cable signal pages that show the channels and the input value. Snip a copy with the amp in place and with it powered off. You can do the same for when you add the poe filters 1) at the amp input and 2) with both in place.

They don't use cable tv, correct ?

 

[rpmartinez1987]

yes, if the moca signal will traverse the 3 way.

Okay so then I’ll need two POE filters, one at the input of the amp that connects to the modem and one at the input of the 3 way splitter that’s the dmarc.

 

[rpmartinez1987]

However, if the signal coming to the spectrum modem drops too much, you may have to remove both of the POE filters. i still think that amp is in the wrong place. You should be able to log into the spectrum modem and navigate to the cable signal pages that show the channels and the input value. Snip a copy with the amp in place and with it powered off. You can do the same for when you add the poe filters 1) at the amp input and 2) with both in place.

They don't use cable tv, correct ?

Yes they use cable tv but only on one of the TVs. The 1st floor living room tv.

 

[degrub]

also, make sure all "open" ports on splitters are capped with a 75 ohm terminating cap. Gets rid of RF reflections and improves signal quality. Any unused cables connected to a splitter should be removed and the ports capped.

The CATV provider is also spectrum ?

 

[rpmartinez1987]

also, make sure all "open" ports on splitters are capped with a 75 ohm terminating cap. Gets rid of RF reflections and improves signal quality. Any unused cables connected to a splitter should be removed and the ports capped.

The CATV provider is also spectrum ?

Yes I’ll make are splitters and cables with open ports are all capped.

The CATV provider is also spectrum.