Spectrum EU2251 Modem and voice effected by MoCA?

[BobMc]

Thinking about setting up MoCA between office/entry point and AV room.

Here's our current setup:

Current modem is an EU2251 (make unknown, but suspect ARRIS) provided by Spectrum. Have internet, cable and voice/phone service. Spectrum specs says it's DOCSIS 3.1 certified and supports up to 5 Gbps (our internet connection is 500 MBps). The frequency range is 158MHz to 1218MHz.

Our office is the location of the modem, main router (ASUS RT-AX88u Pro), and several desktop computers and other devices connect to the router via ethernet. All ethernet is cat 6.

The AV room which is currently linked with the office using a MESH setup with an ASUS Rt-AX3000 router in the AV room which supports a TIVO, ROKU, Denon receiver, and weather station via ethernet to the AX3000 (the TV gets all input from the Denon receiver and the TIVO is connected to the cable system and the output feeds to the Denon receiver). All ethernet is cat 6.

WiFi great over entire 3,000 sq ft single floor home. Other TVs and ROKU devices around the various bedrooms use WiFi connections although cable lines are available to all.

Have a lot of questions about how to set up the MoCA devices, splitters, and filters, but for now the issue is whether a MoCA setup would affect or be affected by the voice/phone functionality of the setup.

Any thoughts?

 

[L&LD]

Welcome to the forums @BobMc.

Consider using that RT-AX3000 in Media Bridge mode instead. You should have faster than (1GbE) wired throughput. And better WiFi for the rest of your devices too.

 

[krkaufman]

whether a MoCA setup would affect or be affected by the voice/phone functionality of the setup

TL;DR: yes-ish. As a workaround, install a 70 dB MoCA filter directly on the modem.

Longer… See: DOCSIS encroachment on the MoCA [Band D] frequency range
---

 

[krkaufman]

Consider using that RT-AX3000 in Media Bridge mode instead.

Once MoCA is working, wouldn’t it just be configured as an AP? (Or is there some other terminology within the AIMesh lexicon for that configuration, assuming “mesh” means “AIMesh.”)

 

[BobMc]

Yes, AIMesh.

Had the AX3000 in media bridge mode until a couple of days ago when thought I'd try AIMesh. Didn't make much difference in WiFi speeds around the house, nor in the direct router to router speed (connecting laptop to AX3000 via ethernet.

 

[L&LD]

What are your ISP speeds (500MB/s???)?

Are you just testing internet speeds or actual LAN performance?

What is the distance/obstacles between the main router and the RT-AX3000?

I'd be more than surprised that the LAN speeds are the same.

@krkaufman, I'd guess a router would not be needed with a wired connection. A simple switch would do (on the AV room side).

 

[degrub]

Just curious as to what "problem" we are trying to solve ?

 

[BobMc]

To start with the most recent question: what am I trying to solve?
The original question was whether MoCA would interfere with the phone/voice functionality of my current setup with the Spectrum modem. I also asked for any thoughts and that's where we got into questions re MoCA, speed, etc.

On to other questions.
I just measured the distance from the AX88U pro router (office router) to the AX3000 router (AV room router). It's 54 feet. Signal has to pass through one interior wall (office) probably made of wallboard and metal or wood studs, then through large 2-panel sliding glass doors, across corner of lanai, through a concrete block wall and on the other side of the concrete block wall sits the AV room router.

The speed provided by Spectrum is 500 MBps - can't change that without paying them more, and it's sufficient for our current needs.

Just retested the internet speed, connecting a laptop to the AV room router via cat6 ethernet with WiFi off. Used speedtest to do so.
Mbps download = 446.1
Mbps upload = 23.2
I realize that's not the true speed since it also includes the Spectrum connection to the internet.

Same test from my desktop connected to the office router shows
Mbps download =323.4
Mbps upload = 22.18

Logging onto the AiMesh network and checking the speed shows that the two routers are connecting using the 5 GHz band and . . .
PHY transmit rate = 1531.2 Mbps
PHY receive rate = 1225 Mbps
Date transmit rate = 90-14Kbps (that's "K")
Data receive rate = 86.14 Kbps (that's "K")
Fronthaul information:
Ethernet transmit rate = 143.19 Kbps Average 9.96Mbps
Ethernet receive rate = 24.41 Kbps Aveage 1.03Mbps

I'd like to be able to increase the data rates at the AV room router since I'm running a Plex server on my desktop and displaying the videos in the AV room. Don't often have a problem with buffering, but happens from time to time. That's why I'm considering MoCA vice a bridged or AiMesh setup - to increase the speed of the LAN between the two locations.

I may only need a switch on the AV side, but I need to get better WiFi to that part of the house (and two TVs in two bedrooms even further away) from the office router.

Using a bridged LAN didn't seem to make much difference in speeds from the AIMesh setup.

Hope that answers most of your questions.

 

[L&LD]

Okay, so you're not testing the LAN speeds then (which is double your ISP-provided speeds).

That indicates to me that your laptop may not be set for the fastest WiFi use. When you're testing with it, are you plugged into the AC wall outlet? Is the power profile in Performance mode? Do you test with more than one speedtest site?

To see if Media Bridge mode vs. AiMesh mode is better in your environment, you may need to test with multiple simultaneous clients while using that node/bridge. That will instantly show you the AiMesh wireless backhaul penalty.

You may also need to find the best Control Channel in your environment.

It may be different if setting up the network in Media Bridge vs. AiMesh mode too.

Am I all set to start fresh with the latest stable release? And a request for L&LD...

After creating the checklists two weeks ago to save the pages with settings, I've made all the screenshots (I think at least) of all the relevant guides written by @L&LD and the very useful tip by @netware5. The only thing is, those guides are great, except when you'll be offline at least for a...

www.snbforums.com

Control Channel Setup 2021

Reset Mini Guide + Control Channel Setup Details

Control Channel Setup (more)

 

[BobMc]

Okay, so you're not testing the LAN speeds then (which is double your ISP-provided speeds).

That indicates to me that your laptop may not be set for the fastest WiFi use. When you're testing with it, are you plugged into the AC wall outlet? Is the power profile in Performance mode? Do you test with more than one speedtest site?

When running all the speed tests in my previous post I was logged in on a laptop via ethernet to the AV room router with WiFi turned off.

 

[L&LD]

When running all the speed tests in my previous post I was logged in on a laptop via ethernet to the AV room router with WiFi turned off.

???

How is that

Using a bridged LAN didn't seem to make much difference in speeds from the AIMesh setup.

Please accurately describe your testing process and your network configuration.

A diagram would be most welcome.

 

[BobMc]

???

How is that

I connected a cat6 ethernet cable from my laptop directly to the AV room router, had the WiFi on the laptop turned off, then ran speedtest on the laptop so the only connection to the LAN was at the AV router via ethernet.

 

[L&LD]

And the answers to other questions I've asked?

 

[BobMc]

???


Please accurately describe your testing process and your network configuration.

I'm no scientist keeping track of every little keystroke. I hooked up the laptop as I described and ran speedtest, several times, both from Chrome and from the speedtest app - results were all within same tolerance.

A diagram would be most welcome.

No diagram. From Spectrum service to modem. Modem to 2.5GHz WAN port on AX88U Pro router. 2.5GHz switch connected to router's 2.5GHz LAN port, and desktop (and other peripherals) connected to the switch. AIMesh connects the two routers (office and AV room). AV room router (AX3000) supports (via ethernet) TIVO, ROKU, Denon receiver, and a weather station. Have cable connections (via Spectrum) at both locations) and TIVO utilizes the cable connection for recording programs.

 

[BobMc]

I connected a cat6 ethernet cable from my laptop directly to the AV room router, had the WiFi on the laptop turned off, then ran speedtest on the laptop so the only connection to the LAN was at the AV router via ethernet.

The one point in the connection that is probably slowing things down is the USB port on the older Surface Pro laptop. Although I connect to ethernet via the USB port via a 2.5GHz adapter, the USB port is probably 2.0 (I'll have to check that). I don't have any other way to connect directly to the router other than via that laptop or WiFi, but the AIMesh info which I posted shouldn't depend on the speed of that USB port since the data is coming directly from the AIMesh connection between the routers.

 

[degrub]

"Have cable connections (via Spectrum) at both locations) and TIVO utilizes the cable connection for recording programs."

Does the cable go through the attic from a splitter at the ISP router ?

 

[BobMc]

"Have cable connections (via Spectrum) at both locations) and TIVO utilizes the cable connection for recording programs."

Does the cable go through the attic from a splitter at the ISP router ?

Not sure what you mean by the "ISP router."

There is a box on the exterior wall of the office where I think all the lines converge and the Spectrum line enters. From there, there one comes into the office (almost directly through the wall as far as I can tell) and the other multiple lines go through the attic to other rooms. Some of the lines are impossible to trace due to HVAC lines, insulation, and the construction of various parts of the house.

 

[L&LD]

So you're doing a wired (LAN) test to the AiMesh node via an older laptop which you won't tell us if it's plugged in and in Performance mode, via a USB 2.0 Ethernet adaptor.

Too many variables in your testing to determine anything here.

I still wouldn't be using AiMesh in wireless backhaul mode. The Media Bridge mode is unquestionably superior.

 

[BobMc]

So you're doing a wired (LAN) test to the AiMesh node via an older laptop which you won't tell us if it's plugged in and in Performance mode, via a USB 2.0 Ethernet adaptor.

Too many variables in your testing to determine anything here.

I still wouldn't be using AiMesh in wireless backhaul mode. The Media Bridge mode is unquestionably superior.

OK, I've rerun the test at the AiMesh node. Confirmed that the Surface Pro's USB port is 3.0, not 2.0. The adapter to ethernet is 2.5GHz. Laptop plugged in and on full performance mode.

Using speedtest via cat6 ethernet with both bluetooth and WiFi turned off on the laptop:
Download @550 Mbps on multiple tries; upload @24Mbps on multiple tries.

Of course, this is going out to the speedtest sites on the internet, so I'm getting everything that Spectrum promised!

Already showed the LAN speeds as reported by the AiMesh network. Don't know what other tests to run for LAN only speeds. If you have some suggestions, I'll give them a try.

I'd still like to increase the LAN speeds, if that is possible, and am therefore looking at MoCA (which is why this conversation started).

 

[degrub]

so, moca may be possible. If the modem is DOCCIS3.1 or higher. you would have to have moca modems that can be configured to use only the D-High bands. This limits the bands available ( 2, maybe 3) and would restrict the link to 1 Gbit/s half duplex (roughly 500 Mbit/s average, at best).

Also, any splitter in the moca path will have to be certified MOCA2 or 2.5. The TIVO boxes may be using MOCA, i don't know for sure.
If the coax runs are straight shots with no intervening splitters in the wall/attic, then it may be ok. If you don't know or can't trace it out, the moca signal is likely blocked, especially if you have to share the cable with DOCCIS3.1

You will need to map out your coax for the house and know the requirements of each device on the coax before you can figure out what needs to be done.

An alternative might be to hire an alarm installer to run either 1) a new, moca dedicated coax run through the attic to whatever points you want or 2) run a CAT6 cable to the same points and terminate the cable. An alarm installer may not have the termination tool or plugs, so you may have to do it yourself. It is not hard, but you want good quality tools, not the cheapest you can find. There are plenty of threads here on it and U-tube videos for the various brands.

The question about phone over coax probably only constrains the choice of main splitter as some are designed to pass telephone signals. Most are not ! If it is VOIP, then those are just special digital packets like any other computer sends so i would not expect an issue with a splitter, but i could be wrong as i have not specifically dealt with that issue.