Frontier Fios MOCA setup

[stu7575]

So, this is what I trued to explain to the installation tech. Spectrum did it the same way by connecting those two cables together. When they finally sent out a higher level installer, he said he had no idea why they did it that way. He connected the Demarc to a powered splitter and each of the room specific coax cables to that splitter. Once he did that, the MoCA LAN worked.View attachment 33784

The Frontier installer said their system won't run with a splitter. I don't know why this would be the case. He also left the power part of the Spectrum splitter plugged in.

View attachment 33785

So, after having another visit from Frontier, who seemed to corroborate what the previous techs had said about all of these MoCA connection issues, I summarized the solution as finding a way to connect the ONT directly to the Router in order to get rid of the Frontier MoCA WAN adapters. After some further conversation, he said they do Ethernet jack installs but only on single story homes (mine is two story). After he left, I thought about what you said about moving the router to a different location and though I could move it downstairs to the wall behind my TV and HTPC. I called Frontier again, and they said they would run an Ethernet cable from the ONT location to this wall for free since I am still within the two week period from initial install. The person on the phone from Frontier said they discourage the use of the WAN adapters unless absolutely necessary and said the setup I was describing would work if the ONT is connected via Ethernet to the router.
Do you believe this setup would work:

1. ONT connected via Ethernet to Ethernet port Frontier installs on downstairs wall behind TV and next to existing coax port.
2. Coax cable connected from coax port on router to coax port on wall next to the new Ethernet jack.
3. Connect Demarc cable in master bedroom closet to a splitter, with coax cables for each separate room with coax outlets connected to the splitter.
4. MoCA LAN adapters connected to coax outlets in each room where connection is desired.

Any reason this would not work?

 

[krkaufman]

I’ll read/review your latest post, but what happened to simply moving the router (along w/ its FCA251 adapter) to the Master Bed closet?

 

[krkaufman]

3. Connect Demarc cable i

From my understanding, your “demarc” cable has no purpose in an Internet-only setup once you’ve connected the router to the ONT via direct Ethernet connection. Otherwise should probably get the job done.

The NVG468MQ is standard MoCA 2.0, so will limit LAN throughput to/from the router to 400 Mbps.

 

[elvan]

The RG6 cables should all terminate to the same MOCA-capable splitter. If you only you are only using a single pair of MOCA bridges to create an ethernet connection between room #1 and room #2, the two coax cables can be connected with a simple coupler (no splitter). FYI the default IP address for FCA251 adapter is 192.168.188.251, the web configuration username and password are not the same as the gocoax or generic maxlinear adapters.

 

[krkaufman]

FYI the default IP address for FCA251 adapter is 192.168.188.251, the web configuration username and password are not the same as the gocoax or generic maxlinear adapters.

Interesting. What’s the FCA251 username/password?

 

[elvan]

Interesting. What’s the FCA251 username/password?

I have not been able to figure it out. Maybe someone with an active Frontier account can request the info .

 

[krkaufman]

I have been able to figure it out.

“Have” or “have not”? No worries if you know it but would rather not share the info.

 

[elvan]

“Have” or “have not”? No worries if you know it but would rather not share the info.

Have not. Sorry about that.

 

[krkaufman]

Have not. Sorry about that.

Chuckle. Thanks for the clarification.

 

[djjaeger82]

Did anyone figure this out yet? I picked up a few of these on ebay for $29/each (good deal for moca 2.5) but didn't realize they were locked out for username/pass. I want to confirm link speed, check signal levels, configure encryption etc too, but can't without the silly username/password.

 

[krkaufman]

Did anyone figure this out yet?

not me

 

[Czechers]

Try "admin" and "cambridge", these worked for my WF-803FT (FCA251)

 

[elvan]

Try "admin" and "cambridge", these worked for my WF-803FT (FCA251)

That's it. Thanks for sharing.

Recap for everyone:

• Default IP : 192.168.188.251
• Default user: admin
• Default pass: cambridge

 

[krkaufman]

That's it. Thanks for sharing.

Recap for everyone:

• Default IP : 192.168.188.251
• Default user: admin
• Default pass: cambridge

I was able to use the above to access the UI for my FCA251. Key takeaway is that the Device Status page confirms the operating frequencies for each of the toggle switch settings, per the Quick Start documents -- including the non-standard range used for the setting labeled "LAN":

• FULL (1125-1675 MHz); 5x 100 MHz (max 2000 Mbps shared)
• WAN (1475-1675 MHz); 2x 100 MHz (max 800 Mbps shared)
• LAN (1025-1350 MHz); 3x 100 MHz (max 1200 Mbps shared)

p.s. 'First Channel' and 'Number of Channels' fields seem broken for the "WAN" configuration.

Status : Device Status --- Toggle set to "FULL"

​

Status : Device Status --- Toggle set to "WAN"

​

Status : Device Status --- Toggle set to "LAN"

​

The 'PHY Rates' status page similarly confirms the number of channels in-use for each configuration setting:

​

.

 

[krkaufman]

See attached for the remaining configuration screens.


.

 

[ski]

... confirms the operating frequencies for each of the toggle switch settings, per the Quick Start documents -- including the non-standard range used for the setting labeled "LAN":

• FULL (1125-1675 MHz); 5x 100 MHz (max 2000 Mbps shared)
• WAN (1475-1675 MHz); 2x 100 MHz (max 800 Mbps shared)
• LAN (1025-1350 MHz); 3x 100 MHz (max 1200 Mbps shared)

> FULL (1125-1675 MHz); 5x 100 MHz
It's my understanding that Full is the entire MoCA 2.5 Extended Band D. In FULL configuration these devices should be fully interoperable with other standard devices.

• Correct?

using 1475-1675 MHz for the WAN precludes the simple configuration of D-High for the LAN.

I suspect that I'm a bit behind the times here.

• Can three separate MoCA networks be operated in Band D today with standard configurable units like GoCoax's WF-803M?
• One MoCA network each in D-Low (1x100), D (2x100), D-High (2x100)?

using 1025-1350 MHz for the LAN precludes any retail adapters from being added to the setup

Perhaps this odd configuration allows for interoperability with the MoCA 1.1 Channel C4 1000 ± 50 MHz equipment already in the field. I'm a bit confused by the User Guide's 1025-1350 notation and the screen shorts 1075 notation. 1075 Center would be 1025 -1125 MHz. I guess my C4 backward compatibility idea didn't pan out. This range sure is odd. It seems to stomp on parts of the 1.1 standard C and H bands too.

> WAN (1475-1675 MHz)

The 1475-1675 MHz WAN range aligns very nicely with the initial phase DOCSIS 3.1 roll outs, which is moving the downstream path all the way up to 1218 MHz. (but it does make you wonder why 1475 was selected instead of 1325 unless it was to provide guard for their custom LAN configuration too) If you need a quick, easy to deploy MoCA link on a high band DOCSIS 3.1 network, these FCA251 are a nice tool to grab for. I've seen little real world implementations pushing DOCSIS 3.1 up from 1218 MHz toward the dream 1794 MHz. My guess is some nerd somewhere wanted their WAN configuration to be useful on a fully integrated DOCSIS 3.1 network where they expect the LAN segment to be isolated allowing for LAN or FULL while also allowing their LAN mode to be useful on legacy DOCIS 3.0/3.1 up to 1000 MHz.

• Can the GoCoax's WF-803M be configured to work just in this definition of the WAN band?

[0] https://www.gocoax.com/forum/everything-for-moca/frontier-branded-wf-803ft-fca251-help