Ground floor Actiontec MoCA 2.0 ECB6200K02 problem

[RogerSC]

What does the upstream (above the "In"s look like ? all the way to the drop to the demarc.

Both of those "cable in" connections are ports off the same amplified splitter outside that Comcast cable comes into, sorry if that's not clear...The "cable in" one that goes to the TV carries both the cable signal and the DC power for the amplified splitter, as you can see (hopefully) from the diagram.

 

[sfx2000]

So if I understand correctly...

Demarc to splitter - port 1 to MOCA, port 2 to CM, port 3 to cable plant (rest of house)

at the other end - cable outlet to MOCA IN, the MOCA OUT to STB?

So... check for old-school splitters somewhere on the run between the MOCA's...

 

[sfx2000]

Before I pulled new Coax thru the house, I had issues on one end of the runs, and signal wouldn't drive the mini-box converter - come to find we had an old splitter in the middle with a run that used to run out to the patio from the previous owner :|

That and just 40 year old Coax... that's what drove the pull - lucky I had a friend with a system tester (he's a contractor with box Cox and TWC) and he was the one that found the bad leg...

 

[sfx2000]

And any splitters need to be MOCA (and DOCSIS3) aware - many older analog splitters were only good to 1GHz... as you can see, MOCA in CATV mode runs high, 1.1 to 1.7GHz...

 

[RogerSC]

So if I understand correctly...

Demarc to splitter - port 1 to MOCA, port 2 to CM, port 3 to cable plant (rest of house)

at the other end - cable outlet to MOCA IN, the MOCA OUT to STB?

So... check for old-school splitters somewhere on the run between the MOCA's...

Not quite, even simpler...we got Comcast coming into amplified splitter outside, and these are the outputs from that splitter:

Output 1. To Cable Modem. This is the one that gets split between MoCA and Cable Modem now, as the wiring diagram shows.

Output 2. To main TV downstairs (the TV in question, the other endpoint to the MoCA loop I'm trying to get working).

Output 3. To the splitter upstairs for upstairs TV and secondary downstairs TV. There is a 1000MHz. splitter here that I'll have to replace if I do MoCA to the upstairs TV location or the secondary downstairs TV. But that splitter is not in the current circuit that I'm trying to use.

The cable wiring is somewhat simpler than when I moved in, since a couple of the intricate things that the previous owners had done failed and were replaced by dedicated runs.

However, keep in mind that I did have MoCA 1.1 running between my current modem and the main TV before, and no splitters have been added in the walls since then, so I'm pretty sure that we're not dealing with buried splitters...at least none that would block MoCA, anyways.

 

[RogerSC]

And any splitters need to be MOCA (and DOCSIS3) aware - many older analog splitters were only good to 1GHz... as you can see, MOCA in CATV mode runs high, 1.1 to 1.7GHz...

View attachment 9335

Yes, I'm fully aware that MoCA 2 can go up to 1675MHz.:

http://www.mocalliance.org/MoCA2/specification/MoCA_2_Device_RF_Characteristics-150406d.pdf

Thanks.

 

[degrub]

so when you remove the TV/STB actiontec, you plug the cable (tv set cable in) directly in to the "to amplifier" port on the amplified splitter ( this is the port labeled "input" on the splitter ?). Then all is well ?

 

[sfx2000]

And more frequency plan stuff - might be useful for others as well when working with MOCA, CATV, DOCSIS3 and Satellite...

 

[degrub]

"
The "cable in" one that goes to the TV carries both the cable signal and the DC power for the amplified splitter,
"

The amplified splitter going directly to the tv is powered from the demarc splitter ? i thought the vendor sheet showed it powered to a specific port from a DC injector to the power in port locally ?

Is the power light on on the tv splitter when the actiontec is in line ?

 

[sfx2000]

Sidebar - I was just thinking why we don't see MOCA adapters sold in the Big Box stores...

We've got three pretty smart folks trying to figure this one out... and I'm sure we'll find a way...

Could you imagine the regular guy off the street? HomePlugs are probably better for the regular guy, and the MESH types are even easier for them...

 

[RogerSC]

so when you remove the TV/STB actiontec, you plug the cable (tv set cable in) directly in to the "to amplifier" port on the amplified splitter ( this is the port labeled "input" on the splitter ?). Then all is well ?

When I take the "Cable in" cable from the wiring diagram (again, from one of the output ports on the amplified splitter that's outside) and remove it from the ECB6200 "Coax in" port, and reconnect that cable to the "To Amplifier" port on the amplified splitter power supply, then everything's great again.

As long as the ECB6200 at the TV is connected to the "Cable in" coax cable from the outside amplified splitter, my modem will not connect to my ISP. Weird...

 

[sfx2000]

As long as the ECB6200 at the TV is connected to the "Cable in" coax cable from the outside amplified splitter, my modem will not connect to my ISP. Weird...

Wonder if there's a loop somewhere... one of the challenges with Coax is that it's all behind the walls...

 

[RogerSC]

Sidebar - I was just thinking why we don't see MOCA adapters sold in the Big Box stores...

We've got three pretty smart folks trying to figure this one out... and I'm sure we'll find a way...

Could you imagine the regular guy off the street? HomePlugs are probably better for the regular guy, and the MESH types are even easier for them...

I have to agree that issues do come up that need more support than the way that Actiontec supports their users. And much better installation directions than Actiontec includes. For example, Actiontec instructions don't tell you how to install the MoCA adapter at your modem, they assume that you don't need one at the modem, that you have a gateway that has MoCA 2.0 built-in. So the splitter thing that you need to use, there's nothing in the instructions in the box about how or when to use it. They're not geared to supporting the consumer, more the tech that installs MoCA.

It wouldn't be hard for them to just say that if you have a modem, do this. If you have a gateway with MoCA built-in, then do this, etc. Directions for consumers do this all the time, only the company has to put more time and resources into the instructions that they include (or that you download *smile*).

 

[sfx2000]

They're not geared to supporting the consumer, more the tech that installs MoCA.

The training they give to the field techs is much more comprehensive I'm fairly certain - and the field techs have tools that are domain-specific (the JDSU and Juniper multi-function test boxes).

 

[RogerSC]

Yeah, I'd love to have a test box or two...that would be handy at the moment. Maybe I should go over to "A-Toolshed Rentals" and rent one *smile*? That and a reciprocating saw.

 

[degrub]

When I take the "Cable in" cable from the wiring diagram (again, from one of the output ports on the amplified splitter that's outside) and remove it from the ECB6200 "Coax in" port, and reconnect that cable to the "To Amplifier" port on the amplified splitter power supply, then everything's great again.

As long as the ECB6200 at the TV is connected to the "Cable in" coax cable from the outside amplified splitter, my modem will not connect to my ISP. Weird...

replace the actiontec going to the tv with the other one and see if the problem stays. if it doesn't then you have a bad actiontec modem.

If it does, i seem to remember that the actiontec modem tv/stb out is one direction only and blocks upstream traffic. It may be blocking either DC power feed through (coax in to TV/STB out) or communication back upstream if the cable head end is looking for your tv box. Why that pulls the data modem down, i do not know, unless it is involved in the digital tv stream or the actiontec is acting as a short for the DC output of the demarc powered splitter or introducing "noise". i would talk with Comcast techs. i vaguely remember seeing some support pages for adding MOCA2 with their equipment.

There were a number of discussions here about getting MOCA2 to work with Docsis 3 on a comcast installation as well over the past year.

 

[degrub]

replace the actiontec going to the tv with the other one and see if the problem stays. if it doesn't then you have a bad actiontec modem.

If it does, i seem to remember that the actiontec modem tv/stb out is one direction only and blocks upstream traffic. It may be blocking either DC power feed through (coax in to TV/STB out) or communication back upstream if the cable head end is looking for your tv box. Why that pulls the data modem down, i do not know, unless it is involved in the digital tv stream or the actiontec is acting as a short for the DC output of the demarc powered splitter or introducing "noise". i would talk with Comcast techs. i vaguely remember seeing some support pages for adding MOCA2 with their equipment.

There were a number of discussions here about getting MOCA2 to work with Docsis 3 on a comcast installation as well over the past year.

Is all of the cable RG-6 ?

 

[sfx2000]

Is all of the cable RG-6 ?

Gets complicated with RG-6 vs. RG-58 (which is old school, but good)... it's matching on the impedance...

RG-6 is a 75 ohm cable, RG-58/59 is 50 ohm... RG-6 isn't necessarily better there... I suppose this is the old HAM in me speaking...

Which is why DTV tech pulled an overlay of RG-6 on top of my new RG-58 pull/rebuild a month earlier - their stuff needs RG-6 for matching... it was the tech's effort, and no cost to me, so I was, ok, do it...

RG6 is good for DTS stuff, but CATV/DOCSIS is 50 ohm matched...

RG-6 and RG-58, both, should be good enough for MOCA - but again, watch the splitters and connections - old-school analog cable didn't go above 1GHz, and the connectors there were simple - these days, connector quality is important, and old-coax/splitters probably don't meet spec...

 

[RogerSC]

Old ham here, too *smile*. All RG-6 as far as I know.

Just did another test suggested by Actiontec. Connected my modem's ethernet port to the first MoCA adapter, connected the two MoCA adapters using a coax jumper, and connected my computer to the second MoCA adapter and had internet on my computer, indicating that both adapters are working. They had me do a speed test as well, and I got my normal ISP download/upload/ping speed through the MoCA adapter chain during the 5 internet speed tests that I ran with that configuration. I then ran 5 more tests with the internet connected normally, and again got my normal speeds.

So I do think that I have two working MoCA adapters. Haven't looked at anything new since that test. More later.

 

[degrub]

If the actiontec on the TV side is blocking some part of the communication or signal, then you may want to try a 2GHz bidirectional splitter upstream to allow the powered amp to see the head end directly, with hopefully enough signal budget.