Issues with Verizon CR1000B, Hitron MoCA HT-EM5 adpaters, and Netgear RAX70

[dansmith2401]

Hi, I've posted this across multiple different internet forums but had no luck and am hoping for different results here at SNB.

Basically I have Verizon Fios with their given CR1000B router, and from that, I have both the coax port going through a splitter (2.5 GHz 5-2500 MHz rated but no terminator caps on the unused ports and a POE filter on the incoming signal but we only have internet) that are then connected to a Hitron HT-EM5 2.5G adapter. This adapter is then connected to an unmanaged Netgear gigabit switch, which then connects to a PC, Xbox, and PS5.

On the other end of the router, I have a Netgear RAX70 connected via Ethernet which is then set up in AP mode. On this Rax70 I have a PC and a JBL soundbar both hardwired. I also throughout both routers have a multitude of wireless devices (IoT, Phones, Tablets, Chromecasts, etc) Diagram is included below.

The issue I have is that when the RAX70 is in AP mode the PC connected to the MoCA adapter intermittently loses internet connection. Now, it doesn't just lose internet connection, the device adapter itself says that there's no ethernet connection period. As in, the same status as there being no cable inserted into the adapter. Now, when the PC connected to the RAX70 is off, however, this does not occur. Furthermore, when we turn the RAX70 into router mode and have 2 networks with a double NAT etc, this issue also does not occur.

I have tried troubleshooting this in multiple ways, seeing if there are IP conflicts, wiring issues, etc. I have even connected the PC to the MoCA adapter directly without the network switch, but nothing seems to work and I can't id the problem. I have used Wireshark, and nothing in Wireshark on both computers would give me any indication of a problem. I have tried getting new DHCP IP4 addresses, every possible combination of CMD commands (ipconfig), Powershell (winsh), you name it. I am honestly at my wit's end here.

I don't think it's a hardware issue, I don't think terminator caps are giving me this issue even if it is best practice. At this point I think it's either a software issue or a networking issue. I haven't connected the two desktops to the same router which could maybe show more, but at the moment that is not possible since I work from home and the other PC user also does a lot of work from their PC. Theoretically, I could just keep this its own separate network, but besides it being an inconvenience, I'm sure most if not everyone on this forum would love to figure this out and get these devices working in their intended manner. If anyone had any tips or pointers, or needs more info (logs, screenshots, etc), would happily provide. This has been killing me and idk know where else to go!

 

[tgl]

I'm feeling a bit suspicious about using the FiOS router's coax port. I have a CR1000A, which I believe to be substantially the same hardware, and its user manual basically disclaims compatibility with everything:

• Warning: The coax port is intended for connection to Verizon devices only. It must not be connected to any exterior or interior coaxial wires not designated for Verizon devices.

So what I'd try is getting another ethernet-to-MoCA adapter, plugging that into one of the FiOS router's spare ethernet ports, and using that to drive your MoCA link instead of using the FiOS router's own coax port.

A different line of thought: I imagine you are using the FiOS router's 1/2.5/5/10G port to connect to the RAX70, just because it's there? I had some weird compatibility issues with the 10G port on mine, and eventually stopped using it in favor of the two max-2.5G ethernet ports. It's not like you need any more speed than that for your FiOS connection.

And a third thing: you're evidently not using the FiOS router's wireless access point, but are you sure that's turned off? I found that you had to dig deep into the "advanced" settings to make it really shut off. I'm not sure that having that active could cause your reported problems, but the last thing you need here is any unintended data pathways in your LAN.

(Truth be told, my FiOS router is actually sitting on the shelf at the moment --- I eventually got fed up with it and replaced it with a pfSense router from Netgate. But that was about wanting more configuration control, not because I was still having compatibility issues.)

 

[dansmith2401]

I'm feeling a bit suspicious about using the FiOS router's coax port. I have a CR1000A, which I believe to be substantially the same hardware, and its user manual basically disclaims compatibility with everything:

• Warning: The coax port is intended for connection to Verizon devices only. It must not be connected to any exterior or interior coaxial wires not designated for Verizon devices.

So what I'd try is getting another ethernet-to-MoCA adapter, plugging that into one of the FiOS router's spare ethernet ports, and using that to drive your MoCA link instead of using the FiOS router's own coax port.

A different line of thought: I imagine you are using the FiOS router's 1/2.5/5/10G port to connect to the RAX70, just because it's there? I had some weird compatibility issues with the 10G port on mine, and eventually stopped using it in favor of the two max-2.5G ethernet ports. It's not like you need any more speed than that for your FiOS connection.

And a third thing: you're evidently not using the FiOS router's wireless access point, but are you sure that's turned off? I found that you had to dig deep into the "advanced" settings to make it really shut off. I'm not sure that having that active could cause your reported problems, but the last thing you need here is any unintended data pathways in your LAN.

(Truth be told, my FiOS router is actually sitting on the shelf at the moment --- I eventually got fed up with it and replaced it with a pfSense router from Netgate. But that was about wanting more configuration control, not because I was still having compatibility issues.)

Hey tgl, long time no update. So I've been working on this in every configuration since this last comment. I've tried every suggestion you offered plus everything else I could either come up with on my own or research. As of now I'm still stuck with a double NAT config but I'd rather not have that if possible.

I can't think of any reasons as to why this still doesn't work other than

1) These Hitron MoCA adapters (HT-EM5) simply aren't good (Which is the general consensus around here it seems like?), there's no firmware updates for them either as far as I can tell

or

2) The RAX70 I'm using is having issues. But I'm still so confused as to why, the MoCA adapters and the RAX70 don't directly connect to each other, the CR1000B is doing all of the heavy lifting.

My next steps are to either 1) Buy a new MoCA adapter and test it out to see if its really a hardware issue and/or 2) downgrade the firmware of the RAX70.

In the meantime is there any software you suggest that could monitor the network activity of the device connected to the MoCA adapter to maybe see if it's an IP Conflict issue? I've used Wireshark and it seems like hit or miss when it comes to detecting it, unless my settings for it are all wrong.

 

[tgl]

Sorry, I know zip about network monitoring apps for Windows.

Re-reading your original post, it sure feels like this must be a software not hardware problem, if the issue goes away after turning off a PC that's not even connected to the MoCA gear. As you say, an IP assignment conflict could perhaps explain it --- but you did check that the two PCs report being given different IPs, right? Also, maybe it's the DHCP server that is dropping the ball. I forget whether the CR1000x GUI will show you its DHCP server's list of IP leases, but perhaps checking that would offer some insight.

Another experiment that could be worth trying is to plug the second PC directly into one of the CR1000B's LAN ports rather than going via the RAX70. Is the behavior any different from having the RAX70 in AP mode? Notably, does that PC get a different IP address that way? (I'm not recommending this as a permanent solution, just trying to gather data.)