POE filter

[J W]

Hello,

I have a question, when is POE (Point of Entry, NOT Power over Ethernet) filter required?
If I have only cable internet and want to install a pair of the Actiontec MoCA adapters, one placed in the cable modem/router and the other in another location, do I still need a POE filter? Is POE filter needed if you have cable TV? Thanks.

 

[stevech]

No PoE blockers needed. With MoCA the cat5 cable connection is similar to how cat5 can be converted to WiFi radio signals. However, with MoCA, there are no antennas - the converted signals are combined with the TV signals on the coax - but all are at different frequencies simultaneously on the coax. Just like TV channels on the coax are all going simultaneously but on different channels (frequencies). So took the MoCA signals conveying the information that is on the cat5 cable.

I've used PoE (which to me, means IEEE 802.3af) and many Cat5 power injector/extractor. The latter are practical and cheap but are proprietary to the product.

PoE in either case refers to sending DC voltage/power down ethernet CAT5 wires. So "cable TV" with coaxial cable is not applicable.

The following is about cat5 cable, not coaxial cable...
I suppose a PoE filter could be a method to extract the DC voltage on the cat5, or extract it, but have an RJ45 connector that omits that DC so it can't enter the connected device.
This is perhaps the case for 1000BT connections on cat5 or cat6, where all pairs are used for signals. Superimposing the signals on DC down the wires is doable. To extract that DC, a device that AC couples to block DC but pass the signals.

a lot of power inserters (non-IEEE standard) use cat5 cable pairs that are unneeded for 100BT connections.

 

[kjacques1]

I believe the OP is asking about a Point of Entry Filter not to be confused with Power over Ethernet. I've seen the POE acronym used with both.

I would recommend that yes you do need a Point of Entry Filter. This keeps the MOCA signal inside your cable lines and not bleeding out to your neighbors who could potentially hop on your moca network if they had an adapter and you aren't running any encryption. You can get them easily enough on ebay or even Tivo sells them. Just place them on the incoming cable line into your house, apt, etc.

 

[stevech]

Well, "never-mind".
I guess it could be Port Of Entry too!

 

[J W]

Psst... Thank you for breaking the silence, it has been bothering me for days because I couldn't understand it.

I'm setting up a simple wired network (or simulated wired network) that utilizes the existing coax network in the home that allows Ethernet to bridge over it. I remember reading it somewhere that a point of entry filter is not always required but I forgot where I read it. I bought a pair of MoCA network adapters which do not come with any configuration utility so I downloaded and installed the configuration utility, however, it can't find the device to connect to. I'm wondering in what circumstance that we need a POE filter and in what other that we don't. Thanks.

 

[kjacques1]

I'd say it's really up to you whether you need the filter or not. In my case, I used 3 actiontec moca adapters that did not have any kind of configuration utilities to manage them. I used them for about 3 years without any kind of issue. The only reason I added the filter on this year was because I was going to add Tivo on to the moca network and it was suggested that the tivo devices would perform better with the filter installed. Also, because I live in a townhouse the main cable line does not come straight into my unit. I wanted to add the piece of mind that my neighbor would not hop on my moca network. That being said your average "joe" probably has no idea what a moca network is to begin with....

 

[stevech]

Psst... Thank you for breaking the silence, it has been bothering me for days because I couldn't understand it.

I'm setting up a simple wired network (or simulated wired network) that utilizes the existing coax network in the home that allows Ethernet to bridge over it. I remember reading it somewhere that a point of entry filter is not always required but I forgot where I read it. I bought a pair of MoCA network adapters which do not come with any configuration utility so I downloaded and installed the configuration utility, however, it can't find the device to connect to. I'm wondering in what circumstance that we need a POE filter and in what other that we don't. Thanks.

See the forum section on MoCA and HPNA/Homeplug.

Often, you don't need to configure the MoCA devices. They are much like an Ethernet Switch - layer 2 devices. Some have a config capability to set a non-default encryption key.
If you connect the MoCA device's ethernet cable to your LAN, then your router should show its IP address in the DHCP grant list.

 

[J W]

Thanks all, I'm having a heck of problem lately, not really sure if it's coincident or because of the MoCA. The Internet connection seems ok with the location where the MoCA adapter is installed. The problem is with another area with weak wireless signal normally works ok but slow, now it's pretty much inaccessible. There is no coaxial connection in this area, so adding another MoCA adapter is out of the question. It doesn't make much sense that the MoCA adapters are causing this problem, right?

Is it possible or even good idea to add an access point to the MoCA adapter location to provide better wireless signal coverage to the area I am having problem with Internet connection?

>They are much like an Ethernet Switch - layer 2 devices
Layer 2 of the OSI model? My router shows the device with MoCA adapter as a wired client with an IP address which it's pretty much like what you described.

Haven't decided yet, but if I want to give it a try to get a POE filter, which one should I look for? Amazon has one from Holland Electronics or something, and ebay has tons of POE filters. Any help of getting the correct one?

Thanks again.

 

[CaptainSTX]

You are using MOCA so why would you want a POE filter?

If you want to add a filter you need a MOCA filter. Have no idea if one would help, but I don't use a filter and my MOCA works flawlessly.

 

[kjacques1]

Moca filter and POE filter is the same thing.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DC8IEE6/?tag=snbforums-20