Signal Issue with Moca Network in my house

[lordofthering]

Recently I decided to install Moca adapter to utilize existing Coax wiring into Data Network so I can use Ethernet in other rooms. My ISP provider is Optimum online and I use only Internet service from them. No TV service.

I have installed Moca Adapter per attached diagram. Problem is I am not able to get reliable internet in my two bedrooms using ethernet wire. It will work sometimes and it will stop working. Again, I try to reboot my Modem and NetGrear ORBI Router and will work for sometimes and it will stops working again. What am I doing wrong ?.

Note: My Moca Splitter is installed in Basement but since I like to keep my router in Family room, I have modem and Router installed in Family room. I have ordered Coax Terminator so I can install it in open ports. It seems it is losing lots of signals at my splitter level.

Moca Splitter Model: BAMF 6-Way Coax Cable Splitter Bi-Directional MoCA 5-2300MHz (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01KCY5MBU/?tag=snbforums-20)

Moca Adapter Model: TIVO Bridge (ActionTec ECB6000) MoCA 2.0 and Actiontec ECB6200K02 MoCA 2.0

 

[krkaufman]

I’d recommend shifting to an unbalanced 3-way splitter if you just have the 3 lines active, with the modem run attached to the low-loss output. Recommended splitters:

• Holland GHS-3PRO-M
• Amphenol ABS313H
• Verizon 3-way MoCA 2.0
• Antronix MMC1003H-B

...OR...​

• Amphenol hybrid splitter

Also, perhaps more critically, do you not have a “PoE” MoCA filter installed? You’d want a MoCA filter installed on the input of your top-level splitter (whether the current 6-way or a right-sized 3-way) to secure the MoCA signals inside your home, but also to gain the performance benefit of the filter.

Note that the Amphenol hybrid splitter effectively has a built-in MoCA filter, eliminating the need for the extra component.

 

[krkaufman]

Moca Adapter Model: TIVO Bridge (ActionTec ECB6000) MoCA 2.0 and Actiontec ECB6200K02 MoCA 2.0

Unrelated to your issues, but ... You’re aware of the performance difference between the standard MoCA 2.0 ECB6000 and bonded MoCA 2.0 ECB6200, right?

 

[krkaufman]

By the way, what’s the modem brand & model #?

 

[degrub]

What is your ISP provided bandwidth - "up to ....Mbit/sec" up/down ?

With the router and modem in the family room and ALL of your internet and local traffic going across the one piece of coax twice, to get to the other moca nodes/users you may be giving up half of the bandwidth you paid for. It may not make a difference in your use case.....but if you can move the modem and router to the location of the splitter you can maximize the available bandwidth.

If you need wired/wireless in the family room, that is an easy add of wireless access point or converted wireless router ( in AP mode) with an added moca modem.

 

[krkaufman]

With the router and modem in the family room and ALL of your internet and local traffic going across the one piece of coax twice, to get to the other moca nodes/users you may be giving up half of the bandwidth you paid for.

This most definitely wouldn’t be the case. The OP diagram is both the suggested and a typical MoCA install (aside from the oversized splitter and missing “PoE” MoCA filter). There’d be a lot of unsatisfied MoCA customers were it true.

The traffic passing over the same stretch of coax is no more concerning than were it passing over Cat6, since the modem (DOCSIS) and MoCA traffic are operating at different frequencies, so functioning without concern or effect on each other. Right? (Were the WAN connection also using MoCA, competing for the same frequencies, it would be an issue.)

That said, there’s longer-term benefit from moving the modem to where its signal can be isolated from MoCA, given the overlap between MoCA frequencies and the newer DOCSIS 3.1 spec.

edit: p.s. Arguably, moving the modem and router to the central location would throttle traffic more than increase it, since doing so would require an additional MoCA node for the Living Room. Devices in the Living Room that previously connected directly via Ethernet with the router would now be competing for the MoCA bandwidth.

 

[degrub]

Since we don't know what modem model and ISP service (although they advertise up to 1Gb over coax or FTTH which suggests likely DOCCIS3.1 to me). He also may have swapped out an amplified cable splitter for an unamplified moca compatible splitter keeping the same number of ports. Don't know. But adding probably 5-8 dB of signal loss is likely his issue now.

MOCA is half duplex, right ?
More nodes on a "logical cable" through a splitter increases the contention. as long as there is no contention, each pair can communicate at full sync speed. So yes, relocating the modem and router to the splitter location would add a node. So depends on the use case. If the family room is where all the load is, then keep the modem/router there. Otherwise, relocating offers advantages to keep the maximum possible bandwidth and address the DOCCIS issue.
Set up as a physical star (pairs of modems) and the contention moves to the router.

Either way, unless he has two high demand users, it likely will not make any practical difference.

 

[krkaufman]

Otherwise, relocating offers advantages to keep the maximum possible bandwidth

Short of shifting to the dedicated pairs of MoCA adapters suggestion, I don’t see how, especially if shifting the modem/router location then requires the addition of a MoCA-networked wireless access point.

 

[lordofthering]

By the way, what’s the modem brand & model #?

MODEM: ARRIS TM822 and Mesh Router: Netgear Orbi RBR50, ISP Service Provider: Cable Vision/ Optimum, ISP Download Speed: 300 MB Download speed/Upload speed 30 MB.

 

[lordofthering]

I’d recommend shifting to an unbalanced 3-way splitter if you just have the 3 lines active, with the modem run attached to the low-loss output. Recommended splitters:

• Holland GHS-3PRO-M
• Amphenol ABS313H
• Verizon 3-way MoCA 2.0
• Antronix MMC1003H-B

...OR...​

• Amphenol hybrid splitter

Also, perhaps more critically, do you not have a “PoE” MoCA filter installed? You’d want a MoCA filter installed on the input of your top-level splitter (whether the current 6-way or a right-sized 3-way) to secure the MoCA signals inside your home, but also to gain the performance benefit of the filter.

Note that the Amphenol hybrid splitter effectively has a built-in MoCA filter, eliminating the need for the extra component.

I forgot to mention, I do have Moca Filter installed at beginning of ISP IN port of Moca Splitter: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KO5KHSQ/?tag=snbforums-20

Reason I have 6-way splitter is I am planning to have two more room connected.

 

[lordofthering]

Unrelated to your issues, but ... You’re aware of the performance difference between the standard MoCA 2.0 ECB6000 and bonded MoCA 2.0 ECB6200, right?

I understand, there might be some perfomance issue between two models but it should not make such a large bandwidth issue

By the way, what’s the modem brand & model #?

MODEM: ARRIS TM822 and Mesh Router: Netgear Orbi RBR50, ISP Service Provider: Cable Vision/ Optimum, ISP Download Speed: 300 MB Download speed/Upload speed 30 MB.

 

[lordofthering]

This most definitely wouldn’t be the case. The OP diagram is both the suggested and a typical MoCA install (aside from the oversized splitter and missing “PoE” MoCA filter). There’d be a lot of unsatisfied MoCA customers were it true.

The traffic passing over the same stretch of coax is no more concerning than were it passing over Cat6, since the modem (DOCSIS) and MoCA traffic are operating at different frequencies, so functioning without concern or effect on each other. Right? (Were the WAN connection also using MoCA, competing for the same frequencies, it would be an issue.)

That said, there’s longer-term benefit from moving the modem to where its signal can be isolated from MoCA, given the overlap between MoCA frequencies and the newer DOCSIS 3.1 spec.

edit: p.s. Arguably, moving the modem and router to the central location would throttle traffic more than increase it, since doing so would require an additional MoCA node for the Living Room. Devices in the Living Room that previously connected directly via Ethernet with the router would now be competing for the MoCA bandwidth. - Apparently all devices in Family room are working great since it is directly connected to router LAN Ports.

 

[lordofthering]

Anyone thinks this splitter can help ? AMPHENOL IPGH3M4-VF AMPLIFIER 3 HYBRID PORTS /4 MoCA PORTS
It does have Moca and Hybrid port to isolate Moca vs non Moca signals.

 

[splunge2020]

Anyone thinks this splitter can help ? AMPHENOL IPGH3M4-VF AMPLIFIER 3 HYBRID PORTS /4 MoCA PORTS
It does have Moca and Hybrid port to isolate Moca vs non Moca signals.

As a recent moca adopter and TM822 owner, I'd say yes, give that splitter a try. I started with a BAMF 4-way splitter, and found that that introduced enough signal loss to push my modem out of Arris' signal strength sweet spot. Hooking up the 3.5dB loss output from the above splitter to your modem would be best in your setup. Make sure to terminate unused terminals.

Going back to your original post, when you are having download issues in the bedrooms, do you get good speed from devices connected to the family room router? If not, it could be the 6-way splitter is killing the connection to your ISP. Have you ever checked http://192.168.100.1 to see your cable modem down/up signal levels?

 

[krkaufman]

Anyone thinks this splitter can help ? AMPHENOL IPGH3M4-VF AMPLIFIER 3 HYBRID PORTS /4 MoCA PORTS

Yes.

Recommended splitters:
...

...OR...​

• Amphenol hybrid splitter

...

 

[lordofthering]

Finally I was able to resolve my issue with same setup by moving my connection in different bedroom closer to main splitter. I added another ORBI Mesh Satellite Router to bedroom

Both Bedroom where I had issue was longest distance (Close to 150 ft) from main splitter must be causing this issue or some wiring issue to those bedroom.