Solved Frontier MoCA only getting 500Mb after upgrading to 1G.

[TrueMe]

I'm posting this in case it might help someone else. I couldn't find anything in the forums (sorry if I missed it). It may be obvious to others but it took me a while to understand.

I utilize my own router behind Frontier's router. Both run over MoCA. After upgrading to 1G, the Frontier router was getting the 1G but my router was only getting 500Mb.

I tried changing the MoCA settings but nothing worked, then it hit me that Frontier's setup was not only utilizing an external MoCA but also the MoCA of the Arris modem which is MoCA 2.0 not 2.5!

This is Frontier's setup:

The MoCA adapter is connecting the ONT to the Broadband port on the 25GW.
I didn't realize Coax #3 is the internal MoCA 2.0 feeding the local network.

The fix is to not use the modem's internal MoCA. That is unplug the coax from the modem and plug it into another external MoCA 2.5.
Plug that second MoCA's Ethernet into one of the modem's LAN ports.

 

[krkaufman]

Yeah, the FCA252[25GW] MoCA WAN setup is a great workaround if all you have is coax.

One related thread: https://www.snbforums.com/threads/frontier-internet-and-moca.88947/#post-893214

 

[TrueMe]

I did see this post and the associated diagram in a few other posts, along with the frequency / mode breakdowns. It was never clear to me in a coax to ONT configuration that it was using the MoCA in the router as a separate band for the LAN side of business. Thank you for those freq breakdown posts as that is when it actually hit me. I was assuming the external MoCA unit Frontier has in their default configuration was doing both jobs.

 

[krkaufman]

I was assuming the external MoCA unit Frontier has in their default configuration was doing both jobs.

Ah, ok. Yeah, just takes some thinking about it. The standard MEB1100 install (what’s pictured) couldn’t be doing both, of course, since there’s only a single Ethernet connection … to the router Ethernet WAN port. It isn’t helpful that the NVG468MQ/MEB1100 Install Guide doesn’t explain *why* the coax connection (3) is still needed between the splitter and router (beyond mentioning later that it’s needed for “TV services”).

 

[TrueMe]

Exactly, especially since you typically have TV services with this configuration I just assumed coax #3 was part of the CATV stuff, not thinking that the online guide uses data not RF. I don't have the cable services anymore but still thought it was used for some RF back to the ONT.

But what really made me not consider an internal MoCA is that the router prior to this one did not need an external MoCA adapter. Everything did work off the same router. I remember when the guy installed it he said he didn't like the new routers because they didn't have the MoCA adapters builtin. Apparently it does and it was still being used. I "think" maybe the previous router utilized MoCA 1.1 and multiple D bands SBG6782. I'm still a bit fuzzy on the MoCA 2.0/2.5 Specification.

But again thank you for being an active member as your previous posts helped get me to an answer. I was dreading calling for support and trying to explain my issue, especially since it involved my own router.