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Moca Network Installation Problem

Duykhang108
I've been here awhile

So I have recently bought a Screenbeam Moca 2.5 adapter

 

https://www.amazon.ca/Actiontec-Bonded-Network-Adapter-Ethernet/dp/B08ML634YB/ref=pd_lpo_2?pd_rd_i=B...

 

My Router was XB7 Generation 2 and I have the Moca function enabled. Previously, my Router had a coax cable in the living room and it was working fine. However, I moved my router to the other room and it has coax cable from outside the house plugged in.

 

I tried to use the old coax cable from the living room but got no coax cable light signal. I went to the basement and saw the cable junction like this.

308411364_505390160964056_5154571653269236372_n.jpg

 

I have tried to unplug the incoming cable that I believe is the POE cable and plugged it into my adapter but go no coax light signal either. 

 

There is cable box outside the house, I tried to open it and see only one coax cable there which was the one that Modem is currently using. There is also a fuse box in the basement, I opened it and saw there is a junction like a picture above. Nevertheless, I have tried using the incoming cable for the adapter and no coax light either. Here is the splitter that was used at the fuse box

 

https://www.amazon.ca/Antronix-CMC2003H-Horizontal-Splitter-Performance/dp/B07T3H3XGH/ref=sr_1_14?cr...

 

Do I need to buy different splitters that have Moca compliance? The coax cable works fine with the router but not the adapter so what could go wrong?

 

Sorry for all the questions, any advice would be appreciated it

 

 

 

***Edited Labels***

 

3 REPLIES 3

Re: Moca Network Installation Problem

Datalink
Resident Expert
Resident Expert

@Duykhang108, you are correct.  You need to replace that splitter with one that is MoCA 2.0 qualified such as this:

 

https://www.antronix.com/pdf/ds-1181-ss-a02-mmc1000-splitters.pdf

 

These Antronix splitters are used by Rogers and perhaps if you come across a Rogers tech, you could ask him or her for a two port MoCA splitter such as the one’s shown in the pdf file.

 

Alternatively, there are MoCA 2.0 splitters manufactured by Holland Electronics:

https://www.wiredathome.com/ghs-2pro-m-catv-moca-rated-2-way-splitter-holland-electronics/

 

Holland Electronics web site hasn’t been running for a while now, don’t know why.  The splitters are available despite the lack of a current web site.

 

Prior to that splitter, you will need to install a MoCA Point of Entry filter (POE Filter).  That looks like this:

 

https://www.antronix.com/products/filters

 

So, the path would look like this:

 

Inbound cable --> MoCA POE Fillter --> MoCA 2.0 splitter  -->Cable to modem

                                                                                                         --> Cable to adapter  --.> ethernet to device

 

There are issues with frequency ranges due to the possibility of Rogers extending its DOCSIS frequency range from 5 to 1002 Mhz up to 5 to 1218 Mhz, where that upper frequency range overlaps the lower frequency range of the MoCA channels.  That day is coming, just don’t know when.  In some areas it's possible that Rogers already uses frequencies up to 1218 Mhz, but, there hasn’t been any proof posted that the upper extension is in use.  That frequency extension would affect the choice of a MoCA POE filter, but, I haven't seen one yet that accommodates the frequency extension with an adequate MoCA blocking capability.  

 

That frequency extension would also require the Modem and Adapter to run a limited set of MoCA channels, cutting off the lower MoCA channel in order to avoid frequency conflicts with the upper end of the DOCSIS frequency range.  It would help to see the signal levels for your modem to see if there is any possibility of that occurring.  If you log into the modem and navigate to the signal levels, you will see QAM downstream channels listed from 1 to 32 plus potentially two OFDM channels, one starting around 350 Mhz and one at 920 Mhz.  The question at hand is just how far the 920 Mhz OFDM channel runs.  @CommunityHelps or a Level II tech would be able to tell you what the upper end of the upper OFDM channel happens to be.  That would be worth knowing in order correctly configure the modem (if possible) and the adapter.  Its possible that this might require two adapters in order to run the same configuration at both ends.  I don't know what the modem is set to run in terms of its MoCA range, and whether or not it automatically adjusts the MoCA channels to avoid the upper end of the extended DOCSIS range.  Its possible that there might be some posts regarding this on the Comcast forums.

 

There are numerous posts regarding MoCA installations in the forum, just a matter of searching for them. 

Re: Moca Network Installation Problem

Duykhang108
I've been here awhile

Thank you for your reply, very much appreciate it. My Moca adapter has been working perfectly. However, I wonder if I have to install the Moca POE Filter based on my current network installation, the black cable goes to the modem and the other goes to the basement. 309232019_5520283084730795_4541230107129996247_n.jpg

 

Currently, there is a problem, I ran a speed test on my device using the Moca adapter and got disconnection, the coax light on the adapter turned off and got no signal. I wonder if it happens because of no POE filter. It happens occasionally when I run speed tests only.

Re: Moca Network Installation Problem

@Duykhang108, yes, you do need to install a MoCA Point of Entry filter.  Looking at your photo, that POE filter would be installed on the Rogers cable that enters the house, wherever that happens to be. 

 

Can you clarify the number of splitters that are used in the house and the cable path?  Looking at your original photo and the one that you posted today, it appears that there are two splitters in use.  

 

The first picture in the basement appears to be a a typical run of the mill splitter which is not MoCA qualified.  Thats not a problem as long as that splitter is not in the MoCA path.  

 

The second splitter photo that you posted today would be the MoCA splitter.  

 

Now, fwiw, the XB6/XB7/XB8 modems do not need splitters.  With the installation of any of those modems, where you are arriving from the previous digital service which was/is all cable connected, you would or should only have one continuous cable run from the inbound cable, up to the modem.  

 

Looking back at both pictures, there is some confusion on my part as to where the inbound Rogers cable enters the home.  From your description, it appears that happens upstairs, where the modem is currently located, as you indicated that the modem was directly connected to the outside cable.  If that really is the case, then the MoCA POE filter would be installed on that inbound cable followed by the MoCA splitter and then the cable to the modem. 

 

I'm assuming that the white cable as shown in today's picture heads downstairs and connects with the splitter in the basement.  One of the cables attached to the splitter's output ports then connects to the adapter.  If that is the case, the basement splitter should be removed and replaced by an F-81 connector which looks like this:

 

IDEAL 3Ghz F-Splice Adapter (10-Pack) | The Home Depot Canada

 

Thats a 10 pack, but, you should be able to buy them in smaller packs.  I would also replace the F-81 adapter in the wallplate with one of those adapters.  That F-81 connector would connect the cable that arrives from upstairs, to the cable that connects to the adapter, replacing the basement splitter (assuming that I'm thinking about this correctly).

 

Installing a POE filter would not have any effect on whatever is going on between the modem and the adapter.  If you're running into problems, that's between the modem, splitter internal ports and the adapter.  If that basement splitter is in the path to the adapter, then it's most likely the cause of the problems that you're having as it's most likely not a MoCA rated splitter.  

 

For the cable that runs downstairs, you need to be sure that there aren't any splitters hidden in the wall or in the floor.  If there are any hidden splitters, it or they would not be MoCA qualified and would cause MoCA signal level losses in that cable path that runs downstairs.  

 

Can you post the model number of the MoCA splitter or post a picture of the front of the splitter.  I'd like to check the specs for the splitter, if I can find out what the modem number is. 

 

Food for thought, the Screenbeam instructions are abysmal.  Here's the link to the 7250 support page:

 

https://retailsupport.screenbeam.com/hc/en-us/categories/360004669392-ECB7250-Bonded-Ethernet-over-M...

 

The adapter should be running firmware version 1.17.5

 

If it needs an update, you will have to download firmware version 1.17.5, log into the adapter and load the update.  I highly encourage you to read thru all of the articles on that support page and the linked FAQ's page.  That will most likely answer the questions that you will have as you go about logging into the adapter.  

 

One suggestion I would make is to set the adapter to Automatic IP address, so that the modem can set the IP address for the adapter.  That IP address will be separate from any MoCA network addresses that the modem and adapter will use.  By setting the adapter's IP address to automatic, that will make it much easier to log into the adapter in the future as I believe that you should be able to see the devices that are connected to the modem.  Does the modem have a connected devices page?  I'm assuming that it does.  If so, then you should be able to identify the MoCA adapter and use its IP address to log into it from your pc or laptop.

 

You should also set the privacy code in the modem and the adapter.  That will allow the communication between the modem and adapter to run in an encrypted mode.  Without a MoCA filter in place, you should absolutely set that code in the modem and adapter.  At the present time, you're at risk of datal loss or hacking due to the lack of MoCA POE filter and no privacy code in operation.  

 

More food for thought, have a look at the user manual for the Starlink MoCA 2.5 adapter:

 

https://starlink7.com/MoCA.html

 

Take a read thru the user manual that is listed on that page: 

 

https://starlink7.com/pdf/MN25xx%20Configuration%20Guide%20v1.2.pdf

 

All of the 2.5 Gb/s MoCA adapters use a MaxLinear chipset, so, the user interface should be basically the same for all of these adapters, unless of course any particular vendor chooses to deliberately cripple their user interface.  Starlink's user manual is probably the best user manual out of all of the companies that manufacture MoCA adapters.  With that Starlink user manual on hand, have a look at all of the ScreenBeam user pages on the adapter.  The Starlink manual will probably explain far more than ScreenBeams FAQs and may clear up any questions that you might have as you peruse the adapter's UI, and fine tune the adapter.  

 

More food for thought, bring the adapter, splitter, and modem to the same location and configure the cabling as you would intend to use it when running across two locations.  Hopefully that will allow you to confirm that the modem is connecting to the adapter as it should, and, allow you to observe the adapter's LED's to see how what they display when the adapter is running properly.  If something doesn't go according to plan, having the modem and adapter in one location should allow you to log into either one to look for clues as to what the problem might be.  By doing that, you would remove that downstairs splitter from the MoCA path, which should allow the modem and MoCA adapter to operate correctly.

 

Ok, so, tasks to accomplish:

 

1.  Inspect, and sort out all of the cabling in your home.  At the end of the day, you should only have single cable runs to the modem and adapter and a single MoCa splitter.  There should not be any other splitter in the cable system, unless you were adding a second MoCA adapter.  The cable runs, with the MoCA POE filter installed should look like this:

 

Inbound  --> MoCA POE --> Cable to  -->  MoCA 2.0  -->Cable to modem

  cable                Filter               splitter             splitter      --> Cable to adapter  --.> ethernet to device

 

There should not be any other splitters in the cable path beyond that MoCA 2.0 splitter.

 

2. Connect your pc/laptop directly to the adapter, disconnect the adapter from any RG6 cables, and follow the instructions to set the pc/laptop IP address.  Log into the adapter to check the firmware version and update it if necessary. 

 

Set the IP address to automatic so that the modem or router can set the adapters IP address automatically. 

 

Set the privacy code in the adapter (and modem).

 

Take a stroll thru the adapters UI pages with the Starlink user manual on hand. 

 

When you're finished, reboot the adapter and return the pc/laptop IP address setting to automatic.  Reboot the pc/lapatop.  When that's done, you should be able to sort out the IP address for the adapter and be able to log into the adapter at any time without having to isolate the pc/laptop and adapter and manually set the IP address for the pc/laptop.

 

3.  Please post the model  or photo of the MoCA splitter. 

 

4.  Log into the modem and navigate to the signal level page.  That page will show the Downstream and Upstream signal levels and the Codeword totals, including the Total Number of Codewords, Corrected Codewords and Uncorrected Codewords.  

 

Place your cursor in front of the first character in the table.  Hold the shift key down and scroll down and to the right, to just after the last character in the individual table.  Release the shift key and right click ..... Copy.  In a post, right click .... Paste.  That will paste in the selected table as it appears in the modem's UI.  Repeat this for the Upstream table and the Codeword table.  When its all done, the tables should look like they do in the modem's UI. 

 

It would help to see those tables when you only have the single MoCA splitter in the system, without any other splitters installed.  

 

Ok, that should be it for the homework list.  I think that you'll find that the MoCA system should function correctly when you have the cabling and MoCA splitter sorted out.  Please install the MoCA POE filter and set the privacy code in the modem and adapter.

                                                                                                                                     

 

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