wac1's profile

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14 Messages

Wednesday, March 12th, 2025 7:07 PM

MoCa Help request

Hi. Hoping to get help with setting up MoCA.

I have an Xfinity XB8 Gateway and a Gigabyte plan. It is on the second floor. I get very good coverage throughout the house, even in the basement two floors below. Comcast wired the house when we moved in 30 years ago for televisions. We have since redone the basement and I really don't know where coaxial splitters are behind walls.

I have a coaxial outlet not in use in the basement next to a Mac mini which I use primarily as a media server. Although it's working fine and I get download speeds about 400 Mbps on it wirelessly, I was looking in to MoCa. I read a bit beforehand and didn't think it would work for me because of all the warnings I read about having the appropriate splitters, etc. I was curious to try and picked up an inexpensive MoCa box, plugged it into the coax outlet and then connected the Mac mini to it via ethernet cable. I was amazed that I even had an internet connection, let alone speeds over 900 Mbps.

My question is about security and whether I am really going to interfere with neighbors' signal. My immediate neighbors use fiberoptic. I have read warnings to use a PoE filter. Since I don't have access to the splitters, I don't know where to put it. I live in a very residential neighborhood of single family homes and am wondering if my home network is at a real risk. 

Thanks very much for any guidance.

Official Employee

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1.1K Messages

1 month ago

Hello @wac1. These are all great question! MoCa will not interfere with your neighbors, because our modems and likely your modem, has a built in MoCa that essentially confines your connection to your home. Also, we usually install a POE filter outside of your home, to prevent signals from leaking into other customers homes.

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14 Messages

Thank you! Can you tell me how to arrange that or if it has already been done as per some protocol?

Expert

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109.7K Messages

@XfinityWilliam​ wrote;

MoCa will not interfere with your neighbors, because our modems and likely your modem, has a built in MoCa that essentially confines your connection to your home.

That's not so.

Also, we usually install a POE filter outside of your home, to prevent signals from leaking into other customers homes.

Not always guaranteed..... They stated that the house was wired 30 years ago. MoCA wasn't even around back then.

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Official Employee

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2.1K Messages

@wac1 No worries thank you for asking! With the option in the pic I would think you are correct. The box you have labeled phone also has a black line that looks from the pic, like it could also be a coax cable. Our newer boxes do have the Xfinity brand on them, so you can ID it fast, we can get you a new one installed if needed. There should be a screw in the recess at the bottom to remove the cover.  

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14 Messages

Thank you! The box I marked as phone actually says it is a telephone box. I was also able to easily open it (unlike the unmarked box) and it is all telephone wires.

How do I set up getting a new branded box from Xfinity? Mostly, I'm interested if they would also install the filter at that time? I'm concerned about doing this myself.

And a loaded question ... until I get the filter, should I turn off the MoCa because of the security risk or take my chances?

Really, really appreciate the help. 

P.S.

This is what is inside that tubular opening at the bottom of the box. I think I need a "TV Terminator Tool"?

(edited)

Frequent Visitor

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14 Messages

@EG​ Thank you very much for this clarification. I had reservations about that information.

Expert

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109.7K Messages

1 month ago

You really should use a PoE filter to prevent any potential security issues ! That said, it needs to be put at the point of entry where the coax line from the pole and the coax line going into the very first splitter meet. This is called the demarcation point. If you reside in a single family home, there is typically a double female grounding block with a grounding wire connected to it. It is typically mounted on the outside of the house where the electric meter is. The filter should be placed on the side of that grounding block that goes out to the street (either a phone/electric pole or a surface mounted pedestal.

(edited)

Official Employee

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2.1K Messages

1 month ago

@wac1, like @EG, mentioned a POE filter would be installed at the house box where the cable line touches the home, usually near the power box for grounding purposes. We would not document if one is installed in a location, so I would check out the gray lock box on your home. As for setting one up, if you do not have one. Since you are setting up a home network, you can reach out to a low voltage electrician, our team would only install one if you are already having issues with a MoCA network we set up.

[edited: grammar]

(edited)

Expert

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109.7K Messages

1 month ago

@wac1 

Here's a pic of a grounding block;

It may be right on the outside wall or may be inside a gray colored box if there is one. The filter has both a female and a male side. On the side of the coax line that goes to the pole, unscrew that coax cable connector and insert the male side of the filter into that female end of the grounding block. Then you screw that disconnected male end of the coax line connector into the female side of the MoCA filter.

(edited)

Frequent Visitor

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14 Messages

Thank you all very, very much Outstanding information!

Official Employee

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2.1K Messages

@wac1 Of course! Always happy to help

I am an Official Xfinity Employee.
Official Employees are from multiple teams within Xfinity: CARE, Product, Leadership.
We ask that you post publicly so people with similar questions may benefit from the conversation.
Was your question answered? Please, mark a reply as the Accepted Answer.tick

Expert

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109.7K Messages

1 month ago

YW and good luck !

PS: You also have the option of using a combo grounding block with a built-in MoCA filter. You can tell the difference by its longer length: Link here

Feel free to post back if you have more questions.

(edited)

Frequent Visitor

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14 Messages

Really sorry to return so quickly. I think I found the box. Going to have to figure out how to open it. If I do get it open and there is no filter, do you think it's something I can do myself or should I get an electrician? I see I can get one on Amazon. Unfortunately, I am as stupid as I appear to be. 

Does this look like the box? It has a round tubular opening on the bottom, presumably for the magic key?

Again, thanks very much for everyone's time and trouble.

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