U

Visitor

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6 Messages

Wednesday, October 12th, 2022 1:27 PM

Closed

XiD X1 and ethernet switch

Long time fios user, just switched to xfinity so am trying to figure things out.

  • Xfinity Coax enters house in Den, connects to xFi gateway, which I believe is considered to be a modem/wifi router.
  • This replaces my Fios Model G3100 router except the G3100 needed both an incoming coax and an additional incoming ethernet cable from outside ONT.
  • Like the G3100, I connected a simple TRENDnet 8-Port Gigabit Switch to the xFi gateway to add ethernet ports in the Den.
  • Previously, to get ethernet to my Living Room TV and stereo, I ran an ethernet cable from Den's TRENDnet switch all around the outside of the house. I might have split an ethernet cable off the ONT originally, but ended up using the TRENDnet switch when I was trying to add nice ethernet ports all over the place. I am still using this ethernet cable the same way with xfinity since the TRENDnet switch is connected to the xFi gateway the same way I did with the G3100 router.
  • Like with fios set-top box connected to my TV in the Living Room, the xfinity set-top box (believe it's called Pace and Cisco XiD X1 TV Box) connects to a coax cable that runs from an outside box - not sure if Xfinity's reusing one of the many ONT-like boxes makes it an ONT still) around the outside of the house to the Living Room to give us old school TV channels, lol.
  • As an aside, I disabled the G3100 router's wifi (and will with xFi gateway) since I have been using an Asus Zen Wifi AX6600 mesh connected to router that works very well in house

What I would like to do is discontinue using the ethernet cable that runs outside the house to the living room, and split the coax signal to Living Room TV to both the TV and a small ethernet switch. Fios needed both a coax and ethernet to the Den router to give me ethernet, but it looks like xfinity's coax carries both signals. 

Can I split the coax coming into the xfinity XiD X1 set-top TV Box in living room to connect one coax for TV viewing and the other convert to ethernet that I can connect to a switch? If so, would appreciate suggested equipment to make that happen. I'm wanting to prove this works so I can do it for a family member's house also who does not have the option to run ethernet cable around the outside of the house.

Thank you!

Accepted Solution

Contributor

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160 Messages

2 years ago

@user_5d4c13,

The coax does not actually carry ethernet signals.

It carries DOCSIS signals, which the gateway decodes into ethernet, and MOCA signals, which the set top box uses to stream content.

You might be able to use a MOCA adapter in each room to accomplish your task, but I'm not that familiar with MOCA myself.

Any MOCA gurus out there that could weigh in?

HTH

Accepted Solution

Expert

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108.4K Messages

2 years ago

@user_5d4c13 

One more thing. If you are going to use a MoCA network then you need to also use a MoCA POE (Point Of Entry) at the input to the first splitter on the coax the line from the street / pole;

https://www.amazon.com/Filter-MoCA-Cable-coaxial-networks/dp/B00KO5KHSQ 

https://us.hitrontech.com/learn/do-i-need-a-moca-filter-where-do-i-place-it/ 

(edited)

Accepted Solution

Expert

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108.4K Messages

2 years ago

40 dB of rejection is typically adequate and is the most widely used. 70 dB obviously gives more. I don't know of any negative effects of using it. You don't need the weather seal type if you are going to use it indoors. Why not just get the one that I first linked for you ?

Visitor

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6 Messages

2 years ago

Thanks for the reply ... I know nothing about MOCA adapter stuff although I have heard of it being used. I always thought it was repurposing older equipment but am probably getting it confused with re-using old routers as access points.  In each instance, my house and family member's house, there is only one TV coax connection that could use ethernet in that same area, so it seemed reasonable to split coax, connect one as normal to TV set-top box, and the other to something magic. While they seem to be simple enough, coax in, ethernet out, there is enough unknowns that I'd rather not spend $50 to $100 to find out that it isn't. I just looked you the Actiontec moca adapter ecb6250, and it really makes it look easy with a picture: 

  • If Gateway/Router is MOCA enabled, I think I'd only need one moca adapter where the coax is at TV. Split the coax at the TV, send one coax to set-top box and one coax to moca adapter and there would be ethernet there (if I have that correct)
  • If Gateway/Router is not MOCA enabled, I'd need one moca adapter at the router - but now I'm getting confused how that would work, and one at the TV just as described above.

Much obliged for your answer to start things!!

(edited)

Expert

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108.4K Messages

2 years ago

@user_5d4c13 

And FWIW, any coax cable splitters that may be connected between the Xfi gateway device and the MoCA adapter also have to be MoCA compliant (5-1675 MHz) such as this one;

https://www.amazon.com/Antronix-MMC1002H-B-Splitter-Frontier-Formerly/dp/B07PRYS8YZ 

or they won't be able to talk to each other.

(edited)

Visitor

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6 Messages

2 years ago

Oh, that is a very good thing to know also, thanks!

That link sends me to one that specifically mentions "for Frontier Formerly Verizon Fios". Does that mean that there is one specifically for xfinity coax, or that any MOCA 2.0 or 2.5 splitter would work?

Expert

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108.4K Messages

2 years ago

That's just an advertising plug. All MoCA splitters are universal.

Visitor

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6 Messages

2 years ago

You've both answered questions faster than I can figure these things out on my own, awesome!

It takes a long time going down rabbit holes due to everyone's unique needs adds a lot of info that I don't know if I can ignore or applies. My application seems about as simple as can be, but I've yet to find it answered elsewhere yet. 

These pieces help, but I'll still wait for a couple of days of checking answers here before I commit to buy a MOCA adapter and a MOCA splitter. I'm starting to feel fairly confident now these two things will do it, as well as having to set MOCA on in router/gateway and some security settings maybe?

(edited)

Contributor

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160 Messages

2 years ago

@EG ,

Shouldn't Comcast have made sure he had a MoCa filter when they supplied or installed a MoCa settop box there?

[grin][wink]

Expert

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108.4K Messages

2 years ago

Yep. I've seen many posts over the years here where it gets overlooked by the installers...

Visitor

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6 Messages

2 years ago

Thanks folks - I'll check on whether there is a MOCA POE filter also from a previous Xfinity install. It, like a MOCA splitter, are certainly inexpensive enough to try. There is so much old cabling from years of people switching back and forth between service providers, lol.

I see four versions of the POE filter. What determines whether to use 40 or 70dB? If it'll be exposed, I'll get the weather seal version.

SNLP-1GCW -40dB

SNLP-1GCWWS -40dB (with weather seal)

GLP-1G70CW -70dB

GLP-1G70CWWS -70dB (with weather seal)

Much obliged!

Visitor

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6 Messages

2 years ago

OK, 40dB it is. As to the weather seal or not, I don't know if it'll be exposed yet. The likelihood is great that the first splitter is probably inside a reused outside box, but there is so much old stuff there on that area from previous installs that I need to look at it. Thank you!!

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