| [ONT] Coax splitter between ONT and FIOS router? The problem I'm trying to solve with splitters and Actiontec ECB2200 coax-to-ethernet adapters is this: we had a Comcast installation in the house previously and there's a pre-existing home-run coax cable running between the basement near the new ONT and the attic. In the attic there's a home office that needs internet and maybe TV.
I've been told that the following use of a splitter is possible and I'd appreciate confirmation if it is or isn't.
1. Put a splitter on the coax cable coming out of the ONT.
2. Connect one splitter branch to the coax that runs up to the attic.
3. Connect another splitter branch to the FIOS internet router's coax connector.
4. Up in the attic, use an Actiontec ECB2200 to connect the coax cable to the RJ45 port on the PC.
What confuses me about this scenario is that the PC in the attic isn't connected to an RJ45 LAN port on the FIOS internet router. How does the router even know the PC exists? Can that PC still get its dynamic IP address from the FIOS router in DHCP mode?
If this WILL work, what are the specs for the splitter? |
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Mac973
join:2009-05-18
West Orange, NJ | If I understand you correctly, yes this will work. I have a similar setup. I have an ethernet cable coming in from the ONT and connected directly to the router. I also have a coax coming in from the ONT, which I have connected to a splitter. I then have one coax coming out of the splitter and going into the router, and another coax coming out of the splitter and going to a STB for my basement TV. It works fine. I believe you need a splitter rated at 1GHz or above. |
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 More FiberPremium,MVM
join:2005-09-26
West Chester, PA
kudos:28 | reply to homeoffice88
said by homeoffice88 :What confuses me about this scenario is that the PC in the attic isn't connected to an RJ45 LAN port on the FIOS internet router. How does the router even know the PC exists? Can that PC still get its dynamic IP address from the FIOS router in DHCP mode?
There are two MOCA frequencies on the coax. One for MOCA WAN between the ONT and the router. Another for MOCA LAN between the router and any MOCA LAN devices (STBs, MOCA adapters).
Yes, the PC in the attic will be able to get a DHCP address. MOCA carries ethernet frames (layer 2) just like cat5 except over a different physical media - coax (layer 1).
There are a number of MOCA FAQs here:
»Verizon Online FiOS FAQ
You need a splitter rated at least 1Ghz for use with MOCA.
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There are 10 kinds of people in the world; those who understand binary and those who don't.
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| reply to Mac973
Your setup seems considerably more complicated than what I was told would work in my installation:
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splitter=====coax========ECB 2200---ethernet---PC in attic
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router----ethernet--TV (for streaming -- no FIOS TV service yet) |
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| reply to More Fiber
Thanks. So the FIOS router is Janus-faced, so to speak: it is the DHCP server for devices attached to its RJ45 ports via ethernet cable, and it is the DHCP server for any devices attached the coax leg coming out of the ONT.
Is the PC in the attic, connected to the coax, in any way more vulnerable to attack than a PC connected via ethernet cable to one of the RJ45 connectors on the router? Is the ONT like a firewall? |
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| reply to More Fiber
Also, the Verizon FAQ talks about a MoCA "bridge". Is the ECB2200 a "bridge"? It is described as an "adapter". Does it serve the same function? |
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 Rattler
join:2001-04-13
Havertown, PA | said by homeoffice88 :Also, the Verizon FAQ talks about a MoCA "bridge". Is the ECB2200 a "bridge"? It is described as an "adapter". Does it serve the same function?
Yes, it is a MoCA --> Ethernet bridge.
My original FiOS installation did not use the Actiontec router but rather my own Linksys WRT54GS router, connected to the ONT via Ethernet. The install tech gave me a Motorola NIM100 (the equivalent of the A/T ECB2200) to do the MoCA data link to my STBs (a LAN function). The A/T router has since replaced the Linksys in my system as the primary router.
The bridge works in both directions.
Be aware that your system may be limited to 7 MoCA connected devices, which would include the PC connected through the ECB2200, the router and any "smart" STBs on the system (would not include a DCT700 box, if there).
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Never raise your hands to your kids. It leaves your groin unprotected. -- Red Buttons |
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PJL
join:2008-07-24
Long Beach, CA
kudos:2 Reviews:
 ·Verizon FiOS
| reply to homeoffice88
said by homeoffice88 :...Is the PC in the attic, connected to the coax, in any way more vulnerable to attack than a PC connected via ethernet cable to one of the RJ45 connectors on the router? Is the ONT like a firewall?
The ONT is simply a device that converts the digital signal from optical to electrical that can be carried over another medium, either Ethernet or coax cable . It works at the most basic level of networking (the physical layer) and does nothing to the signal content itself. So no, it is not at all like a firewall. The MoCA bridge does a similar conversion between coax and Ethernet. See »www.webopedia.com/quick_ref/OSI_Layers.asp for a description. |
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More FiberPremium,MVM
join:2005-09-26
West Chester, PA
kudos:28 | reply to homeoffice88
said by homeoffice88 :So the FIOS router is Janus-faced, so to speak: It's more than just two faced. 
The router has multiple physical (layer 1) interfaces.
- RJ45 WAN
- Coax WAN
- Wireless LAN
- cat5 LAN
- coax LAN
said by homeoffice88 :[The FIOS router] is the DHCP server for devices attached to its RJ45 ports via ethernet cable, and it is the DHCP server for any devices attached the coax leg coming out of the ONT. Correct. Also for any wireless devices.
The "coax leg coming out of the ONT" is really a misnomer. All coax connections through various splitters see the same signals.
said by homeoffice88 :Is the PC in the attic, connected to the coax, in any way more vulnerable to attack than a PC connected via ethernet cable to one of the RJ45 connectors on the router? No. All LAN devices connected to the router whether wireless, cat5 or coax are protected by the firewall in the router.
said by homeoffice88 :the Verizon FAQ talks about a MoCA "bridge". Is the ECB2200 a "bridge"? Yes, the ECB2200 is a layer 2 bridge. It takes layer 2 ethernet (data) frames from one layer 1 medium (cat5) and converts them to the other layer 1 medium (coax) and visa-versa. Adapter is the simpler "marketing" term.
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There are 10 kinds of people in the world; those who understand binary and those who don't.
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 nycdavePremium,MVM
join:1999-11-16
Melville, NY
kudos:10 | ECB = Ethernet Coax Bridge. In case anyone wanted to know what the acronym means. |
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| reply to More Fiber
Thanks to everyone for the helpful information. Internet is working in the attic. WooHoo.
I've put a splitter on the coax coming out the ONT. For now I used what I had, one that tops out at 1000Mhz, but I'll get a better one.
One coax leg from the splitter goes to the FIOS router.
One coax leg from the splitter connects to the coax cable to the attic.
Up in the attic, coax to ECB2200 to ethernet cable to Linksys WAN port. Linksys WAN address is 192.168.1.254 (static IP) and its gateway address is 10.10.10.1. It's successfully creating DHCP leases with devices on the 10.10.10.x LAN and they can surf the web and see each other. |
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PJL
join:2008-07-24
Long Beach, CA
kudos:2 Reviews:
·Verizon FiOS
| said by homeoffice88 :...
I've put a splitter on the coax coming out the ONT. For now I used what I had, one that tops out at 1000Mhz, but I'll get a better one.
... You may be fine with the splitter. The higher-range splitters are required to support certain QAM channels for TV only. |
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kes601
join:2007-04-14
Virginia Beach, VA
kudos:2 | reply to homeoffice88
1000Mhz is 1Ghz, so you should be fine. |
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