Coax to Ethernet Adapter or MoCA devices needed?

[Dangerspork]

Hi all. I've been reading up on MoCA and Ethernet over coax but haven't found exactly the info I'm looking for. Hoping I can get some answers / advice from the experts here.

My home set-up is a little unorthodox. To start with, I have AT&T U-verse. Before jumping in with "it's not compatible" note that I'm NOT trying to use the same coax network for U-Verse and Ethernet.

My set-up is as follows:
- AT&T twisted pair into the house into AT&T Residential Gateway (by 2wire)
- Ethernet cable from RG to a Netgear switch for attaching other hardwired devices.
- Ethernet from switch to AT&T set-top box in Room 1. (A variety of other devices also connected: AppleTV, Roku, Samsung TV, etc.)
- Coax cable from RG to set-top box in Room 2. This uses the coax that was installed in the house.
Only two TVs in the house, so that's the extent of the U-verse footprint.

Throughout the rest of the house (say rooms 3 though N) there are existing coax ports, all of which seem to be home runs back to the same spot where the RG is. (I'll need to confirm they're home runs.) There also seems to be nothing connected to either end of those lines. (The AT&T installer actually clipped the ends of all of them at the RG side.) And I'm of the belief that they're in no way connected to the coax line that U-verse is using for the STB in room 2. (That is it's own home run.)

The Goal:
I need to get a hardwired ethernet connection in room 3 and maybe room 4. (Wireless is not an option: work in the medical field and it's a HIPAA violation if not hard wired.)

It seems like there should be a simple "ethernet-to-coax adapter" that I can put on either side of the line that goes to room 3. I would run ethernet from the switch, to the adapter, to room 3 via coax, then another adapter on that end, and finally to the machine in room 3.

My questions then are as follows:
- Is what I'm describing above actually "a thing"? I think it might not be.
- If it's not, then I assume I need to use something like the AcitonTec MoCA adapters, correct?
- If so, if I wanted to then extend into another room, say room 4, would I need another pair? Or do I just need one coming off the RG with a splitter, and one in each of the other rooms?


Thanks again in advance for any info. And please let me know if my description is somehow inadequate.

 

[USAFRet]

It seems like there should be a simple "ethernet-to-coax adapter" that I can put on either side of the line that goes to room 3. I would run ethernet from the switch, to the adapter, to room 3 via coax, then another adapter on that end, and finally to the machine in room 3.

If the house is already wired for coax, yes.
MOCA device next to the router, connected by Cat5e.
Upstairs, MOCA device, Cat5e leading to your device or switch. Cat5e from that switch to whatever in the area.

This pair:
http://www.amazon.com/Actiontec-Ethernet-Adapter-without-Routers/dp/B008EQ4BQG
$100

 

[Dangerspork]

Thanks for the quick reply USAFRet.

The pair of ActionTec's is one of the options I was looking at. Was hoping not to need a(nother) powered box, especially on both ends.

Not that the price is any better, but would something simpler like these passive Dualcomm adapters fit the bill?
http://www.amazon.com/Dualcomm-Ethernet-over-Adapters-DECA-100/dp/B009AGCLVG

One follow up -- if I go with the Action Tec boxes you mentioned, what would be needed to add another room? Do I add a MoCA coax splitter after the first box to connect two separate lines, and then add another ActionTec box in the additional room? Or do I need to add a pair -- a second box next to the router as well as one in the additional room?

 

[USAFRet]

Thanks for the quick reply USAFRet.

The pair of ActionTec's is one of the options I was looking at. Was hoping not to need a(nother) powered box, especially on both ends.

Not that the price is any better, but would something simpler like these passive Dualcomm adapters fit the bill?
http://www.amazon.com/Dualcomm-Ethernet-over-Adapters-DECA-100/dp/B009AGCLVG

One follow up -- if I go with the Action Tec boxes you mentioned, what would be needed to add another room? Do I add a MoCA coax splitter after the first box to connect two separate lines, and then add another ActionTec box in the additional room? Or do I need to add a pair -- a second box next to the router as well as one in the additional room?

To provide to multiple rooms, away from the router:
That MOCA situation above, and then an inexpensive ($15) switch and Cat5e off that to provide ethernet to other rooms.

 

[Dangerspork]

To provide to multiple rooms, away from the router:
That MOCA situation above, and then an inexpensive ($15) switch and Cat5e off that to provide ethernet to other rooms.

Not sure I'm quite following that. You're suggesting running an ethernet cable from the switch in room 3 into room 4, etc.? Don't think my wife is going to love having the cable running down the hallway! ;-)

Since all the other rooms are already wired with coax home runs and are not being used for U-verse, I was hoping to make use of those existing connections. In (or near) my network closet, I have the RG and I'll add one of these ActionTec boxes. I also have unconnected ends of coax going into rooms 3, 4, 5, etc. To add other rooms, what I *think* I need is:
- Ethernet out from RG to MoCA box #1
- Coax out from MoCA box 1 to MoCa coax splitter
- On the output side of the splitter, attach the existing coax lines for rooms 3, 4, N
- In room 3, coax from jack in wall to MoCA box #2. Ethernet from MoCA box to computer, etc.
- In room 4, coax from jack in wall to MoCA box #3.

Does that sound right? Or am I adding too few (or too many?) MoCA devices?

No thoughts on the passive adapters vs. powered boxes, by the way?

 

[USAFRet]

Yes, I *think* what you've outlined will work.

 

[Dangerspork]

This pair:
http://www.amazon.com/Actiontec-Ethernet-Adapter-without-Routers/dp/B008EQ4BQG
$100

Thanks USAFRet.
FWIW, and to anyone else looking at/for this solution, the ActionTec MoCA boxes worked well. (And were on sale for $90 / pair.)

Again, my setup is a little different since I'm using U-Verse for TV in some rooms, and the ActionTec for internet in other rooms. I'm of the understanding that these boxes won't work for both TV and Internet on the same line with U-Verse. (Would probably need the TrendNet HPNA splitter for that.)

My set up is as follows:

U-Verse DSL Line IN to U-Verse / 2-Wire Gateway
- Coax OUT to U-Verse STB in Room 1
- Cat5e OUT to U-Verse STB in Room 2

- Cat5e OUT to Netgear switch
-- (IN to a variety of other devices that are networked via Cat5e)

- Cat5e OUT to Action Tex MoCA Box #1
-- Coax OUT from Actiontec to MoCA splitter (comes with ActionTex boxes)
-- Coax OUT from splitter to existing coax jack in Room 3 (and Room 4)
-- Coax OUT from Room 3 jack, IN to ActionTec box #2
-- Cat5e OUT from ActionTex box to device in Room 3
-- If I wanted to add room 4, I get one more actiontec box and attach it to the coax jack in that room

 

[Dangerspork]

Well that lasted all of four days... Came home this evening to discover that the MoCA part of the network is no longer functioning. Machines connected to it say "no connection" and (of course) can't get an IP.

Tried the quick requisite things like power cycling, holding reset switch, swapping out cables, but no luck.

This weekend I'll go check if something chewed through one of the coax lines, but seems unlikely. Best guess is that one of the boxes is having some sort of power issue.