Bolt, Moca & TiVo Bridge

Yes that will work. Just make sure on your bolt that you select connect to moca network, not create moca network when setting it up.

 

If Bolt is not connected to internet via MoCA or Ethernet, how do the three Minis connect to Bolt? For Minis to work, they need to connect to a DVR, unless you have another TiVo DVR in addition to Bolt? In addition, the DVR "host" needs to have a wired connection (either MoCA or Ethernet) for the Minis to work.

 

Isn't that exactly what he's saying he's trying to accomplish by adding the moca adapter (TiVo Bridge) near his mini?

 

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Hi,
The thing with OTA and MoCA is that, you have to keep the coax which is feeding your cable modem (assuming you have one) isolated from the coax carrying the OTA signal to your Tivos.
The MoCA filter goes on the main feed from the OTA antenna. The MoCA adapter is connected to the coax network from the antenna and your Tivos. The trick is that there has to be an Ethernet cable from the router connected to the Ethernet port on the adapter. If you can get that done, use the "connect to MoCA network" setting on the Bolt and do the same with the minis.
Unless you have some kind of coax or splitter issue you should be good.

 

Perfect!

 

You certainly can do that. I do it with old DirecTV DECA units, which are just MoCA E band devices anyway.

 

Do NOT do that if there's any antenna or cable signals on your coax! DECA frequencies are in the same frequency band as OTA and cable. You need an empty coax or one with only satellite IF signals on it for DECA to work and not interfere. That's why directv uses DECA and cable uses moca (which is above the cable tv band).

 

FYI... DECA devices won't work with the MoCA network created by your TiVo Bridge, nor would DECA work on any coax lines also carrying either OTA or cable TV/Internet signals.

Coincidentally, your question hits on one of the followup points I was going to make, but failed to followup and actually finish the post.

You wouldn't need an add'l MoCA adapter to extend wired networking near the BOLT.

If your BOLT is connecting to the MoCA network created by some other device (the TiVo Bridge, in your case), you can simply connect a network switch to the BOLT's Ethernet port to extend wired networking to other Ethernet-capable devices co-located with the BOLT. Unfortunately, this capability owes to the BOLT having the Ethernet-MoCA bridging capability built-in, which the TiVo Mini does not, so you'd have to go with your add'l MoCA adapter approach if you wanted wired connectivity for Ethernet devices co-located with any Minis. (Well, aside from that one Mini where you obviously already have Ethernet connectivity, since that's where you're connecting your TiVo Bridge.)

edit: Just to be clear, in this setup, the BOLT would still be configured to "Connect using MoCA"; however, once you connect a device to its Ethernet port, the network settings connection type will automatically update to "Ethernet + MoCA."

 

In your situation, forget about the DECA adapters. Just stick with strait MoCA adapters. A good value right now for a pair is on Amazon, https://www.amazon.com/Yitong-Technology-Ethernet-Adapter-YTMC-51N1-M2/dp/B019MDRX5A
If you want to extend your wireless and add 2 Ethernet ports, consider the WCB3000N. Dual band, N 300, and they are pretty cheap, if you get a refurb off of Ebay, http://www.ebay.com/itm/Actiontec-M...639868?hash=item25bf9eb77c:g:EJkAAOSw2GlXJAfz

 

Bottom line, I wouldn't worry about any of the following unless and until you find you need a stronger signal from your OTA antenna. OR are just curious.

That said...

Is your OTA signal needed only at your BOLT, or is the OTA signal being directly fed to your TVs, as well?

The only other comment I was considering was that you could obtain a marginally improved OTA signal at your BOLT by bypassing the OTA signal around the 4-way splitter, using an antenna/satellite diplexer. This would boost the OTA signal at the BOLT (well, lessen its loss), but at the expense of the OTA signal not being available via the splitter output runs.

See attached for a diagram demonstrating the bypass, drawn under the assumption that the MoCA network is created on any one of the MoCA-enabled runs.

.

 

Good points KRK. I totally forgot about the Bolt's bridging capabilities too!

BTW, I wasn't recommending he use DECA, I was just pointing out that this technology is capable of doing what he asked, which was essentially to modulate ethernet onto a coax cable to extend his network signals, be it MoCA or DeCA (which is MoCA E Band).

 

Great to hear, Chris. I look forward to hearing how that diplexer bypass works out for you. (You might want to note your signal level on a couple channels before and after, to document the difference.)

And thanks for the feedback. All too often posters just disappear after their questions have been answered, so I personally appreciate your taking the time to post back with your results.

p.s. And, yeah, nice call on the star layout for the home coax wiring. So much easier to get it done up-front.

 

One of these should do... LINK (h/t fcfc2)