[mattdm1982]

My equipment:
Tivo Roamio OTA, Tivo mini, CenturyLink DSL modem/router, 2 ActionTec MOCA adapters

My setup:
- Tivo Roamio in the living room with no ethernet connection available
- Tivo Mini in master bedroom
- DSL modem in master bedroom
- OTA outside with single coax coming into my house into a POE filter, into 6 way splitter. Coax out of splitter to the Tivo OTA and Tivo Mini.

How do I need to have this setup so that the 2 Tivos are connect via the MOCA connection? I'm not sure I have it setup correctly now because I can't use MOCA to connect the Tivos.

My current connection setup that I think is wrong:
Master bedroom: Coax from wall to 2-way splitter, 1 coax from splitter to MOCA adapter, 1 coax from splitter to Tivo Mini, Ethernet cable from DSL modern to MOCA adapter, ethernet cable from DSL modem to Tivo Mini

Living room: Coax from wall to 2-way splitter, 1 coax from splitter to 2nd MOCA adapter, 1 coax from splitter to Tivo Roamio OTA, ethernet cable from MOCA adapter to Tivo Roamio OTA.

Tivo connection settings: Tivo Mini connection setup as an Ethernet connection. As currently wired I am unable to connect via MOCA. Tivo Roamia OTA connection setup as an Ethernet connection. As currently wired I do not have a MOCA choice in the network settings.

It seems like streaming anything through the Mini (Hulu, Netflix, etc) is super slow to load and to navigate. Once I finally get to the streaming video everything is OK. Live TV streaming is OK on the Mini as well. Wondering since my Tivo Roamio OTA is connected via MOCA adapter but the Mini is connected to my network through the ethernet cable and into my modem that is causing issues.

Thank you so much in advance for help!!

 

[jssmcarlo]

The mini only needs either coax or Ethernet, so if you're going to use moca, disconnect the Ethernet cable & set to connect using moca. If you're going to use Ethernet, disconnect the coax & set for Ethernet. Check your splitters, they should be rated at least up to 1675 MHz, ones that only go up to 900 or 1000 MHz might block moca signals. The OTA won't have the moca option as it does not have moca built in. Use Ethernet for network setting as it is connected via Ethernet to the moca adapter.

 

[snerd]

Since live TV streaming on the Mini works, it sounds like everything is pretty much connected and configured correctly. The MoCA adapters are passing ethernet signals between the Roamio and the modem, and between the modem and the Mini, so everything can see the internet and the Roamio and the Mini can communicate.

There is nothing wrong with just using the Mini with an ethernet connection to the modem. However, it should be possible to get the MoCA path into the Mini to work by changing the network settings to MoCA. You might need to restart all of your equipment to get everything in synch, but it sounds like everything is wired correctly. When testing MoCA to the Mini, I'd suggest disconnecting the ethernet cable from the Mini to make sure it isn't detecting signals on the ethernet port and defaulting the network connection (don't know that it will, but others have reported that Roamio Plus/Pro will automatically switch network connections if it detects both MoCA and ethernet signals).

You could simplify the connections in the living room by removing the 2-way splitter, connect coax from the wall to the "Coax In" port of the MoCA adapter, connect coax from the "TV/STB out" port of the MoCA adapter to the Roamio OTA. Eliminating the splitter should also improve the OTA signal strength. The Roamio OTA doesn't have the MoCA choice in network settings because that choice only appears for TiVO models that have built-in MoCA capabilities.

If you decide to just use the ethernet connection to the Mini, you could simplify the wiring in the master bedroom by removing the splitter and connecting coax directly from the wall to the "Coax In" port of the MoCA adapter. You should also attach a 75-ohm termination to the unused "TV/STB out" port of the MoCA adapter.

If you aren't using all of the output ports from the 6-way splitter, you might consider replacing it with a splitter that has fewer ports, as that would improve the OTA signal strength to the Roamio. If you decide to keep the 6-way splitter, check to see if there are 75-ohm terminations attached to any unused ports. Similarly, all other coax ports in other rooms should be either attached to equipment or capped with a 75-ohm termination.

I sometimes see some delays on my Mini, but I haven't actually tried Hulu or Netflix to compare speed to my Roamio, but it might be normal for the Mini to be slower. I wouldn't be surprised if the Mini uses a slower processor.

Bottom line is that your current setup may be already working. Unless you are having problems with lost signals for pixellation, the simplest solution is "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". There is some benefit to using the MoCA path into the Mini, since that would allow the ethernet bandwidth for streaming between the Roamio and the Mini to be confined solely to the MoCA network on the coax.

 

[mattdm1982]

Thanks for the informative answers! I ordered some new splitters to help improve OTA signal and I also got plain splitters instead of power pass through. I've heard some folks having problem with the power pass through. My primary reason to get the Mini setup on the MoCA is to restrict the communication between the Mini and Roamio to MoCA. This is what I'm going to try for my MoCA setup and see if it works.

Master bedroom:
Coax from wall into MoCA adapter, coax out of MoCA adapter to Tivo mini, ethernet cable from MoCA adapter to DSL modem/router.

Livingroom:
Coax from wall into MoCA adapter, coax out of MoCA adapter to Tivo Roamio OTA, ethernet cable from MoCA adapter to Tivo Roamio OTA.

Hopefully this works. My only question now is it OK for me to run the coax from the MoCA adapter out to the Tivo Mini and should that result in the Mini being connected via MoCA or do I need to use a splitter and run coax from wall to splitter then coax 1 out of splitter to MoCA adapter and coax 2 out of splitter to Mini?

 

[krkaufman]

I ordered some new splitters to help improve OTA signal and I also got plain splitters instead of power pass through.

Hopefully they're rated as suggested above, up to 1675MHz or better.

My primary reason to get the Mini setup on the MoCA is to restrict the communication between the Mini and Roamio to MoCA.

That's legit. Though that means ALL network traffic from the Mini has to pass through the MoCA adapter, including Hulu, Netflix, etc, and not just the TiVo in-home streaming content.

This is what I'm going to try for my MoCA setup and see if it works.

Master bedroom:
Coax from wall into MoCA adapter, coax out of MoCA adapter to Tivo mini, ethernet cable from MoCA adapter to DSL modem/router.

Livingroom:
Coax from wall into MoCA adapter, coax out of MoCA adapter to Tivo Roamio OTA, ethernet cable from MoCA adapter to Tivo Roamio OTA.

Hopefully this works. My only question now is it OK for me to run the coax from the MoCA adapter out to the Tivo Mini and should that result in the Mini being connected via MoCA or do I need to use a splitter and run coax from wall to splitter then coax 1 out of splitter to MoCA adapter and coax 2 out of splitter to Mini?

No. Your earlier setup using the splitter for the Mini was correct, if you're set on using MoCA with the Mini; as mentioned, you'd remove the Ethernet connection as it would be unused with the Mini configured to use MoCA.

The confusion may have arisen from the suggestion to use the MoCA adapter's "TV Out" for the Roamio. Such a connection works for the Roamio because you're only looking to pass the TV signals/frequencies out to the Roamio. MoCA frequencies don't pass through the "TV Out" port of the MoCA adapter, by design.

 

[krkaufman]

It seems like streaming anything through the Mini (Hulu, Netflix, etc) is super slow to load and to navigate. Once I finally get to the streaming video everything is OK.

Are you referring to apps launching via their app button? The time between when you select a video to play and it actually begins playback (buffer delay)? How long it takes for a streaming video listed in OnePass to launch relative to how quickly a video stored on the TiVo launches and begins playback? Are you referring to a difference between the Mini and Roamio? Between the Mini and a Roku?

Basically, what do you mean by "super slow," either in absolute terms or relative to what?

 

[Prefrosh01]

I have heard that you do not need a POE filter if you are just using OTA and DSL as there is no coax connection to the "outside" world...is that true.

 

[snerd]

I have heard that you do not need a POE filter if you are just using OTA and DSL as there is no coax connection to the "outside" world...is that true.

You should use a PoE filter attached as follows:

OTA antenna --> coax --> MoCA PoE filter --> input of "top" splitter

The PoE filter will keep the MoCA signals off the antenna and improve MoCA signal strength.

 

[krkaufman]

I have heard that you do not need a POE filter if you are just using OTA and DSL as there is no coax connection to the "outside" world...is that true.

Does your OTA antenna connect to your Roamio directly or via the same coax lines carrying your MoCA network?

 

[Peter G]

POE filter performs two functions; one it prevents your network from being visible outside your home; two it improves the MoCA signal quality within the network by keeping that energy in your house.
Theoretically without the POE you will broadcast the MoCA signal back up over the OTA antenna. Unlikely anyone can ease tap in but still a remote possibility.

Peter G

 

[krkaufman]

Unlikely anyone can ease tap in but still a remote possibility.

Ba-dum...BUM!

 

[Prefrosh01]

Thanks!

The OTA goes into a four way splitter, so I will get one just in case.

 

[krkaufman]

The OTA goes into a four way splitter, so I will get one just in case.

Definitely, if only to improve your MoCA network responsiveness. (The RF snooping concern is negligible.)

And installed on the input port of the splitter, as per snerd's recommendation.