# Bolt Ethernet + MoCA not working with Ethernet switch



## cparisi3 (Dec 29, 2015)

Here's my setup:

Verizon FiOS
Actiontec router
24 port powered HP switch
Cat 6 throughout home
TiVo Bolt
TiVo Mini (2)

As many know, Verizon FiOS is MoCA-enabled as a default so I initially set-up the Bolt and Minis with MoCA only. Worked without a problem. I recently started having the Netflix/HDMI/dead screen issue. Before researching the issue, I thought maybe the Bolt was getting hung up by the Internet connection. So I plugged the Bolt into my home network via Ethernet and changed my settings to Ethernet + MoCA. This is where things get screwy.

My Internet started flaking out. Eventually the router became unresponsive entirely. Unplugging everything and restarting it would temporarily restore everything but within a few minutes, I'd lose the streaming from Bolt to Mini and then the Internet would go down again. So I got on the phone with a very knowledgable tech from Verizon and over two hours (yes, two hours!), this is what we *think* is happening:

The Actiontec router needs to always have the 192.168.1.1 IP address. But the router isn't smart enough not to give it out to another device if it asks for it. So when the Bolt is plugged into the HP switch, the Bolt might be requesting the 192.168.1.1 address and getting it, thus paralyzing the Actiontec router. Now when I go into the networking connections, it looks like the Bolt is getting the 192.168.1.13 address. So the other possibility is that the HP Switch itself is requesting 192.168.1.1, getting it, and rendering the Actiontec router inoperable. Either way, it only occurs when the Bolt is plugged into the switch. When the Bolt is only connected via MoCA, everything works fine. I have about 7 or 8 other devices connected to the switch and none of them have ever presented a problem.

The tech and I discussed either assigning the Bolt or the HP switch a static IP address to see if we can keep the router on 192.168.1.1 but after a couple of hours, I wasn't really interested in tinkering any more.

Not sure if anybody else has ever experienced this issue but I thought I'd post it as a helpful tool if anybody else has.


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## Time_Lord (Jun 4, 2012)

cparisi3 said:


> Here's my setup:
> 
> So I plugged the Bolt into my home network via Ethernet and changed my settings to Ethernet + MoCA. This is where things get screwy.


by choosing Ethernet + MoCA you turned your Bolt into a bridge connecting the MoCa network and the Ethernet network, normally this wouldn't be an issue however the Actiontec router is doing the exact same thing so you have created a loop.

In other words traffic comes in via ethernet and both the Bolt and Actiontec forward it to the MoCA network and then the traffic gets forwarded back to the ethernet network until the network gets overloaded and dies.

The simple answer is choose either MoCA OR Ethernet on the Bolt but not both.

-TL


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## tatergator1 (Mar 27, 2008)

The Ethernet+MOCA setting assumes that the Bolt is receiving network access through the Ethernet cable and then creates a MoCA network for other devices to connect to. Your network issue is most certainly the result of serious MoCA conflicts since both the Bolt and the FIOS Actiontec are trying to provide a MoCA network on the same Coax network.

Change the Bolt to Ethernet only and all issues should resolve. The Mini's can still use MoCA via the Actiontec and connect to the Bolt without issue.


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## cparisi3 (Dec 29, 2015)

Thanks, TL. Makes sense. I don't remember if the Bolt gave me an option for Ethernet Only. I only remembering seeing an option for "MoCA" or "Ethernet + MoCA". I'm sure it was there but I'm not really interested right now in changing settings again!


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## cparisi3 (Dec 29, 2015)

tatergator1,

I don't _necessarily_ care which network they communicate over. What I'd like to be able to do is have the option of setting up a Mini by either coax OR Ethernet in the future. I don't envision dropping future coax connections in rooms that don't already have them but I will continue to build out my Cat 6 network. Am I limited in my current setup?


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## tatergator1 (Mar 27, 2008)

A properly configured hybrid network of Ethernet and MoCA is not an issue. You are not limited in the future to switch one or all Mini's to Ethernet.


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## BigJimOutlaw (Mar 21, 2004)

cparisi3 said:


> Thanks, TL. Makes sense. I don't remember if the Bolt gave me an option for Ethernet Only. I only remembering seeing an option for "MoCA" or "Ethernet + MoCA". I'm sure it was there but I'm not really interested right now in changing settings again!


It probably changed automatically. I remember having to go into my settings twice to make sure the Bolt was set to ethernet-only. That will clear the problem up.

The Bolt and Minis don't care which network they use, the only problem here is that the Bolt is creating a conflicting moca network, which jams the router. One stopped, all will be fine.


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