# POE Filter install issue



## CCourtney (Mar 28, 2006)

I installed the POE filter inline with the main incoming line right at the bidirectional amplifier (on input line.) It's in my electrical closet, but there's no splitter before this.

When I did this, both my TiVo Roamio and my X1 box lost connections. My TiVo Mini still communicated to my Roamio and I was able to play recorded show (as expected since the POE filter is outside of the loop.)

Any know issues w/ POE Filters on Comcast systems or with Bidirectional Amps? Or do I potentially have a dead POE Filter. In my old job, I'd just take it to work and hook it up to a Signal Generator and Spectrum Analyzer but I don't have the luxury in my new job


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## fcfc2 (Feb 19, 2015)

CCourtney said:


> I installed the POE filter inline with the main incoming line right at the bidirectional amplifier (on input line.) It's in my electrical closet, but there's no splitter before this.
> 
> When I did this, both my TiVo Roamio and my X1 box lost connections. My TiVo Mini still communicated to my Roamio and I was able to play recorded show (as expected since the POE filter is outside of the loop.)
> 
> Any know issues w/ POE Filters on Comcast systems or with Bidirectional Amps? Or do I potentially have a dead POE Filter. In my old job, I'd just take it to work and hook it up to a Signal Generator and Spectrum Analyzer but I don't have the luxury in my new job


Try putting the filter on the output of the amp.


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## CCourtney (Mar 28, 2006)

fcfc2 said:


> Try putting the filter on the output of the amp.


It's an 8 port amp, so that wouldn't be effective for POE except to isolate a single line.


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## convergent (Jan 4, 2007)

CCourtney said:


> It's an 8 port amp, so that wouldn't be effective for POE except to isolate a single line.


Sounds like there may be another splitter before the amp that you aren't aware of. Can you go to where the line comes out of the ground (the box outside in my case) and insert it there. Its only purpose is to create a wall to the outside world so if its in the right place doesn't seem that it would block MoCA from flowing around your internal network.


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## CCourtney (Mar 28, 2006)

convergent said:


> Sounds like there may be another splitter before the amp that you aren't aware of. Can you go to where the line comes out of the ground (the box outside in my case) and insert it there. Its only purpose is to create a wall to the outside world so if its in the right place doesn't seem that it would block MoCA from flowing around your internal network.


There is an external point of entry, but no splitter, just a coupler. I could technically move the filter there, but I didn't see the point. (i.e. The difference is one end versus the other end of about a 30-40' coax run)

Note that my cable modem line is coming from one of the 8 ports of the bidirectional amplifier.


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## fcfc2 (Feb 19, 2015)

CCourtney said:


> There is an external point of entry, but no splitter, just a coupler. I could technically move the filter there, but I didn't see the point. (i.e. The difference is one end versus the other end of about a 30-40' coax run)
> 
> Note that my cable modem line is coming from one of the 8 ports of the bidirectional amplifier.


What is the make and model number of the amp? Where did you get the MoCA filter?
EDIT: Were you using the xfinity system with Whole Home DVR service? Are you using one of Comcast's modems/gateway's? If you were there may already be a MoCA filter at the tap.


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## convergent (Jan 4, 2007)

CCourtney said:


> There is an external point of entry, but no splitter, just a coupler. I could technically move the filter there, but I didn't see the point. (i.e. The difference is one end versus the other end of about a 30-40' coax run)
> 
> Note that my cable modem line is coming from one of the 8 ports of the bidirectional amplifier.


I would try putting it on that coupler. That is where i put mine. It should be impossible for it to interfere with anything downstream in the house. But of course crazy things happen.


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## snerd (Jun 6, 2008)

CCourtney said:


> There is an external point of entry, but no splitter, just a coupler. I could technically move the filter there, but I didn't see the point. (i.e. The difference is one end versus the other end of about a 30-40' coax run)


It is better to leave the PoE filter inside the house, at the input of the first splitter. The reason is that MoCA signals coming up from a MoCA transmitter will reflect off the MoCA filter and go back down through coax and splitters to reach all of the other MoCA devices. The net effect is that the MoCA signals will be stronger if they don't have to pass both ways through that extra 30-40' of coax.

Having the PoE filter indoors will also eliminate failure due to exposure to outdoor weather.


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## CCourtney (Mar 28, 2006)

fcfc2 said:


> What is the make and model number of the amp? Where did you get the MoCA filter?
> EDIT: Were you using the xfinity system with Whole Home DVR service? Are you using one of Comcast's modems/gateway's? If you were there may already be a MoCA filter at the tap.


Make: Holland Model: MPOE-TM - Got it from Amazon.com. I've got an X1 DVR, which I think would support whole home, but I'm not using it as a whole home DVR. I'd not think that it would require the MoCa frequencies back to the headend. I thought the data used for streaming to it was DOCSIS based, but I'm not 100% certain. That said, DOCSIS is limited to the ~108Mhz-1.002GHz frequency so the POE filter shouldn't block it.

I'm using my own Cable Modem. I probably should have checked if I had data connection after putting the POE Filter in, but my wife was wanting me to get the 'TV Working' so I just pulled it.

FWIW, even if this did interfere with X1 MoCa, it should not interfere with my Roamio cable reception (CableCARD communication is over DOCSIS) which it did.



snerd said:


> It is better to leave the PoE filter inside the house, at the input of the first splitter. The reason is that MoCA signals coming up from a MoCA transmitter will reflect off the MoCA filter and go back down through coax and splitters to reach all of the other MoCA devices. The net effect is that the MoCA signals will be stronger if they don't have to pass both ways through that extra 30-40' of coax.
> 
> Having the PoE filter indoors will also eliminate failure due to exposure to outdoor weather.


I agree, and that's where I had put it. The only place in my whole system were it's split is at the 8 port bi-directional amp.


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## fcfc2 (Feb 19, 2015)

The only thing I can think of is that you may have a bad MoCA filter that is blocking out the lower <1 GHz band. Filters themselves are rated to have very low insertion loss so it seems doubtful that installing one would lower the signal strength enough to kill the cable channels.
I would simply remove the filter for the time being and order a couple more off of Ebay(a different brand) than the one you are using.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-NEW-PPC-C...130871?hash=item33b5c83c77:g:XDwAAOSwr7ZW8Hbp


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## CCourtney (Mar 28, 2006)

Thanks everyone, I'm going to order some more POE Filters off of e-bay and give them a try as I suspect I had a defective POE Filter. 

I appreciate all the inputs.


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## foghorn2 (May 4, 2004)

If you live near a COX Solution Store, they will give you a POE filter for free.


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