# Explain it to me like I'm 5: new MoCA setup with new Prem XL4



## jmtate (Oct 16, 2004)

Just got a new Tivo Prem XL4 for Xmas. I don't have the capability for ethernet connections for my tivo's and other devices, so I thought I'd give MoCA a chance. I'm pretty confident that I can connect the MoCA adaptor to my existing cable modem/router setup (which is Comcast - with VOIP phone and an Airport Extreme) and connect my Prem XL4 to coax for the basic setup. 

My question is: I also have an Xbox and an Apple TV at the same location as the Prem XL4...what is the best way to connect these other two devices to the MoCA network? Do I split the coax when it comes out of the wall before going to the Tivo and use another MoCA adaptor for the other two devices? Can I 'bridge' from the Prem XL4 to the other two (or just one?) devices? Since the Apple TV and Xbox (slim) already have built in wireless, would it not be worth the effort to convert them to a wired setup?

Thanks!


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## retired_guy (Aug 27, 2004)

You could split the coax from the wall and send one split of the coax to the XL4 and the other to the Apple TV. Then run ethernet (I always use Cat 6 these days) from the XL4 to an ethernet switch (you can find a cheap 5 way switch on the net; I've used TrendNet for about $12.75 from Amazon but it's limited to 100Mb. A Netgear switch for $21.99 supports one Gb.). Then run two ethernet lines from the switch to the Apple TV and the Xbox. 

Whether a wired connection to the Apple TV and Xbox makes sense for you depends upon how satisfied you are with the wireless connections. The wired connection should be faster and more stable (although it's availability depends upon the XL4 being powered up) but if the wireless connection works well for you, no need to change.


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## jmtate (Oct 16, 2004)

Thanks for the info, retired_guy! I'll look into the Trendnet 5 port switch for my entertainment center. I'm relatively happy with the streaming, but we occasionally have stuttering problems while streaming on the Apple TV and Xbox. It seems like since I will now have this MoCA "backbone", I might as well use it to the fullest. I'm thinking I might even hook up my old Series 2 and my Tivo HD (buying two more MoCA adapters) just so I can reduce the wireless in the house. Tivo is having a sale on the adapters ($49.99) right now, so it's a great time to jump on this.

Jason


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## retired_guy (Aug 27, 2004)

It was the stuttering which inspired me to switch to MoCa. No problems with stuttering since and transfer times using MRV are probably half the previous times. I think you'll be delighted with MoCa.


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## jmtate (Oct 16, 2004)

You mentioned splitting the coax: 1. to the Premiere XL4 and 2. to the apple tv.

Apple tv doesn't have a coax input. Can I run the coax directly from the wall to the tivo, then run an ethernet cable out from the tivo to a 5 port switch, then to both my apple tv and my xbox?


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## poppagene (Dec 29, 2001)

jmtate said:


> You mentioned splitting the coax: 1. to the Premiere XL4 and 2. to the apple tv.
> 
> Apple tv doesn't have a coax input. Can I run the coax directly from the wall to the tivo, then run an ethernet cable out from the tivo to a 5 port switch, then to both my apple tv and my xbox?


One coax to the xl4 should do it.


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## retired_guy (Aug 27, 2004)

You're showing my ignorance with how Apple TV works. If it doesn't require coax, then of course one doesn't need a coax splitter. In my case, I needed it due to a S3 at the same site.


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## jmtate (Oct 16, 2004)

just to clarify: I can use the ethernet port on the premiere xl4 to bridge to a switch where my other internet ready devices can connect (without any other MoCA adapters)?

Coax out from wall -> Tivo Prem XL4

Tivo Prem xl4 Ethernet port -> switch -> 1. apple tv; 2. xbox


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## k2ue (May 9, 2002)

jmtate said:


> just to clarify: I can use the ethernet port on the premiere xl4 to bridge to a switch where my other internet ready devices can connect (without any other MoCA adapters)?
> 
> Coax out from wall -> Tivo Prem XL4
> 
> Tivo Prem xl4 Ethernet port -> switch -> 1. apple tv; 2. xbox


Correct.


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## Lrscpa (Apr 20, 2003)

jmtate said:


> just to clarify: I can use the ethernet port on the premiere xl4 to bridge to a switch where my other internet ready devices can connect (without any other MoCA adapters)?
> 
> Coax out from wall -> Tivo Prem XL4
> 
> Tivo Prem xl4 Ethernet port -> switch -> 1. apple tv; 2. xbox


Just so I'm clear - the cablemodem/wireless router is located in an entirely different part of the house. The TiVo is on a different split coming in from outside the house and with a cable company supplied amplifier.

Again, the coax from the wall into the XL4, Ethernet out from XL4 to switch to Apple TV, TiVo Stream and PS3.


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## jmtate (Oct 16, 2004)

Yes, the cable modem/router/and soon to be MoCA adapter are in a separate section of the house than the entertainment center where the XL4 will be. I'm not sure about amplification within my coax setup. The modem is from Comcast and includes the VOIP stuff.

Will I need to change anything in the XL4's setup to allow it to bridge?


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## Gene S (Feb 11, 2003)

To piggy back on this. What about if you have a Tuning Adapter? Does it "filter" out the signal at all?

My setup is: Wall --> TA --> XL4

When I tried it, the TiVo couldn't find a Moca signal.

But when I split the coax off, one going same setup, the other to a MOCA adapter, I get an Ethernet signal. I currently have the TiVo connected that way.


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## UCLABB (May 29, 2012)

Gene S said:


> To piggy back on this. What about if you have a Tuning Adapter? Does it "filter" out the signal at all?
> 
> My setup is: Wall --> TA --> XL4
> 
> ...


My MOCA adapter (an Actiontec) has a built in splitter so mine is coax at wall --> MOCA--> TA --> TiVo.


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## k2ue (May 9, 2002)

Gene S said:


> To piggy back on this. What about if you have a Tuning Adapter? Does it "filter" out the signal at all?
> 
> My setup is: Wall --> TA --> XL4
> 
> ...


You are quite right, you should use a separate splitter to feed the TiVo and TA, and not use the splitter built into the TA, as it attenuates the MOCA signal. You are good to go.


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## jmtate (Oct 16, 2004)

So my MoCA adapters and POE filter are arriving today. I checked out where the cable comes into the house (the 'drop'?) and took this picture below.
Do I install the POE filter at any point before it goes into the splitter (which I understand would be the top circuit before it goes into the center outlet of the splitter)?:


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## BigJimOutlaw (Mar 21, 2004)

If all those outlets are yours, then yes somewhere before the splitter will work.


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## jmtate (Oct 16, 2004)

Yep - those are all for my single family detached home (unless my elderly neighbors have jacked in to my system ).


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## Lrscpa (Apr 20, 2003)

Gene S said:


> To piggy back on this. What about if you have a Tuning Adapter? Does it "filter" out the signal at all?
> 
> My setup is: Wall --> TA --> XL4
> 
> ...


Because of the signal attenuation of the TA, I have always split the coax. One into the TiVo, the other into the TA, with the USB connecting TiVo and TA. Never had coax from TA to TiVo.


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## mattack (Apr 9, 2001)

I currently have a WiFi bridge for my upstairs networking. I used to think it was pretty rock solid (even used it for netflix streaming back when I had streaming).. But with the Premiere requiring internet access ALL the time (to even do a freaking title search, in HD menus mode), I am more curious about Moca..

I search on eBay and sometimes there are cheap ones, often they're expensive.

All of the ActionTec ones work, even if they say they're for FIOS, right?

I seem to remember someone saying in another thread that DirecTV's Moca isn't the same -- so I CAN'T just use a DirecTV adapter downstairs and then be able to use the built in Moca on my Premiere 4.

Also, if I go from Premiere 4 -> router (all on the LAN side, not the WAN port), will they all be on the same network so that I can use my Stream & download to computer? or do I need a bridge (no DHCP) too?


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## jmtate (Oct 16, 2004)

mattack - I believe that all of the MOCA hardware is universal (like USB or WIFI) so that all the products labelled for MOCA operate together. DirecTV is different in that you cannot use the MOCA products on the same coax that is transmitting DirecTV - I think they have a different standard like DOCA...

Once you've setup the first MOCA adapter with your router and cable modem, effectively the entire house (via the coax) is wired for ethernet. So your Premiere 4 directly connected to the router is on the network and should be able to communicate with all the other tivo's on the network.


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## jmtate (Oct 16, 2004)

The install went super smooth - I'm so impressed with how easy it was. I installed the POE filter at the cable drop to my house, then installed the first MoCA adapter at my router/modem. Next I installed my Premiere XL4 (directly from the coax outlet). Off the XL4, I ran an ethernet cable to a 4 port switch, which I connected to both an Xbox 360 and an Apple TV.

I moved my Tivo HD to another room, hooked another MoCA adapter up and ran the coax to the Tivo and the ethernet (from the adapter) to the Tivo's ethernet port.

I moved my _old_ Series2 upstairs and hooked up my 3rd MoCA Adapter to the wall, ran the coax out to the STB and the Ethernet cable to a ethernet-to-usb connector and plugged in the USB end to my TiVo.

The best part: no configuring whatsoever! I went in to all of the various electronic devices to re-set them up for the wired network and every single one had already detected and reconfigured. I was most nervous about this step and it turned out it wasn't even a step at all. The hardest part about the whole process was ordering! 

The worst part: my Tivo HD's main hard drive failed after 5 years.  It had been stuttering for a while and I guess the move did it in. Ordering a new hard drive now...

Thanks for all of your help - I'm SO glad I switched over to MoCA!


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## Arcady (Oct 14, 2004)

MoCA is like a miracle. Everything in one little cable.


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## titsataki (Dec 7, 2002)

MOCA worked for me as well. A word of caution. Not sure what you have for provider. But here is a bit of my experience with Comcast. A couple weeks ago a Comcast tech knocks on my door and he says they have some issue with their systems and it was looking into my connections. He went ahead and replaced all my connection coax connectors at the point of demarcation (mine is outside the house). In the process he removed my POE filter. I asked him why and he said it could have been the problem. I was not persuaded and he said he put another one. Later in the day I had all kinds of trouble with my internet. (I have DSL). I traced down to that POE filter. The moment I put back one everything was working like a charm. Without it my router had a hard time distributing IP's into the MOCA adapter connected devices as well as every other device. Actually it would just drop off the net. 

Regards

Nick


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## Lrscpa (Apr 20, 2003)

Lrscpa said:


> Just so I'm clear - the cablemodem/wireless router is located in an entirely different part of the house. The TiVo is on a different split coming in from outside the house and with a cable company supplied amplifier.
> 
> Again, the coax from the wall into the XL4, Ethernet out from XL4 to switch to Apple TV, TiVo Stream and PS3.


Got a pair of Actiontec MoCA adapters, a Linksys Gigabit switch, and a POE filter off eBay.

In my home office, cable in to the Actiontec, cable out from Actiontec to cablemodem, Ethernet from Actiontec to router.

Came downstairs and temporarily unplugged the Ethernet in the TiVo, and went through the MoCA setup on the TiVo. Got an N09 error (not connected to the Internet), looked at MoCA settings on TiVo, and by the time I got back to the Home screen, the error was gone and the Discovery Bar had filled. Plugged the Ethernet back into the TiVo, the other end into the switch and plugged the other devices into the switch too.

Total time, 10 mins. tops.

Checked everything out for an hour or so, then installed the POE filter outside the house before the first split.

All good!

After the football game, I'll install the other Actiontec on my Series 3 
TiVo.


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## mattack (Apr 9, 2001)

How much did you pay for the Actiontec adapters?

What I'm envisioning is ONE Moca adapter downstairs by the cable modem.. then having the Premiere 4 be the Moca "receiver" upstairs, and using its Ethernet cable to connect a few other items (via a bridge).. Will that work? Will the upstairs items still get an IP address via DHCP "through" the Tivo to the downstairs router?

But this may be all moot, since I think for now I may actually just get longer Ethernet cables to get my upstairs WiFi adapter (bridge) literally outside the door to get a better signal to downstairs.


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## BigJimOutlaw (Mar 21, 2004)

mattack said:


> What I'm envisioning is ONE Moca adapter downstairs by the cable modem.. then having the Premiere 4 be the Moca "receiver" upstairs, and using its Ethernet cable to connect a few other items (via a bridge).. Will that work? Will the upstairs items still get an IP address via DHCP "through" the Tivo to the downstairs router?


Yes this would work.


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## jacbec (May 15, 2012)

Great thread but so much info confuses me. I currently have Actiontec ECB2500c connected by Coax to my downstairs TV jack & to my Comcast Cable Modem with Ethernet from 2500c to my Apple Time Capsule router. Cable Modem is also "Ethernetted" to my router.

Upstairs I have Coax to my Entertainment Center: TiVo Premier Elite (whatever it is now called) which has built-in MoCA. I want my other Entertainment Center devices (Panasonic VIERA VT50 TV, Marantz SR7007 Receiver, Panasonic BDT230 Blu-ray Player, original Apple TV & new Apple TV) connected to my MoCA Network. I am considering adding another MoCA Adapter upstairs connected Coax to my TiVo and to an Ethernet Switch (like the 8 port D-Link DGS-108 Gigabit Ethernet switch). Will this work?

Also, would my TiVo Premier work better connected to the Ethernet Switch? Sorry for the detail &#8211; I'm a retired engineer.


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## mattack (Apr 9, 2001)

*Confirm* whether the Elite does bridging between the Moca & Ethernet. The Premiere 4 does (according to other posts, I personally have not used Moca but it is intriguing).

*IF* the Elite does bridging, you could hook the Ethernet port of the Tivo up to the switch, then the other devices in the same entertainment center to the switch, and they would get Internet *through* the Tivo.

Otherwise, I think you would just need another Moca adapter, then hook it (via Ethernet) to the switch and other items to the switch.


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## jacbec (May 15, 2012)

BigJimOutlaw said:


> Yes this would work.


My understanding is that the TiVo will not work as a bridge through its ethernet port.


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## Loach (Jan 11, 2013)

mattack said:


> *Confirm* whether the Elite does bridging between the Moca & Ethernet. The Premiere 4 does (according to other posts, I personally have not used Moca but it is intriguing).
> 
> *IF* the Elite does bridging, you could hook the Ethernet port of the Tivo up to the switch, then the other devices in the same entertainment center to the switch, and they would get Internet *through* the Tivo.
> 
> Otherwise, I think you would just need another Moca adapter, then hook it (via Ethernet) to the switch and other items to the switch.


Isn't the Elite just the previous name for the XL4? If so, it should work just like the P4 does.


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## jacbec (May 15, 2012)

I don't know what the Premier 4 is, but my Premier Elite is TiVo's top of the line and TiVo recently told me that it could not be used as a MoCA bridge through its ethernet port. Wish it could, it would save me getting another MoCA Network Adapter.


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## Loach (Jan 11, 2013)

jacbec said:


> I don't know what the Premier 4 is, but my Premier Elite is TiVo's top of the line and TiVo recently told me that it could not be used as a MoCA bridge through its ethernet port. Wish it could, it would save me getting another MoCA Network Adapter.


You can't always trust what Tivo tells you. I'm pretty sure the Elite and XL4 are the same animal. And the XL4 is pretty much just a Premiere 4 with a bigger hard drive.

My Premiere 4 is serving as a bridge for other devices from it's ethernet port. The P4 connects to my network via MoCA. I hooked a 5-port switch to the P4's ethernet port, which allows other devices to access the network just fine (one of those devices is a Tivo Mini in another room).


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## Am_I_Evil (Apr 7, 2009)

jacbec said:


> I don't know what the Premier 4 is, but my Premier Elite is TiVo's top of the line and TiVo recently told me that it could not be used as a MoCA bridge through its ethernet port. Wish it could, it would save me getting another MoCA Network Adapter.


you were told wrong


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## BigJimOutlaw (Mar 21, 2004)

If the P4/XL4/Elite is connected via MoCA, it can be used as an ethernet bridge.

If the P4/XL4/Elite is connected via ethernet, it can be used as a MoCA bridge.


.


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

Yes the Elite can act as a Bridge. I'm doing it right now with one of my Elites. My second Elite and two Minis are using MoCA and getting their internet access from the first Elite which is using MoCA and Ethernet.


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## jacbec (May 15, 2012)

TiVo Chat just told me my Premier Elite/XL4 (or any other TiVo) cannot act as an MoCA Bridge and in order to connect other devices to my MoCA Network I need another MoCA Network Adapter.


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## BigJimOutlaw (Mar 21, 2004)

http://www.tivo.com/mytivo/howto/moca.html?WT.z_links=moca_vanity

"Connect an Ethernet cable and a coax cable to your DVR. This will let you use the MoCA Network adapter built in to the TiVo Premiere 4/XL4/Elite to enable MoCA throughout your home."


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## jacbec (May 15, 2012)

Guess I'm not making myself clear. I already have a MoCA Network using an Actiontec MoCA Network Adapter connected to my Cable Modem. My TiVo Premier Elite is on that network via Coax in another room. Now I want to get my 5 other devices on shelves by my TiVo connected to the MoCA Network. I know I can get another MoCA Adapter and a Switch, but thought I might not need the additional Adapter if I could connect the Switch to the TiVo Ethernet Port. TiVo has said CAN'T DO THAT twice! Some of you are apparently dong it. Confusing!


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## BigJimOutlaw (Mar 21, 2004)

Let this resolve the confusion. We can do it. I am doing it right now. My blu-ray player is plugged into my Elite's ethernet port.

Get an ethernet switch, plug those 5 devices into it, and connect the switch to the Elite's ethernet port. They will all daisy chain off the Elite's MoCA connection.


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

Yes the bridge will work both ways. I tried it last year using a bridge both ways and it worked fine.


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## lessd (Jan 23, 2005)

I have 3 TP-4 TiVos and one Mini; one TP-4 is hard wire to the router and connected to the internal Moca, works great as all 3 TP-4 (and the Mini) can call home and xfer to each other, I am not using any external Moca adapters in my system, just the ones built into the TP-4s and the Mini.


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## Am_I_Evil (Apr 7, 2009)

jacbec said:


> Guess I'm not making myself clear. I already have a MoCA Network using an Actiontec MoCA Network Adapter connected to my Cable Modem. My TiVo Premier Elite is on that network via Coax in another room. Now I want to get my 5 other devices on shelves by my TiVo connected to the MoCA Network. I know I can get another MoCA Adapter and a Switch, but thought I might not need the additional Adapter if I could connect the Switch to the TiVo Ethernet Port. TiVo has said CAN'T DO THAT twice! Some of you are apparently dong it. Confusing!


they are telling you wrong...quit listening to CSRs that obviously have no clue...just try it yourself...it works...


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## jfh3 (Apr 15, 2004)

Ditto. What the TiVo CSR told you is flat out wrong. The bridge on the Elite works fine. No additional MoCA adapter needed. Just attach the switch to the Ethernet jack on the Elite and anything attached to the switch will get to the Internet through the MoCA bridge.


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## wtherrell (Dec 23, 2004)

Tivo Elite here. Cannot use Moca if Tivo receives its signal through the TA. If I use a splitter and supply separate coax signals to the TA and Tivo, then the Moca option appears. Apparently going through the Cisco TA breaks the Moca capability. Everything works OK when only connection between TA & Tivo is the USB.


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## jfh3 (Apr 15, 2004)

wtherrell said:


> Tivo Elite here. Cannot use Moca if Tivo receives its signal through the TA.


Correct. Feed the TA with a direct feed or split.


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