# New TiVo/Bolt User. Is my wiring correct?



## rah350z (Jul 22, 2016)

Hello all. I am a proud owner of a new TiVo Bolt and have made the switch from using Verizon FiOS horrid equipment to my own and it's been a wonderful experience. It is also pretty much my first time to own a DVR since I rarely watch TV, and never had a use for it.

At the moment, I do not have any issues with my TiVo but would just like to clarify something about the wiring diagram I have set up. In the quick manual, it basically tells you to hook up the HDMI to TV, Coax to Tivo and Ethernet to Tivo, then choose Ethernet as Network (Recommended). I also have a TiVo mini that's connected via MoCa.

I did all this and everything works fine. I just wanted to know that if this was normal to have coax and ethernet plugged in, then use ethernet as my network connection. I would assume the cable channels would come through coax and that the internet portion (Netflix, Hulu, other apps) just come through ethernet. Is this correct? Also, is this the recommended way?


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## JoeKustra (Dec 7, 2012)

rah350z said:


> Hello all. I am a proud owner of a new TiVo Bolt and have made the switch from using Verizon FiOS horrid equipment to my own and it's been a wonderful experience. It is also pretty much my first time to own a DVR since I rarely watch TV, and never had a use for it.
> 
> At the moment, I do not have any issues with my TiVo but would just like to clarify something about the wiring diagram I have set up. In the quick manual, it basically tells you to hook up the HDMI to TV, Coax to Tivo and Ethernet to Tivo, then choose Ethernet as Network (Recommended). I also have a TiVo mini that's connected via MoCa.
> 
> I did all this and everything works fine. I just wanted to know that if this was normal to have coax and ethernet plugged in, then use ethernet as my network connection. I would assume the cable channels would come through coax and that the internet portion (Netflix, Hulu, other apps) just come through ethernet. Is this correct? Also, is this the recommended way?


Sounds like you have done a good job. Yes, cable channels do come through the coax except for the Mini. It uses a tuner on the host and that comes to the Mini via your MoCA network, which is just a coax Ethernet. Streaming channels do use Ethernet, including those on the Mini, when it then doesn't need a tuner. The Mini also doesn't need a tuner to view recordings.


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## BigJimOutlaw (Mar 21, 2004)

You're all set up.

If you are using the Verizon router for your network, you could ditch the ethernet connection and use moca with the Bolt if you wanted to. Moca is more than fast enough for the Bolt's internet activity. No recommendation either way, it's just an option if you have a preference.


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## krkaufman (Nov 25, 2003)

BigJimOutlaw said:


> If you are using the Verizon router for your network, you could ditch the ethernet connection and use moca with the Bolt if you wanted to. Moca is more than fast enough for the Bolt's internet activity. No recommendation either way, it's just an option if you have a preference.


Just popping-in to echo BigJimOutlaw's comment, that you should just go with the straight MoCA coax connection for the BOLT -- though you'll want to be careful when altering your setup, as how you currently have your BOLT connected could create a network loop and bring everything to a halt if you don't disconnect the Ethernet cable before modifying your BOLT's network settings to "Connect using MoCA."

With the Mini using MoCA off the router and the BOLT connected via Ethernet, all your TiVo BOLT-to-Mini streaming would have to pass through the router. With both devices on MoCA, the TiVo MRS (Multi-Room Streaming) traffic will be direct between the BOLT and Mini, and won't touch the router. If you didn't have a Mini, the Ethernet connection to the router would be the way to go -- assuming the choice would be between a Gigabit Ethernet connection and a MoCA 2.0 connection.

As an aside, can you share with us what brand/model router you're using? Is it one of the new Quantum Gateway G1100 devices, or an Actiontec something-or-other? A benefit of the Quantum G1100 is that it is MoCA 2.0 compliant, like the BOLT, so the MoCA-connected BOLT will have much better throughput to the router than it would with a MoCA 1.1-only router. (TiVo Minis are limited to MoCA 1.1, so no net gain there.)


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## rah350z (Jul 22, 2016)

krkaufman said:


> Just popping-in to echo BigJimOutlaw's comment, that you should just go with the straight MoCA coax connection for the BOLT -- though you'll want to be careful when altering your setup, as how you currently have your BOLT connected could create a network loop and bring everything to a halt if you don't disconnect the Ethernet cable before modifying your BOLT's network settings to "Connect using MoCA."
> 
> With the Mini using MoCA off the router and the BOLT connected via Ethernet, all your TiVo BOLT-to-Mini streaming would have to pass through the router. With both devices on MoCA, the TiVo MRS (Multi-Room Streaming) traffic will be direct between the BOLT and Mini, and won't touch the router. If you didn't have a Mini, the Ethernet connection to the router would be the way to go -- assuming the choice would be between a Gigabit Ethernet connection and a MoCA 2.0 connection.
> 
> As an aside, can you share with us what brand/model router you're using? Is it one of the new Quantum Gateway G1100 devices, or an Actiontec something-or-other? A benefit of the Quantum G1100 is that it is MoCA 2.0 compliant, like the BOLT, so the MoCA-connected BOLT will have much better throughput to the router than it would with a MoCA 1.1-only router. (TiVo Minis are limited to MoCA 1.1, so no net gain there.)


My wiring setup is as follows:

From the wall there is a Coax 2-way Splitter.
From the wall there is also an ethernet port that goes to the Router.
Splitter 1st coax port to Quantum G1100
Splitter 2nd coax port to Tivo.
Then Quantum G1100 ethernet to Tivo Ethernet.

Separate room has coax to TiVo Mini.

I kinda got stumped, because I have a coax and ethernet (WAN) ports both from the wall to router which I thought was odd. I think the tech guy from Verizon set this up, but I'm sure I only need one or the other.


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## krkaufman (Nov 25, 2003)

rah350z said:


> My wiring setup is as follows:
> 
> From the wall there is a Coax 2-way Splitter.
> From the wall there is also an ethernet port that goes to the Router.
> ...


This is all needed, I believe, as your G1100's WAN connection to the ONT *can* be through the coax or Ethernet -- though it is likely via the Ethernet connection -- but your MoCA LAN network (to which your TiVos will connect) requires that coax connection to your Quantum.

It all looks good. Just be careful, as I mentioned above, if you decide to go MoCA-only on the BOLT: remove the Ethernet cable before switching over to connecting via MoCA.


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