# Explain MoCA and why I would need it



## Snake Plissken (Nov 23, 2012)

I have cable coming in wired into my TIVO (which has a multichannel card in it). I also have a wireless antenna to pull in the channels from my wireless internet. I can't figure out if I need a MoCA network or not.


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## aadam101 (Jul 15, 2002)

I installed MoCa for Tivo purposes but it turned out to be very useful all around my house. I essentially have a wired connection in every room that I need it.


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

MoCa is faster and more reliable then wifi. Especially for continuous streaming. Wifi N might be able to go a little faster in bursts, but MoCa can sustain a more constant rate which is why it's better for TiVo's multi-room streaming and the TiVo Stream.

Dan


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## Snake Plissken (Nov 23, 2012)

So now I have a Stream. I got 1 mocha adapter. Do I need 2? 1 to connect to my modem/router and 1 to connect to my TIVO? Is that correct? And then I don't need my Wireless N adapter?


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

Depends on the TiVo. If you have a 4 tuner TiVo then it has MoCa built in, so all you have to do is enable it via the menus. If you have a 2 tuner TiVo then yes you will need another bridge for the TiVo side. 

Dan


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## Snake Plissken (Nov 23, 2012)

Dan203 said:


> Depends on the TiVo. If you have a 4 tuner TiVo then it has MoCa built in, so all you have to do is enable it via the menus. If you have a 2 tuner TiVo then yes you will need another bridge for the TiVo side.
> 
> Dan


It's a Premiere XL.


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

That's a 2 tuner unit, so you would need to get a MoCa bridge for the TiVo side as well.

And yes, this will replace your wireless N adapter.

Dan


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## RichB (Apr 2, 2003)

Dan203 said:


> Depends on the TiVo. If you have a 4 tuner TiVo then it has MoCa built in, so all you have to do is enable it via the menus. If you have a 2 tuner TiVo then yes you will need another bridge for the TiVo side.
> 
> Dan


I have a 4 tuner TiVo and a stream.
Both are hard wired tooth network, I presume that means I do not need moca.
Is that right?

- Rich


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

If both are hard wired then no need for MoCa

Dan


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## RichB (Apr 2, 2003)

Dan203 said:


> If both are hard wired then no need for MoCa
> 
> Dan


OK, Thanks.


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## bradleys (Oct 31, 2007)

Dan203 said:


> That's a 2 tuner unit, so you would need to get a MoCa bridge for the TiVo side as well.
> 
> And yes, this will replace your wireless N adapter.
> 
> Dan


If you have Verizon Fios you will not need a MoCa adapter at the router, it is already built into the actiontec router. You will just need an adapter at the TiVo side.

If you have most other cable provided internet, you will need a bridge on both ends.


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## fryr98 (Jan 28, 2013)

bradleys said:


> If you have Verizon Fios you will not need a MoCa adapter at the router, it is already built into the actiontec router.


I was not aware of this. I have the MoCA set up at the router as well. Maybe this is what is causing my Tivo to lose internet connection?


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## Snake Plissken (Nov 23, 2012)

To be fair I have the Stream hard wired and the TIVO using my wireless N adapter and it works fine.


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## Coffee (Feb 15, 2013)

MoCA is like replacing water tubes with water main pipes. 

If your TiVo is connected to your router wirelessly and you use a Stream on a DVR, you're going to be cramming 7gb of information down your wireless network for an hour-long show. 

Ethernet connections have no problem with it.
MoCA has no problems with it.
Ethernet over Powerline adapters generally don't have a problem with it.

Wireless N SHOULDN'T have a problem with it if your router is close to your DVR, but it might anyways. It's an expensive option for a "maybe" result.

Wireless G is just not an option.

MoCA is the best of the useful options because you can connect multiple devices to it (need an adapter for each device and the router -- applies to more than just DVRs).

Powerline ethernet adapters will only allow you to connect one device per pair of adapters and adding multiple adapters means you will have multiple adapters plugged-in next to your router.

Ethernet is usually not an option because your router is usually not in the same room as the DVR and stringing an ethernet cable across your house isn't very ideal.

Of all options, MoCA is also usually the most stable.


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## Bigg (Oct 31, 2003)

MoCA is second best to hardwired Ethernet. Can the Premiere 4 bridge between MoCA and Ethernet if you have one where there is both and another MoCA device where you don't have CAT 5?

Good 802.11G can sustain 22mbps, and 802.11N about 70, but most consumer gear can't deliver that reliably. MoCA realistically delivers about 70. The thing I'd be a little concerned about with FIOS in a home with a lot of things on MoCA is overall bandwidth. The current good plans have 75mbps coming in on the internet, plus whatever the TiVos are using among themselves, plus anything else you plugged into MoCA. You could overwhelm that connection pretty fast with two or three streams between Premieres, a TiVo Stream, and heavy internet usage. Especially since TiVos on FIOS use about 19mbps between then to stream, whereas TiVos on cable or OTA use about 12mbps.


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## compnurd (Oct 6, 2011)

Bigg said:


> MoCA is second best to hardwired Ethernet. Can the Premiere 4 bridge between MoCA and Ethernet if you have one where there is both and another MoCA device where you don't have CAT 5?
> 
> Good 802.11G can sustain 22mbps, and 802.11N about 70, but most consumer gear can't deliver that reliably. MoCA realistically delivers about 70. The thing I'd be a little concerned about with FIOS in a home with a lot of things on MoCA is overall bandwidth. The current good plans have 75mbps coming in on the internet, plus whatever the TiVos are using among themselves, plus anything else you plugged into MoCA. You could overwhelm that connection pretty fast with two or three streams between Premieres, a TiVo Stream, and heavy internet usage. Especially since TiVos on FIOS use about 19mbps between then to stream, whereas TiVos on cable or OTA use about 12mbps.


You have your Mbps and mbps messed up here. First Verizon Moca will do 240Mbps Up/Down. There is well more then enough bandwidth on a Moca set up to support many many many HD streams or whatever other Data Tranfers you need to do. The FIOS plan you Reference is 75Mbps coming in which translates to downloading at about 9 megabytes per second.


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## Bigg (Oct 31, 2003)

compnurd said:


> You have your Mbps and mbps messed up here. First Verizon Moca will do 240Mbps Up/Down. There is well more then enough bandwidth on a Moca set up to support many many many HD streams or whatever other Data Tranfers you need to do. The FIOS plan you Reference is 75Mbps coming in which translates to downloading at about 37 megabytes per second.


75mbps = 9.375MBps.

I'll post in the other thread about speed.


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## compnurd (Oct 6, 2011)

Bigg said:


> 75mbps = 9.375MBps.
> 
> I'll post in the other thread about speed.


Yes you are correct I had that wrong... but you are way off on your MOCA speeds


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## southerndoc (Apr 5, 2003)

I emailed Actiontec and got a reply that MoCA 2.0 adapters will be available second half of this year. I believe they support 400 Mbps in standard mode and 800 Mbps in enhanced mode. That should allow multiple HD streams as well as home networking.


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## Bigg (Oct 31, 2003)

compnurd said:


> Yes you are correct I had that wrong... but you are way off on your MOCA speeds


Yeah, I posted about that in the other thread. I was basing that on the speeds of the 2200 series Actiontec adapters, which maxed out around 70mbps. The faster speeds must be the newer version of MoCA that is implemented on the 2500 series adapters, and built into the newer FIOS routers.


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## compnurd (Oct 6, 2011)

Bigg said:


> Yeah, I posted about that in the other thread. I was basing that on the speeds of the 2200 series Actiontec adapters, which maxed out around 70mbps. The faster speeds must be the newer version of MoCA that is implemented on the 2500 series adapters, and built into the newer FIOS routers.


FIOS routers for the last several years have supported faster speeds. I believe only the Rev A ones supported slower speeds


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