Ethernet Over Coax: A Clever Solution for Reliable Home Networking
Establishing a wired Ethernet connection in your home can often be complex and costly. But if you already have cable outlets, there’s an ingenious way to set up a high-speed wired network with minimal hassle using an Ethernet over Coax adapter.
Wireless internet offers unmatched convenience, but its unreliability can be a major setback. There’s nothing more disruptive than a dropped video call during an important meeting. This is where a wired connection proves beneficial, particularly for those working from home. A wired network connection ensures faster speeds, increased reliability, and reduced latency, essential for sharing large files, participating in high-quality video calls, and even gaming.
Setting up an enduring wired network can be complicated. Even if you own your home, running dozens of feet of Ethernet cable is a daunting and expensive project. And for those renting their living spaces, drilling holes into walls and ceilings is usually not an option.
However, there’s a viable solution that many are unaware of. A few years back, when moving into a loft-style apartment, I faced a similar dilemma. My router, located in the living room, provided gigabit-speed internet, while my office, at the opposite end of the house, struggled with weak Wi-Fi signals that couldn’t breach the brick walls. The absence of Ethernet jacks was apparent, but every room was equipped with cable outlets, which held the key to resolving my bandwidth issue.
Initially designed for easy television connectivity, coaxial cables connecting these outlets can also carry internet signals owing to MoCA (Multimedia over Coax Alliance) technology. The most recent MoCA 2.5 technology supports speeds reaching up to 2.5 Gbps.
To clarify, though I lacked Ethernet cables running throughout my home, the existing coaxial infrastructure was capable of transmitting comparable bandwidth. Even several feet of coaxial cable, decades old, could dependably carry a 1 Gbps signal. Homes with extremely old coax may experience some issues, but if your cable currently supports HDTV signals, it likely handles modern network demands perfectly.
Utilizing existing coaxial cables demands a MoCA adapter on each end of the connection. This adapter is a straightforward device featuring two ports — one for a coaxial cable and the other for a standard RJ45 Ethernet connector.
Luckily, my cable modem supported MoCA technology directly, requiring only an adapter for my office setup. I opted for the Trendnet TMO-312C Ethernet Over Coax MoCA 2.5 Adapter. After linking the adapter to the cable outlet in my office with a short coaxial cable length, I used a Cat 6 cable to connect it to my PC’s Gigabit Ethernet port.
It’s worth noting that this setup would also work efficiently with fiber internet connections. Regardless of how internet access is achieved in your home or office, the entry point typically houses a router capable of accommodating multiple RJ45 connector plugs.
If internet access arrives via a cable modem, verify whether it natively supports MoCA. If not, acquiring a cable splitter and an additional MoCA adapter will connect the Ethernet port to the cable modem or gateway. If using fiber or another type of connection, you can similarly convert the coaxial cable into a network endpoint through a MoCA adapter.
For those with various cable outlets in their home or workspace, a MoCA adapter installed at each outlet allows any Ethernet-capable device to connect — be it a PC, Mac, or a smart television. This technology can even extend a Wi-Fi network by adding an access point in areas like basements or attics that are too far from the primary access point to maintain a reliable Wi-Fi signal.
To enhance your MoCA network, using a POE (Point of Entry) filter is advisable. This small unit attaches to the cable where it enters your home, before any signal reaches your modem or MoCA adapters. It not only restricts network signals from exiting your home network, boosting security, but also improves performance by reflecting RF signals over 1 GHz back into your internal network.
MoCA is a brilliant alternative to traditional Ethernet wiring, providing significant savings over costly retrofitting for dedicated cables. It’s a highly viable option when Wi-Fi can’t cover the distance adequately.