My Home MoCA Network

Published · Tags: Home Network, MoCA, Coax, Networking, WiFi, VoIP, Cord Cutting

Recently someone asked about my home network. It's built on a coax / MoCA "backbone" — and unlike the Ethernet-everywhere setups most networking guides assume, it's the coax already running through the walls that does the heavy lifting. The diagram below details this in principle, although there are many more peripherals on the network than shown.

Why Coax / MoCA

Coax has several advantages over running new Ethernet drops or relying on WiFi mesh alone:

AdvantageWhy it matters
It's fastMoCA 2.0 over coax supports speeds up to 1 Gbps. MoCA 2.5 is capable of 2.5 Gbps, and MoCA 3.0 reaches 10 Gbps.
It supports long distancesI have multiple buildings on my property connected by coax to a single network.
It's easy to run the cablingThe wiring doesn't require everything to terminate into a switch or hub. For example, all the coax from every room in a house can land on a single 16-way splitter centrally located in the attic.
It's inexpensiveCoax is cheap. A splitter is cheap — and you likely need only one.

MoCA Speed Tiers

MoCA VersionMaximum Throughput
MoCA 2.0Up to 1 Gbps
MoCA 2.5Up to 2.5 Gbps
MoCA 3.0Up to 10 Gbps

The Hardware in the Stack

A Verizon FiOS G1100 dual ethernet / MoCA cable, dual 2.4G / 5G WiFi router provides our home internet connectivity. I like this one because MoCA is built in. Picked up for $20 on eBay.

Due to multiple buildings and the shape of my property, Motorola MM1000 MoCA Adaptors are strategically placed and connected to WiFi routers reconfigured as bridges. This provides outstanding WiFi coverage and many high-speed Ethernet connection points for Roku, computers, printers, NAS, and more. $40 on eBay.

MoCA adapters are peer-to-peer. A router supporting MoCA isn't required — a MoCA adapter can be connected to the main router instead.

A SiliconDust HDHomeRun HDFX-4K provides 90 free "over air" channels serviced through a Plex server and a Roku app. Pluto, Tubi, Freevee, and YouTube supply the rest of the channel lineup. $200 on Amazon.

An OBiTalk OBi202 VoIP Adaptor provides home phone and fax in conjunction with Google Voice. $40, purchased on Amazon 10 years ago.

ComponentRolePrice PaidSource
Verizon FiOS G1100Primary router — dual Ethernet/MoCA, dual-band WiFi$20eBay
Motorola MM1000 MoCA AdaptorsPeer-to-peer bridges extending Ethernet + WiFi to other buildings/rooms$40eBay
SiliconDust HDHomeRun HDFX-4KOver-the-air TV tuner feeding a Plex server / Roku app$200Amazon
OBiTalk OBi202VoIP adaptor for home phone and fax via Google Voice$40Amazon

Connectivity, Power, and Filtering

My ISP is the Frontier FiOS $50-for-500Mb plan — the only recurring cost in this list. The G1100 and the ONT (optical network terminal) are both on UPSs, so the network stays up through short power blips. OpenDNS is used to screen out unsavory websites at the network level, ahead of any individual device.

My home network is faster, more reliable, more ubiquitous, and safer than any office network I have ever had.

This post is a Google Blogger adaptation of my original "My Home MoCA Network", first published on my Weebly blog (DREW SPENCER) on July 30, 2023. 

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