Summary: Moca Adapter is used to establish a wired connection between a WIFI router and a device for a stronger and faster ethernet to coax connection. This is called MoCA Network. In this article, we will explore when it is used and how it can be installed in a DIY ethernet to coax at home. We will start from very basic and move to more advance and sophisticated details of the topic.

Previously Ethernet has been used for a strong and steady internet connection through the offices and home. It was used with coaxial cables but with the advancement in technology, expensive heavily shielded cables were replaced by cheaper twisted-pair cables. However, it was more suitable for stationary devices like computers, gaming consoles, HDTV, and DVRs. With mobile devices like cellphones and laptops becoming a common occurrence, ethernet was quickly replaced by WIFI.

WIFI is the type of internet connection that now most offices and homes use. From restaurants to hotels, pubs bars restaurants, and airports, WIFI connection is available for US citizens. It is so simple and easy to connect with and so many benefits that we have become used to it. However, like everything else, it does has its limitations. WIFI is extremely vulnerable to interference and obstacles. This means that wifi can not offer a wide coverage area and the further away you go away from the router the signals get weaker.

If people with a WIFI connection feel the need to experience good signal strength with low latency and lag, they can still establish a wired connection with the wifi router using ethernet over coax or MoCA technology.

MoCA or Ethernet over Coax 

Multimedia over Coax Alliance is a technology commonly referred to as MoCA. Ethernet over coax or MoCA is a technology that uses your coaxial cable wiring in your home to boost your Wi-Fi network. In simple words it allows high-speed Ethernet to bridge over an existing coaxial cable network.  It is a technology designed to offers fast speeds, strong reliable connection, low latency, and low lag. This means better connection and better coverage throughout your home.

A MoCA network is broadcasted roughly between the spectrum of 500MHz and 1.5GHz (1500MHz). It is compatible with the cable tv spectrum but not with the satellite tv.

Using Ethernet and Coax or MoCA

You can use the MoCA network for different situations:

• To boost Internet connection for devices like your TV steaming, laptop, or gaming console you can “convert” coax to Ethernet by using them together in the appropriate places in addition to MoCA adapters.
• For enjoying a good internet connection in rooms where otherwise there is poor WIFI connection or no connection at all.
• Setting up DVR connection in multiple locations within a house. Many cable service providers use the MoCA network when offering a Multi-Room DVR connection.

How do I setup a MoCA network?

Setting up a MoCA network requires MoCA adapters, coax wiring, and an Ethernet cord. The MoCA adapters are always used in pairs, so you will need two of them. It is a simple plug-and-play setup that can be established in three steps:

Step 1: Find a power outlet for the coax, plug in the coax.

Step 2: Connect one MoCA adapter to a coax jack and into your internet router. 

Step 3: Use an Ethernet jumper cable to connect the other MoCA adapter to the device you are using to connect to the Internet with the Ethernet cable.

Voila! You have a MoCA network bringing you a strong wired connection from your internet router directly to your device of choice.

You can add multiple devices to your network by simply repeating the process with each device. Each device on a MoCA network will share the bandwidth and hence you may experience the quality of signals drop-down when you are using multiple devices at the same time. To prevent the devices from competing with each other for bandwidth you can install cable splitters that can assign dedicated bandwidth to each device connection.