Ethernet from your TV Outlet: NETGEAR MoCA Coax-Ethernet Adapter Kit Reviewed

[corndog]

Tim,

You're not the only one waiting for simple consumer-purchasable MoCA. I have been using Motorola NIM-100 devices from eBay for years, and have found exactly the same thing you have with the Netgears - MoCA "just works". It's something of a relief to see that the Netgears seem to work as well as the Motorola's - although I guess since they both use the Entropic c.link solution, it's not surprising.

Great review!

[thiggins]

Glad you liked the review, corndog. I was going to mention the NIM100's but ended up not working it in.

Great review.

One thing out of interest, I doubt it would make any difference based on the numbers you saw, but was the splitter you used for the second setup rated for frequencies above 1GHz? I only ask because I saw from the MoCA spec and your review that some of the channels it uses are on frequencies above 1GHz, and most coax splitters are only rated up to 1GHz. So, long story short, I was curious if it made any difference using a full 5MHz-2GHz variant versus a regular 5MHz-1GHz, but like I said, your numbers seemed to answer that question already.. Presumably, the larger range just opens up those channels as options for the adapters to use, but wondered if there was any performance advantage with that.

Otherwise, glad to see at least one manufacturer is finally releasing a MoCA consumer product. Been waiting for these since D-Link originally announced theirs over a year ago (what a let down, btw). Currently have and use both 802.11n and HomePlug AV at home. HP AV has been adequate for Slingbox streams, including HD channels, which I think Sling compresses the hell out of (on top of what Comcast already does), but I've still seen the bandwidth vary widely at times over those. Would like to have the more reliable throughput of these MoCA adapters in the house. Was about to break down and buy some NIM100s from eBay, but think I'll wait for these now thanks to your review.

Again great review, thanks.

One thing I'd be VERY concerned with when connecting it to cable is that you're also transmitting the signal through the input of the splitter and then to the cable plant. I wonder what would happen if you connected a third device to another tap at the CATV pedestal or pole... would it also connect if there was no device to device security?

As a Satellite customer I'll pass as this device doesn't appear to function in the environment I have but I'm also interested in learning how to get the device to work with a satellite system. I'm not your average consumer and could potentially accomplish a working install...

[thiggins]

The splitter didn't have any frequency range marked on it. But, as you said, it must have passed enough signal for good throughput. MoCA is designed to work over a 50+ dB signal range. So it can withstand a good deal of loss.

[thiggins]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

One thing I'd be VERY concerned with when connecting it to cable is that you're also transmitting the signal through the input of the splitter and then to the cable plant. I wonder what would happen if you connected a third device to another tap at the CATV pedestal or pole... would it also connect if there was no device to device security?

Same issue as with powerline. That's why there is the option of security. The signal also can't travel back through amplifiers. And I'd imagine there are a few of those between homes and the cable plant.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

As a Satellite customer I'll pass as this device doesn't appear to function in the environment I have but I'm also interested in learning how to get the device to work with a satellite system. I'm not your average consumer and could potentially accomplish a working install...

You would need to put the device in All pass mode, then install an external diplexer to restrict operation to frequencies that don't interfere with your particular satellite system.

[DavidH]

Tim, as a multiple-Macintosh user without a single Windows machine at home, I ask:
1) Did you need to use the installation CD that NetGear says comes with the MCAB-1001, and if so, what's on it?
2) Would you please try accessing the device's built-in administrative web browser with a browser other than IE--it would be great if you could try it from a Macintosh? NetGear's spec sheet says the MCAB-1001 requires Windows XP or Vista, but the Indian NetGear tech support person I talked to today says that recent NetGear devices will work with any modern browser (he may not know what he is talking about).

[BobG]

Hi Tim,

After researching numerous alternatives over recent days, I just learned of MoCA, and this product, today. Great review, thank you.

This is just what I want, for all the reasons you cited. One question;
Each unit has only one ethernet port. I want to connect both a TiVo and a BD player. I contacted Netgear TS to ask if I could connect a switch. they promptly replied with the following message:

"We are sorry to inform you that MCA1001 does not have DHCP server so it cannot be connected to 2 devices.Thanks again for choosing NETGEAR. Have a great day!"

This is disappointing, but before giving up on this solution, I wanted to seek your expertise. Would not the IP's be assigned by the router that the upstream MCA would be connected to? If not, is there any other way to connect two (or more) devices to the downstream MCA? (Figure 15 in your review seems to show a switch in the loop. Is the true?)

Thanks for your attention.

[thiggins]

I have to check, David, but I don't recall using the CD. I used FF on an XP machine.
I didn't see anything fancy in the web interface that wouldn't run on any browser.

[thiggins]

That was a very uninformed tech that "answered" you, BobG. The MCA1001 is a bridge and will pass multiple MAC addresses. So yes you can use it with switches on both ends and and yes, your router would handle DHCP through it just fine.