Which products are essential for a MoCA home network?

Increasing numbers of cable providers are incorporating MoCA (Multimedia over Coax Alliance) technology in their home installations to help deliver an even better connection.

MoCA has been designed and developed to make use of a household’s existing coaxial cable, which means it can transfer data quickly and efficiently throughout the home.

Its innovative technology allows content sharing between home outlets, enabling fixed broadband providers to provide services and enhance connectivity throughout the home.

With more than 95% of U.S. homes already fitted with pre-existing coaxial cable, MoCA’s potential to enhance the consumer experience is immense.

As in-home networking services continue to grow, it’s also becoming increasingly important to have strong protection to ensure subscribers the highest levels of security and the best multi-room DVR experience. For this, MoCA-enabled products are necessary. In this blog we’ll talk about how to resolve a concern with MoCA cross-interference and three key products needed for any MoCA installation.

MoCA Cross-Interference Concern

If you’ve ever been in a situation where you’ve scrolled through your DVR and found a program you didn’t download, or wasn’t saved by anyone in your household, then this could be due to MoCA signal interference.

The high output of the MoCA signal means it’s able to transmit data much further than the network it’s intended for - which for the subscriber means the potential problem of receiving unwanted signals from neighboring properties that also have MoCA networks installed.

MoCA interference is a nuisance for both subscribers and cable providers, and with a growing number of MoCA network installations, it’s a scenario likely to be seen more frequently.

Fortunately though, there is a quick and easy solution - the installation of a point of entry (PoE) filter at the subscriber drop.

So just what does a PoE filter do? And why is it so important?

Point of Entry (PoE) Filter

All homes should have a point of entry (PoE) filter installed, no matter what kind of network setup they have. A PoE filter works in two ways - to minimize the signal loss within the home (which ensures the best possible consumer experience) and to physically isolate the home from any unwanted interference from nearby MoCA users (such as MoCA signals emanating from a neighboring home).

Placing a PoE filter at the entrance to the home network reflects the MoCA signal back into the premises and prevents it from leaking out.

PoE filters are required for every MoCA subscriber to prevent cross-interference. MoCA signals can still interfere with a subscriber’s signal if a neighbor doesn’t have a filter.

A PoE filter should also be installed before any splitter or Unity Gain Amplifier (UGA) setup and should be located as near as possible to the central splitter, UGA or ground block.

Enhanced Indoor/Outdoor Filter

MoCA filters can minimize interference from any other multi-room network device such as a router or set-top box. And they can also be used to manage the Automatic Gain Control (AGC) in any non-MoCA devices such as cable modems.

Crucially too, most MoCA filters are optimized to protect both the network and the subscriber’s experience by withstanding minor and major surges, keeping content flowing and reducing service calls.

Bi-directional filters are invaluable in eliminating installation errors and a MoCA filter with a built-in weather seal is ideal to provide moisture protection for outdoor use.

As technology and in-home services continue to advance, work is well underway on the development of a filter that is DOCSIS 3.0 ready.

Ground Block with Integrated MoCA PoE Filter

Some subscribers may be aware that cable companies use filters on regular networks in order to filter out any channels the subscriber isn’t paying for.

Technicians may have come across a home where the subscriber has removed the filter, believing it will allow them to access more channels for free.

What the consumer is actually doing however is inadvertently allowing unwanted signals in and out of their network.

To help avoid this situation, the best option is to install a ground block with an integrated MoCA filter. Because the filter is attached to an electric grounding system, the subscriber is less likely to remove it.

Cable providers are increasingly looking to MoCA technology to offer the best connection for home cable installations. PoE filters, MoCA filters and ground blocks with integrated filters can play crucial roles in ensuring optimum network performance and an even better subscriber experience. While some cross-interference concerns are valid, installing the proper MoCA-enabled parts can help avoid those concerns altogether.