Reddit reviews Actiontec Ethernet to Coax Adapter for Homes with Cable TV Service (ECB2500C)

I just ordered a new build, and I'll be setting it upstairs in my bedroom. I was considering buying a quality wireless network adapter (Asus PCE-AC68) to connect to my Verizon FIOS router (Actiontec MI424WR) downstairs via Wi-Fi. However, I noticed I have a coax connection to my room and I want to connect to the Internet through that. I did some research and found this: "Actiontec Ethernet to Coax Adapter for Homes with Cable TV Service (ECB2500C)" (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008C1JC4O/). Is one of these all I need to connect to the Internet.

Note: Running an Ethernet cable upstairs is unfortunately not an option.

So you have 2 options, neither of which require a special Verizon router (that may be of questionable lineage).

Option 1
Any Ethernet router using MOCA adapters. The ONT to your house definitely has a Coaxial connection. You can buy transceivers to take the ethernet signal off the coax and turn it into regular UTP Ethernet. This Actiontec is a popular unit

Option 2
This takes some doing as you may have to cajole support into changing the ONT for you. The FiOS box itself probably has an un-used RJ-45 ethernet port on it. It's disabled, but some folks have had luck getting support to enable it and turn off the Coaxial connection. The downside to using the ethernet port is that you'd need to run ethernet cable in your house. Also, this is moot if your ONT doesn't have Ethernet at all.

That coax cable is delivering data to the STB, much like an ethernet cable would. It's using coax because most people already have their houses run with that cable to their TVs. It is doing this via the MoCA protocol as previously explained.

I'm not familiar with MoCA to answer your question definitively, but I'm assuming you cannot. You'd have to first plug that coax from the wall to a MoCA switch, from here you can then run one end to the STB. You'd then run another coax from the switch to a MoCA adapter which would turn the signal from the coax to ethernet. You can then run the ethernet from the adapter to the router.

It's a mess, very doable but a pain and you'd have to buy two hardware devices.

In short: coax wall > MoCA switch > MoCA adapter > 2nd router

Check out the link posted by buttset, it shows how to configure the two routers and the trade offs.

You can call Verizon and have them enable the Ethernet port on the ONT, and run Ethernet from the ONT to your router yourself. This is how you change the coax to Ethernet yourself. If you have TV you can still eliminate the use of a Verizon router completely if you get a MoCA bridge. You connect the coax cable that was previously connected to the Verizon router to its Coax In port and connect an Ethernet cable between its Ethernet port and a LAN port on your router (which should already have its WAN/Internet port connected to the ONT by Ethernet).

Hey. So, I've just purchased this coax-ethernet adaptor. A plague upon my existence in my house is that my bedroom is a considerable distance from the house's modem. For various reasons involving a mostly concrete house, a lack of ability to trust wi-fi for gaming, the fact that I use a desktop PC that lacks wireless capability, I am dead set on getting a wired connection up in my room.

If I understand correctly, I can simply plug a coax cable from an active outlet into this, and I'll get internet? We are on Time Warner's internet+cable TV plan in upstate NY.

Then what is this?

The only streaming AT&T Sports Nets does is for authenticated cable and satellite subscribers. Pirates games are available on mlb.tv 3 hours after completion. Similar restrictions apply to Penguins games on nhl.tv.

FOX 8 Johnstown is on ABC's digital subchannel, 23.2, so it should be no problem, but it looks like you won't get reception for The CW in Johnstown because of the mountains. I think The CW puts new episodes online the next day.

You're right, NFL Network games are simulcast on CBS for the first 8 games and NBC for the second 8 games. They'll be streamed this season on Amazon Prime.

I'm no ethernet expert either, but apparently you can use a converter to make use of your existing coaxial wiring. However, you'd need converters on each of the other ends to re-convert the coaxial back to Ethernet to plug them into computers, Smart TVs, and streaming devices. And many versions of streaming devices like Roku and FireTV -- as well as laptops, tablets, and smartphonesj -- don't have ethernet ports and work off wifi. Either way, your internet will be split by however many devices are using it, so I recommend a new combo modem/wifi router with a wide signal range.

Another concern would be data caps, but I assume you have Atlantic Broadband, and luckily it doesn't have data caps.

Good luck!

If you have FiOS you can ask them to activate the Ethernet on your ONT, use your own router, and if you have TV, use a MoCA injector to pipe your network back into the coax for the STBs to use.

http://www.amazon.com/Actiontec-Ethernet-Adapter-Service-ECB2500C/dp/B008C1JC4O/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1405477817&sr=1-2&keywords=actiontec+coax

search the comments for comcast...

you don't need to run more coax. just split(rated 2ghz min.) to tv and to adapter. then adapter to xbox via ethernet.

unfortunately you'll need two adapters $120 (i only needed one with fios).

buy it on amazon if your okay with cost and return it if you have issues.

If you have ubiquitous cable coax receptacles, you can easily wire all your eeros together using MoCA:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008C1JC4O/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_NRjBybF5QP38H

I've got these in my home and they make a perfect backbone for my 3 eeros.

I guess I should read more of the forum before posting....

It looks like this will do the trick:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008C1JC4O/

I see that the thread following this comment covers how to pull it off (release IP in fios router, kill it, then plug into the ONT ethernet port, or just set the same mac - whatever).

There's a caveat: If you're using FIOS for TV, to keep your ondemand/guide you need to use a MOCA bridge so that the set top boxes have an IP connection to the internet. Something like this works fine.

My partner is selling a bunch of electronic equipment (networking stuff mostly):

Netgear Orbi AC3000 $300

Netgear Nighthawk X6 AC3200 $175

Apple Airport Extreme (5th Generation) $40

ActionTech Ethernet to Coax Adapter (ECB2500C) $50 Brand new in box. Never opened.

ScreenBeam Mini2 Wireless Display Receiver $30

de.Light WiFi Extender Bulb $75 Like new de.Light WiFi extender bulb. Helps eliminate wifi dead zones in your home. Wire free as you simply screw the bulb into an existing light socket. Comes with wifi bulb, hub, and Ethernet cable.

Individual pics of the specific products available, but figured the amazon links would be helpful for full specifics.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008C1JC4O/ref=twister_B008ODMSO6?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Similar situation - but if I already have a spare WiFi access point, could I use a MoCA/ethernet bridge with my spare access point plugged in? There would be a Quantum router plugged in to the ONT elsewhere in the house.

Was thinking this bridge: https://www.amazon.com/Actiontec-Ethernet-Adapter-Service-ECB2500C/dp/B008C1JC4O/ref=dp_ob_title_ce

They do have cable to ethernet adapters (not unifi stuff and you are gonna be limited on speeds and look at the distance of said devices)

https://www.amazon.com/Actiontec-Ethernet-Adapter-Service-ECB2500C/dp/B008C1JC4O

However that is a bit of money to test something

To get the best results and be solid down the road you will want to do a point to point bridge from the house to the barn and then have an access point out there for your clients to get wireless connectivity

Ah I see. The ONT is the box that they installed in my home, right? That's in my basement (I think), so does that mean I would need to hook up an ethernet cable from that to my router? There's an ethernet port on the same coax outlet where the coaxial cable that connects to my current rented verizon cable is. Could that possibly also be connected to the ONT too? I guess only way to find out is to try it right? xD

Also, if you don't mind me asking (sorry for all the questions), assuming I have that the ONT stuff all set, I currently have this TP-LINK router that I was recommended by a friend. Would it be better to get this adpater or would this cheaper one work just as fine?

Make sure you're getting one that won't interfere with your cable signal. This one should work fine and won't require splitters.
You'll want one of these for the line coming into the house.

Depending on how your system was installed, you may have infinite options. For example my system was installed with CAT5 from my ONT to my Actiontec. I have the Actiontec in bridge mode for the cable boxes, and I have my own router in front of that so I can block Verizon's "helpful" punching of holes through my firewall.

If you have just the coax from the ONT, I have been told any MOCA adapter will work. I have not had the opportunity to try this yet, but maybe some internet searches for MOCA can help. Here's an example of what I am talking about: http://www.amazon.com/Actiontec-Ethernet-Adapter-Service-ECB2500C/dp/B008C1JC4O

The one I am using was given to me, isn't gigabit but I do not think it would need to be for providing what I assume to be small amounts of data for this. Guide and on demand work flawlessly. It's an Actiontec ECB2500C. You would only need to utilize the coax in and then connect the Ethernet directly to router.

Actiontec Ethernet to Coax Adapter for Homes with Cable TV Service (ECB2500C) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008C1JC4O/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_Sz3hAbNY8JS4Y

>The Ethernet cable connected breaks out the pairs of the cable in "pigtail" fashion and those 4 pairs are then run out the bottom of the white box and over to another white box labeled Arris. From the Arris box it breaks out into RJ11...

The Arris box likely is a VoIP adapter. I have a Cisco SPA112 VoIP adapter supplied by via:talk, my VoIP service provider. It's connected to the LAN switch behind pfSense.

My guess is that the RJ-45 port on the ONT will be what you'll use for Internet. It's been a few years, but we switched my son's FiOS from the MI424WR combo router rented from Verizon to his own router. We also had to call Verizon, because his FiOS TV and Internet services were supplied over the coax port on the ONT. As I recall, all we had to do was connect the Ethernet cable from the ONT to the WAN port on his router. I don't recall having to supply a MAC for the router, but we may have spoofed the Verizon router's MAC.

It gets a bit tricky with TV. Does your friend also have FiOS TV? If not, then nothing further is needed.

If he does have FiOS TV, then I suggest an alternative to the guide you linked to above. With Internet being provided over Ethernet, the Verizon modem will function only as a MoCA bridge, which is needed to supply TV guide and VoD as indicated in the guide. It will serve no other purpose.

The guide describes reconfiguring the Verizon router, but there is no need to do this, and there certainly is no reason to continue paying the monthly rent for the router to Verizon. I suggest buying a simple MoCA bridge like the Actiontec Ethernet to Coax Adapter for Homes with Cable TV Service (ECB2500C). The cabling would then look like...

ONT-coax =>
coax splitter INPUT (for FiOS TV set top boxes)

ONT-Eth =>
pfSense =>
LAN switch =>
MoCA bridge =>
coax splitter (along with TV set top boxes)

All communication from FiOS set top boxes to Verizon for guides, etc is outbound. There is no need to open ports on the firewall. So, creating a DMZ and firewall rules for FiOS TV is entirely optional IMO.

I've dealt with this sort of problem a lot.

The problem with high power access points is WiFi is a two way street. A 600mW AP may be able to blast through the thick walls, but if the 50mW laptop can't get a return signal back to the AP you're still in the shit.

Repeaters are also tricky. Because repeaters use the same channel to re-transmit data, that means that under idea conditions you will get at most half of the bandwidth you had before (usually less).

My advice is to hardwire. The easiest way is to just run an Ethernet line through the basement from one end of the place to the other. Plug one end into your router, plug the other end into a WiFi access point (configured only as an AP, all routing/NAT/DHCP turned off).

If running Cat5 isn't an option, I suggest you use MoCA. MoCA is a tech for running Ethernet signals over coax, and Verizon FiOS uses it to deliver network access to their set top boxes. If you're using a FiOS router, you have MoCA. Get yourself something like this and plug it into your coax at the end of the house far away from the router. It should fire right up and link into the router (coax light comes on). At that point just plug an access point (configured only as an AP, all routing/NAT/DHCP turned off) into the MoCA, set your SSID and WPA settings the same as the base router, and you're all set!