Can i use multiple ENET ports on actiontec when it is used as a MoCA Bridge?

[radioguy817]

I have set up an MI424wr as a MoCA bridge per the instructions found on the VZ website.  I get my  primary internet connection via coax from the ONT to another Actiontec.

My goal is to use the Moca bridge actiontec  to feed multiple LAN devices (e.g., PS3, TV set, PC) but I only get one IP address from the bridge. Can this be done?

I had hoped to use the actiontec to replace  a NIM-100 and a router (i.e., go to one device instead of 2).

Thanks

[mfizzy]

When you set up your second router as a bridge, you should have turned off DHCP so it is done by your main router. Each device connected to the second BHR will get its own IP from your main router. Not sure how you setup your moca bridge and why you would only get one IP address. You may want to post the instructions you followed for setup.

[prisaz]

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@radioguy817 wrote:

I have set up an MI424wr as a MoCA bridge per the instructions found on the VZ website.  I get my  primary internet connection via coax from the ONT to another Actiontec.

My goal is to use the Moca bridge actiontec  to feed multiple LAN devices (e.g., PS3, TV set, PC) but I only get one IP address from the bridge. Can this be done?

I had hoped to use the actiontec to replace  a NIM-100 and a router (i.e., go to one device instead of 2).

Thanks

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YES. PS. do not use the WAN on the other routers, and the MOCA and ethernet are bridged by default.

I had a second Actiontec router running as a bridge with DHCP disabled and an a static LAN on the second MOCA router, say 192.168.1.2 with the DNS and default gateway 192.168.1.1 address that would not conflict with the first, and that way I could still manage both. And the answer to you question should be yes. I had a Media Center Extender running on my moca bridge, and it was set to run Ethernet over coax (MOCA). All the devices get the IP from the first router. The key is to disable DHCP on the second MOCA router, and also disable Broadband Ethernet/Coax. Leave Ethernet Coax enabled. Do not use WAN at all. Also I usually take my Primary First Actiontec under the advanced settings and remove the first X # of addresses from the DHCP distribution pool. This way they can be used for static addresses on bridges, other routers, servers, etc..

If you are unsure of how to get to the settings, or need more help post a link to the instructions you followed as suggested. Also you can get to all the connection settings from double clicking the globe. The key is to disable the Broadband Ethernet/Coax and WAN, do not use them.

I ran gigabit throughout, and no longer use the MOCA but it was a temporary fix. If you need more help. I can configure a second router and connect them and copy pictures of my configuration.

Another cool thing, is you can also use the second router as another wireless access point if you wish, or you can turn it off.

[prisaz]

Update disregard setting gateway, duh. WAN is disabled. My mistake. Also since the devices are picking up the information fro, DHCP server on router 1, the second router should not require any DNS or gateway settings. It only needs the IP for management, and to be different to prevent conflicts. During my testing. It looks as if something in the firmware may have changed. I have had issues with the MOCA dropping out the WAN on router 1 with even MOCA WAN disabled on router 2. But I had some IP conflicts in the 192.169.1.100-103 range, as I am not running Verizon STBs at this time.Looking again to provide and update.

NICE! Used to have no issues using Ethernet to MOCA bridge! Firmware upgrade?

Could be my signal was to hot without a splitter, and too short of a coax? Oh well I have Gigabit everywhere, but perhaps they don't want their routers used as bridges or Wifi extenders without a WAN connection?

Any ideas?

[radioguy817]

These are the instructions I used to set up the actiontec as a coax to lan bridge:

2.1) You will need to reconfigure the remote router, BEFORE you connect it to the coax.

• Perform a hard reset on the Actiontec to restore factory defaults.
• Connect a PC to a LAN port of the Actiontec.
  By default, DHCP server should be enabled on the Actiontec, so no need to set a static IP address on the PC.
• Login to the router at 192.168.1.1

2.2) Change the remote router's LAN IP LAN address. This will allow the remote router to be accessible at a known IP address for admin purposes.

• Click on MY NETWORK icon at the top
• Click on NETWORK CONNECTIONS on the left menu.
• Click on Network (Home/Office)
• Click on the Settings button
  • On the IP ADDRESS line, enter an available IP address on the same subnet as your primary router (e.g. 192.168.1.2).
• Click APPLY
  The router will reboot

2.3) If your primary router's broadband connection is provisioned over coax, you need to disable the remote router's coax WAN connection to prevent it from attempting to become the primary router.
If your broadband connection from the ONT to your primary router is ethernet, this step is unnecessary.

• Login to the router at it's new IP address.
• Click on the MY NETWORK icon at the top.
• Select NETWORK CONNECTIONS from the menu on the left.
• Click on Broadband Connection (coax)
• Click on DISABLE

2.4) Disable the remote router's DHCP server:

• Click on ADVANCED icon at the top.
• Click yes
• Select IP Address Distribution
• Select Network (Home/Office)
• In the IP ADDRESS DISTRIBUTION pull-down, select DISABLED.
• Click APPLY.

After doing this, I plugged a Roku box into one fo the LAN ports on the actiontec and it got an IP address right away. I think plugged a Window7 PC into another port on the same actiontec, and the PC would not get an IP address.  The OS told me there was a conflict.

[prisaz]

radioguy817

I found some things that looked as if they had changed in the routers firmware. I was getting an IP address on Windows 7, but DNS was not resolving addresses across the bridge. I tried testing it for you in the exact configuration you have, as it had worked previously for me last year. Some strangeness, I will see if I can investigate more. I was running an older router and not the newest that I had tried last night, I have a Rev. I spare, and a couple of older routers. Let me look more.

[radioguy817]

Thank you for the support.  I believe this is a Rev D. actiontec.  I don't have it in front of me so I can't saw what FW verison it has right now

[prisaz]

Is the router you are trying to use as the bridge a Rev. D? That is what I was using because there are plenty around. If you are just using the bridge, the NAT table and other issues do not matter. If it is a Rev. D and your primary router, call tech support and report issues with the router. It is more than 2 years old you will probably get a replacement. But if it is the old one that you have for just a moca bridge, it should work fine. I was just able to get my bridge up and running with twp Revision. I Actiontec routers. I am running Ethernet on the WAN to the ONT which allows more flexibility, and if you ever go above 75/35 you would need CAT 6 or CAT5e from the ONT to the router. If possible I would run the cable and put in an order in for your WAN to be switched to Ethernet.

My Router 1

Disable my MOCA for WAN here, as I run Ethernet.

Actiontec 2 set as bridge.

[mfizzy]

What IP did you give to the router in step 2.2? I had to do step 2.4 before 2.2 since anything you would try to change it to would be in the DHCP pool. Also in step 2.2 select an IP at the top of the pool (192.168.200) to avoid IP conlicts. Make sure you stay away from 192.168.100 to 192.168.1.150. Can you resolve both router admin pages? If one device plugged into the second router can properly aquire an IP and get on the internet, then any device should work.

[prisaz]

You did good. I did the same to prevent conflicts with existing addreses. If you want to use the lower addresses, you must change the pool, and then go and restart those devices to pick up a higher address. I agree those instructions are a bit backwards. GOOD CATCH!

I added a STEP 1.1 Go to yout first router and under advanced settings, under IP Address Distribution I changed the range from 192.168.1.2 - 192.168.1.254 to 192.168.1.25 - 192.168.1.254 I choose to do mine on the lower end, but people have prefrences as to what they want reserved, and not given out. Just be sure not to mess with the 192.168.1.100 -107 rage, that STBs use. So if you do this in the primary router, you can use static IP addresses on all your special devices and you will know where they are located. I set the static IP on the second router, after I disabled DHCP pool before connecting the coax. I am connected through it right now.

I hooked up a three foor peice of coax between two routers for testing. No splitter, As stated, my network is Gigabit Ethernet Only, with a 16 port Managed layer 2 switch and two routers, except for this test the is a three foot MOCA.

Right now I have 16 tuners in my house with Media Center, 4 are stand along in a single Home Theater, and the other 12 tuners are pooled on the network. I plan on changing that as soon a Quantum TV is available. Quantum TV Enhanced with the VMS-1100 six tuners and 3 IPC-1100 clients, and then keep the pool of six or twelve tuners with Media Center. I think for a little over a year, I held the record of most tuners on FiOS. If I keep My Ethernet pool of Twelve tuners with 2 TeraBytes of storage, Plus the New VMS-1100 server, I will have 24 tuners available for use in my house. The existing hardware I own, so it is just the $10 for the cards and send the third cable card back.

I can't wait for Quantum TV!