Cat5 or coaxial
Jolard
Newbie
So if I have a choice, what is the best wiring to do? Cat5 or Coax? Is there a major benefit for either one?

I have an install pending, and I was reading the installation instructions and they said they might use either. So if one is better than the other I would rather stear the installer to that.
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Re: Cat5 or coaxial
Provider7
Contributor - Level 3
If your thinking speeds, you won't notice a difference using either one.  Some choose ethernet because of special network configurations.  If your just doing a standard installation, moca/coax will be just fine.  If you do ethernet, you will need a coax and an ethernet line run to the modem.  You can inform the installer on the day he arrives.
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Re: Cat5 or coaxial
Telcoguru
Master - Level 1
It is what ever is easier for the technician to install. Coax is the preferred method because it is easier and cheaper to install.
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Re: Cat5 or coaxial
prisaz
Legend

@Jolard wrote:
So if I have a choice, what is the best wiring to do? Cat5 or Coax? Is there a major benefit for either one?

I have an install pending, and I was reading the installation instructions and they said they might use either. So if one is better than the other I would rather stear the installer to that.

Well if running your router is near the ONT, I would say Ethernet and COAX to the router. With coax only, you are stuck with the Actiontec router. If you ever want to do any custome network stuff, like using a different router, you will need to get the Ethernet port turn on at the ONT. With Ethernet to the router it will alow you to use a different router if the Actiontec fails. But without the coax to the router you would have issues with TV. If you are not getting TV, I would say Ethernet and not use any coax.
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Re: Cat5 or coaxial
TimSykes
Specialist - Level 2

@prisaz wrote:

@Jolard wrote:
So if I have a choice, what is the best wiring to do? Cat5 or Coax? Is there a major benefit for either one?

I have an install pending, and I was reading the installation instructions and they said they might use either. So if one is better than the other I would rather stear the installer to that.

Well if running your router is near the ONT, I would say Ethernet and COAX to the router. With coax only, you are stuck with the Actiontec router. If you ever want to do any custome network stuff, like using a different router, you will need to get the Ethernet port turn on at the ONT. With Ethernet to the router it will alow you to use a different router if the Actiontec fails. But without the coax to the router you would have issues with TV. If you are not getting TV, I would say Ethernet and not use any coax.
 
You can have another router pluged into the Actiontec. You can use your own, thats what I do, I have a 802.11n wireless network in my house.  
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Re: Cat5 or coaxial
prisaz
Legend

@TimSykes wrote:

@prisaz wrote:

@Jolard wrote:
So if I have a choice, what is the best wiring to do? Cat5 or Coax? Is there a major benefit for either one?

I have an install pending, and I was reading the installation instructions and they said they might use either. So if one is better than the other I would rather stear the installer to that.

Well if running your router is near the ONT, I would say Ethernet and COAX to the router. With coax only, you are stuck with the Actiontec router. If you ever want to do any custome network stuff, like using a different router, you will need to get the Ethernet port turn on at the ONT. With Ethernet to the router it will alow you to use a different router if the Actiontec fails. But without the coax to the router you would have issues with TV. If you are not getting TV, I would say Ethernet and not use any coax.
You can have another router pluged into the Actiontec. You can use your own, thats what I do, I have a 802.11n wireless network in my house.  

Yep. I have a second router pluged into the Actiontec for some security reasons. My computer hardware is behind the second router. My wireless is on the Actiontec and works fine along with the printer that is there.
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Re: Cat5 or coaxial
philhu
Contributor - Level 2

Well, the special installations people talk about is making another router run as the primary router and the AT one behind it

It works fine, and fixes the AT small NAT table problems.  Symptoms are slow connections, failed conections, etc, caused by the table filling up

in the AT.  If you run any P2P connections, you will see it pretty quickly.

My primary is a Netgear, with the AT only connected thru the Netgear LAN port.  The AT is crippled down to being a MOCA router only for my STB and DVR.

Also, I won't say this definitively, but the Netgear speedtests show about 15% speed improvement with this config, might be due to port overflows as discussed above about NAT.

Message Edited by philhu on 01-09-2009 07:50 AM
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Re: Cat5 or coaxial
speedo123
Contributor - Level 1

@philhu wrote:

Well, the special installations people talk about is making another router run as the primary router and the AT one behind it

It works fine, and fixes the AT small NAT table problems.  Symptoms are slow connections, failed conections, etc, caused by the table filling up

in the AT.  If you run any P2P connections, you will see it pretty quickly.

My primary is a Netgear, with the AT only connected thru the Netgear LAN port.  The AT is crippled down to being a MOCA router only for my STB and DVR.

Also, I won't say this definitively, but the Netgear speedtests show about 15% speed improvement with this config, might be due to port overflows as discussed above about NAT.

Message Edited by philhu on 01-09-2009 07:50 AM

Hi philhu:

Most of what you said here is out of my realm of experience so is pretty much like greek to me.  But what caught my attention though was your mention of "slow connections."  Since switching over to FiOS and the ActionTec router, I find that I have days where it takes forever for a page on a site (that I've visited before) to change.  And then other days, no problem.  You mention that the "table" in the AT is filling up.  Is there any way to clear it?  I'd like to try doing that and see if it fixes the slow page change problem.  (Verizon tech support has been no help at all with this problem.)  If you have any other suggestions as to what might be causing this problem they would be appreciated!  This can be pretty annoying.

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