The most basic thing you need to know about MoCA is:
- MoCA stands for Multimedia over Coax Alliance.
- It is a home networking technology that makes your WiFi performance better.
- It is a reliable, wired networking solution with low latency, and ultra-high-speed connection.
- It uses the existing coaxial wiring already in your home, so it’s easy to set up yourself!
- It does not require you to drill holes into your walls or run wires.
You can check out this article for a quick review of the basics of MoCA. For a more in-depth review of MoCA, check out our complete guide to MoCA.
Exactly How MoCA works
MoCA is the same as Ethernet over coax. MoCA is a technology standard that converts coaxial wiring into an Ethernet connection. MoCA is a point-to-point wired connection, which means it is a direct connection. This direct point-to-point connection is what makes it incredibly stable, reliable and fast. Your coax wiring today is already capable of handling extremely high-bandwidth video signals, and therefore, its perfect for extremely high-bandwidth applications such as online gaming, streaming 4K HD video, video conferencing calls, and working from home. To create your MoCA network, you need at least two MoCA-enabled endpoints to create your complete network. There are two options for endpoints:
- A MoCA-enabled routerand one MoCA adapter, or
- Two MoCA adapterswith your existing router/gateway (cable modem router).
With MoCA technology, you can enjoy the freedom of wireless and the stability of wired connections in your home at the same time.
Advantages of a MoCA network
MoCA creates a superfast network backbone for all of your connected devices. MoCA isn’t just for connecting computers. You can connect any device with an Ethernet port to create an Ethernet connection for accessing the Internet. For example, being able to stream shows, play video games online and work from home all at the same time. That’s a lot of content sharing and moving at once, and it can really bog down your WiFi network.
- Better WiFi coverage
MoCA boosts your WiFi so that you don’t have to deal with signal drops and slow speeds that cause frustrating interruptions. - Better video streaming
MoCA allows you to stream HD video through any WiFi device without interruption like poor resolution. - Better online gaming
MoCA’s high-speed combats lag, a gamers worst nightmare. With MoCA your network’s latency stays low so the actions in your game play are always in real time. - Faster speeds
MoCA’s biggest feature is the ability to create a faster Internet connection. These speeds are what boost your WiFi network. - Better experience working from home
MoCA makes working from home a better experience, especially if your role requires video conference meetings. You will get a solid, reliable connection to do your job even if the rest of the household is also connected to the Internet.
One more thing to note is that MoCA doesn’t replace your wireless network, it enhances it. MoCA paired with WiFi is better than WiFi alone because MoCA acts as the wired backbone for your wireless network. Also, MoCA is better than running Ethernet because it does not require new wiring to get the same reliable connection.
- Uses existing cables in your home (coax cables)
- No expensive or messy setup (reduced cable clutter)
- Easy to set up compared to Ethernet
- Lower latency and reduced lag to every corner of your home
- Less interference risk than WiFi or powerline networking
- Secure technology
How to Set Up MoCA in your Home
You need MoCA Adapters to set up MoCA in your home. However, if you have a MoCA-enabled router, you may only need one MoCA adapter instead of a pair. MoCA adapters are what help extend the WiFi coverage in your home to eliminate dead spots.
Setting up MoCA adapters is easy. It takes two quick steps:
- First, plug a MoCA adapter into a coax jack and connect it to your traditional router with an Ethernet cable. (If you have a MoCA-router then you can actually skip this step because it acts as one of the adapters in the pair.)
- Second, connect a second MoCA adapter to a different coax jack in your home. It should establish a MoCA link automatically with the gateway.
That’s it. They pair together and help take your WiFi signal farther. No extra wires. No holes in walls. No interruptions to your Internet connection. If you have a large home, you may consider more than two adapters.
MoCA technology is the way to go if you want to improve your overall home network. You can enhance your WiFi connection in every corner of your home with HT-EM4 MoCA adapters. Check out Hitron’s MoCA Learn Page for more.
