I recently moved into a studio apartment where internet is provided through a single Ethernet wall jack. There is no coaxial connection. I have a Netgear Nighthawk AC1900 cable modem/router and want to know whether I need an Ethernet-to-coaxial adapter, or how I can use my existing equipment to provide Wi‑Fi.
3 Answers
An Ethernet-to-coaxial adapter is not the right solution. Cable modems use coax and DOCSIS, while the apartment’s wall jack uses Ethernet, so they are different types of service. A regular Wi‑Fi router with an Ethernet WAN port would be the simplest option. If you need several wired connections, you can also add an Ethernet switch.
Your Nighthawk can potentially still be used for Wi‑Fi if it has an access point or bridge mode. Connect the apartment’s Ethernet cable to a suitable LAN port, disable its DHCP server and routing functions, and let the apartment network handle those services. The exact settings depend on the model, so check its manual before changing anything.
You do not need a modem for an Ethernet connection. Try plugging a laptop directly into the wall jack first to confirm that the apartment’s internet service is active. If you want Wi‑Fi, connect the wall Ethernet cable to the router’s WAN/Internet port—but your cable modem/router may not support Ethernet as its WAN input.
The internet is supplied by the apartment complex, so I would first test the wall jack directly and then check whether the Nighthawk supports access point mode.