I'm a college student and currently living in an apartment where all my devices connect to the high-speed WiFi (1000mb/s) just fine. However, I want to connect my PC via Ethernet, but can't run the cable from the router in the living room to my room because it would go through the kitchen and in front of my roommates' doors. Instead, I decided to use a Hitron MoCA adapter kit, which is supposed to support up to 2400mb/s, to connect using the COAX cables already in the walls. After setting it up, I realized I needed a splitter and another coax cable, which I bought, but my PC still isn't connecting to the internet. I also tried connecting the router directly to the coax port under my desk, but that didn't work either. Does this mean the wiring in my apartment isn't suitable for a wired connection? On top of that, I bought a Gigabyte GC WiFi 7 card for my PC, but it shows up as an unknown device in Device Manager no matter what drivers I install. Any insights would be super helpful!
2 Answers
I don’t think the wiring itself is faulty. Most likely, the coax line in your room just isn't connected at the junction point. If you can find that junction, checking the connections there might solve your problem. Also, using a POE filter at the point-of-entry could help if you’re sharing the coax with internet service. It’s a good idea to ensure MoCA signals aren’t blocked from your provider's coax plant.
Using MoCA can be a bit tricky—it's usually a reliable way to get a wired connection, but if the coax line in your room isn't properly connected to the splitter, it won't work. You might want to check if the splitter is set up correctly and that the coax cable under your desk is connected to the right port. Sometimes, coax connections get shuffled around, and that could be why you aren't getting a signal. Also, make sure you're using MoCA 2.0 compatible splitters! As for your WiFi card, it seems like you might need the specific driver from the vendor's website. Did you try installing it again after checking that it's seated well in the PCIe slot?
Actually, MoCA isn't typically higher latency than WiFi unless you have a very bad configuration. It could be a decent alternative if you can get it working.
Turns out my WiFi card was incompatible too! But with the MoCA setup, wouldn’t a stable wired connection be better than WiFi with all those latency issues?