How doews the router wire in the triple play system?

MisterEd · 12-09-2012, 02:28 PM

Currently have FIOS internet only, just upgraded to triple play. Installation shortly after the holidays (by choice, could have had it in 3 days).

I have a wiring question. Currently running ethernet from the ONT to my own router. I know I will have to go back to that horrid Actiontec router if I want all the triple-play features (yes, I am aware of all the "use my own router" options

).

My question is this:

From ONT will come a run of coax to a xx-way splitter to feed my 4 TV's all which will have STB's. Does the router just get treated as another "TV" device and plug into a splitter anywhere on the coax or does it have to come before the splitter and all the TV's?

If it simply gets treated as a "tv" I can drop the router anywhere in the system I want where I can split the coax and connect it, if it has to go between the ONT and the splitter (before TV's) it kind of limits me to where it has to go.

Edit: Looking at http://www.fiosfaq.com/content.php?contentid=41 it seems the router will need BOTH ethernet AND coax.

JPL · 12-09-2012, 06:16 PM

If they keep you provisioned as ethernet, then yes, you'll need both a cat5 connection from ONT to router, and a coax connection. If you go MOCA then you just need the coax connection. Either way, the router is seen as just like any other terminal off your splitter. So, no, your router can't come before your splitter. There's only one coax home run off the ONT, so the coax will go from ONT to splitter, and from splitter to all your STBs and also from the splitter to your actiontec. That set up is the same regardless of whether you go ethernet or moca. If you stay ethernet, then you'll just have an additional connection - a cat5 from ONT directly to your router.

MisterEd · 12-09-2012, 07:40 PM

Excellent, thanks. That makes things a lot easier. I have ethernet all over so if they leave the connection ethernet I'm still good.

Edit: Can you split again after the splinter? I don't see why not (loss aside but these are pretty short runs). Homerun to the splitter then split a cable coming off a splitter output with a couple short cables to 2 STB's?

ITALIAN926 · 12-10-2012, 04:41 AM

No way to tell you if your scenario works. It all depends on amount of splits, length of wire, quality/type of coax, possible human error.

Just try what you want to do, make sure all channels come in and dont pixilate. Make sure your interactive features work, like on-demand. If something goes crappy, you know what the issue is.

JPL · 12-10-2012, 10:08 AM

Yeah, you can split again after the main splitter. Italian is right - you may hit an issue with signal loss if you split too much, or your cables are too long. But to be honest, you shouldn't have an issue. I have splits all over my house - the previous owners were TV fiends, and they had cable running to just about every room in the house. I'm not sure how they got a signal in some rooms to be honest. They had Comcast, and the number of splits was something to behold. Their old home run ran to an 8 way splitter. And one of thouse outputs ran to... another splitter right off the main connection into the house. And even that wasn't enough. In some rooms they split again.

When Verizon came to install, they removed one of the initial splitters, leaving some of the cables just hanging there, connected to nothing on one end. Even so, in my living room have a splitter - one line goes to the TV, and the other to the router.

Just make sure that the splitters you use can handle 1GHz frequencies. You'll know pretty quickly if they can't - your VOD will pixellate (things like VOD and multiroom feeds from your DVR come in on a high frequency - I think it's 900 MHz).

MisterEd · 12-10-2012, 01:46 PM

I don't see a problem. It's all DirecTV solid copper RG6, will have a homerun from ONT to 4-way splitter (about 40') then about 15' x 3 and 30' x 1 to the TV's then 1 2-way splitter off one of the 15' runs to the router. I assume DirecTV 3gig splitters should be fine.

ITALIAN926 · 12-10-2012, 02:05 PM

I dont know what causes it, but higher frequency rated splitters causes issues on FiOS. Ive seen it many times. Its of no issue, because the installer will replace it. (Just noticed you have a pending install)

MisterEd · 12-10-2012, 09:06 PM

^^^ Very interesting! Hopefully he'll change it. All the other wiring work is 98% done for him.

12-09-2012, 02:28 PM	#1
MisterEd Grumpy Grampy Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 70	How does the router wire in the triple play system? Currently have FIOS internet only, just upgraded to triple play. Installation shortly after the holidays (by choice, could have had it in 3 days). I have a wiring question. Currently running ethernet from the ONT to my own router. I know I will have to go back to that horrid Actiontec router if I want all the triple-play features (yes, I am aware of all the "use my own router" options ). My question is this: From ONT will come a run of coax to a xx-way splitter to feed my 4 TV's all which will have STB's. Does the router just get treated as another "TV" device and plug into a splitter anywhere on the coax or does it have to come before the splitter and all the TV's? If it simply gets treated as a "tv" I can drop the router anywhere in the system I want where I can split the coax and connect it, if it has to go between the ONT and the splitter (before TV's) it kind of limits me to where it has to go. Edit: Looking at http://www.fiosfaq.com/content.php?contentid=41 it seems the router will need BOTH ethernet AND coax. Last edited by ImRizzo; 12-09-2012 at 08:31 PM.

12-09-2012, 07:40 PM	#3
MisterEd Grumpy Grampy Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 70	Excellent, thanks. That makes things a lot easier. I have ethernet all over so if they leave the connection ethernet I'm still good. Edit: Can you split again after the splinter? I don't see why not (loss aside but these are pretty short runs). Homerun to the splitter then split a cable coming off a splitter output with a couple short cables to 2 STB's? Last edited by MisterEd; 12-09-2012 at 07:49 PM.

12-10-2012, 04:41 AM	#4
ITALIAN926 High Definition is the definition of life. Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 1,436	No way to tell you if your scenario works. It all depends on amount of splits, length of wire, quality/type of coax, possible human error. Just try what you want to do, make sure all channels come in and dont pixilate. Make sure your interactive features work, like on-demand. If something goes crappy, you know what the issue is. __________________ 60" plasma- Pioneer PDP-6010FD 55" LCD Vizio E550VL 42" plasma Panasonic TH-42PX77U ~1500 DVD's , 90 HD-DVD's , yes chose the wrong format , , Toshiba HD DVD Player (HD-A20) Xbox 360 Former FiOS technician My Family Room Pic #1 My Family Room Pic #2

12-10-2012, 02:05 PM	#7
ITALIAN926 High Definition is the definition of life. Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 1,436	I dont know what causes it, but higher frequency rated splitters causes issues on FiOS. Ive seen it many times. Its of no issue, because the installer will replace it. (Just noticed you have a pending install) __________________ 60" plasma- Pioneer PDP-6010FD 55" LCD Vizio E550VL 42" plasma Panasonic TH-42PX77U ~1500 DVD's , 90 HD-DVD's , yes chose the wrong format , , Toshiba HD DVD Player (HD-A20) Xbox 360 Former FiOS technician My Family Room Pic #1 My Family Room Pic #2

12-09-2012, 06:16 PM	#2
JPL High Definition is the definition of life. Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Downingtown, PA Posts: 2,132	If they keep you provisioned as ethernet, then yes, you'll need both a cat5 connection from ONT to router, and a coax connection. If you go MOCA then you just need the coax connection. Either way, the router is seen as just like any other terminal off your splitter. So, no, your router can't come before your splitter. There's only one coax home run off the ONT, so the coax will go from ONT to splitter, and from splitter to all your STBs and also from the splitter to your actiontec. That set up is the same regardless of whether you go ethernet or moca. If you stay ethernet, then you'll just have an additional connection - a cat5 from ONT directly to your router.

12-10-2012, 10:08 AM	#5
JPL High Definition is the definition of life. Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Downingtown, PA Posts: 2,132	Yeah, you can split again after the main splitter. Italian is right - you may hit an issue with signal loss if you split too much, or your cables are too long. But to be honest, you shouldn't have an issue. I have splits all over my house - the previous owners were TV fiends, and they had cable running to just about every room in the house. I'm not sure how they got a signal in some rooms to be honest. They had Comcast, and the number of splits was something to behold. Their old home run ran to an 8 way splitter. And one of thouse outputs ran to... another splitter right off the main connection into the house. And even that wasn't enough. In some rooms they split again. When Verizon came to install, they removed one of the initial splitters, leaving some of the cables just hanging there, connected to nothing on one end. Even so, in my living room have a splitter - one line goes to the TV, and the other to the router. Just make sure that the splitters you use can handle 1GHz frequencies. You'll know pretty quickly if they can't - your VOD will pixellate (things like VOD and multiroom feeds from your DVR come in on a high frequency - I think it's 900 MHz).

12-10-2012, 01:46 PM	#6
MisterEd Grumpy Grampy Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 70	I don't see a problem. It's all DirecTV solid copper RG6, will have a homerun from ONT to 4-way splitter (about 40') then about 15' x 3 and 30' x 1 to the TV's then 1 2-way splitter off one of the 15' runs to the router. I assume DirecTV 3gig splitters should be fine.

12-10-2012, 09:06 PM	#8
MisterEd Grumpy Grampy Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 70	^^^ Very interesting! Hopefully he'll change it. All the other wiring work is 98% done for him.