There are many modems and routers that support MoCA (Multimedia over Coaxial Alliance) technology, and Arris is one of them. There’s a reason we should opt for MoCA instead of other solutions.
But, before we learn how to enable MoCA on Arris modems, we need to understand what MoCA is, how MoCA works, and what the difference is between MoCA and other similar solutions. After this, we should be able to enable MoCA in our home.
CONTENTS
What is MoCA?
Almost all houses and buildings have coaxial cables. Coaxial cables were originally used to deliver TV content to our homes. However, most ISPs (Internet Service Providers) use them to provide high-speed internet.
MoCA is a technology that uses these cables and wires to provide wired internet access in our home without excessively using Ethernet cables. Also, it provides a great connection and better reliability than regular wireless.
How Does MoCA Work?
As we already said, MoCA uses the coaxial cables we have in our homes to provide internet access for the entire home. We use MoCA to convert these cables into a network similar to an Ethernet one.
Usually, to make a MoCA network, we use MoCA adapters, and we need to use two. However, there are modems and routers that are MoCA-enabled like the Arris modem. So, using one adapter in another room in your home would do just fine.
MoCA vs. Mesh Wi-Fi
When it comes to choosing between MoCA and a mesh Wi-Fi network, you should go with MoCA because a cable connection is just more reliable than a wireless connection. The current technology hasn’t reached the point where wireless is better than wired yet.
Also, think about the wireless frequencies. Some frequencies can’t penetrate solid objects, there can be interference from other frequencies being emitted, and there can even be a reflection of the wireless signal by some surfaces.
MoCA adapters that you install in your home can provide a much better Wi-Fi signal than a mesh wireless network because a mesh Wi-Fi network communicates with satellites and they relay the connection from the main internet access point. With MoCA, you get wireless access points wherever there’s a coaxial port in your home.
With a wired connection, the only thing we need to worry about is any damage done to the cables. If the cables are damaged, we don’t get a reliable connection. However, MoCA uses the coaxial cables that are within the walls, and they’re probably working just fine.
How to Enable MoCA on Arris Modems?
To enable MoCA on an Arris modem, we need to go to the login page. To do this, we need to connect to our Arris modem network and open our browser. In the address bar of our browser, we need to type 192.168.0.1.
This will take us to the login page of the modem. Don’t worry about any security warnings because this is the settings page of your home’s modem, you can safely proceed to the web interface.
Type your username and password which are usually admin and motorola. If you’ve changed it in the past, just log in with your credentials. If you’re having trouble logging in, look at a more detailed Arris login guide.
When you’re on the settings page, you’ll see the BASIC tab. Click on it, and click on MoCA. You’ll see the Configuration and Status section. There, we need to tick the Enabled box next to MoCA. This is how we enable it. However, we need a few other things to set it up.
How to Set Up MoCA Using Arris Modem?
We need MoCA adapters and functioning coaxial ports in other rooms in our home. This is where we’re going to place the adapters. Once we’ve placed all the necessary adapters into the available coaxial ports, we need to enable MoCA to follow the previous procedure.
After that, on the same settings page, we need to select SCAN next to Operational frequency. Then, we need to tick all the boxes from 1 to 8 below the Available D-Band Channels line. There are different power levels we should select, but we shouldn’t change anything there because they’re already at maximum capacity.
Next, we need to click apply and verify if there’s a MoCA connection in progress. To see that. All we need to do is go to the same page and scroll down until we reach Link State. If it says Up for (certain period), this means it’s working properly.
Recommended reading: Why Is Arris Modem DS Light Blinking Orange? And 5 Easy Solutions
Conclusion
Now we know what MoCA is and the difference between MoCA and another similar solution. Also, we know how to enable MoCA on Arris modems. Make sure that you’ve set up your MoCA adapters before enabling the MoCA feature.
Remember, MoCA works great if you have coaxial cables running through the house, and it helps you avoid using too many ethernet cables. Finally, if you’re having difficulty setting up MoCA or configuring it on your Arris modem, try contacting your ISP’s support, they might be able to help you.
Hey, I’m David. I’ve been working as a wireless network engineer and a network administrator for 15 years. During my studies, I also worked as an ISP field technician – that’s when I met Jeremy.
I hold a bachelor’s degree in network engineering and a master’s degree in computer science and engineering. I’m also a Cisco-certified service provider.
In my professional career, I worked for router/modem manufacturers and internet providers. I like to think that I’m good at explaining network-related issues in simple terms. That’s exactly what I’m doing on this website – I’m making simple and easy-to-follow guides on how to install, set up, and troubleshoot your networking hardware. I also review new network equipment – modems, gateways, switches, routers, extenders, mesh systems, cables, etc.
My goal is to help regular users with their everyday network issues, educate them, and make them less scared of their equipment. In my articles, you can find tips on what to look for when buying new networking hardware, and how to adjust your network settings to get the most out of your wi-fi.
Since my work is closely related to computers, servers, and other network equipment, I like to spend most of my spare time outdoors. When I want to blow off some steam, I like to ride my bike. I also love hiking and swimming. When I need to calm down and clear my mind, my go-to activity is fishing.
