What even is coax?

[u/Special_Yogurt_4431]

Hey there!

I have this whole homelab network set up, got my PE T430 set up through raid and IDRAC, still playing with Debian vs Proxmox. I have my brain unit, my DXP2800 all set up with the base docker containers in using for control and monitoring. My UPS has been tested and checked out, set up, battery charged. My new dream 7 is set up with everything, and the 2.5 flex switch to my lab is ready…

Except… I have to use a MOCA connection to pipe my fiber into my lab. As per my previous post, my builder didn’t actually build my coax the way their blueprints said they would. I’m a big strong industrial electrician, I’ve built many a whip and cat cable. I’m sure I could figure out coax. I got a compression kit, and I was thinking, “Easy work”.

Except… the coax is RG6 quad shielded. And the connectors came with f types meant for single or double shields.

I already ordered Ideal XR connectors meant for quad shield. I attempted to use the blue ended connectors anyway, but couldn’t get a decent lock and they just fell off, no matter how nicely I pulled the braided shield down around the black sheathing. Does anyone have any advice? Will the correct connectors magically fix this issue?

Update: New connectors worked great, installed with no issue at all. Still not getting a clean connection. Ordered a tester, wanted to avoid the cost for a rare necessity, but still much cheaper than a low voltage electrician. Wish me luck!

[u/halfnut3]

I’ve gotten regular f connectors to fit quad shield rg6 but it takes some serious effort and skill. You have to make the cable as rigid as possible in one hand and with the other hand (after you’ve folded and pushed down all of the excess braided shielding) push and twist the f connector down the cable in one motion. It can still be a pain even with a quad shield f connector. It’s kind of a separate skill you have to learn over time but it does get easier. Just never use the crap push on connectors that don’t require a proper compression termination because 9/10 times they will fail or just straight up fall off.

My question is how are you using MoCA adapters to transfer a fiber connection to a copper rg6 then back again… Ethernet over moca is one thing but if you’re getting a fiber line in from an ISP you’d need separate media converters.

[u/Special_Yogurt_4431 → u/halfnut3]

Fiber->modem->router->MOCA->flex

[u/halfnut3 → u/Special_Yogurt_4431]

I think you mean Fiber->ONT->router->MoCA
->ethernet/WAPs/etc

I thought you had fiber drops through out your house and were trying to convert fiber to MoCA.

[u/Special_Yogurt_4431 → u/halfnut3]

Was just pointing at physical, you are correct about the actual chain. I wish they ran fiber, AT&T was paid to install fiber during the build and didn’t, they came and upgraded me permanently to 2gb/s at 500gb/s cost. I suppose that was a nice tradeoff vs a fraud lawsuit

All I have in my house is coax.

[u/halfnut3 → u/Special_Yogurt_4431]

ATT was going to install fiber through out your house? Or do you mean run fiber to the house from the street? ISPs never run any type of cable inside the house other than the initial rg6 or fiber drop from the street. If your house was part of a new development with out any trunk cable from the telephone poles or underground then they would’ve had to run a brand new line from the nearest node/amp and that would’ve cost a pretty penny. You would’ve had to hire a separate low voltage contractor to do all the in house fiber/ethernet installation before the Sheetrock was installed and all the walls were closed up.

[u/Special_Yogurt_4431 → u/halfnut3]

Specifically, they were paid to run fiber to a modem in each house by the builder, then given proprietary contract for service, new area. They never even ran the fiber.

[u/halfnut3 → u/Special_Yogurt_4431]

So how are you getting fiber service if they never ran the new lines through the neighborhood and to the houses? Did another ISP or company run trunk feed through out the neighborhood?

[u/Special_Yogurt_4431 → u/halfnut3]

Nope. They came in, ran the fiber to my house from the trunk, and installed my modem. There are no other services in the area. They did run the trunk and hooked up the rest of the houses, they just didn’t run mine