Ethernet Over Coax?

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MikeAqua

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#146519 20-May-2014 15:15

Anyone have experience of this? I could use some advice on it.

In our next house there is no data cabling installed. One bedroom is used a lot for online gaming, and is located on a different level and at the opposite end of the house from where the router and wifi will be. I think this room ideally needs a wired connection to the router. Wireless is an option but the signal will only ever be average.

I'm going to see if someone can run a line, but in the absence of such a miracle my back up plan is EoC.

There is a coax cable carrying satellite signal to that room the house was built 4 years ago and the coax was professionally installed by a Freeview installer. It's specified as quad shielded RG6. I can get a Cat6 cable run to the satellite splitter quite easily.

On that basis I think I could disconnect the correct coax cable from the splitter and use it for ethernet with pair of these adapters: -

http://www.dual-comm.com/ethernet-over-coax-adapter.htm

But I've struggled to find info availability of this gear in NZ. So I have bunch of questions: -

- Is it legal (seems to require no power source not even PoE)?
- Will it work on RG6 cable?
- Is 100Mbps fast enough for online gaming e.g. league of legends, minecraft?
- What am I missing, this seems to easy and simple - where is the rigmarole hiding?

Mike

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Vocus

#1049835 20-May-2014 15:20

It says it's passive. So I'm guessing it's pretty much a filtered balun. Should work.

michaelmurfy

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#1049838 20-May-2014 15:26

I'd recommend using some of those powerline adapters - they're pretty good now and are about the same cost of those Coax adapters (which may or may not work)

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overkill

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#1049840 20-May-2014 15:27

Go-wifi has the Verasity highwire brand of Ethernet over Coax extenders, give them a call for information, the guys are really helpful.

www.gowifi.co.nz

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SteveON

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#1049842 20-May-2014 15:29

MikeAqua:
- Is it legal

Why wouldn't it be?

Demeter

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#1049843 20-May-2014 15:30

We actually sell Powerline adaptors at Vodafone. I wrote a super-basic post about them here: http://community.vodafone.co.nz/t5/Broadband-landline-packs/Read-Me-Powerline-Boost-your-broadband-connection/m-p/90732

Coil

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#1049846 20-May-2014 15:36

The coax could be a very expensive draw cord?

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#1049847 20-May-2014 15:36

MikeAqua:
- Is 100Mbps fast enough for online gaming e.g. league of legends, minecraft?

Yes. Remember, your LAN may be 100Mbps, but your internet might not be (you didnt mention connection speed) - most internet games run happily on anything 2Mbps+

XPD / Gavin

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wellygary

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#1049855 20-May-2014 15:56

Coax based Ethernet, holy time travel Batman,

In the "Good old days" when ethernet was but a pup coax was the most common way to reticulate it,

In the late 80s we were mucking around with 10base2 ethernet to run comp labs at uni

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/10BASE2

If you are going to run a PC at the far end you can probably pick up a BNC NIC for almost nothing,
http://www.trademe.co.nz/computers/networking-modems/network-cards/auction-729108122.htm

sbiddle

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#1049857 20-May-2014 16:03

This stuff works very well

http://www.geekzone.co.nz/sbiddle/8103

ubergeeknz

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#1049859 20-May-2014 16:04

wellygary: Coax based Ethernet, holy time travel Batman,

In the "Good old days" when ethernet was but a pup coax was the most common way to reticulate it,

In the late 80s we were mucking around with 10base2 ethernet to run comp labs at uni

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/10BASE2

If you are going to run a PC at the far end you can probably pick up a BNC NIC for almost nothing,
http://www.trademe.co.nz/computers/networking-modems/network-cards/auction-729108122.htm

Yeah but the kind of coax he's using is v different to the old thinnet/base2 stuff, and these adapters are (I'm guessing due to their passive nature) just baluns.

FWIW, I had a 10base2 ethernet LAN in my house at one point, to share a dial-up connection with 2 other PCs... also had most of the software for one of the other PCs hosted on the server :)

MikeAqua

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#1049872 20-May-2014 16:21

Thanks for the help guys.

I did think about power line. Do the two outlets need to be on the same RCCB for this to work? They are a long way apart and according to the electrical plans on different RCCB's. The connection would have to travel through the switch board, equating to a total run of say 35m of cable.

I also thought about using the coax as a very expensive draw cord, but this is a high risk manoeuvre. It's a two level house and the piece of coax I want to use runs from the roof space, to the bottom level at the other end of the house.

Mike

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Yabanize

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#1049875 20-May-2014 16:24

wellygary: Coax based Ethernet, holy time travel Batman,

In the "Good old days" when ethernet was but a pup coax was the most common way to reticulate it,

In the late 80s we were mucking around with 10base2 ethernet to run comp labs at uni

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/10BASE2

If you are going to run a PC at the far end you can probably pick up a BNC NIC for almost nothing,
http://www.trademe.co.nz/computers/networking-modems/network-cards/auction-729108122.htm

Well vodafone still use coax for their cable internet :P

ubergeeknz

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Vocus

#1049876 20-May-2014 16:25

MikeAqua: Thanks for the help guys.

I did think about power line. Do the two outlets need to be on the same RCCB for this to work? They are a long way apart and according to the electrical plans on different RCCB's. The connection would have to travel through the switch board, equating to a total run of say 35m of cable.

I also thought about using the coax as a very expensive draw cord, but this is a high risk manoeuvre. It's a two level house and the piece of coax I want to use runs from the roof space, to the bottom level at the other end of the house.

It really seems like the passive adapters will work for your situation. With youshop or something to get them here, they're only going to set you back ~$100 or so - worth a crack I reckon.

MikeAqua

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#1049894 20-May-2014 16:50

Steve, this looks very interesting. I like the ability to have ethernet and TV down the same coax. My only concern is that being in Nelson, finding someone who can configure the gear may be unlikely.

There is a 6 way satellite splitter and a separate amplifier. Where would the unit closest to the satellite dish be positioned?

sbiddle: This stuff works very well

http://www.geekzone.co.nz/sbiddle/8103

Mike

kiwirock

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#1049910 20-May-2014 17:06

If you're disconnecting satellite service from the coax in mind, you should get away with adaptors like those.

If there is a satellite hookup present, make sure the one's you use are compatible with the 12-18v DC on the wire that powers the LNB on the dish or you may run the risk of toasting your satellite receiver.

As for the comment on the old 10Base2: That was half-duplex designed to run on 50ohm coax with T connectors and 50ohm terminators at each end not 75ohm cable, although I got away with some 75ohm short cable until I noticed the transceiver on the card got way to warm back in day.

Coax is capable of longer runs than twisted pair too due it's sheilding so EoC is not a bad idea.

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