Best way to split FiOS cable?

11 years ago

Hello,

As some of you have seen, we're getting close to closing the walls on our basement remodeling project.

One of the next steps is to make sure that the cable for our FiOS connections is run, split, and amplified well. I wanted to seek advice here.

Imagine a square with a circle in the middle; that's our basement. Right now, the cable comes in roughly at one corner, which is also where our AV equipment (including the FiOS TV tuner) will be. That cable currently runs to the circle in the middle, where there's a passive splitter; it currently provides signal to one upstairs room and our FiOS router (also upstairs). There are two other, disconnected cables that go to rooms where cable isn't currently used.

So, because those cables in the middle are already well run through the house, it doesn't make sense to try to re-run them to get longer lengths and connect them at the corner where the cable comes into the house. From what I can tell, that leaves two choices:

1) Put a splitter/amplifier in the center where the cables meet now and run a cable BACK to where the FiOS TV tuner will be (minimizing the number of splits but necessitating a long cable run back to where it comes into the house), OR

2) Split the cable once at the corner -- feeding the nearby FiOS tuner and a longer run to the cables at the center -- and again at the multiple cables at the center.

Which is best?

One complicating factor: I've read somewhere that it's best to split off the cable for the Verizon router before an amplifier/splitter. Anything to this?

Thanks!

Tiger

Comment (1)

yosemitebill
11 years ago
You're not splitting your FiOS cable - that is just the type of delivery method used to your ONT (optical network terminal).

What you are splitting is the MoCA (multimedia over coax)signal from the ONT used for supplying television, internet, and a LAN.

As far as the best wiring method, this really needs to be checked onsite by a MoCA qualified installer - either your cable company (if they offer indoor wiring service) or an independent A/V installer.

The splitters, and where they are located, is what makes the system work. Amplifiers are usually not required, but if they are, they need to be designed for MoCA use - this is a bidirectional system. The splitters are also designed for MoCA as well as any required filters.

I'm quite familiar with all this but, unfortunately, it is not something that can be answered online.

If your concern right now is finishing the wiring, your best bet is to home-run everything back to one central point - which is typical of any installation. If you do have to couple any cables to extend them, be sure to leave the couplers accessible in case there is a bad connector causing signal problems.