• PPoE into house connects
Coax cable is split 3 ways in attic to Roamio Plus, Mini #1 and Mini #2 - Mini #3 connects separately from outside splitter from PPoE
• Coax to main Tivo Roamio Plus (double splitter used Extreme Broadband Engineering-Out -3.5db 5-1002 MHz/ BM -130db)
• Tivo Mini #1 - Closest to Router in separate room - splitter 3-way OUT - 7dB - 7dB - 3.5dB (Extreme Broadband Engineering 5-1002 MHz/EMI-130dB)
• Tivo Mini #2 splitter 2-way OUT - 7dB - 7dB (Extreme Broadband Engineering 5-1002 MHz/EMI-130dB)
• Tivo Mini #3 2-way splitter (Extreme Broadband Engin.) 5-1002 MHz (-4dB) 1125-1675MHz (-6db)
• All Tivo Minis are Ethernet connected through ActionTec adapters ECB6200

The main purpose of the direct-connect test for the Mini was to demonstrate that a Mini *can* connect via MoCA. That the direct-connect test succeeded points to something amiss in the coax plant preventing it from doing so once situated at its permanent location.

Those MoCA stats are messed-up ... as they appear to have been snapshot when there wasn't any MoCA connectivity ... indicated by the "0 nodes" entry. I probably should have suggested taking screenshots of the stats when the Mini was direct-connected to the DVR, as "best possible" scenario and something against which to compare once the setup was returned to its usual state.


Did you try playing any of the recordings? (How quickly does the V87 error normally occur?)

What does "PPoE" mean? (Provider point-of-entry?)

One thing missing from your description is the "PoE" MoCA filter, which both secures the MoCA signals inside the home and provides a performance/efficiency boost by efficiently reflecting the MoCA signals back onto the coax plant. You'd be looking for something similar to one of the following: example1, example2. The "PoE" MoCA filter needs to be installed somewhere on the incoming cable line from the provider prior to the first split of the signal, optimally installed on the input of the first splitter for the best performance boost.

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Ok, as for the rest of the setup description, I'm having trouble understanding all the splitters listed, so I'll take a stab and ask that you please confirm or correct as needed...

• Splitter#1 (2-way in outside junction box): Input* from cable provider, Out1 to Attic, Out2 to Mini #3;
  * "PoE" MoCA filter should be installed on Input port of Splitter#1
• Splitter#2 (3-way in Attic): Input from Splitter#1, Out1* to modem/DVR location; Out2 to Mini #1, Out3 to Mini #2
  * Splitter#2 should be an unbalanced 3-way, with the low-loss output connected to the modem/DVR location
• Splitter#3 (2-way at modem/DVR): Input from Splitter#2, Out1 to modem, Out2 to Roamio Plus
• Splitter#4 (3-way at Mini #1): Input from Splitter#2, Out1 to Mini #1, Out2 to MoCA adapter, Out3 to ???
  ? What is connected to Splitter#4's 3rd output?
• Splitter#5 (2-way at Mini #2): Input from Splitter#2, Out1 to Mini #2, Out2 to MoCA adapter
• Splitter#6 (2-way at Mini #3): Input from Splitter#1, Out1 to Mini #3, Out2 to MoCA adapter

Aside from the question of whether a "PoE" MoCA filter is installed -- the absence of which could contribute greatly to V87 errors -- Splitters #4-6 appear to be unnecessary ... if the Mini units are all Ethernet-connected via co-located MoCA adapters. As has been mentioned, the Mini's, themselves, should be able to connect as MoCA clients (making the MoCA adapters redundant) or the Mini's needn't be connected to the coax plant if you'd prefer to keep them Ethernet-connected via the standalone MoCA adapters (as some do when there are other Ethernet-capable devices also benefiting from the wired connection supplied by the MoCA adapter, via a network switch to expand the number of available Ethernet ports).

To be clear, Mini's do not require a feed of the raw cable signal; Mini's only require a network connection, either Ethernet or MoCA, as the host DVR handles all tuning of TV signals and streams the live or recorded content over the home network connection. So, a Mini only ever requires an Ethernet or MoCA(coax) connection, never both.


As a separate issue from your V87 connectivity issues, FWIW, either the ECB6200 adapters are overkill, or the Roamio Plus' MoCA bridge is underkill ... relative to maximizing your network throughput over MoCA. The ECB6200's are bonded MoCA 2.0 adapters, capable of up to 800 Mbps throughput, but their connection to the Roamio Plus will be limited to a MoCA 1.1 link, constrained by the MoCA 1.1 bridge of the Roamio Plus.

If you're leveraging MoCA for devices other than your TiVo boxes and are looking to maximize throughput, you'd want to supplant the Roamio Plus as your main MoCA bridge with a bonded MoCA 2.0 or MoCA 2.5 adapter; if the ECB6200's are only being used to provide the Mini's with a network connection, you'd want to eliminate unnecessary splitters by disconnecting the Mini's from the coax plant. Alternatively, eliminate the ECB6200 adapters and associated splitters and get the Mini's working as MoCA clients ... then resell the ECB6200s.

"To be clear, Mini's do not require a feed of the raw cable signal; Mini's only require a network connection, either Ethernet or MoCA, as the host DVR handles all tuning of TV signals and streams the live or recorded content over the home network connection. So, a Mini only ever requires an Ethernet or MoCA(coax) connection, never both."

The above suggestion might be the most helpful and might fix it. I had thought all along that all minis needed coax AND the Ethernet adaptors. I have disconnected the coax from all Minis and just have them connected to the Ethernet adapters and am waiting to see if any of them give me the V87 error. For now they are still all up after about an hour. They had been dropping randomly but usually at least a couple of times per hour. But just now after about an hour, all 3 Minis at the same time (simultaneously) , dropped a couple of times and gave me the V87 error.

Thank you for explaining the splitters to me as that has never been something I completed understood. For the 3 way splitter in the attic, I will have to get up there and check to see if that splitter is an unbalanced 3-way the way that you explained. Would splitter 3-way OUT - 7dB - 7dB - 3.5dB (Extreme Broadband Engineering 5-1002 MHz/EMI-130dB) suffice if I needed to change the one out in the attic?

My PoE is installed correctly having learned the hard way when the cable company came and incorrectly reinstalled it when they were replacing the coax to the house and it stopped Mini#4 from working completely. Not until I reinstalled it correctly did that Mini work.

To Answer your question, " What is connected to Splitter#4's 3rd output?: It is connected to my Router/Modem. My router/modem is not connected directly to my Roamio Plus. the router/modem is in another room next to Mini#1 in my home office. The Roamio Plus DVR is located in my master bedroom and the router/modem would not fit anywhere in that room due to it's size. Does the Roamio Plus need to be directly connected to the router/modem? Does that give better throughput to the Minis?

Originally, when I tried to get the MoCA running, I couldn't get it to work so I went with the Ethernet adapters as a second option. Now that you have explained about the splitters and not needing them in certain locations, I may go back and see how I can eliminate most of them where necessary.

Did you also remove what would then be unnecessary splitters from each location? Disconnecting the Mini's from the coax is only the prerequisite step to the goal, eliminating as many splits as possible.

Given the issues, can you say exactly where the "PoE" MoCA filter is installed. (I don't want to make assumptions.)

What's this "Mini#4"? I'm assuming this should be Mini#3, right?

Well, I didn't so much explain any splitters as detail my assumption on how things appear to be connected, trying to understand the hierarchy. Given your responses, I'm still lacking understanding of some details...

• What is the 2-way splitter at the Roamio Plus for?
• You'd said in an earlier post that the Roamio Plus was configured for "Ethernet + MoCA," so I was assuming that the DVR was being used as your main MoCA/Ethernet bridge, and was connected via Ethernet to the router; this appears to not be the case. How *is* the Roamio Plus connected and networked? Do you have an ECB6200 MoCA adapter at the Roamio Plus location, as well?
• Including the Ethernet connections in the details is needed. Are the Mini's directly connected via a Cat5e patch cable to their associated MoCA adapter? How is the Mini at the modem/router location connected? How are the MoCA adapters connected via both coax and Ethernet? etc.
• Who is your cable provider? What are the model #s for the modem and router devices?

I am in the process of removing as many splitters as I can. I will still need to have a few of them.
The PoE MoCA is installed on the outside of the house where the coax attaches to the house and is installed between the coax coming into the house and the house coax wiring.
I meant Mini #3.
2-way splitter is for the Roamio Plus and another cable box I have attached to the same TV.
The Roamio Plus is connected via a ECB6200 MoCA adapter at the Roamio Plus location. The router is in the room with Mini #1
Yes, Mini's are directly connected via Cat5e patch cable to each of their associated MoCA adapter. The Mini #1 at the modem/router is connected via Ethernet to the router. The ECB6200 MoCA adapter is also connected to the router. All MoCA adapters are connectged via both coax and Ethernet at all locations.
Atlantic Broadband is the cable provider. The model of the combo modem router is Netgear Nighthawk X4S

Chuckle! Yes, indeed.


This description seems problematic. You've said that the DVR is configured for "MoCA and Ethernet" -- but it also appears that its network connection is being supplied by the ECB6200, per the above. If the Roamio Plus is Ethernet-connected to the ECB6200, then the DVR should be configured ONLY for an Ethernet connection; MoCA should be disabled on the Roamio Plus, in this case.

Alternatively, the typical setup would keep the 2-way splitter (still needed due to the cable box), eliminate the ECB6200, and configure the Roamio Plus as a MoCA client only.

Separately, if the Roamio Plus and cable box are both connected via the 2-way splitter at that location, then one of them must be connected via the ECB6200's RF pass-through port. Right? Which device, the DVR or cable box, is connected via the MoCA adapter's pass-through port? (Moot if the ECB6200 is removed.)


Something to consider once you have the coax optimized, if you continue having connectivity issues. Given the Netgear router, you may want to check for an IGMP Proxy setting on the router, and note its current setting ... and try toggling it to see if there's any difference.(Perform a full power reset of your gear after toggling the setting.) IGMP Snooping and IGMP Proxy have been seen to cause issues w/ TiVo connectivity.
.

Possibly, yes. See prior reply.

(I didn't initially think it was an issue, when I thought the Roamio Plus was acting as the main MoCA/Ethernet bridge.)

Any improvements...???

Yes! I apologize for not responding to your last recommendations. I disconnected all unnecessary coax to the Minis and took out all splitters that were no longer needed. The final thing that seems to have corrected the issues was to only enable Ethernet and disengaged MoCA. Since then, it has not dropped once in the last 4 days. Thank you for all of your help and recommendations. I am not going to change any of the settings in the router for right now since things seem to be working correctly but I keeping that information handy in case I need to try a couple of more things.

Great to hear! Thanks for the followup...