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What is a Network Adapter and why do I need it?

Most people love their Wi-Fi except when it’s not working the way it should.  Either the speeds within your home are too slow, or you have dead spots that the WiFi doesn’t even cover. This is especially true in multi-level homes or large houses with thick walls.

In these cases most people would like to find a way to make their home WiFi network better, and sometimes a wired connection is the better way to go.

What is a Network Adapter?

A Network Adapter is a device that is designed to improve your home network using the existing wiring in your home. Typically adapter “kits” come in packs of two as the adapters are designed to communicate with each other through the wiring.

Normally you connect one of these to or near to your router and the other near to devices that you want to connect to the Internet (like a computer or set-top-box).  One end accepts the Internet data and shoots it through the wiring to the other device at the other end.

Types of Adapters

There are a few types of adapters based on different technologies.

Powerline Adapters plug in to the electrical outlets in your home and extend WiFi via your home’s electrical wiring. This type of adapter, however, has had its fair share of reviews complaining about slow speeds or random disconnections from the network.  This is especially the case for powerline adapters using the old Home Plug (AV) technology. 

In many cases, the electrical wiring itself in the home is not set up for powerline ethernet. Other issues may be that the distance is too great between the plugs, and powerlines are also subject to some interference. Unfortunately it’s not easy to determine what the issue may be.

MoCA Adapters are another option. MoCA technology uses the existing coaxial TV wiring in people’s home and create a superfast and reliable home network. It is also known as Ethernet over coax. MoCA Adapters are not subject to interference like wall plug adapters or like straight WiFi, so it creates a consistent high speed connection between your router and access point.

How Will a Network Adapter Make My Wi-Fi Better?

Imagine you are in your kitchen trying to load a video to make a new recipe and the kids are in the other room streaming a movie on Netflix. All of this streaming on your Wi-Fi network causes congestion, which can result in buffering.

With a MoCA Network Adapter you create a wired connection through your home’s coaxial wiring, which will give you faster speeds, a steadier connection and you’ll lose the congestion. Everyone will be able to stream what they need when they want it.

How does a MoCA Adapter Work?

MoCA Adapters are an entirely wired solution. Typically you’ll get two MoCA Adapters in a kit. You connect one to your modem/router and another to your device that needs reliable, fast Internet (like a set top box or Blu-ray player) near a coaxial port. Sometimes modems or routers are already “MoCA enabled.” In this case, you will only need a single MoCA Adapter at the other end. One MoCA device communicates to the other, sending your Internet data through the coaxial wiring in your home.

You won’t need to drill holes or install new Ethernet wiring. To connect MoCA Adapters, all you need to do is locate your coax cables and outlets. It’s that easy to get better WiFi!

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