# DECA ordering and configuration question



## anleva (Nov 14, 2007)

I've been using MRV on a self installed ethernet network. I'm thinking I'll upgrade to a supported DECA configuration. I want to confirm what I need to order and how best to configure it.

Current set-up:

HR24-500
HR23-700
HR20-700

In central wiring closet:

SWM8 (I did not see a green label)
1x8 SWM Splitter (green label)
SWM Power Inserter

I think I will need to order the following (any advice on which generation?)

2-DECA Adapters (For HR23 and HR20)
1-CCK (DECA Adapter and Power)
1- Band Stop Filter

Configuration?

SWM1 Port --> Power Inserter

SWM2 Port --> BSF --> 1x8 Splitter --> 3 DVRs and CCK/Internet

Each splitter port would go to each DVR one splitter port would go to CCK

Is this correct? I have a direct connection available in my wiring location so don't need wireless. Should I go with the 2nd generation DECA adapters? Which CCK should I purchase, I'm confused about the choices there.

Thanks!


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## dennisj00 (Sep 27, 2007)

I'd go ahead and order the wcck even if you use it directly connected. At $30 it's about the price of another DECA and PI. And sometime in the future you may want wireless. It's a pretty flexible device, even to the point of using it as a wireless adapter without using the DECA port.

If you're ordering from ebay or SS, I'd also get a 4 way splitter and replace the 8 particularly if any of your coax runs are long. 8-ways are used way too much and have a higher loss.


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## nike5580 (Jun 29, 2010)

The wcck can also be wall mounted, which might come in handy in your wiring closet.


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## dennisj00 (Sep 27, 2007)

And throw in a couple of two-way splitters just to avoid shipping cost in the future.


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## Stuart Sweet (Jun 19, 2006)

I don't see why you would need a band stop filter there. It would work, since you're not sharing to SWM1 at all, but it's not the way most people wire it. 

I've gotten varying responses as far as wiring the way you suggest. Some people say it's ok, as in, "why wouldn't it be?" Others suggest that having no receivers on SWM1 causes some sort of problem down the line. 

Here's what I would do instead:

First of all, the SWM8 can be powered through the Legacy 3 port. This is how it's done in commercial installs. Keeping the PI away from the receivers guarantees that you will never fry a receiver by hooking it up wrong. Or you can put the PI between any DVR and the SWM and it won't be a problem as long as you don't hook it up backwards. 

Now, I'd avoid that 1x8 splitter, you don't need it. The power levels through a 1x4 are quite a bit higher, it depends on how you measure them because dBm's are logarithmic but suffice it to say, don't use a 1x8 unless you have to. Use a 1x4 instead. You can run a separate line to the PI if you want and still have room for 3 DVRs if you want. Remember to terminate unused connections, including those on the PI.

All that can run from SWM1 and you can keep SWM2 capped off.


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## anleva (Nov 14, 2007)

Stuart Sweet said:


> I don't see why you would need a band stop filter there. It would work, since you're not sharing to SWM1 at all, but it's not the way most people wire it.
> 
> I've gotten varying responses as far as wiring the way you suggest. Some people say it's ok, as in, "why wouldn't it be?" Others suggest that having no receivers on SWM1 causes some sort of problem down the line.
> 
> ...


Thanks! Some clarifying questions/comments:

1) So either hook up the PI to Legacy 3 port or hook it up to one port of the splitter (between the splitter port and 1 of the DVR's?). Any recommendation one way or the other?

2) Not sure why I have a 1x8. It's been awhile. Maybe a remnant of the 2 lines to each DVR or something or I had it for future expansion. But I like the suggestions you and others have made for better performance to go with a 1x4 as I have 4 ports unused right now. I'll order one of those.

3) Right now all 3 DVRs are connected to the internet through my router (and a switch). So if I move to DECA, I assume then I only have 1 internet connection (through the CCK) now for the whole DECA group of DVRs?

4) Any other configuration I need to worry about? Or is it as simple as turning everything off, configuring and cabling, and then turning all the DVRs back on and it will auto discover the network?

Thanks all! It also sounds like the wireless CCK can also do wired.


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## anleva (Nov 14, 2007)

Oh and one more question. It sounds like I don't need a band stop filter. I was confused about that one as I thought I read if you have a green label SWM-8 you don't need one and if you don't have a green label SWM-8 you do. Can you clarify that?


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## Stuart Sweet (Jun 19, 2006)

anleva said:


> Thanks! Some clarifying questions/comments:
> 
> 1) So either hook up the PI to Legacy 3 port or hook it up to one port of the splitter (between the splitter port and 1 of the DVR's?). Any recommendation one way or the other?


If you're not afraid of an extra wire I would go in through legacy 3. I'm just afraid of frying a receiver. But the installers do them in series all the time, and that's how I did my mom's install.



> 2) Not sure why I have a 1x8. It's been awhile. Maybe a remnant of the 2 lines to each DVR or something or I had it for future expansion. But I like the suggestions you and others have made for better performance to go with a 1x4 as I have 4 ports unused right now. I'll order one of those.


Excellent.



> 3) Right now all 3 DVRs are connected to the internet through my router (and a switch). So if I move to DECA, I assume then I only have 1 internet connection (through the CCK) now for the whole DECA group of DVRs?


Correct. Disconnect the ethernet cables from all receivers, they will all get internet from the Cinema Connection Kit, once you connect the DECAs to the older receivers. 


> 4) Any other configuration I need to worry about? Or is it as simple as turning everything off, configuring and cabling, and then turning all the DVRs back on and it will auto discover the network?


If you are changing from legacy wiring to SWM (It sounds like you aren't, but other people may read this,) you need to disconnect the lines into SAT2, take off the B-Band converters, and re-run satellite setup making sure the multiswitch type is set to SWM.



> Thanks all! It also sounds like the wireless CCK can also do wired.


Yes it can, that's how I use mine. You can buy the wired one from your choice of internet retailers, I had a wireless one from a previous install.



> Oh and one more question. It sounds like I don't need a band stop filter. I was confused about that one as I thought I read if you have a green label SWM-8 you don't need one and if you don't have a green label SWM-8 you do. Can you clarify that?


If you feel your SWM is "really" that old, as in pre-2009, a band stop filter is a good bet. But honestly, it's been so long since I saw a SWM that old, the situation didn't cross my mind.


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## anleva (Nov 14, 2007)

Another question. 

I could add the CCK to one of the 1x4 splitter ports and then connect it to my router.

Is there an option to add it at the DVR location? I have an internet connection to the router there as well, could it be added off of one of the coax ports either on the DVR or inline with the DECA adapter?


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## The Merg (Jun 24, 2007)

anleva;3168389 said:


> Thanks! Some clarifying questions/comments:
> 
> 1) So either hook up the PI to Legacy 3 port or hook it up to one port of the splitter (between the splitter port and 1 of the DVR's?). Any recommendation one way or the other?
> 
> ...


1. I would use the Legacy port to power the PI. As Stuart mentioned, that will keep anything from getting fried accidentally.

2. You. Go with the 4-way splitter.

3. Correct. The CCK bridges your home network to the DECA Cloud allowing all the receivers to have Internet access over the coax network.

4. That's it. When powering back up, power up the SWM first via the PI, the CCK, and then do one receiver at a time making sure that each has access to the Internet before you move on to the next one.

And yes, the w-CCK can be hooked up to operate in a wired fashion.

- Merg

*Edit:* Apparently some posts that were there that weren't showing for me showed up after I made this one.


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## The Merg (Jun 24, 2007)

anleva;3168484 said:


> Another question.
> 
> I could add the CCK to one of the 1x4 splitter ports and then connect it to my router.
> 
> Is there an option to add it at the DVR location? I have an internet connection to the router there as well, could it be added off of one of the coax ports either on the DVR or inline with the DECA adapter?


The CCK can be placed anywhere. The wireless version has a pass through port so it can be installed in-line (one side would go back to the SWM and the other side can go to a receiver). The wired version has to be on its own coax. If you have an Ethernet connection near a receiver and are using the wired version, you could just install a 2-way splitter there with one output going to the CCK and the other to your receiver.

- Merg


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## anleva (Nov 14, 2007)

The Merg said:


> The CCK can be placed anywhere. The wireless version has a pass through port so it can be installed in-line (one side would go back to the SWM and the other side can go to a receiver). The wired version has to be on its own coax. If you have an Ethernet connection near a receiver and are using the wired version, you could just install a 2-way splitter there with one output going to the CCK and the other to your receiver.
> 
> - Merg


Thanks! With the wired version could you also connect it to the 2nd satellite input on a DVR that is unused rather than a 2-way splitter? I often wondered if the two coax inputs are somehow connected internal to the DVR and would function as a LAN.


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## The Merg (Jun 24, 2007)

anleva;3168505 said:


> Thanks! With the wired version could you also connect it to the 2nd satellite input on a DVR that is unused rather than a 2-way splitter? I often wondered if the two coax inputs are somehow connected internal to the DVR and would function as a LAN.


The SAT2 input cannot be used that way. The 2-way splitter is the best way to do it.

- Merg


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## anleva (Nov 14, 2007)

Thanks


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## anleva (Nov 14, 2007)

All my equipment has arrived so will install this weekend. I want to be clear on where to put the Band stop filter. My SWM-8 is non-green label so I need to install a BSF.

I assum you put it between the SWM-8 and the 4-way splitter as follows?

SWM1 port --> capped (PI will be off legacy 3 port)

SWM2 Port --> Band stop filter --> 1x4 Splitter --> 3 DVRs and CCK/Internet

Or does it go between one of the 1x4 splitter ports and one of the DVRs/CCK?

Does the direction it is placed matter? (I haven't looked at the connectors, maybe there is only one way direction to insert it anyway).


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## nike5580 (Jun 29, 2010)

Yes, you will want to place the BSF between your SWM and your 4 way splitter. I dont think it matters which way the BSF is installed.


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## anleva (Nov 14, 2007)

Thank you!


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## anleva (Nov 14, 2007)

In case anyone is interested. I was able to get the equipment I needed for a total of $47.94 off eBay. I already had a SWM-8 and PI so I did not have to purchase those.


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## The Merg (Jun 24, 2007)

The SWM is usually the biggest expense. A SWM16 goes for around $270 still.

- Merg


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## Beerstalker (Feb 9, 2009)

Not on eBay. I've bought a SWM 16 with power inserter, and two 8 way splitters for around $80 with shipping.


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## The Merg (Jun 24, 2007)

True, a bargain can be found on eBay. I was listing out the price you would pay if you were to buy it retail.

- Merg


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## anleva (Nov 14, 2007)

Thanks for all your help guys! Set it up this afternoon and everything is working great per your instructions. I couldn't get an internet connection for a bit, but after some receiver and router reboots everything settled in and worked.


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## The Merg (Jun 24, 2007)

Glad to hear it.

- Merg


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