# Extend home network using deca



## 901racer (Jan 8, 2011)

If on a dedicated coax just for extending a network say between upstairs and down when you already have the RG6 coax would two BB Deca's be the most cost effective method vs. two Deca adapters + PI's ? Any issues to be noted? Is there a more cost effective method?

Thanks in advance.


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## prestone683 (Aug 16, 2010)

Fish the exterior or closet with Cat5e. That's the 'proper' way to do it. I just fished exterior wall from basement to 3rd floor attic flooring, then across that floor to the appropriate drops to the 2nd floor. Basement to attic is the worst. If you can do that; you can drop from 1st to basement, basement to attic, then attic to second. Nothing exposed.... 3 cat-5s for internet to separate rooms, and a 4 conductor (for a doorbell on the second floor from the basement transformer; really only need 2, but in our business we double up for broken wire possibilities)

Now that's a wall fish..


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## veryoldschool (Dec 10, 2006)

901racer said:


> If on a dedicated coax just for extending a network say between upstairs and down when you already have the RG6 coax would two BB Deca's be the most cost effective method vs. two Deca adapters + PI's ? Any issues to be noted? Is there a more cost effective method?
> 
> Thanks in advance.


A BB DECA & a DECA + PI are functionally exactly the same.
Maybe not the cheapest way to do this [cat5 is cheap], but to answer your question about the two, they're the same.


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## prestone683 (Aug 16, 2010)

veryoldschool said:


> A BB DECA & a DECA + PI are functionally exactly the same.
> Maybe not the cheapest way to do this [cat5 is cheap], but to answer your question about the two, they're the same.


I could be wrong, but the OP sounded like he was asking not about WH services, but rather just 'regular' computer networking, and using a coax he had in the wall already. And just adding BB DECA's to either end, and using the coax as a 'Cat5 bridge' if you will...

I may have misread.


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## 901racer (Jan 8, 2011)

prestone683 said:


> I could be wrong, but the OP sounded like he was asking not about WH services, but rather just 'regular' computer networking, and using a coax he had in the wall already. And just adding BB DECA's to either end, and using the coax as a 'Cat5 bridge' if you will...
> 
> I may have misread.


Yes. Just a quick and easy eth Bridge. I have two rooms between floors in a three story slab house. Both rooms on external walls. Running the Cat5e will be a pain.

It looked like the deca + PI on both ends switch/router connected would be quick and easy. Cheaper than a PoE or Moca solution. The bb deca's are going for less than $20 on ebay, cheaper than a deca adapter + PI. The deca adapters + PI or a Moca or PoE would cost more from what I have seen.

If a bb deca which is powered and placed on both ends of the coax will bridge eth over coax for less than $40, this seems pretty reasonable for getting ~100mb into a hard to reach spot.

A recent WH install and a bit of reading here prompted the question.

Thanks for the responses and thoughts on this.


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## DrummerBoy523 (Jan 9, 2007)

901racer said:


> Yes. Just a quick and easy eth Bridge. I have two rooms between floors in a three story slab house. Both rooms on external walls. Running the Cat5e will be a pain.
> 
> It looked like the deca + PI on both ends switch/router connected would be quick and easy. Cheaper than a PoE or Moca solution. The bb deca's are going for less than $20 on ebay, cheaper than a deca adapter + PI. The deca adapters + PI or a Moca or PoE would cost more from what I have seen.
> 
> ...


BB DECA and DECA+PI are the same thing. One on each end of your cable will work.


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## 901racer (Jan 8, 2011)

Thanks for the info!


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## dsw2112 (Jun 13, 2009)

I've helped 2 neighbors with the same problem. Both purchased 2 broadband DECA's (on ebay) for a combined total of a bit over $35. Can't get much cheaper than that and setup is 5 minutes.


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## mageos (Apr 18, 2012)

OK. I think that I am trying to accomplish the same thing. I asked on the directTV forums and feel like I am crazy for even considering it. I have a 2 story rental on slab so running cables is out of the question for me. The home is already wired for cable with RG6 cabling. What I would like to do is have two of the new DECA units and use one in my office downstairs where my internet is coming into the house and another in my bonus room upstairs. I would like to use the second DECA adapter upstairs so that I can get internet on my bluray player and XBox that do not have wireless adapters. I was planning on putting an ethernet switch between the devices and the deca adapter.

Sounds like this configuration will work OK from the posts above. If I do it, should I let my DirectTV reciever upstairs use its own built in DECA reciever or use the ethernet port and and add it to the switch?

Has anybody seen problems with whole home DVR playback using more than one DECA adapter on the same coax network?


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## veryoldschool (Dec 10, 2006)

mageos said:


> Has anybody seen problems with whole home DVR playback using more than one DECA adapter on the same coax network?


you can have up to 16 DECAs or nodes on the network.


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