A fast network connection is not a luxury, but what if you cannot pull network cables? If you do have a coaxial cable for television, the Hirschmann INCA 1G promises to be a solution for a gigabit network connection. We have tested for you whether that is really the case.
Hirschmann INCA 1G
Price € 69.96 (loose adapter), € 115.95 (set of two adapters)
Connections 2x IEC coax connection, micro USB connection, gigabit network connection
Technic Bonded MoCa 2.0 (1 Gbit / s)
Website www.hirschmann-multimedia.com 9 Score 90 
Pros
- Full gigabit speed
- Easy to connect
- Compact and sturdy housing
- Low energy consumption
Cons
- Encryption is not adjustable
The technology with which you can use a coaxial cable for television for network signals is called MoCa. The tested INCA 1G is not Hirschmann’s first MoCa adapter, for example, we tested the Moka 16 in 2013, followed a few years later by the Moka 32. At the Moka 16, Hirschmann promised speeds of 175 Mbit / s, with the successor 400 Mbit / s and with this INCA 1G we find a promised speed of no less than 1 Gbit / s on the packaging. From previous experiences with the predecessors of the INCA 1G we know that the speeds of the MoCa adapters, in contrast to those of powerline adapters, come very close to the promised speeds. Coax cables, unlike electricity cables, are designed for signal transmission and shielded against interference from outside. The INCA 1G is also compatible with Hirschmann’s earlier MoCa adapters, the connection speed is of course limited by the older adapter.
The INCA 1G adapter has two coax connections and a gigabit network connection.
Operation
The INCA 1G is a compact metal cabinet with a size of 11 x 4.6 x 2 centimeters that you can optionally screw onto the wall with a screw. On the top you will find two IEC coax connections while the bottom has a network port and mico-usb connection for the power supply. Just like the well-known powerline adapters, you need at least two MoCa adapters to use the technology. You usually place one in the meter cupboard near your router and the other you install where you need a network connection. Of course a coax cable must run to that location. That is immediately the most important limitation of MoCa technology: you usually have a limited number of coax connections at home. An active cable subscription is not necessary, a coax cable from the meter cupboard to the usage space is enough to use the adapters. In addition to the individual adapters, Hirschmann also sells a set of two adapters in one package, the INCA 1G white SET that can be purchased for around 130 euros. A MoCa network can consist of a maximum of sixteen adapters.
The INCA 1G adapter is connected to the wall socket in the living room.
Easy to connect
Connecting the adapter is very easy. Whereas the previous variants of Hirschmann’s MoCa adapters used the f-connectors that are customary for satellite television, the Inca 1G is equipped with the standard IEC connectors for cable television. Handy, since most coax networks in the house will be intended for cable television. On one coax connection, if you have cable television, connect a cable to your subscriber transfer point and connect the other connection to the coaxial cable that runs to the point where you install the second adapter. Of course you also connect a network cable to your router. On the other hand, connect the adapter to the wall connection with a coaxial cable and if you have cable television, connect your television or television receiver to the second coaxial connection. You can then connect your network equipment to the network connection.
Just like the predecessors, the INCA 1G adapters have no possibility of setting a unique encryption key, something that the technology itself can do under the name MoCa Protected setup. According to Hirschmann, the data signals do not go beyond the subscriber transfer point, but we could still find setting up an encryption key a safe idea.
You can use your possible television and cable modem in combination with the INCA 1G adapters.
Results
We have tested the INCA 1G at home for the coax connection in our living room. The wall contains a coaxial cable of approximately 25 meters that was installed thirteen years ago. The wall socket has recently been replaced by something modern, the Braun Telecom btv 01. The cable ends in the meter box where the router is also installed.
When installed, the coaxial cable incorporated in the wall was probably a good cable, but in the year 2020 it is certainly not the best shielded cable on the market. A great test situation, because the INCA 1G is intended for situations where you don’t want to pull new cables. We achieve a speed of 949 Mbit / s in our benchmark, or, as promised, a full gigabit speed without problems. An impressive performance that no powerline adapter can match. If you can choose between MoCa or powerline, then definitely go for MoCa.
The MoCa adapter is then connected to a switch in the television cabinet to which various equipment is connected. In practice everything turned out to work fine. The energy consumption of the adapters is limited by 3 watts each. A 1 amp (5 watt) USB charger is included. In the meter cupboard, however, we did not have a free socket and we connected the USB cable of the INCA 1G to a USB port on the router. This turned out not to be a problem.
The MoCa signal has no influence on television signals: the television reception is also excellent with connected adapters. The frequencies used for the MoCa technology are therefore outside the frequencies used by the cable providers.
Conclusion
With the INCA 1G, Hirschmann puts an excellent alternative to a normal network cable on the market with which you can set up a gigabit connection without any problems. Something that we have never succeeded with a powerline adapter and is because a coaxial cable has been designed for signal transmission. A disadvantage is that the encryption cannot be set by itself, although the signals do not go beyond the aop, according to Hirschmann.
The biggest disadvantage of this excellent technology remains that you probably have a limited number of coax connections that you can change into a network connection with this INCA 1G. If you happen to have a coax connection in the right place, then this is the best solution for realizing a fast and stable network connection without pulling network cables.
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