Can someone explain what MoCA is?

[ziggurcat]

It's a setting in the modem, but I have no idea what it does.  It's currently disabled, but I only just disabled it, and I think it may have been the root cause of my speed problems.  As soon as I disabled it in the modem, I tested my wired connection on my PS5, and it registered at the max 750Mbps - prior to that it was only registering 180Mbps.  

And there's also an adapter at the end where my coax cable connects to my modem with a sticker that says "do not remove, required for MoCA" - can I remove that if I don't even have any use for it? 

[Spatch]

Interesting.  I’d never heard of it myself but found this on the web.  It’s short for “multimedia over coax.”

https://www.screenbeam.com/wifihelp/wifibooster/how-does-moca-work/

As to how it relates to the specific circumstances you describe, that’s over my pay grade. Others more knowledgeable will need to chime in.

[mdk]

@ziggurcat --  do not remove, required for MoCA

Normally, the coaxial-cable carries signals "into" your PVR, and the only signals going "out" from your PVR are Shaw On Demand & Shaw Pay Per View requests. However, when MoCA is enabled, signals go out of your PVR, to the other coaxial-cables inside the walls of your residence, so that a Shaw "pod" in a different room can be connected to the coaxial-port (and a TV) in that room, to let you watch live (and recorded) content while in that room.

Yes, I think that you can remove it. Further, I think that this filter might be wrongly-placed within your "star-fish" network of coaxial cables. It depends on whether this filter is blocking signals coming "in" to your PVR (so that your network does not receive any MoCA signals from your neighbours' devices, or whether this filter is blocking your PVR from sending MoCA signals "out" to your neighbours' devices.

The results of a Bing-search for GLF-1002 gives the following information.

Features and Benefits GLF-1002 Input Blocking Filter: https://www.antronix.com/pdf/filters/ds-1094-sn-glf-1002.pdf · PDF file

The GLF-1002 is a compact inline low-pass filter ideal for MoCA® applications.

When installed at the input to a premise location, this filter will block MoCA® signals from escaping one home and interfering with an adjacent home.

Unfortunately, that PDF file is no longer available on that web-site.

[rstra]

@mdkis correct, you can remove that filter. There was a time when the filters were placed in the home to protect non moca equipment, by isolating the gateway and portals or (or wired BlueCurve boxes) from things like modems and legacy cable boxes. Now the filters are generally just placed on the line coming in to the home to prevent the signal from going out to the street.

It is odd that your BlueCurve modem had moca enabled, they are usually disabled. 

[ziggurcat]

As per usual, I spoke too soon.  Tested everything last night and was getting expected speeds.  Right now, after removing the moca adapter, testing the connection wired on my laptop, it's only generating 50Mbps, which is ridiculous.  Why does Shaw keep throttling my speeds?

[mdk]

@ziggurcat -- Why does Shaw keep throttling my speeds?

Shaw states that they do not throttle, except to limit, within the cable-modem, your download-speed to the speed for which you are paying.

Do you have (or can borrow) a different computer, to temporarily replace the laptop, to retest?

What speed do you get after you re-insert the MoCA adapter?