FIOS service upgrade - saving money

Hi all, 

We have FIOS service and one of their wireless routers. For months now it has been disconnecting requiring a reboot, often a few times each day. It seems to be getting worse.

First, does anyone have a spare we can borrow short-term?

Second, can anyone recommend a new one, preferably one I can order on Amazon?




jimmurphy said:

Hi all, 

We have FIOS service and one of their wireless routers. For months now it has been disconnecting requiring a reboot, often a few times each day. It seems to be getting worse.

First, does anyone have a spare we can borrow short-term?

Second, can anyone recommend a new one, preferably one I can order on Amazon?



 If you can incorporate a Mesh WiFi to FIOS, I highly recommend a NEST system. 


vermontgolfer said:

 If you can incorporate a Mesh WiFi to FIOS, I highly recommend a NEST system. 

 Sorry, I have no idea what that means.


Hi Jim. 

I don't have a spare wifi router, I'm afraid.

I purchased a Google Wifi router a couple of years ago. It has to be attached to an internet source, so I plugged it into our Fios Gateway router. I have a second one that acts as an extender so it gives me excellent seamless wifi all over the house and even my front and back yard.

That's what vermontgolfer means by a mesh system. Google is now making something called the Nest system which replaces Google Wifi. Linksys and Netgear also offer similar systems.

Do you have a router that just connects to your coax cable?


mrincredible said:

Hi Jim. 

I don't have a spare wifi router, I'm afraid.

I purchased a Google Wifi router a couple of years ago. It has to be attached to an internet source, so I plugged it into our Fios Gateway router. I have a second one that acts as an extender so it gives me excellent seamless wifi all over the house and even my front and back yard.

That's what vermontgolfer means by a mesh system. Google is now making something called the Nest system which replaces Google Wifi. Linksys and Netgear also offer similar systems.

Do you have a router that just connects to your coax cable?

 Jim, Mr.incrdible did a pretty good job of explaining, probably better than I could have. It’s simple to install, it just replaced your current router and the sell a kit that comes with extenders that they call Beacons. 

I always had connection issues until I purchased this and since, my problems have disappeared. Two cautions, it’s not cheap and if you have a device that requires 2.5Ghz, I don’t think the Nest supports that, since I ran into that issue when trying to install in a second location.  

Hope this helps. 


OK, thanks to both of you

Yes Mr I, the current WiFi router is just fed by a coax cable from the FIOS box. 

I looked up Google Mesh and found that CNET gave it high marks. Netgear Orbi1200 was listed as the value pick at less than half the price. Hmmm.


So now I’m seeing that the Nest and netgear routers do not appear to have coax inputs. Do I need an intermediate modem of something to make them work?


Did some more investigating. 

The FIOS network interface box has a coax cable output which is then split to deal with TV distribution through coax as well as a coax input to the router.

There is also an unused Ethernet output port. Seems like I could connect the new router to this unused port - correct? 

And strangely an Ethernet cable output
with only one pair punched down. Is this for voice?


jimmurphy said:

Did some more investigating. 

The FIOS network interface box has a coax cable output which is then split to deal with TV distribution through coax as well as a coax input to the router.

There is also an unused Ethernet output port. Seems like I could connect the new router to this unused port - correct? 

And strangely an Ethernet cable output
with only one pair punched down. Is this for voice?

 Jim, that is why I mentioned in my first reply that I didn’t know if it would work with FIOS, I have Optimum and it uses an Ethernet connection. 

As to your specific question about using Ethernet with FIOS, someone smarter than me will have to address that, sorry. 


Looks like I’d need Verizon to activate that port per the website below. 

https://www.groundedreason.com/use-router-fios-internet/

And it’s not recommended if you have FIOS TV, which we do...

Maybe I should switch back to cable and Altice.



That’s why I mentioned about not knowing about FIOS, since I have no history with them. 

Good luck, hope you find a solution. 


Verizon may need to provide you cable modem to connect to the coax.


How do you watch TV in your house?

FIOS--->Verizon Cable Modem-->Verizon Cable boxes--->TV?

                     

And for internet:

FIOS---->Same Cable Modem (Actiontec Router?)--->Wired and/or Wireless laptops etc?


I know so little about this stuff, but we have an Apple router  (I think an airport express) that we no longer need. If that fits the bill, you are welcome to it.


sbenois said:

How do you watch TV in your house?

FIOS--->Verizon Cable Modem-->Verizon Cable boxes--->TV?

                     

And for internet:

FIOS---->Same Cable Modem (Actiontec Router?)--->Wired and/or Wireless laptops etc?

 TV is FIOS —> splitter —> cable box —> TV

Internet is FIOS —> splitter —> modem —> wired and wireless laptops


And thanks Orangemonkey. I’ll look into whether that will work.


jimmurphy said:

Hi all, 

We have FIOS service and one of their wireless routers. For months now it has been disconnecting requiring a reboot, often a few times each day. It seems to be getting worse.

First, does anyone have a spare we can borrow short-term?

Second, can anyone recommend a new one, preferably one I can order on Amazon?



 I just replaced my Fios router (MI424WR Rev.1 / wireless N) last week with the latest Fios Router G3100 (wireless AC and AX) for $250 on Amazon.  One of the great things about the Fios routers is that they are MOCA repeaters, allowing internet signal over your Coax cable to your TV and XBOX. 

I had to upgrade the wireless due to work at home/college courses.  PM me if you need the old router.


Regards,


RCH


Picked up a fairly new Verizon G1100 from someone on FB. An extender too.

Fired up the router this morning. So far so good.

Intrigued by the MOCA repeater comment, rch2330. That would seem to imply that the cable boxes are downstream from the router. Am I correct?


@rch2330,

If that router is available we may be able to use it.

TIA


jimmurphy said:

Picked up a fairly new Verizon G1100 from someone on FB. An extender too.

Fired up the router this morning. So far so good.

Intrigued by the MOCA repeater comment, rch2330. That would seem to imply that the cable boxes are downstream from the router. Am I correct?

 It does seem like the cable boxes are downstream from the router, but I couldn't say for sure.  I never tested turning the router off and seeing if the cable boxes would work.  Since MOCA and your cable run via the same coax on different frequencies, you have to split the coax with cable splitter (maybe $5?, if that), with one coax cable going to cable box and the other going to the MOCA STB (should have a least two Ethernet ports).  If you don't split the cable via splitter, for whatever reason, you lose the guide info for cable box (at least in my experience).  For my MOCA STB, I used Actiontec WCB3000N.  It's $16 on Amazon and has two ethernet ports.  It can also act as a wireless extender (wireless N) and with a little work, you can change the SSID on it to match your main router for seamlessly moving between them.  Using MOCA as wireless extender is far superior to a wireless repeater (MESH networks are different and better than wireless repeaters, but I haven't used a MESH network, so a network guru could say why they are better).


Regards,


RCH



RCH,

Is the Actiontec WCB3000N downstream from a cable modem of any kind? I would love to replace my Fios Gateway that I'm renting for $10 a month.

Ideally I would like a cable modem without wifi that could take the coax signal from my ONT and give me an ethernet source to which I could attach my Google Wifi main node. 

I have read you can have the ethernet port on the Fios ONT activated, but that will mess up your cable TV. Sounds like you can either do ethernet or coax out from the ONT, not both. So I cant just hook up my Google wifi to the ONT.

As I mentioned before with two Google wifi units I get awesome coverage in my whole house. Much better from the single Gateway router.


OK, so as part of this whole deal I reviewed my account with FIOS.  

Turns out I can *save* 70 bucks a month by making some changes including upgrading my internet speed from 50/50 to 200/200. 

The new router supports up to 1GB, so I'm good there.  Took quite a bit of time to get them to understand I don't need their upgraded router.  I do need to connect to the ethernet port on the Network Interface box, so they are activating it at Noon. Initially they told me I needed a swap of that interface box, which they couldn't do until November(!), but since I had seen the ethernet port I made them check and they were wrong.

I am concerned that this will screw up the guide on TV. Guess I'll find out shortly... 


jimmurphy said:

OK, so as part of this whole deal I reviewed my account with FIOS.  

Turns out I can *save* 70 bucks a month by making some changes including upgrading my internet speed from 50/50 to 200/200. 

The new router supports up to 1GB, so I'm good there.  Took quite a bit of time to get them to understand I don't need their upgraded router.  I do need to connect to the ethernet port on the Network Interface box, so they are activating it at Noon. Initially they told me I needed a swap of that interface box, which they couldn't do until November(!), but since I had seen the ethernet port I made them check and they were wrong.

I am concerned that this will screw up the guide on TV. Guess I'll find out shortly... 

 FIOS came last week and switched to FIOS one with new boxes and they put in a new OEM outside and a new box in basement. Saving 65 dollars a month and get 200/200. They did not charge for the new installation. Works great .  


They wanted to charge me $149 to come out and couldn't come for months.  I helped them figure out that they don't have to come.


I'll be curious to see how this works out. What I read online is activating the ethernet port disables data on the coax output. You still have cable TV but you lose video on demand, DVR functionality and the onscreen guide. Apparently those are supported by internet over the coax.

We haven't cut the cord yet on cable TV and we use the DVR all the time. So it's not a tenable option for us. But let us know how it works out.


Yeah, those concerns are why I posted. Guess I’ll find out shortly.


Made the wiring change.  They clearly have activated the ethernet port as the router I'm communicating through is connected to the ethernet port now and not to COAX.

Was supposed to get a call at Noon.  Nothing so far. No emails either.  They couldn't put through the order until I made the wiring change. 

Speedtest shows same speed as before - makes sense if the order has not gone through.  TV works, guide works. On-Demand does not. Rebooted the set-top-box.  Got a screen indicating that the box does not have access to data services. Makes sense.

Will have to see if they have a solution to this.  Perhaps an ethernet cable to the STB?


Verizon called. Told me to reconnect the coax as well. Everything now works including On Demand.


Wireless over 100/100 in the same room, compared to 50/50 before.  They tell me that their reading for wired is over 200 both directions. Need to work on relocating the router.


The only way you will get close to the 200 is with a wired Ethernet connection from your router to your computer, I think.  But it will still be fast enough for anything over wifi.


CNET has the Google wifi tested at 470 Mbps throughout. They don't recommend it if your speed is over 200 though since you lose some of that speed over distance.


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