Find the cable modem that’s just right for your ISP

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PUBLIC DEFENDER Find the cable modem that’s just right for your ISP By Brian Livingston It’s hard as hell to find out the best device you can obtain t
[See the full post at: Find the cable modem that’s just right for your ISP]

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lmacri, SueW, DriftyDonN, woody

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Would it be possible to put a banner headline at the top of this sort of newsletter article saying
— USA ONLY —
when there is no connection with the variety and difference of practice in the rest of the world?

BATcher

Plethora means a lot to me.

4 users thanked author for this post.

Cesar, Tom, Fred, access-mdb

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This article, and most of the references, seem to ignore Verizon FIOS. It seems that DOCSIS doesn’t apply,  and though one source stated FIOS doesn’t need a modem  none of the routers ‘recommended’ for Verizon include cable connectors. Maybe you will cover this in your next part?

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There are no third-party FiOS compatible routers. Verizon FiOS does not use a modem.

https://forums.verizon.com/t5/Fios-Internet/New-to-FiOS-can-I-use-my-own-modem-and-router/td-p/796207

The entire system is totally proprietary.

 

-- rc primak

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A Verizon FIOS router is just a router with a built-in MoCA adapter. In order to replace the Verizon “router” you need four things:

1. Your own router
2. A MoCA adapter
3. MoCA Point-of Entry Filter
4. Ethernet Cable(s)

Links:

• YouTube: How to use your own router with Verizon FIOS Internet & TV
• YouTube: Where to install a MoCA filter
• MoCA Point-of Entry Filters

 

2 users thanked author for this post.

rc primak, wavy

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Nothing already built, I meant. Thanks.

-- rc primak

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With regards to WiFi version 6/5/4, throughput, and the speed of your link: Agreed that if you are only nominally getting 100mbs out of the modem from your provider then spending more for a version 5 or 6 wifi router may seem wasteful (other than for future proofing).

However, if you are doing any NAS, peer-to-peer, file serving on the same internal network, the benefit will be substantial and noticable. Another reason to consider spending the premium for a more robust local network. It’s not all just what you can get out of your ISP’s pipe.

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[Tom]

My office is in my home and my wife and I work in separate offices, with solid brick walls, and we have shared hard drives and printers. For this reason, although we have WiFi connectivity (very restricted) for guests and mobile devices, we’ve found that the only way to get the throughput we need is Gigabit ethernet using a switch.

• This reply was modified 4 years, 4 months ago by Tom.

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BATcher wrote:

Would it be possible to put a banner headline at the top of this sort of newsletter article saying
— USA ONLY —
when there is no connection with the variety and difference of practice in the rest of the world?

With cable being only a statistically insignificant small fraction of our ISP offerings, and VDSL being the vast majority of connections means that in Australia anyone can buy a VDSL/VDSL2 modem/router at any electronics outlet and it will work with whatever provider you’re using. Unless they are  in the lucky few % with fibre to the premises where a modem is not required. So yes, I agree. If I had seen a disclaimer (USA Only) I would have saved a few minutes of time I don’t have reading something that to me was completely irrelevant.

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[DriftyDonN]

I am one of those sold to Frontier by verizon FIOS in Fl and its basically been ugh! teck support doesn’t exist!

After reading thru these articles on Routers etc, and realizing you made excellent points, I went to Approved Modem site recommended. Poked around a long time and apparently missed something very important. I purchased from Amazon the editors choice (see attached)

Now I haven’t even opened the box yet and thru reading “how to set up” It occurs to me there is no cable connector, only an ethernet !!

So, now what? I assumed this editor recommendation for Frontier FIOS would have taken into account I am connected thru an ONT into the house and then via cable into Frontier Router. I can return this But if I am missing something perhaps I wont have to….?

Any help Public Defender?

Many Thanks for your input, output and shared knowledge!

DonN

• This reply was modified 4 years, 4 months ago by DriftyDonN.
• This reply was modified 4 years, 4 months ago by DriftyDonN. Reason: sp

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[Bob99]

So there’s a coaxial cable (just like the cable TV ones) going from the wall to Frontier’s router??

Fiber networks do not rely on a modem for connection, but need an ONT box and a router, so really you need to look for the best router for Frontier FiOS rather than Frontier approved modem.

That quote from the Approvedmodem.com site (Approved Modem) makes it sound like all you really should have to do is plug the router right into the ONT box somehow.

I don’t have nor have I ever had fiber optic into the house but, from the sounds of it, Verizon and/or subsequently Frontier found a way to make that connection between their supplied equipment and the ONT box using coax cable instead of anything like networking cable. They probably used the coax cable because that’s all their supplied equipment (modem/router combination device AKA “gateway device”) would take at the time for its input.

• This reply was modified 4 years, 4 months ago by Bob99. Reason: added quote from Approved Modems site
• This reply was modified 4 years, 4 months ago by Bob99. Reason: clarified name of Approved Modem site

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[DriftyDonN]

If you have FIOS , yes.

otherwise it only has ethernet connector cause it is for modem not ROUTER. so this will NOT work with FIOS system

Check it out at netgear website. Bad info provided in this newsletter I guess.

• This reply was modified 4 years, 4 months ago by DriftyDonN.

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[Bob99]

Don-

See if you can find a jack that looks like an Ethernet port somewhere, anywhere on the ONT box in your house. Just maybe then you can connect the router you bought directly to the ONT box and then do away with Frontier’s gateway device!

From what I’ve read recently, the ONT box is supposed to terminate the fiber connection with an Ethernet port, so there should be an Ethernet port somewhere on the box itself or just inside if you can open the box with a simple method like a latch or something similar.

• This reply was modified 4 years, 4 months ago by Bob99.

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I appreciate the advice Bob but my ONT is out in the garage, too far away. Also, I was led to believe it was ready to go ie PNP.

Live n learn. I’m just returning it for a refund.

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After taking offered advice from approvedmodem site as suggested, Don’t do it. The editors choice for frontier fios obviously was written by someone who didn’t understand FIOS comes to house thru an ONT which then sends signals through normal TV cable The editors choice netgear unit is NOT compatible as it’s only connector is ethernet.
As a victim, ( having to go thru the return process to Amazon-who gives these 3rd party(?)- a cut) I’ll be certain to not use anyone that gets paid by amazon for their ads and advice.

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Hi Don!

After reading @SFB ‘s reply below, I went to the FAQ page on DSL Reports that he listed, and I read the FAQ about the pros and cons of the two different types of installation available. The big CON about the coax type of installation is that it locks you into getting a router from Verizon for the length of your coax-type installation, as you now know.

The way out is to have someone come out and quote you a price to run Cat. 5e or, preferably, Cat. 6 networking cable from the garage to the same point in the house that the coax is run to from the garage. No, it might not be cheap to do. 

However, maybe Frontier will be willing to do it to keep you as a customer; after all, I know of some folks who have gotten rid of their traditional landline and/or cable TV internet providers and now get their internet access through their cell phone plan for all the devices in the house! That’s why I said that Frontier might just have their techs come out to your place to do the coax to Ethernet switchover so they can keep you as a customer. Please see the next paragraphs for more.

Seems as if Verizon has changed their tune in the recent years according to what I’ve just seen on the DSLReports FAQ page about FiOS installation types:

Verizon’s standard install is now Ethernet from the ONT>Router, however they will use existing coax for speeds under 100/100 at customer’s request if existing coax is present.

I added the emphasis in the quote above for what you see in bold. So, basically they don’t do your kind of installation any more unless the customer requests it AND has a service speed level below 100 megabits per second AND there is coax cable already present in the premises. Also, that statement specifies Verizon and not Frontier, but if Frontier is still doing FiOS installations around your area these days, they may be following the same guidelines.

As @SFB says below, go ahead and give Frontier a call to see if they’ll switch your service over coax to Ethernet, it can’t hurt.

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@DriftyDonN: You need to call Frontier and ask them to switch your ONT from MoCA WAN to Ethernet WAN or place a MoCA adapter between the ONT and your router. Did you watch the YouTube video shared in this post?: https://www.askwoody.com/forums/topic/find-the-cable-modem-thats-just-right-for-your-isp/#post-2335945

Pay attention to what is said about the ONT (Starts @1 minute 15 seconds in). Every setup is different. It depends on your combination of internet, voice (phone) and TV along with your fiber link rate. It’s up to you to do your homework and order the correct equipment for your particular situation. Do you have GPON or BPON ONT? You might need a truck roll.

Also take a look at section 3.1 of the FAQ for Verizon FiOS posted at dslreports: https://www.dslreports.com/faq/verizonfios

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Perhaps I am carrying this out too far but I would be surprised if you have ever spoken to anyone at Frontier tech support. NO HELP and LONG wait times. I have been with them for nearly 5 yrs and they have very little tech knowledge- at least i haven’t found any after MANY calls. I have cable in 4 rms and the ont on the opposite side of the house in garage. I cant even get them to change my account number to correspond to the correct telephone number without an expensive tech svc call. When frontier took over from verizon, they swapped my second phone number and used it as my main account number- and cannot seem to understand how to change the digits in there accounting dept! I do not like frontier but have no choice

Rant over-

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@DriftyDonN: I feel your frustration with Frontier. I’ve found that calling your local location provides much more knowledgeable / helpful / useful information. Local Florida location phone numbers can be found from this link: https://frontier.com/corporate/retailstores/florida

Again, if you want eliminate the Frontier router without changing the ONT you would need to setup a MoCA WAN. Details can be found here: How to use a MOCA WAN bridge?

 

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