Can you beat Verizon?

[Clodfobble]

Verizon shows their academic prowess:

[Happy Monkey]

You won't be able to use your DVR for FIOS programming, but if it works now, I don't see any reason it won't continue to work for antenna programs, as long as you have a way to switch between it and your FIOS box on your TV. So you can watch your FIOS while recording an on-air program on your DVR.

You may not be able to record FIOS unless you get a FIOS DVR, though.

[glatt]

So does there have to be a set top box for FIOS TV? The TV's digital tuner can't see the FIOS signal without a box to help it?

[Undertoad]

This is true although you can theoretically get "cable cards" to work with TiVos and whatnot.

[Stormieweather]

I have FIOS and I love it. Prior to Fios, I had DSL and prior to that, plain-jane cable internet. As a gamer who requires uninterrupted internet access, it rocks.

I did nothing to prepare for install. Actually, I rented the house partly because Verizon said Fios was available for the address. Turns out they missed the 4 houses on my block (2 on each side of the street). After trying to weasle out of providing it, they sent a team out and put a line in under the 4 lane highway next to the house. They had to put new wires in the house and it didn't cost me a dime. We have wireless on all computers except my main box (there are 3 other desktops and 2 laptops). Once, the router pooped out on us, and verizon sent us a new one within 2 days.

I don't use the phone service, but it doesn't cost any more to have it than it would to not have it, so the single phone we have sits there, unplugged. I guess if the cell phones go kaput, we can always use the land line.

The cable is nice because we DVR shows we like and then watch them at our convenience. That way, we don't feel we are at the television's mercy. I pay $10 a month for the DVR, and one set top box is included. The other TV's have only basic boxes (no charge), but they don't come with the on demand menu or being able to watch recorded shows.

The whole thing is not the cheapest service there is, but I've had the cheapest and this is better, by far.

[glatt]

Yeah, it's looking like I have to rent some sort of a set top box for around $10-$20 a month to get the TV service. This makes me less excited about this package deal. I couldn't turn it down when the price was the same and they were giving me $300, but if the price is $20 more each month, then that's no deal.

I like the internet and phone though. FiOS is good stuff.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Around here the regular set top box is $3 and the HD box is $10 if you want HD.

[tw]

Originally Posted by glatt

Yeah, it's looking like I have to rent some sort of a set top box for around $10-$20 a month to get the TV service.

With either service, the cable must enter into a master box. That box separated the TV, internet and telephone signals.

An RJ-11 telephone receptacle connects your existing phone via a standard RJ-11 connector. You could even connect one phone directly instead of the entire house.

An RJ-6 connector connects all cable TV wires to that port. RJ-6 port. Generally, a decoder box at each TV determines what services you have authorized. And becomes the remote control box.

A router connects directly into an RJ-45 receptacle - just like the ethernet cables you currently have. They generally provide that Wifi router - another box.

With either service, first route phone lines and ethernet wires to that common service entrance location. They will probably route new RG-6 coax cables to each TV.

Best is to already have a two plug receptacle waiting for their service to connect to. Better is to have that powered from its own circuit or from a lightly used circuit - one not likely to trip. Best for hardware protection is that cable (Comcast or Fios) entering at the same location as AC electric. And to an earth ground rod that you were required to have and connected to the breaker box.

Best to have an open location on that wall where a maybe 3 x 3 foot plywood sheet can become the mouting surface for their interface box and battery backup power box. And maybe the WiFi router. IOW at least two AC receptacles will be required.

[glatt]

Resurrecting this thread.

Should I get a new wifi router, and how would that work with my setup?

I recently read a NY Times article about how we should all be upgrading our routers and why. My current router came from Verizon in Jan. 2009. We had no wifi devices in our house then, just one computer on a cat5 cable. Today we have 4 smartphones made by 3 manufacturers, two laptops, one printer, and one thermostat that all use the wifi. Zero wifi devices to 8 wifi devices in as many years. We're having connectivity issues with the wifi.

So that NY Times article links to a website that rates routers, and they point to this router as being outstanding and a good price. Only problem is it is a little technical to set up.

My FIOS setup is the wall mounted box that has a coaxial internet cable that goes to the 2008 Verizon wifi router. This new router I'm thinking of buying does not have a coaxial input. The FIOS box on the wall has an Ethernet hub jack, but the light next to it is not lit up, and when I do research online, it sounds like Verizon needs to turn that on the get it to work. I don't know if I have to pay for that. So I guess my question is, do I need to look for a wifi router with a coaxial input, or can I run a network cable off of this old router to a new one and have two routers? I don't know much of anything about networking. Will that confuse all my devices because they won't know which router to talk to? Do I call Verizon and ask them to flip a switch to turn on the Ethernet Hub Jack? And how do I configure a new router if I buy one?

I've never done any of this before. It's kind of crazy that you have to basically be a network admin these days just to live your modern life.

[lumberjim]

I just spoke to comcast, and i'm not getting the max thruput either. I have to upgrade to a wireless gateway (combo router, modem, voice) to get the 150 down speed I am paying for. It's free, I just have to shlepp to the comcast store, wait in line with the losers

[Beest]

Gah!
We just bought a new router a couple of weeks ago, they do seem to wear out after a few years. I looked for a review article but didn't see that one.

I believe, if you are plugging in the coax, that's a modem, not a router
Notice that router you link to doesn't have a coax input, only the blue cat 5 socket marked internet.

The modem takes the coax signal from the provider and turns into the internet in a cat5 tube. A router just divides that into portions, some for wifi some for the hardlines.

So, read your post again properly: We rent the modem from comcast then plug that into a router, but you can buy them, we rent because, like Jim found, they need upgrading every now and then, and they just provide the new one. I don't know how that would work for FIOS.

[tw]

Originally Posted by Beest

Gah!
We just bought a new router a couple of weeks ago, they do seem to wear out after a few years.

Routers never wear out. A router can be damaged by an event made probable by a human mistake. A a router works at 100% - or it fails.