anomaly66
join:2000-12-07
Shrewsbury, NJ
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FIOS VoD/Video success with actiontec in bridge mode
Hi all,
Sorry for the length of the post, but some good info inside in any case. I use 'pfsense' (»www.pfsense.com) for my firewall, but anything of sufficient speed will do (pick your favorite box I suppose). So, you can replace the word "pfsense" with "linksys box" "dlink" etc and so on.
Those of you lucky enough to be in a verizon FIOS area, "cool, welcome" and you've likely noticed that the actiontec router has some bad limitations (intentional) which prevent you from using p2p programs and the like. the "state table" (in pfsense lingo) or NAT table in the actiontec is limited to 1024 connections, and they take 4 minutes to time out. Royal PITA. Start up bittorrent, or anything else, and you'll soon find you can't even get a dns query through.
Following these directions, you can turn your actiontec into a "bridge" device. I have MoCa (coax) broadband to my actiontec, and ethernet out the other end of the actiontec. Directions for doing that are found here:
»How-to: make ActionTec MI424-WR a network bridge
Please please please pay attention to first doing a DHCP release on the actiontec router, or you'll not get any response from Verizon's DHCP server when pfsense makes its own request later. Also, a hint in case things go badly. You can power up the box, holding the reset button down, and start over. Second hint. If you see an error message that indicates your pfsense box is NOT getting assigned a DHCP address, power off the actiontec for two hours or so. It seems that the 'loss' of MoCa connectivity to the actiontec AND two hours time will unlock your DHCP lease(typically just under two hours by default). (otherwise, you have to call VZ tech support and ask them to "break your DHCP lease" for you, and it's a longshot getting a tech that will 'just do that' upon asking. They'll go through the whole 'reset, etc, etc' setup on your router and you'll be back at the beginning.) Note that if you have them unlock a bad DHCP lease, they'll ask you to power down the actiontec router, which is fairly normal, and power back up after they break the DHCP lease in their network management system.
The ports on MY actiontec are as follows in the default config:
COAX WAN (one coax connector): connected to FIOS ONT. splitters on same coax go to tv's and set top boxes.
(coax WAN operates on channel 0 (1000Mhz), coax LAN, a second logical interface, same coax, operates on channel 1, at 1150Mhz)
Ethernet WAN: unused
Ethernet LAN: 4 switch ports for LAN connections
Wireless: (useless after you do the setup detailed below)
Now, I have Tivo's in front of the two main TV's I watch, so I get my guide data from them, and didn't notice, HOWEVER, creating a bridge and using pfsense (or any other FW) as your firewall will break the set top box (STB) connection to verizon, thus you get no guide data, and no video on demand, etc. Normally, the STB's operate on a COAX LAN (same physical coax that is the WAN port, different channel), and the actiontec does NAT for them. When in bridge mode, this of course, is broken.
I've figured out how to get past this.
My own pfsense setup has a WAN port, a LAN port, and an OPT1 port which serves my wireless network only. It's firewalled carefully away from my LAN, and I leave it open just for convenience when friends or colleagues come over to my house and want wireless access.
In following the above referenced directions, here are the additional steps you need to take:
Login to your actiontec router. admin/password is the default user/password combo. MOST verizon installers change that password to "password1" (worked every time in my neighborhood at friend's homes who wanted help)
Click on "My Network" at the top of the page.
click on network connections.
You'll see a "home network" which has several sub interfaces in it. (i.e. LAN switch ports, COAX LAN, and Wireless). click on the home network, click on settings, and uncheck the boxes by COAX LAN and Wireless. You'll need to disable the wireless anyway.
Back to My network, and network connections. "home network" should no longer contain COAX LAN or wireless. If not, go back and repeat and click apply as many times as it takes  Now, click on COAX LAN.
disable the DHCP server and IP address on that COAX LAN (typically, it is 192.168.3.1) and click apply.
Back to My network, and network connections. Click "add" (very bottom choice) and select "bridge" (the middle choice IIRC) and choose setup NEW BRIDGE. You'll want to add in COAX LAN and Ethernet WAN to the new bridge. confusing, but you now have three physical interfaces, (COAX has two logical channel networks, COAX WAN and COAX LAN), Ethernet LAN, and Ethernet WAN (unused until now).
Simply plug in a cat5 (et al) cable into the Ethernet WAN port, and connect this to your chosen "firewalled" interface. I put mine on OPT1 with the wireless, just to keep them off my LAN. I used one of the extra ports on the back of a netgear wireless box (setup as an access point only; pfsense does all the DHCP and so on). Once this connection is physically made, you've now done the following:
removed COAX LAN from 'home network' bridge setup (which includes Ethernet LAN, Wireless, and in default config, COAX LAN)
Disabled DHCP and IP address on the COAX LAN port.
Created a new second bridge to include COAX LAN and Ethernet WAN ports. (neither should have an IP address or anything).
Your STB's will now (you can unplug them/restart/etc to get things moving faster) get their IP addresses from your LAN side of the pfsense box, and will pick up guide data, Video on Demand, and so on.
So now your ports are connected something like:
COAX WAN: still same coax to ONT and televisions and set top boxes.
COAX LAN: (logical interface on same COAX cable)
Ethernet LAN: one connection to your WAN port of your firewall box.
Ethernet WAN: connection to your firewall "firewalled" port of your choice. Weird, but you're simply letting the STB's use your internet connection and own DHCP to get their info and video through your new setup.
Video on demand for standard def seems to raise the pfsense box to about 4Mbps throughput by itself, and HD VoD will be more. No big deal, doesn't seem to take away from your normal IP connection, or maybe it does. I haven't stress tested this setup yet, but don't see any issues.
Yeah, it's complicated, but it works. And yes, verizon doesn't owe you any tech support in this config/setup. But, as I mentioned, it does seem to work just fine 
Best regards,
andy |
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cookymonsta
@verizon.net
| Re:
Hi,
thanks for the guide! I have been trying ALL day to get VOD working with the dd-wrt setup. I just cant get it to work.
Is it possible you can post a video of how to do the config, maybe i am missing something. If you need the software to make the video i can get that over to ya.
That would be great, and i think it would help everyone out too.
Thanks!!!! |
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cookymonsta
@verizon.net | Re: dhcp
also, do i need to set up a option 60 in the DHCP scope? |
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Fryguy
join:2008-02-11
Waltham, MA
| reply to anomaly66
Re: VOD
Following these directions bricked my router halfway through.
I had followed the standard bridging directions, and was working fine except for VOD.
Next step on this is to turn off IP allocation on the Coax LAN interface, and then bridge it to the Ethernet WAN interface. My router bricked and went into an infinite power-on/reset loop when I turned off IP allocation on the coax LAN interface. Power-cycling and resetting the router did nothing. Roomate will be calling FIOS today...
I have a modern Rev-D actiontec that was installed last wednesday (obviously using MoCa) |
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jvanbrecht
join:2007-01-08
Bowie, MD | Hold down the reset button in the back of the router for 10+ seconds while it is powered on, this will reset it to the default status. user/pass is probably admin/password |
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Fryguy
join:2008-02-11
Waltham, MA
| said by jvanbrecht  :Hold down the reset button in the back of the router for 10+ seconds while it is powered on, this will reset it to the default status. user/pass is probably admin/password I had tried this, as I'm pretty familiar with the router and general networking equipment at this point, and it did not stop the router from looping. |
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Fryguy
join:2008-02-11
Waltham, MA | Just talked to verizon, and they had pushed an update to my router which is what bricked it.
Getting a new router. Hurray for no internet for a few days. |
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Yubin
@verizon.net
|  reply to anomaly66
Fix a Bricked Router
For those of you that brick your router trying this, to fix it is pretty simple.
Unplu everything except the power cord from your MI424WR and wait for the power light to stay solid for about 30 seconds(It may cycle a few times before doing so. Once it's solid, just push and hold the reset button for 15 seconds and then release. Once it reboots, plug in your RJ-45 cable and log into the router, reset defaults, and then hook your cable back up. Your internet may be down due to the DHCP lock. Just call Verizon, tell them your internet light is yellow and they will release it for you. BAM!! You're back in business.
Apparently the Cable keeps sending the DHCP signal to the router and it keeps resetting because it doesn't want it.
Maybe I'm wrong here, but who cares when it's fixed. |
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Stylez
@verizon.net
| reply to anomaly66
Re:
Hrm, I tried this, and I can see (via my router) that my STB's have been assigned IP's, and the systemInfo in settings shows the correct IP's etc. But after waiting 1/2 hour or so my guides don't seem to update. Neither do widgets...and the VoD doesn't work either. |
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Fryguy
join:2008-02-11
Waltham, MA
| Re: new settings
Well, I got a new router today, and got the bridge back set up like before, although my router decided to flake out as it was releasing and not release. So now I'm waiting for the lease to expire manually (since it's too late to call verizon to have them do it).
My STBs are getting IPs from my "real" router, unfortunately I'm unable to check to see if they are actually getting information correctly, we'll see what happens in a few minutes. |
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cookymonsta
@verizon.net | I had similar problems.
anomaly66, do you think you can post a vid of the config process, also what REV router do you have. C or D? |
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Cookymonsta
@verizon.net | I am on REV C and this was not working. Any help? |
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Fryguy
join:2008-02-11
Waltham, MA
| I got everything working correctly. I'm overly familiar with how everything on the actiontec works now, and the various configurations and issues with configurations. I'll probably be creating a huge post tonight outlining everything for everybody. |
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BKJ
@verizon.net
| Fryguy were you able to put together a howto. Trying to follow some of these guides is becoming a tuff task as the names COAX LAN etc... do not exist in my setup. Trying to get specific instructions for the rev d model with most current interface names. |
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Fryguy
join:2008-02-11
Waltham, MA | I made my post less than an hour ago, lol. And I'm at work, be patient man |
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BKJ
@verizon.net | LOL... oops sorry didnt even look at the post time. DUH.. look forward to the post. Any chance you can post your firmware version? |
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substance12
join:2001-11-09
Torrance, CA | reply to anomaly66
Re: FIOS VoD/Video success with actiontec in bridge mode
fryguy, am I correct in that you use a verizon STB in conjunction with your tivos (as opposed to cable cards)?
I thought tivo gets their guide data from the internet and not through coax. |
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Yubin
@verizon.net | reply to Fryguy
Re: new settings
Fryguy, are you going to post your settings? |
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cookymonsta
@verizon.net | Ya fryguy help!!!! |
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Yubin
@verizon.net
| reply to anomaly66
Figured it out! Hopefully.
OK I think I figured it out as well. After I made the changes, I rebooted one of my STB's and it downloaded the guide and the widgets are still working. By the end of the day, if all of them are still working, I'll post my settings.
I have the new actiontect case with REV D software. |
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