Verizon FiOS → Make your actiontec a bridge with VOD working with REV D

I've tried this exacted and it failed, plus, if you're using wireless, you'll still suffer at the hands of the actiontec's bad NAT tables and more. Which ultimately means in the end, your equipment will still go through it and you'll still experience the problems you had before. If you want to truly end the nightmares do this...

1.) Remove the actiontec entirely - destroy it if you wish, it will no longer be needed.

2.) Call Verizon FIOS tech support, get an "NT" to break the DHCP lease.

3.) Request to have your ONT box switched from MoCA to Ethernet. The less experienced employees will warn you that you'll lose VOD and the menus and guides... here's where step 4 comes in.

4.) Ask to receive a part called a NIM (Network Interface Module) from Motorola. This device will give you VOD and Channel Guide. It was used in the early days of FIOS when Verizon issued D-Link ethernet only routers.

5.) Upon confirmation of the DHCP break and the switch to Ethernet (you don't need the NIM immediately), with the power off, hook up your router of choice with ethernet cable running directly from ONT to your router of choice's WAN port. NOTE: If you turn on the router prior to hookup, it won't put an IP until you cold boot (unplug power cord and replug in) the router.

6.) Upon pulling an IP from the ONT, you'll have fully functional internet. Continue reading to get the FIOS VOD and Channel Guide back up and running.

-----Optional if you want VOD Working----

7.) When you receive the NIM from Verizon, hook it up to any LAN port on your router.

8.) Run a coaxial cable from the "Cable In" port (ignore cable out) towards (NOT IN) the ONT.

9.) Add a splitter (or get a bigger splitter) to where the coax cable is coming out of the ONT and add the line coming from the NIM to the outputs going to the set-top boxes.

10.) Power cycle all set-top boxes to pull info from there on from the NIM.

I have a few issues with your post.

If you followed the the instructions exactly as you say you did, you would have disabled the wireless in the Actiontec (steps 25 & 26 of yubin7 's instructions). One of the reasons for running your own router is to use a better wireless router.

Again, if you had correctly bridged the Actiontec, you would be bypassing the NAT table.

You left out the part about having to run a cat5 cable to the ONT. Perhaps you thought that was obvious, however, for some posters here, running cat5 is not a viable option.

You imply that VZ is now handing out free NIM-100's to anyone who asks for one. Most posters here that have gone the NIM-100 route, have had to purchase them on Ebay.

There is a more through set of instructions for switching from a coax to ethernet connections posted in the FAQs:
»/faq/15981

Yeah, I thought that was kinda obvious about the cat5 since I said ethernet cable. However, I'm actually running a cat6 myself. So you can use either type.

As for free NIMs, yeah, if you find a tech that actually knows what he's doing and talking about, just say the word and presto, free NIM. He hand delivered mine from his truck and says they're still in production. Anyone who says otherwise is bullshitting you and too lazy to help.

Ok. I followed everything in the steps.

I have a DIR-625, and I'm not sure what rev i have of the AT router, but since I just got fios tv I'd assume the newest one.

Because I previously had fios internet, it seems the guy left my internet coming from the ONT over ethernet...

So....I've read a billion guides, but if I'm not mistaken this one is for people that have it coming over coax? What should i be doing?
ONT -(cat5)-> DIR-625 -(cat5)-> Actiontec -(coax)-> splitter
^is that right?

Follow the instructions here:
»/faq/15981
I suggest you start at the top and verify that on Actiontec main status page that it shows an ethernet connection. The FAQ instructions cover switching out the Actiontec for both coax and cat5 installations.

And yes, your diagram is correct. The coax connection is for the LAN connection to the STBs.

Alright I did all of that and it works fine

The ethernet plug on the ONT popped off though LOL i had to fit it back on :P

I picked up my DIR-625 (their base Wireless-N router with 2 antennas) for like 40$ a few months ago when CompUSA closed out.

I then won a DWA-140 (D-Link's Wireless N Rangebooster USB adapter) and I can say the following:

PLEASE SWITCH FROM G TO N GUYS!!!!!!!!

N is amazing for gaming and everything else...ping is 1ms slower in CS:S than with a cat6 cable. I honestly could care less if its draft...I threw it on channel 5 and my LAN speeds are amazing for file transfer....its like there's a cable there. And I'm going from a basement to a 2nd floor desktop through plaster walls and a concrete floor.

Plus, atleast for the time being, n is a bit more secure due to the lack of people that have N tech :P

I have a D-Link Dir-655 and I could not get this to work for the life of me.
I tried other guides before and couldn't get those to work either. I am on my 4th Actiontec, not because I bricked them but because I had problems with every one of them. I was going to have them install the old D-link with the NIM, but choose to try the Rev D Actiontec instead. I am kicking myself now. I had the guy here and he was going to do it, but said this Rev D would be great.

So here I am stuck on the Actiontec, and frustrated. Would it just be easier for me to run a Cat5 (my ONT is in my basement and not far from the router, and there's already the hole) to the ONT and call them and have them switch me to ethernet and get a NIM?

I wish this guide worked for me, but I tried everything it said and couldn't even get the internet working. The VOD and guides didn't work either.

Thanks for the guide anyways.

Instructions for switching to an ethernet WAN connection are here:
»/faq/15981

I'm skeptical about Overcomplicated's first post implying that you can just call the FSC and have them send out a NIM. If you read his reply to my post he said he got his NIM from an on-site tech. A few posters here have reported being given a NIM by an on-site tech that had one in their truck, but I've never seen a post here about anyone getting one shipped to them by the FSC. Most have gotten theirs on Ebay.

In any case, if you follow the instructions in the FAQ linked above, you will end up using the internal MOCA bridge of the Actiontec to the same effect as a NIM.

This method did not work for me.

I accidentally murdered my config last night (had it bridged for about a year now)... don't make changes when your really really really tired, and then cannot figure what you changed to break things in the first place.

So I tried the method above, no go (I even futzed with the mac addresses on my obsd router and the AT).. I ended up going back to the old and tried method of vlan'ing the coax/eth1 port and that works just peachy.

hmmm... followed the directions verbatim... The bridge works great but still no VOD or Widgets?? I am using a Linksys Wrt54g v8

did you reboot the STBs (unplug them and plug them back in)? They need to draw a new inside IP address from the linksys before the widgets work again.

dw

I did... I rebooted all of them. My standard boxes don't have the guide either? But my HD DVR STB does? I am guessing the HD DVR STB already has maybe the guide for two weeks downloaded to its hard drive.

Before I reset the AT to setup the bridge between my AT and my Linksys WRT54G V8 I had the latest and greatest firmware for the AT. By reseting to factory defaults does that downgrade my firmware? This is my only thought into why I am not getting any VOD, Guides, and Widgets. Any ideas?

bump... Please Help!

You might wait longer than 20 minutes to bump a thread.
You think folks are just sitting around waiting for you to post here?

---

Since you didn't post what level of firmware is now running, how are we suppoed to determine if if was reset or not?

The current version is: 4.0.16.1.56.0.10.7

Sorry...

4.0.16.1.56.0.10.7 is what I was running before reseting to factory defaults. My question is in general when reseting to factory defaults does that roll back the driver version?

Logon to the router and check.

thanks...

"If you noticed, or at least I did when the tech was on my computer - he ran some scripts off of an usb flash drive. These scripts first wrote some configuration to the router, and then updated it to the latest firmware. This means the configuration written on your updated firmware was made for an older firmware (why some of you got an error trying to load it after restoring factory defaults). I took a text compare program and compared the configuration you save first vs. the configuration you save after your router has been reset to factory defaults & they are VERY different, but the router still can load it (but won’t if you try when the firmware is updated and reset back to it's new way of handling config files). You can go to Advanced on the top of your screen once logged into the MI424-WR, downgrade the firmware, and load the configuration file (usually called 'Wireless') then update back to the latest firmware if you choose to do so. Long process for no reason, but this was the only way I got it to work. Anyways…"

So does that mean to reload the saved configuration file from before reseting to factory defaults? Thats what I took from that... The above post was from someone else on another thread.

The other poster was using a previous version firmware and had saved a specific configuration, which when loaded into the current firmware did not produce the results he expected. So the fix for that person was to reload the older firmware, then to load the config.

The problems he was dealing with had to do with static IPs or some such as I recall.

Your problem is different. You should work with the current firmware (which is probably already loaded). Don't worry about your config until after you get your bridging completed. There is a fundamental flaw in your setup. If you can't spot it, your best course may be to go back top factory defaults and start again.

Rough sequence of steps I would use to get your bridge complete:

1. Power off everything, including remove power from STBs and DVRs. Reset both routers to default settings.

2. Set up bridge with Actiontec and your replacement router. Verify internet connectivity at your router.

3. Not sure at this point how to verify internet connectivity at the Actiontec WAN, unless it's to see that the AT WAN does pull an IP from your router.

4. Power up one STB. Verify connectivity with Widgets, Guide and/or VOD.

5. Repeat step 4 for each remaining coax LAN device.

If at any point where I said to verify and you're not getting what you expect, don't proceed, because that's where your problem is.

I'd give you more if I was able to, but I cannot bridge because my 611 ONT is not MoCA-capable.

thanks birdfeedr! I will try again...

Tryed 3 times with no success. Changed it back to no bridge temporarily until I can figure it out. Since the actiontec and the router both have 192.168.1.1. Obviously one has to be changed to avoid network confusion. I have been changing the linksys to 192.168.1.10. VOD, Guide, etc do not work like this. I then tryed to change my actiontec to 192.168.0.1 and my router back to 192.168.1.1 and then I could not access the AT anymore. I tryed .0.1 and .1.1?

Hey Guys! First off let me thank everyone for all the help on this thread. I was getting soo mad at Verizon for telling me this wasn't possible I almost got rid of it. Then I found this board and I'm almost 100% set, but I am getting stuck at one place.

My first question is, I have the cat 5 going to my personal router, then lan out to the wan in of the actiontek, but the actiontek will not turn green on the internet to save my life. Do I have the set any special specs in the actiontek for this to work? I'm turned it on and off several times, but still nothing. My personal router is going great with super fast internet, but the actiontek just wont take the internet from my personal router and I can't figure out why. Any help would really be appreciated. Thanks!

A full set of instructions for getting the Actiontec running behind your router is here:
»Verizon FiOS FAQ »Replacing the Actiontec (part 3): WAN-to-LAN keeps Guide and VOD (easier)

A couple of things to check:

Q: How is the Actiontec set to obtain a WAN IP address?

Is the Actiontec set to obtain a WAN IP address automatically? Assuming you set your router's IP address to 192.168.0.1, the Actiontec should pull a WAN IP address from your primary router on the 192.168.0.x subnet.

I recommend setting the Actiontec to a static IP address on the 192.168.0.x subnet. If you turn remote admin on, you will be able to access the Actiontec user interface from anywhere on your LAN (but not from outside), otherwise you will need to set a PC to a static IP address on the 192.168.1.x subnet and connect it directly to the Actiontec if you want to access the user interface.

Q: Is DHCP server enabled in the Actiontec?
Q: What is the LAN IP address of the Actiontec?

Your STB's need to obtain IP addresses from the Actiontec. The LAN IP address of the Actiontec should be 192.168.1.1 (default).

Worked like a charm

Thanks!!!!

Does this work with Actiontec Hardware Version A?

Yes.

Is there any way to make it so you don't have to re-enabled the LAN interface if it loses power?

So I guess you never switched to cat5? »What's the normal charge for verizon to come and run cat5?

A few ideas:
•Switch to ethernet WAN and run your own router. No worries about losing the bridging configuration.

•Do you have the Actiontec on a UPS? Only helps if the power outage is less than the run time of the UPS.

•Have you tried the VLAN bridge to LAN port #1 instructions.
»ActionTec MI424-WR Bridge - Updated Instructions + VOD
I've not tried this, so I can't promise that your configuration will be preserved after a power fail. Some posters had problems with this bricking their routers when VZ pushed the 4.0.16.1.56.0.10.7 firmware update. A hard reset was required.