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Rocks
@cor.gov

Rocks

Anon

As home network gets larger performanc8203;e is lagging.

I have a large 2 story home wher I had FIOS installed about 6 years ago.

At the time of installation the Verizon tech set up everything needed to provide home phone/internet service/TV service.

The FIOS TV system involves a splitter (6 way I think) that runs service to 5 locations. Of those 5 loactions I'm using 4. When the tech arrived he ran coax cable to 5 locations and I'm only connected to 4 with STB's at each. The 5th was an optional that I will soon be using (a workout room).

The existing coax system was never connected to the FIOS coax cable system, which is to say that the home was already wired with coax (the previous homeowner who had an unknown service, may have even been just an antenna) but the systems were kept seperate. Now as I want to include more rooms I need to combine the 2 different systems, not sure why this wasnt done to begin with.

I have also been developing my home LAN network. I have a Windows7 PC connected to an Actiontec MI424WR router provided by Verizon with a run of CAT6a cable run to a Monoprice 8 port gigabit switch. From the switch I have 50' runs of CAT6a and 75' runs of CAT6a to various rooms (for media players, Boxee Box/WD TV LIve, and DLNA Televisions)

I pay for an routinely have a 50Mb down 25 up internet connection. Its as fast as I will vere need...man do I love the speed!!!!

However the whole system is bogging down. My primary A/V room (the mancave) has an HD DVR which shares recorded content with other rooms, but it lags badly.

So some questions come to mind....should I get Verizon out to connect both coax cable systems?

I think the weak link in the LAN system is the router though as I understand it Verizon has some awfully cheap routers these days, while I would think that a six year old router would need to be replaced/upgraded it seems that it might be a crapshoot and I could end up with a worse router....should I ask for a newer router or maybe just purchase my own?

As I extend my entertainment system throughout my home it is getting kinda slow and unresponsive. Any thoughts about how to improve performace would be appreciated.

What des it cost to have a Verizon tech come out and assess my home/system?

More Fiber
MVM
join:2005-09-26
Cape Coral, FL

More Fiber

MVM

said by Rocks :

The existing coax system was never connected to the FIOS coax cable system

It may have been that the original coax was RG-59 or did not otherwise meet VZ specs. FIOS installations generally reuse existing cabling where possible.
said by Rocks :

However the whole system is bogging down. My primary A/V room (the mancave) has an HD DVR which shares recorded content with other rooms, but it lags badly.

How exactly is it bogging down?
•What model DVR and STBs do you have?
•Is the DVR an MR-DVR and you're playing back on STBs in other rooms? It it pixelating? Stopping? or what?
said by Rocks :

So some questions come to mind....should I get Verizon out to connect both coax cable systems?

If that something you're not comfortable doing, then yes, you can have VZ come out and do it.
said by Rocks :

I think the weak link in the LAN system is the router

•What revision router do you have?

If the lagging is playback of recorded content from the MR-DVR on a STB, then that doesn't go through the router. That stays solely on the coax. You may have an issue with your coax or coax connections. You should check your MOCA LAN stats:
»Verizon FiOS FAQ »How do I check MOCA stats?
McBane
join:2008-08-22
Wylie, TX

McBane

Member

My guess is it's the coax. I would first start off by replacing any splitter that might be in the way were you see the trouble. If that doesn't help you can try to re-crimp the ends. If that doesn't fix it you'll probably have to move over to the other "system" but I'd have doubts if the RG6 that Verizon laid was already bad.
rocks911
join:2012-06-05
Garland, TX

rocks911 to More Fiber

Member

to More Fiber
•What model DVR and STBs do you have?
Primary DVR (Upstairs in the mancave) QIP 7232 2
Downstairs Formal Livingroom HD QIP 7100 1
Bedrooms QIP 2500 3 (times 3)

•Is the DVR an MR-DVR and you're playing back on STBs in other rooms? Is it pixelating? Stopping? or what?
The DVR is an MR-DVR and yes I do play back in other rooms. Mostly I play back content on my downstairs Formal Livingroom HD QIP 7100 1 as the rest of my STB's are SD

Really the biggest problem with the FIOS TV performance is downstairs in the Formal Livingroom. That is a long drop that I had to do myself because Verizon Techs wouldnt touch it (From attic through 2 stories of internal walls) and I forget what cable I used (its been a couple of years) so maybe a not perfect drop there. The performance isnt too bad, no pixelating or stopping, just really sluggish, fast forwarding or reversing takes time to respond, then when you hit play its still forwarding. You know the whole "cmon move wouldya!" then "stop! stop! stop!", just not very responsive. Though at this point we've worked it into our behavior. The other DVR's are also sluggish, not as bad but for nearly $200/month I had hoped for more.

•What revision router do you have?
M1424-WR Rev D

The wireless is really pretty good.
The coax (MOCA) performance is fine I suppose
The LAN seems to be where I'm having problems, as my LAN grows my connected devices (Boxee/WD TV/Smart TV's) are becoming less responsive and often cant "see" content in the network or otherwise have playback issues, particularly, obviously when I have high bitrate content played back. 1080P With DTS sometimes buffers.

Now that I've added 2 more flat panel Smart TV's my FIOS connection speed as reported by Speedtest.com is 7Mbps down and 32 up (I pay for 50Mbps down and 25 up) which is confusing, I dont know what one has to do with the other. My connection speed has ALWAYS beed at least 50down 25up, always. After adding the 2 flat screen Smart TV's the speed has dropped, again, I dont know why.

I'll have to check my MOCA stats
rocks911

rocks911 to Rocks

Member

to Rocks
Not sure what to make of the info, but heres what was presented:

WAN Coax Connection Stats

NOTE: Only advanced technical users should use this feature, all rates are Mbps.
* next to Router or ONT represents the Network Coordinator
Channel: 1 - 1000MHz
Privacy: Enabled
Password: 00066947388374966
Connection Speed Router* ONT
Router N/A 241.32
ONT 241.32 N/A

LAN Connection Stats

NOTE: Only advanced technical users should use this feature, all rates are Mbps.
* next to Router or Device represents the Network Coordinator
Channel: 1 - 1150MHz
Privacy: Disabled
Password: 99999999988888888
Connection Speed
Router* Device 1 Device 2 Device 3 Device 4

Router 226.66 211.39 229.42 227.76
Device 1 214.80 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Device 2 206.51 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Device 3 221.86 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Device 4 232.98 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

birdfeedr
MVM
join:2001-08-11
Warwick, RI

birdfeedr

MVM

said by rocks911:

Not sure what to make of the info, but heres what was presented:

Your stats are good. All in the 200s.

The Rev.D is limited in terms of max connections, and you may do well to get a newer router. The latest is available for sale, but you can call in a trouble report, and let the CSR walk you through the tier-1 steps before offering to send you a replacement router.

Or you can short circuit some of those steps by asking outright. "My FiOS service works great, except the network seems to slow down as I add devices to my old Rev.D router. How do I get a router replacement?"

If I walk in to my nearest FiOS Store, I can pick up a Rev.F router no questions asked. Having one sent to you gives you a good chance it will be a later model, just not necessarily the latest Rev.I, although some have reported it's in replacement distribution.
rocks911
join:2012-06-05
Garland, TX

rocks911

Member

Thanks for the quick reply,
So a better chance of getting a newer Rev router model if I go to a store? Will they expect me to carry in my old router? If I get one sent to me by Verizon what do I do with the D model?
At what version did Gb LAN start?
rocks911

rocks911

Member

And why do you suppose my FIOS speed into my router as measured by Speedtest is so slow? Up to 3 days ago it was fine, add 2 TV's and its dropped, or more precisely flip-flopped to 7down 32up

More Fiber
MVM
join:2005-09-26
Cape Coral, FL

More Fiber to rocks911

MVM

to rocks911
Your MOCA stats look ok.
said by rocks911:

The LAN seems to be where I'm having problems, as my LAN grows my connected devices (Boxee/WD TV/Smart TV's) are becoming less responsive

•Are the devices you're adding wired or wireless?

If wireless, you could be experiencing interference on the wireless channel. Try changing the channel.

If wired, there should be no impact by simply adding the devices to the network.
said by rocks911:

The performance isn't too bad, no pixelating or stopping, just really sluggish, fast forwarding or reversing takes time to respond, then when you hit play its still forwarding.

The MR-DVR does tend to be more sluggish than executing the same commands directly on the 7232 itself.
•When you notice the sluggishness, it the 7232 busy? i.e. recording other programs or also playing back directly or at another STB?
said by rocks911:

my connected devices (Boxee/WD TV/Smart TV's) are becoming less responsive and often cant "see" content in the network

You're implying the ability to see content comes and goes. If so, what changes make the content visible again?
said by rocks911:

Now that I've added 2 more flat panel Smart TV's my FIOS connection speed as reported by Speedtest.com is 7Mbps down and 32 up

That's a problem and is not related to adding devices. You need to get that resolved (assuming of course that you're not downloading content when you run the speedtest).
rocks911
join:2012-06-05
Garland, TX

rocks911

Member

•Are the devices you're adding wired or wireless?
Wired. 50FT 24AWG Cat6A 500MHz STP Ethernet Bare Copper Network Cable: »www.monoprice.com/produc ··· format=2
As I Understand probably not the best choice in Ethernet cable. I didnt know the difference and asked Monoprice to recommend a cable

•When you notice the sluggishness, it the 7232 busy? i.e. recording other programs or also playing back directly or at another STB?

Not usually busy, at most there is usually 2 STB's being used on any given day simultaneously.

You're implying the ability to see content comes and goes. If so, what changes make the content visible again?
I back out of the function, some times completely out and reinitialize (particularly the Smart TV's which depend on Serviio running on my PC) but I have a robust PC with HDD's running at 7200RPM very responsive HDD's and PC.
Not real familiar with Serviio, but the program is the 3rd most popular for DLNA devices to access content, so they must do something right.

As for the download speed, it is quite puzzling, I'm not doing anything that takes a lot of bandwidth, a few Firefox browser windows open thats about it.

Thanks for the help, I really appreciate it, I'm not a tech guy by any stretch, just a plain ole fireman, so thanks.
rocks911

rocks911 to birdfeedr

Member

to birdfeedr
I called customer service and got a new router heading my way. She gave me the ole "I cant say for sure what version it will be, but it should be one of our newer ones"

Hopefully it frees up the log jam.
rocks911

rocks911

Member

I got a Rev F in. Doesnt appear to be Gb LAN capable...right?

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MVM
join:2005-09-26
Cape Coral, FL

More Fiber

MVM

Correct.
rocks911
join:2012-06-05
Garland, TX

rocks911

Member

Rats!
Looks like I'll have to purchase Rev G at the Verizon store, for $80 its a pretty good deal. I need Gb LAN.
kes601
join:2007-04-14
Virginia Beach, VA

kes601

Member

You could always buy a cheap gigabit switch and daisy chain it off of the Actiontec. Internal traffic won't run through the Actiontec if you plug all ethernet devices to the gigabit switch.