dslreports logo
 
    All Forums Hot Topics Gallery
spc
Search similar:


uniqs
891
tired_runner
Premium Member
join:2000-08-25
CT
·Frontier FiberOp..

tired_runner

Premium Member

Just ordered FiOS... Questions

Placed the order online, and opted to purchase the Actiontec router that's apparently required to activate and install service.

Quick eBay search prices this router used for $50 on average, better than the $100 Verizon asks to buy it direct from Actiontec.

Question..... Why is this router required for this? And can I rip it out and place my own afterwards?

Also, not to suggest that people would peddle stolen goods on eBay, but it does happen from time to time. Does Verizon verify ownership of the equipment? Or is this strictly just so that the service works with their gear?

I have some reading to do regarding the technology and how it would interact with my setup, but I'm just confused as to why Verizon requires the Actiontec.

TIA
caps620
join:2009-01-18
Central NJ

caps620

Member

Here is the answer to all your questions .. »Verizon FiOS FAQ
tired_runner
Premium Member
join:2000-08-25
CT
·Frontier FiberOp..

tired_runner

Premium Member

Got it.

From the looks of it, it might be easier to get the Actiontec in between so I can re-use the existing coax up to where my router is. I run HTPCs via CableCARD so it's Ethernet all around.

Any issues bridging through the Actiontec? I opted for the 25/25 package.
tired_runner

tired_runner

Premium Member

So based on this: »Verizon FiOS FAQ »What should I do prior to my technician installation date?

How does this work? ONT stays outside and the tech runs some kind of cable indoors for the BBU? I don't think I can provide a permanent outlet outdoors.
fcfc2
join:2014-05-17

fcfc2

Member

The electrical connection is actually via the BBU and this passes low voltage to the outside unit via it's wiring. If you have space inside they may be able to provide an inside install for both. For a brand new install they sometimes have a guy show up a week ahead to run the fiber to the house. If you have a cable inclosure outside, they will generally run the fiber close to that, because they will try and use the existing coax, unless they run into issues with it.

Rattler
join:2001-04-13
Havertown, PA

Rattler to tired_runner

Member

to tired_runner
I provided a 2' x 3' panel board inside my basement w/ a 120V outlet on it. The only thing that comes through the wall from the outside is the fiber cable. The ONT, BBU and primary splitter are all mounted inside, on the panel.

IIRC, if the ONT is mounted outside, the BBU is inside and the power wiring and the COAX/Ethernet(if req'd) would also come thru the wall. Depending on where your current NID (telephone conn) is located, that wire may also come thru.

If you provide a mounting panel inside, then, I think, the ONT and BBU may be integrated into one unit (this was the case for a friend's recent install). I have an older ONT (ALCATEL 211, from 2007) and the BBU is separate but mounted next to the ONT in the basement.
tired_runner
Premium Member
join:2000-08-25
CT
·Frontier FiberOp..

tired_runner

Premium Member

Got it. And in my case, I guess mine would be a peculiar install and I don't know how willing Verizon would be to accommodate.

The NID used to be at the rear of my premises. This is where cable company placed their drop.

Some odd years ago I did a massive cable run through my house. Basically, I ran coax to every bedroom and living room, and centralized all the wiring so that it terminates at the rooftop. I did this using several feet of pipe and electric-style junction boxes. The end result became one single point of connection for every STB, instead of running splitters and all kinds of wildness. Aside from neater cabling, it's helped prevent coax cable degradation due to the elements.

This worked out well for the cable company because they simply had to do a single coax homerun from rear of property to rooftop, and from there each STB would get their signal.

FiOS would have worked out the same way except for this BBU monkey wrench.

I suppose it boils down to what kind of electrical connection the BBU would make to ONT. If it's a separate wire, it sounds like I have no choice but to decentralize my wiring and pick a spot inside for them.

Thinkdiff
MVM,
join:2001-08-07
Bronx, NY

Thinkdiff

MVM,

said by tired_runner:

I suppose it boils down to what kind of electrical connection the BBU would make to ONT. If it's a separate wire, it sounds like I have no choice but to decentralize my wiring and pick a spot inside for them.

Why? Just run a line from the ONT to your existing cable drop at the rooftop and hook in there. The placement of the ONT should have little impact on your wiring.

Alternatively, you can repurpose one of those closer home-runs as a feedback path to the splitter at the roof.
tired_runner
Premium Member
join:2000-08-25
CT

tired_runner

Premium Member

You're saying I can do a coax homerun to BBU? Or ONT and BBU are one in the same?

Maybe I'm confused... How would BBU get power off the same coax?

Thinkdiff
MVM,
join:2001-08-07
Bronx, NY

Thinkdiff

MVM,

The BBU is just a power supply basically. It goes somewhere inside, plugs into a normal outlet and then has a low-voltage wire that connects to the ONT outside. That's it.

All video/data lines go to the ONT. So you'd run a coax line from the ONT to the existing cable drop. Disconnect the line coming from Cablevision and replace it with the line from the ONT.

If your ONT is installed indoors, the BBU/ONT can come as one complete unit. Then you just run a line from the nearest of your coax outlets to the ONT and do some reconfiguration at the centralized splitter.
tired_runner
Premium Member
join:2000-08-25
CT
·Frontier FiberOp..

tired_runner to Thinkdiff

Premium Member

to Thinkdiff
Is the BBU connection to ONT like this?




If I'm seeing/guessing correctly, that white wire runs the ONT when power goes out. So that would be the only extra wire needed that goes from indoors to out?
tired_runner

tired_runner to Thinkdiff

Premium Member

to Thinkdiff
said by Thinkdiff:


If your ONT is installed indoors, the BBU/ONT can come as one complete unit. Then you just run a line from the nearest of your coax outlets to the ONT and do some reconfiguration at the centralized splitter.

Ideally, I'd like to keep that big fugly ONT outside right where Cablevision connects to the premises, and onto the rooftop. In my particular configuration, it's probably easier if I ran the cable from BBU to ONT through new small drill across the brick. No biggie there.

Thanks for your insight. Very helpful.
tired_runner

tired_runner

Premium Member

Well... It was installed today...

The man arrived at 9:30am.... And left close to 5pm.... Effectively making my efforts to expedite this install not all that fruitful.

Since I'm not one to babysit a tech doing his thing, I couldn't account for the majority of the time he spent outdoors doing his thing. And even though I ordered two CableCARDs and I mentioned this to him, he came with STBs and was ready to install them. He apparently had to make a trip to the "shop" to get them.

And getting the cards paired was another adventure, begrudgingly reminding me of the same headaches I went through with Cablevision. Hour and a half later after me suggesting to the tech that perhaps he should call the 800 number shown on the TV, someone on the phone was finally able to get it going.

For added kicks, getting the Actiontec to bridge was yet another adventure. Google finally lead me to a place right in this forum with appropriate instructions that worked. My Cisco router is finally back in action on the front lines.

I'm apparently a magnet for all things hectic and gone wrong. But it's over now. The thing works. Just like it worked with Cablevision. Picture quality is the same in my opinion.

I'll post pics where he placed the ONT and BBU if anyone is interested. But quite frankly, it's nothing special and probably what others have posted well before me.

Verizon has a tall order to fill. I'm used to 99.99% uptime and not having to call tech support for anything at all. I mean heck, to me that's what a good product should look like. I shall see.

aaronwt
Premium Member
join:2004-11-07
Woodbridge, VA

aaronwt

Premium Member

You should have 99.999% uptime on FiOS. Unless something weird happens to take things down for an extended period.

Rattler
join:2001-04-13
Havertown, PA

Rattler to tired_runner

Member

to tired_runner
said by tired_runner:

Verizon has a tall order to fill. I'm used to 99.99% uptime and not having to call tech support for anything at all. I mean heck, to me that's what a good product should look like. I shall see.

I've had FiOS since Feb., 2007. My reliability, aside from when somebody hit the pole where the main fiber junction box lives, about 2 months after install, has been just about as good as the power company's. I haven't had any technical issues with the 3 services (needing a call to support) for about 3 - 4 years (at least none that I can remember). Occasionally, billing can be another issue, but that's been quiet for quite a while now.

As an aside, I had to laugh when I saw a recent DirecTV ad that said they had 99% uptime. That works out to about 1 hour down, every 4 days... When I had DTV, I lost programming every heavy rainstorm.
tired_runner
Premium Member
join:2000-08-25
CT

tired_runner

Premium Member

I had DirecTV many moons ago. I could predict my service outages by listening to the weather forecast the day prior.

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

More Fiber to Rattler

MVM

to Rattler
said by Rattler:

has been just about as good as the power company's

Ha. My experience is that FIOS is more reliable than PECO, as I've watched FIOS during extended power failures. And unlike cable, because it's a passive network, FIOS distribution nodes don't go out during a power failure.

Rattler
join:2001-04-13
Havertown, PA

Rattler

Member

said by More Fiber:

said by Rattler:

has been just about as good as the power company's

Ha. My experience is that FIOS is more reliable than PECO, as I've watched FIOS during extended power failures. And unlike cable, because it's a passive network, FIOS distribution nodes don't go out during a power failure.

Point well taken... Although our PECO reliability might be somewhat better than yours, in the West Chester area. My kid lives in the Downingtown area (East Brandywine Twp) and they have power issues all the time.

The last time we lost power was due to a pole xformer losing one side of the line - it affected 9 houses. I was amazed that PECO had the thing replaced in just about an hour from when it was called in - that was at 11 PM as well. The time before that was in one of those nasty, wet snow storms last winter and was for about 4 hours.