cbrain
join:2000-05-21
Silver Spring, MD
 ·VoicePulse for Bus..
 ·Verizon FIOS
 ·Comcast
·Future Nine Corpor..
·VoiceStick
|  FIOS - First 7 days reviewed
Good points: Professional install on schedule, stable, low latency, speed … goes both ways
Bad points: PPPOE, port blocking, order process not yet together
Bottom line: I’ll be keeping it!
Pre sales: 1
Install Co-ordination: 5
Connection reliability: so far a 5
Tech support: early but looks like a 5
Services: early but looks like a 5
Value: Could be a 10! Static IP would do it.
Speed: 5/2
Cost: about $55/month including a limited phone line
My connection has been rock solid since the techs completed my install. Connection stays up with the same IP unless I make a change. To date 2 - 48 hour & 1 - 72 hour periods (it’s a new toy). It comes right back up but with a new IP from a very large subnet(no setting a range to get access to IP secured servers). Port 80 incoming is blocked(Verizon confirmed) but seems to be the only one. The Verizon supplied D-Link DI-604 works well with both FIOS and Comcast Cable. My router/firewall connected instantly on a test and has been on FIOS for the past 48 hours. My Broadband reports monitor shows a steady Verizon ping that looks like a rectangle, about 10 + ms. lower than Comcast from all 3 locations. Comcast graphs looked like a pretty mountain range. The latency is a better plus than the speed in comparing this connection to Comcast.
Verizon DNS works and is fast. I just set up 3 email accounts online. Simple procedure, names must be a minimum of 6 characters and the system gives the option for alias. I don’t know how this affects your total accounts. The email accounts worked with Outlook and Verizon webmail immediately. I have not yet looked at Verizon newsgroups or their setup.
Ordering: Seinfield could make a show about my attempts to order FIOS from Verizon humans. After 4 days I gave up and started an online order for a phone line. I was offered FIOS, chose a number, passed credit and set the install date. I haven’t had a land line in over 2 years. Verizon policy allows FIOS without phone service but seems unable to deal with such primitive customers.
Installation: Verizon confirmed the install. The week before outside techs ran fiber to the entry point and removed the copper. Two friendly professional techs showed up on time and did a good job. They offered but did not make me use their software and got a username & password. They left the software and instruction and would have stayed and helped me if necessary.
Router: Works. Easy to set up and change. Has several features including port forwarding, dynamic DNS, filters and firewall. I’ll probably continue to use my own because of QOS and shaping.
After my install I moved my workstations and server to the Verizon Wan. I then turned off my old routers DHCP, changed the internal IP and added my Comcast connection. I could then configure workstations to use either gateway(Verizon or Comcast) or DNS to access the internet. This way I could have workstations on either Comcast or Verizon and route workstations out one connection and back the other. I shifted the connections to the other router 2 times. Everything worked well except incoming traffic through the Verizon router on either connection. This may be a setting on my server but I haven’t had the time to track it down. I shifted the DHCP back to my old router and everything still works. Both connections are good but I’m keeping Verizon. |
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dragoon_OC
join:2005-01-28
Huntington Beach, CA | Verizon requires a credit check to get FIOS?
I live in a Verizon area. They don't do any checks for POTS service.
TimeWarner doesn't do anything either for cable TV or RoadRunner. |
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cbrain
join:2000-05-21
Silver Spring, MD
·VoicePulse for Bus..
·Verizon FIOS
·Comcast
·Future Nine Corpor..
·VoiceStick
| I understand that they check. Both online and by phone. I had to hold several times while processing, once for the check and they cut me off while processing a credit card. My understanding is if you don't have their phone service FIOS is auto billed monthly to a card. |
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adslreport
join:2004-01-26
207
clubs: | I would like to order, but I understand that they have to change something with your phone line, and if the power goes out you can't use the phone anymore? Is there anyway to avoid this?
Thanks |
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gamepro100
join:2004-07-27
Brooklyn, NY | They remove copper wires to your house.
You still have 5 hours of talk time if the power goes out, because of a backup battery that works when the power fails. |
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adslreport
join:2004-01-26
207
clubs:
| said by gamepro100  :They remove copper wires to your house. meaning Comcast cable or internet won't work? |
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cbrain
join:2000-05-21
Silver Spring, MD | No. They leave the plumbing and other non-Verizon copper.  |
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StormyQ
join:2002-10-24
Mckinney, TX
| reply to dragoon_OC
said by dragoon_OC :Verizon requires a credit check to get FIOS? I didn't have to give one when I ordered by phone. |
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xbox junkie
join:2004-07-30
Lakeland, FL | reply to cbrain
From what I have heard the tech's don't cut the phone line if you ask them not to. You do not have to get VOIP you can keep your existing phone service. |
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compitalia
Verizon Fios Here I Come
join:2004-12-12
Wantagh, NY | xobx junkie -- they do cut the copper. they convert it to fiber.
--
Opimum Online SUCKS |
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Sirion8
join:2004-01-27
Tampa, FL
| reply to adslreport
said by adslreport :I would like to order, but I understand that they have to change something with your phone line, and if the power goes out you can't use the phone anymore? Is there anyway to avoid this? The techs will install a UPS that will power the FiOS ONT for 24 hours if the power goes out. |
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xbox junkie
join:2004-07-30
Lakeland, FL | you cannot convert copper to fiber optic cable, and like i said that is what i have read in other threads. and i know that I am correct. |
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Morgon99
join:2005-01-17
Glen Burnie, MD
| I think what he meant was that they 'replace' the fiber with the copper.
However, I will concur with xobx (tough to spell it that way!) that there have been threads regarding the ability to keep copper telephone service, and just have fiber next to it.
Whether this has changed, I have no idea, but I can at least vouch for x's sanity. |
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snowpeas
I Need Fiber
join:2003-02-09 | reply to cbrain
how long did it take for them to show up to ur doorstep after you ordered it online? and how long did it take them to install it? a day? 2days? |
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cbrain
join:2000-05-21
Silver Spring, MD
·VoicePulse for Bus..
·Verizon FIOS
·Comcast
·Future Nine Corpor..
·VoiceStick
| said by snowpeas :how long did it take for them to show up to ur doorstep after you ordered it online? and how long did it take them to install it? a day? 2days? 2-19 - Ordered FIOS online, scheduled install 3-8.
3-3 – Verizon crew worked on the pole feeding my home.
3-4 – Verizon knocked and said they would be working outside. I told them all copper was unused and disconnected from the inside. They removed copper lines and ran fiber to the old nid.
3-8 – Verizon 2 man crew arrived about 9:30, left around 3:30. It was an awful snow-freezing rain day. I called at 8 and offered to put off the install but Verizon chose to go ahead. At one point I went out to offer a hot drink and there was over an inch of snow on the new ONT. |
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JTRockville
Data Ho
Premium,MVM
join:2002-01-28
Rockville, MD
clubs:
·LINGO
 ·Sprint Mobile Broa..
 ·surpasshosting
·Verizon FIOS
1 edit | reply to Morgon99
said by Morgon99 :...there have been threads regarding the ability to keep copper telephone service, and just have fiber next to it. I dug one up for anyone who wants to read it:
This conversation
»Re: FIOS Installation is a go in Montgomery County
Is part of this (much larger) topic
»FIOS Installation is a go in Montgomery County, MD
There's also a topic from last summer in the Fiber Deployment Center:
When it's lit.. what happens to copper?, Will existing copper lines be removed? |
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cbrain
join:2000-05-21
Silver Spring, MD
·VoicePulse for Bus..
·Verizon FIOS
·Comcast
·Future Nine Corpor..
·VoiceStick
| reply to cbrain
said by cbrain :... Router: Works. Easy to set up and change. Has several features including port forwarding, dynamic DNS, filters and firewall. I’ll probably continue to use my own because of QOS and shaping. ... I shifted the connections to the other router 2 times. Everything worked well except incoming traffic through the Verizon router on either connection. This may be a setting on my server but I haven’t had the time to track it down. ... Port forwarding works well. The Verizon D-Link has predefined rules for commonly used ports. You need only enable the port and set the internal IP. The D-Link writes the port forward and a firewall rule. My server wouldn't accept Wan traffic from this gateway without permission. |
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vic102482
Premium
join:2002-04-30
Upper Marlboro, MD
| reply to cbrain
Well it makes sense for them to block port 80 wtih that fast speed people hosting servers and degrading performance is inevitable.
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I tie a rope around my penis and jump from a tree, don't you wanna grow up to be just like me!!!! |
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xargs
join:2000-08-25
Camarillo, CA | reply to cbrain
Verizon's web page says that you have to use their router, but it appears that you found this not to be the case? |
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cbrain
join:2000-05-21
Silver Spring, MD | Do I have the right to remain silent?
Ill simply say it appears any router or computer with Ethernet hardware that does PPPOE will work. |
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