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Verizon Makes 802.11N Gateway Easier to Get
After Keeping Most Users on 802.11g for Years

While Verizon's FiOS has led a rather uncompetitive pack of ISPs because of its speed, for years Verizon was happy to lag when it comes to providing 802.11n gateways to users. For some time the only way that FiOS customers could get 802.11n was to buy a second router, hope that the magic install fairy just happened to give them one of the newest revisions, or sign up for the very fastest tier Verizon has available (it needs the gigabit port). Recently however, Verizon started finally selling the fastest version of their FiOS router in their online stores, and users in our forums note they're currently selling it for $80 in the Verizon FiOS store -- and some users appear able to get it for free if they're lucky. Unfortunately it still doesn't have dual-band support, but it's still an improvement over what Verizon had been offering previously.

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tmh
@comcastbusiness.net

tmh

Anon

Big deal

My fios goes into a TMG firewall. From there it goes into three Cisco Aironet 1140 access points around the house.

Don't need no cheapo "n" router.

n2jtx
join:2001-01-13
Glen Head, NY

n2jtx

Member

802.11g

I am still using a WRT54G with 802.11g and Tomato 1.28. At least with my 20/2 service, I never max out 802.11g's theoretical 54mbit speeds.

Anon
@tidel.com

Anon

Anon

Re: 802.11g

You do realize that WRT54G would only give you a max. of 10 down for your wireless devices, right?

Hope your wired devices are on the Verizon-provided router, or you're losing half your bandwidth right there...
BiggA
Premium Member
join:2005-11-23
Central CT

BiggA

Premium Member

Re: 802.11g

I've done 22mbps on one. LAN to LAN, our cable at that time wasn't nearly that fast.
Crookshanks
join:2008-02-04
Binghamton, NY

Crookshanks to n2jtx

Member

to n2jtx
said by n2jtx:

At least with my 20/2 service, I never max out 802.11g's theoretical 54mbit speeds.

It's actually closer to 22mbit/s for TCP streams and around 25mbit/s for UDP conversations. Those figures presume an unloaded network, contention between different devices will lower overall throughout. It also presumes that you have a "G only" network, a mixed-mode network with "B" devices connected to it will also suffer performance degradation.
tmc8080
join:2004-04-24
Brooklyn, NY

tmc8080

Member

$$

keep in mind in previous (more generous) years, when you fulfilled a "contract" even if it was 1 year-- where you had an ETF, they gave you the router free.. or didn't require it to be returned if you cancelled service later on.. all bets are off now.. they want the router they are "loaning" to you back should you cancel and reuse it for other "new" customers..

yet another difference between Verizon in 2003 and VerScroogen in 2012
34764170 (banned)
join:2007-09-06
Etobicoke, ON

34764170 (banned)

Member

802.11ac

802.11n roll out was kind of weak with so many devices only supporting 2.4GHz band. I'm really looking forward to 802.11ac and the various new features and improvements to the standard that will help considerably in todays more modern wireless environments.

joako
Premium Member
join:2000-09-07
/dev/null

joako

Premium Member

Re: 802.11ac

Of course the cheap low-end devices don't support 5ghz. But look at any decent hardware product such as $50 and up routers and business class notebooks and they all have it.

You get what you pay for.
tmc8080
join:2004-04-24
Brooklyn, NY

tmc8080

Member

Re: 802.11ac

Just so you know.. there aren't really any USB 3.0 dongles out there.. so you won't get the full throughput using usb 2.0... in Hard drives 2.0 maxes out around 60-65MB/sec, and by contract 1gigabit is at least double that... and the ac spec is something like 1.3gbits, though real world puts it somewhere around 800mbits... with built-in 802.11ac laptops to the router... usb 2.0 cripples ac to about 500megabits..

Pricing will be way sky-high initially... This will pave the way for a decent deal on a dual band N (plus gigabit ethernet) router & dual band dongle combo.. which is plenty for most people.
Ashane
join:2011-07-06

Ashane

Member

Hmm?

Maybe I'm one of the lucky ones, but I've had a Wireless N router from Verizon ever since I started Fios. Year or so ago.

Have never had a Westell, always Actiontec. Last week they sent me that model in the picture (the red one), and told me to keep my old one, that they dont even want it back. So now I've got two, LOL.

Firmware Version: 40.19.22
Model Name: MI424WR-GEN3I

Btw, newer Firmware absolutely sucks ass vs the old one. :/
xczy
join:2009-02-10
Japan

xczy

Member

Re: Hmm?

Can add on that I also have the newest GEN3 Actiontec from this April when my current home was installed with FiOS. Currently and originally had 25/25.

edit: Didn't even ask; tech automatically gave it to me.
BiggA
Premium Member
join:2005-11-23
Central CT

BiggA

Premium Member

People who know what they're doing...

Have a different router or another router acting as an AP anyways. Or they just have Ethernet.

aaronwt
Premium Member
join:2004-11-07
Woodbridge, VA
Asus RT-AX89

aaronwt

Premium Member

So they finally update to a router..

that has features that my Dlink router had five years ago. I recently upgraded my DGL4500 router to an Asus RT-N56U router and an Asus EA-N66 Access Point(using 5Ghz). I was able to max out my 150/65 tier through my AP from my laptop using the FiOS Broadband speedtest from the laptop.. Will the FiOS router achieve those speeds over Wi-Fi as well?

I have this newer FiOS router but never tested it out. They gave me one with my upgrade to my 150/65 tier. But as soon as my tier was active, I disconnected it and connected my own router. Now it is gathering dust along with the other three routers that FiOS has sent me over the last five years.
civicturbo
join:2009-11-08
USA

civicturbo

Member

Got a cheap wireless G router frOm them

I found A link on fatwallet to a westell wireless G router on Verizon's site like a year and a half ago for 10 bucks plus free 2 day shipping! I got one and I was pretty good so I ordered a second. I think these were supposed to be for dsl customers....not sure. I modded one and gave it POE on one port. Nice little router for 10 bucks. Also very easy to use as a access point for extending your range in the house. 1. Just assign it a static IP outside your main routers dhcp range, but between .1 and .254 2.disable it's dhcP server 3. Plug your LAN cable running from your main router into one of the four LAN ports,yes LAN not wan. This will make any wireless router a access point, google it you'll find this info everywhere.
bunklung
join:2002-07-13
Northampton, MA

bunklung

Member

Solution

I found it easier to buy a GigE switch and put it on the LAN side of the old Actiontec in the basement. I then put a nice/cheap/buffalo GigE DD-WRT .N on the first floor and operate it as an AP. Done, GigE in the entire house with great .N coverage.

Cheaper than $80 too. Just not as cheap as getting a free one from VZ. However, I do get DD-WRT coolness and still retain all the VOD/Moca/caller ID tv stuff. No hackery involved either like some of the moca bridge tricks.

tweed
@verizon.net

tweed

Anon

They already issue 802.11n routers...

I got FiOS installed in June. It came with an 802.11n router. I just double-checked...
brianiscool
join:2000-08-16
Tampa, FL

brianiscool

Member

Wondering

If I move to a new location where they give me a free modem upgrade?
jhrollins
join:2008-01-18
Midlothian, VA

jhrollins

Member

Re: Wondering

When we moved two months ago they upgraded us to the new router.