Topic 'Re: HORRAY! 2/19 Install. Router Question.' in forum 'Verizon FiOS' - dslreports.com

Re: HORRAY! 2/19 Install. Router Question.

Fri, 07 Feb 2020 19:16:22 EDT

Branch posted : I too use SON with no problems. Modern devices should have no issues picking/handing off to the best band in any given location (speed vs. range).

Re: HORRAY! 2/19 Install. Router Question.

Fri, 07 Feb 2020 12:21:39 EDT

mbernste posted :

said by b1g_bake:

The SON thing really annoyed me.

I found with the G1100 I had a lot of wifi interference issues when I had two separate SSIDs. Nothing too drastic, but enough where I would have to reboot the router at least once a week. When I had Optimum, the only time the router was rebooted was when I had a firmware update. I found since switching to the self-organized network, I may have to reboot my router once every 2-3 months, if not longer. Speeds on both bands are fast and the latency remains low. I suppose your mileage may vary.

Re: HORRAY! 2/19 Install. Router Question.

Fri, 07 Feb 2020 10:31:29 EDT

b1g_bake posted : The SON thing really annoyed me. I set up a G1100 for my MIL's new fios service. I prefer separate SSIDs for 2.4 and 5 GHz bands, mainly because certain clients will cling to the 2.4 signal and get lower speeds. So I set it all up like that. Not even a month in they call and say the wifi is slow and some devices won't connect. I head over there and see only one SSID. I wonder how that has happened since I changed the default user and password for the admin interface. Then I realize that the bands have been combined again after I had manually turned off SON during the setup. So I turn it back off and get the SSIDs straight again. This was all around May 2019, well before the email campaign came out. Thankfully verizon hasn't mucked with the router settings anymore since then.

Re: HORRAY! 2/19 Install. Router Question.

Fri, 31 Jan 2020 12:26:09 EDT

gs0b posted :

said by Agrajag:

That type of iron-fist control has never sat well with me. Anyone know what the DHCP reservation limit is?

I also won't be a fan of any company changing my settings, but we'll see. I have to believe the trade-offs will be worth it. Just the faster upload speeds will be a huge improvement for me.

People have reported the G3200 has a DHCP reservation limit of 10. Not good if you use a lot of reservations.

I've never run into or heard about a limit on the G1100.

I've never heard of Verizon changing settings on routers unless they actively reset it during a support conversation.

They do automatically push firmware to the routers. This is good as most users have no idea what firmware is or that they should install new updates to stay secure. If this is something you want to manage yourself, that would be a reason to avoid a Verizon router.

In my experience, the SON feature was not automatically turned on. The feature was pushed with a firmware updated, but it was up to the users to turn it on. The email they sent made it easy for people to turn it on, which many did with little thought.

Enjoy.

Re: HORRAY! 2/19 Install. Router Question.

Fri, 31 Jan 2020 10:34:07 EDT

Agrajag posted : That type of iron-fist control has never sat well with me. Anyone know what the DHCP reservation limit is?

I also won't be a fan of any company changing my settings, but we'll see. I have to believe the trade-offs will be worth it. Just the faster upload speeds will be a huge improvement for me.

Re: HORRAY! 2/19 Install. Router Question.

Fri, 31 Jan 2020 08:45:11 EDT

b1g_bake posted : So is there a way to have his own router at the edge, but put the Verizon router in the DMZ. That would effectively give it a front seat again. But there is still the issue of the verizon router needing to hand out DHCP to the setup boxes. Looks like verizon really wound this up tight on the latest hardware updates.

Re: HORRAY! 2/19 Install. Router Question.

Fri, 31 Jan 2020 08:42:49 EDT

b1g_bake posted : I'm not saying saying they are the worst. The g1100 and newer are probably mid pack on specs. But you hit arbitrary limits on the number of DHCP reservations available for example. Also they apply updates and change settings you have already turned off (SON). I don't think my ISP has any business in my LAN.

Re: HORRAY! 2/19 Install. Router Question.

Thu, 30 Jan 2020 11:19:35 EDT

Agrajag posted : At least a couple of those features are of interest to me. I did read up on the 3200 and it seems like it may be good enough for our needs -- enough so to give it a try on its own for a bit. We do some VPN stuff here that I was concerned about and some wake on LAN stuff, but those seem to be supported. We'll see.

Re: HORRAY! 2/19 Install. Router Question.

Thu, 30 Jan 2020 11:00:49 EDT

gadgetboyj posted :

said by b1g_bake:

If you still like DDWRT running your routing, you can hang the verizon one downstream to get the tv boxes working.

Keep in mind that this setup can/will cause issues with the TV. To quote a previous post I made on the subject:

said by gadgetboyj:

That article is a bit over 3 years old. Several functions will break/be unavailable without the use of a Verizon router first in line from the ONT.

If you have the original, pre-Quantum TV, FiOS TV, and you go with the MoCA Adapter, you will get Guide Data, and you will get VOD. On-screen Caller ID will not function. Remote DVR scheduling from the web/FiOS App will not function. The remote function in the FiOS app will not function. How much you care about these features is up to you. I may have missed a couple.

If you have Quantum TV, all of the above applies, but IN ADDITION, you will not be able to activate a new box/reactivate an existing box if ever needed. The DVR streaming functionality that exists with Quantum TV will also not work.

If you have the newest, FiOS TV One, again all of the above applies, but you must not only have a FiOS router, but specifically a Quantum Gateway, or you will be unable to activate/reactivate the boxes. They also will not receive any software updates without a Quantum Gateway as the primary.

In the past, using a MoCA bridge was a great way to keep TV service working while using your own router, specifically if you didn't care too much about the features that do not work. But as Verizon's TV service has evolved, it relies more and more heavily on having one of their routers be their communication back to Verizon's systems. And even if you have one of the older FiOS TV setups now, you never know what might prompt/necessitate an upgrade in the near future. Purchasing MoCA adapters at this point for this purpose would be a waste.

The biggest issue for most would likely be activating/reactivating of boxes, as well as the STB software updates not working.

edit: Just saw that gs0b alluded to the same in the post above.

Re: HORRAY! 2/19 Install. Router Question.

Thu, 30 Jan 2020 09:26:51 EDT

gs0b posted :

said by Agrajag:

Thanks. That's pretty much the plan. I just didn't want to run into, "Boy this router is the worst" issues like with the old ActionTec.

What makes a router "the worst" or "the best" varies depending user needs. I've used a couple of versions of the ActionTecs and currently use the G1100. They've all met my needs, although I found the G1100's WiFi range to be less then I'd like. I've only read reports on the G3200 and they are pretty positive.

From observation, it appears that most of the folk who think the Verizon routers are "the worst" are people who want to have lots of knobs & levers to adjust router settings. The Verizon routers don't do have that and are not a good fit for people with those needs. That doesn't make them bad routers, just not the right routers for those power users.

With the new set-top-boxes, a Verizon router is pretty much required for activation. It needs to be in the network somewhere. Review the FAQ for details.

If you do give it a try, consider posting your experiences on this or the G3200 thread to help others who are considering using it.

Enjoy.

Re: HORRAY! 2/19 Install. Router Question.

Thu, 30 Jan 2020 08:33:12 EDT

b1g_bake posted : If you still like DDWRT running your routing, you can hang the verizon one downstream to get the tv boxes working.

Re: HORRAY! 2/19 Install. Router Question.

Wed, 29 Jan 2020 17:58:04 EDT

Agrajag posted : Thanks. That's pretty much the plan. I just didn't want to run into, "Boy this router is the worst" issues like with the old ActionTec.

Re: HORRAY! 2/19 Install. Router Question.

Wed, 29 Jan 2020 17:05:09 EDT

gs0b posted : If you're using Verizon set-top-boxes, they are difficult to get working with a non-Verizon router.

The new G3200 sounds like a good router, however I've never used it. They include the router rental in the new gig plans. It connects to the ONT's WAN port by Ethernet. I suggest you try it. If you don't like it, review this:
»Verizon FiOS FAQ »Do I have to use Verizon's router?

Enjoy.

Re: HORRAY! 2/19 Install. Router Question.

Wed, 29 Jan 2020 16:58:13 EDT

Agrajag posted : Sewell to be specific, but close enough.

Re: HORRAY! 2/19 Install. Router Question.

Wed, 29 Jan 2020 15:25:34 EDT

CGMason14 posted : Another one of those copper retirements "on or after August 2018" out of Glassboro I'm guessing.

HORRAY! 2/19 Install. Router Question.

Wed, 29 Jan 2020 13:28:59 EDT

Agrajag posted : Okay, so after years of waiting and watching the orange cable go in and waiting lots more, I'm the first one in my neighborhood to sign up for FiOS (had it for year in my old neighborhood). Got a great price for More TV and Gig internet ($156 a month all in with discounts which is $1 a month more than our Comcast bill which was about to go up $26 in a month or so).

Anyway, I'm now wondering about the router. I have a Netgear P7000 that I like that runs DDWRT, but this setup comes free with their non-ActionTec router (which I think is a good thing). Is this router decent or is it junk like the ActionTec was?

Am I better off with my Netgear and is that even an option or is it still like it was the last time I was a customer and the router also provides On Demand and Guide data, etc?