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philb00
Posts: 4
Registered: ‎08-10-2010
Location: boston ma
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Ethernet port and/or coax cable connection for internet access ?

What is better way  to get the internet access  with Fios installed and the Fios router  (I'm gonna have

triple play bundle (tv, internet, phone) installed next week  :

 

-   Use  the  ethernet port  and run a cat 5 cable direct from ONT  to the router ?

-  Use   the coax port on ONT   which   runs to 3  TVs and splitter off  coax to  the router for internet wireless access ?

 

I was going to run/fish  a cat5   e-net cable  up thru attic  before the tech comes to house -  IF 

using the  E-net port   works better/easier/faster all around  vs  coax  for the internet.

Is  it  worth my time and sweat  to do that  really  or just   piggyback on the coax ?

 

I read some post that the ONT can NOT  have  the ethernet port and Coax port enabled  at same time ?

Is that  correct ?
Seems  pretty  bad or  little value having these built into ONT and not able to use them   together.

 

Thanks

 

All Star
lasagna
Posts: 1,786
Registered: ‎05-27-2010
Plan: Prime HD 50/25
Location: South Central, PA

Re: Ethernet port and/or coax cable connection for internet access ?

It's a matter of preference, but if you're getting TV service as well, I would advise just sticking to Coax only.

 

There are actually several networks working together when you get FiOS internet and TV service. 

 

1. The ONT to the STB's provides QAM signals for the TV channels which are decrypted by the STB.   So, for this you need Coax from the ONT to each STB.

 

2. The Internet service can be provisioned to the router either via Ethernet or MoCA Coax.   They are essentially equivalent in functionality, it's just the media which is used which is different.  Since coax is a broadband capable medium, there can be many different transmissions occurring simultaneously on the same wire without them impacting one another (essentially, MoCA WAN runs on a frequency of 1000Mhz and I believe most QAM runs in the 6Mhz band).

 

3. The STB's need access to the internet in order to get their guide data, VOD, etc.   This is accomplished using a MoCA LAN connection channel between the STB's and the router.   The MoCA LAN runs on 1150Mhz.

 

The router bridges together the local ethernet ports on the router, the wireless network, and the MoCA LAN connection to form one logical network and then processes the traffic thru the NAT/PAT Firewall engine to either the MoCA WAN interface or the Ethernet WAN interface depending on how your internet traffic is configured.

 

In short, if you go with ethernet for the WAN to ONT connection, you'll still need a Coax connection into your router so that the STB's can get to the Internet.  Your only real benefit of using an Ethernet WAN interface connection comes if you are not a TV subscriber and wish to use your own residential router (most residential routers are much simpler to configure than the Verizon supplied router which is necessarily more complex due to the functionality which is supports).  

 

It's important to note that you can't use your own router with a WAN Ethernet connection in place of the Verizon router if you have TV service if you want everything to work properly (the router assigns specific addresses and quality of service attributes to the STB's so that they function properly and the Verizon central network looks to be able to communicate directly with the Verizon supplied router to make necessary configuration changes for things like Remote DVR service which will fail if you substitute a different router (OK, "can't" is too strong a word -- it is possible, but unless you truly understand how networking and routing works and what is going on under the covers -- you should not be exploring that territory).

Copper Contributor
prisaz2
Posts: 10
Registered: ‎08-10-2010
0 Kudos

Re: Ethernet port and/or coax cable connection for internet access ?

[ Edited ]

Ethernet and MOCA coax for IP can not both be active on the ONT. I prefer Ethernet instead of coax for the WAN IP portion, but the router still needs to have coax connected to it. The set top boxes get their internet access through the coax even if the router WAN port is using Ethernet. There have been many discussions regarding this topic.

 

lasagna gives a much better detailed explaination. I use my own router and the Verizon router. I am an advanced user, and my configuration is not supported by Verizon.

 

A search reveals this.

http://forums.verizon.com/t5/forums/searchpage/tab/message?location=Board%3AFiOS_Internet&q=ONT+Ethe...

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