801.11n routers
CStenfors
Contributor - Level 1

Hi all, newcomer here.

I'm interested in FIOS, but my current home network is 801.11n (or is that 802.11n? I'm suddenly confused) based.

From everything I can see FIOS routers are only b/g protocols, which are substantially slower. Since I have quite a bit of wireless networking (and potential interference on the 2.4Ghz band) this seems to be a bit of a problem.

Since I have wireless mice/keyboards on two of my 3 computers, wireless speakers on my one TV, I'm routing files from a media server and have Windows Home server and a wireless printer I really, really would like the bulk of my Internet to be in the 5.4Ghz band.

I'd appreciate any observations you guys might have.

Thanks.

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Re: 801.11n routers
Knightro2
Enthusiast - Level 3

You don't have to use the wireless on the Verizon provided router. You can connect your own router to their router and use the wireless. You HAVE to use their router as the primary router due to how the DVRs and STBs communicate.

A forum member, BrianMcD, gave me this info for doing this with my Linksys as a test for a different issue I had.

"Assuming that your Westell is configured with an internal address of 192.168.1.1, configure the Linksys so that it has an Local Address of 192.168.1.2.  You will also want to disable the DHCP Server on the Linksys and change it from Gateway Mode to Router Mode."

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Re: 801.11n routers
CStenfors
Contributor - Level 1

Ok, that makes sense, however, I'm currently with Time-Warner Cable (roadRunner) and they won't support routers other than the ones they provide. I can see why, since the firmware allows them more extensive diagnostics than the out-of-the-box routers, but it is a royal PITA. Every time I have a problem (and there was a time that I had lots) I had to disconnect my  router and do a direct-connect to their modem.

Wo will Verizon troubleshoot connection problems behind a non-Verizon router?

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Re: 801.11n routers
Knightro2
Enthusiast - Level 3

That is beyond my knowledge. Hopefully someone will chime in if they know.

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Re: 801.11n routers
spacedebris
Master - Level 2

No, Verizon will not support anything other than the router they supply. Most companies dont.

However, connecting another router to the verizon router for internal networking is not all that difficult. Mostly you just have to make sure that the routers are on different networks.

What kind of n router do you have?  Linksys, D-link, Netgear?  Do you know its IP?

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Re: 801.11n routers
BrianMcD
Specialist - Level 1

You can avoid a Double NAT Situation and have both routers on the same network.  Just configure the Verizon Router as 192.168.1.1 and your other router as 192.168.1.2 and do a Lan Port 1 to Lan Port 1 connection.

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Re: 801.11n routers
Arek
Newbie

I have FIOS for years now and I never used Verizon provided routers because they needed to be reset few times a day. I used netgears, Linksys routers directly connected to Verizon's network cable.  Currently I.m using D-link Extreme N Dual Band Gigabit  DIR-825 router. Have no problems with VOD and STB boxes (I have 3). D-link routers work strait out of the box because they match Verizon router setting  the IP Address range and IP Subnet mask. With Netgear routers you have to reconfigure the settings.

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Re: 801.11n routers
nmc
Enthusiast - Level 3

Don't switch. I say that due to service. Do they support other routers? Well, they don't even support their own! I had Comcast. Could use wireless in my backyard. While sitting within 4 feet of therouter, I can't go wireless with Actiontec without consistent "link broen", page can't be found messages. They installed last Monday. Nothing but torture trying to get it working right and working with Techs. Finally got them to agree to send an installer back on Saturday. He walked in and said "I'm no computer expert"...and he didn't have another router. Tried to blame the problem on my pc. Verizon wireless, and more importantly, their service is trash!

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Re: 801.11n routers
Donald_Linbin
Contributor - Level 1

why don't you just use your own router if you are unhappy with the quality of signal of the actiontech?  I don't know a company that includes an amazing router with their service, and I have never gone with what they provide, although I do still use my dlink and nim from when I was installed.

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Re: 801.11n routers
vallibus
Newbie

Arek,

Are you saying switching from the Actiontech to a D-Link DIR-825 is basically "plug and play?"  Did you have to call Verizon to release your old router?  Was there anything else of a technical nature you had to do to make the switch?  Thanks for any feedback.

Bruce

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