How can i use a second router to replace verizon fios router?

[skyliner34]

Okay so just as the title says how do i use a second router? I got a cisco valet router... I don't know how to use it because the verizon router/modem is wierd i know how to use a router if i only had a modem but fios gives router/modem so how can i use my 2nd router? The current verizon fios router/modem is b/g mode and i wanna change to b/g/n so i can get a better speed from my internet... SO how can i use my 2nd router? I tried this http://www.dslreports.com/faq/verizonfios/3.0_Networking#12506 but i don't get it can someone guide me better or make a video explaination on how to use a 2nd router? I have it connected with see as in pic i connect from my router Internet port to wan port and the ethernet lan port to the ethernet lan port on verizon fios and no work please help...

[smith6612]

I don't believe I'm quite getting how you've connected everything. From the best I can tell, you've got a network cable connecting your Valet router's LAN port to the Valet router's Internet or WAN Port, which would be a NAT Loop in the network, and from there, the LAN Port on the Valet would be connected to the ActionTec router. First impressions of course aren't always reliable, so I will assume at this point, you did not create a loop. From what you said though, I'm running on the assumption that you meant WAN Port on the ONT, to the Internet port on your router. One cable goes to a PC, and another goes to the ActionTec router's LAN port.

Which router are you wanting to make your Primary router? The Verizon-supplied ActionTec router, making your Valet router into an Access Point and switch, or do you want to make the Valet the Primary router and simply set the ActionTec up as a MoCa Bridge for your Set Top Boxes if you have FiOS TV, and as another access point for Wireless G devices and an Ethernet switch?

How is your ActionTec router currently connected to the ONT Verizon installed? Is it being done via a Coaxial cable, or is there an Ethernet cable coming from the ONT to your ActionTec or Cisco/Valet router?

If you can give us this information, we can give you the info relavent to what you want to accomplish from that FAQ at DSLReports. There's 8 or so different combinations to set things up so we have to settle with one.

[skyliner34]

I want to make the CISCO a primary router... I don't know what MoCa bridge means i don't have tv or home phone... I just use my cell phone(smart phone) and netflix or hulu+ for tv. There is a coaxial cable from my router to my wall like a tv wire. Do i have to connect a ethernet router to my ONT box? I don't get what to do...I just want to use the CISCO router i tried enabling lan on the verizon router page but that doesn't help I have a wire going from my WAN Ethernet port and Lane Ethernet Port to the Internet Port on my router and the Lan port on my router so 2 wires is on it. Any help? I just don't get FIOS and how to setup a router with it...Also i disabled the wifi on the verizon router and still my valet router isn't working... WIFI part it doesn't seem to get the internet ip address and i don't know how to make it get it...

[skyliner34]

I am going to get another router NETGEAR N300 Wireless Router

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Netgear-WNR2000-Wireless-N-Router/10928683

so can you or other people help me connect another router please

[smith6612]

OK, so with this, we have a few options. You appear to have a MoCa connection to the ONT, hence the coaxial cable being present.

1: The ActionTec can be bridged to the Valet router. This will not require any additional cabling, however it will require a small amount of work to have working. You will also require the ActionTec still in the mix, even though it will not be acting as a router anymore with this configuration.

Visit http://www.dslreports.com/faq/16077 and look at Option 4. There is a thread linked that will allow you to set up the ActionTec as just a MoCa bridge, and will pass the Public IP to your router. You will, in order for this to work once the ActionTec is bridged, need to connect the cable from your Valet router's Internet port, to the ActionTec's LAN port and nothing else goes to the ActionTec. From this point, your Valet should run as your primary and everything should connect through your Valet. If you are adding another router, a Netgear N300, you should perform the LAN to LAN setup, which we will talk about once you've got the Valet working correctly. LAN to LAN configs require a custom setup, so do not set up the Netgear for now.

2: This is my preferred method, which would be to run an Ethernet cable to the ONT. Option 6 in the FAQ. This will require spaking to Verizon to have them move your ONT to Ethernet, but once they do this, you can disconnect the Coaxial Cable from your ActionTec router, and plug in your CAT5/CAT6 cable from the ONT to the ActionTec's Internet/WAN port. Use the ActionTec to ensure everything is working after the switchover, and once off the phone, log into the ActionTec, perform a DHCP Release, and then prompty power off the ActionTec. Once this is done, plug the CAT6 cable into your Valet router's Internet port. You should from this point, be able to connect to the Cisco, and if the DHCP Lease was broken successfully, the Cisco should begin serving up your Internet connection. If it does not, leave the Cisco powered off for a few hours to break the DHCP lease, and then power it up. If the Valet does not work, still, give the Valet a factory reset and set up this router again, with the Ethernet cable from the ONT connected to it.

I would just take a good luck at the FAQ linked above again, and see what would work the best. Easiest thing to do is to get the ONT moved to Ethernet, which allows you to eliminate the ActionTec unless you need it in the future for TV service, and also allows you to use any router with ease.

Once the Valet is up and running and holds your Public IP address from Verizon (use http://whatismyip.com/ to determine this) , and also serves up IPs to devices on your network, post back and we can help you set up the Netgear. If you have any issues while setting this up, fall back to the ActionTec. It's factory reset will work without configuration needed, regardless of you being on Coax or Ethernet.

[skyliner34]

Yes i tired that but that makes my connection not work... Can you please make a video so i can understand it. I had to call verizon back to get my internet up again.

[smith6612]

I would if I could. I'm stuck on DSL, and the nearest FiOS connection to me until Verizon finishes up with their skeleton build out where I am is at least two miles away. Someone here may be able to explain it better than I.

How long have you had FiOS for? If you've had it since it literally came out, you may be on PPPoE rather than DHCP. If on DHCP, it should be a matter of completing the bridge correctly, and ensuring the Valet is able to actually work as a router. This was why I stated to reset both routers if bridging should it not work, and try it again. With the bridging method, you are only calling Verizon to break the DHCP lease if you do not want to wait a few hours. If you are doing the Ethernet from ONT right to router method, Verizon only needed to switch you to Ethernet if they did not already, and break your DHCP lease if you did not wait a few hours.

You could also close the ActionTec's MAC address in the Valet to see if that works and allows it to pull an IP. Log into the Valet at it's default gateway IP address and locate the clone MAC Address option. Use the address displayed from the ActionTec's MoCa WAN (System Monitoring > Advanced Monitors > Advanced LAN Statistics) if you are on Coax to the ONT, or use the ActionTec's Internet Ethernet MAC address if you are Ethernet right to the ONT and the ActionTec is using that connection.

Either way, without knowing how the Valet was configured, I can only suggest resetting it, not running a setup wizard, and trying the bridging options again. If the Valets are like Linksys routers, you can plug them in and they'll work from the get go if it grabs a DHCP address. That's our goal.

[Anti-Phish1]

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@skyliner34 wrote:

Yes i tired that

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Tried which?  Smith6612 posted 2 different approaches.  Which of the two did you try?

No video is going to be able to cover the configuration steps that you need to make your router primary since every user is going to want to use a different thrird party router.  For that you need to read the user manual for your specific router.

As long as you have a coax connection to the Actiontec, you're not going to be able to make your router primary since no other router supports a MOCA WAN connection.

I agree with Smith6612 that you need to switch your WAN connection from coax to ethernet.

Follow the instructions here:

http://www.dslreports.com/faq/15990

Once you have the Actiontec running on an ethernet connection from the ONT, then you can switch out the Actiontec for a router of your choice.  Just be sure the router you chose can handle FIOS speeds.  Not all routers can.

[skyliner34]

Umm i have the netgear N300 wirless router now i took back cisco but still same problem can't get the router to work!!!And yes i did press clone mac of this computer and it still doesn't work... I don't really know how to do it...and "anti-Phish i done step 4 but i can't do step 6 because i don't have a long enough ethernet wire anyways i don't want a wiring running across my house atleast i could hide it but don't know how...

[smith6612]

Are you willing to do some fishing of cabling through the walls? If you purchase a length of unterminated CAT5e cabling that meets your length requirements (they go for like $15-25 for a spool that is not 1,000ft long), you can wire one end of the cable to a wall jack, such as this: LINK , and from that point, you can have the other end of the cable terminate into another jack near the ONT if it's indoors, or you can use a crimping tool to add a connector on the other end of the cable. This takes some time, naturally, but it looks the best. Verizon can do this for you, for a fee, or you can have someone you know or trust come in and perform the wiring and connections for you. Once you do that and confirm the cable has been correctly done and ran, you should be able to ask for the ONT to be switched to Ethernet, connect your router to the wall jack, connect the CAT5 cable to the ONT, and you should pull an IP from that point.

To make an Ethernet cable to terminate it to a jack or a connector, you can use this guide: http://www.swhowto.com/CAT5_Ch1.htm (see bottom of page for a link to wiring up a jack)

The only way to stay on Coax and avoid the running of wire would be to use a bridge via the ActionTec. MoCa bridges available on the market do not support MoCA WAN, so you cannot purchase a replacement for Verizon-supplied ActionTecs or Westells. Hence, either Bridge, Actiontec as Primary, or run CAT5e.

Away from all of this, you will just have to consider making the best of use with what you've got. Place your router near the ONT (if it's not outside) in a mountable or secure and safe spot, connect it using an available Ethernet cable to the ONT's Ethernet jack, and from there, use Powerline adapters to get Wired connectivity to your devices that use an Ethernet connection, in addition to setting up the ActionTec as a MoCa bridge/Access Point/Switch, and use MoCa to deliver data to a room with a Coaxial Cable running to it, and a MoCa bridge on the other end.