How does the ONT work?
pcnerd
Contributor - Level 3

How does the ONT convert light to electricity? In laymans terms, please!

Even if I cut the cord, I still need internet access so I suppose that the ONT is required to stream, right? Probably the router is required also, right?

0 Likes
1 Solution

Correct answers
Re: How does the ONT work?
lasagna
Community Leader
Community Leader

In short, the ONT stands for optical network terminal -- it is the device as you put it that "converts light to electricity" or more correctly to electonic signals.   It today's world, everything boils down to "ones" and "zeros".  Analog signals (like voice) can be converted into streams of bits (ones and zeros) and then converted back again once it goes between a tranmission and receiving point.  This is how CD's work (the music that's on there is just a bunch of one's and zero's that gets deconverted back to analog signals so you here music when it's played (read by laser -- light -- none the less).  Old phonograph records used analog singles on the platter rather than ones and zeros which were read by a needle (sensing the vibrations).  

The same is dones with the internet (or streaming video, etc.) -- just lots of ones and zeros typically delivered to your computer or smart TV via an electronic cable (ethernet) or thru the air via radio (wifi).

As for Cable TV -- much the same, just many many more streams of ones and zeros to handle the multiple channels of information which need to be sent.

The use of "light" (or a laser) vs electronic cable really doesn't matter.  Think morse code -- whether you use a flashing light to send the dots and dashes (ones and zeros) or a telegraph clicks and clacks -- the message gets from one side to the other.   You, as the receiver use different "hardware" to read the signals -- one uses your eyes and the other you ears -- but your brain still gets the message.  Same with fiber optics vs copper -- just happens much much faster.

--------

When people say "cut the cord", they don't mean it literally.   They mean not getting traditional Cable TV service an instead using a streaming service to deliver your content.   Still has to come across some kind of connection.   The difference is you don't subscribe to the "Cable TV" part of the multitude of data streams coming to your home and instead use only the "internet" part.

-------

Now inside your home you could possibly "cut the cord" since you could use Wifi to move the bits from your internet router to your TV -- but that's really just "appearance" of cordless.   As newer technology to deliver internet at high speed via wireless networks (5G, etc.) come to market it may be possible to get the signal from the central office of company's like Verizon to your home without needing a wire -- but there's still quite a bit of growth to go there yet.

View solution in original post

Re: How does the ONT work?
dslr595148
Community Leader
Community Leader

@pcnerd wrote:

Even if I cut the cord, I still need internet access so I suppose that the ONT is required to stream, right? Probably the router is required also, right?


Yes and no.

If you are not switching to Cell Phone (3G,4G/LTE,5G) or some other means of getting Internet Access, then yes the ONT is required.

As long as your connection to the ONT is ethernet, techincaly the router is not required- you can use your router or directly connect to the ONT.

Re: How does the ONT work?
pcnerd
Contributor - Level 3

HMMM, I hadn't thought about using my cell phone for internet access! But how do I stream from my cell phone to my TV? Is that Chromecast?

0 Likes
Re: How does the ONT work?
Edg1
Community Leader
Community Leader

@pcnerd wrote:

How does the ONT convert light to electricity? In laymans terms, please!

Even if I cut the cord, I still need internet access so I suppose that the ONT is required to stream, right? Probably the router is required also, right?


The equipment at the Verizon central office sends the information over the fiber to your residence. The ONT then takes information which is travelling on different wavelengths and converts it to a useable signal for our phone lines, computers, and set-top boxes. In order to do this the ONT needs a power supply to power it up since the fiber is glass and doesn’t conduct electricity. 

If you want to cut the cord then you will need some type of internet access whether it is Verizon, your local cable company, or a cellular service. If using Verizon then yes you will need the ONT and a router. If using cable you will need a cable modem and router. They also have cable modem/router combos. 

Re: How does the ONT work?
Edg1
Community Leader
Community Leader

@pcnerd wrote:

HMMM, I hadn't thought about using my cell phone for internet access! But how do I stream from my cell phone to my TV? Is that Chromecast?


Chromecast would be one way. You can also use Apple TV and connect to your TV with AirPlay. Another way would be to use a Lightning to HDMI cord if you have an iPhone. Or a USB-C to HDMI if you have an Android. 

Keep in mind that if using you cellular service you will need to get an unlimited data plan. And even if you have an unlimited data plan you will start to get throttled after you go over a certain amount of GBs. That might make your stream drop from HD to SD. 

Re: How does the ONT work?
pcnerd
Contributor - Level 3

I have an Android phone. Once the phone is connected to the TV, then what do I do?

I don't have an Apple TV, but it is on my list of possible contenders for a streaming box along with Roku. I do have a Mac mini & a MacBook Air. I guess that the mini or the Air would AirPlay to the Apple TV. I don't want to rely on a laptop or a tablet in order to watch TV channels. So, the Android or Apple "solution" is not what I'm looking for. 

0 Likes
Re: How does the ONT work?
lasagna
Community Leader
Community Leader

In short, the ONT stands for optical network terminal -- it is the device as you put it that "converts light to electricity" or more correctly to electonic signals.   It today's world, everything boils down to "ones" and "zeros".  Analog signals (like voice) can be converted into streams of bits (ones and zeros) and then converted back again once it goes between a tranmission and receiving point.  This is how CD's work (the music that's on there is just a bunch of one's and zero's that gets deconverted back to analog signals so you here music when it's played (read by laser -- light -- none the less).  Old phonograph records used analog singles on the platter rather than ones and zeros which were read by a needle (sensing the vibrations).  

The same is dones with the internet (or streaming video, etc.) -- just lots of ones and zeros typically delivered to your computer or smart TV via an electronic cable (ethernet) or thru the air via radio (wifi).

As for Cable TV -- much the same, just many many more streams of ones and zeros to handle the multiple channels of information which need to be sent.

The use of "light" (or a laser) vs electronic cable really doesn't matter.  Think morse code -- whether you use a flashing light to send the dots and dashes (ones and zeros) or a telegraph clicks and clacks -- the message gets from one side to the other.   You, as the receiver use different "hardware" to read the signals -- one uses your eyes and the other you ears -- but your brain still gets the message.  Same with fiber optics vs copper -- just happens much much faster.

--------

When people say "cut the cord", they don't mean it literally.   They mean not getting traditional Cable TV service an instead using a streaming service to deliver your content.   Still has to come across some kind of connection.   The difference is you don't subscribe to the "Cable TV" part of the multitude of data streams coming to your home and instead use only the "internet" part.

-------

Now inside your home you could possibly "cut the cord" since you could use Wifi to move the bits from your internet router to your TV -- but that's really just "appearance" of cordless.   As newer technology to deliver internet at high speed via wireless networks (5G, etc.) come to market it may be possible to get the signal from the central office of company's like Verizon to your home without needing a wire -- but there's still quite a bit of growth to go there yet.

Re: How does the ONT work?
pcnerd
Contributor - Level 3

I know that I can ask FIOS to activate the ethernet port. Do I need to open the ONT cover & connect an ethernet cable from the ONT to the router?

0 Likes
Re: How does the ONT work?
lasagna
Community Leader
Community Leader

If you are receiving internet service today via FioS and it's not over ethernet (i.e. it's over Coax), then you will need to connect an ethernet cable from the router to the ONT ethernet jack.    There are two sides to the ONT -- one labelled "customer" or "customer access" usually secured with a single screw if it's an outdoor mounted model (indoors sometimes there's just a single door) -- you can open that and you'll see each of the connections needed.

Note that if you also receive TV services and have Vz set top boxes, you need to leave the Coax cable connected as well since the router needs to bridge the ethernet (LAN side) to MoCA (LAN side) so the STB's can reach the internet for TV guide and other services.

Re: How does the ONT work?
pcnerd
Contributor - Level 3

I got the ONT door open. I see a square black box with flashing lites. At the bottom I see a coax connector &, I guess, 2 ethernet ports. The ethernet ports aren't labeled. Which one is activated at my request?

0 Likes