If I get Fios can I connect wirelessly with my Mac?
jr1107
Enthusiast - Level 2

Fios is finally available in my area but Verizon says they do not support Mac wireless.  On one hand, if Verizon is saying they can't do this, I'm not sure I want to go there.  On the other hand, I really can't believe you can't connect wirelessly with a Mac to their supplied router.  I'm already using Verizon DSL and would love to dump Comcast cable and have internet, phone and tv with Verizon.  Should I disregard what Verizon says and go ahead or would I be making a big mistake?  I don't want to do it if it's going to be a major headache to use my laptop (I rarely use my desktop Mac) and I don't want to have to jump through hoops to get it to work.

Any advice?  Maybe I should just dump Verizon and use Comcast for everything.   

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Re: If I get Fios can I connect wirelessly with my Mac?
majicman10211
Enthusiast - Level 2

Basically that check is checking to see if Verizon's software, which is completely unnecessary to install, will work on your computer.  Since the software is written for Windows, no, it will not run on your Mac.  This in no way hinders your connection to FiOS, however.  I have a MacBook Pro and I use my FiOS internet just fine, with no hassles.

Hope this helps! 🙂

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Re: If I get Fios can I connect wirelessly with my Mac?
MoopMeep
Enthusiast - Level 3

Yes, you can connect with a Mac. My wife has a MacBook and connects to the verizon supplied actiontech router. The negatives are that the tools that Apple supply are not as good as the ones that Microsoft has on windows. So the Mac doesn't show signal strength when connecting to a wireless network, which seems really important to me. You can download third party stuff to do this though, you just have to search around.

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Re: If I get Fios can I connect wirelessly with my Mac?
CharlesH
Specialist - Level 1
Wireless works, regardless of your operating system...
Re: If I get Fios can I connect wirelessly with my Mac?
jr1107
Enthusiast - Level 2
If that's the case, then why does Verizon say it doesn't support it?  I'm not trying to be argumentative; I just don't want to go through the process and find out I'm back chained to my desktop.
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Re: If I get Fios can I connect wirelessly with my Mac?
CharlesH
Specialist - Level 1

Who ever you spoke to, wasn't the most informed agent...assuming your computer has a wireless card, and it is working properly, you will have no issue "using FiOS".

Don't believe me?

http://www22.verizon.com/residential/fiosinternet/systemrequirements/systemrequirements.htm

Re: If I get Fios can I connect wirelessly with my Mac?
jr1107
Enthusiast - Level 2
It's not that I don't believe you.  However, last weekend I was contacted and signed up for the Fios internet, tv and home phone bundle.  I received an email telling me to go to "What's Next" to tell me the process of installing Fios and I was directed to check if I had the proper equipment, etc.  Since I have a Mac, I had to check my system manually and that is when the site indicated that wireless networking for Mac was not supported.  I was totally bummed and cancelled the installation.  I'd give you the link but access that information since I cancelled the order.   I'm just not understanding why there is conflicting information provided by Verizon.  It makes me a little nervous to order. 
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Re: If I get Fios can I connect wirelessly with my Mac?
majicman10211
Enthusiast - Level 2

Basically that check is checking to see if Verizon's software, which is completely unnecessary to install, will work on your computer.  Since the software is written for Windows, no, it will not run on your Mac.  This in no way hinders your connection to FiOS, however.  I have a MacBook Pro and I use my FiOS internet just fine, with no hassles.

Hope this helps! 🙂

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Re: If I get Fios can I connect wirelessly with my Mac?
jr1107
Enthusiast - Level 2
Thanks so much for the information.  Looks like I can get Fios!
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Re: If I get Fios can I connect wirelessly with my Mac?
BDMcGrew
Newbie

I'm an Apple Engineer...  have been for eons!

The wireless in your MacBook, MacBook Pro and most newer PowerBooks is industry standard.  Granted, Apple offers and sell their AirPort base station and used to sell AirPort cards for non-wireless equiped machines, but it's all 802.11b/g standard.

Once your FiOS is installed and working (the tech will get it this far) the Verizon router will have wireless enabled with no security on it (yes, you'll want to change this very quickly...  Probably the SSID, WEP Keys, channels, etc.).

Bring up your MacBook, turn on the wireless and within a few seconds you should see this new network created by Verizon's router.  Join that network and as long as the service is working, the MacBook will work fine...

The Verizon engineers say they don't support Mac becuase they've all been trained on Windows and how to install and configured their own wireless hardware on Windows machines that are not already wirless.  This is way overly complicated for a Mac.  If you have a Mac, and you have wireless, and you know the WEP Key (if there is one), you can connect.  Simple as that.

When my tech installed FiOS I took my Blackbook, plugged it straight into the ethernet port on their ONT and booted up.  The tech was all to quick to tell me they didn't support and Mac and that this wasn't going to work.  I simply said OK, waited for the machine to boot up and got on the internet.  I gave the tech a very brief explanation of why it worked and suggested he pass that knowledge on to his superiors!

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Re: If I get Fios can I connect wirelessly with my Mac?
Justin46
Legend

BDMcGrew, nice explanation. However, I think there is one small error in your description.

The ActionTec router comes with WEP encryption activated, at least mine did (I don't know about the Westell router that Verizon uses in some areas). So when you first connect wirelessly with any computer you will need to enter the WEP key before you can connect. The key can be found on a label on the back of the ActionTec.

Now, like BDMcGrew said, I think it would be a very good idea to log into the router and change some settings, especially the encryption method, change it to WPA if your hardware supports it, it is much more secure than WEP.

__________________________________
Justin
Verizon FiOS TV, Internet, and phone
IMG 1.6.0, Build 06.89
Keller, TX 76248

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