MI424WR-GEN3I with Linksys 1900ACS

[jdezego1]

I want to use my own router. I want to put the FiOS router in bridge mode and simply pass *ALL* traffic to the Linksys and let it handle all routing/network services.

The below link explains exactly how to do this, but if course it doesn't work, probably because I have a newer version of the FiOS router:

http://www.hanselman.com/blog/SimplifyingYourNetworkWithABridgeMakingAnFIOsActionTecMI424WRANetworkB...

I bridged ethernet and coax on the FiOS router then plugged the Linksys WAN port into LAN port 1 on the FiOS router. This *should* make the Linksys router pick up the public IP from Verizon that would normally be assigned to the FiOS router... but it doesn't work.

Has anyone been able to make this work?

[JustinG1]

Do you have TV Service? Doing this can disrupt video on demand and the TV Guide. Just a heads up.

If I were you, I would remove the FiOS router completely and run ethernet from the ONT. It will make life easier and you will never have to deal with the Verizon router again. DSL Reports did a very in-depth writeup on this topic, and the steps are pretty easy.

Quick rundown of the steps to get your own router up and going:

First we need to get your router using ethernet! Make sure you have a Cat5/Cat6 Ethernet cable ran from the ONT to your router. Follow the steps here to get Verizon to enable your ONT's ethernet port: http://www.dslreports.com/faq/15990

Don't plug in your own router yet. First test everything on the actiontec.

Then its just a few more steps. Here is the full write up for more detail: http://www.dslreports.com/faq/15991

The steps are pretty simple:

1. Release the WAN IP from the Actiontec
2. Power off the Actiontec
3. Unplug the ethernet from the Actiontec WAN port and plug it in to the WAN port on your new router. Connect your PC to a LAN port on your new router, turn it on and reboot your PC. When the router settles down, verify its status lights, including internet connectivity.
4. Log into your router and check for connectivity
5. Enjoy using your own router!

Now if you have TV service, its mostly the same process, but you have to but the FiOS router behind your new router.

Link for how to switch routers with TV service: http://www.dslreports.com/faq/15992

[jdezego1]

Thanks!

I *do* have TV service. Given that, is it even possible to completely remove the FiOS router? I don't think so. I think the coax is necessary. So what are my options?

Is there some way to leave the FiOS router -> ONT/coax connection for TV, but also use ONT/Ethernet to my own router for internet service?

If not... what can I do?

[CRobGauth]

Do you want specuial features of another router or just better wireless?

If you just want better wireless, then disable wireless on Verizon router.

Hook lan port of your rotuer to lan port on Verizon router.

Put your router in bridge mode.

You get the wireless of your newer rotuer and keep functionality of Verizon router.

If you want addional features, it can be tricky as more and more Verizon relies on their router to support additional TV services (like DVR Anywhere that was recently added to Quantum).

[jdezego1]

Right now the FiOS router is upstairs with wifi disabled. My 1900ACS is downstairs in bridge mode. This is great for wifi speed and coverage, but the 1900ACS has features that don't work in this configuration, namely the guest network and external storage.

I don't have a dvr but losing the programming guide for example would be a deal breaker.

Is it possible to run both coax and ethernet from the ONT? If so I'm sure I could leave the FiOS router connected to the coax for tv and then go ethernt from the ONT to my Linksys router for internet service.

Although it bothers me that when I did bridge coax and ethernet on the FiOS router my Linksys router didn't get an ip address. I even tried cloning the mac address of the FiOS router on the Linksys router and it still didn't work. Makes me think Verizon is somehow intentionally blocking what I want to do... which will cause me to cancel them and go with my cable company if I find out that's the case.

[jdezego1]

I just read on DSL Reports that I can indeed have coax and ethernet live from the ONT. Now I just have to decide if I want to run ethernet from the ONT in the garage to my office upstairs where the FiOS router is 

[JustinG1]

Just my two cents, if you can, I would run the ethernet.

Personally I love the extra benfits that using your own router has. I would never look back after switching to my own equiptment.

[CRobGauth]

Be careful about the statement can have both coax and Ethernet.

You can't have Internet from ONT active on both.

You can have it on Ethernet and then have Router support devices via coax.

[jdezego1]

Actiontec: MI424WR-GEN3I
Firmware: 40.21.18

Want to use Linksys 1900ACS.

Since making my Actiontec a bridge didn't work (Linksys never got ip address no matter what I did), I'll give option 2 a try but I have a few questions.

The setup...

* My Linksys WAN will be plugged into a wall jack which goes through a switch and then hits Actiontec LAN.
* Actiontec will have wifi and all port forwarding disabled.
* Linksys WAN will have static address on the Actiontec LAN subnet.
* Linksys WAN address will be configured as DMZ host on Actiontec.
* Actiontec LAN will be 192.168.0.0
* Linksys LAN will be 192.168.1.0

Questions...

1) What happens to devices that are physically plugged in to the 4 LAN ports on the Actiontec? They will have addresses on a different subnet than devices on the Linksys LAN but I need them all to communicate. Is this possible with a static route? Do I need an additional cable going from Linksys LAN to Actiontec LAN?

2) Why couldn't the Actiontec and Linksys LANs be on the same subnet? I don't understand this. Everything I read says they have to be different. For example I would assign static addresses to the devices plugged into the Actiontec LAN ports, then let Linksys do DHCP for everything else (wireless). Is there a way to do this and have everything communicate?

[jdezego1]

Actiontec: MI424WR-GEN3I
Firmware: 40.21.18

Want to use Linksys 1900ACS.

Since making my Actiontec a bridge didn't work (Linksys never got ip address no matter what I did), I'll give option 2 a try.

The setup...

* My Linksys WAN will be plugged into a wall jack which goes through a switch and then hits Actiontec LAN.
* Actiontec will have wifi and all port forwarding disabled.
* Linksys WAN will have static address on the Actiontec LAN subnet.
* Linksys WAN address will be configured as DMZ host on Actiontec.
* Actiontec LAN will be 192.168.0.0
* Linksys LAN will be 192.168.1.0

Problem...

Devices on the Linksys LAN *can* communicate with devices on the Actiontec LAN, but not vice versa. A server on the Actiontec LAN can *not* ping anything on the Linksys LAN. I tried creating a static route on the Actiontec router and this also did not work. WHY would this simple setup not work? There is NO reason 2 subnets on 2 different routers should not be able to communicate.

Only think I can think of is... I only have the WAN port of the Linksys router plugged in. Do I also need one of the Linksys LAN ports plugged in?