Quantum Gateway "Upgrade" Question
JoeHz1
Newbie

I have a equipment rack in my basement. It has a patch panel, gigabit switch, and it's all neatly (for various definitions of "neat") connected to the cat-5 that is wired throughout my house. I've got a Xywall firewall and a wifi AP as well.

The short version is that this means that I have no need for a Verizon Router of any kind. The only thing I require for FIOS internet service is PPPoE from my ONT. I'd just plug it into my firewall and that's it.

I initially asked for it to be installed this way, but it wasn't done. I was given the "free" router. Oh well -- the router wasn't hurting anything, so I left it alone.

But then we got that letter telling us we had to pay to upgrade our router to the Quantum Gateway or else we'd be charged $1.50 a month.

So now the router *was* hurting something (the bill, in one form or another). So I called Verizon to ask for it to be replaced with the PPPoE drop I initially requested but did not get.

The tech came and explained that while I did not need the router for internet connectivity, my FIOS DVR *did* need it in order to be able to download the guide, et al. 

I don't want to be too blunt here, but I must ask: Why is this my problem?

I mean, I'd obviously prefer to "upgrade" the DVR to one that no longer has this requirement. Do I have any options to make my DVR not require a Verizon Router? Can I configure it to use my own equipment, or say, if I had a Tivo with a Vz Cable Card, would I still need the router? I'm willing to do what it would take because I have no other need for this piece of equipment.


If that is not possible, then it raises the obvious question: Whose problem is this?

If the DVR requires special equipment, why am I required to pay for it? This should be the problem of the people who rent me the DVR. Do cable companies charge for the rental of routers to customers who don't have internet service?? Most customers have a separate need for the router, but I'm not any of them.

Surely Verizon wouldn't charge me to upgrade the telco equipment that I happen to be connected to at a cage in the CO, would it? If working with the old Verizon-provided router is a problem for Verizon, then Verizon is welcome to replace it at their own cost.

 
I'm really trying to not be a jerk about this. I'm willing to reconfigure things so that I don't need a router. From day one, I've done this to the maximum extent possible, making it such that I'm not tethered to any given ISP. So by all means, charge the people who require the presence of the router. That's simply not me. It's apparently another group inside of Verizon.

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Re: Quantum Gateway "Upgrade" Question
CRobGauth
Community Leader
Community Leader

You can use your own router.

But you will need to make sure you open all the appropriate ports to support all of the features (guide, VOD, remote control and viewing).

Search the forums, there are a number of threads of people that have done it.
Some successful, others not.

BTW, I don't believe FIOS uses PPPoE. It is straight ethernet fromt eh ONT.

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Re: Quantum Gateway "Upgrade" Question
JoeHz1
Newbie

I don't think it's quite as simple as port opening. I mean I'm sure that's part of it, but if I used my own router and had an ethernet connection from the ONT, how would the STB/DVR even talk to anything else? Wifi? The DVR is hooked to it via a coax connection I'd seem to eliminate.

I'm sure I could use the old router to do that (essentially a MOCA lan bridge), but does that mean verizon would charge me for the privilege of having this piece of equipment on my LAN?.Or only if it is serving as my primary router.

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Re: Quantum Gateway "Upgrade" Question
CRobGauth
Community Leader
Community Leader

If you own the quantum gateway, there would be no additional charge.

if you are paying monthly rent, then just buy a moca adapter.

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Re: Quantum Gateway "Upgrade" Question
JoeHz1
Newbie

If I use the old router as a MOCA Lan Bridge am I going to get charged? Or would I only be charged based upon it being my primary router. The idea being I'm going to get Ethernet from the ONT. If I use the old router just to keep the STB alive, does Verizon care? Would they even have any way to know? I doubt it but....

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Re: Quantum Gateway "Upgrade" Question
CRobGauth
Community Leader
Community Leader

I don't understand your comment on charges.

There are 2 types of rotuer charges.

1) For using an older model router. Don't remember exaclty what the minimum verison is, but it is one of the later (either F or I I beleive).

2) Monthly rental.

What model router do you have and what is the charge for?

Not sure how they remove charge if it is for #1. I would assume if you say you are using your own router, that would suffice.

As long as they don't ask you to reutrn the old rotuer, then yes, you should be able to use it with no issue. If they do, then you can purchase a MOCA adapter that should do the same thing.

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Re: Quantum Gateway "Upgrade" Question
JoeHz1
Newbie

Okay, let me try it again then:

I own an older router I will be charged for.

I want ethernet from the ONT.

But if I do that, I need to get the STB on the internet somehow. A MOCA LAN Bridge would do that, and the old router could serve that purpose. I just have to plug it into my new router that has the ONT on it's WAN connection.

If I do this, will I still be charged because of the presence of the old router at all, or would that charge only apply if it's serving as my primary router?

My goal is to not to pay for ANY Verizon hardware. If I can do it myself, I will.

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