Replacing an old Actiontec gateway with my own DOCSIS 3.0 cable modem & separate router

[#1]

I have a very old Actiontec gateway that I want to replace with a DOCSIS 3.0 cable modem & a high end wireless router.  Although I have FIOS TV, phone & internet service from Verizon, we have one CAT-5 line feeding our TVs (actually 2 Tivos, which we connect using a splitter & cable cards) and a completely separate CAT-5 line that connects to our old Actiontec gateway & supplies us with high speed internet service only.  The Verizon-supplied box on the wall of our garage separates out our FIOS telephone service, since my 40+ year old house has regular phone lines installed in its walls.  Our Tivos get their programming information from  CAT-5 wiring that we installed ourselves, although we could have just used a telephone connection.

My question is this - should I have any compatibility issues using any DOCSIS 3.0 cable modem of my choice & a wireless router that supports the new AC standard?  (My new Lenovo computer is AC, not N.)  I haven't decided on my actual choice of hardware options, but so far I'm seriously looking at Motorola SB6141 and the Linksys WRT1900AC.  I'm software-savvy but not hardware oriented in the least.  I always set up & configure my routers & I also have a Synology mirrored home network that I set up myself.

Please help.  Someone at the Geek squad said my choices should be fine, but I really lack confidence in Best Buy's Geek Squad & would hate to buy stuff only to have to return it.

Thank you very much.

[#2]

Unfortunately Cable Companies and FiOS use Different technologies so the two aren't interchangeable.

Cable uses DOCSIS + and FiOS Uses MOCA

If you have FiOS TV - you are pretty much garunteed that you'll need a Verizon Router.

If it's internet only and you can connect it with ethernet, then you can purchase any "router" the Surfboard is a modem, and FiOS doesn't use modems

[#3]

FYI you can still use that Linksys connected to the fios, but not the surfboard.

If you need help configuring the linksys then use these instructions

Can I use my wireless or an extra router along with the Verizon provided router?

[#4]

Very interesting, and thank you for your speedy reply - but what I have coming out of the wall that currently feeds my internet only is a coax connection.  I believe that looking at a photo of the Linksys router I mentioned, it only accepts CAT-5 for its internet input connection - and has 4 CAT-5 output ports, as well as a sata & USB 3 connection.  If I don't need/can't use a cable modem, how do I transition from the Verizon supplied coax line in to the router?  (I've never owned a separate cable/modem & router, not even when I used to be a comcast customer; I've only owned gateways.)  Is there some kind of adapter that would accept the coax input & feed it to an ethernet output for me to then plug into the Linksys router?  - Or would I be forced to somehow turn my Actiontec (model M1424WR Revision D) into a bridge?

[#5]

Sorry!  What I forgot to add in my last reply was that I really don't want to use the Actiontec anymore to issue the DHCP address or handle the NAT.  The Linksys router sounds a lot more powerful & capable IMHO.  My Actiontec is getting overwhelmed in my house - we have 3 PCs, a Kindle, a cell phone & 2 iPads as well as two Sonos speakers & its bridge on my network - and that's without my two Tivos!  Half the time the Actiontec isn't re-issuing DHCP addresses to the Sonos system or my Tivo units.  I truly hate the Actiontec these days - and please, Revision D when my Lenovo has an AC wireless connection?

So, again, given my near complete ignorance of hardware, would you happen know if I could use a Sonos bridge to connect my coax cable to a Linksys router (or would I have to ask Sonos if they support MoAC?)

[#6]

Wipe egg off face!  Stupid, stupid question - the Sonos bridge also only accepts CAT-5 input.

[#7]

Well short answer, is that the Actiontec is the only thing that gives your cable boxes their VOD and IMG and Widgets.

So you need it in the mix somewhere.  

You have two choices (you actually have several choices but these are the easiest)

The first one is what I recommend, which is to continue using the Actiontec as a primary router, and then you would connect your linksys as a 2ndary router using the instructions from above.   In short from the ONT -> ethernet -> actiontec WAN; then from the actiontec LAN (any) to the Linksys WAN.     (you will have to go into the linksys software and make sure that the gateway IP is not 192.168.1.1   you would change it to .2.1  (very easy to do, we can show you how)

The 2nd way would be to remove your actiontec as the primary and reverse the above instructions.  so that would be ONT -> ethernet -> Linksys WAN/Internet and then from the Linksys LAN port you would connect it to the Actiontec Ethernet WAN port.    You will still have to go into the Linksys Main Menu and change the IP like described.

Functionally this is how it will work. 

The ONT will supply Internet VIA Ethernet Cable to the linksys.  The linksys will provide Internet access to the actiontec, and the actiontec VIA coax will allow the Cable boxes to get ip's so that they can do VOD and update the Guide etc.

[#8]

Quick question, do you ONLY have Tivo's?

If so then you can bridge the actiontec like you described and you would use these instructions to turn it into a moca bridge [PDF]

Configure MI424WR as a LAN MoCA Bridge - Actiontec

[#9 · Accepted solution]

Ok, I think I understand more clearly,  Sorry, only half the info kicked into my head.

Let me answer this differently.

So you have Internet and TV but only using Tivo and Cable Cards.  So from the main Verizon ONT you COULD connect your own ethernet cable and have verizon switch their software to allow that to give your linksys internet.   You would call them once you were ready to have it fired up.

That would be your best option, having the Verizon Router in the mix for you is redundant and not neccessary, and your goal is to get rid of it anyways.

So it will look like this once you're done

ONT ->Ethernet -> linksys and then out to your network. 

ONT -> Coax to your splitters and your house wiring to get TV signal and RF to your Tivo's as normal no changes to wiring needed there.

[#10]

Forgive me for reviving an old thread and forgive my ignorance.

If I'm reading this thread correctly, the Surfboard SB16121 DOCSIS 3.0 model I bought a few months ago will not work with my Verizon Fios package because Fios operates on MoCA.

Can I use the Surfboard if I purchase a MoCA network adapter?  

I currently use primarily wireless and only have 2 TV's in the house.  It's my understanding that the Surfboard is much faster than the current Actiontec router. 

Thanks for the help.

Joe