need information for site preparation for FIOS- unit dimensions, required wiring type, and so on
wbn2
Newbie

I am so **bleep** off - I signed up for FIOS and I can find no information about the required wiring, the dimensions of the units, their environmental requirements, absolutely nothing except a drawing of a unit and a statement that "an inside electrical outlet is required".  I have seen the job installers do, so I do my own installs so the wiring is the way I want it, not a tangled mess that hangs in the crawl space, and so that I know what goes where.

I am under the impression that the drop line connects to a box whose approximate dimensions are 12X12X4, and that there is a separate battery unit whose dimensions are 7X7X4.

There is no information about what plugs into the required "indoor" outlet, there is no information about what makes an outlet "indoor", there is no information about wiring between the battery and the other unit, there is no information about wiring to the other unit -

Can anyone point me to an installation manual that has all of this information?   If the installer shows up and wants to just trash the place, I'll send him on his way without permitting the install - that's what I fear.  If the installer will do a proper job and run wires in the crawl space properly, above the joists and so on, then that's great - but I've never seen it happen.

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Re: need information for site preparation for FIOS
armond_in_nj1
Master - Level 1

@wbn wrote:

 ... I can find no information about the required wiring, the dimensions of the units, their environmental requirements ... There is no information about what plugs into the required "indoor" outlet, there is no information about what makes an outlet "indoor", there is no information about wiring between the battery and the other unit, there is no information about wiring to the other unit ... If the installer shows up and wants to just trash the place, I'll send him on his way without permitting the install - that's what I fear.  If the installer will do a proper job and run wires in the crawl space properly, above the joists and so on, then that's great - but I've never seen it happen.


When I typed "fios installation" (in quotes) into Google, it returned about 3,140,000 hits.  Among these were several videos that ranged from very good to excellent with respect to details on the install itself, the equipment, and the initial programming.  I'm puzzled to learn that this procedure did not work for you.

Articles and reports on FiOS installation procedures seem almost a cottage industry lately.  I won't waste time re-posting the references here as they are readily available via even a cursory search, but perhaps you will find the following of some help:

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=web&cd=16&cad=rja&ved=0CJwBEBYwDw&url=ht...

http://www.sheepdogit.com/2010/06/09/verizon-fios-installation-guide/

For perhaps the most extensive technical articles on FiOS installation and equipment, I suggest you look at the DSLReports pages where you will find a collection of related articles, together with a large group of talented and informed writers.  These folks have  vast experience and expertise.

You have not indicated whether your equipment will be installed inside the building or on the exterior of the building.  This will have some bearing on the specific equipment installed, as will the availability of certain models and also what is available to the specific installation technician.  You have also not indicated the details of your services, and that too will in part determine which equipment is installed.  In any case specific user manuals are available on the Verizon and DSLReports pages.  One caution: don't rely on articles that are more than 1 or 2 years old, because equipment models and specifications change rapidly in this area.

I'm a bit puzzled about your comments on "trash the place."  Perhaps you have had some unfortunate experiences with outside contractors in the past.  In my experience, the typical FiOS install tech is well trained and prepared.  This also seems to have been the experience of most users who write to these pages and DSLReports.  The techs on average do an outstanding job.  I know that was the case in my home despite the fact that I had a fairly non-standard set of requirements.  As in any human interaction, there exists the possibility of complications,l, but I found that the techs who visited my home weren't even close to the "trash the place" category.  They took pride in their work, a pride that seemed to increase once they saw I appreciated their expertise and effort.

Once your installation is complete and things have settled down a bit, perhaps you can report back here to let us know how things went.

Re: need information for site preparation for FIOS- unit dimensions, required wiring type, and so on
Anti-Phish1
Master - Level 1

wbn wrote:

I can find no information about the required wiring,


FIOS generally reuses your existing coax wiring as long as it meets spec, so the only "new" wiring is typically a short run from the ONT to feed your existing splitter.


wbn wrote:

There is no information about what plugs into the required "indoor" outlet,


The power supply for the ONT is what plugs into the outlet.


wbn wrote:

there is no information about what makes an outlet "indoor",


Not an "outdoor" outlet.


wbn wrote:

there is no information about wiring between the battery and the other unit, there is no information about wiring to the other unit -


This wiring is supplied by VZ.

Re: need information for site preparation for FIOS
Hubrisnxs
Legend

 VZ FiOS TV FAQ

 Vz FiOS FAQ

http://www.fiosfaq.com/

Probably the best collection of FiOS information you can receive.  

Also the searches above should provide some good info.  

The electrical is just a standard 120V AC outlet, that is near where they will be installing the main Battery Back up unit (usually in a garage, or basement)  

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Re: need information for site preparation for FIOS
Hubrisnxs
Legend

The Google Link above is VERY good, Nice Find.   

Verizon FiOS Installation and Experience

James F. Carter <jimc@math.ucla.edu>, 2012-06-19
 
 
 
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Re: need information for site preparation for FIOS- unit dimensions, required wiring type, and so on
gs0b
Community Leader
Community Leader

As others have posted, there are a lot of variables in how equipment is installed.  Variables include the services you're getting, location of the fiber, access to your home's wringing, and available locations for equipment.  All Verizon techs I've met are well trained and can handle any reasonable residential install.

Assuming you are getting triple play, the ONT will connect to the fiber, power (the indoor  plug), ground (usually the ground feed on your electrical panel), your phone line, and your coax network.  A router will need to be installed somewhere in your house that has access to coax and power.

If you're not getting TV, you may be able to get an Ethernet connection from the ONT to the router.  This will depend a lot on how easy it is to run an Ethernet line between the two.

The sizes you've found are for the Tellabs ONTs.  It is likely you'll get one of those, however a lot depends on what the tech has on his truck.  There is an indoor unit that combines the ONT, battery and power supply in one large box, you'll only get that if the tech has one and if it is reasonable to put inside your home.

When I had FiOS installed, I prepared an area inside my home for the equipment.  Since I have a basement, it was easy.  I installed plywood on the wall where I wanted the ONT mounted and made sure there was easy access to the fiber, power, coax and the phone line.  I knew where the fiber would enter my house as it was left coiled outside by the fiber laying techs about a week before the install.

The best thing you can do to prepare is determine where you want the ONT and power supply installed, making sure that all of the needed connections are nearby or easy to run.

Good Luck!

Re: need information for site preparation for FIOS- unit dimensions, required wiring type, and so on
wbn2
Newbie

thanks for the good information - I will review - I am getting the intenet/phone/TV pkg to replace DSL/phone/over-the-air TV.

The reason I ask - my house is from 1947.  There is no coax.  It will be an exterior installation.  There is no available "indoor power plug".  I have wired the house for phones per my requirements, and have ethernet cable (both coax and TSP Cat 5) running in various places.  There is an existing outside DSL box but it is unpowered, separate lines run from it to the DSL modem and to the phone system.

So, I need to install power somewhere - there is an enclosed electrical box behind a small wooden door - I can provide power there, but it is 30 feet from the location of the drop.   I intend to connect to a router in the house - I need to know what cable runs from the outside box to the interior location so I can provide the wire, or at least know what the installer will do crawling under the house.  I have coax running under the house for a TV antenna, it connects to a baulun outside and thence to the aerial.  If the outside box connects to coax, this is easy, if not, then I need to know what cable runs to the set top box. 

The list goes on - if I know what is needed, I can make the installer's job a LOT easier.

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Re: need information for site preparation for FIOS- unit dimensions, required wiring type, and so on
Hubrisnxs
Legend

You will want to make sure you have phone drops and Cat 5 drops to wherever you want it to go in the house, and have it terminate back to the general area where you expect that they will install the main FiOS box.  

additionally, you'll want to run tri or quad shielded RG6 Coax cables from that same point to the rooms where you want TV service at.  I think Verizon Charges to do those run's if nothing is already there, and to top it off they won't pull it through the wall, they will only terminate the ends.  So if nothing is there, they are going to run the wires on the outside of the walls, and probably along your baseboards. 

So it would be better to run the rg6 yourself. 

It comes from the drop outside to the FiOS Box.  That box converts that outside drop into useable signals and cables inside. So that means you will have phone ports coming out of it, you will have one Coax Wire coming out of it. The Coax Wire will go to a TV Splitter, and one leg of it will go into your new router that they will provide.  And the other leg will go out to your Set Top Boxes and rooms (possibly a large enough splitter or multiple splitters)  

Out of the Back of the FiOS Router are Cat 5 LAN ports, so you will be running your Cat 5 either to a switch which will plug into the actiontec, or directly into the actiontec itself.   The router has 4 LAN ports. 

Re: need information for site preparation for FIOS- unit dimensions, required wiring type, and so on
weedeater1
Contributor - Level 3

"there is no available "indoor power plug". "

Are you saying you have no electrical outlets inside your home?

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Re: need information for site preparation for FIOS- unit dimensions, required wiring type, and so on
wbn2
Newbie

[quote]

"there is no available "indoor power plug". "

Are you saying you have no electrical outlets inside your home? [\quote]

no, I have power inside, but there is no wire that goes from an inside outlet to the location where the FIOS outside box will go, and I don't want the installer drilling holes in the wall.  I want to provide an outlet adjacent to my breaker box, which is in an outside plastered enclosure, and to run that wire through the crawl space and out a conveniently located vent screen to the FIOS box.  There is room in the plastered enclosure for an item the size reported for the battery box, but not for the whole thing.  I anticipate that the installer won't want to crawl under the house and do things my way, so I'll have to do that, hence I need to know what wire to run from the location where the power plug and maybe battery are provided and the location where the FIOS outside box will be located.

For the coax, I have run RG-58U - I suppose that will suffice. 

I can run a CAT 5 cable from where I will put the router and any indoor equipment to the location where the FIOS box will go outside.

If all the guy is going to do is attach a box to the outside of my house and connect 5 pre-existing cables to it, what the heck does he or she need 8 hours for?

I guess I need to do some more reading later tonight.

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