Another: "I want to use my equipment, not theirs" Question...
TravelingWriter

Hello!

So, I'm buying a house, and I'm 100% positive there's currently FiOS at the address. I currently own a Netgear CM500 Modem, and a Netgear Nighthawk AC1900 WiFi Router (model R7000). I have read that Verizon typically runs coax from the ONT box wherever it's installed (usually basement?) to their modem-router combo. However, since my current modem most certainly has a coax input; is there any good technical reason my equipment is not compatible?

Now, I realize that the question of it being compatible, and Verizon letting me use it on their network, might be separate...

My goal is to have TV and internet. My current set up is "high speed XFINITY" which I'm pretty sure is still fiber somewhere up the line, and I have a splitter that separates the coax so it can go to my Xfinity Set Top box and my modem. Would this (if I can get them to allow it) work for FiOS as well? 

Thank you in advance for fielding my questions! I am very uninterested in paying for Verizon's equipment when I've already picked my own and am happy with the features they provide me, if I can avoid it. 

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Re: Another: "I want to use my equipment, not theirs" Question...
jonjones1
Legend

Just a quick note to you. Verizon Fios does not use modems. They use routers.

https://www.dslreports.com/faq/verizonfios?

The link above will walk you through using your own router with or without Fios tv and phone. If just internet then it's easy. You will want a Ethernet setup.

Good Luck

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Re: Another: "I want to use my equipment, not theirs" Question...
CRobGauth
Community Leader
Community Leader

as stated, Verizon does not use cable modems.

you can use your own router.

you might want to run your own Ethernet cable to where you want to our rouyter to be.

if nyou are going to use Verizon stb, you will need a moca bridge as stbs need internet access for guide and on demand.

Re: Another: "I want to use my equipment, not theirs" Question...
TravelingWriter

If it is coax that comes out of the ONT; then they *do* use modems; the standard 'Quantum gateway' Verizon wants us to use is a modem/router combo if coax plugs in the back of it. I just happen to have separate devices instead of one that does both. 

I think my netgear cm500, which is certified for DOCSIS not MoCA; might not be compatible; but I'm unsure if there's built in compatibility. 

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Re: Another: "I want to use my equipment, not theirs" Question...
jonjones1
Legend

@TravelingWriter wrote:

If it is coax that comes out of the ONT; then they *do* use modems; the standard 'Quantum gateway' Verizon wants us to use is a modem/router combo if coax plugs in the back of it. I just happen to have separate devices instead of one that does both. 

I think my netgear cm500, which is certified for DOCSIS not MoCA; might not be compatible; but I'm unsure if there's built in compatibility. 


The Quantum Gateway Router is just that a router. It may use coax but it is still a router. When you get broadband Fios normally installs Ethernet for that connection.

if you went to the link I gave you would see if your equipment is compatible. Fios does not use modems.

Re: Another: "I want to use my equipment, not theirs" Question...
lasagna
Community Leader
Community Leader

You are incorrect TravelingWriter.   It is not a modem and there is no modem required for FiOS. 

Common Cable networks distribute their internet signal using the DOCSIS protocol which requires a device (modem) to lock onto and decode the service.

FiOS provides a direct ethernet handoff (the functions provided by a "modem" so to speak are inside the ONT where the fiber terminates to your home).  That handoff can be provisioned as traditional Ethernet (RJ45) on copper out of the ONT or it can be provisioned MoCA (Coax).    When it's provisioned over copper, you are handed an RJ45 copper WAN connection facing the public internet which you must connect to the WAN side of NAT router.   When it's provisioned over coax, you are handed a MoCA connection running on the WAN frequency of 1000Mhz which the router they provide will interface to and see the public internet.

In turn, the router provided by Verizon establishes a local network on the inside of the NAT router inside their device which they present as the 4 local LAN ports.  Additionally, they bridge this to a WiFi access point for local LAN WiFI, and bridge it to a MoCA LAN network running at 1100Mhz.  Remember, Coax is multiband so you can have several different independent channels on it simultaneously.

The local LAN and Wifi are used by the home consumer in typical fashion for home networks.  No "router" is required of the home user because it's already behind a NAT router.  The MoCA LAN frequency is used by any set top boxes you have for TV.  They connect to your "local" LAN in order to reach the internet for guide data, etc.   Verizion overprovisions the internet portion of the bandwidth slightly to account for this.

There is no restriction for a non-TV (or more correctly, a home which doesn't use Verizon STB's) home on using your own router.  You do need however to ask Verizion to provide you with an Ethernet handoff rather than MoCA.  In fact, I've read here and elsewhere that I believe with the higher internet speeds, Verizon has been provisioning internet over ethernet and running both coax and ethernet into their router.

The real trick comes in if you have a home with Fios TV.  Verizon handles the bridging on the local LAN between local LAN MoCA and the local LAN in their router.   You can do the same thing by using a MoCA bridge for the LAN portion of the traffic.

In fact, you could ask Verizon to provision an ethernet handoff to their router (in which case they'll run both ethernet and coax to their router).  Once they are done, you remove their router, insert your router connecting the WAN ethernet to the WAN port on the router.  Then, using a privately purchased MoCA bridge (ActionTEC ECB2600 for instance), connect the coax which was attached to the Verizion router to the bridge and connect the LAN port on the bridge to an open LAN port on your router.   Done.

You do however lose functionality from Verizon by doing this however.  First, they won't support or troubleshoot it  -- if you're not a networking expert or capable of understanding how this is all working at a technical level, this is not something you should be doing yourself.  Second, as they maintain administrative capability into their router, they can open the necessary ports to enable "remote" capabilities such as programming the DVR, telling you what your WiFi password is, etc. from their website.  Putting your equipment in the configuration disables this functionality since they can't see  the router to set the configuration up properly.

I don't use Verizon STB's and have essentially the configuration I described above.  I use Tivo for my STB's with a cable card and they have their own infrastructure for the remote capability.  Verizon, when I log into their site, can't see any of my local network and won't provide support if I have issues.