Buy Network Extender Through Verizon or Outside Retailer?

[wildcat07]

My FiOS router is located in the upper level of my 3-story house.  As a result, my coverage in the basement is somewhat weak (my Blu-ray player says the signal strength is 40% and it cannot connect to any online video services).  I am looking to purchase the Actiontec WCB3000N network extender that Verizon sells for around $85 (with tax & shipping). 

However, I can also get the same model from outside retailers, although the price is closer to $100.  Ideally, it would be cheaper to order through Verizon but I am wondering if there would be some advantage to ordering the device through someone other than Verizon.  I am not sure this is true, but I imagine an advantage of ordering one from retail is in the event the one through Verizon will only work with FiOS and not with someone else's service should I ever relocate outside a FiOS service area.

Any thoughts?

[Hubrisnxs]

A lot of positive experiences with the actiontec one that verizon has


http://forums.verizon.com/t5/FiOS-Internet/Impressive-WiFi-speed-increase-with-WCB3000N-Wireless-Bri...

[MattinNJ1 · Accepted solution]

Order it through Verizon.  I ordered mine last Thursday at arount 3:00pm, standard UPS ground shipping, and it arrived the next day, Friday, at around 11:00am.  The Verizon extender comes with a splitter, 2 short coax cables, and an ethernet cable.  I don't know if the same one from Amazon comes with all of this.

By the way, setup is as easy as just plugging it in to a coax outlet and pluging in the power cord... that's it!  In about 2 minutes, all the lights turn green and you have full strength wi-fi.

[Bozman1]

I also have a coverage issue in a 3-story house.  Instead of a network extender, could I simply connect a second Verizon router (which I already have) to my network?  If do-able, any suggestions on what steps/connections I need to hook-up the second router?

[Hubrisnxs]

The Wireless Extender that Verizon has is Plug and play, very easy to install. 

If you have that 2nd router hanging around, you can configure it in a way where it will act similar to the Wireless Extender, but you don't get the 5GHZ Wireless N because the Radio on the Verizon Routers is only 2.4.  So the extender that the OP is talking about is definitely better, but if you wanted to try to reconfigure your router, you can follow these steps.

[PDF]

Configure MI424WR as a LAN MoCA Bridge - Actiontec

support.actiontec.com/.../Configure_MI424WR_as_a_LAN_MoCA_Bridge.pdf

Configure MI424WR as a LAN MoCA Bridge ... Setup Diagram for a LAN MoCA Bridge. MoCA Connection to Coax Port of M1424WR ONT Fiber Optic Connection

[jfalk1]

I got mine at TigerDirect because I didn't know about the Verizon one.  It also came with a splitter and a couple of short pieces of coax.  And it set up in about a minute, and I'm very happy with it.  The Verizon one was a little cheaper, though, darn it.

[wildcat07]

I ended up purchasing mine through MacMall - with a discount offer I had and free shipping, the cost was only $4 more than what it would have cost through Verizon.

[Hmartin306]

I did not find it easy to set up at all. The extender puts out it own SSIDS, The original installer set up the extender for me. He had to connect an Ethernet cable to it, connect to my laptop and manually changed the settings to match the router. My house is terrible for wireless so I ordered a second extender for the top floor. Of course the same thing happened.......called support and tried the chat support. No one can help. Do you know what the installer tech. did to change the setting so the extender EXTENDS in stead of put out it's own signals?