Some ONTs not capable of self install?

[swayboss]

Hello All,

Current FIOS customer - and moving to an apartment four blocks away where the previous tenant had FIOS.  Scheduled the move as soon as I signed the lease, so a tech will visit on 9/10.

Our FIOS is ***CRUCIAL*** to our existence - cell phone service here is spotty (town won't approve new towers) and the wife and I work from the house.

I finally got a hold of someone in support today, who checked with their manager, and it took an hour - but they came back and said that the ONT in the new address "cannot be activated" through the self install process.  I did not want to give up the 9/10 date until I verified that a self install was possible - if I give up that date, they told me October was the next available slot.

Do I have any options at all?  They are trying to move the date forward, but I'm not holding my breath.  I'd pay for some kind of expedited service.  I would visit a local office if I thought it would help at all.  I could live without for 1-4 days but 10 days?!??!

Does this make any sense that some ONTs can be self-installed and others cannot?

TIA,

Brian

[smith6612 · Accepted solution]

If the Fiber cabling was physically disconnected from the ONT or the Fiber Distribution Hub serving your new location, a self install would certainly not be capable due to the nature of the issue. If you know how to terminate and care for fiber, that might help but that would be Verizon's equipment at that point. If however, the ONT is powered up and the Network light is lit green, a self install should be possible. It's just a matter of getting the ONT provisioned and ensuring the cabling (Coaxial, typically) is all connected and functional.

[swayboss]

Just went by the location.  It's an ONT 611 - the power, battery, and network lights are all solid green.  The Fail light is blinking red, which according to the legend means "passed test, not communicating".  The OMI LED is off.

I assume the other LEDs are irrelevant - we can live without POTS if need be - and no one lives there so nothing is hooked into it.

I assume I'm looking at the correct ONT because the second one has a MoCA light blinking with activity from the upstairs residents, who are active FIOS customers.

It does look like an old ONT...... can anyone help?

[weedeater1]

What happened to the old cabling (RG6)? Is it still there inside the apt? Outside?  Was it cut off at the ONT?

[swayboss]

The RG6 coax all seems to be still connected, far as I can tell. 

Verizon support told me that they "couldn't do a self install exception" but didn't explain exactly why.  The rep I spoke to put me on hold for 25 minutes while she asked her supervisor, then just came back with a "no".  She said she would call back today with an answer in regards to moving up the appointment, but I never got a call back. 

While I certainly understand the reluctance of Verizon to allow customers to do this sort of things themselves -- as it is probably much more efficient on an aggregate level to have a qualified tech do an onsite visit - I have been very reasonable in terms of my expectations:  Turn on the internet, I can configure my router (I know it inside and out) - TV would be nice but not essential, and phone service would be nice but not essential. 

The whole thing reminds me of my original install - which took 8 hours - at my current apartment.  The previous tenant ALSO had FIOS.  The tech was in his truck all day on the phone.

Don't get me wrong - FIOS is awesome - but that's why I'm trying so hard to not ditch it over ten days of no service....

[weedeater1]

It would seem to me that if you are doing internet only and you already have the proper router, you should be able to connect the router up to the coax and give them a call to provision the ONT.

TV would be a problem since they have to come deliver a STB to your location and plug it in.

[swayboss]

So, on Friday the 2nd, I decided to take the risk.  Verizon is very resistant to doing this - basically they will only allow for one "activate" order in their system at a time.  They also (probably correctly) assume that most folks are lost when it comes to the connections from the ONT to the various jacks on a property.

I was bounced from department to department.  Finally I got someone who would re-do my move order to date it for the the 2nd, and turn up the service, but I was clearly told that if it did not work, a tech wouldn't be able to visit until October, and I would lose my original date.

I plugged my router, my phone, my cable box, my TV and laptop all straight into the ONT and told them to do it, turn the service up, and that I understood the risk. The neighbors gave me a funny look as I had all this gear out on the lawn.

I knocked on wood, and within an hour I had TV, internet, and even analog phone operational.

For future reference to anyone in this situation, once my service went live, the OMI light lit up, and the red blinking "FAIL" light on my ONT turned green.

Then I sorted out the maze of coax and RJ-11 in the basement.

My final problem - and this is minor - is that our cable box guides have run their course, and we have no On Demand.  Not a big deal at all.  The support rep I talked to told me that I need to get the router plugged in both via coax AND ethernet to see the cable boxes on the network and that data would populate. I haven't tried that yet.

So - the lesson is - if you are desperate - and the property previously had FIOS, and the network light on your ONT is green - this MIGHT work for you too. 

Many, many thanks to Smith6612 and weedeater for your guidance.   I wish my family were cro-magnon and could live without all this stuff - but we can't.  Cell phone service is TERRIBLE in my town so we just can't use a phone without a POTS line.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!!!

swayboss

[lasagna]

The support folks are correct ... you need to get the FiOS router plugged into the Coax in order for the STB's to get their guide data and for the other features to work.   This will allow them to usethe MoCA bridge in the router to reach your internet connection.  Just use an available cable outlet already wired into the home coax cable plant or a splitter on an existing TV installation.

Once connected, you may need to reboot the STB's in order for them to DHCP up an address on the local network and find their way to the internet.

[weedeater1]

so it sounds like what you did was to connect the Ethernet jack on the ONT to your router and the Coax to your STBs?

If so, as stated you need to connect the Coax to the router coax input.You may actually see this as an extra cable lying around in that rat's nest that appeared to have no purpose.

[swayboss]

[so it sounds like what you did was to connect the Ethernet jack on the ONT to your router and the Coax to your STBs?

If so, as stated you need to connect the Coax to the router coax input.You may actually see this as an extra cable lying around in that rat's nest that appeared to have no purpose.]

Yup, I just plugged the router straight into the ethernet on the ONT and STB into the coax on the ONT.  

Sorting out the cabling has been tough but I'm working through it.   It seems like every tenant had a whole new set of coax installed, it's really crazy.

Odd thing is that even though our guide is still blank, my DVR recorded Colbert Report last night. 

I'll report back when I get it all wired.

[swayboss]

If so, as stated you need to connect the Coax to the router coax input.You may actually see this as an extra cable lying around in that rat's nest that appeared to have no purpose.]

Yup, I just plugged the router straight into the ethernet on the ONT and STB into the coax on the ONT.  

Sorting out the cabling has been tough but I'm working through it.   It seems like every tenant had a whole new set of coax installed, it's really crazy.

Odd thing is that even though our guide is still blank, my DVR recorded Colbert Report last night. 

I'll report back when I get it all wired.