Upgrade and contract renew
Kimo10
Newbie

I have a couple simple questions that tech support seems to want to either argue about or just plain don't want to answer. I've been a long time Fios customer it seems because of my equipment. I have a D-link DI-604 "WIRED" router I was issued when Fios was first installed. My internet comes from an ethernet line instead of a coax like some of the newer installs. I also have the motorola box to go from the router to coax for the guide and video ondemand. I also have a QIP6416-2 DVR which uses the smaller guide than the newer HD set-top box I have in the bedroom. Since the original install of Fios I have upgraded and wired most of my home with CAT6 and Gigabit ethernet on all machines connected. Obvious to most I would need to use my own router in order for my home network to take advantage of the faster ethernet technology because the DI-604 does not support Gigabit ethernet. Anyone outside of Verizon tech support knows very well all the comments you get from Verizon tech support about not using "THEIR" router. Seems simple enough to understand my situation I would think. So here is the burning question.

Why would I upgrade and renew my service with Verizon with this older equipment which lacks some very simple features that newer customers enjoy for the same price I'm paying? Almost everywhere on the Verizon site says that a wireless router is part of the service. When I inquire about this older router being upgraded I'm told I can purchase a router from Verizon. Which leads to the next question.

Why would I purchase a router from Verizon to get what everyone else is getting for free? Simple answer seems to be that I'm an old customer. When I ask "why don't I cancel and become a new customer so I get what everyone else gets for free" I got "well you'll have to pay something like $2 more for my cablecard". I really would have to pay $2 more? lol

Why do I feel like Verizon is doing us a favor by letting us pay them money for their service?

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Re: Upgrade and contract renew
Justin46
Legend

Wow, you have been a FiOS customer for a long time! In a week I will have had FiOS TV for 7 years, internet a couple of months longer. I still have my old Dlink DI-604 in a box somewhere, and I actually use the NIM-100 still today, now to provide an ethernet connection at the other end of the house via coax.

As just another customer I really can't tell you specifically what to do or answer your question, but I have some comments and suggestions:

1) Quite a few years ago I had a QIP2500 SD STB fail, I called tech support, they dispatched a tech, and while he was here I asked about getting a replacement router, and he went to the truck and got me an Actiontec Rev. D router. Lasted quite a few years, then I started having some internet connectivity problems, called, Verizon send me an Actiontec Rev. F router. That worked ok for a couple of months, then internet connectivity problems cropped up, so Verizon sent me an Actontec Rev. I router. This latest router has worked well for several months, with the 130 Mbps wireless speed it is quite a bit faster, plus it does have four Gigabit wired ports.

I mention the above because I think Verizon is now replacing broken routers with Actiontec Rev. I for anybody, no charge. So if you have some internet connection issues, it may be worth reporting them to Verizon, you might get lucky.

2) Be glad you have an ethernet connection to the ONT, because if you have any of the really high speed Quantum options available to you and you decide in the future to upgrade to one of them, I understand that it requires an ethernet connection (not sure about this, I only have 25/25 service, and I am not interested in upgrading).

Question: Do you still have the original ONT? Verizon replaced mine about 1 1/2 years ago, said it was a Verizon policy to upgrade the older ONTs, at least here in North Texas. And how are you provisioned, PPPoE or DHCP?

3) If you have the Cat 6 wiring everywhere you need it, great. But if the time comes you need an ethernet connection in a place where there is no Cat 6 available, you can use the NIM-100 to get that connection off of the coax. It won't be gigabit, but it will work, I have been using mine that way for years. So be sure to keep the NIM-100.

4) I of course originally had a QIP 6416 also. I chose to pay the $79 upgrade fee to get a QIP7232, well worth it IMO, much faster and 500 GB hard drive instead of the 160 GB in the 6416. Plus of course it has the HD Guide, etc. But if the 6416 is not working for you, tech support can send a replacement DVR, and I bet it would at least be a 7216. Plus with a 7xxx DVR you can attach an external eSATA drive for more storage if you want. Keep in mind though that you lose any of the recordings on the 6416 if you replace it.

5) Prices keep going up. But one thing you can do, if you choose to get the Multi-Room option on the DVR, and if you have HD STBs, is to get the Multi-Room package deal on the DVR and STBs, saves a few bucks a month ($5 or so I think, depending on the number of STBs). Plus bundling services can save some money, and if you are at or near a renewal of a bundle you might be able to get Verizon to give you a Visa Reward card, I got one for $345 earlier this year by renewing my bundle last Nov.

6) Last but not least, where are you located?

I don't know if any of the above helps, but I hope so. And if you have specific questions that you think I might be able to help with, feel free to ask here or send me a Private Message via the Verizon Forums message system (the envelope icon in the upper right corner of the screen).

Good luck.

__________________________________
Justin
FiOS TV, 25/25 Internet, and Digital Voice user
QIP7232, QIP7100-P2, IMG 1.9.1
Keller, TX 76248

Re: Upgrade and contract renew
Kimo10
Newbie

I'm in Flower Mound. I seem to remember Keller was something like the original test market for Fios so you probably have me beat. I was likely one of the first to have Fios installed in Flower Mound and I signed up seems like the day it was available. I also remember the crew that ran the lines under the street screwed up my lawn. I'm not talking about the area near the street, it was about 15 to 20 feet into my lawn. I signed up for FiosTV as soon as it was available to me. I remember a few techs coming to my house because I apparently was one of the first to have a cablecard so they wanted to sort of train on the installation. Every tech that I've had at my home was great. The cablecard installation was funny but they all seemed to know their job and treated me well. For the most part I think I've been one of the biggest fans of Fios and have always spoke highly of my service. Very few issues which is what should be expected oddly enough. I had a direct phone number to level 3 tech support I think it was but I haven't really had a reason to use it for many years. 

1) As I've already said, the techs I've had at my house have all been great. My router probably works just like the day it was new. It also is in a box in the closet. My point about the router is that it is 100Base-TX and not wireless. The young lady on the phone with tech support told me they have always installed "wireless" routers and it was impossible for my install to have a wired only router. They will gladly send me a new router and bill me for it. I'm not saying wireless router because again according to her it's impossible for me to not have a wireless router already.

2) I am happy to have the ethernet connection. But, if I had the coax internet and it wouldn't support the speed I ordered from Verizon I would expect a tech to come out and run one free of charge. My observation of why Verizon switched to coax was to cut down on install complexity and in turn save time and cost. Understandable.

I don't actually know if I still have the original ONT. I had a tech out a couple years back to trade out my standard def STB with an HD STB and he may have switched. I don't remember. I am still on PPPoE. I asked to have me switched to DHCP a while back and was told I would actually have to cancel my service and have it re-instated to get DHCP. I thought that was some kind of joke but they weren't laughing.

3) I've looked into using the NIM-100 in the way you describe a few times in the past. Everytime I do I still think it would be faster, easier, cheaper, and get higher performance by just running another line to the same coax outlet.

4) It may sound odd to some but my only real problem with the 6416-2 is the lack of HD guide. I have other options to record TV shows if the harddrive space is a problem. I'm sure I could take it to the Fios store and switch it out without issue but I wanted to be certain before I agreed to another 2 year contract. It always seems that everything we record gets re-run anyway.

5) The price is actually a great deal of my point here. My bill is a great deal higher than it was when I first had Fios installed. I completely understand how it has gone up. Do I like it? No but who does? If I was somehow locked into a lower price I would agree with Verizon not wanting to upgrade my equipment without an increase in the cost of their service. What has actually happened is the price has gone up so that I am paying what the new subscribers have to pay but I'm stuck with the old equipment. When I asked about my options all I get is someone with some kind of attitude and arguements like "there is no way you could have a wired router" and "I'll gladly send you a new router and bill you for it". If I purchase a new router it will certainly not be an Actiontec.

6) Flower Mound.

Thank you for trying to help. This is really a simple situation that makes no sense to me. The more I get worked up about it the worse it gets. I don't think I even want their router for free now. The DVR issue is not even important.

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Re: Upgrade and contract renew
Justin46
Legend

I suspected you might be in North Texas with your having the wired-only D-Link. Originally Verizon offered the wired D-Link at no extra cost and the wireless router for $50 or so. Being cheap I opted for the wired D-Link and then used a wireless Belkin router I had used with Charter for the wireless. I think Verizon switched pretty quickly from the wired D-Link to the wireless model as the default router to install.

I have to agree with you about the local techs, they have all been great here. I have a cable card capable TV but since that is the TV I use with my DVR I have never gotten one. But I do remember seeing posts at some forums about the total confusion with cable cards, nobody in Verizon seemed to understand them.

1) Not surprising that whoever you talked to did not know about the wired router, Verizon seems to be terrible about communicating info internally. Plus I think they have very high turnover in the support centers, if it was earlier than last month they don't know a thing it sometimes seems.

2) I didn't mean that Verizon would charge you to switch from coax to ethernet, I just meant that since you already have ethernet it would make an upgrade simpler and faster. My bad.... And I think you are right about the reason for the switch, mostly to save $$$$.

I would bet Verizon swapped out your original ONT. When we had the rolling blackouts here in Texas a couple of years ago lots of local ONTs died for some reason (BBU related I think, multiple power ons/offs in a short period of time damaged them), and a local tech told me Verizon decided to replace all of the original ONTs when other on-site service was needed.

3) Really, using the NIM would not be a performance option but rather an ease-of-installation option. When we first moved into this house 32+ years ago, I got up in the attic and strung coax all over the place, installed an all-house attic fan and some new electrical circuits, etc., no way would I even contemplate doing something like that now. So the NIM has been a great solution for me to get ethernet service to the other end of the house. Much better than wireless..... Smiley Very Happy

4) I can't believe your 6416 isn't incredibly slow. When 1.9 of the IMG first came out there were many performance complaints with the 6xxx and 2500 boxes. I know Verizon replaced lots of 6xxx boxes with 7xxx boxes for free, maybe they have quit doing that now. But if you decide to try to get 7216 (or luck into a 7232) you might try going to the FiOS store in Denton on the Bypass across from the Golden Triangle Mall, they might work with you. Or give them a call.

I have sent you a private message (PM) here on the Forums.

Good luck.

__________________________________
Justin
FiOS TV, 25/25 Internet, and Digital Voice user
QIP7232, QIP7100-P2, IMG 1.9.1
Keller, TX 76248

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