Frontier 2 gig Internet with Sagemcom FWR226e (FAST5290) Router & TWX206e (FAST399) Extender

[sfx2000]

Apple does not support the 6Hz channels yet. Even with the latest iPhone 14Pros.

The most recent M2 Ipad Pro's support 6e

 

[hmiyo]

I just installed 1Gb frontier fiber internet with phone service.
I recieved Sagemcom FWR226e(Fast5290) Howver I already have my own mesh network so I do not want to use Frontier's WiFi Router.
So I connected my mesh router directory to fiber modem. That part is working fine. now I need to make phone to work. so I pluged mesh network's LAN port to FAST5290 WAN port now phone is working too.
So far so good.
one problem of this setup is both my mesh wifi and fast5290 wifi enabled. I do not need fast5290 wifi.
While I am connected to my mesh network I cannot access 192.168.254.254 (Fast5290 webgui) In order to access that I have to connect to frontier's wifi.
Then once I turn off fast5290's wifi I no longer access to 192.168.254.254 except to direct wired connection to fast5290
Its mostly OK setting but it's a bit annoying.
I added static route to 192.168.254.254 from my mesh router(subnet is 192.168.1.x). I can ping 192.168.254.254 but still I cannot open webGUI.
Any idea to make webGUI accessable with this setup?

 

[Olaf]

If you replace the router, you will lose the phone service. If you put another router after it, you will be doing double-NAT.

I had to dump mine because it kept randomly rebooting. I forwarded the phone number to Google Voice.

Hello, I just created an account because I wanted to find out what kind of router Frontier installed in my house. The error failed miserably, and they replaced with the same setup you have even though I only have the 500 not 2gig.
I just ask why you are saying the home phone line cannot be connected directly to the ONT? I started out with Verizon FiOS (we were one town that was the first one to get FiOS), then Frontier and now back to frontier and my phone line always was and still is connected directly to the ONT.

 

[Olaf]

3. The default router set up was to have both of the 2.4 and 5g with the same SSID, but 6G with a different ssid. is that correct? why or why not?

During the install in my house the tech guy and I had issues with having the bands on the same SSID. Speed always changed. He said it is because they are smart routers and drop you down to a lower band if you do not have the best connection.
And that was the problem. We were dropped from 5G to 2.4.G depending on the distance (never even used 6G because the reach is very limited) and the speed changed a lot.
I showed him my old setup and connected it again and that never happened. Ok we changed the 2.4G to a different name and tested both 5G and 2.4.G. In the same spot, 2.4G was somewhere between 50 and 90, whereas 5G (even with less bars) was between 350 and 480.
I am saying this because it happens, we proved it. Not a problem for me to have different SSID's to make sure I get the best speed using their equipment (all my devices are 5G or ethernet).

 

[Starrbuck]

Hello, I just created an account because I wanted to find out what kind of router Frontier installed in my house. The error failed miserably, and they replaced with the same setup you have even though I only have the 500 not 2gig.
I just ask why you are saying the home phone line cannot be connected directly to the ONT? I started out with Verizon FiOS (we were one town that was the first one to get FiOS), then Frontier and now back to frontier and my phone line always was and still is connected directly to the ONT.

Because when on the 2 gig service the technology for the phone service is different and it must go through their router.

 

[Starrbuck]

So I am returning this equipment soon because Frontier is upgrading me to 5 gig Internet and they will be supplying a TP-Link Archer AXE300 router. This router is comparable hardware-wise to the ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AXE16000 but of course the firmware is lacking compared to Merlin. However, I think I can live with it and save myself some money.

 

[applekai]

Hello, Can someone share the default password for 192.168.254.254 - setup site ? I tried to login with admin / admin - but no luck. I just got the new 2G Fast 5290 router installed - trying to change the Network name and other settings. Thank you

 

[LB Rancho guy]

Hi, I just got my 2 gig line installed and have the same hardware... problem is I'm not getting the extender connecting to the internet. The globe indicator turns red after flashing for a while. The main router is all green and works. Any help is appreciated because the Frontier tech support is not reachable
Been on the line for 2 hours and then the connection just dropped...

That’s a short call to FTR. Yesterday was three (3) hours arguing with them about my crappy voice service. I desperately need it because there’s marginal cell coverage in my affluent area of LB (only the 6th largest city in CA).
Since my “package” is 1Gig, they refuse to replace the 2 cr@ppy Arris routers I’ve endured with the Sagemcom without upgrading to 2Gig service to see if the dial tone will be stable without requiring a power cycle every few days. The final straw was when my 91yo next door neighbor fell and her Charter-Spectrum voice modem locked up as usual and couldn’t call out; so I came home to use my FTR land line and the Arris needed to be power cycled yet again, so rather than wait I had to take my iPhone 4 houses south to get enough signal to call 911. When I demanded they put my voice line back on the reliable copper, an email service order revealed this would push my monthly 1 Gig package up by $50!!!
Am I being unreasonable to expect a freaking phone to work in this century like they’ve done since Alexander Graham Bell invented it over 100 years ago???
Otherwise the fiber internet is OK except for the constantly changing throughput speed they cannot seem to fix that varies from 100 to 650MBPS. Arris sux.

 

[LB Rancho guy]

Welcome to the forums @criveman.

If you have true FTTH, you should have an ONT installed. Which means you can use an Ethernet cable to connect your router to it. The OEM router should not be required.

This is true unless you need the “land line” (VoIP) service desperately as I do. These clods can’t keep my voice mail attached without it taking over a week to restore it. THEN they’ll send a tech to my house instead of the clowns in Bangladesh or Thailand simply provisioning it correctly.

 

[LB Rancho guy]

Well, this appears to have been a very short-lived experiment, as I have decided I have to return to an ASUS router with my 2 gig service.

Issues I am experiencing with Frontier's router and extender:

1. The router reboots around once per day, usually in the middle of a Teams call. This one is really the worst of the reasons, as I just can't have this happening while I'm working. I chatted with tech support and they said it was a known issue and the fix was to reset the router to factory settings. Tried that, re-configured with my DHCP static IPs, etc., and it did not help.
2. The extender disconnects at least once per day. I tried it in at least a dozen different areas around my house along with experimenting with the settings available but it still needs to be rebooted at least daily.
3. Wifi is poor on the router and the extender. Both my existing GT-AX11000 and RT-AX89X have better distance and performance on wifi.

These are the main three reasons although there are a few other minor ones. I am going to keep the router and extender as backups. For the VoIP phone that is included, before I disconnected the Frontier router, I forwarded it to my Google Voice line, so that I can continue to take calls there if I want.

To take advantage of the higher speeds, my main router is once again the RT-AX89X and I am using the GT-AX11000 as an AiMesh node. Covers my 2,800 sq. ft. house very well.

I was considering returning the RT-AX89X and living with the GT-AX11000 for now, since I would really like a GT-AXE16000 sometime later this year, but I got the RT-AX89X for only $400 new and they've spiked up in price to over $500 since then, I'm keeping it and will hope I can get something for it should I get my hands on a GT-AXE16000.

I'm still here and available to answer any questions about my experiences. If you don't mind a rebooting-on-its-own router and poor wifi coverage, the Frontier-supplied equipment may be fine for your needs. Maybe I just got a bad router, but I don't really have the time and energy to troubleshoot more.

I feel your pain dealing with FTR. The alternative here is Charter-Sputnum, which, from a technical standpoint, is worse and their voice service is just as unreliable. My 1 Gig package came with two Eero Wi-Fi APs that AMZN makes that are outstanding! The Arris Wi-Fi barely penetrates past one room without falling apart, so by default they turn it off.
All I want is the dial tone to be reliable, which appears to be FTR’s biggest challenge.

 

[L&LD]

I have advised customers to deal with this issue by having two services instead. One is a landline (and only the landline). The other is the internet (and only the internet. The billing is exactly the same, but if the ISP can't keep the reliability and dependability of their services reasonable (and issues with one take out the other), then they can install two 'services' (including the hardware necessary) to make it so. If required, some need a third service too (TV), to have the most stable and reliable service possible across all three service types.

We don't have to blindly agree with an ISP's hardware/installation decisions, we can push them towards better, too. At the very least, we need to try.