Switching ISP to FIOS How to use RT-AC66U (at least for wireless portion of access)?

[njweb]

I am switching my ISP, TV and phone (got a nice triple-play bundle deal with same official download speed as my current ISP - 50 MBps) otherwise I would have bought an Ooma Telo for my telephone needs).

My question is about their new router (they replaced the old Actiontec wireless G routers with a new wireless N GigE router, albeit still only 130 Mbps max, no 40 Mhz mode):
Given the excellent range of my Asus RT-AC66U, I would like to leverage it, at least for its wireless range (i.e. I would not mind leaving the FIOS router in the picture as the primary router in a 2-router approach IF needed).

Here are what I believe my main options are after discussing it with one of my brothers:

Option 1 if feasible in MY case given their willingness, or lack thereof, to route an ethernet cable from my garage upstairs to my home office room where I keep my cable box and desktop server for SageTV) - Asus router only + will likely need to buy a MOCA bridge:

Get the ONT (FIOS box which is placed in garage e.g.) provisioned to provide internet via the ethernet port (default is internet via coax).
At the same time I would need to ask them NICELY (this is the part where they may say no or charge extra) to run an ethernet cable from my garage to my back bedroom.​

Option 2 - Asus RT-AC66U only + moca bridge, but with customer-supplied ethernet connection from ONT to room where router(s) will be placed
Like option 1, configure the FIOS ONT to provide internet via ethernet:

However, unlike option 1 reroute an exsiting ethernet cable connection my brother (and I) established between my bedroom and the family room (adjacent to the garage since it is a bi-level) and use this cable to go from the ONT to the bedroom.​

Option 3 - TWO router approach. Keep default coax internet provisioning by FIOS:

Configure the Asus to provide wireless only, while keeping the Actiontec router in front of it as the primary router (so as to remove the need for a moca bridge (NIM100 e.g.).​

Questions:
1. Any approach recommendations or caveats. I have never had FIOS before so I don't know the limitations, glitches with some of these approaches as well as others who already have FIOS and may have tried one or more of these approaches.

2. With options 1 and 2 above, can I keep VOD and guide data (without using the FIOS router?)

Here is an FAQ on all the options available (not sure if some of these won't work with the new GigE routers since the guides were first written when they were using the old wireless G Actiontec routers).
http://www.dslreports.com/faq/16077

Thanks in advance for any tips or feedback on the various approaches!

Looks like my option #3 is outlined in 3 of 10 of the dslreports options, which is covered in the link below [when ethernet ont provisioning + ethernet cable to router from ont is not an option in a given situation]:
http://www.dslreports.com/faq/12506

 

[robgold]

I recently switched to FIOS and am using the Asus RT-AC66U for wireless only (option 3 in your post). Couldn't be easier -- just plug the Asus router into a LAN port in the Actiontec and configure the Asus as an AP with a new IP address. It works flawlessly and allows me to retain all the FIOS features as well as MOCA. The wireless speed was double that of the Actiontec. Just remember to disable the wireless function of the Actiontec if you follow this option.

 

[njweb]

I recently switched to FIOS and am using the Asus RT-AC66U for wireless only (option 3 in your post). Couldn't be easier -- just plug the Asus router into a LAN port in the Actiontec and configure the Asus as an AP with a new IP address. It works flawlessly and allows me to retain all the FIOS features as well as MOCA. The wireless speed was double that of the Actiontec. Just remember to disable the wireless function of the Actiontec if you follow this option.

Thanks for the feedback. That is great news.
Yes, I was going to be sure to disable the wireless on the Actiontec.

So you are presumably using coax from the ONT to the FIOS cable modem?

 

[laser]

There is a host of FAQs for configuring the FIOS router and your own router at DSL reports.

I have mine set up like this:
PRILANtoWAN.jpg

It works perfectly the TV still gets the Guide info and Video on Demand, and my WIFI is N speeds.

Here is a link to the FAQ that keeps your guide and VOD and allows you to use your own router.

http://www.dslreports.com/faq/15992

Steve

 

[njweb]

There is a host of FAQs for configuring the FIOS router and your own router at DSL reports.

I have mine set up like this:
PRILANtoWAN.jpg

It works perfectly the TV still gets the Guide info and Video on Demand, and my WIFI is N speeds.

Here is a link to the FAQ that keeps your guide and VOD and allows you to use your own router.

http://www.dslreports.com/faq/15992

Steve

Thanks Steve!
The installer just arrived. I asked about the ethernet from the ONT but he said they usually just reuse existing coax and implied there would be an extra charge.
I did not want to push my luck, knowing I can configure the Actiontec as primary and AC66U as secondary (i.e. for wireless only) and that I might be moving within a year to live further south with my wife to be.

Interesting the URL in the FAQ you posted to retain your own wireless router is different than mine (I had also posted about those FAQs but not sure you saw it).

I will review yours later on.

PS: Optimum called me this morning (must have found out via the phone number port request originating from Verizon).
They said "just calling to see how things are with the service, any problems?" (which they have never done in the 21 or 22 years I have been with them.
They asked why I was switching (when I beat them to the punch and said I was switching - I knew why they were calling).

When asked if the switch was due to the price, I confirmed..
They (sounded like a senior sales rep) then said what if we give you a ton of additional channels and lower the price etc. I then said I had pretty much made up my mind (FIOS was due to arrive any minute at the time) but that I could look at a list (via e-mail).
They then asked if I signed a contract. I responded no and they then said well if you want to come back you know where to reach us.
The fact that he didn't offer up specifics (maybe that had to go through someone else / another dept.) made it easier since I didn't want to be bothered (my mind was made up and I didn't see them giving me a better deal quite frankly) and I use Netflix and Roku for my premium entertainment needs.

Last but not least, this was my way of saying sorry but too little, too late, since they only reached out after they found out I was switching to FIOS.
In the meantime they had been charging me a whopping $188.xx a month.
That only included internet (Boost Plus), TV (only extras are IO Digital and the $6.95 Sports Pack to get MAVTV for poker) and Optimum Voice (VOIP).
That only included 2 HD STB's (3rd box is free for a few more months).

He had also mentioned Optimum Rewards. I responded by saying that with the pending sale of Clearview Cinemas by Optimum, this was another loss and noted that I did not use it that much anyway (this was a great benefit though).

EDIT - Just had a chance to check out your image.
Unfortunately that won't work for me since I will have coax WAN from the ONT (not ethernet WAN like you).
So that explains the different FAQ URL for your setup. I am going to have to set up my Asus as a secondary router (see the link I posted yesterday), just like robgold.

 

[jobongo]

Thanks Steve!
The installer just arrived. I asked about the ethernet from the ONT but he said they usually just reuse existing coax and implied there would be an extra charge.

When I had FiOS, I just had to call them and have them activate the ethernet port on the ONT. There was no extra charge for me. I however did have to run the ether cable to the box, which was not problem as I ended up wiring up the whole house.

I then just used the FiOS router for the TV services.

 

[njweb]

When I had FiOS, I just had to call them and have them activate the ethernet port on the ONT. There was no extra charge for me. I however did have to run the ether cable to the box, which was not problem as I ended up wiring up the whole house.

I then just used the FiOS router for the TV services.

Thanks.
Right, I should clarify my statement by explaining that I don't have an easy way to run an ethernet cable upstairs from the garage (not that it would be that complicated).
VZ enabling the ethernet port on the ONT for internet should indeed be a quick thing and not cost anything.

I figure I will simply configure my AC66U as secondary router. I am confident that this combo router setup will meet my needs just fine and eliminate the need to run a new ethernet line.

 

[njweb]

Everything went smoothly.

The biggest scare occurred just as the installer left and I suddenly could not locate very expensive glasses I had been using that afternoon (found them later, phew).

I had to wait a while on hold to cancel Optimum but that is also taken care of now.

Setting the Actiontec and Asus AC66U up as a 2 router configuration with my AC66U as secondary router just to supply wireless connectivity was a piece of cake.
I followed the guide I posted in my above post (although I skipped the step to reset the Actiontec router - it wasn't needed in my case since I had not made any config changes or set up any port forwarding etc.).

The trickier part was configuring my SageTV channel changing via firewire (I prefer firewire to the free included USB changing that came with my Hauppauge HD-PVR.
(I had it configured for the Optimum STB - SA4250HD, but now had to recall what I had done and try to do it for the QIP 7100 2 set top box (STB) that FIOS provided).
The problem was that no driver existed:
There was a customized QIP 7100 2 driver for download online (simply an edited .inf file) but it did not work.
I then tried Timmoore's stb.inf (I edited it to include the QIP 7100 but it did not work).
Then I edited the exdeus stb.inf driver file, which I also had on hand, and did a 'replace all' QIP 7200 with QIP 7100.
(Someone had mentioned copying and pasting the QIP 7200 lines in one of the inf files above and then editing them, but that made no sense, so I simply did a 'replace all' which worked perfectly).
The tweaked driver is all I needed - the registry changes I had previously made for channel changing and fwproxy.dll I had been using worked right off the bat (as-is) with the new FIOS QIP-7100 2 STB.

To save others time researching, this is the link for the method I used: http://www.dslreports.com/faq/12506

The Speedtest screenshot below is for my wireless connection.
EDIT 05/15 - I will need to post the initial screenshot again tonight (05/15).


In the meantime:
My download speed wirelessly using a USB-AC53 was consistently 58.5 Mbps (or higher - I got 60 Mbps one time). My My upload speed was around 35 Mbps and above (got to 40 Mbps on one run).

Now time for dinner and then a little relaxing...

 

[weedenbc]

Hey guys. I just tried adding an Asus AC66U as a secondary router today and could not get it to work.

I changed its IP to 192.168.1.2, set it into AP mode, and rebooted. But it was never able to get an IP address from the Actiontec, and any clients that tried to connect to the Asus' wifi network couldn't get an IP either.

I checked and made sure that the LAN cable was plugged into regular LAN ports on both ends. Anything else I should be looking out for?

 

[netmik3]

I tried a moca with a clean direct 100 ft rg6 and performance wasn't very good. They don't seem to be serious.

 

[whsbuss]

Hey guys. I just tried adding an Asus AC66U as a secondary router today and could not get it to work.

I changed its IP to 192.168.1.2, set it into AP mode, and rebooted. But it was never able to get an IP address from the Actiontec, and any clients that tried to connect to the Asus' wifi network couldn't get an IP either.

I checked and made sure that the LAN cable was plugged into regular LAN ports on both ends. Anything else I should be looking out for?

Should work fine. The LAN IP on the Asus should be within the same subnet as the Actiontec (be sure the DHCP range on the Actiontec starts above the 192.168.1.2 address). BTW this setup does not require the Actiontec to send an address to the Asus. It will/should assign connected clients IP addresses via DHCP.

 

[Knuckle47]

Adding ASUS Router to Actiontec Fios

My son upgraded his ASUS router and gave me his AC66 to see if the WIFI signals and speed would be better than fios. So Far, I plugged in the lan to the ASUS wan. Powered it up and the wireless devices all see the signal but it is password protected. I have the password from my son but the ASUS sends me a message about needing AUTHENTICATION. Nothing I enter seems to work, even the old admin stuff

Tried entering the passwords he gave me but all I am looking to do is as RobGold posted. Set it up for WIFI and disable the Actiontec WIFI

Since starting with my VIC 20 in 1983...the mystery of networking has ALWAYS eluded me!

Thanks for any help in advance

 

[L&LD]

It would seem that you need to reset the RT-AC66U to defaults and set it up again with the install wizard.

I'm assuming that your son's ISP setup is different from yours.

 

[Knuckle47]

Router issue SOLVED

L & LD, your suggestion is the one that worked. I posted the problem and just sat there perplexed so just hit reset....screen pops up to setup login parameters and she works great.

I can't believe the INCREASE in wifi speeds between the iPhone, iPad and laptop. The speed test routine gives me 13.42 download and 22.74 upload using the Actiontec router supplied with my 75/35 service. Using the wifi from the Asus router shows an 88.64 download and a 38.62 upload.

You can see the difference in the display. Like the first days of cable modems. My brother had it I and he would hit enter and the results were there, I had dial up and my screen painted its way to completion...eventually!

 

[Shikami]

The Actiontec is a good router performance wise, but everything else it is horrible with. One thing to note, and I think this is still on the most recent of firmwares, the 802.11n even in performance mode, no .11g, is only at 65Mbps.

 

[stevech]

MoCA should yield about 70 Mbits/sec net yield at the IP layer.
Like WiFi, MoCA translates ethernet frames into small data segments and encodes that as an OFDM RF signal, at about 1100MHz. Your standard TV coax splitters should handle that.

If your speeds are a lot lower, then something may be causing a weak signal.

 

[sdshultz]

I recently switched to FIOS and am using the Asus RT-AC66U for wireless only (option 3 in your post). Couldn't be easier -- just plug the Asus router into a LAN port in the Actiontec and configure the Asus as an AP with a new IP address. It works flawlessly and allows me to retain all the FIOS features as well as MOCA. The wireless speed was double that of the Actiontec. Just remember to disable the wireless function of the Actiontec if you follow this option.

I can't seem to switch it to AP mode without the GUI prompting the Quick INternet Setup. From there, I get completely lost and can't figure out how to change the IP address to .2

I am not very versed in networking but generally can get various equipment working -- I am stumped!

 

[stevech]

Two friends have FIOS fiber to the home but distributed via MoCA through the home. (Verizon).
Both use Verizon's WiFi router and get good coverage. I called VZ and got the router's login (simple) and it has lots of good features.