As home network gets larger performance is lagging

Rocks911

I have a large 2 story home wher I had FIOS installed about 6 years ago.

At the time of installation the Verizon tech set up everything needed to provide home phone/internet service/TV service.

The FIOS TV system involves a splitter (6 way I think) that runs service to 5 locations. Of those 5 loactions I'm using 4. When the tech arrived he ran coax cable to 5 locations and I'm only connected to 4 with STB's at each. The 5th was an optional that I will soon be using (a workout room).

The existing coax system was never connected to the FIOS coax cable system, which is to say that the home was already wired with coax (the previous homeowner who had an unknown service, may have even been just an antenna) but the systems were kept seperate. Now as I want to include more rooms I need to combine the 2 different systems, not sure why this wasnt done to begin with.

I have also been developing my home LAN network. I have a Windows7 PC connected to an Actiontec MI424WR router provided by Verizon with a run of CAT6a cable run to a Monoprice 8 port gigabit switch. From the switch I have 50' runs of CAT6a and 75' runs of CAT6a to various rooms (for media players, Boxee Box/WD TV LIve, and DLNA Televisions)

I pay for an routinely have a 50Mb down 25 up internet connection. Its as fast as I will vere need...man do I love the speed!!!!

However the whole system is bogging down. My primary A/V room (the mancave) has an HD DVR which shares recorded content with other rooms, but it lags badly.

So some questions come to mind....should I get Verizon out to connect both coax cable systems?

I think the weak link in the LAN system is the router though as I understand it Verizon has some awfully cheap routers these days, while I would think that a six year old router would need to be replaced/upgraded it seems that it might be a crapshoot and I could end up with a worse router....should I ask for a newer router or maybe just purchase my own?

As I extend my entertainment system throughout my home it is getting kinda slow and unresponsive. Any thoughts about how to improve performace would be appreciated.

What des it cost to have a Verizon tech come out and assess my home/system?

PJL

Lots of questions here. So I'll make a few comments, so sorry if I don't cover everything.

When I had my install, the technician rewired everything too. I had existing coax, but his reply when I suggested he use it: "I want to make sure everything is up to our standards so I would prefer to install our coax." After five and a half years, our system is rock solid so I made the right decision to have him install Verizon coax. The point of this is that I would not combine your coax systems.

Regarding "bogging down" have you reset all of the network equipment? Although your router may be old, it's firmware has likely been updated by Verizon even though you don't know it. My router is old too, but it's been upgraded at least five times. I also check the firmware version and update it on my own when there's a new version available. Your external switch may need an update to. Further, I've seen a situation where a node will have a faulty network card and "babble" on the network (send out garbage that floods the system). Maybe the degredation you're seeing is a result of that. I would take one piece of equipment off the network at a time and see if things clear up.

Just a few thought.

P.S. Having Verizon look at your system will not only be expensive but may not produce any positive results. My experience with Verizon technicians is that they are very good at what they're trained to do, and follow their processes fully. But networking issues require outside the box troubleshooting, and the technician they send you may not really have that extensive knowledge to do a good job. They may or may not.