Is it possible to have a wired only Internet from Fios?

I am with Optimum which changed the coax cable into a fiber without my consent. They installed a combo and the transmitting router cannot be turned off and it's right next to my laptop and myself. They lied that they disabled the WiFi as I requested but it cannot be disabled on their combo.
I am considering Fios. Do they install ONT without WiFI ? I'd like to have my own router only which I will turn on-off only when I need. I do not want to have WiFi all the time ON when I am online. Is this possible with Fios?

Accepted answers

gs0b

You're making this too complicated. Here are the key points:

A router is required.
A router plugs into the ONT using Ethernet.
A router provides LAN Ethernet connections (typically 4) for your device(s)
Most consumer routers include WiFi. It can be turned off. This includes the Verizon models.
Commercial routers typically do not have WiFi built-in. They cost hundreds or even thousands more than consumer routers and can be more complex to configure (as they are support complex networks.) If you really want to spend more for a commercial router, say so and some folk here may make recommendations.

Here's an easy option for you:

Subscribe to Fios.
Buy or rent a Verizon router, so you can get support from Verizon.
Have the Verizon tech install the router and connect via Ethernet to your computer.
Login to the router's web page and turn off WiFi.

If you don't want to use Verizon's router, here's what to do:

Subscribe to Fios.
Buy a router from your favorite source for electronics.
Follow the installation instructions for the router, which will include these steps at some point:
- Connect the router's WAN port to the ONT's WAN port via Ethernet
- Connect your computer to one of the LAN ports on the router.
After the above is complete, login to the router's web page and turn off WiFi.

All comments

dexman

Fios users who do not subscribe to cable TV often replace the Verizon provided router with their own.

The one downside to this is that Verizon troubleshooting would only go as far as the ONT itself. Beyond that the subscriber would be responsible for everything else.

The workaround would be to reconnect the Verizon router when needing the assistance of Verizon technicians.

gs0b

Absolutely Yes.

The ONT is not a router. It connects to the fiber network to your home. It provides an Ethernet link to a router for WAN data. It does not have any WiFi hardware.

You can use any router you like and configure it however you like. As noted, the use of a non-Verizon router means support ends at the ONT. If you know how to spell TCP/IP, this shouldn't be a problem for you.

However, if you get Verizon TV service and their set-top-boxes, it's difficult to get everything working without a Verizon router. And the lack of support is a larger problem, as they won't debug set-top-box issues with a non-Verizon router in the mix. This is because the Verizon router creates a MoCA LAN on coax for the boxes.

New2Fiber

Thank you so much! This is encouraging. I'd rather learn how to deal with TCP/IP and the router than be exposed to a strong WiFi emitting in front of me.
I had a separate router with Optimum for many years and had no issues. And I could turn it on only when I needed and was not near it. Hopefully, I can get a similar situation with Verizon.
I'll give them a call again. I called a week ago and asked about not having WiFi but they could not understand what I wanted and eventually hung up on me.

dexman

Verizon has/had a promotion where customers would receive a rental router that would not incur a monthly rental charge if gigabit service was ordered.

If you're ordering gigabit service, and the promotion is still active, the G3100 router can be tucked away for use on an as-needed basis.

New2Fiber

I am in the process of switching to Fios. I asked them how many ethernet ports are on their ONT. They said only one!
I was hoping I can connect my laptop in one room and also run an ethernet cable outside to enter the living room where I use another laptop. This does not seem to be possible!

Does anyone know how could people have wired connections in different locations?
Is there anyway to put something to "split" the ethernet jack like we can do with an electric outlet or could do with a phone jack?

dexman

The G3100 has one Ethernet input and four Ethernet outputs. In addition, switches can be added to increase the number of devices that can connect to the router. 🙂

New2Fiber

Thanks a lot!

gs0b

@New2Fiber wrote:
I am in the process of switching to Fios. I asked them how many ethernet ports are on their ONT. They said only one!
I was hoping I can connect my laptop in one room and also run an ethernet cable outside to enter the living room where I use another laptop. This does not seem to be possible!

Does anyone know how could people have wired connections in different locations?
Is there anyway to put something to "split" the ethernet jack like we can do with an electric outlet or could do with a phone jack?

The ONT has only one WAN Ethernet port. It must connect to a router. The router creates a LAN which can have many devices (up to about 250 with a typical consumer router.) Consumer routers often have four LAN Ethernet ports. If that's not enough, buy a router with more ports or use an external Ethernet switch. And, WiFi provides additional LAN connectivity for as many devices (up to a large limit) as you like.

Do NOT connect a switch to the ONT. It won't work, as the ONT Ethernet must connect to a router. A switch does not have the capability to create the WAN to LAN connections; that's the job of a router.

dslr595148

@gs0b wrote:
Do NOT connect a switch to the ONT. It won't work, as the ONT Ethernet must connect to a router. A switch does not have the capability to create the WAN to LAN connections; that's the job of a router.

I have a slight tiny correction: Do NOT connect an unmanaged networking switch to the ONT.

If you want to connect a networking switch, you must follow at least these requirements:

#1 It must be a managed switch.

#2 It must support VLANs.

#3 You must know how to set VLANs.

#4 and finally what settings for the VLANs to use.

By at least these, means in case I missed anything.

@gs0b wrote
And, WiFi provides additional LAN connectivity for as many devices (up to a large limit) as you like.

I have my two cents about that too. That will depend of the type of 802.11 wireless used.

Wireless 802.11 b (Wireless Standard 1) has less range then Wireless 802.11 ax (Wireless Standard 6).

b, a, g, n, ac, ax

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

[EDIT] If I got Wireless Standard 5 and 6 backwards, I am sorry - that happens to me time to time.

Gir1

I'm assuming you are asking if it's possible to directly connect to the ONT without the router. The answer to this is 'sort of'. Technically you can, and practically you can't. The ONT delivers Ethernet on that one port and one IP address. To directly connect to it, you have to support the layer two correctly (PPPoe for example). Verizon also locks the Ethernet MAC address, so swapping them around will fail. It resets overnight (at least where I live) and that beats calling tech support for them to reset it IMO. If you are switching routers, cloning the MAC address can allow swapping without that issue.

I need to add this, the security of being directly connected (without NAT) is none at all. You'll likely be attacked and hacked pretty quickly. NAT acts like a firewall, without it you're a open target.

To support two or more devices with IPv4 at the same time, you need NAT. Every router available can do this. IPv6 is coming, so look for a router that supports it. IPv6 does not require NAT, but this isn't a solution because the MAC address is still locked to one address. If you were to clone the MAC address between the two laptops, you could use both, but still not at the same time.

To answer the topic directly, absolutely. There is no WiFi requirement.

You can find a router without WiFi, or just turn it off internally.

Cang_Household

Verizon does not "authenticate" network nodes with MAC addresses. This is never heard of.

"NAT acts like a firewall..." No. NAT provides some intrinsic firewall-like features by coincidence, but it is useless when we already have two versions of NAT slipstreaming. https://github.com/samyk/slipstream

Furthermore, every computer now will have a host-based firewall. There is another layer of protection.

"To support two or more devices with IPv4 at the same time," you just need multiple IPv4 addresses from Verizon. You can lease additional IPv4 addresses on business Fios plans with substantial fees.

You can't connect two hosts to the ONT data port is due to administrative reasons (VZ only allocates one IPv4 per residential account, and customers not on a business Fios plan cannot pull two IPv4s), not technical reasons.

New2Fiber

"To answer the topic directly, absolutely. There is no WiFi requirement.

You can find a router without WiFi, or just turn it off internally."-- wow! I thought that a router is a device emitting WiFi signal. Then how can I find a router without WiFi?

It's so confusing! Two Fios agents assured me that I can use only a wired connection and do not need a router. I called them now because their technician did not show up. I asked again about the router. This time , the rep told me that there must be a router even if I connect with an ethernet cable. It seems that their router will send the WiFi no matter what and this is why people install them in their garages. I don't have any and my house is small.
I really want a non WiFi connection and no WiFi emitting device near me.
What is possible will define where I would let Fios put their router and how long the ethernet cable would I need to run across my house to plug into my laptop.
I wish I never called Optimum and kept using their coax which they cut off without my consent.

dslr595148

I will add more of my cents.

There are DIY NAT routers that exist.

The computer could be a new store bought, built (ex not buying a computer pre built) or a one spare.

For DIY there is pure DIY and distros designed for connection sharing. An example of one of the distros that is/are designed for connection sharing pfsense comes to mind.

Most of the DIY NAT router distros have a web based ui (read http and or https) instead of by command line (either physically at the computer or via the network [read: telnet and or SSH]).

Most of the DIY NAT routers distros, do not do wireless. 🙂

Technically the DIY NAT router could have only one ethernet port, but then you would have use VLANs and use a networking switch that supports VLANs. So you will find it easier to make that the computer has at least two ethernet ports (it could be at least two NICs or only one NIC with more than one ethernet port).

For only one NIC with more than ethernet port with pfsense (and covers VLANs too), see REF https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsdm5uc_LsU while a bit dated, still correct.

Cang_Household

So easy to find a second NIC these days. Search the Amazon for a $16 2.5GbE USB 3.0 dongle. Done.

Or an $18 goCoax 2.5GbE PCIe card. Done.

Their drivers were just written into the Linux kernel in February.