FioS Network Adapter

[jedam]

Today we received a FioS Network Adapter to enable my wife's computer to access the Internet from her office, replacing the Powerline Networking setup which is prone to losing its Internet connection unpredictably.

The instructions from Verizon say to hook up the FNA and the PC via Ethernet cable, then to connect the FNA to a coax outlet, and finally plug in the power cord. Two green lights should come on, one for the power and the other for the coax.

We are getting the green light for power, but not for the coax. (Not sure how long we need to wait for it to come on.) I know that the Ethernet cable works properly (I unplugged it from another computer) and have tried both different coax cables and different coax outlets, no dice.

In the basement where my office is, we have the Verizon Gateway G1100 but we need some way for her to access the Internet from upstairs. Wireless is ruled out by wife, so we need some kind of wired solution. Powerline networking has proven unreliable as I said, and we'd really rather not start drilling through walls/floors to run Ethernet cable up two stories. The FNA looked like the solution, but we haven't managed to get it to work.

What are we doing wrong? What else should I do to troubleshoot the issue? Is our brand-new FNA simply bad?

Thanks for any tips or suggestions.

[jonjones1]

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@jedam wrote:

Today we received a FioS Network Adapter to enable my wife's computer to access the Internet from her office, replacing the Powerline Networking setup which is prone to losing its Internet connection unpredictably.

The instructions from Verizon say to hook up the FNA and the PC via Ethernet cable, then to connect the FNA to a coax outlet, and finally plug in the power cord. Two green lights should come on, one for the power and the other for the coax.

We are getting the green light for power, but not for the coax. (Not sure how long we need to wait for it to come on.) I know that the Ethernet cable works properly (I unplugged it from another computer) and have tried both different coax cables and different coax outlets, no dice.

In the basement where my office is, we have the Verizon Gateway G1100 but we need some way for her to access the Internet from upstairs. Wireless is ruled out by wife, so we need some kind of wired solution. Powerline networking has proven unreliable as I said, and we'd really rather not start drilling through walls/floors to run Ethernet cable up two stories. The FNA looked like the solution, but we haven't managed to get it to work.

What are we doing wrong? What else should I do to troubleshoot the issue? Is our brand-new FNA simply bad?

Thanks for any tips or suggestions.

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https://www.verizon.com/supportresources/pdf/8059_VER_WIFI_EXTENDER_QSG_final%20version.pdf

this may help you. Look how the coaxial is used.

[jedam]

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@jonjones wrote:

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https://www.verizon.com/supportresources/pdf/8059_VER_WIFI_EXTENDER_QSG_final%20version.pdf

this may help you. Look how the coaxial is used.

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Thank you, we hooked up the adapter to an unused coax outlet so the connection looks the same as on the instruction sheet, except there's no splitter. As far as I can tell, everything's as it should be (?).

[gs0b]

Is the G1100 connected to coax?  If not, that's your problem!

Good Luck.

[jedam]

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@gs0b wrote:

Is the G1100 connected to coax?  If not, that's your problem!

Good Luck.

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Thanks, yes, the G1100 is connected via coax to the ONT.

Hope this helps in narrowing down the source of the problem.

[gs0b]

Make sure both coax jacks are connected to the same coax network.  It sounds like the extender’s coax jack is not connected to anything.

Do you have TV service?  If so, you can use a TV or set-top-box to test the extender’s jack.  That will also tell me your G1100’s coax is hooked up properly, as it’s needed for Verizon set-top-boxes to work.

If you do confirm the extender’s jack is not connected, simply find a place to add a splitter and connect it in.

Good Luck.

[jedam]

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@gs0b wrote:

Make sure both coax jacks are connected to the same coax network.  It sounds like the extender’s coax jack is not connected to anything.

Do you have TV service?  If so, you can use a TV or set-top-box to test the extender’s jack.  That will also tell me your G1100’s coax is hooked up properly, as it’s needed for Verizon set-top-boxes to work.

If you do confirm the extender’s jack is not connected, simply find a place to add a splitter and connect it in.

Good Luck.

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Hi, I'm not sure what you mean up there.

When you say "the extender's jack," is that the coax port sticking out of the back of the extender, or is it the coax wall outlet to which I connected the extender?

I suppose that the G1100 is hooked up properly, since we do have FiOS TV working in the house.

[jedam]

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@gs0b wrote:

Make sure both coax jacks are connected to the same coax network.  It sounds like the extender’s coax jack is not connected to anything.

Do you have TV service?  If so, you can use a TV or set-top-box to test the extender’s jack.  That will also tell me your G1100’s coax is hooked up properly, as it’s needed for Verizon set-top-boxes to work.

If you do confirm the extender’s jack is not connected, simply find a place to add a splitter and connect it in.

Good Luck.

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This afternoon, I disconnected the coax from the STB in my office (basement) and connected it to the network adapter. What do you know, within a few seconds both lights on the adapter were lit up green!

So now we know that the adapter isn't defective. I'm thinking that what happened is that the coax outlets in the two upstairs rooms that we tried near her office are inactive. (They were put in when the house went up but they've never been used and now we have switched TV service from Comcast to Verizon.)

We do have a working coax outlet at the upstairs TV, but that's at the opposite end of the house and wife has already said that running an Ethernet cable from there to her office would be unsatisfactory.

[gs0b]

That's what I thought, the jack the extender was plugged into is not connected to anything.  If you can find the other end and connect into the coax network, you'll be good to go.

Enjoy.

[jedam]

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@gs0b wrote:

That's what I thought, the jack the extender was plugged into is not connected to anything.  If you can find the other end and connect into the coax network, you'll be good to go.

Enjoy.

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Thanks for the good wishes. That coax cable disappears into the wall and goes down two floors, so it will be a real challenge figuring out where it leads to. In the basement where the ONT is, the Verizon installer left a forest of coax cables from the original Comcast setup either dangling or threading up to parts unknown. Ouch!

[gs0b]

Get a cable tester and you should be able to figure out the rats nest.  Here's one:

https://www.amazon.com/Jonard-CM-8-Cable-Mapper-Length/dp/B00696265Q

Good Luck.

[jedam]

Wow, that looks promising -- thank you!

Just a follow-up question: the product description says "probe not included," and one of the reviewers writes that "You do need your own wand from a telephone toner." Is that "probe" the same thing as this "wand," and do you know what they're talking about there?

[Edg1]

If the coax is not connected it is most likely with the main splitter. Follow the coax coming out of the ONT to wherever the first splitter is and chances are there will be a unterminated coax. The main splitter is likely to be in the basement or outside. Wiring from the second floor is typically ran from the attic down so it is also possible that it is not connected up in the attic. If you have a newer house the cable is probably a homerun from the jack to the main splitter. 

[jedam]

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@Edg1 wrote:

If the coax is not connected it is most likely with the main splitter. Follow the coax coming out of the ONT to wherever the first splitter is and chances are there will be a unterminated coax. The main splitter is likely to be in the basement or outside. Wiring from the second floor is typically ran from the attic down so it is also possible that it is not connected up in the attic. If you have a newer house the cable is probably a homerun from the jack to the main splitter. 

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I took a flashlight into the fuse-box closet and took a good, hard look around to see if it was possible to tease out where each line came from and went to. Some lines go out of a 4-way Verizon MoCA splitter and others, as predicted, are just dangling there.

Fortunately, it turns out that the previous installer (Comcast) labeled the wires. There are three ("kitchen," "bed 2" and "bed 4") that aren't connected to anything. The "kitchen" coax is terminated normally, but the other two (and Murphy's Law dictates that these are the ones we need for my wife) are simply cut off at the tip.

So I may be looking at terminating one or both of these cables. How hard is it to do that? Never done anything like it before, don't know if I have the right tools. I have some homework to do.

The other question is that I would need a splitter that can handle more than 4 lines. Would Verizon be OK with my changing out their splitter? And, what should I be looking for? Here's the info on the front of the Verizon splitter:

Verizon

4-WAY MoCA 2.0 SPLITTER 5-1675 MHz

MMC1004HA

Of the 5 connectors on the splitter, one is labeled "IN" and the other 4 each say "-7dB OUT".

So assuming that I'm allowed to change out this splitter, what should I be looking for to replace it?

[jonjones1]

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Klein-Tools-Coax-Installation-and-Testing-Kit-with-Connector-VDV002818/2...

its very easy. These kits give instructions on how to do it.

or watch this video

https://youtu.be/0i-YWTmC-l8

[jedam]

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@jonjones wrote:

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Klein-Tools-Coax-Installation-and-Testing-Kit-with-Connector-VDV002818/2...

its very easy. These kits give instructions on how to do it.

or watch this video

https://youtu.be/0i-YWTmC-l8

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Thanks, that looks like even i could do it!

[jonjones1]

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@jedam wrote:

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@jonjones wrote:

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Klein-Tools-Coax-Installation-and-Testing-Kit-with-Connector-VDV002818/2...

its very easy. These kits give instructions on how to do it.

or watch this video

https://youtu.be/0i-YWTmC-l8

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Thanks, that looks like even i could do it!

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None of that other junk about signal to this or that matters. If you have room on the splitter it's place the ends on and attach. No rocket science involved. You will see it is very easy. I have wired our home for both cable (coaxial) and fios (ethernet) it really is much easier than it looks. Relax and enjoy the work that you will do. 😀

[jedam]

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@jonjones wrote:

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@jedam wrote:

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@jonjones wrote:

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Klein-Tools-Coax-Installation-and-Testing-Kit-with-Connector-VDV002818/2...

its very easy. These kits give instructions on how to do it.

or watch this video

https://youtu.be/0i-YWTmC-l8

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Thanks, that looks like even i could do it!

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None of that other junk about signal to this or that matters. If you have room on the splitter it's place the ends on and attach. No rocket science involved. You will see it is very easy. I have wired our home for both cable (coaxial) and fios (ethernet) it really is much easier than it looks. Relax and enjoy the work that you will do. 😀

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That's good to know, thanks! Often, projects look harder than they really are.

[gs0b · Accepted solution]

You own the cables and 4-way splitter and can do whatever you want with them.

You can simply add a two-way spillter to one of the outputs from the 4-way splitter.  I think the extender ships with one in the box.  If not, you can buy one online or any store that sells TV accessories (Target, Home Depot, …).  If it says 5-1675MHz, you’re good.  A MoCA label is nice, but not required.  Here’s one I found online:

https://www.amazon.com/Holland-Electronics-GHS-2Pro-M-Splitter-5-1675Mhz/dp/B00P6VHLP0

If you have to crimp connectors onto the cables, it’s not that hard.  You can find the tools online or at Home Depot / Lowes / local hardware store.  You should be able to find tutorials online or find a helpful person at the store.

Good Luck.

[jedam]

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@gs0b wrote:

You own the cables and 4-way splitter and can do whatever you want with them.

You can simply add a two-way spillter to one of the outputs from the 4-way splitter.  I think the extender ships with one in the box.  If not, you can buy one online or any store that sells TV accessories (Target, Home Depot, …).  If it says 5-1675MHz, you’re good.  A MoCA label is nice, but not required.  Here’s one I found online:

https://www.amazon.com/Holland-Electronics-GHS-2Pro-M-Splitter-5-1675Mhz/dp/B00P6VHLP0

If you have to crimp connectors onto the cables, it’s not that hard.  You can find the tools online or at Home Depot / Lowes / local hardware store.  You should be able to find tutorials online or find a helpful person at the store.

Good Luck.

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Great, with this info together with the one @jonjones gave, I think I have all the elements needed to solve the problem!

I'll have to play around with the placing of the new splitter, to make sure that we're still getting strong enough signals everywhere after the changes. There's one outlet where we've had signal-strength issues and I ended up putting in an amplifier.

Thanks to everyone who pitched in with ideas and information. I'm not closing the book officially, in case we run into a snag, but I do want to say I appreciate your help.

[gs0b]

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I'll have to play around with the placing of the new splitter, to make sure that we're still getting strong enough signals everywhere after the changes. There's one outlet where we've had signal-strength issues and I ended up putting in an amplifier.

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I'm guessing that  your previous signal problems were on cable, as the ONT puts out a very strong signal.  It can drive lots of splits.  Standard cable amplifiers eat MoCA signals and shouldn't be used, but it is very unlikely that you'll need one.