My own router

pcnerd
Contributor - Level 3

I have the Actiontec MI424WR. I'm considering upgrading to the quantum router. The Actiontec tops out at 802.11n. The quantum tops out at 802.11ac. Can the firmware in the quantum be upgraded when a new 802.11 protocol comes out?

If I replace the Actiontec with my own router, which I haven't bought yet, would there be any incompatibilities between my router & the FIOS network?

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Edg1
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@pcnerd wrote:

I currently have the Actiontec Rev I. A few years ago, UPS sent me the Rev I. Before that I had the Rev E. I didn't ask for the router. Verizon shipped it to me. I still have the Rev E router in the box that the Rev I came in. I looked at the UPS label on the box & the date is September 2014! So, I must have been using the Rev I for almost 5 years now.

Do you know if Verizon will eventually stop supporting the Actiontec router? It probably will.

What I can do is take the Rev E router to the Verizon store & swap it out for the quantum router.

I reckon that it's time to upgrade to the quantum!


They have stopped supporting anything below a Rev I. They charge a maintenance fee. I’m sure they will eventually stop supporting the Rev I as well. 

Upgrading to the Quantum router would probably be the easiest. I would just buy it since renting for $12 a month will add up versus a one time fee. 

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Edg1
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What version of the MI424WR do you have. If you have the Red band with two external antennas that is Rev I which has wired gig ports. You could connect an AC wireless access point to it for better/faster wifi. 

The firmware on the Quantum can’t upgrade the AC to AX. That is hardware and Verizon would have to come out with a new router that supports AX. 

If you use your own router the only incompatibility would be if you have TV. Then you would need a MoCA adapters. You also need ethernet from ONT to use your own router. 

pcnerd
Contributor - Level 3

I have the Rev. I router.

I have seen routers on Best Buy with coax connector. Not too many, though.

I read online that if one uses his own router instead of a Verizon router, one loses the widgets & pay-per-view. Is that true?

So, if I get my own router with coax connector, I guess that I have the choice of either coax or ethernet, is that correct?

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Edg1
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No. Routers that have a coax connection are for cable internet. They  are a cable modem/router combo. They use DOCSIS which is different from FiOS and will not work. 

If you use your own router you have to be connected with ethernet from ONT and you will need a MoCA adapter if you want widgets, guide, and On demand/PPV to continue to work. 

Basically anything that has a coax connection is a cable modem. Just stay away from anything that says modem or DOCSIS. You will just want to get a wireless router with one WAN port and four LAN ports. You can continue to use the REV I and disable the wifi and connect a wireless AP to the LAN port for better wifi. 

pcnerd
Contributor - Level 3

You state:

No. Routers that have a coax connection are for cable internet. They are a cable modem/router combo. They use DOCSIS which is different from FiOS and will not work.

I did see the word DOCSIS in the descriptions of Best Buy routers.

My MI424WR Rev I has a coax connector on the back with a coax cable connected & it works. 


So, I'm confused!

You state:

If you use your own router you have to be connected with ethernet from ONT and you will need a MoCA adapter if you want widgets, guide, and On demand/PPV to continue to work.

So, if I want to use my own router, I need to buy BOTH the router AND the MoCA adapter at the same time?

What would happen if I disconnect the coax from the cable box & connect it directly to the ANT on the TV? What would I see? Snow?

Does the quantum router have a coax on the back?

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Edg1
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Verizon branded routers have a coax port that supports MoCA WAN and LAN. If you see the word “‘Modem” or ”DOCSIS” in the description the coax connection on the back supports DOCSIS WAN and will be incompatible with FiOS. Verizon doesn’t sell routers at Best Buy. 

If you use your own router than yes you will also need a MoCA adapter to create the LAN MoCA connection for your set-top boxes. 

If you disconnect the cable from box and connect to TV you will have to do a channel scan and once complete you will see only local channels. 

Yes Quantum router has a coax port and also supports MoCA WAN and LAN. 

pcnerd
Contributor - Level 3

Networking is not my strong suit!

On the back of the FIOS router I see the coax & power. I see 4 LAN & 1 WAN. If I were to buy my own router would the ethernet port from the ONT plug into the WAN?

I looked on the Best Buy website for MoCA. There are 2 brands. One has "coax in" & "TV/STB out" coax & an ethernet port. The other brand has "device" coax & "network" coax & an ethernet port. I assume that "device" is the same as "coax in" & "network" is the same as "TV/STB out". This is where I'm confused! Would the coax from the ONT plug into the "coax in" on the MoCA & conect a cable from the ethernet on the MoCA to the WAN on the bought router?

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Edg1
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If you get your own router the ethernet from ONT will connect to the WAN port. Take the coax from the back of the FiOS router and connect to the "Coax In" port on the one adapter and I believe the "Network" port on the other adapter. Then you will connect and ethernet wire from the LAN port of your purchased router and connect to the ethernet port of your MoCA adapter. Once everything is up you will then need to reboot your set-top boxes so they get IP addresses from your new router. 

pcnerd
Contributor - Level 3

You state:

If you get your own router the ethernet from ONT will connect to the WAN port (on the purchased router, right?). Take the coax from the back of the FiOS router and connect to the "Coax In" port on the one adapter and I believe the "Network" port on the other adapter (What other adapter? Do I need to buy 2 MoCA adapters?). Then you will connect an ethernet wire from the LAN port of your purchased router and connect to the ethernet port of your MoCA adapter. Once everything is up you will then need to reboot your set-top boxes so they get IP addresses from your new router.

I think that I'll pass on that! I'd have to buy BOTH the router AND a MoCA adapter. MoCA adapters are expensive. I'd rather rent the quantum with the option to buy it.

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Edg1
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@pcnerd wrote:

You state:

If you get your own router the ethernet from ONT will connect to the WAN port (on the purchased router, right?). Take the coax from the back of the FiOS router and connect to the "Coax In" port on the one adapter and I believe the "Network" port on the other adapter (What other adapter? Do I need to buy 2 MoCA adapters?). Then you will connect an ethernet wire from the LAN port of your purchased router and connect to the ethernet port of your MoCA adapter. Once everything is up you will then need to reboot your set-top boxes so they get IP addresses from your new router.

I think that I'll pass on that! I'd have to buy BOTH the router AND a MoCA adapter. MoCA adapters are expensive. I'd rather rent the quantum with the option to buy it.


Yes ONT ethernet to the new purchased router. 

You mentioned two different MoCA adapters on the Best Buy site. I was just noting what to connect to depending on which one you were going to buy. You would only need one adapter. 

I’m not sure if there is a rent to buy option for the Quantum router. For example if you were renting one for 5 months and called up to purchase the would send you a new one at full price. The 5 months of rentinf wouldn’t go to the purchase price. 

pcnerd
Contributor - Level 3

Based on what you all have said, I'm better off sticking with the FIOS router. I really don't want to buy BOTH a router AND a MoCA adapter & have to figure out any problems myself. If I buy a router & have problems I have to deal with the manufacturer of the router. If I have a problem with a FIOS router, I just swap it out with a new one. That's probably the only advantage to renting rather than owning the router.

I watched a Youtube video about the Quantum router. I believe that the narrator stated that FIOS uses the FIOS router to remotely diagnose problems. Is that correct?

The box that the Rev. I router came in has a date of September 2014. I've been using the Rev. I for almost 5 years now. I reckon that I can justify upgrading to the quantum router since FIOS will probably stop supporting the Rev. I. Speaking of which, if FIOS decides to stop supporting the Actiontec, will customers be notified?

Which is faster, wired or wireless? I believe that wired is faster than wireless, right? I'm paying for 100 mbps. My Actiontec tops out at 802.11n. I get like 80 mbps wirelessly.

According to Wikipedia, 802.11n came out in 2009. Wikipedia states that 802.11n can support up to 600 mbps. What are the specs of the Actiontec Rev. I?

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Edg1
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Yes they can remotely diagnose both Quantum and the Rev I. If they stop supporting it I'm sure you will get a notice in your bill or an email. Even if they do stop supporting it that doesn't mean you can't use it anymore. You will just have to upgrade to the newest one if it goes bad. 

Wired is always faster than wireless. You should get about the same 80 mbps on the 2.4 GHz Wireless N and probably four times that on 5GHz AC. I will usually get 400-500 mbps on the 5GHz AC. 

I'm not sure the spec of the Rev I but the speeds that you read on Wikipedia are perfect world lab testing and never translate to real world scenarios. Also the amount of antennas in both the router and device will contribute to speed. There are alot of factors that account for wifi speed which is why it is not guaranteed. 

pcnerd
Contributor - Level 3

I currently have the Actiontec Rev I. A few years ago, UPS sent me the Rev I. Before that I had the Rev E. I didn't ask for the router. Verizon shipped it to me. I still have the Rev E router in the box that the Rev I came in. I looked at the UPS label on the box & the date is September 2014! So, I must have been using the Rev I for almost 5 years now.

Do you know if Verizon will eventually stop supporting the Actiontec router? It probably will.

What I can do is take the Rev E router to the Verizon store & swap it out for the quantum router.

I reckon that it's time to upgrade to the quantum!

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Edg1
Community Leader
Community Leader

@pcnerd wrote:

I currently have the Actiontec Rev I. A few years ago, UPS sent me the Rev I. Before that I had the Rev E. I didn't ask for the router. Verizon shipped it to me. I still have the Rev E router in the box that the Rev I came in. I looked at the UPS label on the box & the date is September 2014! So, I must have been using the Rev I for almost 5 years now.

Do you know if Verizon will eventually stop supporting the Actiontec router? It probably will.

What I can do is take the Rev E router to the Verizon store & swap it out for the quantum router.

I reckon that it's time to upgrade to the quantum!


They have stopped supporting anything below a Rev I. They charge a maintenance fee. I’m sure they will eventually stop supporting the Rev I as well. 

Upgrading to the Quantum router would probably be the easiest. I would just buy it since renting for $12 a month will add up versus a one time fee.