ONT ethernet vs. Coax? which is better?

Hi,

I'm currently using coax from the ONT to my router, but I was thinking of switching it to the ethernet port and using an ethernet cable from the ONT to my MI4244WR routers' WAN port for internet, and using the coax throughout the house for just FiOS TV. My TV menu takes an extra long time to load, and also so do the widgets. I would like to split data and fios TV traffic to see if seperate media helps the situation.

Has anyone had any experience with this, and if so, was it positive?

Also, is there anything special that I need to do to get it to work?

Thanks!

Ken

Accepted answers

kp73

Thanks everyone. All excellent feedback. Based on your anwers, it seems like I would still need to have coax connected to the router regardless of whether or not I was using the Ethernet WAN port. Seems like more trouble than its worth.

Looks like I'm going to stick with Coax. Thanks again.

All comments

bbinnard

I'd leave your current configuration alone. The fact is the traffic is already split. The FIOS optical cable that runs to your house carries 3 different frequencies/colors/wavelengths of light. One is for Internet, one is for TV, and one is for phone. The ONT separates these out and puts the proper one on the proper type of cable. The setup you currently have is precisely what most FIOS users have (including me) and I don't see any reason to change it.

viafax999

I run that way, though a little differently in that I run my own router as the gateway and cascaded the Verizon router as a land to wan connection off my router.

There is a gain in that in that the wireless on my router is far superior to the Verizon router wireless and also my router never crashed the wat the Verizon router was continually doing at that time - they apparently have fixed that issue now with a firmware upgrade.

eljefe2

I agree with what bbinnard said, but it's also worth nothing that you need to have the coax feed to your Actiontec router for you to get features like widgets.

The "anything special" you'd need to get coax to work would be having Verizon provision your ONT for that configuation, and I doubt they would do that since you have a TV subscription. But if they did, you'd lose the widgets.

viafax999

@eljefe wrote:
I agree with what bbinnard said, but it's also worth nothing that you need to have the coax feed to your Actiontec router for you to get features like widgets.
The "anything special" you'd need to get coax to work would be having Verizon provision your ONT for that configuation, and I doubt they would do that since you have a TV subscription. But if they did, you'd lose the widgets.

Of course they would do it.

All you have to do is call fios tech support and they will do it for you while you are on the phone with them.

Takes about 15 minutes.

You wouldn't lose any widgets the router would be connected via coax and ethernet as the coax side is still needed to communicate with the STBs and the widget traffic would be bridged from the ethernet side to the moca side in the router.

eljefe2

Ok. If that's the case I stand corrected.

I was under the (apparently incorrect) understanding that the coax feed to the Actiontec was necessary for the set top boxes to have Internet connection and thus be able to get widgets, etc.

So to be clear, you're saying in that configuration you'd have Ethernet feeding the Actiontec from the ONT, and the coax port on the Actiontec would still be connected to the STBs?

viafax999

@eljefe wrote:
Ok. If that's the case I stand corrected.
I was under the (apparently incorrect) understanding that the coax feed to the Actiontec was necessary for the set top boxes to have Internet connection and thus be able to get widgets, etc.

That is 100% correct.

However to do that only means that router needs an internet connection, either ethernet or moca. It does mean that no matter which port is being used a the WAN connection the coax port HAS to be connected to the ONTas the TV signal will always come in that way.

Telcoguru

It only matters if you order download speeds over 100 megs, otherwise coax is just fine.

kp73

Looks like I'm going to stick with Coax. Thanks again.