Setting up FIOS wired and wireless internet service on new computer

The desktop computer I had when VZ install FIOS died. I am getting a laptop with a docking station and want to use the wired internet service when I am at my desk and wireless service elsewhere in the house. Do I need to download any software on the new computer to connect it to the wired internet service or the wireless internet service? How do I install FIOS internet on my new computer? To complicate matters, I lost the password that the VZ technician very sternly told me not to lose. I'm not even sure what it was for. Thanks.

Accepted answers

Anti-Phish1

@Steck wrote:
why and when do I need to log in to the VZ router?
There are a number of reasons you might want to login to the VZ router.
Here are just a few:
Check on the status of your network.
Setup port forwarding for a game or server on your network
Change your wireless channel assignment in case you have a neighbor on the same channel
Change the wireless security settings on the router. The router comes with WEP as the default. WEP is not secure and is easily broken. You should use WPA2-AES for the best protection if all your wireless devices support it.

All comments

Anti-Phish1

@Steck wrote:
Do I need to download any software on the new computer to connect it to the wired internet service or the wireless internet service? How do I install FIOS internet on my new computer?
Nothing to install. It should work right out of the box.
@Steck wrote:
I lost the password that the VZ technician very sternly told me not to lose. I'm not even sure what it was for. Thanks.
The password the tech gave was probably to allow you to login to the VZ router.
I can't login to the VZ router

Steck2

Thanks! My new laptop will have 802.11b/g/n wireless LAN on it. When I want to use my FIOS wireless on it for the first time, how do I access the wireless service? Will my FIOS wireless service automatically show up when I go to connect to wireless service? I'm assuming it is not as simple as this. Also, why and when do I need to log in to the VZ router? Appreciate the help.

spacedebris

Actually it is that simple.

I'm assuming that being a new computer it is windows 7

What you would do is.

Click on start, go to control panel. go to network, click on network and sharing center. click connect to a network. That will bring up a list of networks. Now look on the side of your router, there will be a sticker with a "Essid #" and a "WEP Key #". The essid number is the name of the network and should show up in that list on the computer. Click on that network and click connect. When it asks for the network key, enter that WEP key number. and click connect. Your done.

If you have an apple computer. Just click on the airport symbol in the top right. Click on the network that matches the essid number. Enter the WEP key number. Done.

eljefe2

Windows 7 should pop-up a tutorial to walk you through connecting the first time you connect via Ethernet and then again via wifi. It's pretty straightforward. Do one at a time. I'd start by turning off wifi on your laptop and getting connected via hard wire. Then disconnect the Ethernet cable, turn wifi back on, and proceed to get connected by wifi.

When it comes to wifi you'll have to add the WEP key to connect the first time since the Verizon router comes defaulted to WEP encryption. The default WEP key is shown on the label on your router.

For increased security it's the general consensus that WEP should be disabled and WPA-2 enabled. To do that you have to login to the configuration pages in your router, thus the info spacedebris provided. If you decide to change to WPA-2 you can set your wifi password to anything you want it to be. Once again, you'd have to enter it on your laptop the first time you connect.

edit: You're too fast spacedebris. 🙂 It's too bad you can't see when someone else is composing an answer in a forum thread.

Anti-Phish1

@Steck wrote:
why and when do I need to log in to the VZ router?
There are a number of reasons you might want to login to the VZ router.
Here are just a few:
Check on the status of your network.
Setup port forwarding for a game or server on your network
Change your wireless channel assignment in case you have a neighbor on the same channel
Change the wireless security settings on the router. The router comes with WEP as the default. WEP is not secure and is easily broken. You should use WPA2-AES for the best protection if all your wireless devices support it.