Not getting The Speed That I am Paying For

[kilowatt]

Greetings all FIOS Internet users.

I had FIOS Internet installed at my house on March 8, 2014.  I bought the 50 MBPS download package.

Unfortunately, my highest download speed is about 28 MBPS.  Because I'm a computer whiz, I immediately realized what my problem is.  It's my router setup. 

The Verizon installers placed my router on a coffee table in my living room and then inserted a wireless USB card in to one of my computer's USB 2.0 ports.  However, my computer is located on the second floor of my house in my master bedroom and the router is located on the ground level of my house in my living room.

Instead of running an Ethernet cable from the router to my computer, the Verizon installers opted to go with a wireless installation.  I can run an Ethernet cable from my router to my computer by using the coax cable outlets located in every room of my house.  Of course, this will require many hours of work by me because I will have to pull the coax cable out of each outlet and substitute Ethernet cable or-- I can run an Ethernet cable from my router to the outside of my house and then run this cable to my master bedroom by drilling a hole in my bedroom wall..  I've course I will have to weather proof this outside cable.

If I do this, will my FIOS contract with Verizon be null & void?  I don't want to have any legal problems with Verizon but I sure as heck don't want to pay for 50 MBPS if I'm only getting 28 MBPS.

Please advise!!

[tns2]

Verizon could care less if you want to do your own ethernet connection instead of Wireless.   Just hang onto the USB card they gave you in case they want it back when you leave Verizon.  Hopefully they aren't charging you extra for that.

[kilowatt]

Thank you for your input.  I'll wait for a few more replies to my question before I make a decision about installing the Ethernet cable myself.

[eljefe2]

Do you have coax running from your ONT to your master bedroom, feeding a TV?

If so, you should be able to just relocate your router to the bedroom.  Would  that eliminate the need for rewiring?

[VUser50]

---

@eljefe wrote:

Do you have coax running from your ONT to your master bedroom, feeding a TV?

If so, you should be able to just relocate your router to the bedroom.  Would  that eliminate the need for rewiring?

---

This. But to answer the question, Verizon doesn't care , just will charge to help rewire if you mess up. 

Might want to look into the FiOS Inside Wire Maintenance Plan for $9 a month. Unsure how strict they are about you adding and dropping it.

[eljefe2]

My point was if the OP already has coax running to the room where his computer is located, he may be able to just relocate his router to that room without having to do any re-wiring at all.

[kilowatt]

Thank you for your input.

Yes, I have coax cable coming from my attic to every room in my house.  When I had my house built, I requested that the builder install coax cable in every room in my house so my family could watch TV in any room.

I have a MI42WR Actiontec wireless router and it has a port for coax.  Now, the obvious question is:  Why didn't the Verizon installers ask me if I had coax cable running to my master bedroom??  Why must I do this work???  I don't mind doing the work but didn't I just pay Verizon for the installation???

[eljefe2 · Accepted solution]

I can't answer the question why the installer did what he did.  If you have a complaint about that it's best handled with Verizon Customer Service, rather than through this peer-to-peer forum.

However, since you do have coax already running to the room where your computer is located, and if (this is important) your Actiontec is being fed by coax now, the amount of work involved in moving the router would be minimal.  Just disconnect it from it's present location and reconnect it in your master bedroom. 

You may need a splitter for the coax in the bedroom but they're inexpensive and easy to obtain.

If your Actiontec is currently connected to your ONT via Ethernet, moving the router would still be done the same way but you'd then have to call tech support and get them to change your ONT's provisioning from Ethernet output to coax.

Once the router is moved, connect it to your PC via Cat 5/6 cable and in all likelihood you'll start getting the full speeds you're paying for.

[kilowatt]

Thanks for your input.  I am a retired telecommunications manager (US Departmernt of Justice) and a holder of an Amateur Extra license from the Federal Communications Commission.  I will do all the work myself.  I have all the cables that I need for the job.

[eljefe2]

CQ DX!  I also have an Amateur Extra ticket although it's been years since I've been active on the air.

Anyway, please report back what results you get at www.speedtest.net once you've made the changes discussed here.  Assuming you get the results you're hoping for, knowing that may help other reading this thread in the future.  And if for some reason moving your router and changing from wifi to hard wired doesn't do the trick, well, let's not go there unless necessary.

73

Typical speedtest here with 75/35 plan:

http://www.speedtest.net/result/3442186098.png

[kilowatt]

---

@eljefe wrote:

CQ DX!  I also have an Amateur Extra ticket although it's been years since I've been active on the air.

Anyway, please report back what results you get at www.speedtest.net once you've made the changes discussed here.  Assuming you get the results you're hoping for, knowing that may help other reading this thread in the future.  And if for some reason moving your router and changing from wifi to hard wired doesn't do the trick, well, let's not go there unless necessary.

73

Typical speedtest here with 75/35 plan:

http://www.speedtest.net/result/3442186098.png

---

Eljefe, please browse the following website:

http://www.qrz.com/db/W3XAF

It will be a few weeks before I can get the work done.  I have to leave soon on a trip to Pennsylvania to attend an amateur radio (ham) gathering.
 

[kilowatt]

 It worked!! 

I moved the router to my bedroom where my PC is.  I connected the router to my "TV" coax cable and then I connected the router to a LAN port on my computer via a CAT 5 cable. 

I just ran a speed test with the Verizon Broadband Test Web Site.  My download speed is now 58 MBS.  WOW!!  Fantastic. 

Thanks for all your sugestions and help.  Where should I send the flowers???

 

Kilowatt (W3XAF)

 

 

@eljefe wrote:

CQ DX!  I also have an Amateur Extra ticket although it's been years since I've been active on the air.

Anyway, please report back what results you get at www.speedtest.net once you've made the changes discussed here.  Assuming you get the results you're hoping for, knowing that may help other reading this thread in the future.  And if for some reason moving your router and changing from wifi to hard wired doesn't do the trick, well, let's not go there unless necessary.

73

Typical speedtest here with 75/35 plan:

http://www.speedtest.net/result/3442186098.png

---

[eljefe2]

No flowers necessary.  It's enough to hear your problem is solved. 

Enjoy. 

[kilowatt]

[NickZQ]

Why don't you just buy a top line wireless router like the Netgear Nighthawk AC1900 (this is what I have but you can buy others).  Plug that into the Verizon router with an ethernet cable, disable the Verizon router Wifi signal. 

I have 75/35 and I am able to get the full 75Mbits wireless on second floor through the 5Ghz channel - to put into perspective the max I was getting with Verizon GigE wireless router was 39Mbits through Wifi.

But remember, the connection is also limited by the network card your computer has.  My laptop has an 802.11N wireless card that can connect to the router at 300Mbits on the 5Ghz band.

One of my other desktop has a wireless network card that can only connect to a max speed of 65Mbits on the 2.4Ghz channel so the max throughput connection on speed test for that computer is only 30Mbits. 

[kilowatt]

---

NickZQ wrote:

Why don't you just buy a top line wireless router like the Netgear Nighthawk AC1900 (this is what I have but you can buy others).  Plug that into the Verizon router with an ethernet cable, disable the Verizon router Wifi signal. 

I have 75/35 and I am able to get the full 75Mbits wireless on second floor through the 5Ghz channel - to put into perspective the max I was getting with Verizon GigE wireless router was 39Mbits through Wifi.

But remember, the connection is also limited by the network card your computer has.  My laptop has an 802.11N wireless card that can connect to the router at 300Mbits on the 5Ghz band.

One of my other desktop has a wireless network card that can only connect to a max speed of 65Mbits on the 2.4Ghz channel so the max throughput connection on speed test for that computer is only 30Mbits. 

---

Thanks for your input Nick.  Your solution to the problem has merit.  However, I'm using an 8 year old Gateway computer and I don't have a wireless card installed.  I would have to buy one.  The FIOS installers installed a Zyxel USB wireless device to enable my wireless network signals.  I'll try the coax connection to my router first and if that doesn't work, I'll go out and buy a wireless card for my computer and follow your advice.

[kilowatt]

---

@kilowatt wrote:

---

@NickZQ wrote:

Why don't you just buy a top line wireless router like the Netgear Nighthawk AC1900 (this is what I have but you can buy others).  Plug that into the Verizon router with an ethernet cable, disable the Verizon router Wifi signal. 

I have 75/35 and I am able to get the full 75Mbits wireless on second floor through the 5Ghz channel - to put into perspective the max I was getting with Verizon GigE wireless router was 39Mbits through Wifi.

But remember, the connection is also limited by the network card your computer has.  My laptop has an 802.11N wireless card that can connect to the router at 300Mbits on the 5Ghz band.

One of my other desktop has a wireless network card that can only connect to a max speed of 65Mbits on the 2.4Ghz channel so the max throughput connection on speed test for that computer is only 30Mbits. 

---

Thanks for your input Nick.  Your solution to the problem has merit.  However, I'm using an 8 year old Gateway computer and I don't have a wireless card installed.  I would have to buy one.  The FIOS installers installed a Zyxel USB wireless device to enable my wireless network signals.  I'll try the coax connection to my router first and if that doesn't work, I'll go out and buy a wireless card for my computer and follow your advice.

---

Oops.  Sorry about that Nick.  I do have a Marvell Yukon 88E8050 PCI-E ASF Ethernet Card installed in my Gateway computer.  I'll have to check my card's specifications.

[thenamesed]

---

@NickZQ wrote:

Why don't you just buy a top line wireless router like the Netgear Nighthawk AC1900 (this is what I have but you can buy others).  Plug that into the Verizon router with an ethernet cable, disable the Verizon router Wifi signal. 

I have 75/35 and I am able to get the full 75Mbits wireless on second floor through the 5Ghz channel - to put into perspective the max I was getting with Verizon GigE wireless router was 39Mbits through Wifi.

But remember, the connection is also limited by the network card your computer has.  My laptop has an 802.11N wireless card that can connect to the router at 300Mbits on the 5Ghz band.

One of my other desktop has a wireless network card that can only connect to a max speed of 65Mbits on the 2.4Ghz channel so the max throughput connection on speed test for that computer is only 30Mbits. 

---

Ok I'm only about 2 to 5 feets away from my wireless FIOS router and I'm only getting max .. 52 MPS and at majority of times 32 mps... how are you able to get that? I mean granted my internet disconnects at random if you read a post replying to someone else having same issues as me on another thread. Oh yeah I'm also 75/35.

[eljefe2]

What type device are you measuring your speeds with?  PC?   Mac?  Phone?  Etc?

Have you tried connecting to your Actiontec router via hardwire rather than wifi to narrow down whether the problem is with wifi or something else?

FWIW, I have an Actiontec Rev I router and if I'm in the same room as the router, and using a MacBook Pro or Win 7 PC I consistently get 75/35+ at www.speedtest.net.

On my iPhone 5s, or iPad 2, speeds top out ~35 mb/s up and down.

[thenamesed]

I have multiple devices, I have the latest surface pro so I can't wire that directly, I have my galaxy note 3 and my xbox one I use it on. I also have an HP windows 7 laptop. Wired it still is the same. It reaches max upload but never max download on all devices. This has to be an issue with the internet provided by verizon as it disconnects frequently without any waring or indications shoing that the problem is with wired/wireless or ith the router itself.

It's a constant around 32 mps at random it spikes up to 50 mps sometimes 70 the max i tested seeing so far has been 72mps even with wired connection.

[eljefe2]

My suggestion is you first concentrate on getting the speed to be consistant on your laptop when it's hard wired to your router.  That will, for troubleshooting purposes, eliminate the other devices from being part of the problem (as is the case with my iOS devices). 

A few more questions looking to shed some light on what your issue may be:

What part of the country are you in?

Are you in a private residence or a multiple dwelling / apartment?

Do any of your neighbors have FiOS and, if so, do they have the same problem?

Can you post a link to the results from a test at www.speedtest.net ?

Are the results about the same at http://my.verizon.com/services/speedtest/ as they are at speedtest.net?

Have you run the FiOS Optimizer on your laptop?  http://my.verizon.com/services/speedoptimizer/FIOS/

Do the speed test results get better/worse at particular times of the day?

And what model is your Actiontec router?