Hey guys, I know I haven't been around much.  Just got real busy about the time CDU merged.  Anyway, I am starting to get back into things here, but my router is shit.  Requires multiple reboots per week.  While I consider myself somewhat tech-savvy my Achilles heel is wifi and networking (yes it's worse than my k/d ratio).

 

Anyway, I have FiOS from Frontier that is bundled with voice (my wife won't give up the land line) and TV.  I have read on my Nextdoor forums that you must use the propriety shit router and I have read that you do not.  I have spoken with Frontier and you can guess their answer....you must buy the $200 brick.  I also spoke with the Geek Squad here in my neighborhood and they agree.  Say the Frontier router actually controls voice and the TV guide/DVR/onDemand stuff.  I don't quite believe that because the 3 CoAx that comes from the ONT goes into a splitter that go out to 4 CoAx.  3 for different rooms for TV and the 4th goes into my router.  The phone is also separate with it's own splitter for the different rooms and does not go through (at least in physical appearance) the router.  

 

What I would like to do is either get one of those mesh networks set up, probably the Google one, Velop, or Orbi.  Can I just buy that and be done with it, get rid of the old router, and not buy the new Frontier brick?  

 

I've tried googling it and I get many different answers.  I'm sure someone here can explain it to me like I'm a 5yr old.  Not spending an additional $200 would be great.

 

Thanks

 

Munga

No Idea how Frontier does their phone PPV etc so it's kind of hard to answer on that end. On my Spectrum cable you do infact have to use their equipment if you have digital phone with them . Im guessing its possible that the phone doesn't hit the router in your  case but I dont see how. Without that connection you would have to use copper telephone lines to get out and I know at least here Ma Bell doesn't like to share her copper.

 

My bride requires me to maintain a landline as well but mine goes through the router , again it needs to to hit their network.

 

As for your issues Im assuming that router is one that came from them. It also sounds like you bought it outright which is kinda weird in and of itself as most companies make you lease the equipment(they make more that way... bastards). If it is leased have them come out and test the signal strength. Could have some ratty fiber between you and the endpoint. Also could be a failing optical receiver in the router. Id have everything checked out from the router back. Only other thing I have seen make this happen is I has an old router that was after my cable modem back in the day and it was old enough that it just started failing. If you have a personal router between you and the supplied interface try taking it out of the equation and see if the issue continues. If not then replace your router with a newer one of course.

 

Hard to diagnose network stuff hundreds of miles away but that's the best I got for ya not being there.

Understood.  

 

The router I have currently is about 4 years old and it was free from Verizon.  The new router Frontier is pushing is either $10/mo or $200.  They won't give it for free, even with a new contract.  I loved my service from Verizon, but Frontier is the worst.

 

I guess I just don't understand how the router has anything to do with the phone and TV since it doesn't have a physical connection going out from the router to them.  

 

Isn't the ONT really a modem?  So that should take care of the communication and signal conversion?

Isn't the ONT really a modem?  So that should take care of the communication and signal conversion?

 

 

 

Yes and no ( Don't you love the decisiveness of that answer hahaha)

 

Yeah it acts as a modem in a weird kind of way. Basically an ONT is a media converter that is installed by Verizon either outside or inside your premises, during FiOS installation. The ONT converts fiber-optic light signals to copper/electric signals.

 

Each ONT is capable of delivering:

 

Multiple POTS (plain old telephone service) lines

 

Internet data

 

Video

 

The ONT (optical network terminal) is used to terminate the fiber optic line, demultiplex the signal into its component parts (voice telephone, television, and Internet), and provide power to customer telephones. You still need the router to handle routing traffic once the fiber optic signal is decoded into its basic parts. I'm guessing there is something in your setup either inside or outside that is being used to deliver the phone service that you aren't aware of. If you live in your own home look around haha. If in an Apt it's probably in a central area that you dont have access to.

 

If your router is getting ratty then it can drop out and appear that the internet service has crapped out. The reason rebooting the ONT / Modem seems to fix the issue is that once you do that it refreshes the connection to the modem / ONT until it decides to lick the window again. 

 

Try bypassing the router with one device and see if it still drops you. If not grab a new router off amazon for a good price . Done. It may well be that your ONT needs to be reprogrammed or have its firmware flashed due to the changeover.