Frontier FiOS went from ethernet to Coax?

Warrior

Warrior

[H]F Junkie
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Oct 13, 2004
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I moved from an apartment where they had run ethernet to a jack for me to plug it into my own router, it was nice. My new apartment the installer came over when i wasn't there (my gf was there) and he installed a coax jack next to my router and supplied a huge frontier box (wireless router/modem). And then connected it to my router.

After much configuration I finally got it to run good on my router, and I started wondering if I'm going to get the same latency and speeds as it was on ethernet straight from the box. I'm paying for a 30/10 connection. I'm sure the coax is enough, but it's the cheap Frontier box and coax connection together that I wonder about.

My ultimate question is, I have an old motorola DOCSIS 3.0 Surfboard modem (when I had Comcast) that I have laying around, will it work with it? I assume it will be better. I really dont need all the junk that this huge Frontier box has. I just want a good connection.

BTW my router is a DIR-655.
 
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You do realize that coax can support speeds far in excess of your package, right? And latency would be down to a lot of things, least of which would be the coax. There are also many ways to test it.

You should ask Frontier if that modem is compatible with their service and/or at least post it's model number here, if you want input from other users. Your D-Link router should work with just about any service.
 
It's a 6120 I believe.

And of course I realize coax will be fine for my speeds. I mentioned that in the OP...

I guess I'll call Fronteir for my answer...
 
Odd they would do coax. So how does this work, fibre comes in to a box, then from that box it's coax, so you need another box to convert to ethernet? I would try to request to get a fibre box with ethernet, just for the principle of not needing 2 boxes. One less point of failure.
 
The 6120 is a fine modem. It can only do 4 downstream bonded channels but that's all you need even for 100Mbps+
 
Exactly my point Red Squirrel! It is odd. But, my girlfriend said he was an old guy that might have had a screw or 2 loose. lol. I'm not sure, do some boxes has coax and ethernet hook-ups? I havn't looked at the box too much, it's in a closet that's now packed full.

BTW, the other box they gave me is an Actiontec MI424WR REV. F
 
Are you sure its not one of those fake (they call it "hybrid") FTTH networks, where they just run fiber to your local node and then coax from there? I dont see why they would waste money on two boxes.
 
if you don't have an ONT anywhere in your apartment (or on the side of the building) then most likely you have FTTN FiOS and not FTTP.

I know AT&T typically puts the ONT in the apartment (not outside) while frontier will do either or. If you have access to the entire basement look around for a box that says Verizon or Frontier on it that is plugged into an electrical outlet.

If you don't have one of those anywhere you have FTTN for sure and can't use any modem/router but theirs.
 
timta2 said:
You do realize that coax can support speeds far in excess of your package, right? And latency would be down to a lot of things, least of which would be the coax. There are also many ways to test it.

You should ask Frontier if that modem is compatible with their service and/or at least post it's model number here, if you want input from other users. Your D-Link router should work with just about any service.
Click to expand...

actually, the muxing/demuxing to put it into coax does add a lot of latency...

i got metroE links that are actually running on coax, all my fiber locations like 1ms pings between offices across town from each other....

coax connected offices will be 30ms +/-


also, at least with time warner, you have higher loss (it's still miniscule) on docsis 3.0 with anything over 10mbps... i was surprised to hear that as well...
 
On Verizon FiOS ONTs, the latency between coax and ethernet is like 4-6ms. Pretty serious imo, considering you're going under 100ft.
 
Brak710 said:
On Verizon FiOS ONTs, the latency between coax and ethernet is like 4-6ms. Pretty serious imo, considering you're going under 100ft.
Click to expand...

I observed the same. I switched my ONT to router connection from Moca to Ethernet and saw an improvement in ping times. Also I wanted to use my own network equipment since some of Verizon's routers (like the one I had) have ridiculously small NAT tables.
 
Okay, here is what I have.
wall.box.jpg

wall.box.label.jpg

coax.ethernet.jpg


And, oh look, ethernet jack.... :rolleyes:

Should I give them a call and have them come do it right?
 
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That'd be the ONT, can probably just call them up and ask them to switch it to ethernet and plug your own cable into it.
 
Well, I specifically asked them to install a line into my room, and what he did was string a coax across the room through the wall into the other room. Which is NOT what I wanted. I wanted an ethernet to be neatly ran across into the other room for my own router.

I think I'm going to call them in the morning and bitch.
 
Wow that's a pretty serious piece of equipment for inside a house lol. Looks pretty cool though, but yeah wonder if you can just plug in to the ethernet port.

Also I've learned it's best not to get the telco to run cable, do it yourself if you want it done right. The best techs for telcos tend to be doing the businesses, for res they'll use contractors whose goal is to do it as quickly as possible as they have a large list of tickets to go through and have quotas/deadlines.
 
Yeah, the tech went through this whole thing with me during my install. I told him I wanted straight ethernet, I already have my own router and wireless infrastructure in place and I don't need more of their crap cluttering it up. So he said instead of doing MoCA from the ONT he could just do ethernet. Either is fine for speeds and latency but only ethernet works without the use of their box.

Kinda strange that they're installing the ONT inside... I mean they used to do that but it was my understanding that they stopped and have begun putting it outside. At least with Verizon/Frontier anyways.
 
My last apartment had one too. I think they all have them here.

Btw I called Frontier and they will be here Thursday to install Ethernet. This makes me happy. :)

I guess I could have called them I the beginning. Heh...
 
Warrior: I have the exact same unit in my house. That unit you pictured is the 'compact' they use for apartments. They tried to tell me I couldn't have that one until they saw my property. What other services do you have? If you have TV, you are forced into using the Coax. If not, then ethernet is the winner. I am FIOS only so the coax is disabled.

Edit: Just read your post above. NM :p
 
NotSoSimple said:
Warrior: I have the exact same unit in my house. That unit you pictured is the 'compact' they use for apartments. They tried to tell me I couldn't have that one until they saw my property. What other services do you have? If you have TV, you are forced into using the Coax. If not, then ethernet is the winner. I am FIOS only so the coax is disabled.

Edit: Just read your post above. NM :p
Click to expand...

First FIOS describes all of Verizon's fiber offerings, FIOS TV, FIOS Internet, FIOS Phone.

Second you are not forced in to coax if you use FIOS services other than internet, they will enable Ethernet for the WAN connection instead of MoCA if you ask them to. I you have FIOS TV the coax will still be active because regular broadcast TV still uses the Coax, however Video on Demand and TV guide data will come in through the WAN connection which means you need a MoCA bridge (the actiontek router can do this) so the Set-top-Bx can reach your gateway.
 
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