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Today, Mytour will guide you on how to use your personal router with Verizon FIOS services. By using your own router, you can avoid the hassle of rental fees and gain greater control over your network. If you’re subscribed to FIOS Internet without TV, switching to a different router is straightforward. However, if your FIOS plan includes television services, you’ll need to invest in a MoCA adapter (costing approximately $20-$80) to maintain features like program guides, on-demand content, and digital video recording (DVR).
Steps
Preparing Your Network
Determine how your router connects to the Optical Network Terminal (ONT). If your Verizon router is linked to the WAN/Internet port via an Ethernet cable and the port light is on, your setup is complete. This is the typical configuration. If the router connects to the ONT using a coaxial cable (TV cable) instead of Ethernet (common in older setups), additional steps will be required.
Switch to an Ethernet cable if you’re currently using a coaxial connection. If you’re already connected via Ethernet, proceed to the next step. If not, follow these steps to switch to an Ethernet cable:
- Locate the Optical Network Terminal (ONT) in your home. The ONT is a silver or white box with the Verizon logo, often installed in a discreet location. It may be mounted outside your house, near the telephone box.
- Find the Ethernet port. This port is usually located near some green LED lights at the end of the device. You might need to unscrew or remove a cover to access the Ethernet port.
- Connect an Ethernet cable from the WAN/Internet port of your Verizon FIOS router to the Ethernet port on the ONT. Keep the coaxial cable connected for now, as the Ethernet port won’t be active immediately.
- Call Verizon FIOS support (800-837-4966) to activate the Ethernet port on the ONT. Continue using the coaxial connection while waiting for the support team to complete the transition.
Purchase a MoCA adapter if you have FIOS TV service. If your TV uses Verizon FIOS, switching to a new router may cause certain TV Internet features to stop working (such as program guides, on-demand content, and DVR functionality). A MoCA adapter will help restore your TV service to near-original functionality. Popular manufacturers include Actiontec and TRENDnet.
- Note that remote DVR programming may no longer work if you use your own router. In-home DVR features will still function.
Connecting the New Router
Disconnect the coaxial cable from the Verizon router. If you’ve already contacted Verizon to switch to Ethernet, ensure you have internet access after the coaxial service is deactivated.
Open a web browser and go to http://192.168.1.1. This is the default gateway address for the Verizon router.
Log in using the router's password. The username is admin, and the password can be found on the router's label. If you’ve changed the router password, use the one you’ve set.
Click on My Network in the admin page. This option is located near the top-left corner.
Select Network Connections from the left-hand menu.
Click on Broadband Connection.
Click on Settings.
Scroll down and click on Release under the "DHCP Lease" section. The router will disconnect from the Internet.
Click on Apply and immediately disconnect the router. For best results, unplug both the power cord and Ethernet cable from the back of the Verizon router a few seconds after clicking Apply.
Plug the Ethernet cable into the WAN/Internet port of the new router. This is the same Ethernet cable you just removed from the Verizon router.
Power on the new router. After a few minutes, the router will receive an IP address from the Verizon FIOS ONT and connect to the Internet.
Connect your computer to the Internet through the new router. This process varies depending on the router. If the router supports Wi-Fi, you can connect wirelessly. For a wired connection, plug an Ethernet cable from your computer’s network port into one of the LAN ports on the router.
- The wireless access point name is usually related to the manufacturer or model. Refer to the manual for login details.
- If the new router is configured for a different network, you may need to reset it. Instructions are typically found in the router’s manual, but the process usually involves pressing a straightened paperclip into the small "Reset" hole on the back of the router.
Connect the MoCA adapter to fully restore TV access. Follow these steps to bring your TV’s online signal decoding back to life:
- Connect the coaxial cable previously used with the Verizon router to the MoCA adapter’s port.
- Plug an Ethernet cable into the MoCA adapter’s port.
- Connect the other end of the Ethernet cable to one of the available LAN ports on your router.
- Disconnect the TV signal decoder for a few seconds, then reconnect it.
Warnings
- Verizon does not officially support the use of third-party routers. If network issues arise, they may ask you to revert to the previous setup to resolve the problem.
