Originally Posted By: drakino
Ok, now I'm just really confused by your setup, even after reading the explanation in the YouTube thread again.

So if I understand this right, you have:

1. a VDSL modem that carries the signal in from the wall, and provides a single LAN port. This is already in bridge mode, and doesn't do any routing. Who makes this?

Sorry, I know it's a weird setup, and like I said, it's one that confuses even the phone support people at Verizon. You should hear the reactions I get when I tell them I have a DSL modem.

Anyway, yes, so far you've mostly got it down. The weird thing is, it appears that this VDSL modem (a Zyxel model - this is the closest image I could find, but it doesn't have an antenna) it looks like originally it was also a router. It has a telephone jack and four ethernet ports, but it appears that it's permanently set up in bridge mode and doesn't do any routing...

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2. A separate Actiontec router with no DSL capabilities, that plugs in to the VSDL modem, that you also have in bridge mode. Normally this would also do routing. (Every Actiontec unit I've come across in the past has always been a combination DSL modem and router)

The Actiontec is definitely not a DSL modem. The Actiontec's WAN port is connected to one (any) of the ethernet ports on the Zyxel modem. I believe that in many/most Fios installs, the Actiontec is actually set up to receive its data through the coax connection unless programmed otherwise. The instructions I followed assumed a coax connection, but since I'm connecting to the modem I'm of course connected through ethernet. The coax is still used in ethernet setups to get guide data and VOD.

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3. A Netgear router acting as your actual home router, receiving a public IP on it's WAN port.

Exactly. In the admin area, I can tell that the Netgear its self is getting the public IP address all the way through the other two pieces of equipment. To be honest, I'm not confident I set up the Actiontec correctly, but essentially I'm getting the result I wanted so I'm not questioning it smile

I will note that I just checked my bedroom TV and the guide data is gone again. Oh well, I'd rather have a rock-solid network than guide data on a TV we watch for 10 minutes every year.

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Mostly curious about all this, since I am looking to move into a FiOS area in 2 months, and it may be in an area they can't run fibre all the way to the apartment. I would like to keep my Airport as my main router, to continue to be able to use Wake on Demand from the internet.

It's possible they've set it up my way, but like I've said earlier, they make every attempt to set it up with fiber to the home. And like I've said a few times already, this setup is apparently so uncommon that the majority of tier one phone support people haven't been trained on it yet. I was relieved when the lady I spoke to yesterday was familiar with my setup and didn't think I was an idiot when I mentioned my DSL modem.

Also, if you DO have my setup, I'm not so sure you'll need the Actiontec router in the middle there. For the entire time I've had Fios, I just had my own router (an Airport Extreme most of the time) plugged right into the modem. This time, though, that didn't seem to be working, and I needed my network to be up quickly so I tried this method.

Unfortunately, it looks like Tony wasn't kidding when he described the great lengths you need to go to for getting Actiontec to deliver guide data to your STBs. I thought I was set up to do so, but clearly it didn't work. Hopefully Tivo will come out with their multi-room product soon and make this point moot.
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Matt