[Novalug] Re: fios install question

[Chris Sykes]

Topic has come up a couple times so I'll repost a previous reply ...




---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Chris Sykes <psychs at gmail.com>
Date: Tue, Feb 19, 2008 at 6:04 PM
Subject: Re: [Novalug] OT: Verizon FIOS Wireless AP issues
To:
Cc: novalug at calypso.tux.org


Unfortunately for the triple play customers getting rid of the
actiontec is not an option but you can do what I did if you don't want
it as your internet router and access point.

Currently my setup is as follows:

Verizon_ONT -> ethernet -> wan port of my custom linux firewall ->
ethernet -> actiontec -> coax -> set top box

My linux firewall has three internal networks (4 nics total including
wan). One nic is my internal data network. Another nic is connected to
the wan port of the actiontec. And the last is another network of no
relevance to the conversation. I have the actiontec statically
configured to use my firewall as the default gateway and have my
firewall setup to allow it access to the internet (but no other
network). This gives my set top box access to the fios network and I
can use all the data features (weather widget; guide; VOD) with no
problem. I have nothing on the lan ports of the actiontec. I can shape
and control the traffic from the actiontec. I have the wireless
disabled on the actiontec since I have aironet access points on my
data network.

I've never had to reboot my actiontec nor had any problems with the
data features on my set top box for the extent of the time I've had
fios (year+).

I did not clone the mac address of the actiontec and actually my mac
randomizes when I cycle the firewall. Don't ask why. The dhcp lease
from verizon is set for 2 hours (for me) so you only have to have your
system off for that amount of time to pick up a new IP. Once again
don't ask why, that's just fyi if you want to.

The actiontec doesn't seem like that bad of a product (lack of
experience talking) but it was just too limiting for my taste.


-Chris