UMA and Verizon FiOS

C

Caral

New member
Thanks bimmahh I did see your post above. Was hoping to find a method to make the Actiontec router work without getting another router to piggyback on it.

Have been searching for a solution since morning but nobody seems to have any success with using just the Actiontec router.

Will just have to go get another router I suppose.
 
Hello. I am a Verizon FiOS Network Technician, and I'd be the guy you get when you call the 800 # for tech support with your Voice, Data or Video services.

The Actiontec router has a lower than standard broadcast range wirelessly because of FiOS being laid instead of copper in newer subdivisions, and with wireless routers you only have 12 channels. Obviously you usually have more than 12 homes in a 1-2 block radius, so some genius decided to reduce poweron the actiontec. So I recommend buying a router with WMM support and plug it in the back of the actiontec.

Also uPNP is not enabled on the actiontec's by default (unless you have the new firmware.) I resigned from Verizon three months ago, so I don't know if they ever rolled out the new firmware to the routers that were supposed to correct this.

The router's default login to look at the config is Admin and Password, if we have made configuration changes we will change it to Password1, or sometimes we will use Verizon1. If all else fails, just press and hold the reset button in on the back, and use Password

I TELL YOU THIS BECAUSE IF YOU HAVE TV SERVICE THROUGH VERIZON, AND WERE INSTALLED WITH A ACTIONTEC ROUTER, YOU MUST KEEP IT CONNECTED TO THE ONT (the big gray box on the outside of your house now serving as the NID)... in some instances the ONT is right next to the BBU (Battery Backup Unit) in your garage or Media Closet in newer homes. If you fail to have it connected, your Video on Demand services, and PPV services will not work because your Set top boxes on your tv's will not communicate with the verizon network, they will simply get the feed we broadcast to your home but not be able to respond (this is a common problem)

One thing you can try, if you're not confident with going into the configuration of the router to find the uPNP checkbox (I think it's under advanced, and is a link that says "Universal plug and play") - you can call Verizon FiOS and tell them you spoke to a representative, and you would like the tech to "Pull up my data circuit in DTI, and under Home Diagnostics click Update Firmware" (yes they have the ability to push the firmware to you.) Heck- they have the ability to reboot every device in your home except your PC's lol.

Anyway, just incase this helps- here it is. Good luck.
 
Thanks PacficDude8. I checked the Universal plug and play setting. It seems to be enabled so I am guessing they updated the firmware. Here is what it looks like on the router by default.

Universal Plug and Play:

[Checked] Allow Other Network Users to Control Wireless Broadband Router's Network Features
[Unchecked] Enable Automatic Cleanup of Old Unused UPnP Services
WAN Connection Publication: Publish only the main WAN connection.

It looks like the problem is elsewhere
 
Finally got UMA working with a Linksys WRT54G connected to the Actiontec. Will post steps and settings tomorrow in the interest other/future Verizon Actiontec victims.

I think the Actiontec router is not fully compliant with 802.11 which is probably why nobody has met with success so far.
 
To setup UMA using a Linksys WRT54G connected to the Actiontec MI424WR you need to do the following:

A. Make the Linksys WRT54G as an access point/wireless hub.
B. Configure Wireless on Linksys WRT54G
C. Optimize Wireless settings for UMA

Make Linksys WRT54G a wireless access point/hub.
Most of this is from mydigitallife .us
Have just detailed it a lil more and changed one option. "Bridge" operating mode is not there as an option in Linksys WRT54G v8 with latest firmware. Restore the factory settings to default if you have made any changes to the router. This can be done by pressing the reset button at the back for 20-30 secs while the router is turned on.Disable your existing LAN/wireless connection to the Actiontec (you need to do this because both the Actiontec and Linksys by default come with 192.168.1.1 as the default IP address)Connect one of the Linksys LAN ports to your computer with an ethernet cable.
Login into the Linksys by using the address "192.168.1.1" in your browser. Default Login/Password for the Linksys is admin/adminYou will be presented with the "Basic Setup" screen under Setup. Under "Internet Connection Type" choose "Static IP". You need to enter some dummy values here. WHat you enter doesnt really matter as long as they are in range. I used the following the following values - Internet IP Address:192.168.0.99, Subnet: 255.255.255.0, Gateway:192.168.0.2, Static DNS1: 99.252.0.2, Static DNS2: 100.252.0.2.Under "Local IP Address" assign the Linksys an address. This will be the static IP address of the Linksys. The Actiontec router uses the range 192.168.1.1 to 192.168.1.255 so enter an IP address within this range. I used 192.168.1.99 as it is easy to remember.Subnet Mask should be "255.255.255.0"Under "DHCP Server" choose "Disable" and hit the "Save Settings" button. The IPs will be released.Disconnect the ethernet cord between your computer and the Linksys.Connect an ethernet cord from one of the LAN Ports of your Linksys router to one of the LAN ports on the Actiontec router. You will not be using the "Internet" port on the Linksys.Enable your LAN/Wireless connection between your computer and the Actiontec router. Give it a couple of mins.Go to "192.168.1.1". If you now see the Actiontec Router login instead of the Linksys Router login you have successfully connected to the Actiontec local network.Now go to the static IP address you assigned to the Linksys Router. In my case as mentioned above it was 192.168.1.99. You should be presented with the Linksys Router login. Login into it. You will be taken to the "Basic Setup" screen under Setup.Click on "Security" and under "Firewall" uncheck all the options. Hit "Save Settings"Click on "Advanced Routing"Under "Operating Mode" select "Bridge" if you have the option. Else select "Router".Under "Dynamic Routing" select "LAN & Wireless". Hit "Save Settiings".Your Linksys router is now configured to act as a Wireless Access point/ Wireless Hub.

Configure Wireless on Linksys WRT54G
Login into the Linksys Router again and under the "Wireless" section setup your wireless connection. I used the following settings.
Wireless Network Mode: Mixed
SSID: UMAHub
SSID Broadcast: Enable
Wireless Channel : 3 (TMo recommends 3 but choose a channel which is least used in your area. You can find out which channels are being used in your area by using the Netstumbler utility. If you can choose 6 or 11. These channels dont have overlapping traffic and hence are the clearest.)
Security Mode: WEP
WEP Encryption: 128 Bit
Key: Use a 26 digit number.
Keep Clicking "Save Settings" to save your changes in each screen.
I have Mac filtering enabled on my router but that is a choice.

Optimize Wireless Settings for UMA
I have put this separately because I wanted to explain what you can do in case of bad connectivity. Most of the settings are from the UMA settings thread on this forum. I have just summarized what each does so that you dont have to read the entire thread.

Go to "Advanced Wireless Settings" under "Wireless". You can use the following settings to improve wireless connectivity and avoid future problems.

Beacon Interval: 50
This usually determines how often your Blackberry will talk to the Wifi Access point. Lower numbers result in faster connections but poorer battery life. Use any number between 50 and 100. 100 gives the best batter life but the Blackberry will take a little longer to connect. If you see very poor battery life on your Blackberry increase the Beacon Interval.

DTIM Interval : 2
An interval of 2 is recommended to be the best by RIM for Blackberries on UMA. Never mind what TMo recommends. They are just recommending the default Linksys setting.

Fragmentation Threshold: 2304
If you continue to experience disconnections tweaking this number helps. Go lower by increments of 1 (2303, 2302, 2301 etc) till you get the best connection.

RTS Threshold: 2304
If you continue to experience disconnections with your Blackberry tweaking this number helps. Go lower by increments of 1 (2303, 2302, 2301 etc) till you get the best connection.
 
~via BB (wap.rabroad.com)~I have posted on this somewhere before, but will post again :-).. I have FiOS with the Actiontec and my 8320 connects via UMA. What I ended up doing was setting a static IP for the Curve and setting the Actiontec to 'G' only (use b or g) part of the issue is that it tries to switch modes I believe so only broadcasting 1 helps. I won't say I've had 100 percent success but I'd say about 95+

Then redo the network on the Curve and all will hopefully be well.
 
Acronator - I followed your instructions verbatim and managed to get my Linksys router to connect when it is connect via the LAN port to the Actiontec. However, I cannot connect to the internet wireless with my Linksys when I unplug the cable. Can you think of why this might be the case? I have been trying to get my Linksys router to work as an access point off of my Actiontec for three days!
 
If I understand you correctly you are trying to get the Linksys to be a wireless access point off of the Actiontec (meaning the Linksys wirelessly connects to the ActionTec), is this correct? If this is correct you are trying to make the Linksys either a repeater for the ActionTec or set up a WDS network. If this is the case and you have the T-Mo router, the firmware doesn't support either form and the Linksys must be hardwired for a cascade switch to occur and to be used as a handoff. I don't think that other Linksys have this option standard, but it can be added with third party firmware, such as DD-WRT, currently it can not be loaded on the T-Mo without voiding the warranty. To make it work as described the routers must be hard wired together.
 
bippa, BobL & squeakr,

Sorry guys I didnt see these messages until today.

In the setup outlined you are using the Linksys as a Wireless Hub. A hub is a device that distributes connectivity.

The connection between the Actiontec and Linksys is Wired - One of the LAN ports of the Linkysys is connected to one of the LAN ports on the Actiontec with an ethernet cable.

The Blackberry and other computers(if you choose to add them) get the connection wirelessly from the Linksys.

You will have two wifi networks in this setup. The Actiontec wifi network and the Linksys wifi network. The Linksys router is not acting as a repeater. It is a separate Wifi network.

Instead of connecting your blackberry to the Actiontec wifi network you are connecting to the Linksys wifi network. The Linksys is getting the internet connection from the Actiontec through the ethernet cable (so bippa you cannot unplug the cable).

Actiontec Wifi sucks because it is not fully compliant with 802.11. protocols(which is the standard all wifi devices use currently). It also has a NAT table overflow problem which is why sometimes your wifi laptops etc wont connect properly. Your best bet is to use another router for your local Wifi network like we are doing in this setup.

Hope this helps.
 
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