Is it possible to use the Z100G with Verizon FIOS, specifically th Actiontec Wireless Router and if so, how is it attached, before or after the Verizon appliance? Do I have to do anything else (like turn off wirelss in the Verizon appiance)? Thanks for any help/guidance.

The short answer is YES, you can.

The long answer is that you have all the functionality of the Z100G except for the security part (and that's the most important part of the Z100G), so you have to make some trade offs.

I'm not in Verizon territory so I don't have hands on experience with the FiOS version of the ACTIONTEC router. However, it is a wireless solution as well as a four port Ethernet 10/100 router and is similar to the Z100G in respect to the home network side.

The advantage of the Z100G is that it is an excellent firewall and intrusion prevention system based on the CheckPoint Application Intelligence technology that is used by just about all Fortune 1000 companies and major security providers. It has antispam and antivirus scanning that is significantly effective as a first level of defense.

The misconception that many have about the ACTIONTEC router is it is NOT a modem (per se) like a DSL modem where you would plug the Z100G into the WAN port. Instead you would plug the Z100G from its WAN port into one of the four available Ethernet ports on the ACTIONTEC (yellow ports 1-4); disable wireless on the ACTIONTEC router (you can just ignore it but it allows others to attempt to connect to it), and then run all you home units off the Z100G. It is best to plug the Z100G in with the ACTIONTEC off then power on the ACTIONTEC first, let it fully engage, and then turn on the Z100G.

Hope this helps.

TXRocket:

I am hopeful of getting fiber in my area, looks like it might happen!

So the Z100G becomes a cascaded LAN-device behind the ACTIONTEC -- other than being double-NATed which is probably not a big deal is there any additional downside to speak of?

Thanks!
jim

the only downside might be the TV and phone configurations if you have the TV and phone service bundled. That might alter the configuration but shouldn't affect the internet.

After I posted yesterday, I remember that FIOS was supposed to add the Intrusion prevention, parental controls, etc to the ACTIONTEC router. It may be that the ACTIONTEC eliminates the need for the Z100G.

Thanks Texas Rocket. Your first email really got me interested into firing up the old Z100G again and using it for what I bought it for: protection; however, your second post dashed my hopes since I have the "bundled" service of TV, phone and internet. If ACTIONTEC in fact added Intrusion prevention etc then you're right, the Z100G would be useless. Guess I'll have to dig a little further and see if they in fact did add the additional protection. Having said all of that, do you think it would degrade the TV and phone if I used the Z100G?

Many thanks again for your insight and good luck JimW.

Texas Rocket: One more quick question. How do you think using the Z100G would affect the bundled services if it's installed using one of the LAN ports? As I understand it, that would be no different than adding a wired desktop PC, right? The TV and phone are hard wired to each device and do not (to my knowledge) rely on the wireless aspect of the Actiontec.

Thanks again for your insight.

Dan

It is very easy to put the Verizon FIOS router after the Z100G. A lot of people do not like the Verizon supplied router. The one main item that need to be done in the install of FIOS is to have the installer install the outside FIOS box using ETHERNET and not MOCA (coax). If it is wired using MOCA then you need the FIOS router ahead of the Z100G (can be switched later on).

If the FIOS is installed by Verizon as ETHERNET then you can plug the FIOS ETHERNET cable directly into the WAN port of the Z100G and then hook up the FIOS router to one of the LAN ports on the Z100G. I do not think that the FIOS router even needs to be used in the system unless you have FIOS TV and then it is used to deliver the TV channel lineup. I also do not think that it has an effect on the phones as those are connected outside anyway.

Basically you would need to turn off the DHCP server on the FIOS router and let the Z100G handle the DHCP to the computers and FIOS boxes and all other services that it supplies. I have been using this setup since Nov 2008 and have never had a problem with my FIOS. I got all of the MAC addresses for my FIOS boxes and the FIOS router and set up static IP addresses in the Z100G which is easy to do.

If you go to www.dslreports.com and do some searching for FIOS you will find very detailed instructions on how to set up the FIOS router for I think 4 different configurations of FIOS install. I have a couple of FIOS DVR's running and have never had a problemn with them.

I also do not use the wireless of the FIOS router and do not use any of the FIOS router firewall functions. It is used only for the TV guide.

REMEMBER: If you are going to put the Z100G or any other router ahead of the FIOS router you need to have the installer do an ETHERNET installation. I originally did not do this as the installer said that it did the same thing as the ETHERNET installation. Well, I guess that it does but you will not be able to hook the coax cable into the Z100G. I actually ran my own RJ45 out to the outside FIOS box, hooked up the router called Verizon and said that I would like to switch to the ETHERNET setup. The tech then remotely switched the FIOS box from MOCA to ETHERNET and off I went. If you run your own ETHERNET ourside to where the FIOS box is installed you will be ahead of the game when it comes to swapping out the FIOS router.

Normally you will need to do the router switch after the FIOS guy leaves, even if you have the ETHERNET already set up as the tech will only install with their router and then it is up to you to do the switch.

Hopes this helps and good luck.

Well,

There you have it. Well done, GregH. My only concern was getting the configuration right and making sure the phone and TV signals bypass the Z100G. GregH apparently has been there, done that!

Many thanks Greg. Unfortunately, the install is complete and unfortunately it is MOCA. I think I'll try installing the Z100G after the FIOS Router for a while and if everything works there ok, I'll run the ethernet wire to the FIOS box as you suggest. What they did in my install was use existing internet/phone wiring and put a splitter on the TV output where the internet is connected closest to that jack. Phones however are plugged into normal phone jacks and I'm wondering if I can somehow use the phone jack as an ethernet plug? More research required I guess.

I asked this same question two years ago and didn't get a single response so the Z100G has been sitting in it's shipping box ever since. Reason for no response is probably because FIOS was relatively new at that time. Anyway, I really appreciate the responses this time because I really would like to use the Z100G but not sure about spending the yearly fee for the software updates and antivirus when it's included (and cheaper) with FIOS. Have to do a little more dollar checking before I really make the switch.

Anyway, thanks once again for your help.