FiOS TV without Actiontec router

[Diffused Mind™]

I got FiOS TV, and as usual, they installed the big Actiontec router. Previously, I had a WRT54G as my router and access point, now the WRT54G only acts as an access point (it's on the top floor, and gives the best signal coverage). Now, I understand that I need the Actiontec because guide data et al. is retrieved over the internet through the coax line. However, I want to use my WRT54G as my router again, while making the Actiontec connect wirelessly to the WRT54G and bridging it's wireless adapter with the coax LAN.

Anyone know how I should go about doing this?

[FiOS Tech Support]

The only way you're going to be able to "daizy chain" these is make sure your linksys router is designed to give out 192.168.2.x as a subnet or anything other than 1.1 which is what the actiontec uses. Once you set it up like this you can use the linksys for wireless and the actiontec will be used for VOD and IPG. You much run a cable from ports 1,2,3 or 4 on the actiontec router to the WAN/Internet port on the linksys router. If it is run any other way this is not going to work. Hope this helps.

Thanks
Josh

Verizon Fiber Customer Support Analysts
Verizon FiOS

[funhouse69]

Another suggestion would be to use both the Linksys Wireless as well as the Actiontec Wireless. I've done setups like this in the past a few ways but the best way is to use the Linksys in this case as a wireless bridge.

To do that I would just run a hardwire (Cat 5 or better) connection from any of the Actiontec LAN Ports to any of the Linksys LAN Ports (Not WAN) then disable the DCHP Server on the Linksys.

From there set up the Wireless settings on each of the units the exact same (Same SSID, WEP Key or WPA whatever your preference is). When you fire up your wireless client it will connect to the closest  strongest wireless source but will only get the IP Address from the Actiontec (this avoids conflicts). This will also make accessing any hardwired devices much easier.

While it would be great if this setup would work like a Cell Phone and switch between the two seamlessly while moving around your house with your wireless client that doesn't really work that well unless your Wireless Card supports an aggressive search as an option (some of the newer Intel Wireless Cards  Drivers support this but needs to be set to be more aggressive).

If you have the two devices in opposite ends of the house then you would have coverage all over. The other option is if you connected to one and moved to the other side of the house is just to disable the wireless card for a few seconds then re-enable it and it will connect again to the closest  strongest source.

I'm not sure if this would be something you'd want or is possible to do as it does involve a hardwire connection between the two devices but thought I would throw it out there as it works great for me!