[CALUG] Linux & FIOS

[inagada]

On Sat, 2007-12-29 at 19:45 -0500, mhartwx wrote:
> I remember some CALUG discussion a year or so ago when Verizon started wiring 
> this part of Maryland for FIOS.  Have any CALUG members switched over to FIOS & 
> how do they like it, now that it's been here for a while?  Did they rip out your 
> copper phone lines & how has their battery system worked when the power went 
> out?  That's been a big sticking point with me.  I'd like to dump my dial-up & 
> am not a fan of COMCAST (& the dual TV-Internet Verizon packages look pretty 
> good).  Are there any snags involved in using Linux with FIOS?  I'm using 
> Mandriva 2007 (I got acquainted with Mandrake when I lived in OH - the LUG there 
> were Mandrake fans) but could switch to Ubuntu or something else if necessary. 
> I don't own a router & was thinking about using Verizon's - is there a different 
> router I should consider?   Can the same router be bought somewhere else?  I 
> plan to to some talking with Verizon before I order but it may be hard to get 
> past the sales people to their techies for the real info.  One other thing I've 
> been wondering about - my circa 1990 house has the standard phone & cable TV 
> wiring, so is it worthwhile to install something like cat-5?  I'm looking toward 
> the future which is always difficult where technology is concerned.

I switched to FiOS back in May.  We're running Windows, OS X, and Linux
in our home network.  Here are the things I noticed:

--The connection is fiber up to the Optical Network Terminal installed
on the outside of the house, then it connects to the coax already in
place.  It's up to you to handle rewiring if you want something
different (about one week after switching to FiOS, my coax running to my
modem was cut)

--You WILL receive Verizon's modem/switch/WAP, an Actiontec in my case.
It communicates with the set top boxes in the house, although I do not
know the details concerning what that communication entails.  Strangely,
it hands out a private IP to my Verizon DVR from the Internet-facing
interface.  The wireless signal seemed quite weak in my house, so I just
turned off the wireless radio.  I also hung another WAP for my home
network off of the Actiontec.

--One thing I found particularly annoying is that Verizon offers no form
of encryption over POP and SMTP, forcing you to send your credentials in
the clear unless you use the web interface.  I can imagine some folks
who use an email client to manage email are not aware of the mistake
they are making if they retrieve email from a public hotspot or hotel.
The lack of encryption options seemed so incredible to me that I called
Verizon several times after scouring their web site before accepting
that.  Long story short, I use gmail or other options.

--We lost power here briefly on one occasion since installation and the
phone continued to work, while the Internet connection was out for
obvious reasons.

--That reminds me, even if you do not purchase FiOS phone service along
with Internet and TV, you will have your phone switched from copper to
fiber, so you will no longer be connected to that old pedestal full of
twisted pair any longer.  I would assume Verizon would continue to keep
your phone service working through the new connection if you dropped
Verizon Internet and TV service, but I do not know this to be the case.

Cheers,
Rob Payne