Comments for FiOS Router Constantly Rebooting? Here's The Fix

FiOS Router Constantly Rebooting? Here's The Fix

2008-01-04T21:42:44Z

Are you a a FiOS customer with your Verizon-supplied Actiontec MI424-WR router that keeps rebooting itself? Apparently a recent firmware upgrade, the software that runs the router, is buggy, but there is a solution. You can get it if you call and complain, that is, if you're able to make it through the phone lines that are all bogged up from other customers calling about the same issue. Reader Jarrod writes, "My entire neighborhood is experiencing this issue and the only resolution I can find online says to call them and complain and then they will fix it. Too bad the support lines are jammed and after I did get through I have been on hold for over 1 1/2 hours."

Luckily you can download it the new new firmware upgrade over at Broadband Reports, after being registered (it's free) and logged in. The FiOS! It burns!

Fix For Mysteriously Rebooting FiOS Actiontec Routers [Broadband Reports]
(Photo: Magnum I.P.)

Comment from d0peh0e on 2008-01-11

2008-01-11T13:51:40Z

hello everyone!
i am an verizon fios technical adviser. on the issue of the rebooting router. the firmware upgrade to fix the issue can be downloaded at [verizon.net]
to install the firmware goto 192.168.1.1 and login to router ..
default is: login: admin pass: password or password1
goto the advance section then click on firmware upgrade.
then update firmware on computer on local network.. browse to the firmware you downloaded and apply..

Comment from inachu on 2008-01-07

2008-01-07T21:16:25Z

Thanks for the information guys!
I flashed the box with the latest revision and
everythign is rebranded with red Verizon stuff and
I optimized the fios box for gaming.
With this new burn in it now supports enterprise supported wifi security.

Now I just need to test it out with COD4 and Quake 3 and WOW.

Comment from FDCPAGuy on 2008-01-05

2008-01-05T21:29:01Z

@Ironchef well it seems a few people have corrected you but so far none with an actual FIOS supplied router. Yup my Vz supplied FIOS router made by actiontec does support WPA. In fact, all my neighbors do too because I made sure to tell them WEP was really not secure and with a little configuration change (a freaking radial button) bam it's set to WPA.

Comment from n/a on 2008-01-05

2008-01-05T06:05:56Z

I shouldve continued but for some spacey reason i hit submit but i wanted to say that at least i dont have to worry about these problems since the time warner modems are easy to replace and get fixed if they are issues etc.

Comment from n/a on 2008-01-05

2008-01-05T06:05:09Z

Too bad the fios package i wanted (free tv, cable phone internet) package isnt avail in my area oh well ill stick with time warner.

Comment from Xeelee on 2008-01-05

2008-01-05T05:44:48Z

On states in the Northeast often a combination of PPPoE/OpenPPPoE is used. Areas that just got service (either DSL or FiOS) are likely to have Open PPPoE. Most other parts of the US use DHCP in combination with MAC address binding so people don't get more than 1 public IP address.

Actiontec modems don't have any kind of bridge modem but they do have PPPoE passthrough. If you want to use a *real* router instead of the actiontec, go right ahead.

How do I know all this? I work for Vz DSL tech support :)

Comment from warchild on 2008-01-04

2008-01-05T03:44:21Z

Actiontec is notorious for years to suck..

Comment from FLEB on 2008-01-04

2008-01-05T02:32:43Z

Actiontec, you say? This is, to be sarcastic, a big surprise. I used to have to swap out their lousy DSL modems with my provider every few months, when they mysteriously started timing out or outright dying. Luckily, the provider was quite prompt and accommodating, and their lousy hardware choice was about the only downside to the service. The latest one has actually stuck in there for a couple years-- I'm surprised!

Comment from ndonahue on 2008-01-04

2008-01-05T01:54:47Z

@MitchEvious: I'm using PPoE for my FIOS connection (outside Boston). It wouldn't surprise me that Verizon is using different systems in different areas. I swapped out this router in my home because it doesn't support WDS (or if it does support it, it doesn't do it in a way that allows it to interact with Apple Airports)

@crackblind: The coax connection on your router doesn't act as a cable modem -- rather, its one of the first implementations of the MOCA standard (Multimedia Over Cable Alliance). It doesn't appear to do anything on my set up, but could eventually be used to feed downloaded content to a set-top box without requiring an ethernet connection.

Comment from scalv on 2008-01-04

2008-01-05T01:52:44Z

My routers wifi stopped working so they replaced it with a new router.

Comment from theblackdog_BackToWork on 2008-01-04

2008-01-05T01:29:47Z

@ironchef: Not true, my Actiontec DSL router supports WPA.

Comment from r4__ on 2008-01-04

2008-01-05T01:06:58Z

@ironchef: my Actiontec supports WPA, and I've had it for two years, but this isn't the FIOS-supplied router it's a GT704-WG for my DSL.
The only problems I've had with it is that it tries to be a DNS server and absolutely sucks at it. Simple settings change fixed that.
Thanks for playing the unfounded assumptions game though!

Comment from jcromartie on 2008-01-04

2008-01-05T00:55:53Z

Thank goodness. This router is a terrible piece of equipment. Hopefully the firmware update will solve some of my woes. I really just don't feel like dealing with Verizon customer support, after having terrible experiences with them before, and am holding out to just get a router of my own.

Comment from rewinditback on 2008-01-04

2008-01-04T23:43:30Z

you are correct on needing it for TV, tecnocrat.

Comment from ironchef on 2008-01-04

2008-01-04T22:47:45Z

Actiontec Routers ARE HORRIBLE.

WEP is the strongest security they offer!!!! LOL.

Comment from Tecnocrat on 2008-01-04

2008-01-04T22:42:53Z

The ONT terminals should have an Ethernet out on them, as well as a Coax that runs to the ActionTec. Call them, ask them to enable the Ethernet on the ONT. Took me 40 minutes of hold, then 5 minutes once I got through. Plugged in my old DLink Router with a DHCP setup, and threw the ActionTec in the closet.

As far as I know, you need the ActionTec if you have TV, but not if you are internet only.

Comment from crackblind on 2008-01-04

2008-01-04T22:34:10Z

@ndonahue: The Actiontec is also converting the signal from the coax to ethernet. Are there other devices that do this that will work with FIOS (ie any cable modem)?

Comment from realwx on 2008-01-04

2008-01-04T22:23:09Z

If I only I can get the "wireless" part of this router working... I've had trouble with the MI424-WR from day one and ended up getting a Linksys to just plug in to the Actiontec router. Things are getting better now.

Comment from MitchEvious on 2008-01-04

2008-01-04T22:05:39Z

@ndonahue: They're now using DHCP as far as I know. I just got it hooked up at the beginning of December and replaced it with and ALIX.2c3 board, but when I tried to connect it failed. I set my new router to DHCP, plugged the old router in, released the WAN address, and the new router was able to pick it up right away.

Comment from axiomatic on 2008-01-04

2008-01-04T21:56:02Z

Hey Verizon, help us help you... you bunch of dumb asses.

Comment from ndonahue on 2008-01-04

2008-01-04T21:56:01Z

Beyond the reboot issue, tThere seems to be some negative talk about this device and Verizon's ability to access the router from their side. Since FIOS runs PPPoE and will accept any user name and password, subscribers might want to think about using a different router. I know that Verizon would like you to use this device, but there is nothing (currently) that prevents you from using other routers that support PPoE.