“With great power comes great responsibility” –Uncle Ben to Peter Parker. Spider Man
Verizon FiOS (Fiber Optic Service) is another example of a “growing power”. Everybody is talking about it, everybody wants it, BUT don’t rush yourself to get it just yet… Before you do, be aware of “THE CATCH”…
-
If you want to get an e-mail account, you go to GMAIL, and sign up – no tricks, no catches, you get exactly what you want.
-
If you need a domain name, you go to GoDaddy, get yourself a domain, and get exactly what you want
-
If you need to keep/store you pictures online, you go to Flickr, upload pictures, and get exactly what you want.
If you want “Fiber Optical” ISP, you go to Verizon, pay the premium, and along with a great speed (can’t take that from them) you may get NOT what you want.
Here is what many, not necessarily very technical, people were tricked/entrapped by:
- Be aware – very cruel thing that Verizon FiOS does is it blocks outgoing (80 – http) and incoming (25 – smtp) ports! Now you cannot host your website/blog/contact page/etc or a mail server from home. (They offer 1G of personal web space/online storage, but common – you get 2-3Gb with a single GMAIL account for free…)
Same as with DSL you have to have a router from Verizon – and not from NewEgg…
One more thing – after you ‘trade in’ your copper wires for FiOS (yes, they remove them), during a power outage, you now lose your phone line too. (— pointed out by Roscoe – thank you!)
“Be aware of Evil”, plus if you host from home “think twice” before switching..
The problem here is not only with blocking ports, router, etc.. but with how much more does Verizon cover up? How many more “surprises” will be introduced in the future?
They are big, they are powerful, they are the only huge “fiber optic” player out there – how will they use this power? There is no “power middle” – there is either “power good” or “power bad”… where will “power verizon” on this scale be?
The dilemma remains to be.. “To get or not to get?” – Should “I” Get the Good stuff from the Evil company?
Should “I”?
Dude… really. MOST broadband ISP’s block port 25. This is a residential service. You want to host a server? Most Cable and DSL providers will tell you to get a business account. Fair or not this is fairly common practice, not just a Verizon thing.
Good luck
Wow! This is cool – I did not know that.. Actually I was going to sign up for Verizon Fiber, it just did not hit my ZIP yet..
Blocking port 25 is not that bad, I have never used it… but port 80 – Dude, this is totally not cool..
Thanks for the warning!
Hey Dude,
You are right about the common practice of blocking port 25. (I relay off of Comcast’s SMTP address). However, the blocking of ports sucks when you own things like SlingBox and webcams at home to watch your kids. That much is not common practice. (and port 80 is not blocked by Comcast)
The most shocking part, and there is no excuse for this, is FIOS pretty much requiring you to use THEIR router and not a 3rd party’s. It is just another case of Verizon trying to back you up against a wall. It sucks too because I hate Comcast’s virtual monopoly on the cable and internet around here.
Dirt cheap service given to people for F’n high prices.
I use my own wireless d-link router for my FIOS. It works well. I just by-passed the DI-624 they put in.
Hi all!
You are The Best!!!
Bye
I’m a Verizon fiber tech, and although we perfer that you use our router, it is your perogative. Any router setup for DHCP will work but before you disconnect the Verizon router, you must release the Verizon’s router’s IP address because Verizon’s servers bond to the router’s mac address. This is done by going into the router’s utility menu, which can be complex for someone not familiar with routers, but not to worry, Verizon’s 24/7 support is there to help.
Steve said: “…but not to worry, Verizon’s 24/7 support is there to help.”
ROFL! I just spent half my day fighting with the d**m Verizon automated help line. I tried in vein to reach an actual person! Got hung up on by the automation once, then transferred to the Verizon Wireless line where the computer started asking me if I had problems with my cell phone connection! 24/7 support?? Tell me, which 24 minutes of 7 days are talking about?
http://www21.sbs.com.au/sbsforum/viewtopic.php?t=32222
Nice one..Many thanks
Cheer
Fiber Optic Tech
Verizon DSL modem – no DHCP?
If I connect my PC or laptop directly to the Verizon DSL modem, it says ‘limited connectivity’ on the LAN connection. So, I set up a new connection to use PPPoE, enter my username and a password (will accept anything for a password), and it connects to the Internet just fine. An ipconfig command shows the PC’s IP and the gateway IP as the same address, an external 74.x.x.x address. Why is the modem not giving out an internal 192.x.x.x address? I don’t want to have to ‘connect’ every time I want to get online.