What Equipment Do I Need for FiOS Internet Service?

FiOS Internet uses an Optical Network Terminal or ONT to receive its Internet signal. This terminal converts the pulses of light that are delivered by the fiber optic cables into electrical signals that can be recognized by computers. The function of an ONT is similar to that of a modem for cable Internet. FiOS will also install a Battery Back-up Unit, which provides an extra eight hours of power for your ONT. However, the battery backup only works for phone service, not for Internet or cable TV.

A router allows multiple people to connect to the Internet --- wireless or wired. FiOS provides routers to its customers, made by either Actiontec or Dlink. The routers comes with pre-installed firewall functions, which protect your Internet from being accessed by unauthorized users. These routers also come with diagnostic software that can be used to troubleshoot your router remotely --- and without connecting to it --- in the event you experience a problem with your Internet service.

Your computer must fulfill Verizon's system requirements to connect to the Internet properly. There are different requirements for different speeds. Verizon's fastest speed, at 50 mbps, is not available for machines running under Windows 2000, or below Mac OS 10.3.9. This speed also requires at least 1.2 GHZ of processor speed and between 512 MB and 2 GB of RAM. Verizon's slower speeds need less processor speed and RAM. (See References 3.)

Verizon Wi-Fi is a service available to Verizon FiOS customers, which gives users access to thousands of mobile hot spots around the country. Wi-Fi can be accessed for free at these locations simply by entering in your account information. For this to work, you must have a computer with Wi-Fi capabilities --- or a wireless network card will be needed. In addition, FiOS Wi-Fi only works on Windows 7, Windows Vista or Windows XP 32-bit. It cannot be used on a Macintosh or on Windows XP 64-bit machines.