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I currently have FiOS. I've never used their router for WiFi. For years I used their router plus various WiFi bridges. However, if Verizon knows your WiFi ke

I currently have FiOS. I've never used their router for WiFi. For years I used their router plus various WiFi bridges. However, if Verizon knows your WiFi keys (from the router), it stands to reason they have total control over their routers--so putting your own WiFi behind Verizon's router won't help you if you're looking for privacy. Verizon can see your LAN through their router, even if you disable WiFi. For this and many other reasons, a while back I pulled Cat6 from the ONT (optical network terminal--where the fiber comes into your home) to my office. I'm using an ASUS RT-AC66U for a router. I'm running DD-WRT on it instead of ASUS' firmware. Unfortunately, all of their TV STBs need Internet (for the guide), and those can only get Internet via MoCA (i.e., Internet over cable TV coax). (Also, various services Verizon offers will not work with the BYOD router setup.) You can purchase MoCA bridges, but it was easier to just neuter the Verizon router and use it as a MoCA bridge (behind my router). By doing so I am probably opening up my LAN to spyware again. Then again, if the STBs are on your LAN, they could be spying on you as well. I keep an eye on the STB traffic, but who really knows. I think my next step will be to curtail, then discontinue FiOS' TV service. Lately I seem to pay more for less (their STB interface is frozen in time, slow, and now has advertising to add insult to injury). I think the equivalent or less money will buy sufficient entertainment from Internet streaming or digital downloads. And as a bonus there's less potential for Verizon LAN abuse from their STBs.

deathanatos 13y ago
> However, if Verizon knows your WiFi keys (from the router), it stands to reason they have total control over their routers--so putting your own WiFi behind Verizon's router won't help you if you're looking for privacy. Verizon can see your LAN through their router, even if you disable WiFi. How does this effect your privacy? If you put your own router between your machines and their device, sure, their device can see the WAN interface & IP address of your router, but it can only access your LAN like every other machine on the Internet at that point, if you have your router do NAT. (Which is the point of doing this.)
- isomorphic 13y ago
  > How does this effect your privacy? If you put your own router between your machines and their device, sure, their device can see the WAN interface & IP address of your router, but it can only access your LAN like every other machine on the Internet at that point, if you have your router do NAT. (Which is the point of doing this.) To clarify, I meant putting your own WiFi bridge or access point behind Verizon's router. (This is what was suggested at the bottom of the original article.) If Verizon has total control over their routers (they do), then using your own WiFi won't matter. The way to get more privacy is to replace Verizon's router with your own, or to nest your router behind Verizon's.
  - deathanatos 13y ago
    Even if you replace Verizon's router, presumably they have upstream nodes that they could monitor your traffic with just as easily. You'd have to replace all of Verizon. The Verizon router is like any other intermediate node on the Internet: don't trust it. Removing it won't really affect your privacy.
rainsford 13y ago
If you're worried about the set-top box or FiOS router on your LAN, set up a router with two different LAN networks. My setup has a pfsense box connected to the Internet with a "LAN" and "DMZ" network behind it. The set top box and FiOS router (among other things) are in the DMZ and my PC, etc are in the LAN. Devices in the DMZ are prevented from communicating with LAN devices. I don't know if DD-WRT supports something similar, but I like the general solution.

deathanatos 13y ago

> However, if Verizon knows your WiFi keys (from the router), it stands to reason they have total control over their routers--so putting your own WiFi behind Verizon's router won't help you if you're looking for privacy. Verizon can see your LAN through their router, even if you disable WiFi. How does this effect your privacy? If you put your own router between your machines and their device, sure, their device can see the WAN interface & IP address of your router, but it can only access your LAN like every other machine on the Internet at that point, if you have your router do NAT. (Which is the point of doing this.)

isomorphic 13y ago
> How does this effect your privacy? If you put your own router between your machines and their device, sure, their device can see the WAN interface & IP address of your router, but it can only access your LAN like every other machine on the Internet at that point, if you have your router do NAT. (Which is the point of doing this.) To clarify, I meant putting your own WiFi bridge or access point behind Verizon's router. (This is what was suggested at the bottom of the original article.) If Verizon has total control over their routers (they do), then using your own WiFi won't matter. The way to get more privacy is to replace Verizon's router with your own, or to nest your router behind Verizon's.
- deathanatos 13y ago
  Even if you replace Verizon's router, presumably they have upstream nodes that they could monitor your traffic with just as easily. You'd have to replace all of Verizon. The Verizon router is like any other intermediate node on the Internet: don't trust it. Removing it won't really affect your privacy.

rainsford 13y ago

If you're worried about the set-top box or FiOS router on your LAN, set up a router with two different LAN networks. My setup has a pfsense box connected to the Internet with a "LAN" and "DMZ" network behind it. The set top box and FiOS router (among other things) are in the DMZ and my PC, etc are in the LAN. Devices in the DMZ are prevented from communicating with LAN devices. I don't know if DD-WRT supports something similar, but I like the general solution.