On Thu, 29 Feb 2024, MC_Sequoia wrote:
I don't have Ziply service and I don't know much about it, so I did some quick Internet sleuthing and combined with my many years of telcom networking experience, here's some maybe useful guidance I can offer.
I, too, looked on the 'Net, but I lack the many years of telcom networking experience. :-)
1. Based on my understanding, what I think the install tech is talking about is a "fiber optic router", not a voip router, that connects to the ONT (Optical Network Terminal) that's installed on the outside of house/building with a FTTP (Fiber To The Premises) service like Zipley provides.
The installation tech upgraded the ONT (in place since Aracnet suddenly died) with Ziply's current model.
Ref - https://www.broadbandsearch.net/blog/ziply-fiber-modem
Yep, the one on the left looks like my model NVG578LX. A reddit thread <https://www.reddit.com/r/ZiplyFiber/comments/yn4exm/replacing_ziply_equipment_nvg578lx/> suggests "Indeed, on fiber service the ONT fulfills the role of a modem so you can use whatever router you want, as long as it can do DHCP, and can connect to the twisted pair Ethernet port on the ONT! "Raspberry Pi? sure. Simple single off the shelf router? sure. Mesh system? sure. A full on rack mount server? sure."
To further support my logic about this, VOIP can be handled by any generic off-the-shelf wifi router. because all it's doing is passing IP packets that contain voice data.
I have a Meraki WAP running openWRT that works just fine.
If this is about VOIP router and not a fiber optic router, the other reason to use Zipley's router, would be for VOIP Quality Of Service configuration and settings that they've worked out with a particular router and its OS that they know works and they can support.
Here's a link to a Reddit thread on Zipley VOIP that might be useful, https://www.reddit.com/r/ZiplyFiber/comments/12fupvw/a_few_questions_about_voip_from_ziply_fiber/
First, I'd confirm whether the install tech and you are talking about the same piece of equip. I suspect it's fiber optic router, he's talking about, but you'll need to do some more research to confirm.
Apparently the eqipment I have is a WiFi-6 multigig fiber optic gateway made by CommScope and is used by Ziply. So, might the TP-Link Deco XE-75 work as a replacemen? <https://www.tomsguide.com/reviews/tp-link-deco-xe75> Thanks, Rich
