How to setup a home lab when you have verizon FIOS?

I have three routers and two switches and I want to finally set them up so they can access the outside world. The problem is with FIOS the boxes communicate with each other and have other diagnostic things built into them. This modems have a lot going on under the hood. This FIOS modems also have the wireless capability built into it. Do I have to pretty much disable everything on the Modem so that my router handles things like DNS, DHCP, etc...? Any help will be appreciated.

Find more posts tagged with

SAVE $250 on Your CISCO Boot Camp — Use Code "EXAM26"

Exclusively for TechExams members for Infosec Boot Camps starting before April 30, 2026

View CISCO Boot Camps

Comments

prtech

There shouldn't be any issues. Hook up a fastethernet interface from the cisco router to the fios modem. Configure the IP address. Then you can do whatever you want with that router and it should connect to the internet as long as you set a default route out towards the fios modem.

veritas_libertas

Sounds like a big hassle to me. I would keep my lab separate from my home network. If I want to be able to have the two talk then I would use NAT.

kalebksp

I agree with Veritas. There's no need to connect a Cisco lab to the Internet, but if you really want to the simplest way would be to configure NAT on the router connected to your regular home network and have the rest of the lab communicate through it.

prtech

Connecting it to the internet gives you the option of connecting to it remotely so you can run labs even when you're not home.

YFZblu

Because nobody mentioned it - Please make sure your router and switch interfaces are FastEthernet. No sense in killing the benefits of FIOS just to connect a 10Mbps home lab

shodown

you can connect to your lab on port foward. I have a 3550 switch and console server that I use to get into my lab over SSH. I can even setup power to get to it. I just foward to one of the IP's from the 192.168.1.x range. Other people use RDP, yet others still VPN back into there home lab. You have several options.

JeanM

YFZblu wrote: »

Because nobody mentioned it - Please make sure your router and switch interfaces are FastEthernet. No sense in killing the benefits of FIOS just to connect a 10Mbps home lab

Well, even 10Mbps is just fine, especially if the up/down link is DSL or something slower than 10 it wouldn't even matter then.

YFZblu

I was under the impression that the slowest Verizon FIOS speed offered is 15 down 5 up...I could be wrong. But yes, obviously it only applies if his speed is faster than 10Mbps.

Edit: After checking Wiki, it looks like Verizon FIOS is being offered at 3 down 1 up to DSL customers as an upgrade, and the next step up is 15/5 after that.

*Shivers at the thought of 3/1*