Q: Is the AirPort Express Fiber Optic compatible? (Verizon Fios)
Is the AirPort Express Fiber Optic compatible? (Verizon Fios)
Verizon wants me to have one of their routers. Is that necessary if I already have an AirPort Express?
MacBook Air, Mac OS X (10.7.5), track pad - carpal tunnel
Posted on Jul 18, 2016 8:06 AM
The fibre connection usually comes into the house either as an actual optical fibre or as a coaxial cable carrying the data converted from fibre in a box in the road.
It needs a 'modem' to convert the incoming data to an ethernet socket (the same as you your Mac's wired network connection). This can be just a box which does that and no more, and has only one ethernet output, or more usually it also includes a router (for sending the data to the particular device which requested it) with several ethernet outputs. It will also often have wifi, so it can be if you wish used without any further routers.
The Airport express has only an ethernet input and so cannot be connected directly to the incoming fibre or coaxial cable. It can be added to a cable modem/router to provide the wifi connection.
Posted on Jul 18, 2016 8:37 AM