If you are worried about your privacy, NEVER use a router you cannot control.

I also use a separate modem and router, so that if my modem has some kind of backdoor that my isp can use, they can't get many informations about my lan. My next step is getting a modem that run on a libre distribution (my router already run on Tomato), since I've found out recently that OpenWRT supports some ADSL modem.

You still had to have your TVs run through to the actual U-Verse modem, though, and can't plug them into a router sitting behind it.

Yeah you can. I have

Uverse Router ==> PFSense Box ==> GigE switch ==> Uverse TV box.

The trick is enabling IGMP proxy. The first 10 seconds of a Uverse TV stream is transmitted over UDP. After 10 seconds, it switches to multicast. You need IGMP proxy on the PFSense box (or IGMP proxy capable switch) to relay that multicast traffic to the ports on the other interface.

After that, DMZ your PFSense box, add just a few firewall allow rules, and you're done!

My consumer level router I had at the time wasn't capable of doing the IGMP proxy.

Out of curiosity I looked and my Asus RT-N66U does in fact offer it, so more consumer routers may be directly compatible now too.

What the heck? Do you have any clue what the motivation is behind this?

Multicast saves on bandwidth.

Nothing really, but you should generally avoid it if possible. It just creates the possibility of having unexpected problems later on.

More info on my setup here:

http://www.jeffryhouser.com/index.cfm/2012/3/26/How-can-you-...

I also have a Wifi Router plugged into the RV042, so Wifi is completely turned off at the UVerse router.

Online lookup I made for the Thomson routers: http://www.nickkusters.com/Services/Thomson-SpeedTouch

2) The MAC often is the serial number for many ethernet devices. (Most routers are weird because they usually have at least two or three MAC addresses, but it works out so long as you're consistent about which one you use.)

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.

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.

The Verizon router is like any other intermediate node on the Internet: don't trust it. Removing it won't really affect your privacy.

http://www.whatsmyip.org/fios-wep-key-calculator/

If this concerns you, roll your own access point (you probably have anyway if you're reading this).

Verizon might not, but what are the motives of the hackers who might stumble upon a cache of SSIDs and keys? Remember the furor about Google Street View capturing SSIDs (/sans/ keys)? Presumably all they were doing with the data was improving their geolocation capabilities. To me what Verizon's doing here is much more intrusive and would require me to trust them to a much greater degree.

I remember being surprised that tech support was able to describe all of the devices sitting behind my AT&T U-Verse modem. I have a healthy amount of paranoia from a few years working in network security. After realizing how much access they had, I went out and bought a Buffalo router running DD-WRT and never looked back.

My router shouldn't be part of the ISP's network for it to use however it likes.

I would rather take full responsibility for it and manage it myself even replace it at my expense if it breaks.

Letting them do that is like giving the keys to your house to every utilities company you deal with and permission for them to give the key to whoever they choose. Do you really thrust them that much?

However this is like asking if i trust the people on the street when i go out the answer is obviously not however that is a public place and not my home and I am aware I may be watched.

If I were a hacker i would get employed at these companies and just exploit all the computers connected to these routers.

Or better yet download the entire database with router SSID's, serial number and password that would make for a fun time.

Free internet forever if the don't detect it.

http://www.dd-wrt.com/site/index

https://openwrt.org/