Home Network Chaos

So you just got a new ISP and they supplied you with a receiver or modem and a router, but their router is garbage and you want to use your own? 

If you plug your own router "down the chain" below their supplied router, the speed will almost certainly be gated. 

If you remove their router from the chain and replace with yours, the speed will almost certainly be gated (Verizon 5G Home) or the internet might drop regularly (Optimum Cable).

One could call the ISP and ask them to set it up so it's not looking specifically for the MAC address of the supplied router. Calling up Optimum and doing this is pretty simple. Verizon is a little harder. 

Solution? Find the MAC address of their router and clone it (or copy and paste it) to your own router. Now that we know this – such an obvious thing to do! 

Obviously : 

Proceed at your own risk!

• Find the MAC addresses for both devices and write them down somewhere. 
• Unplug the ISP router and remove it from the chain. 
• Disconnect your router from the chain, but keep it connected to power.
• From a computer, connect to the router directly via wire and navigate to the admin panel (usually 192.168.1.0 or similar).
• Apply the MAC address from the supplied router to your own router.  
• Remove power from the ISP Receiver/Modem. 
• Restart your router.
• Power up the ISP Receiver/Modem.
• Wait for it to power up. 
• Connect the network cable from the ISP Receiver/Modem to your router
• Congratulations!!!!