Whole-Home Wi-Fi Installation in Sleepy Hollow, Westchester County, NY
A family needed reliable internet before their children started school on Tuesday, but the previous owner had removed the Verizon Fios ONT and the home’s networking equipment.
Case Study Details
Location: Sleepy Hollow, Westchester County, New York
Project Type: Whole-home Wi-Fi and network installation
Experience: Serving Hudson Valley homeowners since 2000
Homeowner Need: Working internet and a complete home network before the children started school
Initial Challenge: The previous owner had removed the Verizon Fios equipment and existing network hardware
Completed Scope: Four Aruba Instant On AP25 Wi-Fi 6 access points, one Netgear 16-port PoE gigabit switch, network configuration and programming
Result: Verizon restored the service connection, and Barry completed the in-home network before school began Tuesday
Internet Was Needed Before the First Day of School
In September 2026, a family in Sleepy Hollow contacted Hudson Valley Home Media shortly after moving into their home. Their children were starting school the following Tuesday, and the house had no working internet.
When Barry from HVHM arrived, he found that the previous owner had removed the Verizon Fios Optical Network Terminal, commonly called the ONT, along with the home’s networking equipment. This was not a weak signal or a poorly placed router, it was worse, the device that brings Verizon’s fiber service into the house was gone.
Why Did the House Have No Internet?
An ONT is not a router or a Wi-Fi access point, this is a Verizon device that converts the incoming fiber-optic signal into the internet, television and phone services used inside the home. Because it is part of Verizon’s service, Verizon needed to replace it.
Barry explained the situation to the family and gave them a clear plan: Verizon would restore the service connection, and he would install the network that carries that connection throughout the house. This also kept the homeowners from spending money on equipment that could not fix the underlying problem.
Building the Whole-Home Wi-Fi Network
After Verizon completed its portion of the work, Barry installed four Aruba Instant On AP25 Wi-Fi 6 access points and a Netgear 16-port PoE gigabit switch.
Instead of expecting one provider router to reach every room, the four-access-point design distributes wireless coverage from several locations. The number of access points a home requires depends on its size, layout, construction and where the family uses connected devices.
The Netgear switch sits at the center of the system and supplies network connectivity and power to the access points through ethernet cables. This creates a cleaner installation without separate power adapters or nearby electrical outlets at each access-point location.
System Design & Technology Overview
System | System Design Approach | Primary Technology |
Internet Service Connection | Restore the provider connection before installing the home network, keeping Verizon’s equipment separate from the systems managed inside the home. | Verizon Fios ONT, restored by Verizon |
Whole-Home Wi-Fi Coverage | Distribute wireless coverage through four professionally placed, wired access points instead of relying on a single provider router. | Wi-Fi Networking • Four Aruba Instant On AP25 Wi-Fi 6 access points |
Central Network Distribution | Bring the access points back to one central switch for organized connectivity, dependable performance and future serviceability. | |
Power and Connectivity | Deliver network connectivity and electrical power to each access point through its Ethernet connection, eliminating separate power adapters at the access-point locations. | Power over Ethernet • Wired Ethernet connections |
Configuration and Testing | Configure and test the completed network after Verizon restored service so the family would be online before school began. | Professional network configuration, programming and system verification |
Why Professional Access Points Instead of Wireless Mesh?
Consumer mesh systems can work well and systems such as Eero and Orbi can also use wired Ethernet connections. In many homes, however, mesh units are installed wirelessly, which means they must relay network traffic over Wi-Fi.
In this project, the Aruba access points connect through the Netgear PoE switch, giving each access point a wired network connection and power through the same cable. That creates a clean, centrally managed network designed around the home instead of the nearest available electrical outlet.
Completed Before School Began
Once Verizon restored the service connection, Barry installed the switch and access points, configured the network and completed the project before the children started school Tuesday.
Because he understood which part of the problem belonged to Verizon, the work happened in the correct order. By Tuesday, the family had active Fios service and a professionally installed four-access-point network ready for school, work and everyday use.
What Should New Homeowners Check Before Moving In?
It is easy to assume that internet equipment will remain in place when a home changes owners. So before moving into a new home, HVHM suggests:
Ask which network components remain with the house and which belong to the internet provider.
Confirm that the ONT, modem or other network equipment is present and receiving power.
Check with the internet provider before moving if equipment or service must be restored.
Ask the current homeowner where the network panel, Ethernet wiring, switches and existing wireless access points are so you know where everything is.
Test Wi-Fi and network outlets before those services become essential.
Keep network names, passwords and equipment documentation together for future service.
An early network assessment can identify missing equipment, outdated hardware and coverage concerns while there is still time to correct them.
Regional Project Investment
System Category | Typical Investment Range |
Wi-Fi access points and network equipment | $1,400–$2,500 |
Installation, configuration and testing | $900–$1,800 |
Additional wiring or rack improvements, when required | $4,000 – $6,500 |
Infrastructure & Signal Distribution | $500–$2,500+ |
Typical whole-home Wi-Fi project | *$2,500–$6,000+ |
Completed Sleepy Hollow project Approximately | Under $300 |
*Every home is different, and the final investment depends on the property’s size, construction, existing wiring, equipment locations and the number of access points required. This Sleepy Hollow project totaled approximately $2,700 because usable network wiring was already available and the completed scope included four access points, a central PoE switch, installation and programming.
A Foundation for the Rest of the Home
A dependable network supports much more than laptops and phones. Streaming services, smart televisions, whole-home music, lighting control and other connected systems all rely on the same infrastructure.
Not every networking project starts with dead zones, some begin when a new homeowner inherits unfamiliar wiring, missing equipment or a system no one can explain. With the Fios connection restored and four access points in place, this Sleepy Hollow home has a dependable foundation for everyday use and future improvements.
Planning a Similar Project?
Whether you're building a dedicated outdoor entertainment space, upgrading whole-house audio, or simplifying disconnected technology throughout your property, Hudson Valley Home Media designs systems around how you actually live day to day.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Verizon Fios ONT?
The Optical Network Terminal converts the fiber-optic signal entering the home into usable internet, television and phone services. It is part of Verizon’s service connection rather than the home’s Wi-Fi system.
Who replaces a missing Fios ONT?
Verizon normally installs or replaces the equipment required to bring Fios service into the house. Once service is active, a home-network professional can design and install Wi-Fi throughout the property.
Why would a home need four Wi-Fi access points?
A single router may not cover every floor and room consistently. The appropriate number depends on the home’s size, layout, construction and how the family uses its connected devices.
Will a faster internet plan fix poor Wi-Fi coverage?
Not necessarily. The internet plan determines the service delivered to the house, while the home network determines how effectively that connection reaches individual rooms. Equipment placement, building materials and outdated hardware can affect Wi-Fi even when the provider connection is fast.
Need Better Wi-Fi in Your Westchester Home?
Whether you are moving into a new home, dealing with unreliable coverage or trying to understand equipment left by a previous owner, Hudson Valley Home Media can evaluate the provider connection, wiring, network equipment and wireless coverage.
Contact Hudson Valley Home Media to discuss your home network.
Learn More About These Systems
A professionally designed network supports the streaming, entertainment and connected systems used throughout a modern home. These pages explain the related services in greater detail:
About HVHM
Hudson Valley Home Media is a Nyack-based smart-home and audio/video company serving Hudson Valley homeowners since 2000. Its work includes Wi-Fi networking, home theater, whole-home audio, lighting, motorized shades and home automation designed around how people use their homes.
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