DSL - A modem is a modem is a modem, right?

I don't think you can do that. The IP addresses supplied by Earthlink arrive via PPPoE (not DHCP). You have to have a PPPoE client running somewhere. You currently have it running inside the UHP DSL modem. You can setup the UHP modem for bridge mode with instructions at:

(See first item on disabling router mode). You then setup PPPoE in the router. You can also setup the PPPoE dialer in the computer, but that's a wasted effort if you have a router.

Yep. However, if Earthlink is doing MAC address authentication, you may have a problem. When you juggle modems back and forth, be sure to power cycle the attached router, as the MAC address table on the WAN port needs to be updated. Also, if you don't get an IP address from Earthlink in the router, try turning the modem off for about 15 minutes to reset the config in the DSLAM.

Well, I _am_ running the PPPoE via the router now. I just let the IP numbers etween the router and modem take care of themselves.

Yeah. Thx Jeff, so far with the modem in 'I'm only a modem' mode all seem well, no swapping to report as of yet.

TBerk

If you're doing double NAT, you may have problems with any programs or services that require port forwarding in the router. It will go through the router when properly configured, but not the NAT DSL modem, which probably doesn't have port forwarding or redirection.

It's called "bridge mode" in most modems.

On Jul 24, 4:01=A0pm, Jeff Liebermann wrote: Snip>

Yeah, sorry, I've been less than precise with actual details. I changed the modem to bridge mode and the router to PPPoE to do the connecting, etc.

I'm just posting quickley tonight, more details in another thread.

TBerk

This may or may not be applicable, but I installed a rwifi outer on a Verizon DSL and discovered that the DSL modem was a one port router. To get things working, all I had to do was change the default address on the wifi router I was installing. That router had a mac clone feature, but I didn't need to use it.

There are some like that. The original 2-wire DSL modem/router/wireless router only had room for one ethernet port. Same with ActionTec GT701. Not every router has room for 4 ethernet ports. However, the functions are unchanged. They can do NAT to 254 IP addresses. If you need more ethernet ports, just add an ethernet switch with 5/8/16/24 ports.

What I was hoping this thread was going to cover is quality of DSL modems. Pretty much you use what the ISP "gives" you, but certainly some DSL modems work better than others in terms of bit error rate, etc The Prestige modem I got with Covad would hang once in a while. I complained to Speakeasy, which sent me a "free" modem from Creative. No hang conditions, but the power on reset internal to the modem is crap cubed. Get a power glitch and it can't restart. I have a few more months before my contract expires, that is, I can't dump Speakeasy unless I want a bill for that piece of crap they sent me.

It's an analog world, dammit! Quality is not a feature checklist.

Ummm... this is a wireless newsgroup. We don't do no stinkin wires. You'll probably do better in a DSL harware newsgroups.

Reviews of some DSL modems (in UK).

The real difference between the various modems is in the DSL chipsets.

Sure, there are problems with flaky router sections, lack of fail safe timers, and lousy firmware, but those come and go as firmware gets updated. However, if you're after connection reliability, stability, uptime, and speed, it's the chipset that makes it happen.

Incidentally, I have not seen a DSL modem that hasn't hung at some point. The causes are usually power glitches. A UPS does not seem to help. I even have two that are running on battery power. They both hang. I have some on mountain top sites, where the power and RF environment certainly doesn't help.

My ill considered opinion is that the Ti chipset is the best of bunch. Westel uses Ti. Speedstream uses Alcatel, which tends to hang, but otherwise works ok. 2-wire uses STMicroelectronics Ascot DSL chipset, whcih seems to work quite well. I mostly like it because of the nifty diagnostics. I don't get many hangs with 2-wire routers, but I'm starting to see some failures, especially the wall warts.

Maybe. However if you're in marketing, it's a digital world. There's only one digital parameter of interest: 1 = customer buys the product 0 = customer does not buy the product. There are no states in between.

Asa you probably know, the wall-wart is farmed out to China. It is the one piece that could get a company in serious trouble since it connects to the AC line. Best to let some other vendor deal with the wrongful death lawsuit. Oh wait, sue a Chinese company. That won't happen.

The broadband review site didn't really have want I want. I'd like to see bit error testing at different SNR. Yes, I ask for too much.

I wonder what's in the Efficient (Speedstream) 5861; I use one in a rather hot place and it has never hung over several years of operation. I can't look inside it while the net is up ;-)

Michael

No guts, no gain. Anyone can't disassemble a device when the power is off. It takes a real hacker to do that while it's running.

Do you have the FCC ID number? If so, look it up on the FCC ID web pile. There will be photos of the insides, which might include the chip numbers. Probably Alcatel something.

Incidentally, don't assume that just because it hasn't required a kick start that it's uptime is equivalent. Some routers have automatic reboot features. Others have watchdog timers that reboot if hung. Check the logs to be sure.

Indeed. It is mounted on a bulkhead 15 feet up so that adds to the challenge (extra points allotted?).

Too bad the FCC site has been purging material older than 10 years; products which had a long life cycle (the 5861 evidently well into the new millennium) are gone since the original filing is now too old.

No doubt it has a watchdog, however the logs confirm no spontaneous reboots (only after known power failures since it isn't on an UPS). Just seems well engineered.

Michael

Too bad the FCC isn't purging political appointees with no radio communications experience, much less anything the FCC is mandated to regulate. At one time long long ago, most of the staff had a radio amateur ticket.

Funny thing is my most dependable DSL setup was from Direct TV, the old Telegy (Telogy?) out of Cupertino. Unfortunately, the modem didn't work with other ISPs. Also unfortunate that DiectTV decided to can the company after buying it.

Yep. You get extra credit for doing that. By coincidence, I'm doing a DSL and network wiring job and install this afternoon. The MPOE is located 4 meters off the ground, directly over a small swamp. No easy place to plant the ladder. I tried to convince AT&T to move it to ground level, but they wanted too much money to fix their own mistake.

Argh. I didn't realize they were doing that. However, I doubt that the 5861 is that old. I got DSL when it first arrived in this area in mid 1999. At the time, the hot ticket was the Alcatel 1000 DSL modem, a true piece of junk. The integrated DSL/router conglomerations came several years later.

Sound good enough for me. Will it do 6Mbits/sec thruput?

Telocity. It should have worked with AT&T. We had a few of those around here. They used SBC line, but ran their own authentication servers. The problem was probably the wrong VPI/VCI (ATM virtual circuit numbers) which need to change to the usual 0/35 for AT&T.

Regarding the Speedstream/Efficient Networks/Siemens 5861:

Oddly, the mfg. datasheet and techref and user manuals are notably silent on the WAN hardware specifics, but a little research found third-party descriptions that confirm support for full rate G.DMT (G.992.1), G.Lite (G.992.2), G.HS(G.994.1), mgmt(G.997.1) and ANSI T!.413 Issue 2.

The mfg.'s techref manuals describe the CPU, RAM, FPGA encrypt. acceleration and other features.

A compressed description lacking proper formatting is here: http://209.85.141.104/search?q=cache:DOhFFt-XI-MJ:

Michael

Yeah. (I'm the OP) I was also hoping for DSL modem lists of have and have nots, quality wise.

And yeah, I understand about posting in a wireless NG, but I get my networking from a wire, before it goes wireless.

Well, my follow up so far is that by removing the duty from the DSL modem to provide both connectivity and DHCP to the router (I believe it's in BRIDGE mode now) I have avoided the 'Earthlink is going to run diags now..." bullshhhhh it got to doing every night.

So, I never got around to changing out the other DSL modem after all.

TBerk

http://209.85.141.104/search?q=cache:DOhFFt-XI-MJ:

Up to 8 Mbps downstream Up to 1 Mbps upstream

they issue a warning about replacing a battery how often do you have to replace it? I am surprised the on-board psu hasn't caused any overheating problems by now.