New modem router combo

[stevo1210]

Looking for a new ADSL 2+ modem router combo for the grandparents. They only want a single all-in-one unit as they hate having more bulky things lying on thier kitchen bench. Computer is in the wee corner at the back of the house. Currently using a D-Link DSL-G604T which decides to reboot and lose internet all the time due to abd caps which I haven't got time to fix.

I'm basically looking at two D-Link all-in-one models (only cause D-Link signal is very strong compared to be WRT54G)... they are the D-link DSL-2642B and the D-link DSL-2730B (Wireless N) routers. Also have my eyes on a netgear unit model DG834G and a Linksys WAG120N. I currently use a WRT54G and the signal isn't strong enough for my house, let alone the grandparents place. The G604T gets a "low" to "good" signal strength according to WZC, so I doubt the Linksys is strong enough.

Price isn't an issue, but time is... I need it ASAP... like by tomorrow afternoon. O.o

So which one should I aim for? Just looking for signal strength here...

Their PC is a Acer P4 with a Linksys wireless card which I think is a 802.11b... I'm not changing that because they won't let me... but if I had the chance, I would.

Thanks.

[retiredcaps]

Re: New modem router combo

I currently use a WRT54G and the signal isn't strong enough for my house, let alone the grandparents place. The G604T gets a "low" to "good" signal strength according to WZC, so I doubt the Linksys is strong enough.

For signal strength, most people don't bother or know how to choose a different wifi channel and just leave it at default. This leads to a lot of congestion due to overlap.

In my area, I can see roughly 15 wifi signals. Most default to channel 1 so I try 6 or 11 to get better results. You might try the same?

[digge]

Re: New modem router combo

For strength i dont think the different ones do that much difference. In most countries the output wattage is regulated so most of them are tweaked to whats max allowed. The brand of the wireless radio is more important. From what i tested myself so far the Atheros chips have a much better sensitivity so they work better under worse conditions. Think Broadcom comes in second in that department.

This is purely from my own tests / reading specs and may vary a lot depending on implementation though.

[kikkoman]

Re: New modem router combo

For signal strength, most people don't bother or know how to choose a different wifi channel and just leave it at default. This leads to a lot of congestion due to overlap.

In my area, I can see roughly 15 wifi signals. Most default to channel 1 so I try 6 or 11 to get better results. You might try the same?

+1.

Antenna tweaking helps in most cases, too.

[japlytic]

Re: New modem router combo

A free useful wireless network survey tool is inSSIDer from www.metageek.net - I install this as standard on any computer with a wireless client. The latest version detects the Wide Channel correctly (4 channels apart without overlapping) on Wireless-N networks, even under XP.

[seanc]

Re: New modem router combo

Dg834g

[PCBONEZ]

Re: New modem router combo

Use wired. Keep the neighbors out.

[stevo1210]

Re: New modem router combo

I ended up with the D-link DSL-2642B. It was $60 and I'm very happy with the wireless performance. I just installed it at my grandparents house and they are very happy with it.

However, there's something weird there.... internet occasionally drops in and out and you have to reboot the modem a couple of times to get it to detect the net. It has no issue detecting that the line has a DSL signal, but the connection to the ISP is flaky somehow?

And it has happened with every modem I've used there. What the hell is going on? Tried different telephone sockets with the same issue.

I keep telling my grandfather... if you lose the net, restart it (modem) until you can get net access on the pc... and I've been saying the same thing for months on end. O.o

[sofTest]

Re: New modem router combo

It sounds like it might be an issue with line filters. The safest configuration is to put the line filter where the phone cable comes into the house, and have separate cables to phones and ADSL from there. Do you have the latest firmware for the DSL-2642B?

[digge]

Re: New modem router combo

Since you got a new modem/router i assume the filter is new as well? And I'm assuming the wiring is correct as well. If thats the case there are a few things to check.

First, try to disconnect any other phones in the house, i once had a bad wireless phone mess up the DSL. Can try just to disconnect one at a time and see how it works over time. Or disconnect all at once and slowly ad one after the other.

The best way to see how this really applies to your setup is if you could see the line attenuation and SNR values of your DSL link, not sure if thats possible on that D-link.

Another possible fault is that its outside your house, in which case the company responsible for the cables should fix it, however thats hard to really prove. Had a friend with telephone lines that were on airborne quite far away from his house before finally getting down in the ground. A connection box in one of those poles were leaking in water and messed up his connection which were flaky. The company tried to scare him that he would have to pay for the technician if they didn't find a fault and stuff, crappy company.

[stevo1210]

Re: New modem router combo

I have the latest firmware for the D-link and also it came with a new filter (which I am currently using with it)... I was also thinking filters were the issue a few months ago, so I ditched the chinese made filters and got high quality Australian made units from Telstra which were bloody expensive ($25 for a filter... zzzz) and the problem still persisted. I did what you said as well and took the old modem to where the kitchen was (main point) and it also had issues with the internet... in fact it made it worse and was interfering with the phones and made them fuzzy sometimes. Even rounding all the phones down to one (just the wired phone) still had an issue... just the other day we had no phones connected and only modem working and it still had connection issues, though i did notice it was faster to connect with no phones connected (maybe co-incidence?).

[digge]

Re: New modem router combo

It might not be coincidence, removing all the phones will (even if they are working good) make the signals ever so slightly better. Normally however you wouldn't notice the difference other then in numbers measured (line attenuation and SNR and so on). However if you are close to whats workable values removing all phones might have a positive effect.

I would say call the provider and have them measure the line, the line might be damaged someplace, might be in a wall in the house or outside far away, thats the hard part to know. If water have seeped in anywhere and/or the insulation of the wiring is damaged that might be why.

A neighbor of my parents also had a bad connection, in that case the phone lines were drawn from a pole to the wall, and then within the outer part of the wall, and then inside the house on the bottom floor. The insulation was damaged in that bit behind the wall which made moisture creep in and cause trouble.

Another thing you can try is to rule out your wiring by simply disconnecting the wiring after the first jack and see how that works for you. If that did solve it all you can do is try to hook up one jack at a time and see when it goes bad.

All this troubleshooting is very hard and involves loads of trial and error unless you can see the numbers. Maybe check if you can somehow see the numbers for the signal in the DSL part of that particular modem. In my case i have used older zyxel modems and they have a "hidden" telnet login you can use for seeing the numbers. Hook up a switch in between the modem and router and get in that way.

[seanc]

Re: New modem router combo

I don't know about Aus, but in the UK with our telephone sockets provided by BT, they have a 'test' socket.

You remove the main face plate, this has the extension wiring for any other lines in the house connected to it, you then find another socket behind which the face plate was plugged into.
Plug the router in there, you then eliminate all other wiring in the building.

[stevo1210]

Re: New modem router combo

nope the telstra wall sockets here dont have a test socket... It's just a socket tbh... Like your average power socket.

[delaware74b]

Re: New modem router combo

Here, in the US, we have what is called a demarc (demarcation box). The phone company is responsible to the demarc and is also responsible for the demarc itself. There are 'maintenance agreements' available through the phone company for those who can't or don't want to maintain their own interior wiring. The demarcs in the US also have a test jack where you disconnect all interior wiring and connect a test phone (or you dsl modem)

With that said, do you have a demarc or something similar in Australia? If you do, I'd try connecting your DSL modem directly to the demarc with your interior wiring disconnected.

Personally, if interior wiring is over 10 years old, I replace it with cat5. Cat5 is overkill for voice, but the twisting in the cable rejects a lot more interference and ac hum than the old 4-conductor phone cable. Also, if your phone cables run parallel to any ac wiring, try to maintain 6" minimum distance.

I've attached a picture of the demarc on the side of my house.

[stevo1210]

Re: New modem router combo

we dont have demarcs here, unless you are with a company called optus, which runs thier cables in the air instead of the ground. They use cable (as in cable internet cable) for telephone wiring and not plain old copper wiring, then from there, it splits out to the normal copper phone wiring.
I'm not sure how my house (and grandparents house) works, but phone wiring goes underground and comes out of a socket, and from there it goes everywhere.