When we lived in Baltimore, i had Verizon DSL for 6 years. When i first signed up, they sent me a Westell Wirespeed C90-36R516-01 DSL modem, which has worked flawlessly ever since, serving two computers through a Linksys BEFW11S4 router.
We’ve just moved to San Diego, and in evaluating internet service providers, i’ve just about decided to go with AT&T DSL rather than Cox cable. I want to sign up for the 6.0Mbps DSL package.
One of the options, in the sign-up area, is to purchase a modem. I’m well aware that modems have moved forward quite a bit since i got my old Wirespeed, and that many (all?) of them now work as gateways, eliminating the need for a separate router.
What i’m wondering is whether there’s any reason i can’t just use my old Westell/Linksys modem/router setup with the new DSL? What, if any, would be the benefits of getting a new modem? And would the old modem have any trouble coping with the faster internet speeds that i will get (we only got about 1Mbps at the old place)?
I’ve done some Googling, and have also searched Westell’s website, but haven’t been able to find an answer to my questions, nor to find a full spec sheet for my old Westell.
If AT&T down there is like it is here in LA, they use PPPoE authentication which requires (A) you be on their network and (B) have a username and password.
I suspect your current modem probably supports PPPoE, and I suspect you’d be able to use your modem just fine. You’ll almost certainly have to provide them with the MAC address so they can provision your account properly.
Not a definitive answer, just more anecdotal evidence, and sort of backwards, but . . .
I’ve used four different DSL modems with my Mindspring/Earthlink DSL account here in the Atlanta area (lots of lighting strikes – went through 7 dial-up modems in the five years before getting DSL service). I only had trouble configuring one of them. The first one was the one Earthlink sent out when I started DSL service. When that one got toasted, Earthlink wanted more than I was willing to pay to replace it, so I went to CompUSA or someplace and got a ZOOM DSL modem, then replaced that with something else a couple of years later, then had to replace that with the one I have now. Once we moved to our new house a couple of years ago, Earthlink insisted on sending out a new DSL modem with the new service – it’s still in the box, as I just went ahead and used the one I’d been using. The moral of the story, for me, is that generally you can mix and match DSL modems and DSL service with relative impunity, particularly if you’re comfortable with the configuration utility on the router.
The only time I had problems was when Earthlink (or more likely, BellSouth) changed something on their end, and it took me a couple of calls to the friendly and helpful folks at the Earthlink call center in Bangalore or Hyderabad or wherever to get it working again.
Depends on if your provider is using ADSL, or ADSL2 transmission modes. I’m not going to go into the differences here, for the end user they’re interchangeable. The thing is that many older modems either don’t work, or work unreliably on ADSL2.
As far as authenticating and browsing, any DSL modem should work, assuming your provider is using PPPoE sessions rather than DHCP (not common in DSL, it’s more seen in cable connections, but there are a few DSL providers who use it almost exclusively).
Edited to add: Keep in mind that if you have your own modem and call in for support on any performance issues, your ISP may very well refuse to assist you until you have a modem provided by them. The ISP I work for does the same, on the basis that we guarantee service with a specific model of modem running our customised firmware, and are not responsible for what happens when you plug in Generic DSL Modem # 462.
I have cable rather than DSL, but this may be relevant: a while back Rogers upgraded from DOCSIS 1.x- to DOCSIS 2.0-compatible cable modems. I got a new modem via free swap. Have there been any standards upgrades for DSL since you got your modem? Do you know what standard your modem is and what standard the prospective ISP uses?
After reading you responses, and investigating the various available packages further, we’ve actually changed our minds and decided to go with cable internet (our provider here is Cox).
The Cox 9 Mbps service is $1 a month cheaper than AT&T’s 6 Mbps service; $15 a month cheaper for the first three months. Also, that package gives us free cable modem rental.
I’ll hang onto the old modem in case Cox doesn’t work out, or we end up going back to DSL for any reason.