Hi all,

I am seeking recommendations for a good DSL modem. I currently have Century Link with their modem and the  Eero mesh system. I know this has been discussed on here in the past, but didn’t pay a whole lot of attention to it. Please  don’t recommend that I get ahold of Century Link for an updated modem, because I just did that in December and came to find out that the one they sent me is not their latest model. They just want to get rid of the old crap on their shelves. The one that I got in December, quit working already on Friday. I am done with their equipment.

I want to buy my own, and get a decent one that is up-to-date. I hope not to break the bank, but I want reliable internet. We have up to 16 devices connected at a time. so, if anyone can recommend a good product for me, I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks,

Kurt

Hi Kurt,

Sorry if this might sound unrelated to you, but you say you want reliable internet. If you want reliable internet, have you considered getting rid of DSL in favor of a more modern and faster service that offers actual broadband? DSL, in any shape or form is by no means even remotely adequate for the connected needs of 2021. Even LTE fixed wireless would be better. As for your original question, check if century link actually allows you to use your own equipment. The FCC made it illegal for cable providers to force people to use their equipment, but left it legal for telcos, or telecommunications providers.  ATT for example not only charges a monthly rental for their piece of junk modem, but also takes it upon themselves to factory reset it, or flash firmware at peak usage times.

On 2/7/2021 11:43 AM, Kurt Miller wrote:

Hi all,

I am seeking recommendations for a good DSL modem. I currently have Century Link with their modem and the  Eero mesh system. I know this has been discussed on here in the past, but didn’t pay a whole lot of attention to it. Please  don’t recommend that I get ahold of Century Link for an updated modem, because I just did that in December and came to find out that the one they sent me is not their latest model. They just want to get rid of the old crap on their shelves. The one that I got in December, quit working already on Friday. I am done with their equipment.

I want to buy my own, and get a decent one that is up-to-date. I hope not to break the bank, but I want reliable internet. We have up to 16 devices connected at a time. so, if anyone can recommend a good product for me, I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks,

Kurt

But here's why you may want to rent the ISP's modem rather than buy your own.  If anything goes wrong with your Internet service, the ISP is responsible for fixing it.  So if their modem craps out, a technician will usually visit your home at no charge and install a new one and make sure your Internet service is working properly.  But if you buy and install your own modem and your Internet service tops working, then you are screwed because the ISP won't give you the time of day, and if you don't have sighted tech savvy help available, then you may not be able to fix the problem yourself and may ultimately have to throw in the towel and have the ISP install their own modem, anyway, just to get your service working again.  Buying your own modem is a bad idea unless you are an advanced techie who can diagnose and fix Internet problems without sighted help. Amd sticking with obsolete, slow  DSL Internet is also a bad idea if high speed Internet is available in your area, because DSL is unreliable, especially with multiple devices connected to the modem.  I was forced to switch from Verizon DSL to Spectrum high speed Internet a few years ago because the former had become so slow, averaging less than 100 kpbs (that's kbps, not mbps), that many web pages would not load at all and file downloads would constantly get interuppted without finishing successfully.  Now with high speed Internet, I enjoy download speeds of 200 mbps, and although I pay $10 a month to rent a modem from Spectrum, at least one of their technicians will visit my home, often within two hours, to fix it if I encounter problems.  

Gerald

Hi Kurt,

Sorry if this might sound unrelated to you, but you say you want reliable internet. If you want reliable internet, have you considered getting rid of DSL in favor of a more modern and faster service that offers actual broadband? DSL, in any shape or form is by no means even remotely adequate for the connected needs of 2021. Even LTE fixed wireless would be better. As for your original question, check if century link actually allows you to use your own equipment. The FCC made it illegal for cable providers to force people to use their equipment, but left it legal for telcos, or telecommunications providers.  ATT for example not only charges a monthly rental for their piece of junk modem, but also takes it upon themselves to factory reset it, or flash firmware at peak usage times.

 

On 2/7/2021 11:43 AM, Kurt Miller wrote:

Hi all,

I am seeking recommendations for a good DSL modem. I currently have Century Link with their modem and the  Eero mesh system. I know this has been discussed on here in the past, but didn’t pay a whole lot of attention to it. Please  don’t recommend that I get ahold of Century Link for an updated modem, because I just did that in December and came to find out that the one they sent me is not their latest model. They just want to get rid of the old crap on their shelves. The one that I got in December, quit working already on Friday. I am done with their equipment.

I want to buy my own, and get a decent one that is up-to-date. I hope not to break the bank, but I want reliable internet. We have up to 16 devices connected at a time. so, if anyone can recommend a good product for me, I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks,

Kurt

But here's why you may want to rent the ISP's modem rather than buy your own.  If anything goes wrong with your Internet service, the ISP is responsible for fixing it.  So if their modem craps out, a technician will usually visit your home at no charge and install a new one and make sure your Internet service is working properly.  But if you buy and install your own modem and your Internet service tops working, then you are screwed because the ISP won't give you the time of day, and if you don't have sighted tech savvy help available, then you may not be able to fix the problem yourself and may ultimately have to throw in the towel and have the ISP install their own modem, anyway, just to get your service working again.  Buying your own modem is a bad idea unless you are an advanced techie who can diagnose and fix Internet problems without sighted help. Amd sticking with obsolete, slow  DSL Internet is also a bad idea if high speed Internet is available in your area, because DSL is unreliable, especially with multiple devices connected to the modem.  I was forced to switch from Verizon DSL to Spectrum high speed Internet a few years ago because the former had become so slow, averaging less than 100 kpbs (that's kbps, not mbps), that many web pages would not load at all and file downloads would constantly get interuppted without finishing successfully.  Now with high speed Internet, I enjoy download speeds of 200 mbps, and although I pay $10 a month to rent a modem from Spectrum, at least one of their technicians will visit my home, often within two hours, to fix it if I encounter problems.  

Gerald

On 2/7/2021 12:48 PM, enes sarıbaş wrote:

Hi Kurt,

Sorry if this might sound unrelated to you, but you say you want reliable internet. If you want reliable internet, have you considered getting rid of DSL in favor of a more modern and faster service that offers actual broadband? DSL, in any shape or form is by no means even remotely adequate for the connected needs of 2021. Even LTE fixed wireless would be better. As for your original question, check if century link actually allows you to use your own equipment. The FCC made it illegal for cable providers to force people to use their equipment, but left it legal for telcos, or telecommunications providers.  ATT for example not only charges a monthly rental for their piece of junk modem, but also takes it upon themselves to factory reset it, or flash firmware at peak usage times.

On 2/7/2021 11:43 AM, Kurt Miller wrote:

Hi all,

I am seeking recommendations for a good DSL modem. I currently have Century Link with their modem and the  Eero mesh system. I know this has been discussed on here in the past, but didn’t pay a whole lot of attention to it. Please  don’t recommend that I get ahold of Century Link for an updated modem, because I just did that in December and came to find out that the one they sent me is not their latest model. They just want to get rid of the old crap on their shelves. The one that I got in December, quit working already on Friday. I am done with their equipment.

I want to buy my own, and get a decent one that is up-to-date. I hope not to break the bank, but I want reliable internet. We have up to 16 devices connected at a time. so, if anyone can recommend a good product for me, I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks,

Kurt

I haven’t paid for a monthly modem rental in over 12 years. I upgraded once back in 2014, but that was because I wanted a faster speed than my surfboard model could offer at that time. I think I paid something like $140 for that upgraded model.

Modems really are a plug and play and forget about it device. Not saying that a modem can’t crap out, but occurrence is so rare and if something goes funky with your internet, it’s likely something else entirely. Even if the modem does die, the math still favors buying your modem.

 

Cristóbal

 

From: win10@win10.groups.io <win10@win10.groups.io> On Behalf Of Gerald Levy via groups.io
Sent: Sunday, February 7, 2021 10:23 AM
To: win10@win10.groups.io
Subject: Re: [win10] Seeking Recommendation's for good DSL Modem

 

 

But here's why you may want to rent the ISP's modem rather than buy your own.  If anything goes wrong with your Internet service, the ISP is responsible for fixing it.  So if their modem craps out, a technician will usually visit your home at no charge and install a new one and make sure your Internet service is working properly.  But if you buy and install your own modem and your Internet service tops working, then you are screwed because the ISP won't give you the time of day, and if you don't have sighted tech savvy help available, then you may not be able to fix the problem yourself and may ultimately have to throw in the towel and have the ISP install their own modem, anyway, just to get your service working again.  Buying your own modem is a bad idea unless you are an advanced techie who can diagnose and fix Internet problems without sighted help. Amd sticking with obsolete, slow  DSL Internet is also a bad idea if high speed Internet is available in your area, because DSL is unreliable, especially with multiple devices connected to the modem.  I was forced to switch from Verizon DSL to Spectrum high speed Internet a few years ago because the former had become so slow, averaging less than 100 kpbs (that's kbps, not mbps), that many web pages would not load at all and file downloads would constantly get interuppted without finishing successfully.  Now with high speed Internet, I enjoy download speeds of 200 mbps, and although I pay $10 a month to rent a modem from Spectrum, at least one of their technicians will visit my home, often within two hours, to fix it if I encounter problems.  

 

Gerald

 

 

On 2/7/2021 12:48 PM, enes sarıbaş wrote:

Hi Kurt,

Sorry if this might sound unrelated to you, but you say you want reliable internet. If you want reliable internet, have you considered getting rid of DSL in favor of a more modern and faster service that offers actual broadband? DSL, in any shape or form is by no means even remotely adequate for the connected needs of 2021. Even LTE fixed wireless would be better. As for your original question, check if century link actually allows you to use your own equipment. The FCC made it illegal for cable providers to force people to use their equipment, but left it legal for telcos, or telecommunications providers.  ATT for example not only charges a monthly rental for their piece of junk modem, but also takes it upon themselves to factory reset it, or flash firmware at peak usage times.

 

On 2/7/2021 11:43 AM, Kurt Miller wrote:

Hi all,

I am seeking recommendations for a good DSL modem. I currently have Century Link with their modem and the  Eero mesh system. I know this has been discussed on here in the past, but didn’t pay a whole lot of attention to it. Please  don’t recommend that I get ahold of Century Link for an updated modem, because I just did that in December and came to find out that the one they sent me is not their latest model. They just want to get rid of the old crap on their shelves. The one that I got in December, quit working already on Friday. I am done with their equipment.

I want to buy my own, and get a decent one that is up-to-date. I hope not to break the bank, but I want reliable internet. We have up to 16 devices connected at a time. so, if anyone can recommend a good product for me, I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks,

Kurt

But here's why you may want to rent the ISP's modem rather than buy your own.  If anything goes wrong with your Internet service, the ISP is responsible for fixing it.  So if their modem craps out, a technician will usually visit your home at no charge and install a new one and make sure your Internet service is working properly.  But if you buy and install your own modem and your Internet service tops working, then you are screwed because the ISP won't give you the time of day, and if you don't have sighted tech savvy help available, then you may not be able to fix the problem yourself and may ultimately have to throw in the towel and have the ISP install their own modem, anyway, just to get your service working again.  Buying your own modem is a bad idea unless you are an advanced techie who can diagnose and fix Internet problems without sighted help. Amd sticking with obsolete, slow  DSL Internet is also a bad idea if high speed Internet is available in your area, because DSL is unreliable, especially with multiple devices connected to the modem.  I was forced to switch from Verizon DSL to Spectrum high speed Internet a few years ago because the former had become so slow, averaging less than 100 kpbs (that's kbps, not mbps), that many web pages would not load at all and file downloads would constantly get interuppted without finishing successfully.  Now with high speed Internet, I enjoy download speeds of 200 mbps, and although I pay $10 a month to rent a modem from Spectrum, at least one of their technicians will visit my home, often within two hours, to fix it if I encounter problems.  

Gerald

Hi Kurt,

Sorry if this might sound unrelated to you, but you say you want reliable internet. If you want reliable internet, have you considered getting rid of DSL in favor of a more modern and faster service that offers actual broadband? DSL, in any shape or form is by no means even remotely adequate for the connected needs of 2021. Even LTE fixed wireless would be better. As for your original question, check if century link actually allows you to use your own equipment. The FCC made it illegal for cable providers to force people to use their equipment, but left it legal for telcos, or telecommunications providers.  ATT for example not only charges a monthly rental for their piece of junk modem, but also takes it upon themselves to factory reset it, or flash firmware at peak usage times.

 

On 2/7/2021 11:43 AM, Kurt Miller wrote:

Hi all,

I am seeking recommendations for a good DSL modem. I currently have Century Link with their modem and the  Eero mesh system. I know this has been discussed on here in the past, but didn’t pay a whole lot of attention to it. Please  don’t recommend that I get ahold of Century Link for an updated modem, because I just did that in December and came to find out that the one they sent me is not their latest model. They just want to get rid of the old crap on their shelves. The one that I got in December, quit working already on Friday. I am done with their equipment.

I want to buy my own, and get a decent one that is up-to-date. I hope not to break the bank, but I want reliable internet. We have up to 16 devices connected at a time. so, if anyone can recommend a good product for me, I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks,

Kurt

Hi Gerald,

I do fit the techy catagory I guess, having had all family and friends get modems I recommended, and have helped them set them up too. I would argue though your own modem is still better, because ISPs are for profit, they sell the cheapest and worst quality equipment on the market. Even the AT&T person who replaced my modem said they mass produce these to be cheap as possible. If you buy your own, you can get equipment of the highest quality, that will go 5 years or more with no issues whatsoever. I think having my ISP  control over my equipment is also a bad idea, because of forced software upgrades, and techs randomly resetting my equipment without permission.

As for ADSL, the download speed doesn't matter all that much. I was getting between 12-16 mbps on my dsl, files would download around 1.5-1.7 mbps most of the time. But the issue is slow upload speed. ADSl has only 1 mbps max upload speed, 3.5 on the ANNEX m profile, but noone uses that. But in reality you  get between 80-100 kbps upload, which makes stuff like telework or audio/video calls out of the question. Even sending  simple attachments will take minutes.

 

But here's why you may want to rent the ISP's modem rather than buy your own.  If anything goes wrong with your Internet service, the ISP is responsible for fixing it.  So if their modem craps out, a technician will usually visit your home at no charge and install a new one and make sure your Internet service is working properly.  But if you buy and install your own modem and your Internet service tops working, then you are screwed because the ISP won't give you the time of day, and if you don't have sighted tech savvy help available, then you may not be able to fix the problem yourself and may ultimately have to throw in the towel and have the ISP install their own modem, anyway, just to get your service working again.  Buying your own modem is a bad idea unless you are an advanced techie who can diagnose and fix Internet problems without sighted help. Amd sticking with obsolete, slow  DSL Internet is also a bad idea if high speed Internet is available in your area, because DSL is unreliable, especially with multiple devices connected to the modem.  I was forced to switch from Verizon DSL to Spectrum high speed Internet a few years ago because the former had become so slow, averaging less than 100 kpbs (that's kbps, not mbps), that many web pages would not load at all and file downloads would constantly get interuppted without finishing successfully.  Now with high speed Internet, I enjoy download speeds of 200 mbps, and although I pay $10 a month to rent a modem from Spectrum, at least one of their technicians will visit my home, often within two hours, to fix it if I encounter problems.  

 

Gerald

 

 

On 2/7/2021 12:48 PM, enes sarıbaş wrote:

Hi Kurt,

Sorry if this might sound unrelated to you, but you say you want reliable internet. If you want reliable internet, have you considered getting rid of DSL in favor of a more modern and faster service that offers actual broadband? DSL, in any shape or form is by no means even remotely adequate for the connected needs of 2021. Even LTE fixed wireless would be better. As for your original question, check if century link actually allows you to use your own equipment. The FCC made it illegal for cable providers to force people to use their equipment, but left it legal for telcos, or telecommunications providers.  ATT for example not only charges a monthly rental for their piece of junk modem, but also takes it upon themselves to factory reset it, or flash firmware at peak usage times.

 

On 2/7/2021 11:43 AM, Kurt Miller wrote:

Hi all,

I am seeking recommendations for a good DSL modem. I currently have Century Link with their modem and the  Eero mesh system. I know this has been discussed on here in the past, but didn’t pay a whole lot of attention to it. Please  don’t recommend that I get ahold of Century Link for an updated modem, because I just did that in December and came to find out that the one they sent me is not their latest model. They just want to get rid of the old crap on their shelves. The one that I got in December, quit working already on Friday. I am done with their equipment.

I want to buy my own, and get a decent one that is up-to-date. I hope not to break the bank, but I want reliable internet. We have up to 16 devices connected at a time. so, if anyone can recommend a good product for me, I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks,

Kurt

So, if Century link does allow me to use my own equipment, what do you recommend? What did you recommend for your family and friends?

Kurt

Hi Gerald,

I do fit the techy catagory I guess, having had all family and friends get modems I recommended, and have helped them set them up too. I would argue though your own modem is still better, because ISPs are for profit, they sell the cheapest and worst quality equipment on the market. Even the AT&T person who replaced my modem said they mass produce these to be cheap as possible. If you buy your own, you can get equipment of the highest quality, that will go 5 years or more with no issues whatsoever. I think having my ISP  control over my equipment is also a bad idea, because of forced software upgrades, and techs randomly resetting my equipment without permission.

As for ADSL, the download speed doesn't matter all that much. I was getting between 12-16 mbps on my dsl, files would download around 1.5-1.7 mbps most of the time. But the issue is slow upload speed. ADSl has only 1 mbps max upload speed, 3.5 on the ANNEX m profile, but noone uses that. But in reality you  get between 80-100 kbps upload, which makes stuff like telework or audio/video calls out of the question. Even sending  simple attachments will take minutes.

 

But here's why you may want to rent the ISP's modem rather than buy your own.  If anything goes wrong with your Internet service, the ISP is responsible for fixing it.  So if their modem craps out, a technician will usually visit your home at no charge and install a new one and make sure your Internet service is working properly.  But if you buy and install your own modem and your Internet service tops working, then you are screwed because the ISP won't give you the time of day, and if you don't have sighted tech savvy help available, then you may not be able to fix the problem yourself and may ultimately have to throw in the towel and have the ISP install their own modem, anyway, just to get your service working again.  Buying your own modem is a bad idea unless you are an advanced techie who can diagnose and fix Internet problems without sighted help. Amd sticking with obsolete, slow  DSL Internet is also a bad idea if high speed Internet is available in your area, because DSL is unreliable, especially with multiple devices connected to the modem.  I was forced to switch from Verizon DSL to Spectrum high speed Internet a few years ago because the former had become so slow, averaging less than 100 kpbs (that's kbps, not mbps), that many web pages would not load at all and file downloads would constantly get interuppted without finishing successfully.  Now with high speed Internet, I enjoy download speeds of 200 mbps, and although I pay $10 a month to rent a modem from Spectrum, at least one of their technicians will visit my home, often within two hours, to fix it if I encounter problems.  

 

Gerald

 

 

On 2/7/2021 12:48 PM, enes sarıbaş wrote:

Hi Kurt,

Sorry if this might sound unrelated to you, but you say you want reliable internet. If you want reliable internet, have you considered getting rid of DSL in favor of a more modern and faster service that offers actual broadband? DSL, in any shape or form is by no means even remotely adequate for the connected needs of 2021. Even LTE fixed wireless would be better. As for your original question, check if century link actually allows you to use your own equipment. The FCC made it illegal for cable providers to force people to use their equipment, but left it legal for telcos, or telecommunications providers.  ATT for example not only charges a monthly rental for their piece of junk modem, but also takes it upon themselves to factory reset it, or flash firmware at peak usage times.

 

On 2/7/2021 11:43 AM, Kurt Miller wrote:

Hi all,

I am seeking recommendations for a good DSL modem. I currently have Century Link with their modem and the  Eero mesh system. I know this has been discussed on here in the past, but didn’t pay a whole lot of attention to it. Please  don’t recommend that I get ahold of Century Link for an updated modem, because I just did that in December and came to find out that the one they sent me is not their latest model. They just want to get rid of the old crap on their shelves. The one that I got in December, quit working already on Friday. I am done with their equipment.

I want to buy my own, and get a decent one that is up-to-date. I hope not to break the bank, but I want reliable internet. We have up to 16 devices connected at a time. so, if anyone can recommend a good product for me, I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks,

Kurt

I would there equipment, and make them update your molden, how do you know they have given you a old molden?

Jerry

So, if Century link does allow me to use my own equipment, what do you recommend? What did you recommend for your family and friends?

Kurt

Hi Gerald,

I do fit the techy catagory I guess, having had all family and friends get modems I recommended, and have helped them set them up too. I would argue though your own modem is still better, because ISPs are for profit, they sell the cheapest and worst quality equipment on the market. Even the AT&T person who replaced my modem said they mass produce these to be cheap as possible. If you buy your own, you can get equipment of the highest quality, that will go 5 years or more with no issues whatsoever. I think having my ISP  control over my equipment is also a bad idea, because of forced software upgrades, and techs randomly resetting my equipment without permission.

As for ADSL, the download speed doesn't matter all that much. I was getting between 12-16 mbps on my dsl, files would download around 1.5-1.7 mbps most of the time. But the issue is slow upload speed. ADSl has only 1 mbps max upload speed, 3.5 on the ANNEX m profile, but noone uses that. But in reality you  get between 80-100 kbps upload, which makes stuff like telework or audio/video calls out of the question. Even sending  simple attachments will take minutes.

 

But here's why you may want to rent the ISP's modem rather than buy your own.  If anything goes wrong with your Internet service, the ISP is responsible for fixing it.  So if their modem craps out, a technician will usually visit your home at no charge and install a new one and make sure your Internet service is working properly.  But if you buy and install your own modem and your Internet service tops working, then you are screwed because the ISP won't give you the time of day, and if you don't have sighted tech savvy help available, then you may not be able to fix the problem yourself and may ultimately have to throw in the towel and have the ISP install their own modem, anyway, just to get your service working again.  Buying your own modem is a bad idea unless you are an advanced techie who can diagnose and fix Internet problems without sighted help. Amd sticking with obsolete, slow  DSL Internet is also a bad idea if high speed Internet is available in your area, because DSL is unreliable, especially with multiple devices connected to the modem.  I was forced to switch from Verizon DSL to Spectrum high speed Internet a few years ago because the former had become so slow, averaging less than 100 kpbs (that's kbps, not mbps), that many web pages would not load at all and file downloads would constantly get interuppted without finishing successfully.  Now with high speed Internet, I enjoy download speeds of 200 mbps, and although I pay $10 a month to rent a modem from Spectrum, at least one of their technicians will visit my home, often within two hours, to fix it if I encounter problems.  

 

Gerald

 

 

On 2/7/2021 12:48 PM, enes sarıbaş wrote:

Hi Kurt,

Sorry if this might sound unrelated to you, but you say you want reliable internet. If you want reliable internet, have you considered getting rid of DSL in favor of a more modern and faster service that offers actual broadband? DSL, in any shape or form is by no means even remotely adequate for the connected needs of 2021. Even LTE fixed wireless would be better. As for your original question, check if century link actually allows you to use your own equipment. The FCC made it illegal for cable providers to force people to use their equipment, but left it legal for telcos, or telecommunications providers.  ATT for example not only charges a monthly rental for their piece of junk modem, but also takes it upon themselves to factory reset it, or flash firmware at peak usage times.

 

On 2/7/2021 11:43 AM, Kurt Miller wrote:

Hi all,

I am seeking recommendations for a good DSL modem. I currently have Century Link with their modem and the  Eero mesh system. I know this has been discussed on here in the past, but didn’t pay a whole lot of attention to it. Please  don’t recommend that I get ahold of Century Link for an updated modem, because I just did that in December and came to find out that the one they sent me is not their latest model. They just want to get rid of the old crap on their shelves. The one that I got in December, quit working already on Friday. I am done with their equipment.

I want to buy my own, and get a decent one that is up-to-date. I hope not to break the bank, but I want reliable internet. We have up to 16 devices connected at a time. so, if anyone can recommend a good product for me, I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks,

Kurt

Jerald,

To your point of them being responsible, I have better luck, digging through the earth and coming out in China before getting someone on the phone at Century Link, If after about a week of trying constantly, if I do get someone, they can’t speak English and don’t listen to what the problem is. Then they want me to fix the issue myself anyway because of the covid; they will not send anyone out to homes.

 

From: win10@win10.groups.io <win10@win10.groups.io> On Behalf Of Gerald Levy via groups.io
Sent: Sunday, February 7, 2021 1:23 PM
To: win10@win10.groups.io
Subject: Re: [win10] Seeking Recommendation's for good DSL Modem

 

 

But here's why you may want to rent the ISP's modem rather than buy your own.  If anything goes wrong with your Internet service, the ISP is responsible for fixing it.  So if their modem craps out, a technician will usually visit your home at no charge and install a new one and make sure your Internet service is working properly.  But if you buy and install your own modem and your Internet service tops working, then you are screwed because the ISP won't give you the time of day, and if you don't have sighted tech savvy help available, then you may not be able to fix the problem yourself and may ultimately have to throw in the towel and have the ISP install their own modem, anyway, just to get your service working again.  Buying your own modem is a bad idea unless you are an advanced techie who can diagnose and fix Internet problems without sighted help. Amd sticking with obsolete, slow  DSL Internet is also a bad idea if high speed Internet is available in your area, because DSL is unreliable, especially with multiple devices connected to the modem.  I was forced to switch from Verizon DSL to Spectrum high speed Internet a few years ago because the former had become so slow, averaging less than 100 kpbs (that's kbps, not mbps), that many web pages would not load at all and file downloads would constantly get interuppted without finishing successfully.  Now with high speed Internet, I enjoy download speeds of 200 mbps, and although I pay $10 a month to rent a modem from Spectrum, at least one of their technicians will visit my home, often within two hours, to fix it if I encounter problems.  

 

Gerald

 

 

On 2/7/2021 12:48 PM, enes sarıbaş wrote:

Hi Kurt,

Sorry if this might sound unrelated to you, but you say you want reliable internet. If you want reliable internet, have you considered getting rid of DSL in favor of a more modern and faster service that offers actual broadband? DSL, in any shape or form is by no means even remotely adequate for the connected needs of 2021. Even LTE fixed wireless would be better. As for your original question, check if century link actually allows you to use your own equipment. The FCC made it illegal for cable providers to force people to use their equipment, but left it legal for telcos, or telecommunications providers.  ATT for example not only charges a monthly rental for their piece of junk modem, but also takes it upon themselves to factory reset it, or flash firmware at peak usage times.

 

On 2/7/2021 11:43 AM, Kurt Miller wrote:

Hi all,

I am seeking recommendations for a good DSL modem. I currently have Century Link with their modem and the  Eero mesh system. I know this has been discussed on here in the past, but didn’t pay a whole lot of attention to it. Please  don’t recommend that I get ahold of Century Link for an updated modem, because I just did that in December and came to find out that the one they sent me is not their latest model. They just want to get rid of the old crap on their shelves. The one that I got in December, quit working already on Friday. I am done with their equipment.

I want to buy my own, and get a decent one that is up-to-date. I hope not to break the bank, but I want reliable internet. We have up to 16 devices connected at a time. so, if anyone can recommend a good product for me, I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks,

Kurt

I share your frustration.  When I had Verizon DSL, I had the same difficulty getting an English speaking customer support agent on the phone, because they were all based overseas, probably in a bunker in India or the Philippines, or maybe even Mars.  It was maddening.  Finally, when my DSL speed had slowed to a crawl, Verizon had no alternative but to send a technician to my apartment to diagnose the problem.  Well, after two visits,and checking all wiring and connections, the technician concluded that the slow DSL speeds were most likely due to the antiquated wiring in the building itself, and there was nothing he could do about it, and if I wanted reliable Internet service, I should switch to Spectrum high speed Internet.  Imagine a Verizon technician telling a customer to switch to the competition?  For a number of reasons which are too complicated to discuss here, Verizon FIOS was never going to become available in my building, and so the next day, I called Spectrum (I was already a cable TV customer), and they sent out a technician only four hours later to install a modem and get my Internet service up and running again.  And unlike Verizon, all Spectrum phone agents are based in the US and speak and understand English.  I have had to have my modem replaced twice, and each time, Spectrum sent a technician the same day to replace it, most recently last May during the pandemic.  There are 125 residential tenants in my apartment building, plus another 15 commercial stores on the ground level, including a Starbucks, and almost all of them have Spectrum high speed Internet. Because Spectrum is an absolute monopoly, we really have no other choice.  Either we sign up with Spectrum or else learn to live without Internet service and TV, because reliable, DSL Internet and over the air TV reception are impossible in my building. Suppose I purchased my own high speed modem and I couldn't get it to work?  Then what?  I prefer paying Spectrum the lousy $10 a month to rent a modem and have the peace of mind that if my Internet service stops working due to their faulty equipment, they will fix or replace it promptly.  

Gerald

Jerald,

To your point of them being responsible, I have better luck, digging through the earth and coming out in China before getting someone on the phone at Century Link, If after about a week of trying constantly, if I do get someone, they can’t speak English and don’t listen to what the problem is. Then they want me to fix the issue myself anyway because of the covid; they will not send anyone out to homes.

 

From: win10@win10.groups.io <win10@win10.groups.io> On Behalf Of Gerald Levy via groups.io
Sent: Sunday, February 7, 2021 1:23 PM
To: win10@win10.groups.io
Subject: Re: [win10] Seeking Recommendation's for good DSL Modem

 

 

But here's why you may want to rent the ISP's modem rather than buy your own.  If anything goes wrong with your Internet service, the ISP is responsible for fixing it.  So if their modem craps out, a technician will usually visit your home at no charge and install a new one and make sure your Internet service is working properly.  But if you buy and install your own modem and your Internet service tops working, then you are screwed because the ISP won't give you the time of day, and if you don't have sighted tech savvy help available, then you may not be able to fix the problem yourself and may ultimately have to throw in the towel and have the ISP install their own modem, anyway, just to get your service working again.  Buying your own modem is a bad idea unless you are an advanced techie who can diagnose and fix Internet problems without sighted help. Amd sticking with obsolete, slow  DSL Internet is also a bad idea if high speed Internet is available in your area, because DSL is unreliable, especially with multiple devices connected to the modem.  I was forced to switch from Verizon DSL to Spectrum high speed Internet a few years ago because the former had become so slow, averaging less than 100 kpbs (that's kbps, not mbps), that many web pages would not load at all and file downloads would constantly get interuppted without finishing successfully.  Now with high speed Internet, I enjoy download speeds of 200 mbps, and although I pay $10 a month to rent a modem from Spectrum, at least one of their technicians will visit my home, often within two hours, to fix it if I encounter problems.  

 

Gerald

 

 

On 2/7/2021 12:48 PM, enes sarıbaş wrote:

Hi Kurt,

Sorry if this might sound unrelated to you, but you say you want reliable internet. If you want reliable internet, have you considered getting rid of DSL in favor of a more modern and faster service that offers actual broadband? DSL, in any shape or form is by no means even remotely adequate for the connected needs of 2021. Even LTE fixed wireless would be better. As for your original question, check if century link actually allows you to use your own equipment. The FCC made it illegal for cable providers to force people to use their equipment, but left it legal for telcos, or telecommunications providers.  ATT for example not only charges a monthly rental for their piece of junk modem, but also takes it upon themselves to factory reset it, or flash firmware at peak usage times.

 

On 2/7/2021 11:43 AM, Kurt Miller wrote:

Hi all,

I am seeking recommendations for a good DSL modem. I currently have Century Link with their modem and the  Eero mesh system. I know this has been discussed on here in the past, but didn’t pay a whole lot of attention to it. Please  don’t recommend that I get ahold of Century Link for an updated modem, because I just did that in December and came to find out that the one they sent me is not their latest model. They just want to get rid of the old crap on their shelves. The one that I got in December, quit working already on Friday. I am done with their equipment.

I want to buy my own, and get a decent one that is up-to-date. I hope not to break the bank, but I want reliable internet. We have up to 16 devices connected at a time. so, if anyone can recommend a good product for me, I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks,

Kurt

Jerald,

To your point of them being responsible, I have better luck, digging through the earth and coming out in China before getting someone on the phone at Century Link, If after about a week of trying constantly, if I do get someone, they can’t speak English and don’t listen to what the problem is. Then they want me to fix the issue myself anyway because of the covid; they will not send anyone out to homes.

 

From: win10@win10.groups.io <win10@win10.groups.io> On Behalf Of Gerald Levy via groups.io
Sent: Sunday, February 7, 2021 1:23 PM
To: win10@win10.groups.io
Subject: Re: [win10] Seeking Recommendation's for good DSL Modem

 

 

But here's why you may want to rent the ISP's modem rather than buy your own.  If anything goes wrong with your Internet service, the ISP is responsible for fixing it.  So if their modem craps out, a technician will usually visit your home at no charge and install a new one and make sure your Internet service is working properly.  But if you buy and install your own modem and your Internet service tops working, then you are screwed because the ISP won't give you the time of day, and if you don't have sighted tech savvy help available, then you may not be able to fix the problem yourself and may ultimately have to throw in the towel and have the ISP install their own modem, anyway, just to get your service working again.  Buying your own modem is a bad idea unless you are an advanced techie who can diagnose and fix Internet problems without sighted help. Amd sticking with obsolete, slow  DSL Internet is also a bad idea if high speed Internet is available in your area, because DSL is unreliable, especially with multiple devices connected to the modem.  I was forced to switch from Verizon DSL to Spectrum high speed Internet a few years ago because the former had become so slow, averaging less than 100 kpbs (that's kbps, not mbps), that many web pages would not load at all and file downloads would constantly get interuppted without finishing successfully.  Now with high speed Internet, I enjoy download speeds of 200 mbps, and although I pay $10 a month to rent a modem from Spectrum, at least one of their technicians will visit my home, often within two hours, to fix it if I encounter problems.  

 

Gerald

 

 

On 2/7/2021 12:48 PM, enes sarıbaş wrote:

Hi Kurt,

Sorry if this might sound unrelated to you, but you say you want reliable internet. If you want reliable internet, have you considered getting rid of DSL in favor of a more modern and faster service that offers actual broadband? DSL, in any shape or form is by no means even remotely adequate for the connected needs of 2021. Even LTE fixed wireless would be better. As for your original question, check if century link actually allows you to use your own equipment. The FCC made it illegal for cable providers to force people to use their equipment, but left it legal for telcos, or telecommunications providers.  ATT for example not only charges a monthly rental for their piece of junk modem, but also takes it upon themselves to factory reset it, or flash firmware at peak usage times.

 

On 2/7/2021 11:43 AM, Kurt Miller wrote:

Hi all,

I am seeking recommendations for a good DSL modem. I currently have Century Link with their modem and the  Eero mesh system. I know this has been discussed on here in the past, but didn’t pay a whole lot of attention to it. Please  don’t recommend that I get ahold of Century Link for an updated modem, because I just did that in December and came to find out that the one they sent me is not their latest model. They just want to get rid of the old crap on their shelves. The one that I got in December, quit working already on Friday. I am done with their equipment.

I want to buy my own, and get a decent one that is up-to-date. I hope not to break the bank, but I want reliable internet. We have up to 16 devices connected at a time. so, if anyone can recommend a good product for me, I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks,

Kurt

So, if Century link does allow me to use my own equipment, what do you recommend? What did you recommend for your family and friends?

Kurt

 

From: win10@win10.groups.io <win10@win10.groups.io> On Behalf Of enes saribas
Sent: Sunday, February 7, 2021 1:45 PM
To: win10@win10.groups.io
Subject: Re: [win10] Seeking Recommendation's for good DSL Modem

 

Hi Gerald,

I do fit the techy catagory I guess, having had all family and friends get modems I recommended, and have helped them set them up too. I would argue though your own modem is still better, because ISPs are for profit, they sell the cheapest and worst quality equipment on the market. Even the AT&T person who replaced my modem said they mass produce these to be cheap as possible. If you buy your own, you can get equipment of the highest quality, that will go 5 years or more with no issues whatsoever. I think having my ISP  control over my equipment is also a bad idea, because of forced software upgrades, and techs randomly resetting my equipment without permission.

As for ADSL, the download speed doesn't matter all that much. I was getting between 12-16 mbps on my dsl, files would download around 1.5-1.7 mbps most of the time. But the issue is slow upload speed. ADSl has only 1 mbps max upload speed, 3.5 on the ANNEX m profile, but noone uses that. But in reality you  get between 80-100 kbps upload, which makes stuff like telework or audio/video calls out of the question. Even sending  simple attachments will take minutes.

On 2/7/2021 12:22 PM, Gerald Levy via groups.io wrote:

 

But here's why you may want to rent the ISP's modem rather than buy your own.  If anything goes wrong with your Internet service, the ISP is responsible for fixing it.  So if their modem craps out, a technician will usually visit your home at no charge and install a new one and make sure your Internet service is working properly.  But if you buy and install your own modem and your Internet service tops working, then you are screwed because the ISP won't give you the time of day, and if you don't have sighted tech savvy help available, then you may not be able to fix the problem yourself and may ultimately have to throw in the towel and have the ISP install their own modem, anyway, just to get your service working again.  Buying your own modem is a bad idea unless you are an advanced techie who can diagnose and fix Internet problems without sighted help. Amd sticking with obsolete, slow  DSL Internet is also a bad idea if high speed Internet is available in your area, because DSL is unreliable, especially with multiple devices connected to the modem.  I was forced to switch from Verizon DSL to Spectrum high speed Internet a few years ago because the former had become so slow, averaging less than 100 kpbs (that's kbps, not mbps), that many web pages would not load at all and file downloads would constantly get interuppted without finishing successfully.  Now with high speed Internet, I enjoy download speeds of 200 mbps, and although I pay $10 a month to rent a modem from Spectrum, at least one of their technicians will visit my home, often within two hours, to fix it if I encounter problems.  

 

Gerald

 

 

On 2/7/2021 12:48 PM, enes sarıbaş wrote:

Hi Kurt,

Sorry if this might sound unrelated to you, but you say you want reliable internet. If you want reliable internet, have you considered getting rid of DSL in favor of a more modern and faster service that offers actual broadband? DSL, in any shape or form is by no means even remotely adequate for the connected needs of 2021. Even LTE fixed wireless would be better. As for your original question, check if century link actually allows you to use your own equipment. The FCC made it illegal for cable providers to force people to use their equipment, but left it legal for telcos, or telecommunications providers.  ATT for example not only charges a monthly rental for their piece of junk modem, but also takes it upon themselves to factory reset it, or flash firmware at peak usage times.

 

On 2/7/2021 11:43 AM, Kurt Miller wrote:

Hi all,

I am seeking recommendations for a good DSL modem. I currently have Century Link with their modem and the  Eero mesh system. I know this has been discussed on here in the past, but didn’t pay a whole lot of attention to it. Please  don’t recommend that I get ahold of Century Link for an updated modem, because I just did that in December and came to find out that the one they sent me is not their latest model. They just want to get rid of the old crap on their shelves. The one that I got in December, quit working already on Friday. I am done with their equipment.

I want to buy my own, and get a decent one that is up-to-date. I hope not to break the bank, but I want reliable internet. We have up to 16 devices connected at a time. so, if anyone can recommend a good product for me, I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks,

Kurt

I share your frustration.  When I had Verizon DSL, I had the same difficulty getting an English speaking customer support agent on the phone, because they were all based overseas, probably in a bunker in India or the Philippines, or maybe even Mars.  It was maddening.  Finally, when my DSL speed had slowed to a crawl, Verizon had no alternative but to send a technician to my apartment to diagnose the problem.  Well, after two visits,and checking all wiring and connections, the technician concluded that the slow DSL speeds were most likely due to the antiquated wiring in the building itself, and there was nothing he could do about it, and if I wanted reliable Internet service, I should switch to Spectrum high speed Internet.  Imagine a Verizon technician telling a customer to switch to the competition?  For a number of reasons which are too complicated to discuss here, Verizon FIOS was never going to become available in my building, and so the next day, I called Spectrum (I was already a cable TV customer), and they sent out a technician only four hours later to install a modem and get my Internet service up and running again.  And unlike Verizon, all Spectrum phone agents are based in the US and speak and understand English.  I have had to have my modem replaced twice, and each time, Spectrum sent a technician the same day to replace it, most recently last May during the pandemic.  There are 125 residential tenants in my apartment building, plus another 15 commercial stores on the ground level, including a Starbucks, and almost all of them have Spectrum high speed Internet. Because Spectrum is an absolute monopoly, we really have no other choice.  Either we sign up with Spectrum or else learn to live without Internet service and TV, because reliable, DSL Internet and over the air TV reception are impossible in my building. Suppose I purchased my own high speed modem and I couldn't get it to work?  Then what?  I prefer paying Spectrum the lousy $10 a month to rent a modem and have the peace of mind that if my Internet service stops working due to their faulty equipment, they will fix or replace it promptly.  

Gerald

 

On 2/7/2021 1:58 PM, Kurt Miller wrote:

Jerald,

To your point of them being responsible, I have better luck, digging through the earth and coming out in China before getting someone on the phone at Century Link, If after about a week of trying constantly, if I do get someone, they can’t speak English and don’t listen to what the problem is. Then they want me to fix the issue myself anyway because of the covid; they will not send anyone out to homes.

 

From: win10@win10.groups.io <win10@win10.groups.io> On Behalf Of Gerald Levy via groups.io
Sent: Sunday, February 7, 2021 1:23 PM
To: win10@win10.groups.io
Subject: Re: [win10] Seeking Recommendation's for good DSL Modem

 

 

But here's why you may want to rent the ISP's modem rather than buy your own.  If anything goes wrong with your Internet service, the ISP is responsible for fixing it.  So if their modem craps out, a technician will usually visit your home at no charge and install a new one and make sure your Internet service is working properly.  But if you buy and install your own modem and your Internet service tops working, then you are screwed because the ISP won't give you the time of day, and if you don't have sighted tech savvy help available, then you may not be able to fix the problem yourself and may ultimately have to throw in the towel and have the ISP install their own modem, anyway, just to get your service working again.  Buying your own modem is a bad idea unless you are an advanced techie who can diagnose and fix Internet problems without sighted help. Amd sticking with obsolete, slow  DSL Internet is also a bad idea if high speed Internet is available in your area, because DSL is unreliable, especially with multiple devices connected to the modem.  I was forced to switch from Verizon DSL to Spectrum high speed Internet a few years ago because the former had become so slow, averaging less than 100 kpbs (that's kbps, not mbps), that many web pages would not load at all and file downloads would constantly get interuppted without finishing successfully.  Now with high speed Internet, I enjoy download speeds of 200 mbps, and although I pay $10 a month to rent a modem from Spectrum, at least one of their technicians will visit my home, often within two hours, to fix it if I encounter problems.  

 

Gerald

 

 

On 2/7/2021 12:48 PM, enes sarıbaş wrote:

Hi Kurt,

Sorry if this might sound unrelated to you, but you say you want reliable internet. If you want reliable internet, have you considered getting rid of DSL in favor of a more modern and faster service that offers actual broadband? DSL, in any shape or form is by no means even remotely adequate for the connected needs of 2021. Even LTE fixed wireless would be better. As for your original question, check if century link actually allows you to use your own equipment. The FCC made it illegal for cable providers to force people to use their equipment, but left it legal for telcos, or telecommunications providers.  ATT for example not only charges a monthly rental for their piece of junk modem, but also takes it upon themselves to factory reset it, or flash firmware at peak usage times.

 

On 2/7/2021 11:43 AM, Kurt Miller wrote:

Hi all,

I am seeking recommendations for a good DSL modem. I currently have Century Link with their modem and the  Eero mesh system. I know this has been discussed on here in the past, but didn’t pay a whole lot of attention to it. Please  don’t recommend that I get ahold of Century Link for an updated modem, because I just did that in December and came to find out that the one they sent me is not their latest model. They just want to get rid of the old crap on their shelves. The one that I got in December, quit working already on Friday. I am done with their equipment.

I want to buy my own, and get a decent one that is up-to-date. I hope not to break the bank, but I want reliable internet. We have up to 16 devices connected at a time. so, if anyone can recommend a good product for me, I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks,

Kurt

I share your frustration.  When I had Verizon DSL, I had the same difficulty getting an English speaking customer support agent on the phone, because they were all based overseas, probably in a bunker in India or the Philippines, or maybe even Mars.  It was maddening.  Finally, when my DSL speed had slowed to a crawl, Verizon had no alternative but to send a technician to my apartment to diagnose the problem.  Well, after two visits,and checking all wiring and connections, the technician concluded that the slow DSL speeds were most likely due to the antiquated wiring in the building itself, and there was nothing he could do about it, and if I wanted reliable Internet service, I should switch to Spectrum high speed Internet.  Imagine a Verizon technician telling a customer to switch to the competition?  For a number of reasons which are too complicated to discuss here, Verizon FIOS was never going to become available in my building, and so the next day, I called Spectrum (I was already a cable TV customer), and they sent out a technician only four hours later to install a modem and get my Internet service up and running again.  And unlike Verizon, all Spectrum phone agents are based in the US and speak and understand English.  I have had to have my modem replaced twice, and each time, Spectrum sent a technician the same day to replace it, most recently last May during the pandemic.  There are 125 residential tenants in my apartment building, plus another 15 commercial stores on the ground level, including a Starbucks, and almost all of them have Spectrum high speed Internet. Because Spectrum is an absolute monopoly, we really have no other choice.  Either we sign up with Spectrum or else learn to live without Internet service and TV, because reliable, DSL Internet and over the air TV reception are impossible in my building. Suppose I purchased my own high speed modem and I couldn't get it to work?  Then what?  I prefer paying Spectrum the lousy $10 a month to rent a modem and have the peace of mind that if my Internet service stops working due to their faulty equipment, they will fix or replace it promptly.  

Gerald

 

On 2/7/2021 1:58 PM, Kurt Miller wrote:

Jerald,

To your point of them being responsible, I have better luck, digging through the earth and coming out in China before getting someone on the phone at Century Link, If after about a week of trying constantly, if I do get someone, they can’t speak English and don’t listen to what the problem is. Then they want me to fix the issue myself anyway because of the covid; they will not send anyone out to homes.

 

From: win10@win10.groups.io <win10@win10.groups.io> On Behalf Of Gerald Levy via groups.io
Sent: Sunday, February 7, 2021 1:23 PM
To: win10@win10.groups.io
Subject: Re: [win10] Seeking Recommendation's for good DSL Modem

 

 

But here's why you may want to rent the ISP's modem rather than buy your own.  If anything goes wrong with your Internet service, the ISP is responsible for fixing it.  So if their modem craps out, a technician will usually visit your home at no charge and install a new one and make sure your Internet service is working properly.  But if you buy and install your own modem and your Internet service tops working, then you are screwed because the ISP won't give you the time of day, and if you don't have sighted tech savvy help available, then you may not be able to fix the problem yourself and may ultimately have to throw in the towel and have the ISP install their own modem, anyway, just to get your service working again.  Buying your own modem is a bad idea unless you are an advanced techie who can diagnose and fix Internet problems without sighted help. Amd sticking with obsolete, slow  DSL Internet is also a bad idea if high speed Internet is available in your area, because DSL is unreliable, especially with multiple devices connected to the modem.  I was forced to switch from Verizon DSL to Spectrum high speed Internet a few years ago because the former had become so slow, averaging less than 100 kpbs (that's kbps, not mbps), that many web pages would not load at all and file downloads would constantly get interuppted without finishing successfully.  Now with high speed Internet, I enjoy download speeds of 200 mbps, and although I pay $10 a month to rent a modem from Spectrum, at least one of their technicians will visit my home, often within two hours, to fix it if I encounter problems.  

 

Gerald

 

 

On 2/7/2021 12:48 PM, enes sarıbaş wrote:

Hi Kurt,

Sorry if this might sound unrelated to you, but you say you want reliable internet. If you want reliable internet, have you considered getting rid of DSL in favor of a more modern and faster service that offers actual broadband? DSL, in any shape or form is by no means even remotely adequate for the connected needs of 2021. Even LTE fixed wireless would be better. As for your original question, check if century link actually allows you to use your own equipment. The FCC made it illegal for cable providers to force people to use their equipment, but left it legal for telcos, or telecommunications providers.  ATT for example not only charges a monthly rental for their piece of junk modem, but also takes it upon themselves to factory reset it, or flash firmware at peak usage times.

 

On 2/7/2021 11:43 AM, Kurt Miller wrote:

Hi all,

I am seeking recommendations for a good DSL modem. I currently have Century Link with their modem and the  Eero mesh system. I know this has been discussed on here in the past, but didn’t pay a whole lot of attention to it. Please  don’t recommend that I get ahold of Century Link for an updated modem, because I just did that in December and came to find out that the one they sent me is not their latest model. They just want to get rid of the old crap on their shelves. The one that I got in December, quit working already on Friday. I am done with their equipment.

I want to buy my own, and get a decent one that is up-to-date. I hope not to break the bank, but I want reliable internet. We have up to 16 devices connected at a time. so, if anyone can recommend a good product for me, I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks,

Kurt

They are a terrible company, and actually have several investigations pending against them, especially the one on 911 outages in West Verginia..

Jerald,

To your point of them being responsible, I have better luck, digging through the earth and coming out in China before getting someone on the phone at Century Link, If after about a week of trying constantly, if I do get someone, they can’t speak English and don’t listen to what the problem is. Then they want me to fix the issue myself anyway because of the covid; they will not send anyone out to homes.

 

From: win10@win10.groups.io <win10@win10.groups.io> On Behalf Of Gerald Levy via groups.io
Sent: Sunday, February 7, 2021 1:23 PM
To: win10@win10.groups.io
Subject: Re: [win10] Seeking Recommendation's for good DSL Modem

 

 

But here's why you may want to rent the ISP's modem rather than buy your own.  If anything goes wrong with your Internet service, the ISP is responsible for fixing it.  So if their modem craps out, a technician will usually visit your home at no charge and install a new one and make sure your Internet service is working properly.  But if you buy and install your own modem and your Internet service tops working, then you are screwed because the ISP won't give you the time of day, and if you don't have sighted tech savvy help available, then you may not be able to fix the problem yourself and may ultimately have to throw in the towel and have the ISP install their own modem, anyway, just to get your service working again.  Buying your own modem is a bad idea unless you are an advanced techie who can diagnose and fix Internet problems without sighted help. Amd sticking with obsolete, slow  DSL Internet is also a bad idea if high speed Internet is available in your area, because DSL is unreliable, especially with multiple devices connected to the modem.  I was forced to switch from Verizon DSL to Spectrum high speed Internet a few years ago because the former had become so slow, averaging less than 100 kpbs (that's kbps, not mbps), that many web pages would not load at all and file downloads would constantly get interuppted without finishing successfully.  Now with high speed Internet, I enjoy download speeds of 200 mbps, and although I pay $10 a month to rent a modem from Spectrum, at least one of their technicians will visit my home, often within two hours, to fix it if I encounter problems.  

 

Gerald

 

 

On 2/7/2021 12:48 PM, enes sarıbaş wrote:

Hi Kurt,

Sorry if this might sound unrelated to you, but you say you want reliable internet. If you want reliable internet, have you considered getting rid of DSL in favor of a more modern and faster service that offers actual broadband? DSL, in any shape or form is by no means even remotely adequate for the connected needs of 2021. Even LTE fixed wireless would be better. As for your original question, check if century link actually allows you to use your own equipment. The FCC made it illegal for cable providers to force people to use their equipment, but left it legal for telcos, or telecommunications providers.  ATT for example not only charges a monthly rental for their piece of junk modem, but also takes it upon themselves to factory reset it, or flash firmware at peak usage times.

 

On 2/7/2021 11:43 AM, Kurt Miller wrote:

Hi all,

I am seeking recommendations for a good DSL modem. I currently have Century Link with their modem and the  Eero mesh system. I know this has been discussed on here in the past, but didn’t pay a whole lot of attention to it. Please  don’t recommend that I get ahold of Century Link for an updated modem, because I just did that in December and came to find out that the one they sent me is not their latest model. They just want to get rid of the old crap on their shelves. The one that I got in December, quit working already on Friday. I am done with their equipment.

I want to buy my own, and get a decent one that is up-to-date. I hope not to break the bank, but I want reliable internet. We have up to 16 devices connected at a time. so, if anyone can recommend a good product for me, I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks,

Kurt

That is highly improbable, but if they somehow do, I did recommend the TPlink archer combo modems to family and friends. But this was because they were in Turkey, in which DSL is the only type of internet in most of the country, and TPlink had lower pricing for lower profit on single units but selling to more people. But since you're in the US, Asus routers are generally known to be some of the best.  They have broadcom chips and are highly reliable. Here is an example

https://www.asus.com/Networking-IoT-Servers/WiFi-6/All-series/DSL-AX82U/

There is the 68U also, which has AC wireless.

So, if Century link does allow me to use my own equipment, what do you recommend? What did you recommend for your family and friends?

Kurt

 

From: win10@win10.groups.io <win10@win10.groups.io> On Behalf Of enes saribas
Sent: Sunday, February 7, 2021 1:45 PM
To: win10@win10.groups.io
Subject: Re: [win10] Seeking Recommendation's for good DSL Modem

 

Hi Gerald,

I do fit the techy catagory I guess, having had all family and friends get modems I recommended, and have helped them set them up too. I would argue though your own modem is still better, because ISPs are for profit, they sell the cheapest and worst quality equipment on the market. Even the AT&T person who replaced my modem said they mass produce these to be cheap as possible. If you buy your own, you can get equipment of the highest quality, that will go 5 years or more with no issues whatsoever. I think having my ISP  control over my equipment is also a bad idea, because of forced software upgrades, and techs randomly resetting my equipment without permission.

As for ADSL, the download speed doesn't matter all that much. I was getting between 12-16 mbps on my dsl, files would download around 1.5-1.7 mbps most of the time. But the issue is slow upload speed. ADSl has only 1 mbps max upload speed, 3.5 on the ANNEX m profile, but noone uses that. But in reality you  get between 80-100 kbps upload, which makes stuff like telework or audio/video calls out of the question. Even sending  simple attachments will take minutes.

On 2/7/2021 12:22 PM, Gerald Levy via groups.io wrote:

 

But here's why you may want to rent the ISP's modem rather than buy your own.  If anything goes wrong with your Internet service, the ISP is responsible for fixing it.  So if their modem craps out, a technician will usually visit your home at no charge and install a new one and make sure your Internet service is working properly.  But if you buy and install your own modem and your Internet service tops working, then you are screwed because the ISP won't give you the time of day, and if you don't have sighted tech savvy help available, then you may not be able to fix the problem yourself and may ultimately have to throw in the towel and have the ISP install their own modem, anyway, just to get your service working again.  Buying your own modem is a bad idea unless you are an advanced techie who can diagnose and fix Internet problems without sighted help. Amd sticking with obsolete, slow  DSL Internet is also a bad idea if high speed Internet is available in your area, because DSL is unreliable, especially with multiple devices connected to the modem.  I was forced to switch from Verizon DSL to Spectrum high speed Internet a few years ago because the former had become so slow, averaging less than 100 kpbs (that's kbps, not mbps), that many web pages would not load at all and file downloads would constantly get interuppted without finishing successfully.  Now with high speed Internet, I enjoy download speeds of 200 mbps, and although I pay $10 a month to rent a modem from Spectrum, at least one of their technicians will visit my home, often within two hours, to fix it if I encounter problems.  

 

Gerald

 

 

On 2/7/2021 12:48 PM, enes sarıbaş wrote:

Hi Kurt,

Sorry if this might sound unrelated to you, but you say you want reliable internet. If you want reliable internet, have you considered getting rid of DSL in favor of a more modern and faster service that offers actual broadband? DSL, in any shape or form is by no means even remotely adequate for the connected needs of 2021. Even LTE fixed wireless would be better. As for your original question, check if century link actually allows you to use your own equipment. The FCC made it illegal for cable providers to force people to use their equipment, but left it legal for telcos, or telecommunications providers.  ATT for example not only charges a monthly rental for their piece of junk modem, but also takes it upon themselves to factory reset it, or flash firmware at peak usage times.

 

On 2/7/2021 11:43 AM, Kurt Miller wrote:

Hi all,

I am seeking recommendations for a good DSL modem. I currently have Century Link with their modem and the  Eero mesh system. I know this has been discussed on here in the past, but didn’t pay a whole lot of attention to it. Please  don’t recommend that I get ahold of Century Link for an updated modem, because I just did that in December and came to find out that the one they sent me is not their latest model. They just want to get rid of the old crap on their shelves. The one that I got in December, quit working already on Friday. I am done with their equipment.

I want to buy my own, and get a decent one that is up-to-date. I hope not to break the bank, but I want reliable internet. We have up to 16 devices connected at a time. so, if anyone can recommend a good product for me, I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks,

Kurt

Thank you.

 

From: win10@win10.groups.io <win10@win10.groups.io> On Behalf Of enes saribas
Sent: Sunday, February 7, 2021 3:45 PM
To: win10@win10.groups.io
Subject: Re: [win10] Seeking Recommendation's for good DSL Modem

 

That is highly improbable, but if they somehow do, I did recommend the TPlink archer combo modems to family and friends. But this was because they were in Turkey, in which DSL is the only type of internet in most of the country, and TPlink had lower pricing for lower profit on single units but selling to more people. But since you're in the US, Asus routers are generally known to be some of the best.  They have broadcom chips and are highly reliable. Here is an example

https://www.asus.com/Networking-IoT-Servers/WiFi-6/All-series/DSL-AX82U/

There is the 68U also, which has AC wireless.

On 2/7/2021 1:05 PM, Kurt Miller wrote:

So, if Century link does allow me to use my own equipment, what do you recommend? What did you recommend for your family and friends?

Kurt

 

From: win10@win10.groups.io <win10@win10.groups.io> On Behalf Of enes saribas
Sent: Sunday, February 7, 2021 1:45 PM
To: win10@win10.groups.io
Subject: Re: [win10] Seeking Recommendation's for good DSL Modem

 

Hi Gerald,

I do fit the techy catagory I guess, having had all family and friends get modems I recommended, and have helped them set them up too. I would argue though your own modem is still better, because ISPs are for profit, they sell the cheapest and worst quality equipment on the market. Even the AT&T person who replaced my modem said they mass produce these to be cheap as possible. If you buy your own, you can get equipment of the highest quality, that will go 5 years or more with no issues whatsoever. I think having my ISP  control over my equipment is also a bad idea, because of forced software upgrades, and techs randomly resetting my equipment without permission.

As for ADSL, the download speed doesn't matter all that much. I was getting between 12-16 mbps on my dsl, files would download around 1.5-1.7 mbps most of the time. But the issue is slow upload speed. ADSl has only 1 mbps max upload speed, 3.5 on the ANNEX m profile, but noone uses that. But in reality you  get between 80-100 kbps upload, which makes stuff like telework or audio/video calls out of the question. Even sending  simple attachments will take minutes.

On 2/7/2021 12:22 PM, Gerald Levy via groups.io wrote:

 

But here's why you may want to rent the ISP's modem rather than buy your own.  If anything goes wrong with your Internet service, the ISP is responsible for fixing it.  So if their modem craps out, a technician will usually visit your home at no charge and install a new one and make sure your Internet service is working properly.  But if you buy and install your own modem and your Internet service tops working, then you are screwed because the ISP won't give you the time of day, and if you don't have sighted tech savvy help available, then you may not be able to fix the problem yourself and may ultimately have to throw in the towel and have the ISP install their own modem, anyway, just to get your service working again.  Buying your own modem is a bad idea unless you are an advanced techie who can diagnose and fix Internet problems without sighted help. Amd sticking with obsolete, slow  DSL Internet is also a bad idea if high speed Internet is available in your area, because DSL is unreliable, especially with multiple devices connected to the modem.  I was forced to switch from Verizon DSL to Spectrum high speed Internet a few years ago because the former had become so slow, averaging less than 100 kpbs (that's kbps, not mbps), that many web pages would not load at all and file downloads would constantly get interuppted without finishing successfully.  Now with high speed Internet, I enjoy download speeds of 200 mbps, and although I pay $10 a month to rent a modem from Spectrum, at least one of their technicians will visit my home, often within two hours, to fix it if I encounter problems.  

 

Gerald

 

 

On 2/7/2021 12:48 PM, enes sarıbaş wrote:

Hi Kurt,

Sorry if this might sound unrelated to you, but you say you want reliable internet. If you want reliable internet, have you considered getting rid of DSL in favor of a more modern and faster service that offers actual broadband? DSL, in any shape or form is by no means even remotely adequate for the connected needs of 2021. Even LTE fixed wireless would be better. As for your original question, check if century link actually allows you to use your own equipment. The FCC made it illegal for cable providers to force people to use their equipment, but left it legal for telcos, or telecommunications providers.  ATT for example not only charges a monthly rental for their piece of junk modem, but also takes it upon themselves to factory reset it, or flash firmware at peak usage times.

 

On 2/7/2021 11:43 AM, Kurt Miller wrote:

Hi all,

I am seeking recommendations for a good DSL modem. I currently have Century Link with their modem and the  Eero mesh system. I know this has been discussed on here in the past, but didn’t pay a whole lot of attention to it. Please  don’t recommend that I get ahold of Century Link for an updated modem, because I just did that in December and came to find out that the one they sent me is not their latest model. They just want to get rid of the old crap on their shelves. The one that I got in December, quit working already on Friday. I am done with their equipment.

I want to buy my own, and get a decent one that is up-to-date. I hope not to break the bank, but I want reliable internet. We have up to 16 devices connected at a time. so, if anyone can recommend a good product for me, I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks,

Kurt

But here's why you may want to rent the ISP's modem rather than buy your own.  If anything goes wrong with your Internet service, the ISP is responsible for fixing it.  So if their modem craps out, a technician will usually visit your home at no charge and install a new one and make sure your Internet service is working properly.  But if you buy and install your own modem and your Internet service tops working, then you are screwed because the ISP won't give you the time of day, and if you don't have sighted tech savvy help available, then you may not be able to fix the problem yourself and may ultimately have to throw in the towel and have the ISP install their own modem, anyway, just to get your service working again.  Buying your own modem is a bad idea unless you are an advanced techie who can diagnose and fix Internet problems without sighted help. Amd sticking with obsolete, slow  DSL Internet is also a bad idea if high speed Internet is available in your area, because DSL is unreliable, especially with multiple devices connected to the modem.  I was forced to switch from Verizon DSL to Spectrum high speed Internet a few years ago because the former had become so slow, averaging less than 100 kpbs (that's kbps, not mbps), that many web pages would not load at all and file downloads would constantly get interuppted without finishing successfully.  Now with high speed Internet, I enjoy download speeds of 200 mbps, and although I pay $10 a month to rent a modem from Spectrum, at least one of their technicians will visit my home, often within two hours, to fix it if I encounter problems.  

Gerald

On 2/7/2021 12:48 PM, enes sarıbaş wrote:

Hi Kurt,

Sorry if this might sound unrelated to you, but you say you want reliable internet. If you want reliable internet, have you considered getting rid of DSL in favor of a more modern and faster service that offers actual broadband? DSL, in any shape or form is by no means even remotely adequate for the connected needs of 2021. Even LTE fixed wireless would be better. As for your original question, check if century link actually allows you to use your own equipment. The FCC made it illegal for cable providers to force people to use their equipment, but left it legal for telcos, or telecommunications providers.  ATT for example not only charges a monthly rental for their piece of junk modem, but also takes it upon themselves to factory reset it, or flash firmware at peak usage times.

On 2/7/2021 11:43 AM, Kurt Miller wrote:

Hi all,

I am seeking recommendations for a good DSL modem. I currently have Century Link with their modem and the  Eero mesh system. I know this has been discussed on here in the past, but didn’t pay a whole lot of attention to it. Please  don’t recommend that I get ahold of Century Link for an updated modem, because I just did that in December and came to find out that the one they sent me is not their latest model. They just want to get rid of the old crap on their shelves. The one that I got in December, quit working already on Friday. I am done with their equipment.

I want to buy my own, and get a decent one that is up-to-date. I hope not to break the bank, but I want reliable internet. We have up to 16 devices connected at a time. so, if anyone can recommend a good product for me, I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks,

Kurt