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Elisha

How do I know if I need to replace my modem?

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I've had my DSL service (and the same e-mail account) through AT&T/Pacbell/SBC/AT&T for seven years now. When I moved about 10 miles away in April of '03 to buy my condo, they gave me another modem.

So, I've had this same Speedstream 5100 for over 4 years now which is used through my Linksys wireless router. I was curious about my bill ($20 per month) and called customer service. They lady told me to go to 2wire.com to check my speed. From clicking on the speed meter at the top of the 2wire.com site, it says my bandwidth is >10 Mbps (got over 13 at one point) every time I run the test.

Is the CS lady/AT&T trying blow smoke up my ass? Are they right? (well, they could be right but also blowing smoke up my ass) Do I really need to get another modem? If I do, would it really help?

She told me to go to the AT&T store...and credit my phone bill $50. I guess I can just take the "free" $50 and not buy a modem if I don't want to.

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DSL is distance dependent. If you're getting consistent speeds over 10Mbps, you're probably really, really, really, close to the Central Office. Getting DSL speeds over 7Mbps is uncommon.

The number of lines sharing each port in the DSLAM is a factor too.

The DSL "modem" change probably isn't going to make much of a difference and if it did, it might slow things down.
So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh
Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright
'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life
Make light!

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DSL is distance dependent.



Centurytel recently put a DSL main box in this area but, all the homes in the area are over 2000' feet of the box. I'm over a mile from it. I wasn't aware that the signal nearly drops completely past 2000'. No way the could connect me. Stuck with the dial up from hell.
Could be you are close to the limit.
"...And once you're gone, you can't come back
When you're out of the blue and into the black."
Neil Young

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DSL is distance dependent.



Centurytel recently put a DSL main box in this area but, all the homes in the area are over 2000' feet of the box. I'm over a mile from it. I wasn't aware that the signal nearly drops completely past 2000'. No way the could connect me. Stuck with the dial up from hell.
Could be you are close to the limit.



They have to be doing it wrong or you have the distance confused. DSL signaling works well in excess of a mile. In fact, I should have said that the DSL "speeds are distance dependent".

Unless the OP mistyped, the mention of >10Mbps is really good for DSL.
So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh
Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright
'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life
Make light!

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DSL is distance dependent.



Centurytel recently put a DSL main box in this area but, all the homes in the area are over 2000' feet of the box. I'm over a mile from it. I wasn't aware that the signal nearly drops completely past 2000'. No way the could connect me. Stuck with the dial up from hell.
Could be you are close to the limit.



They have to be doing it wrong or you have the distance confused. DSL signaling works well in excess of a mile. In fact, I should have said that the DSL "speeds are distance dependent".

Unless the OP mistyped, the mention of >10Mbps is really good for DSL.



The guy who came out told me that I need to be within 2000' of the main connection box otherwise the signal would be way too weak. Could it be that they use a signal amplifier along the line every 2000'?
The only thing close to the box they put in are the cows.
I did call Centurytel and was told that they do have plans to upgrade this area in the future but, I would think it depends on the developement in the area. Not much out here but cows and horses.
Sure wish they'd do something. Dial up sucks.
"...And once you're gone, you can't come back
When you're out of the blue and into the black."
Neil Young

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I've had my DSL service (and the same e-mail account) through AT&T/Pacbell/SBC/AT&T for seven years now. When I moved about 10 miles away in April of '03 to buy my condo, they gave me another modem.

So, I've had this same Speedstream 5100 for over 4 years now which is used through my Linksys wireless router. I was curious about my bill ($20 per month) and called customer service. They lady told me to go to 2wire.com to check my speed. From clicking on the speed meter at the top of the 2wire.com site, it says my bandwidth is >10 Mbps (got over 13 at one point) every time I run the test.

Is the CS lady/AT&T trying blow smoke up my ass? Are they right? (well, they could be right but also blowing smoke up my ass) Do I really need to get another modem? If I do, would it really help?

She told me to go to the AT&T store...and credit my phone bill $50. I guess I can just take the "free" $50 and not buy a modem if I don't want to.



It's probably time. I've had several "modems" fail.

I have AT&T Uverse at home and AT&T at work with a 2Wire modem that works fine.
Russell M. Webb D 7014
Attorney at Law
713 385 5676
https://www.tdcparole.com

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DSL is distance dependent.



Centurytel recently put a DSL main box in this area but, all the homes in the area are over 2000' feet of the box. I'm over a mile from it. I wasn't aware that the signal nearly drops completely past 2000'. No way the could connect me. Stuck with the dial up from hell.
Could be you are close to the limit.



They have to be doing it wrong or you have the distance confused. DSL signaling works well in excess of a mile. In fact, I should have said that the DSL "speeds are distance dependent".

Unless the OP mistyped, the mention of >10Mbps is really good for DSL.



The guy who came out told me that I need to be within 2000' of the main connection box otherwise the signal would be way too weak. Could it be that they use a signal amplifier along the line every 2000'?
The only thing close to the box they put in are the cows.
I did call Centurytel and was told that they do have plans to upgrade this area in the future but, I would think it depends on the developement in the area. Not much out here but cows and horses.
Sure wish they'd do something. Dial up sucks.



If you're out in "cow country", then are you sure he didn't say 20,000' instead of 2000'...that's a whole other ball of wax. Typically, signal amplifiers do not work for DSL. If you're within 5 miles of the Central Office (the brick building in town, or wherever, they're almost always a square, brick building), DSL can work, not fast, but 768Kbps-ish.

If you're that far gone, go with your Cable TV provider. Some power companies are using their "right-of-ways" to bring fiber to really "out there" locations. Really depends on where you are though.
So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh
Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright
'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life
Make light!

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I'm an telecom tech, and have been installing and troubleshooting DSL service since 2000 here in Michigan.

Your modem, if it works, is likely just fine. Most of the time, when they go bad, they simply go bad and quit completely. Less often, they will go intermittent and act sort of 'flaky'. This type of intermittent service is usually caused by poor line conditions, but can sometimes be caused by a defective modem.

If you are not experiencing intermittent service, I wouldn't replace it. The only advantage of going to the 2wire is the fact that you have a modem & wireless router in one device, and it will be supported by AT&T. If you have a 3rd party router, the company will always ask you to disconnect it before they troubleshoot with you.


And the distance limitation on the service is 20000' from the DSLAM or remote terminal. The speeds available here go from 6 Mbps on a short loop, down to 384 Kbps at the long end. If you have the new Uverse fiber/copper hybrid product, I believe you can get in excess of 20 Mbps.


long story short, if it's not broke, don't fix it. If you are having intermittent service problems, it is more likely the line (either outside or inside) than the modem. If you want to buy a modem to try to resolve it yourself, keep the reciept incase it turns out to be the line. And, if you have a tech out and it turns out to be your computer, your wiring, or your modem, they will bill you for the time spent troubleshooting. PM me if you want ;)

Good judgement comes from experience, and most of that comes from bad judgement.

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