FU to DSL Problems.

[timg]

Follow up to this thread: http://forums.macresource.com/read.php?1...msg-992108

I managed to get another DSL modem, exactly the same as the one I had (Westell Wirespeed B90-36R516), from Freecycle.
It had pretty much the same problems. (slow load, dropped packets, connection time outs, basically un-usable)

I also managed to get what appears to be a newer modem on loan (Speedstream 5100).
That one works with none of the issues listed above for the Westell.

Now, I am wondering if AT&T has gone and changed their network configurations recently in some way as to make the Westell modems incompatible.

Anyone have any knowledge or experience on this?

[tortoise]

Sometimes you have to accept that progress eventually renders old hardware incompatible and move on. The speedstream model you mention has been the default modem for at least four or five years with ATT. Never heard of the Westell you mention, how long has it been in service. I had a 11 year old Alcatel from when PacBell first started installing DSL and it was still functioning on my DSL service. Recently upgraded to the ATT Uverse service including 18MB download thanks to recent roll out of their fiber-optic in our area, they installed new 2Wire gateway that is heart of system and works flawlessly. As a point of information I routinely install 2Wire gateways for clients with ATT service, good hardware that works seamlessly with ATT.

[timg]

The Westell modem came with the self-install kit back in December of 2000. Yes, it's old.

I have no issue with progress. But, if the reason my DSL has been down for half a week is because AT&T changed their network so that it won't work with my hardware without telling me, then I have a problem.

I don't know that's the case here, but it seems that it might be.

[tortoise]

timg wrote:
The Westell modem came with the self-install kit back in December of 2000. Yes, it's old.

I have no issue with progress. But, if the reason my DSL has been down for half a week is because AT&T changed their network so that it won't work with my hardware without telling me, then I have a problem.

I don't know that's the case here, but it seems that it might be.

Not to be demeaning but you summed it up precisely: "then I have a problem". Dealing with monopolies is a reality and ATT tech support for conventional DSL is offshore based and horrible. I do this for a living and have learned to deal with the shortcomings of tech support from both ATT & Comcast. The new Uverse service being rolled out by ATT seems to have overcome past sins as all calls on the new service have been answered stateside with excellent results. You get what you pay for, both ATT and Comcast provide atrocious support at the lowest consumer levels. Move up to Uverse with ATT or Comcast business service and they provide excellent service. Sorry but that is the reality in todays market. ATT could care less about low cost DSL service as many people are moving up. In my case by bundling two phones, HD TV top tier for three sets with DVR, and 18MBs download they saved me $125/month over what we had been paying for Comcast HDTV (lousy service and pixilation on HD channels during busy part of evening), and two regular phones and my old 1.5MB/sec ATT DSL service).
Just my thoughts on the matter, not worth getting mad at ATT over your perceived grievance, it is a waste of time. You waste ten minutes going through their phone tree to get to a human and most times that human barely speaks english and is reading from a script. Check out the Uverse in your area and if available might be worth checking it out. They came in and removed all my old original 11 year old DSL components installed the new 2Wire gateway, set up everything to my satisfaction and everything is working perfectly. Just a thought?

[timg]

I am very happy for you that you have moved on to the U-verse.

Unfortunately, it is not an option for everyone. It is not an option for me. They haven't spent the money in my neighborhood.

I don't disagree with your statement that AT&T support, to put it bluntly, sucks. Comcast does as well, but at least when Comcast revamped their system and made a whole lot of equipment obsolete they had the courtesy to warn their customers. Even their "low level" customers, like me.

As I stated, I don't know that AT&T made my DSL modem obsolete by changing their system. It could be that my modem and the other modem of the same type I got are both bad. They're old, it's very possible. But if that's not the case, and it's because of an unannounced change to their system, I think that is inexcusable.

And I won't be spending 10+ minutes wading through their phone maze to talk with someone from India. I have a direct phone number to broadband support now that, at least the times I've called, has been answered by people in the US. (Unless the Indians have started learning English with a Southern accent, that is)

By the way, if you have any useful information to add to this thread, it would be welcomed.

[OWC Jamie]

FWIW, I have a Westell Wirespeed A90 (12/2002) and it's working fine.
only time I had a similar problem it ended up being a bad copper line ( and fortunately for Verizon a connection at an access point above ground up the street).
Took almost two months to resolve, though - and it had to be a bad voice problem to get a service tech out.
In fairness (due, maybe not) to Verizon, mine was very intermittant before it suddenly got bad enough to compromise the phone line audio.

[JoeH]

I also have a Westell A90 from a Verizon self-install kit and it is still working fine. But back then it was a ~$200 DSL modem, and designed to last and also handle higher speeds than provided back then. The B model line was the economy one. I get 6.4 mbps over my 7.1 DSL service with Verizon, have more problems with the router causing slowdowns and such.

[AllGold]

I seriously doubt that AT&T intentionally changed something that would cause your Westell modem to quit working. Even more unlikely for that to be the case along with the phone support reps trying to keep it a secret.

As I see it, the two main possibilities are:

1) both Westell modems are bad
2) a problem has developed with your line and the Westells don't deal well with noise and/or low signal levels while the Speedstream handles it better.

It is AT&T's job to troubleshoot the problem but if you absolutely can't get them to do so, then go to dslreports.com and start looking through the FAQs. There is a wealth of information on signal level and noise readings and what they mean. Also, there is a forum there that is post-only (the public can't see what you post) and goes direct to AT&T employees who will give you better service than the phone folks.

[timg]

AllGold wrote:
I seriously doubt that AT&T intentionally changed something that would cause your Westell modem to quit working. Even more unlikely for that to be the case along with the phone support reps trying to keep it a secret.

As I see it, the two main possibilities are:

1) both Westell modems are bad
2) a problem has developed with your line and the Westells don't deal well with noise and/or low signal levels while the Speedstream handles it better.

It is AT&T's job to troubleshoot the problem but if you absolutely can't get them to do so, then go to dslreports.com and start looking through the FAQs. There is a wealth of information on signal level and noise readings and what they mean. Also, there is a forum there that is post-only (the public can't see what you post) and goes direct to AT&T employees who will give you better service than the phone folks.

I doubt they changed something that made the modem stop working too, but I wouldn't put it past them either. As for the phone drones keeping a secret, they don't need to since they don't know anything beyond what's in their scripts.

The problem I have is that AT&T (even the "line techs") say that from what they can see, the line is fine and the problem is mine (i.e. it's inside the house, so I have to pay).

I don't really want AT&T to come out and then charge me because they think the problem is inside. There really isn't much "inside". I have a POTS splitter outside that has a single dedicated line running directly to the modem, so the candidates for "problem child" are really limited to those 3 items - splitter, phone line, modem.

I will go look at the dslreports.com forums and see what else I can do to diagnose the problem. Thanks.