I need ADSL modem help

Paradroid

Fledgling Freddie
Joined
Jan 2, 2004
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645
I waited years for NTL to dig up my road an install their tasty fibre optics, I used their service for 3 years with no problems and a huge smile on my face....then I moved house.

I'm in a rented flat with no cable access, so I've had to go with BTs (*spit*) ADSL (*throat clearing, gruff resonance, spit*). This obviously entailed abandoning my cable modem (£150), my Netgear network card (£20), my cable/TV package (£20/£20 respectively) and pay 50% extra to BT for a lesser service. (/RANT).

I thought BTs ADSL would be a temp arrangement for me and I would soon be back on with NTL, so I bought the cheapest (and nastiest) ADSL modem I could....the PCI ADSL Accessrunner (£30). *sigh*

A year into using ADSL and my connection's getting worse. My connection used to drop occasionally, probably about once or twice every other night - which wasn't too bad (compare that to NTLs: once every 6 months). Over the past few months it's increased and I now get dropped connections 5,6,7....times a night.

As a gamer, it's beyond bad - and I need to sort this out.

I've searched for help but all I could surmise is that my modem's sh*t, most notably because of the firmware - or lack of firmware updates (apparently).

I read that I might need to get an ADSL router (?) with firmware that I could flash, but I know very little about the setup or the products.

Since I've just been paid, I want to go out tomorrow and buy some kit and I know it would take me ages researching all this.

Does anyone out there know what I need?

help!


:D

PS my budget for this is £100 < £150.

:clap:
 

Ardrias

Fledgling Freddie
Joined
Dec 29, 2003
Messages
478
Think I'll have to stress how great I think my Netgear DG834G is. Has everything. Now... if only my ISP wouldnt be the only one in the world that it doesnt work well with...

I have only good things to say about this piece of hardware, but you might want to check forums etc if people have had problems with BT and it.

DG834 is the same, but no wireless.
 

babs

Can't get enough of FH
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Dec 30, 2003
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I bought a £40 4 port router with modem and have had no problems and no reason to flash it. It does what it's supposed to, there's no reason to flash :)
 

throdgrain

FH is my second home
Joined
Dec 22, 2003
Messages
7,197
I have a Netgear DG814 (or something) , I use BT adsl and for all the whinging Ive never really had any problem with it whatsoever. Its always there, always on, theres no cap on downloads (not that it would effect me anyway tbh) and my ping in-game is one of the lowest I see, for example I generally ping 12-18 on BF42 games and low 20's in CS.
 

Cask

Fledgling Freddie
Joined
Dec 27, 2003
Messages
653
Don't see why you should need a router just for a single PC. I got the SMC Barricade 7404BRA which is ok but only because I wanted to hook up a second PC. Before that I had the standard Solwise PCI Modem which was fine. I haven't seen any difference in pings or stability since I changed.
 

Lazarus

Part of the furniture
Joined
Dec 22, 2003
Messages
2,874
Paradroid.

BT have problems at the moment which is affecting customers with huge lag spikes n game. Not sure of the cause - maybe BT's website may have reoprts of the issue.

AS for Routers, Netgear DG834 was the one I got and I think its excellent.
 

babs

Can't get enough of FH
Joined
Dec 30, 2003
Messages
1,595
Don't see why you should need a router just for a single PC
I quite like having my connection held open for me and not having to wait for sync and connection when I turn the PC on. The majoirty come with Hardware firewalls too which is worth its weight in gold.
 

Ardrias

Fledgling Freddie
Joined
Dec 29, 2003
Messages
478
Also, one might want to expand ones computer park later. :eek:
 

Paradroid

Fledgling Freddie
Joined
Jan 2, 2004
Messages
645
I've got a second PC which I'm going to hook up to the router in time.

BTs listed problems don't cover it, it's definately the PCI modem I have - the software handling the card is bullsh*t too!


babs said:
...The majoirty come with Hardware firewalls too which is worth its weight in gold.


I wanted to ask about this. I've got Norton Firewall running, how does this hardware firewall thingy work (ie do you use 2 firewalls?) or can you disable one of them (are you supposed to?).

Lots of questions!


(Thanks for the responses peeps!)


:clap:
 

Ardrias

Fledgling Freddie
Joined
Dec 29, 2003
Messages
478
Well I suppose you could run two firewalls, but I know I'd get well annoyed if I did. Having to check whats blocking which port etc. The Firewall in the DG834G is very nice. Well, for a home user product anyway.

Just having a router itself helps some, because of you having different IP internally.
 

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