modem=dead

billydocks · Jul 12, 2011

hey guys,

my modem is dead. it's an old netgear and i'm not keen to troubleshoot, i'm just going to buy a new one. i am thinking of investing in a 2TB Time Capsule, but my understanding is that this is only a router, not a modem, so i need something else to get my broadband connection. any recommendations?

simultaneous dual-band etc. i would get with the Time Capsule, so does it really matter which modem i get, if i'm only connecting it to the TC?

cheers!

Lifeisabeach · Jul 12, 2011

billydocks said:
hey guys,

my modem is dead. it's an old netgear and i'm not keen to troubleshoot, i'm just going to buy a new one. i am thinking of investing in a 2TB Time Capsule, but my understanding is that this is only a router, not a modem, so i need something else to get my broadband connection. any recommendations?

simultaneous dual-band etc. i would get with the Time Capsule, so does it really matter which modem i get, if i'm only connecting it to the TC?

cheers!

The Time Capsule is indeed just a router. But your ISP should be providing the modem, shouldn't they?

billydocks · Jul 13, 2011

not for free. and since i had one (the one that just died) i said i didn't need one, so now i'm modemless...

class77 · Jul 15, 2011

Billy, I bought a Motorola Surfboard 6120 modem about a month ago and it's working nicely with my AE5. NewEgg has them for about $88. I'm getting a consistent 30+ down and 3.5+ up when I'm only paying for 15 down and 2 up. Hope that helps.

Personally, I would go with an AE5 with a USB connected portable HD for $100 or so and put the extra bucks in your pocket.

Surfboard 6120

dtravis7 · Jul 15, 2011

What is your Internet connection? Cable? DSL? If cable, the Motorola Surfboard is a great Cable modem. For DSL not sure what to recommend anymore.

bobtomay · Jul 15, 2011

My cable company just brought me a Motorola Surfboard SG6580 this week. I may have to let my DIR-655 go as D-Link decided some time back to remove bridged mode in one of the firmware updates.

The 6580 seems to be quite capable though - a little on the high side at retail.

dtravis7 · Jul 15, 2011

First I have heard that about the DIR-655. You can't turn off DHCP and just use it as a WAP?

I did that not long ago. It keeps telling me I am up to date. Going to check.

bobtomay · Jul 15, 2011

I haven't played with it much yet. When the guy brought it out, he didn't even know the password to get into the modem's menu or how to use google to go find it... I had to take over the keyboard to get it set up and working while he was here. He says "you know more about this than I do". :Smirk:

He said I was only the 2nd person he'd run into in almost 2 years he'd been doing this that even knew the IP for the router. What's that tell ya about the average joe out there.

Once I found out he wasn't going to be any help, I just disconnected the 655 and went straight to the modem to get it set up and make sure it was working before he left. Haven't had time to hook the 655 back up and tinker yet, but found several threads about bridged mode on the D-link site and had a bunch of unhappy end users about it.

Did find a couple of work arounds. But, as well as the modem seems to be working so far, I may not need the 655 with it. The wifi distance seems to be just as strong, if not possibly a little better.

dtravis7 · Jul 15, 2011

So that Motorola has a decent router in it? Does it have Statefull packet Inspection Firewall and the other goodies? Will have to check it out. I like my old Surfboard but can't afford Cable here any longer. Way too over priced for me. Loved the speed though!

dtravis7 · Jul 15, 2011

Bob, you sure on that model? motorola surfboard sg6580?? I can't really find it in google. Is it a special modem just for your ISP?

Edit: Found the manual. Has an SPI Firewall and specs all look good. Keep us posted!

bobtomay · Jul 15, 2011

Only place I found it for sale was Best Buy at $150.

So far I like it. I did have a goofball moment while getting the Time Capsule set up. Spent 20 minutes trying to get it working in bridge mode and just wouldn't even connect. Tried to manually configure the IP on the TC and the 6580. Nothing was working... then remembered... it was still plugged into the 655, which was not plugged into the 6580. duh...

billydocks · Jul 15, 2011

apologies, i should have mentioned earlier, i only have a DSL connection. i live in the forest so internet options are not abundant, which is why i'm after a good modem to go with the AE5 or Time Capsule, to attempt to make the best of an average coonection.

and i couldn't tell if you were saying the DIR-655 is a good DSL modem or not sorry. shall i go for that or has d-link has firmware updated themselves into oblivion?

thanks again

bobtomay · Jul 15, 2011

Sorry, we got a little off topic with the mention of the surfboard modem. No, the DIR-655 is a router, not a modem. I've never had to purchase a high speed modem as they've always been provided by the ISP, so not sure what to suggest there. dtravis may have an idea as he does much more tech support than I.

You might head to newegg.com or amazon, do a search there for DSL modem. They should have a few and give you a chance to read some reviews for them also.

dtravis7 · Jul 15, 2011

It's been a while since I looked for just a DSL modem. I have always used my 2Wire Speedstream 5200B's here and it works great. They are discontinued. Dlink used to make a DSL modem as did Linksys, but that was a while back. Let me see what I can find and get back to you.

I tried the newish Motorola DSL modem they still sell at Best Buy. It died in 4 months and a quick search on the internet showed they were dropping like flys! So I would avoid that one.