Which (A)DSL2 modem should I purchase for my iMac?

[the8thark]

At the moment I have this set up for my (A)DSL 1 set up.

Power socket on the wall -> modem/router -> Apple airport express -> Wifi to my iMac.

I am currently on a 1.5Mbit (A)DSL1 plan with 25GB/25GB peak/offpeak download bandwidth before the speed is lowered. For $10 more I can upgrade to (A)DSL2 - up to 20Mbit they say but I'm not sure about the real world speeds. And the peak/offpeak bandwidth before speed cuts would be 100GB/100GB

The new (A)DSL2 plan will cost me $60 a month. I am still hesitant to pay this much but it's the best in my area so I guess I have to.

I have one question for you all though.

Which new modem/router should I get?
I ask this as my current modem/router is a Netcomm NB1300+4. It's (A)DSL 1 only. So I will need a new modem/router that is (A)DSL2 compatable. Which one would you recommend I get? And should I use my current set up still or just get a Wifi modem/router and wifi the internet to my iMac direct from that? Is their wifi signals better/worse than the Apple airport express?

I have no idea which brand is better in this area. So any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[chogue23]

Unlike a Cable connection, ADSL should be close to the speeds listed because they are on a dedicated connection. The only restriction would be on the quality of lines in your area. If it were me personally I would upgrade because the download caps are much higher and I do a lot of streaming video and things like that, but it would depend on what you use your connection for. I think you would notice the speed increase at least.

As for the other questions, the ADSL modem you get would depend on what modems your ISP supports. Normally you can go to their website and it will give you an approved list of modems to choose from that will work in your area. For simplicity I would keep the setup you have now, because even with the upgraded internet speeds you will not reach a bottleneck with your airport, even if it is an older model. I find that an additional wireless access point or switch always works better than the one that is built in to the modem because it has a lot more configuration settings and it is easier to position for best wifi signal in your space. Another thing to look for might be what is called a dummy modem, or a modem that does not have a built in switch or wifi. Those can sometimes be cheaper and easier to set up. If you do get one with a switch built in, make sure that the IP addresses for the modem and the airport are not the same, or it will not work. I like to set my modem for 192.168.0.1 and my router for 192.168.1.1, and that leaves plenty of room for further expansion if you are in a bigger house that needs multiple wireless access points.

I hope this helps and isn't too much tech-talk to be useful!