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Will any brand of Modem work with DSL?

B

barbourdg

macrumors member
Original poster
Dec 23, 2002
65
0
dallas
Family member has earthlink DSl, with a ZyXEL modem. We are having no luck with ICHAT AV (tried open ports, firewall off, etc..) with no luck.

I read many problems with the ZyXEL modem with IChat. So I have an older speedstream 5230, and was curious if I had my family member purchase a simialr speedstream modem (or other brand), would it work with Earthlink DSL?

The problem with our ICHAT is not a router issue. We were using our wireless belkin routers, but we already bypassed those routers, and still had the same problem.

Has anybody ever used the same mac account, to start up a Video Conferencing? I own one primary mac account, and 3 sub accounts. In our home, we have no problem connection to ICHAT AV on different computers through the same wireless router.

READ On one WEBSITE that one solution for the ZyXEL modem is changing the AOL SERVER M (in Ichat preferences) to 433 from 5190. Have not tried it yet, will tonight.
 
barbourdg said:
So I have an older speedstream 5230, and was curious if I had my family member purchase a simialr speedstream modem (or other brand), would it work with Earthlink DSL?
Click to expand...
Unfortunately DSL equipment and standards vary by provider and area, so unless your SpeedStream was previously used with Earthlink there are no guarantees, You can often reconfigure equipment to work on other providers DSL lines, but this can require much more effort than is usually required to be worth it. Best to contact Earthlink and see what other equipment they may offer to replace the Zyxel.

B
 
balamw said:
Unfortunately DSL equipment and standards vary by provider and area, so unless your SpeedStream was previously used with Earthlink there are no guarantees, You can often reconfigure equipment to work on other providers DSL lines, but this can require much more effort than is usually required to be worth it. Best to contact Earthlink and see what other equipment they may offer to replace the Zyxel.

B
Click to expand...

thanks for the quick reply..... :)

I did call Earthlink and any DSL Modem that supports UHP (unified hardware platform) will work with their service. They recommended Utopida, Vision Net, or even Speedstream.

I am really curious if a DSL Modem could be the problem all along with ICHAT AV. We have tried everything else (except changing the AOL SERVER to 433, which will be done tongiht).

Robin
 
barbourdg said:
Family member has earthlink DSl, with a ZyXEL modem. We are having no luck with ICHAT AV (tried open ports, firewall off, etc..) with no luck.
Click to expand...

If you are opening and closing ports and changing firewall settings on the ZyXEL modem, then it is more than just a modem. It is a combination device.

If this is the ZyXEL 643 modem/router device then you can disable the router functions so that it only acts as a modem. This is the way I have my own ZyXEL 643 configured:

DSL line -> ZyXEL 643 (in bridge mode so it is only acting as a modem -> Linksys wireless router -> computers.

Since you seem comfortable with configuring stand-alone routers a similar setup may work for you. I can post the details of how to set up the ZyXEL 643 to only act as a modem if need be.
 
I keep meaning to sell my old Speedstream DSL modem on eBay. If you want it, I could sell it to you cheap. PM me if you're interested. Otherwise, it'll be on eBay one of these days...

-faramir- (Randy Boring)
 
mrichmon said:
If you are opening and closing ports and changing firewall settings on the ZyXEL modem, then it is more than just a modem. It is a combination device.

If this is the ZyXEL 643 modem/router device then you can disable the router functions so that it only acts as a modem. This is the way I have my own ZyXEL 643 configured:

DSL line -> ZyXEL 643 (in bridge mode so it is only acting as a modem -> Linksys wireless router -> computers.

Since you seem comfortable with configuring stand-alone routers a similar setup may work for you. I can post the details of how to set up the ZyXEL 643 to only act as a modem if need be.
Click to expand...

I tried to get the model number from the family member last night, and it was some 660T number. Searching on google, I found no mention of it online. So I am not 100% sure if its a router/modem. That would be a BIG DEAL if true. Then the firewall is probably on that device.
 
faramir said:
I keep meaning to sell my old Speedstream DSL modem on eBay. If you want it, I could sell it to you cheap. PM me if you're interested. Otherwise, it'll be on eBay one of these days...

-faramir- (Randy Boring)
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info. i will probably pass. I am planning on purchasing a few different modems, and have her try each one until we get this worked out. Then I can return the ones that did not work.

I use a speedstream 5230 with no problems on ichat, So I 100% want to try it out on her DSL.

Thanks again,
 
barbourdg said:
Thanks for the info. i will probably pass. I am planning on purchasing a few different modems, and have her try each one until we get this worked out. Then I can return the ones that did not work.

I use a speedstream 5230 with no problems on ichat, So I 100% want to try it out on her DSL.

Thanks again,
Click to expand...

DSL models are tied to the equipment that the DSL provider uses at the exchange that the phone line connects to. This can vary significantly even within a town so you may have some trouble with your plan.
 
barbourdg said:
I tried to get the model number from the family member last night, and it was some 660T number. Searching on google, I found no mention of it online. So I am not 100% sure if its a router/modem. That would be a BIG DEAL if true. Then the firewall is probably on that device.
Click to expand...

The ZyXEL 660 series is a router/modem combination. To correctly use it with a home DSL router you need to put the 660 into bridge mode. (Bridge mode effectively means that the router functions are disabled and instead the router bridges between the DSL connection and the local ethernet network.)

A search on google will turn up the appropriate instructions.
 
mrichmon said:
The ZyXEL 660 series is a router/modem combination. To correctly use it with a home DSL router you need to put the 660 into bridge mode. (Bridge mode effectively means that the router functions are disabled and instead the router bridges between the DSL connection and the local ethernet network.)

A search on google will turn up the appropriate instructions.
Click to expand...

I wonder if I have to go in the IP to do that, or if there is some switch or something. My mother in law knows nothing about computers, and its been a pain staking process so far.

That is the problem though with the router being there. I guess if I manuall add all the open port commands in my sharing preferences, it will force open the right ports. Since she knows so little about computers, I would prefer to turn that firewall off.

Thanks for the info, will go look for instructions on google.
Robin :)
 
balamw said:
:eek: :eek: :eek:
What mrichmon was suggesting was to add a different iChat compatible Cable/DSL router behind the Zyxel after you go to bridge mode, and I would also recommend that over going straight on the 'net. Even in bridge mode you will probably require something to handle the DHCP or PPPOE negotiation.

http://www.zyxel.com/support/supportnote/P660Series/P-660SeriesSupportNotes_ForP660RHHW-DT_.pdf


B
Click to expand...

I did realize that. We have a belkin wireless router, that is approved for ICHAT. I already turned its firewall off, and will either attempt it with the Zyxel, or will have them pick up a plain DSL speedstream 5100 from radioshack tonight.

The problem is they know nothing about computers, and live out of state. Its just a hassle, without me being able to see what they see. I have the exact same belkin router, so I was able to walk them through turning off the firewall.

It may be easier to get a plain DSL modem temp, and wait until I visit them to open their firewall and program the ports.

Thanks, Robin
 
balamw said:
You could try and have them set up a reverse VNC client that was mentioned on another thread so you can see what they see.

Let me dig it up...

http://www.bleulemon.com 04 Nov 2005 04:22 AM

B
Click to expand...

Thanks Blamw, I will take a look at it tonight. After reading that PDF link you sent me earlier, I am not sure if I even want to mess with this modem/router. According to them, I can not use a simple IP to access their system. I have to use a telnet connection, or I guess my apple's terminal would do. May be to intense for me to translate into simple terms for my mother in law to do on her computer.

A 5100 speedstream from Radioshack sounds pretty good about now!

Thanks again for the info,
Robin
 
mrichmon said:
If you are opening and closing ports and changing firewall settings on the ZyXEL modem, then it is more than just a modem. It is a combination device.

If this is the ZyXEL 643 modem/router device then you can disable the router functions so that it only acts as a modem. This is the way I have my own ZyXEL 643 configured:

DSL line -> ZyXEL 643 (in bridge mode so it is only acting as a modem -> Linksys wireless router -> computers.

Since you seem comfortable with configuring stand-alone routers a similar setup may work for you. I can post the details of how to set up the ZyXEL 643 to only act as a modem if need be.
Click to expand...

Hi
i'd love to have the details to setup the Zyxel 643 as a modem as I am trying to connect it to a WRT54GL.
 
persep said:
Hi
i'd love to have the details to setup the Zyxel 643 as a modem as I am trying to connect it to a WRT54GL.
Click to expand...

The details are here: http://kb.earthlink.net/case.asp?s=st=144,e=0000000001116069276,k=5299,sxi=9&article=24503

To telnet to the modem you need to connect an ethernet cable between your computer and the modem then open a command prompt and enter the command "telnet 192.168.1.1" using the address of your modem.

You can also use a serial cable connected to the serial port on the ZyXeL 643 with modem terminal software to access these text configuration menus. I have my ZyXeL 643 configured in bridge mode with a serial cable always connected to the modem so that I can check the modem status and line condition via these menus.
 
VPI/VCI is the key -

if this is not hte same in the router as it is for your ISP the modem will not work -- all that you need to know is the proper VPI VCI and you can get any router and write it to the firmware for it to work --

the ActionTec 714 is a good router to use since you can change the vpivci internally
 
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